iqukikofor.wordpress.com
San Mateo-based Bayhill's BHT-3021 is a DNA-based antigenn specific immunotherapy currently in clinical trials for patients with type 1 Under the terms of the SouthSan Francisco-based Genentech will make an upfront payment of $25 million in cash and with additional development, regulatory and sales milestone payments potentially exceedinvg $325 million. Bayhill will also receive competitives escalating royalties on annual net Bayhill will be responsible for completingthe trial, while Genentech will be responsiblwe for all future research, development, manufacturintg and commercialization efforts.
Genentech will reimburse Bayhill the remaining costss of the trial and will fund all future Under the terms of the Bayhill retains rightsto opt-in on futurre development as well as an option to co-promot e in North America. Bayhill Therapeuticsz is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused onautoimmunew diseases. Genentech is a wholly-owned memberd of the Roche Group.
воскресенье, 30 сентября 2012 г.
пятница, 28 сентября 2012 г.
Record entries for Wisconsin business plan contest - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
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Entries received by Jan. 31 were sprea d over four contest categories aimed atcapturing Wisconsin’s best technology-based advanced manufacturing (102), business services (95), informationj technology (77) and life sciencesx (52), the said. The previous high for entriews of 300 camein 2004, the contest’s firs year. This year, entries were receivec from 287 individuals in 106different cities, villagexs and towns.
“The increase in the numbe of entries from 245 a year ago to 326 this year demonstratezthat Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial climate continues to even during tough economic Tech Council chairman Mark Bugher A number of entries also came from out-of-state residents who indicatec they would like to relocate to which was a condition for enteringy the contest. “Entrepreneurs live everywherrein Wisconsin, and they are building businesses where they said Bugher, who also is director of University Researcy Park in Madison. “Ou r goal at the Tech Council is to help them bring theid ideas tothe marketplace.
” The entriex will be scored by 65 including 10 private equity investords from the Midwest. More than $175,000 in cash and in-kinc prizes have been pledged for the 2009 contestso far. Firsft prize in the statewide contestf will beworth $50,000 in cash and services. Winnerz will be announced at the 2009Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Milwaukese on June 9-10.
Entries received by Jan. 31 were sprea d over four contest categories aimed atcapturing Wisconsin’s best technology-based advanced manufacturing (102), business services (95), informationj technology (77) and life sciencesx (52), the said. The previous high for entriews of 300 camein 2004, the contest’s firs year. This year, entries were receivec from 287 individuals in 106different cities, villagexs and towns.
“The increase in the numbe of entries from 245 a year ago to 326 this year demonstratezthat Wisconsin’s entrepreneurial climate continues to even during tough economic Tech Council chairman Mark Bugher A number of entries also came from out-of-state residents who indicatec they would like to relocate to which was a condition for enteringy the contest. “Entrepreneurs live everywherrein Wisconsin, and they are building businesses where they said Bugher, who also is director of University Researcy Park in Madison. “Ou r goal at the Tech Council is to help them bring theid ideas tothe marketplace.
” The entriex will be scored by 65 including 10 private equity investords from the Midwest. More than $175,000 in cash and in-kinc prizes have been pledged for the 2009 contestso far. Firsft prize in the statewide contestf will beworth $50,000 in cash and services. Winnerz will be announced at the 2009Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference in Milwaukese on June 9-10.
четверг, 27 сентября 2012 г.
Census: American Internet use surges - Memphis Business Journal:
judonebolayb1394.blogspot.com
That's according to a reporr released Wednesday bythe , which also showse that 62 percent of the nation'sd households report using the Internet at home in an 18 percent increase from 1997. Among householdx using the netin 2007, 82 perceng reported using a high-speed connection, and 17 percent used a dial-u p connection. “As access to high speedd connections have becomemore prevalent, so too have the numbere of people that connect to the Internet at said Thom File, a statistician with the Censusx Bureau Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division.
“Thesd data give us a betterr understanding of who is using the Internet and from About 66 percent of Georgians used the Internertin 2007. New Hampshire had the highest rate of Interney use for those age thres and older in 2007 at82 percent. Mississippi and West Virginiaa had the lowest rates of use at about 52 Internet usage also varied by education and For individuals 25 and older witha bachelor’s 87 percent reported going onlines from some location in 2007. About half (49 of those with only a high schookl diploma reported usingthe Internet, compared with 19 percent for thos without a high school Meanwhile, 69 percent of whites lived in households with Interner use.
The same was true for 51 percenytof blacks, 73 percent of Asians and 48 percent of
That's according to a reporr released Wednesday bythe , which also showse that 62 percent of the nation'sd households report using the Internet at home in an 18 percent increase from 1997. Among householdx using the netin 2007, 82 perceng reported using a high-speed connection, and 17 percent used a dial-u p connection. “As access to high speedd connections have becomemore prevalent, so too have the numbere of people that connect to the Internet at said Thom File, a statistician with the Censusx Bureau Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division.
“Thesd data give us a betterr understanding of who is using the Internet and from About 66 percent of Georgians used the Internertin 2007. New Hampshire had the highest rate of Interney use for those age thres and older in 2007 at82 percent. Mississippi and West Virginiaa had the lowest rates of use at about 52 Internet usage also varied by education and For individuals 25 and older witha bachelor’s 87 percent reported going onlines from some location in 2007. About half (49 of those with only a high schookl diploma reported usingthe Internet, compared with 19 percent for thos without a high school Meanwhile, 69 percent of whites lived in households with Interner use.
The same was true for 51 percenytof blacks, 73 percent of Asians and 48 percent of
среда, 26 сентября 2012 г.
Gannett may make more staff cuts at newspapers, salary cuts at television stations - Pittsburgh Business Times:
ogarawo.wordpress.com
A report by the Gannett Blog on Frida y references a memo from Gannett CFO Gracia Martorw thatprojects 4,500 newspaper layoffs throughouty the Gannett chain in July as well as a 10 percent pay cut for its broadcast employees. The Gannett Blog reportf also says Gannett workers will not face any more furloughs this The Arizona Republic is the largest metropolitanm daily inthe McLean, Va.-based Gannett The Republic has already suffered through layoffs and furloughes as the newspaper industry struggles with poor advertisinh numbers and online competition.
Gannett GCI) announced Monday that chairman, president and CEO Craitg Dubow will be on a temporary medical leave of absencw followingback surgery. Martore is taking over as interikchief executive. Gannett has 41,000 employees company wide including at dailt newspapersin Phoenix; Palm Springs, Calif.; Honolulu; Ohio; and Des Moines, Iowa. The media conglomerate also owns TV stationsin Phoenix, Washington D.C., Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla., and Minneapolis. Gannetrt officials did not respond late Friday for a requesyt for comment on the GannetrBlog report, which said the cuts wouldf come July 8.
A report by the Gannett Blog on Frida y references a memo from Gannett CFO Gracia Martorw thatprojects 4,500 newspaper layoffs throughouty the Gannett chain in July as well as a 10 percent pay cut for its broadcast employees. The Gannett Blog reportf also says Gannett workers will not face any more furloughs this The Arizona Republic is the largest metropolitanm daily inthe McLean, Va.-based Gannett The Republic has already suffered through layoffs and furloughes as the newspaper industry struggles with poor advertisinh numbers and online competition.
Gannett GCI) announced Monday that chairman, president and CEO Craitg Dubow will be on a temporary medical leave of absencw followingback surgery. Martore is taking over as interikchief executive. Gannett has 41,000 employees company wide including at dailt newspapersin Phoenix; Palm Springs, Calif.; Honolulu; Ohio; and Des Moines, Iowa. The media conglomerate also owns TV stationsin Phoenix, Washington D.C., Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla., and Minneapolis. Gannetrt officials did not respond late Friday for a requesyt for comment on the GannetrBlog report, which said the cuts wouldf come July 8.
понедельник, 24 сентября 2012 г.
Coast Guard renews lease in Buzzard Point - Washington Business Journal:
gault-rickettsias.blogspot.com
As 2008 closed out, the Coast Guarfd agreed to a 10-year renewal on its 592,00p square feet at the Transpoint Building, locatede on the Southwest waterfront at 21002nd St. SW. The deal representws one of the largest if not thelargest — leasea of 2008. The Coast Guard’s presencr at the Transpoint Building spansd back to theNixon administration, back when the original Laszlo Tauber, owned the building. New York-based Mondahy Properties, in conjunction with , boughr the building for $169 million in 2006 from Arch StreetrCapital Advisors, a -led consortium.
Since the and the Bush administration have been seekin g funding to consolidate dozens of Homeland Securitu agencies onto asingle 176-acre site at the federall y owned west campus of the old St. Elizabethx Hospital, in the Anacostia section of Southeast Washington. The Coas Guard headquarters were part ofthat "We just have to keep them in some quartersz until the campus is ready to receive said Michael McGill, a regional spokesman for the , whicb handles leasing for most federal agencies. McGill said he expect Coast Guard to go intoSt E's in late 2013 or earlh 2014. "We've got a little play in therwe in case there are any he said.
In 2007, the administration sought $345 million to go ahead with the Coasgt Guard headquarters portion ofthe plan, but that requestg was cut from the fisca year 2008 budget. According to Congressionaol budget documents, in September Congress allocated $97.6 million for a new Coasft Guard and Department of HomelandSecurity “This is really a sign of how complezx the St. Elizabeths development or consolidation has Monday Properties’ Executive Vice President Tim Helmigg said of the Coasft Guard’s decision to renew its lease for the long “And, in light of that, the Coas t Guard needed to secure its headquarters for a periode of time that lined up with potentially consolidating DHS’ headquarters at St.
Helmig said. The lease agreemen t gives the Coast Guard the right to terminatre the lease afterseven years, but only in the even of a major consolidation like the St. Elizabethds scenario, Helmig said. The length lease term should allow the Coasg Guard to perform needed renovations and security upgradesz onthe 35-year-old building. The deal is the largest leas ethe 10-year-old Monday Properties has ever executed, Helmiv said, calling the transaction “a landmark moment” for the company.
Despitde its New York headquarters, Monday Propertiees is a key player in the Washingtonm realestate market, and serves as landlord to dozenas of federal agencies at its local the majority of which are located in Defense-centric Rosslyn. “Thia deal furthermore underscores our commitment to our relationshio with numerous groups withinthe , particularly as we participater in the evolution of the Capital Riverfront.” The Capital Riverfronrt is the formal name for the mixed-use neighborhood beingh built around the Washington Nationals’ basebalkl stadium.
James Smale of the GSA, along with Bill Craig, Susajn Hill and Maureen O’Brienb of represented the Coast Guard in thelease renewal. Pete Marcin and Brian Sullivan of representedthe building’d owner, along with John Wharton and Tim Helmib of Monday Properties. In additioj to the Coast Guard Monday re-signed and expanded leases with many of its tenantws in 2008. Overall, Monday signed leases on approximatelyt 30 percent of its4 million-square-foot regional portfolio last Like most lease transactions in the Washingtonm region last year, the bulk of Monday’s leases were renewals, the companyt said.
As 2008 closed out, the Coast Guarfd agreed to a 10-year renewal on its 592,00p square feet at the Transpoint Building, locatede on the Southwest waterfront at 21002nd St. SW. The deal representws one of the largest if not thelargest — leasea of 2008. The Coast Guard’s presencr at the Transpoint Building spansd back to theNixon administration, back when the original Laszlo Tauber, owned the building. New York-based Mondahy Properties, in conjunction with , boughr the building for $169 million in 2006 from Arch StreetrCapital Advisors, a -led consortium.
Since the and the Bush administration have been seekin g funding to consolidate dozens of Homeland Securitu agencies onto asingle 176-acre site at the federall y owned west campus of the old St. Elizabethx Hospital, in the Anacostia section of Southeast Washington. The Coas Guard headquarters were part ofthat "We just have to keep them in some quartersz until the campus is ready to receive said Michael McGill, a regional spokesman for the , whicb handles leasing for most federal agencies. McGill said he expect Coast Guard to go intoSt E's in late 2013 or earlh 2014. "We've got a little play in therwe in case there are any he said.
In 2007, the administration sought $345 million to go ahead with the Coasgt Guard headquarters portion ofthe plan, but that requestg was cut from the fisca year 2008 budget. According to Congressionaol budget documents, in September Congress allocated $97.6 million for a new Coasft Guard and Department of HomelandSecurity “This is really a sign of how complezx the St. Elizabeths development or consolidation has Monday Properties’ Executive Vice President Tim Helmigg said of the Coasft Guard’s decision to renew its lease for the long “And, in light of that, the Coas t Guard needed to secure its headquarters for a periode of time that lined up with potentially consolidating DHS’ headquarters at St.
Helmig said. The lease agreemen t gives the Coast Guard the right to terminatre the lease afterseven years, but only in the even of a major consolidation like the St. Elizabethds scenario, Helmig said. The length lease term should allow the Coasg Guard to perform needed renovations and security upgradesz onthe 35-year-old building. The deal is the largest leas ethe 10-year-old Monday Properties has ever executed, Helmiv said, calling the transaction “a landmark moment” for the company.
Despitde its New York headquarters, Monday Propertiees is a key player in the Washingtonm realestate market, and serves as landlord to dozenas of federal agencies at its local the majority of which are located in Defense-centric Rosslyn. “Thia deal furthermore underscores our commitment to our relationshio with numerous groups withinthe , particularly as we participater in the evolution of the Capital Riverfront.” The Capital Riverfronrt is the formal name for the mixed-use neighborhood beingh built around the Washington Nationals’ basebalkl stadium.
James Smale of the GSA, along with Bill Craig, Susajn Hill and Maureen O’Brienb of represented the Coast Guard in thelease renewal. Pete Marcin and Brian Sullivan of representedthe building’d owner, along with John Wharton and Tim Helmib of Monday Properties. In additioj to the Coast Guard Monday re-signed and expanded leases with many of its tenantws in 2008. Overall, Monday signed leases on approximatelyt 30 percent of its4 million-square-foot regional portfolio last Like most lease transactions in the Washingtonm region last year, the bulk of Monday’s leases were renewals, the companyt said.
воскресенье, 23 сентября 2012 г.
Loan defaults drag bottom lines - The Business Review (Albany):
lebexab.wordpress.com
That represents a $9 million increasew just from Dec. 31, and a 133 percen t leap from the $18 million in problem loanxs the Glenville bank reported after the firsr quarterof 2008. While Trustco’s nonperformers rose more sharply than most of itslocal peers—thse exception being the giant —it was hardly alonwe in seeing asset quality deteriorate. Of the 17 area bank for which figureswere available, 13 had higher levelws of non-performers on March 31 than a year “That is wholly to be expected in an economy like this” said Kevin Timmons, vice president and treasurefr of Trustco.
He noted, however, that most bad loans remain relatively low, particularly compared to the mess of theearlu ’90s. Back then, some banks had problemas with as much as 10 percentof assets. The average todayt for banks in the SNLBank & Thrift index is 1.5 Trustco is at 1 percent. “Thay is not a threatening level,” Timmons Still, banks are seeing enougg potential problems to warrany significant additions to their loanloss reserves. , for put aside $1.2 million in the first That is more than five timese the provision of ayear ago, and was largelyu to blame for a 26 percent declind in the Oneonta bank’s net income.
“It was a direct hit to the bottokm line,” said Douglas Gulotty, CEO of “But it was the prudent actioh to take, given the weaknesds in the economy.” Bankers say they are beinfg more pro-active in working with borrowers to try to keeploanw current, but only so much can be Wilber, which has its local base in Clifton Park, has identified $21 milliom in potential problem loans in its $600 million That is up from $16 millio n at the end of 2008.
These are loansw the bank believes could go into defaulyt in the next six to 12 Most are to business owners who have alread y cut expenses and taken other steps to savethei companies, and “may be out of options,” Gulottty said. “As a community you ride the fortune of your he said. “If they are having a difficult time in the it will show up on yourbalance sheet.” Albany-based & Trusgt Co. reported that its net interesft margin was impacted by a single commercial loanfor $1.46 million that movedd into non-accrual status during the first quarter.
, a Buffalpo institution with 12area offices, increased its loan loss provision by $7 million in the first quarter, despite a declind in net charge-offs, also because of one non-accrual business loan. Problems on the business side also find theidr way into residential mortgage and consumerloan portfolios. When companies cut back and unemploymentt rises, so do defaults. “Layoffs obviously cause a major changse inpersonal finances,” said Donald Gibson, CEO of The Bank of Greense County. “That is probably the biggesrt factor we’ve seen.
” Gulotty said that on the consumer side, it is either “feast or “If people have the ability to pay they are doing very well and delinquenc rates areactually improving,” he said. “Butf once a person makes the intellectua l decision thatthey can’t pay, they are turning in theird vehicles. There is no in between.” Trustco’ s $42.3 million in non-performers included $15 million in commerciakl mortgagesand $27.3 million in residential The bank’s spike in problejm loans appears tied, at least in to its presence in Florida.
Over the past seven years, it has openedd 37 offices in theSunshine State, which, accordinyg to RealtyTrac, ranked seventh in the nation in foreclosures as of New York ranked 26th. According to the quarterly report filee May 8 withthe U.S. Securitieas and Exchange Commission, Trustco responded by curtailing its lendinfg in Florida and revising its underwritingstandards there. “Florida is a biggert problem thanNew York, but they both have Timmons said. “There are parts of New York thatare horrible, partz that are good and parts in between. It is the same thin g in Florida.” The fact is that all banks in all areas are experiencing someloan problems.
It is all part of the job, said J. Williar Dunlaevy, CEO of Pittsfield, Mass.-based Legacy Banks—where non-performersz climbed 47 percent in thepast “That is what happens during a recession,” Dunlaevy “If you don’t have losses during times like you probably weren’t makint the loans you should have
That represents a $9 million increasew just from Dec. 31, and a 133 percen t leap from the $18 million in problem loanxs the Glenville bank reported after the firsr quarterof 2008. While Trustco’s nonperformers rose more sharply than most of itslocal peers—thse exception being the giant —it was hardly alonwe in seeing asset quality deteriorate. Of the 17 area bank for which figureswere available, 13 had higher levelws of non-performers on March 31 than a year “That is wholly to be expected in an economy like this” said Kevin Timmons, vice president and treasurefr of Trustco.
He noted, however, that most bad loans remain relatively low, particularly compared to the mess of theearlu ’90s. Back then, some banks had problemas with as much as 10 percentof assets. The average todayt for banks in the SNLBank & Thrift index is 1.5 Trustco is at 1 percent. “Thay is not a threatening level,” Timmons Still, banks are seeing enougg potential problems to warrany significant additions to their loanloss reserves. , for put aside $1.2 million in the first That is more than five timese the provision of ayear ago, and was largelyu to blame for a 26 percent declind in the Oneonta bank’s net income.
“It was a direct hit to the bottokm line,” said Douglas Gulotty, CEO of “But it was the prudent actioh to take, given the weaknesds in the economy.” Bankers say they are beinfg more pro-active in working with borrowers to try to keeploanw current, but only so much can be Wilber, which has its local base in Clifton Park, has identified $21 milliom in potential problem loans in its $600 million That is up from $16 millio n at the end of 2008.
These are loansw the bank believes could go into defaulyt in the next six to 12 Most are to business owners who have alread y cut expenses and taken other steps to savethei companies, and “may be out of options,” Gulottty said. “As a community you ride the fortune of your he said. “If they are having a difficult time in the it will show up on yourbalance sheet.” Albany-based & Trusgt Co. reported that its net interesft margin was impacted by a single commercial loanfor $1.46 million that movedd into non-accrual status during the first quarter.
, a Buffalpo institution with 12area offices, increased its loan loss provision by $7 million in the first quarter, despite a declind in net charge-offs, also because of one non-accrual business loan. Problems on the business side also find theidr way into residential mortgage and consumerloan portfolios. When companies cut back and unemploymentt rises, so do defaults. “Layoffs obviously cause a major changse inpersonal finances,” said Donald Gibson, CEO of The Bank of Greense County. “That is probably the biggesrt factor we’ve seen.
” Gulotty said that on the consumer side, it is either “feast or “If people have the ability to pay they are doing very well and delinquenc rates areactually improving,” he said. “Butf once a person makes the intellectua l decision thatthey can’t pay, they are turning in theird vehicles. There is no in between.” Trustco’ s $42.3 million in non-performers included $15 million in commerciakl mortgagesand $27.3 million in residential The bank’s spike in problejm loans appears tied, at least in to its presence in Florida.
Over the past seven years, it has openedd 37 offices in theSunshine State, which, accordinyg to RealtyTrac, ranked seventh in the nation in foreclosures as of New York ranked 26th. According to the quarterly report filee May 8 withthe U.S. Securitieas and Exchange Commission, Trustco responded by curtailing its lendinfg in Florida and revising its underwritingstandards there. “Florida is a biggert problem thanNew York, but they both have Timmons said. “There are parts of New York thatare horrible, partz that are good and parts in between. It is the same thin g in Florida.” The fact is that all banks in all areas are experiencing someloan problems.
It is all part of the job, said J. Williar Dunlaevy, CEO of Pittsfield, Mass.-based Legacy Banks—where non-performersz climbed 47 percent in thepast “That is what happens during a recession,” Dunlaevy “If you don’t have losses during times like you probably weren’t makint the loans you should have
суббота, 22 сентября 2012 г.
Missouri death row case sparks calls for broader reforms - Kansas City Star
humojo.wordpress.com
Missouri death row case sparks calls for broader reforms Kansas City Star LOUIS -- Advocacy groups that rallied around Missouri inmate Reginald Clemons at the special hearing of his death sentence this week are calling for broader reforms of the criminal justice system. Representatives from Missourians for Alternatives to ... |
четверг, 20 сентября 2012 г.
Alpha Natural cuts staff as thermal coal loses out - MarketWatch
lebexab.wordpress.com
Proactive Investors USA & Canada | Alpha Natural cuts staff as thermal coal loses out MarketWatch NEW YORK (MarketWatch) â€" Alpha Natural Resources Inc.'s move Tuesday to scale back 1,200 jobs marks the latest setback in the business of burning coal to produce electricity, as the U.S. turns to power from natural gas and renewable energy, such a ... As power plants use less coal, Alpha Natural cuts jobs Alpha Natural Resources Announces Strategic Repositioning Plan US' Alpha Natural Resources to cut 16 million st of steam, met coal by 2013 |
среда, 19 сентября 2012 г.
Michael Jackson's 'Bad' Just Wasn't That Good - The Atlantic
ejyceh.wordpress.com
The Atlantic | Michael Jackson's 'Bad' Just Wasn't That Good The Atlantic If we compare the three albums Quincy Jones produced for Michael Jackson to the standard Hollywood movie trilogy, how should we view Jackson's 1987 LP, Badâ€"reissued this week with a deluxe 25th anniversary commemorative packaging? Michael Jackson's ' ;Bad 25' box: Is it worth your time and money? Michael Jackson 'Bad' film is love letter to star, says Spike Lee Happy birthday, 'Bad': Jackson classic turns 25 |
понедельник, 17 сентября 2012 г.
Report: Texas health premiums skyrocketed this decade - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
polinaagyvtiwu.blogspot.com
The Status Quo Report includes state-by-stat e data on health-care cost and including the increasein premiums, as well as the percentagee of state residents without insurance and overalk quality ratings. The report is part the Obama Administration'zs push to pass health-care reformj legislation. About 12 million Texansd get health insurance onthe job, and the averagee family premium runs about $13,525 annually. Accordintg to the report, 17 percent of middle-incomer Texas families spend more than 10 percent of thei r incomeon healthcare. About 20 percent of people in Texas reporf not visiting a doctor due tohigh costs.
Texas businesses and families shoulder a hidden health tax ofroughly $1,8009 per year on premiumd as a direct resulty of subsidizing the costs of the uninsured. 25 percenty of people in Texas are uninsured and 75 percentt of them are in families with at leas tone full-time worker. The percent of Texand with employer coverageis declining: from 57 to 50 percent between 2000 and 2007. At a pressz conference Monday morning to announce his choicrfor U.S. Surgeon General, Obama reiterated his administration's commitmeng to passing healthcare reformlegislation quickly, saying the problem is too great to alloew it to go on. On a relatedc note, Obama has chosen Dr.
Regina an Alabama physician and graduate of the University of Alabamaat Birmingham'z school of medicine, for surgeon general. He said Benjaminn is uniquely qualified for the position and is the rightt person to leadthe nation's healthcare system at a criticaol time of change.
The Status Quo Report includes state-by-stat e data on health-care cost and including the increasein premiums, as well as the percentagee of state residents without insurance and overalk quality ratings. The report is part the Obama Administration'zs push to pass health-care reformj legislation. About 12 million Texansd get health insurance onthe job, and the averagee family premium runs about $13,525 annually. Accordintg to the report, 17 percent of middle-incomer Texas families spend more than 10 percent of thei r incomeon healthcare. About 20 percent of people in Texas reporf not visiting a doctor due tohigh costs.
Texas businesses and families shoulder a hidden health tax ofroughly $1,8009 per year on premiumd as a direct resulty of subsidizing the costs of the uninsured. 25 percenty of people in Texas are uninsured and 75 percentt of them are in families with at leas tone full-time worker. The percent of Texand with employer coverageis declining: from 57 to 50 percent between 2000 and 2007. At a pressz conference Monday morning to announce his choicrfor U.S. Surgeon General, Obama reiterated his administration's commitmeng to passing healthcare reformlegislation quickly, saying the problem is too great to alloew it to go on. On a relatedc note, Obama has chosen Dr.
Regina an Alabama physician and graduate of the University of Alabamaat Birmingham'z school of medicine, for surgeon general. He said Benjaminn is uniquely qualified for the position and is the rightt person to leadthe nation's healthcare system at a criticaol time of change.
воскресенье, 16 сентября 2012 г.
Whistleblower's jail term was well worth it - Pocono Record
hyperwave-exhausted.blogspot.com
Whistleblower's jail term was well worth it Pocono Record The IRS' so-called "whistleblower" Bradley Birkenfeld provides a frighteningly literal lesson in how to laugh all the way to the bank. Birkenfeld, who grew up in Massachusetts, got a degree from the American Graduate School of Business in Switzerland ... |
суббота, 15 сентября 2012 г.
Bill West: GOP is rejecting the American way - Wisconsin State Journal
houston-nearly.blogspot.com
Bill West: GOP is rejecting the American way Wisconsin State Journal Bill West: GOP is rejecting the American way. Print Email. 2012-09-13T04:15:00Z 2012-09-12T13:18:34Z Bill West: GOP is rejecting the American wayBill West madison.com. September 13, 2012 4:15 am • Bill West. Dear Editor: Several times recently we ... |
четверг, 13 сентября 2012 г.
Report: Facebook revenue pegged over $500M - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
iqukikofor.wordpress.com
Andreessen's comments reportedly came during aninterview "Idf they pushed the throttle forward on monetizatioh they would be doing more than a billionb this year," the news serviced quoted said Andreessen as saying. Palo Alto-based Facebook doesn't disclose revenue numbers but has said it expectzs 70 percent growththis year. Both Andreessenb and Horowitz reportedly said during the interview that they believe it is OK for companies like Faceboo kand micro-blogging service Twitter to concentratse on growing their user base and improvin their product rather then push revenue growth earlhy on.
An example of a company that was hurt by concentratinvg too early on revenueis MySpace, the pair told the news service. "Idf the revenue degraded the user experience then that was a very dangerous thingfto do," Horowitz reportedly said. Andreessen and Horowitz workerd together atand , two companies that were sold for a combinede $11.7 billion.
Andreessen's comments reportedly came during aninterview "Idf they pushed the throttle forward on monetizatioh they would be doing more than a billionb this year," the news serviced quoted said Andreessen as saying. Palo Alto-based Facebook doesn't disclose revenue numbers but has said it expectzs 70 percent growththis year. Both Andreessenb and Horowitz reportedly said during the interview that they believe it is OK for companies like Faceboo kand micro-blogging service Twitter to concentratse on growing their user base and improvin their product rather then push revenue growth earlhy on.
An example of a company that was hurt by concentratinvg too early on revenueis MySpace, the pair told the news service. "Idf the revenue degraded the user experience then that was a very dangerous thingfto do," Horowitz reportedly said. Andreessen and Horowitz workerd together atand , two companies that were sold for a combinede $11.7 billion.
среда, 12 сентября 2012 г.
Melbourne firm lands part of Army contract - Kansas City Business Journal:
fixyruw.wordpress.com
Melbourne-based BRPH, along with its Washington, D.C.-based design/builx partner Lifecycle ConstructionServices LLC, will be involveds in design and construction of several administrative facilitiee in the Northeast, according to a news The first project under this projecty is a $3 million new Battalionm Headquarters project at Fort Lee, Va., the released said. • Battalion Headquarters’ administration, speciapl functions, storage and classroomj areas. • Soldier Family Assistance a transitional facility withchild care, financial assistance meeting rooms, kitchenettes, chaplain offices and otherd assistance to accommodate soldiers and their families.
BRPH providess planning, architecture, engineering, interior design and constructiob services to the aerospace andaviation industries, and industria and commercial real estate markets, alonvg with government and educational agencies. The firm has officex is Melbourne, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Atlantwa and Savannah, Ga.
Melbourne-based BRPH, along with its Washington, D.C.-based design/builx partner Lifecycle ConstructionServices LLC, will be involveds in design and construction of several administrative facilitiee in the Northeast, according to a news The first project under this projecty is a $3 million new Battalionm Headquarters project at Fort Lee, Va., the released said. • Battalion Headquarters’ administration, speciapl functions, storage and classroomj areas. • Soldier Family Assistance a transitional facility withchild care, financial assistance meeting rooms, kitchenettes, chaplain offices and otherd assistance to accommodate soldiers and their families.
BRPH providess planning, architecture, engineering, interior design and constructiob services to the aerospace andaviation industries, and industria and commercial real estate markets, alonvg with government and educational agencies. The firm has officex is Melbourne, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Atlantwa and Savannah, Ga.
понедельник, 10 сентября 2012 г.
Hotels suffer through cutbacks by travelers - Jacksonville Business Journal:
ikefageze.blogspot.com
Fewer visitors coupled with lower room rates ran revenueas dry in the first half of the year for hotelds inNortheast Florida. As the slower period during the summer and fallquickly approach, many hotelss have already laid off employees, cut back operationds and offered lowered rate packages to breamk even. “It doesn’t look like we’rd turning the corner,” said Dan general manager of the . “Eve 2010 looks very challenging.” The area’s largestr hotel with about 415 employees, the Hyatr had to go through layoffs and eliminate some mostlythrough attrition, King said.
Most of the current hours are heavily dictated byoccupanchy levels, especially those in housekeeping and The typical business level would generate a five-day work week for an but “if it’s a slow week, a lot of people are not closde to five days,” he “We had to change our business model to fit with A common measurement of a hotel’s revenue, called revenue per available room, fell 20.3 percent to $52.52 among Northeast Florida hotels in April compared with the same month last according to the latest report from , a globa industry data provider.
The average 21 percent declines each month this year is doubler the rate of declines in nearly every monthof 2008. “Revenuwe solves everything,” said Janice Dailey, directot of sales and marketing atthe . “If the revenur is coming in, then we can do all the extrz stuff.” Like many othedr hotels, the Crowne Plaza reduced employee events such aspizzaq payday, when all the employees get unlimitex pizza on payday. The hotel also eliminated some positions, is no longer allowing overtime and issued amandatoryy six-day work week for all managers to covee shifts and save on hourly expenses. Dailet said she has heard of other hotelscuttingy salaries, some by 20 percent.
“We just have to stop the she said. “We’re in a really hard but we will come outof this.” Falling room revenue is primarily due to very little businessx travel and fewer leisure travelers, lowerinv the occupancy levels. In normal times, area hotels make abouft 60 percent of their moneh from business travel and the rest from leisure But hotel operators say that business travel has nearly driedf up inthe Hotels’ occupancy rates are in double-digit declines and are headerd into the high teens for the summer, said Fred general manager of the Ramada Inn Conference Center in “There’s a problem ahead of The Ramada Inn eliminated a few positions and consolidated severao positions.
Pozin said the hotep is training its employees in new including having its existing maintenancr staff remodel all the hotelp rooms rather than contrac it out to keep them employed and be better poisex for when businesspicks up. The averager occupancy in Northeast Florida was 59 percengtin April, down 11 percent from the same monthy last year, according to the Smith Travel King said the first six monthsw of the year have historically been at or abovr 70 percent occupancy. Though many hoteliers woulc rather charge a higher rate to make up forlower occupancy, at this point, most have slashed ratesd to keep occupancy from falling further.
The averagw daily room rate in Northeast Floridafell 10.4 percent to $88.99 in April compared with the same monty last year. The decline was the second-largestg in more than three years, behind Februaruy this year, which fell 10.8 percentf to $87.77. “For hotels, it will take a lot longe r to get back to thenormal standard,” Dailey A hotel can’t just increaser the rate $30 to $40 at once to get back to wherr it was. “You have to do it in 3 and 5 percentg increments.
” Hoteliers have been very aggressivr with packages and combining them with city The Hyatt, for example, was offering a $129 room per night package durinvg the Jacksonville Jazz Festival that included a poster and breakfast. A room for one nighf with breakfast on the weekend istypically $149. “o can’t control the amount of business, but I can controlp the customer’s experience, and if they do have a good they’ll come back,” King Pozin said the two-for-one deals where a visitort buys one night and receives the second at a lowed rate have becomemore common.
Another deal that is moving this way from the West Coas t is called food andbeverage credits, when a visitor can buy a room nighrt and get a $30 food and beverage creditg to the restaurant in the The Ramada Inn is working on a similar package. “The idea is if you want to make leisure travelerws cometo Jacksonville, then you have to offer an attractive package,” Pozin said. “There’s people that will but you’ve got to give them the reasonmto come.” All of the hotelierss agreed that it would not get so bad that hotelsx would shut their doors.
Pozib said some could be sold to a new owned with the cash and capacity to operate the hotekl throughthe recession.
Fewer visitors coupled with lower room rates ran revenueas dry in the first half of the year for hotelds inNortheast Florida. As the slower period during the summer and fallquickly approach, many hotelss have already laid off employees, cut back operationds and offered lowered rate packages to breamk even. “It doesn’t look like we’rd turning the corner,” said Dan general manager of the . “Eve 2010 looks very challenging.” The area’s largestr hotel with about 415 employees, the Hyatr had to go through layoffs and eliminate some mostlythrough attrition, King said.
Most of the current hours are heavily dictated byoccupanchy levels, especially those in housekeeping and The typical business level would generate a five-day work week for an but “if it’s a slow week, a lot of people are not closde to five days,” he “We had to change our business model to fit with A common measurement of a hotel’s revenue, called revenue per available room, fell 20.3 percent to $52.52 among Northeast Florida hotels in April compared with the same month last according to the latest report from , a globa industry data provider.
The average 21 percent declines each month this year is doubler the rate of declines in nearly every monthof 2008. “Revenuwe solves everything,” said Janice Dailey, directot of sales and marketing atthe . “If the revenur is coming in, then we can do all the extrz stuff.” Like many othedr hotels, the Crowne Plaza reduced employee events such aspizzaq payday, when all the employees get unlimitex pizza on payday. The hotel also eliminated some positions, is no longer allowing overtime and issued amandatoryy six-day work week for all managers to covee shifts and save on hourly expenses. Dailet said she has heard of other hotelscuttingy salaries, some by 20 percent.
“We just have to stop the she said. “We’re in a really hard but we will come outof this.” Falling room revenue is primarily due to very little businessx travel and fewer leisure travelers, lowerinv the occupancy levels. In normal times, area hotels make abouft 60 percent of their moneh from business travel and the rest from leisure But hotel operators say that business travel has nearly driedf up inthe Hotels’ occupancy rates are in double-digit declines and are headerd into the high teens for the summer, said Fred general manager of the Ramada Inn Conference Center in “There’s a problem ahead of The Ramada Inn eliminated a few positions and consolidated severao positions.
Pozin said the hotep is training its employees in new including having its existing maintenancr staff remodel all the hotelp rooms rather than contrac it out to keep them employed and be better poisex for when businesspicks up. The averager occupancy in Northeast Florida was 59 percengtin April, down 11 percent from the same monthy last year, according to the Smith Travel King said the first six monthsw of the year have historically been at or abovr 70 percent occupancy. Though many hoteliers woulc rather charge a higher rate to make up forlower occupancy, at this point, most have slashed ratesd to keep occupancy from falling further.
The averagw daily room rate in Northeast Floridafell 10.4 percent to $88.99 in April compared with the same monty last year. The decline was the second-largestg in more than three years, behind Februaruy this year, which fell 10.8 percentf to $87.77. “For hotels, it will take a lot longe r to get back to thenormal standard,” Dailey A hotel can’t just increaser the rate $30 to $40 at once to get back to wherr it was. “You have to do it in 3 and 5 percentg increments.
” Hoteliers have been very aggressivr with packages and combining them with city The Hyatt, for example, was offering a $129 room per night package durinvg the Jacksonville Jazz Festival that included a poster and breakfast. A room for one nighf with breakfast on the weekend istypically $149. “o can’t control the amount of business, but I can controlp the customer’s experience, and if they do have a good they’ll come back,” King Pozin said the two-for-one deals where a visitort buys one night and receives the second at a lowed rate have becomemore common.
Another deal that is moving this way from the West Coas t is called food andbeverage credits, when a visitor can buy a room nighrt and get a $30 food and beverage creditg to the restaurant in the The Ramada Inn is working on a similar package. “The idea is if you want to make leisure travelerws cometo Jacksonville, then you have to offer an attractive package,” Pozin said. “There’s people that will but you’ve got to give them the reasonmto come.” All of the hotelierss agreed that it would not get so bad that hotelsx would shut their doors.
Pozib said some could be sold to a new owned with the cash and capacity to operate the hotekl throughthe recession.
воскресенье, 9 сентября 2012 г.
Apple stock down on new iPhone, but no Jobs - Phoenix Business Journal:
vidineevostegity.blogspot.com
The stock finished trading at down 0.57 percent, after beinvg down as more than 3 percent earlierf in the day. Speculation ahead of the San Francisco event centered on if CEO Stevr Jobs would make his first appearancre since taking medical leave earliee this year and whether the company would unveil its nextgeneratiob iPhone. Jobs didn't make an but Bloomberg News cited unnamed sources Monday who said that he had been activelgy involved inthe company's preparation for Monday's conference. The new iPhonse is nearly three timesz faster to download Web page and comes witha 3-megapixell autofocus camera. It also has voice-control features and a built-ij compass.
The 3GS also has improvef battery life with up to nine hours on 10 hours whilewatching video, 30 hours using audio, 12 hours usinhg 2G talk and five hours usin 3G talk. It also features a new built-in digital compasds for instant navigation. The new iPhone, available in blacko and white onJune 19, will sell for $199 for a 16GB modepl and $299 for 32GB. New versions of the MacBook Pro. A 15-incjh version that starts at $1,699, a lower-priced 17-inch that startsd at $2,499 and a 13-inch versiob that starts at $1,199.
— Lowee prices for the MacBook Air ultra-thinj line, cutting $700 off the 128GB model to $1,799o and cutting $300 off the base model at — A new version of the Mac operating Snow Leopard, that is faster to install and takew up 6 gigabytes less hard drive space. The new operatingt system comes with a new versionh of the Safari Web browser that Appl says is more robust and faster thanprevious — New iPhone software includingy ability to cut and paste data and an alergt feature that helps users find theire device or remotely wipe its memory clean if it gets stolen and latedr restore it using an iTunes backup.
Apple said at the conference that it has now sold more than 40 millio iPhones and iPod Touchesw and that users of the devices have a choice of morethan 50,0090 software applications they can download.
The stock finished trading at down 0.57 percent, after beinvg down as more than 3 percent earlierf in the day. Speculation ahead of the San Francisco event centered on if CEO Stevr Jobs would make his first appearancre since taking medical leave earliee this year and whether the company would unveil its nextgeneratiob iPhone. Jobs didn't make an but Bloomberg News cited unnamed sources Monday who said that he had been activelgy involved inthe company's preparation for Monday's conference. The new iPhonse is nearly three timesz faster to download Web page and comes witha 3-megapixell autofocus camera. It also has voice-control features and a built-ij compass.
The 3GS also has improvef battery life with up to nine hours on 10 hours whilewatching video, 30 hours using audio, 12 hours usinhg 2G talk and five hours usin 3G talk. It also features a new built-in digital compasds for instant navigation. The new iPhone, available in blacko and white onJune 19, will sell for $199 for a 16GB modepl and $299 for 32GB. New versions of the MacBook Pro. A 15-incjh version that starts at $1,699, a lower-priced 17-inch that startsd at $2,499 and a 13-inch versiob that starts at $1,199.
— Lowee prices for the MacBook Air ultra-thinj line, cutting $700 off the 128GB model to $1,799o and cutting $300 off the base model at — A new version of the Mac operating Snow Leopard, that is faster to install and takew up 6 gigabytes less hard drive space. The new operatingt system comes with a new versionh of the Safari Web browser that Appl says is more robust and faster thanprevious — New iPhone software includingy ability to cut and paste data and an alergt feature that helps users find theire device or remotely wipe its memory clean if it gets stolen and latedr restore it using an iTunes backup.
Apple said at the conference that it has now sold more than 40 millio iPhones and iPod Touchesw and that users of the devices have a choice of morethan 50,0090 software applications they can download.
суббота, 8 сентября 2012 г.
Suite business: Two investors oversee a growing group of hotels - Business First of Louisville:
ysynut.wordpress.com
Investors Ron Cook, a veteran of restauranrt operations, based in Louisville, and David Lee, a builderr based in Indianapolis, are the team behind a group of extended-sta hotels that just added the Suburbanm ExtendedStay Clarksville, Suburba Extended Stay Clarksville opened in late March. It’zs the investors’ second hotel in the Louisville area and fifth overall, said Kristin Cook vice president of operations for Louisville-based LLC, which managesz the five hotels. Acquisition and constructioj costs forthe 116-room Clarksville hotel operation totaledc just over $6 million, said who is Cook’s niece. The lead lender on the projectris Louisville-based & Trust Co.
with , based in Seymour, Ind. participatinbg in the loan Crinot said. Maximum stays, minimuk staffing The new property is at 1620Laurend Lane, off Veterans Parkway in the center of the Clarksvilled retail district. Extended-stay hotels are aimed at business Inthe extended-stay concept, staffing is limited becaused the suites are essentially Crinot said. Limited staffint is the main appeaklfor extended-stay investors, according to researchh from Hoover’s Inc., a business analysis firm based in Texas. The number of extended-stay rooms is increasing rapidlyh because of lower guest turnover and operating accordingto Hoover’s.
Per-night rates tend to be lowerd because offering efficiency kitchens and limited maid service cuts costs comparedwith full-service Without a full-service meeting rooms or daily housekeeping, Crinot said, the Clarksville operation — like the othetr C&L hotels — has a work forc e of 15, including managers. Limited amenities and limited staffing are all partes of Cookand Lee’x business model, she said. “It’s a totally differenyt model thanconventional hotels, where they want guests to come to the hotek restaurant or use the meetinhg facilities,” she said. “What (the like about it is there are no weddingasat midnight, every day of the week.
” Cook and Lee are the principao investors in several relates companies, as well as four of the five Cook alone owns the fifth the Candlewood Suites Louisville Airport. Groups of including staff members, own stakes in two of the Crinot said. “All the investors are different, but we know them all on some she said. Cook and Lee met abouty 25 years ago, Crinot Cook, a franchisee of , based in Tenn., had sold his restaurantd and was looking for somethingto do, Crinot Lee was in the construction so they created a business modekl with Lee on the construction side and Cook overseeing operations.
Lee owns , a consultinhg firm based in Indianapolid that advises hotel companiess on all aspects ofthe business, from initial land acquisitiona to hotel management. Lee and Cook own LLC, basex at 1300 Gardiner Lane, which builds the hotels. Ron Cook owns C&L, which managew the hotels once they’re built.
Investors Ron Cook, a veteran of restauranrt operations, based in Louisville, and David Lee, a builderr based in Indianapolis, are the team behind a group of extended-sta hotels that just added the Suburbanm ExtendedStay Clarksville, Suburba Extended Stay Clarksville opened in late March. It’zs the investors’ second hotel in the Louisville area and fifth overall, said Kristin Cook vice president of operations for Louisville-based LLC, which managesz the five hotels. Acquisition and constructioj costs forthe 116-room Clarksville hotel operation totaledc just over $6 million, said who is Cook’s niece. The lead lender on the projectris Louisville-based & Trust Co.
with , based in Seymour, Ind. participatinbg in the loan Crinot said. Maximum stays, minimuk staffing The new property is at 1620Laurend Lane, off Veterans Parkway in the center of the Clarksvilled retail district. Extended-stay hotels are aimed at business Inthe extended-stay concept, staffing is limited becaused the suites are essentially Crinot said. Limited staffint is the main appeaklfor extended-stay investors, according to researchh from Hoover’s Inc., a business analysis firm based in Texas. The number of extended-stay rooms is increasing rapidlyh because of lower guest turnover and operating accordingto Hoover’s.
Per-night rates tend to be lowerd because offering efficiency kitchens and limited maid service cuts costs comparedwith full-service Without a full-service meeting rooms or daily housekeeping, Crinot said, the Clarksville operation — like the othetr C&L hotels — has a work forc e of 15, including managers. Limited amenities and limited staffing are all partes of Cookand Lee’x business model, she said. “It’s a totally differenyt model thanconventional hotels, where they want guests to come to the hotek restaurant or use the meetinhg facilities,” she said. “What (the like about it is there are no weddingasat midnight, every day of the week.
” Cook and Lee are the principao investors in several relates companies, as well as four of the five Cook alone owns the fifth the Candlewood Suites Louisville Airport. Groups of including staff members, own stakes in two of the Crinot said. “All the investors are different, but we know them all on some she said. Cook and Lee met abouty 25 years ago, Crinot Cook, a franchisee of , based in Tenn., had sold his restaurantd and was looking for somethingto do, Crinot Lee was in the construction so they created a business modekl with Lee on the construction side and Cook overseeing operations.
Lee owns , a consultinhg firm based in Indianapolid that advises hotel companiess on all aspects ofthe business, from initial land acquisitiona to hotel management. Lee and Cook own LLC, basex at 1300 Gardiner Lane, which builds the hotels. Ron Cook owns C&L, which managew the hotels once they’re built.
четверг, 6 сентября 2012 г.
Tax breaks may help Sembler lure tenants - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
vanbeekdulejos1771.blogspot.com
Sembler, which is developing the project just northof Buckhead, is hopingf tax breaks help entice the Sembler is considering whether to seek tax abatements from DeKalbb County as an incentive for retailers to follow through on their letters of intent. It has alreadyt announced Cobb Theater cinema and The otheer retailers were included on a site plan providerd to AtlantaBusiness Chronicle. Town Brookhaven also callds for 50 specialty shops and 24 Sembler may ask The Developmenft Authority of DeKalb County to increasde theoriginal 10-year property tax abatement on Town Brookhavemn to 20 years.
Sembler thinka the additional tax breaks, valueed at $51 million for Sembler, are necessary in the touguh retail market in which consumers have cut The abatements will make it more economical for Sembler to offer rent reductiond and other concessions retaip tenantsare seeking. DeKalb coul d still receive $59 million in taxes and otherf revenue generated by Town a $400 million, 54-acre mixed-user project on Peachtree Road near . based in St. Petersburg, but with an office in Atlanta, would ask for the abatemenf on the retail portion of the projecy and one of theapartment complexes, the companu says. That amounts to tax breakd on about halfthe project’s total acreage.
Representatives of , an accountinfg firm representing Sembler, informally discussec the tax breaks April 14 with developmentfauthority members. DeKalb County woulrd still collectsales taxes, some property taxes and business licensee fees from the The abatement wouldn’t affect school board tax revenue. The authorithy works with the , the and othedr agencies to provide specialized financing methods using taxableand tax-exempy bonds. Tax abatements or exemptions eliminate tax increasesz or otherwise reduce property taxes for specific propertiesx for a designated period of time in order to stimulated a specifiedpublic benefit, according to the Centere for Housing Policy in D.C.
State and local communities use them for a varietyhof reasons, including fostering redevelopment in enterprise zonesa and job creation. The Clermont whose famous downstairs lounge is familiar to almostg every Atlanta frat boysince 1965, is for The hotel, owned by , is an Atlanta landmarjk on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Inman Park Properties is asking $6.5 millioj for the hotel, said Gene whose firm, Gene Kansas Developments, is marketing the The Clermont Lounge is an iconic Atlanta strip club and dive bar housed in the basement of the hotel. It has made the “bestg of” lists of several nationalk men’s publications, including Maxim and Stuff magazines.
The Clermon has also inspired a documentary. “It’s not going anywhere,” Kansas “We hope it stays there forever.” But, the hoteo could take on a completelgdifferent look, depending upon the buyer. One optiobn is an extended-stay hotel, Kansas Another possibility is a new boutique hotelp in the fashion of thenearby , a bed and breakfasr whose lounge is also locally famous for its drag shows.
Sembler, which is developing the project just northof Buckhead, is hopingf tax breaks help entice the Sembler is considering whether to seek tax abatements from DeKalbb County as an incentive for retailers to follow through on their letters of intent. It has alreadyt announced Cobb Theater cinema and The otheer retailers were included on a site plan providerd to AtlantaBusiness Chronicle. Town Brookhaven also callds for 50 specialty shops and 24 Sembler may ask The Developmenft Authority of DeKalb County to increasde theoriginal 10-year property tax abatement on Town Brookhavemn to 20 years.
Sembler thinka the additional tax breaks, valueed at $51 million for Sembler, are necessary in the touguh retail market in which consumers have cut The abatements will make it more economical for Sembler to offer rent reductiond and other concessions retaip tenantsare seeking. DeKalb coul d still receive $59 million in taxes and otherf revenue generated by Town a $400 million, 54-acre mixed-user project on Peachtree Road near . based in St. Petersburg, but with an office in Atlanta, would ask for the abatemenf on the retail portion of the projecy and one of theapartment complexes, the companu says. That amounts to tax breakd on about halfthe project’s total acreage.
Representatives of , an accountinfg firm representing Sembler, informally discussec the tax breaks April 14 with developmentfauthority members. DeKalb County woulrd still collectsales taxes, some property taxes and business licensee fees from the The abatement wouldn’t affect school board tax revenue. The authorithy works with the , the and othedr agencies to provide specialized financing methods using taxableand tax-exempy bonds. Tax abatements or exemptions eliminate tax increasesz or otherwise reduce property taxes for specific propertiesx for a designated period of time in order to stimulated a specifiedpublic benefit, according to the Centere for Housing Policy in D.C.
State and local communities use them for a varietyhof reasons, including fostering redevelopment in enterprise zonesa and job creation. The Clermont whose famous downstairs lounge is familiar to almostg every Atlanta frat boysince 1965, is for The hotel, owned by , is an Atlanta landmarjk on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Inman Park Properties is asking $6.5 millioj for the hotel, said Gene whose firm, Gene Kansas Developments, is marketing the The Clermont Lounge is an iconic Atlanta strip club and dive bar housed in the basement of the hotel. It has made the “bestg of” lists of several nationalk men’s publications, including Maxim and Stuff magazines.
The Clermon has also inspired a documentary. “It’s not going anywhere,” Kansas “We hope it stays there forever.” But, the hoteo could take on a completelgdifferent look, depending upon the buyer. One optiobn is an extended-stay hotel, Kansas Another possibility is a new boutique hotelp in the fashion of thenearby , a bed and breakfasr whose lounge is also locally famous for its drag shows.
среда, 5 сентября 2012 г.
AT&T to offer mini laptops in stores - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
hihozeima.blogspot.com
The 3G mini laptops are a natural extensionb ofthe company’s growin g line of mobile devices and is designed to give AT&gT customers an opportunity to carry arounds lightweight computers that allow them to check e-mails and reviee and edit documents while on the move. In addition, the mini lapto is being touted as a conveniengt tool to use when dealing withdigitall files, photos and music downloads. The concept is to keep customerw worldwide connected to where they liveand work, Dallas-based AT&gT (NYSE: T) said.
The expandeds lineup of embedded products will featurer mini laptops byeither Acer, Dell or The laptops will be offered at more than 2,200p AT&T-owned retail stores and via the company’s Web beginning this summer. “Sleek, mobile and fast is all the rageand we’r e going to answer that call with a lineul of the hottest mini laptops in the said Ralph de la Vega, president and chiefv executive officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumetr Markets.
“Pairing these laptops with AT&T’s home broadband, Wi-Fiu and the nation’s fastest 3G network enablezs consumersand small-business customers to get the most from theid new devices — at home, in the officr and on the go.” AT&T began testing the public’s interest in 3G mini laptop by launching a small roll out in retail storese during the month of April.
The 3G mini laptops are a natural extensionb ofthe company’s growin g line of mobile devices and is designed to give AT&gT customers an opportunity to carry arounds lightweight computers that allow them to check e-mails and reviee and edit documents while on the move. In addition, the mini lapto is being touted as a conveniengt tool to use when dealing withdigitall files, photos and music downloads. The concept is to keep customerw worldwide connected to where they liveand work, Dallas-based AT&gT (NYSE: T) said.
The expandeds lineup of embedded products will featurer mini laptops byeither Acer, Dell or The laptops will be offered at more than 2,200p AT&T-owned retail stores and via the company’s Web beginning this summer. “Sleek, mobile and fast is all the rageand we’r e going to answer that call with a lineul of the hottest mini laptops in the said Ralph de la Vega, president and chiefv executive officer, AT&T Mobility and Consumetr Markets.
“Pairing these laptops with AT&T’s home broadband, Wi-Fiu and the nation’s fastest 3G network enablezs consumersand small-business customers to get the most from theid new devices — at home, in the officr and on the go.” AT&T began testing the public’s interest in 3G mini laptop by launching a small roll out in retail storese during the month of April.
понедельник, 3 сентября 2012 г.
Pair found guilty in insurance scheme - Memphis Business Journal:
ogarawo.wordpress.com
The self-avowed "sovereign citizens" claimec that the U.S. and state governments had no authoritg over themas “organiv Christian people.” James Kalfsbeek, 71, of and Donna Jean Rowe, 58, of Lodi, were convicted Thursdaty in federal court in Sacramento, said a releasde from acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Amy Lynn Polnoff, 51, of Lathrop, and Kurt 61, of Galt, had previously entere d guilty pleas related to the Kalfsbeek was the founder and presidentof Puget’sz Sound Agricultural Society Ltd., which was in operation betweem 1996 and 2002 offeringy auto insurance for a one-time $500 membership fee and an additionao fee of $250 per vehicle.
Several including California, and even two Canadian provincex issued the company cease and desistt orders for illegally operating as aninsurancee company. The company paid off small insurancs claims, but it did not pay large claimsor settlements. The company refused to make paymentsx if alcohol was involved inan accident, which is agains t the law. And it also refusecd to pay for “pain and caused by accidents, calling that part of “God’s Eventually, the company was forced to paya $25 million claim, whichh it paid with a bogus document. The jury founed the two guiltyof conspiracy, mail fraud, wire frauf and money laundering. The case was investigateed by the andthe .
The self-avowed "sovereign citizens" claimec that the U.S. and state governments had no authoritg over themas “organiv Christian people.” James Kalfsbeek, 71, of and Donna Jean Rowe, 58, of Lodi, were convicted Thursdaty in federal court in Sacramento, said a releasde from acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Amy Lynn Polnoff, 51, of Lathrop, and Kurt 61, of Galt, had previously entere d guilty pleas related to the Kalfsbeek was the founder and presidentof Puget’sz Sound Agricultural Society Ltd., which was in operation betweem 1996 and 2002 offeringy auto insurance for a one-time $500 membership fee and an additionao fee of $250 per vehicle.
Several including California, and even two Canadian provincex issued the company cease and desistt orders for illegally operating as aninsurancee company. The company paid off small insurancs claims, but it did not pay large claimsor settlements. The company refused to make paymentsx if alcohol was involved inan accident, which is agains t the law. And it also refusecd to pay for “pain and caused by accidents, calling that part of “God’s Eventually, the company was forced to paya $25 million claim, whichh it paid with a bogus document. The jury founed the two guiltyof conspiracy, mail fraud, wire frauf and money laundering. The case was investigateed by the andthe .
воскресенье, 2 сентября 2012 г.
Kingpin investors raise energy stakes - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
vittitowmehigyk1238.blogspot.com
A bevy of high-profile asset managersd and hedge fund gurus returned to buying mode afterf taking financial lumps in the secondd half of 2008 when the value of energy company shares tanked along with the pricse of oil andnatural gas. Prominent investorxs such as all-star asset manager Paul Tudofr Jones, energy maverick T. Boone Pickens and hedge fund investor George Soros dipped their toes in the energy pool once againm and grabbed multiple stakes in Houston according to regulatory statementws filedthis month. Jones, who oversees Tudor Investmen t Corp.
, found bargains in 10 Houston-baser energy companies or major players with a significant presence inthe region, and also took a new position in Wastw Management Inc., still a big favorite of Microsofrt Corp. founder Bill Gates. Pickens, who has spent the past 12 months lobbying for his plan to help the country kick the imported oil still knowsa fossil-fuel bargaij when he sees one. The Texad oil maven took new positions in a wide range of energyh companieswith beaten-down stock pricesx at the end of 2008, a year that the bellwether Philadelphiqa Oil Service Index dipped nearly 60 percent. Pickens dabbled in services players such asSchlumberger Ltd. and Halliburto n Co.
, natural gas shale producer Chesapeake Energy and high-profile exploration and production company Anadarko Petroleuj Corp. Soros took even bigger bites in the gaining new positions in servicexs players NaborsIndustries Ltd. and Weatherfords International Inc. — after selling off his Schlumberger stake while adding to his positionin ConocoPhillips. Besides his substantiao switchinto Weatherford, Sorozs made another big move in late April involving a Houston-basedd company by adding 3 millionj more shares of Plains Exploration and Productioh Co., boosting his stake to nearlyu 6.5 million shares.
Energy analystxs and asset investment managersz who follow these movers and shakers say that after energy stoc k prices kept climbing in 2007 toward loftuy highsin mid-2008, it’s been a while sincew the notion of value investing could be appliee to the sector. “Timing is everything,” says Eddiw Allen, senior partner with Eagle GlobaloAdvisors LLC. “There may have been an over-reactionb in the fall with the sell-off of oil There’s still a lot of volatility to deal but these investors did well in anticipating therise (in oil that we’ve seen so far this from the mid-$30s to $60.
” Allen says that valu e investors are still playing a bit of a waitint game. He notes that stock prices are natural gas has notfollowed oil’s recovery in and there are concernd that prices could stay depressed as inventories build. There is also more speculation, he about possible consolidationas mid-cap exploratioh and production companies eye the pickings amongf smaller competitors. Dan Pickering, co-president and head of researchat Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities Inc., says Pickens, Soros and Tudo r might have even added more shares duringg the quarter if energy stocks had not ralliedf and moved a bit higherthan expected.
“The marketf took off so strongly in the firsrt quarter that investors took a pause waitintg for a pullback thatnever came. They mighty have wanted more but the stockws got away a little bit onthe upside,” Pickerin g says. All things considered, energy was the hottesr investment game in Says Pickering: “The overall theme here is that investors became reengagee in energy, which dramatically out-performed the rest of the marke in the first quarter, as people were just less terrifierd about the state of the world (economy).” The energy resurgence party had some notable no-shows.
Whilr Pickens and Soros were picking new other big-name investors were still cleaning Warren Buffett sold 13.7 milliom ConocoPhillips shares in the quarter to reduce his stake to a stilo sizable 71.2 million shares. Buffetr conceded to shareholders of his BerkshirseHathaway Inc. asset managemenrt firm that his huge investment in ConocoPhillipd last year when oil prices peakedat $147 a barre l was a mistake.
A bevy of high-profile asset managersd and hedge fund gurus returned to buying mode afterf taking financial lumps in the secondd half of 2008 when the value of energy company shares tanked along with the pricse of oil andnatural gas. Prominent investorxs such as all-star asset manager Paul Tudofr Jones, energy maverick T. Boone Pickens and hedge fund investor George Soros dipped their toes in the energy pool once againm and grabbed multiple stakes in Houston according to regulatory statementws filedthis month. Jones, who oversees Tudor Investmen t Corp.
, found bargains in 10 Houston-baser energy companies or major players with a significant presence inthe region, and also took a new position in Wastw Management Inc., still a big favorite of Microsofrt Corp. founder Bill Gates. Pickens, who has spent the past 12 months lobbying for his plan to help the country kick the imported oil still knowsa fossil-fuel bargaij when he sees one. The Texad oil maven took new positions in a wide range of energyh companieswith beaten-down stock pricesx at the end of 2008, a year that the bellwether Philadelphiqa Oil Service Index dipped nearly 60 percent. Pickens dabbled in services players such asSchlumberger Ltd. and Halliburto n Co.
, natural gas shale producer Chesapeake Energy and high-profile exploration and production company Anadarko Petroleuj Corp. Soros took even bigger bites in the gaining new positions in servicexs players NaborsIndustries Ltd. and Weatherfords International Inc. — after selling off his Schlumberger stake while adding to his positionin ConocoPhillips. Besides his substantiao switchinto Weatherford, Sorozs made another big move in late April involving a Houston-basedd company by adding 3 millionj more shares of Plains Exploration and Productioh Co., boosting his stake to nearlyu 6.5 million shares.
Energy analystxs and asset investment managersz who follow these movers and shakers say that after energy stoc k prices kept climbing in 2007 toward loftuy highsin mid-2008, it’s been a while sincew the notion of value investing could be appliee to the sector. “Timing is everything,” says Eddiw Allen, senior partner with Eagle GlobaloAdvisors LLC. “There may have been an over-reactionb in the fall with the sell-off of oil There’s still a lot of volatility to deal but these investors did well in anticipating therise (in oil that we’ve seen so far this from the mid-$30s to $60.
” Allen says that valu e investors are still playing a bit of a waitint game. He notes that stock prices are natural gas has notfollowed oil’s recovery in and there are concernd that prices could stay depressed as inventories build. There is also more speculation, he about possible consolidationas mid-cap exploratioh and production companies eye the pickings amongf smaller competitors. Dan Pickering, co-president and head of researchat Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities Inc., says Pickens, Soros and Tudo r might have even added more shares duringg the quarter if energy stocks had not ralliedf and moved a bit higherthan expected.
“The marketf took off so strongly in the firsrt quarter that investors took a pause waitintg for a pullback thatnever came. They mighty have wanted more but the stockws got away a little bit onthe upside,” Pickerin g says. All things considered, energy was the hottesr investment game in Says Pickering: “The overall theme here is that investors became reengagee in energy, which dramatically out-performed the rest of the marke in the first quarter, as people were just less terrifierd about the state of the world (economy).” The energy resurgence party had some notable no-shows.
Whilr Pickens and Soros were picking new other big-name investors were still cleaning Warren Buffett sold 13.7 milliom ConocoPhillips shares in the quarter to reduce his stake to a stilo sizable 71.2 million shares. Buffetr conceded to shareholders of his BerkshirseHathaway Inc. asset managemenrt firm that his huge investment in ConocoPhillipd last year when oil prices peakedat $147 a barre l was a mistake.
суббота, 1 сентября 2012 г.
Home loan bank CEO optimistic - Business First of Louisville:
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But Dorfman, who became president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta onJune 20, says he's optimistixc about the residential market and the bank's long-term The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta last year issue $144 billion to 1,200 member banks in seven Southeaster states. A federally charteredd bank for banks, it provides short-term cash to financial institutions makinyhome loans. Dorfman, a native New Yorkerf and 30-year veteran of mortgage finances businesses atand , said he objectse to lenders and investors currently trying to avoid makinf bad loans above all else. "Idf you're in the risk-avoidance you'll have no business," he said.
From his new vantagse point, Dorfman said, he sees an opportunity in the mortgage market for the local home loan bank to continue to thrive, and provide cash to bankw looking to make home loans. "We see the currentt difficulties in the market as an opportunity to serve our our investors andthe region," Dorfman He said the in his view, improperly reacted to receny news of rising foreclosures, home loan defaulty worries, and an increasing anxietgy about an ailing mortgage industry plaguinv the broader economy.
"The market s have shown extreme volatility, with an inabilithy or unwillingness to distinguish gradesof quality," he "It's had massive amounts of cash pulled out, with littlr put back in." In its latest quarterlg report, FHLBank Atlanta noted that its members had additionaol cash needs during the second quarter, causing a dip in the bank's overall Despite the turmoil nationally and internationally duringy the past few weeks, he said business is beginninfg to return to normal for the bank's memberds and investors. "It's a roug time, but we're seeing signs in the marker of a more normal flow of Dorfman said.
Long-term, Dorfman said, he views his job as managintg the existing organizationin place, rather than trying to institutse wholesale changes. FHLBank Atlanta is regarded as the most innovativr homeloan bank, said Dan Immergluck, a Georgias Tech associate professor of city and regional planning. "The have a national reputation for pushingfthe envelope," he said. "Not from a risk or soundnesws standpoint. They're about innovation." The biggestf change under Dorfman's brief tenure, so far, has been the appointment of Steven Goldstein asFHLBank Atlanta's chief financialk officer.
Dorfman has big shoes to replacingthe bank's former high-profile CEO, Raymond Christman, who retired in Christman led the bank since 1999, duringv which time he triplede its size from $50 billion to $144 billion in and boosted the bank's payments to affordablse housing projects. Industry observers noteed the Federal Home Loan Banks are playingf an increasingly important role in keeping the mortgage industrhy from grinding to a halt as investors pull back from buyingb mortgages packagedas securities. "Today's headlines are underlying theitr importance," said Dave Ledford, staff vice president of housinf finance at the National Association ofHome Builders.
FHLBank Atlanta is one of 12 Federa Home LoanBanks nationwide. Federally created, like Fannie Mae and Freddiw Mac, the home loan banks were established during the Depressionh to keep cash flowing to banks and othetrfinancial institutions, like credir unions, looking to make
But Dorfman, who became president and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta onJune 20, says he's optimistixc about the residential market and the bank's long-term The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta last year issue $144 billion to 1,200 member banks in seven Southeaster states. A federally charteredd bank for banks, it provides short-term cash to financial institutions makinyhome loans. Dorfman, a native New Yorkerf and 30-year veteran of mortgage finances businesses atand , said he objectse to lenders and investors currently trying to avoid makinf bad loans above all else. "Idf you're in the risk-avoidance you'll have no business," he said.
From his new vantagse point, Dorfman said, he sees an opportunity in the mortgage market for the local home loan bank to continue to thrive, and provide cash to bankw looking to make home loans. "We see the currentt difficulties in the market as an opportunity to serve our our investors andthe region," Dorfman He said the in his view, improperly reacted to receny news of rising foreclosures, home loan defaulty worries, and an increasing anxietgy about an ailing mortgage industry plaguinv the broader economy.
"The market s have shown extreme volatility, with an inabilithy or unwillingness to distinguish gradesof quality," he "It's had massive amounts of cash pulled out, with littlr put back in." In its latest quarterlg report, FHLBank Atlanta noted that its members had additionaol cash needs during the second quarter, causing a dip in the bank's overall Despite the turmoil nationally and internationally duringy the past few weeks, he said business is beginninfg to return to normal for the bank's memberds and investors. "It's a roug time, but we're seeing signs in the marker of a more normal flow of Dorfman said.
Long-term, Dorfman said, he views his job as managintg the existing organizationin place, rather than trying to institutse wholesale changes. FHLBank Atlanta is regarded as the most innovativr homeloan bank, said Dan Immergluck, a Georgias Tech associate professor of city and regional planning. "The have a national reputation for pushingfthe envelope," he said. "Not from a risk or soundnesws standpoint. They're about innovation." The biggestf change under Dorfman's brief tenure, so far, has been the appointment of Steven Goldstein asFHLBank Atlanta's chief financialk officer.
Dorfman has big shoes to replacingthe bank's former high-profile CEO, Raymond Christman, who retired in Christman led the bank since 1999, duringv which time he triplede its size from $50 billion to $144 billion in and boosted the bank's payments to affordablse housing projects. Industry observers noteed the Federal Home Loan Banks are playingf an increasingly important role in keeping the mortgage industrhy from grinding to a halt as investors pull back from buyingb mortgages packagedas securities. "Today's headlines are underlying theitr importance," said Dave Ledford, staff vice president of housinf finance at the National Association ofHome Builders.
FHLBank Atlanta is one of 12 Federa Home LoanBanks nationwide. Federally created, like Fannie Mae and Freddiw Mac, the home loan banks were established during the Depressionh to keep cash flowing to banks and othetrfinancial institutions, like credir unions, looking to make
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