The Ty that binds Pueblo Chieftain NBA The Ty that binds. Lawson signs $48 million extension to stay with Nuggets. Story · Comments. Print: Create a hardcopy of this page; Font Size: Default font size: Larger font size. Ty Lawson. Ty Lawson. Posted: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 12:00 am ... |
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
The Ty that binds - Pueblo Chieftain
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Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Silicon Valley law firms ramp up for economic recovery practices - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
ejyceh.wordpress.com
Several firms have set up formal practics areas to help navigatr clients through the intricacies of the American Recoveryt andReinvestment Act. Others are being less formal, but no less in counseling clients on everything from regulatory issued toapplication preparedness. Hogan & Hartson LLP is one of many firms that formally announced a practicer area dedicated to the federal stimulus Michael Charlson, managing partner of the Washington, D.C.-basede firm’s 5-month-old Palo Alto office, said the firm’ss Stimulus Legislation Task Force is intendedr to help clients access some of the largesse. Aboutg one-third of Hogan & Hartson’s practice is regulatory.
In the firm considers its “sweet spot” as the intersectionj where governmentmeets business. “We’re working to be on top of initiativew that help out in the areas like Charlson said. “We have huge healthh care and governmentcontractz practices, so everything that touches on thosw areas is going to be somethintg that we’re monitoring.” Mark Radcliffe, a partner at DLA Piper’sz East Palo Alto office, said the stimuluws package is “uniquely importantf to Silicon Valley” becausd of its focus on cleanb technology and small companies. DLA is combiningh its Silicon Valley technology acumen withits D.C.
-based savoir-faire — which includes capitoll heavy-hitters like former congressional majorityh leaders George Mitchell, Richard Armey and Dick Gephardy — to navigate clients through it all. Radcliffde and D.C. partner Gary Klein co-produced a stimulus-related Webinadr titled “The Stimulus Bill What It Means for Cleantech Startupes andtheir Investors.” The firm is hostint a live presentation at its East Palo Alto officeds March 27 in consort with Silicobn Valley Bank and other groups. Government regulation and funding changes Radcliffe said, and it’s important for Silicon Valleu management to understand that.
Cleantech is just as fundamentallgy different fromother venture-backed industriexs as it is from the traditional energyh sector. “The playing field is goingv to bestrongly tilted. That’s just the way it is in and you need to be preparexd for that orelse you’re going to get run Radcliffe said. Klein, legal counsel to the Senate Energy Subcommitteee inthe 1970s, said the federao affairs and legislative practice hasn’t worked much with Silicon Valley startups in the “They either haven’t been directly or significantly affected by stufd going on in Washington or haven’t paid much attentiob to it,” Klein “But it’s clear that there’s so much money beinfg shoveled out the door so much of it availabls to startups and venture capitalo entities, that it behoove all folks in the energhy and environment area to know what’s going on and see if there’e opportunities.
” Cooley Godward Kronish LLP was positioned well when the stimulue package was unveiled. Less than a year ago, beforre the market meltdown, the firm began to hone in on sourcew of funding forclean technology. The firm has alreaduy taken two clients through the Departmentyof Energy’s application procesas for pre-stimulus government financing. “Ww feel pretty good that we’re in a leadership positionj to be helping on the stimulus programszbecause we’ve already been through a couple of shakedowns dealing with the rules and said Palo Alto partner Jim Fulton. Guidanced for accessing stimulus funds are still forthcominbg formost programs.
But attorneys aren’t waiting idly by in Fulton said Cooley’s clean technologies practicw is assisting several more clientx to pull together their stories so that when the final rulesdcome down, “these companies will be ready to go rather than beinb caught flat-footed.” What the American Recover and Reinvestment Act has established, said Hansonj Bridgett partner Jonathan Storper, is that government agencies receiving stimulu funds give preference to projects that can be starteed within 120 days of Feb. 17, 2009, and completed “So contractors need to be prepareds tomove quickly,” said Storper, who agrees that preparation is key.
Equallyu important is understanding the impact of acceptintstimulus money, he It’s expected that technology companies and any other potential supplier, vendor or consultant looking to take advantagwe of the stimulus will be subject to the Federal Acquisition meaning periodic reporting and increasee accountability, “which could be a challeng for some, particularly smaller companies,” Storper said.
Several firms have set up formal practics areas to help navigatr clients through the intricacies of the American Recoveryt andReinvestment Act. Others are being less formal, but no less in counseling clients on everything from regulatory issued toapplication preparedness. Hogan & Hartson LLP is one of many firms that formally announced a practicer area dedicated to the federal stimulus Michael Charlson, managing partner of the Washington, D.C.-basede firm’s 5-month-old Palo Alto office, said the firm’ss Stimulus Legislation Task Force is intendedr to help clients access some of the largesse. Aboutg one-third of Hogan & Hartson’s practice is regulatory.
In the firm considers its “sweet spot” as the intersectionj where governmentmeets business. “We’re working to be on top of initiativew that help out in the areas like Charlson said. “We have huge healthh care and governmentcontractz practices, so everything that touches on thosw areas is going to be somethintg that we’re monitoring.” Mark Radcliffe, a partner at DLA Piper’sz East Palo Alto office, said the stimuluws package is “uniquely importantf to Silicon Valley” becausd of its focus on cleanb technology and small companies. DLA is combiningh its Silicon Valley technology acumen withits D.C.
-based savoir-faire — which includes capitoll heavy-hitters like former congressional majorityh leaders George Mitchell, Richard Armey and Dick Gephardy — to navigate clients through it all. Radcliffde and D.C. partner Gary Klein co-produced a stimulus-related Webinadr titled “The Stimulus Bill What It Means for Cleantech Startupes andtheir Investors.” The firm is hostint a live presentation at its East Palo Alto officeds March 27 in consort with Silicobn Valley Bank and other groups. Government regulation and funding changes Radcliffe said, and it’s important for Silicon Valleu management to understand that.
Cleantech is just as fundamentallgy different fromother venture-backed industriexs as it is from the traditional energyh sector. “The playing field is goingv to bestrongly tilted. That’s just the way it is in and you need to be preparexd for that orelse you’re going to get run Radcliffe said. Klein, legal counsel to the Senate Energy Subcommitteee inthe 1970s, said the federao affairs and legislative practice hasn’t worked much with Silicon Valley startups in the “They either haven’t been directly or significantly affected by stufd going on in Washington or haven’t paid much attentiob to it,” Klein “But it’s clear that there’s so much money beinfg shoveled out the door so much of it availabls to startups and venture capitalo entities, that it behoove all folks in the energhy and environment area to know what’s going on and see if there’e opportunities.
” Cooley Godward Kronish LLP was positioned well when the stimulue package was unveiled. Less than a year ago, beforre the market meltdown, the firm began to hone in on sourcew of funding forclean technology. The firm has alreaduy taken two clients through the Departmentyof Energy’s application procesas for pre-stimulus government financing. “Ww feel pretty good that we’re in a leadership positionj to be helping on the stimulus programszbecause we’ve already been through a couple of shakedowns dealing with the rules and said Palo Alto partner Jim Fulton. Guidanced for accessing stimulus funds are still forthcominbg formost programs.
But attorneys aren’t waiting idly by in Fulton said Cooley’s clean technologies practicw is assisting several more clientx to pull together their stories so that when the final rulesdcome down, “these companies will be ready to go rather than beinb caught flat-footed.” What the American Recover and Reinvestment Act has established, said Hansonj Bridgett partner Jonathan Storper, is that government agencies receiving stimulu funds give preference to projects that can be starteed within 120 days of Feb. 17, 2009, and completed “So contractors need to be prepareds tomove quickly,” said Storper, who agrees that preparation is key.
Equallyu important is understanding the impact of acceptintstimulus money, he It’s expected that technology companies and any other potential supplier, vendor or consultant looking to take advantagwe of the stimulus will be subject to the Federal Acquisition meaning periodic reporting and increasee accountability, “which could be a challeng for some, particularly smaller companies,” Storper said.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Peak Fitness owner files Chapter 11 - Charlotte Business Journal:
mcfarlainofuqub1258.blogspot.com
As part of the restructuring, will sell its Peak Fitness assetsto , a limitefd liability company based in Financial terms weren’t Fitness Management says the filing was largelt the result of property leases that were negotiatede at the height of the real estate the significant and sustained economic downturnm and the acquisition of underperforming assets from the Capital Healthh Club chain in Raleigh. “Peak Fitness has made some difficult decisionas towards reorganization over the past coupleof months, includingh closing the majority of our underperforming facilities in the Raleighu market,” says Jeffrey Stec, chietf executive of Fitness Management.
“Restructurinf with Fuzion will allow the busines to establisha re-energized platform for growtyh and a strong commitmenrt to the best customer service in the Peak Fitness has 10 locations in the Charlottwe area.
As part of the restructuring, will sell its Peak Fitness assetsto , a limitefd liability company based in Financial terms weren’t Fitness Management says the filing was largelt the result of property leases that were negotiatede at the height of the real estate the significant and sustained economic downturnm and the acquisition of underperforming assets from the Capital Healthh Club chain in Raleigh. “Peak Fitness has made some difficult decisionas towards reorganization over the past coupleof months, includingh closing the majority of our underperforming facilities in the Raleighu market,” says Jeffrey Stec, chietf executive of Fitness Management.
“Restructurinf with Fuzion will allow the busines to establisha re-energized platform for growtyh and a strong commitmenrt to the best customer service in the Peak Fitness has 10 locations in the Charlottwe area.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
No adverse effects with suspended Novartis flu shots; Manitoba Health - Winnipeg Free Press
azajir.wordpress.com
Winnipeg Free Press | No adverse effects with suspended Novartis flu shots; Manitoba Health Winnipeg Free Press Manitoba Health advises anyone who's had the suspended Navartis flu shot that no adverse effects have been seen anywhere. Novartis manufactures only one per cent of the flu vaccine used in Manitoba. "As a precautionary step, Health Canada asked ... < p size="-1">Flu vaccine clinics cancelled across Saskatchewan Alberta stops using two types of flu vaccines Health Canada pulls distribution of Novartis flu vaccines |
Friday, October 26, 2012
Palm Beach County clerk cuts 66 employees - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
moakhamet84.blogspot.com
million, or 18 reduction in the office’s budget by July 1, counth clerk Sharon Bock said in a news The cuts are expectedto “significantly impact service levels at the Clerk’s seven Palm Beach County locations,” she noted in the The required staff cuts leavde the office with fewer people to pursue and collect millions of dollar in unpaid traffic and court fees, which will lead to more budgert cuts. “It’s a vicious cycle designe d to underfund us into she said.
Thirty-two employees accepted a buyout offer this monthu and will leave June 30 with a full payoutg on theirsick leave, rather than the normal 25 percent to 50 percent offered under current terminationb policies. On May 29, an addition 34 employee were told during staff meetings that they were beingtlaid off, effective June 12. They will receive four weeks of pay. With thesee layoffs and the positionspreviously eliminated, the office has cut 101 positione -- 16 percent of management positions and 12 percent of hourlt positions -- in the past The Clerk & Comptroller’s which employs more than 800 in officesa throughout Palm Beach County, handles the businesss arm of the court system.
Employeexs receive, file and retrieve court documents, procesds fees and traffic fines, and enter and maintaih case information inthe court’a computer system.
million, or 18 reduction in the office’s budget by July 1, counth clerk Sharon Bock said in a news The cuts are expectedto “significantly impact service levels at the Clerk’s seven Palm Beach County locations,” she noted in the The required staff cuts leavde the office with fewer people to pursue and collect millions of dollar in unpaid traffic and court fees, which will lead to more budgert cuts. “It’s a vicious cycle designe d to underfund us into she said.
Thirty-two employees accepted a buyout offer this monthu and will leave June 30 with a full payoutg on theirsick leave, rather than the normal 25 percent to 50 percent offered under current terminationb policies. On May 29, an addition 34 employee were told during staff meetings that they were beingtlaid off, effective June 12. They will receive four weeks of pay. With thesee layoffs and the positionspreviously eliminated, the office has cut 101 positione -- 16 percent of management positions and 12 percent of hourlt positions -- in the past The Clerk & Comptroller’s which employs more than 800 in officesa throughout Palm Beach County, handles the businesss arm of the court system.
Employeexs receive, file and retrieve court documents, procesds fees and traffic fines, and enter and maintaih case information inthe court’a computer system.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Eastern Market reopens Friday - The Business Review (Albany):
disadvantage-unlimited.blogspot.com
The fire, in April 2007, gutted much of the 136-year-olfd market and left its vendors withou apermanent home. The Districft set up a temporary home for many of thoses vendors nearby shortly after the Eastern Market, at 7th and C streets SE, has now undergonse a $22 million head-to-toe renovation, one many of its regulars have callecd long overdue. Although the cause of the fire has nevet beenofficially determined, it was widelt believed to have been the resul t of faulty electrical wiring. Eastern Market’s reopening will see many of its originaol vendors return to once again hawk everything from fresh meataand cheeses, to flowers art and crafts.
Longtime Capitol Hill residenty Jim Zaniello is among regulars who are lookingt forward to returning tothe “It’s exciting to know that all of our markegt family will be back in the original buildinfg and that they will continue to be an important part of the Hill community for years to he said. “Eastern Market is an integral part of life onthe Hill.”
The fire, in April 2007, gutted much of the 136-year-olfd market and left its vendors withou apermanent home. The Districft set up a temporary home for many of thoses vendors nearby shortly after the Eastern Market, at 7th and C streets SE, has now undergonse a $22 million head-to-toe renovation, one many of its regulars have callecd long overdue. Although the cause of the fire has nevet beenofficially determined, it was widelt believed to have been the resul t of faulty electrical wiring. Eastern Market’s reopening will see many of its originaol vendors return to once again hawk everything from fresh meataand cheeses, to flowers art and crafts.
Longtime Capitol Hill residenty Jim Zaniello is among regulars who are lookingt forward to returning tothe “It’s exciting to know that all of our markegt family will be back in the original buildinfg and that they will continue to be an important part of the Hill community for years to he said. “Eastern Market is an integral part of life onthe Hill.”
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Covering Lance Armstrong was a wild ride, but the truth came out - SI.com
iqukikofor.wordpress.com
Globe and Mail | Covering Lance Armstrong was a wild ride, but the truth came out SI.com Scrolling through the archives last week, I stopped at Place Saint Lambert in Liege, Belgium. Twice I remembered being there. The first time was for the start the much loved one-day classic bicycling race known as Liege-Bastogne-Liege. It was a Sunday ... Evans says never discussed doping with Armstrong doctor |
Monday, October 22, 2012
Parents still saving for kids' college - Sacramento Business Journal:
hustbelogehy1857.blogspot.com
The study comes as Sallie Mae launched a new modulw to its freeonline tool, the Education Investment to help families develop a save-for-college plan, baseed on their children’s age and the type of collegd they may be likely to attend. The study also finds that parents use a variety of methods to save for but many are missingthe tax-advantage opportunities availabl e for college savings such as 529 colleges savings plans, are not contributing and are not using a rewards prograk to earn additional savings for college.
The study comes as Sallie Mae launched a new modulw to its freeonline tool, the Education Investment to help families develop a save-for-college plan, baseed on their children’s age and the type of collegd they may be likely to attend. The study also finds that parents use a variety of methods to save for but many are missingthe tax-advantage opportunities availabl e for college savings such as 529 colleges savings plans, are not contributing and are not using a rewards prograk to earn additional savings for college.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Florida panther pushes north, causing conflicts - NECN
erofeyporgrinin.blogspot.com
Florida panther pushes north, causing conflicts NECN SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) รข€" The battle to save the Florida panther from extinction is poised to shift from south to central Florida, where a clash between private landowners, developers and regulators could determine the future range of the unique cats ... |
Friday, October 19, 2012
BofA raises $13.5B in stock sale - Dayton Business Journal:
jaqezuweg.blogspot.com
The Charlotte, N.C.-based bank issued 1.25 billionj shares at an average pricsof $10.77 per share. “We’rw pleased to have this portion of our capital plan completed,” said Joe Price, chiedf financial officer. “This strengthens and diversifies our capital The sale beganMay 8. Early this federal regulators told BofA it needed toraisde $33.9 billion in additional capital aftetr the Federal Reserve conducted “stresw tests” on the 19 largest U.S. The tests, officially called the Supervisory Capita lAssessment Program, were designed to assess the ability to survive if economicc conditions worsen more than expected during the next two years.
BofA’a capital needs are in the form of Tier 1commonh capital, according to the test results and the In other areas, the bank meets capital requirementds with an adequate buffer. BofA said it intendesd to raise capital through a combination of thefollowin measures: converting some preferres shares held by privats investors to common stock, selling more commohn stock, possibly selling some noncore businessz units and considering some jointg ventures. The bank, which has said it plans to sell Firsft Republic Bank of San recentlyraised $7.3 billion from the sale of a 5.
7 percenf stake in to Asian BofA (NYSE: BAC) has received a totak of $45 billion in taxpayer aid under the Troubled Asset Reliecf Program, which is designed to thaw the creditt markets and boost the economy.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based bank issued 1.25 billionj shares at an average pricsof $10.77 per share. “We’rw pleased to have this portion of our capital plan completed,” said Joe Price, chiedf financial officer. “This strengthens and diversifies our capital The sale beganMay 8. Early this federal regulators told BofA it needed toraisde $33.9 billion in additional capital aftetr the Federal Reserve conducted “stresw tests” on the 19 largest U.S. The tests, officially called the Supervisory Capita lAssessment Program, were designed to assess the ability to survive if economicc conditions worsen more than expected during the next two years.
BofA’a capital needs are in the form of Tier 1commonh capital, according to the test results and the In other areas, the bank meets capital requirementds with an adequate buffer. BofA said it intendesd to raise capital through a combination of thefollowin measures: converting some preferres shares held by privats investors to common stock, selling more commohn stock, possibly selling some noncore businessz units and considering some jointg ventures. The bank, which has said it plans to sell Firsft Republic Bank of San recentlyraised $7.3 billion from the sale of a 5.
7 percenf stake in to Asian BofA (NYSE: BAC) has received a totak of $45 billion in taxpayer aid under the Troubled Asset Reliecf Program, which is designed to thaw the creditt markets and boost the economy.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
A cardboard bike that could change the world - Deseret News
exceeding-commissioner.blogspot.com
Deseret News | A cardboard bike that could change the world Deseret News If you visit trekbikes.com and click on Road Bikes, then Race Performance and then Madone 7 Series, you will see the Madone 7.9, a bike with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $11,549.99. Yes, a five-figure bicycle. And it doesn't even come ... A $20 Bike Made Of Cardboard Is Headed To Market Ride on! $20 cardboard bike may go into production soon Unique Cardboard Bike Will Only Cost $20 |
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Cracking the government contracting code - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
younkinesagugad1746.blogspot.com
But getting her foot in the door was more difficul than shethought and, despite an impressive she was seen as a Navy wife who wouldn’tf stick around. “The reality was we wantef to stay here and make a go of she said. So Parker set about finding a way that she coulf leverage her experience and skills and stilo stayon Kauai. The answer was still federal contracting, but she had to get creative to crack into the contractor market atthe base.
She already had a strong background in contract and project managementt when she started in after working with defense contractorsin Washington, and an aviation services company in Oklahoma She found a way in by taking a full-time job with another small business that did contract work at the while still doing some work for The Parkerd Group. “It was just a mechanisjm to openthe door,” she said. “I have this great busineszs — the only way I can continue it is to step backwith it, humblee myself a little.
” The job with the othedr company gave Parker the opportunitiese to work with people on the “where I could demonstrate that I had both the busines acumen and the ability to give them what they need,” she It turned out to be exactlhy the right opportunity. When the project with the othet company finished a little more than a year TheParker Group, which at that time was just got its first contract at PMRF. After working severalp years as asole proprietor, Parkefr began hiring systems engineers and otheer professionals on Kauai and in three other statews on the Mainland.
Today, The Parker Group has 14 employees in four states who offer projec t management and systems engineering serviceas to defense contractors who use the base at Barkin g Sands in West Kauai to test and evaluate new as well asother installations. The company secured almost $1.1 million in contracts with the Navy in the 2008 fiscalkyear alone, according to the federal government. And this the U.S. Small Business Administration namedParker Kauai’sw businessperson of the year. Parker, 40, workxs from her home office in Kekaha, where she can stilo be close to her twoyoung children, Grant, 3, and 1, who are under the care of a nanny during the day while she manages her growiny company.
Nine employees work from officer space at the Pacific Missile Range Facility just a few milesa downthe road. The Parker Group also has three employees in Californi and one each in Indianapolisand Huntsville, Ala. Parker’s first contract with the PMRF was to writr a study of the range comparing its capabilitiesz and costs with the Reagan Test Site on Kwajaleijn Atoll so that the federa l Missile Defense Agency could determine which of the two rangez to use as a preferrecdtest site. “They essentially hiredr me and my firm to write their she said.
“In terms of establishingt my businessin Hawaii, that was my big Parker worked with the stafdf at the range to write, edit and illustrater the study. The result was that PMRF was choseover Kwajalein, helping to securew her reputation for future projects. “Whatever your industry, it’s all about she said. “It’s all abougt actually providing the customer with a servicre thatthey need.” Parker is an actived member of the , and abidez by the organization’s Four Way Test, according to Rotary International, asks: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and bettert friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
” “It’s also about providinh them that service in an ethical and professional she said. “That’s why people keep cominfg backto you, because you provide what they need.”
But getting her foot in the door was more difficul than shethought and, despite an impressive she was seen as a Navy wife who wouldn’tf stick around. “The reality was we wantef to stay here and make a go of she said. So Parker set about finding a way that she coulf leverage her experience and skills and stilo stayon Kauai. The answer was still federal contracting, but she had to get creative to crack into the contractor market atthe base.
She already had a strong background in contract and project managementt when she started in after working with defense contractorsin Washington, and an aviation services company in Oklahoma She found a way in by taking a full-time job with another small business that did contract work at the while still doing some work for The Parkerd Group. “It was just a mechanisjm to openthe door,” she said. “I have this great busineszs — the only way I can continue it is to step backwith it, humblee myself a little.
” The job with the othedr company gave Parker the opportunitiese to work with people on the “where I could demonstrate that I had both the busines acumen and the ability to give them what they need,” she It turned out to be exactlhy the right opportunity. When the project with the othet company finished a little more than a year TheParker Group, which at that time was just got its first contract at PMRF. After working severalp years as asole proprietor, Parkefr began hiring systems engineers and otheer professionals on Kauai and in three other statews on the Mainland.
Today, The Parker Group has 14 employees in four states who offer projec t management and systems engineering serviceas to defense contractors who use the base at Barkin g Sands in West Kauai to test and evaluate new as well asother installations. The company secured almost $1.1 million in contracts with the Navy in the 2008 fiscalkyear alone, according to the federal government. And this the U.S. Small Business Administration namedParker Kauai’sw businessperson of the year. Parker, 40, workxs from her home office in Kekaha, where she can stilo be close to her twoyoung children, Grant, 3, and 1, who are under the care of a nanny during the day while she manages her growiny company.
Nine employees work from officer space at the Pacific Missile Range Facility just a few milesa downthe road. The Parker Group also has three employees in Californi and one each in Indianapolisand Huntsville, Ala. Parker’s first contract with the PMRF was to writr a study of the range comparing its capabilitiesz and costs with the Reagan Test Site on Kwajaleijn Atoll so that the federa l Missile Defense Agency could determine which of the two rangez to use as a preferrecdtest site. “They essentially hiredr me and my firm to write their she said.
“In terms of establishingt my businessin Hawaii, that was my big Parker worked with the stafdf at the range to write, edit and illustrater the study. The result was that PMRF was choseover Kwajalein, helping to securew her reputation for future projects. “Whatever your industry, it’s all about she said. “It’s all abougt actually providing the customer with a servicre thatthey need.” Parker is an actived member of the , and abidez by the organization’s Four Way Test, according to Rotary International, asks: “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and bettert friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
” “It’s also about providinh them that service in an ethical and professional she said. “That’s why people keep cominfg backto you, because you provide what they need.”
Monday, October 15, 2012
Jason Avant: Eagles 'embarrassing,' 'undisciplined' - NFL News
uraa-quartely.blogspot.com
Jason Avant: Eagles 'embarrassing,' 'undisciplined' NFL News The headlines in Philly are rarely pretty after a Philadelphia Eagles loss. But the newspapers didn't have to flagellate the team too hard after Sunday's loss to the Detroit Lions because the teams did it to themselves. "It's undisciplined footb » |
Saturday, October 13, 2012
(Attn VM) Goa political parties back mining industry (Goa Newsletter) - New York Daily News
ejoxot.wordpress.com
(Attn VM) Goa political parties back mining industry (Goa Newsletter) New York Daily News Panaji, Oct 13 รข€" Political parties across the spectrum have closed ranks behind Goa's mining companies, virtually all of whom have been indicted in the Justice M.B. Shah Commission report in a Rs.35,000-crore illegal mining scam. The Congress wants ... |
Friday, October 12, 2012
Fairfax Co. OKs Springfield Mall, affordable housing project - Kansas City Business Journal:
cicugaha.wordpress.com
(NYSE: VNO) can now move forwarcd with its massive transformation ofthe 30-year-old Springfielcd Mall. The developer will add 175,0000 square feet of new retai l space, 2,200 homes near the Franconia-Springfield Metro and VRE a 225-room hotel and about 1.1 million square feet of new offic space tothe 80-acre site. The new to be known as Springfield Town will alsoinclude parks, courtyards, bike farmer’s market space and outdootr recreational courts. Construction could begin as soon as permitsaare secured, but it’s likely Vornado will move slowlyg given the economy.
It is expected to take 10 to 15 years to completethe LLC, the new venture by formere JPI officials Greg Lamb and Jim Butz and Akridges executives, will develop the Fair Lakeas project, an affordable housing development that will sit next to the Fairfac Government Center. The county will hand over 9 acresdof county-owned land to the developerr for 270 moderately-priced unitzs known as The Residences at the Government But some criticized the deal, saying the rentalk income limits, which range from $50,000 a year to $100,000 a year, were too high and, therefore, not consistent with the board’s mission to offer affordable housing to the poor and No timetable for construction of the apartments was available.
(NYSE: VNO) can now move forwarcd with its massive transformation ofthe 30-year-old Springfielcd Mall. The developer will add 175,0000 square feet of new retai l space, 2,200 homes near the Franconia-Springfield Metro and VRE a 225-room hotel and about 1.1 million square feet of new offic space tothe 80-acre site. The new to be known as Springfield Town will alsoinclude parks, courtyards, bike farmer’s market space and outdootr recreational courts. Construction could begin as soon as permitsaare secured, but it’s likely Vornado will move slowlyg given the economy.
It is expected to take 10 to 15 years to completethe LLC, the new venture by formere JPI officials Greg Lamb and Jim Butz and Akridges executives, will develop the Fair Lakeas project, an affordable housing development that will sit next to the Fairfac Government Center. The county will hand over 9 acresdof county-owned land to the developerr for 270 moderately-priced unitzs known as The Residences at the Government But some criticized the deal, saying the rentalk income limits, which range from $50,000 a year to $100,000 a year, were too high and, therefore, not consistent with the board’s mission to offer affordable housing to the poor and No timetable for construction of the apartments was available.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
First Financial could consider paying back TARP money - Memphis Business Journal:
cahijisebi.wordpress.com
“The board will consider that nowthat we’ve done our common stocj offering,” Davis said in an interview afte the shareholders meeting at the Manor Housre in Mason. “We’re very well-capitalized. We feel very comfortabled with ourcapital position.” Norwood-based Firsr Financial received $80 million from the U.S. Treasury’ss Capital Purchase Program, part of the Troubleds Asset Relief Program, in December by selling preferred stockj tothe government. It pays a 5 percentf annual dividend for five the rate rises to 9 percenafter that. First Financial (NASDAQ: FFBC) raised $98 million in net proceedss June 8 from a commobnstock offering.
Part of the use of that capital coulrd be to pay back the Treasury money, Davis said. The boarsd would have to approve sucha move. The bank wouldc have to go through an application proces s to get government approval to pay back the Some banks have already received that Regulators asked First Financial to participate in thecapitall plan, Davis said in response to a shareholder question about why a healthy bank would take the The program was voluntary, but First Financial wanted to stockpilre capital. “We weren’t sure how deep the recession would be, and we thoughtg it was important to ensure we had ample hetold shareholders.
William Harding, a shareholder from Columbus, askec how the company plans to handlee buying back the stock from the The board willconsider it, Davis But, he added, the interest it receivee from investing part of that Treasuru money is enough to pay the dividends it A stipulation of the Treasurty money is that companies cannot raisse their common-stock dividends beyond the levek they were before the company decide d to take the money. Firs Financial wasn’t part of the recent federal government “stress tests.” Those gauged the nation’s 19 largest banks’ ability to withstand a worsening economy.
But Davias said First Financial performed its own tests internally using thegovernmentt criteria. Those tests showedd the bank is in good He pointed to numbers showing First Financiaol is wellbeyond regulators’ requirementss to be considered well-capitalized. Its tangible common equityg totaling 8.6 percent of tangible assetzs after the stock offering is far above the roughlyu 5 percent peergroul average, he said. The recentg public stock offering also made it unnecessarg for First Financial to go aheard with a shareholder vote that woulsd have allowed the board to issue more preferredd stock in order toraisre capital.
That proposal was first raised, Davis said, when otherf means of raising capital weren’t readilyg available. Harding said he woulfd oppose the company issuin any morepreferred stock, even though it’sx a moot point for now. “It’as a major concern for me that issuing new preferre stock dilutes the stock my fatheer purchasedin 1983,” Harding “I want to make sure my father’s investment is safe.” Several shareholders askeed whether and when the dividend would be raisesd back to its previous level. First Financiakl said in January it would cut the quarterly dividend from 17 centsw a share to10 cents.
“It was a tougu decision,” Davis said. “We were in a period of the worsf economic stress in80 years, and we felt it was the pruden thing to do. “We want to provide some good level of dividend but we also want to see the stockmprice improve. To do that, we need earningss improvement, so we need growth.” While Davis isn’ pleased with First Financial’s total return to shareholdera – a loss of 26 percent sincr January2008 – it stackd up well with other banks and with the he said. The S&P 500 fell 32 percent in that span whiler the stocks of a group ofFirsr Financial’s peers plunged 57 percent.
“This is the most difficulr banking environment andeconomy I’ve ever seen or experienced,” Davisx said. “But I think we’re weatheringb it quite well.” A shareholder proposap passed that that asks the board to conside r declassifying the board so that each membeer has to runfor re-election each year. In the board members served staggered three-yeafr terms. “If you have a board that stands for electioneveryu year, you have a board that is subject to replacement if it’s not acting in the best interests of said William Singer, a downtown attorney representing Denver-basex shareholder Gerald Armstrong, who put the proposal up for a vote.
“The board will consider that nowthat we’ve done our common stocj offering,” Davis said in an interview afte the shareholders meeting at the Manor Housre in Mason. “We’re very well-capitalized. We feel very comfortabled with ourcapital position.” Norwood-based Firsr Financial received $80 million from the U.S. Treasury’ss Capital Purchase Program, part of the Troubleds Asset Relief Program, in December by selling preferred stockj tothe government. It pays a 5 percentf annual dividend for five the rate rises to 9 percenafter that. First Financial (NASDAQ: FFBC) raised $98 million in net proceedss June 8 from a commobnstock offering.
Part of the use of that capital coulrd be to pay back the Treasury money, Davis said. The boarsd would have to approve sucha move. The bank wouldc have to go through an application proces s to get government approval to pay back the Some banks have already received that Regulators asked First Financial to participate in thecapitall plan, Davis said in response to a shareholder question about why a healthy bank would take the The program was voluntary, but First Financial wanted to stockpilre capital. “We weren’t sure how deep the recession would be, and we thoughtg it was important to ensure we had ample hetold shareholders.
William Harding, a shareholder from Columbus, askec how the company plans to handlee buying back the stock from the The board willconsider it, Davis But, he added, the interest it receivee from investing part of that Treasuru money is enough to pay the dividends it A stipulation of the Treasurty money is that companies cannot raisse their common-stock dividends beyond the levek they were before the company decide d to take the money. Firs Financial wasn’t part of the recent federal government “stress tests.” Those gauged the nation’s 19 largest banks’ ability to withstand a worsening economy.
But Davias said First Financial performed its own tests internally using thegovernmentt criteria. Those tests showedd the bank is in good He pointed to numbers showing First Financiaol is wellbeyond regulators’ requirementss to be considered well-capitalized. Its tangible common equityg totaling 8.6 percent of tangible assetzs after the stock offering is far above the roughlyu 5 percent peergroul average, he said. The recentg public stock offering also made it unnecessarg for First Financial to go aheard with a shareholder vote that woulsd have allowed the board to issue more preferredd stock in order toraisre capital.
That proposal was first raised, Davis said, when otherf means of raising capital weren’t readilyg available. Harding said he woulfd oppose the company issuin any morepreferred stock, even though it’sx a moot point for now. “It’as a major concern for me that issuing new preferre stock dilutes the stock my fatheer purchasedin 1983,” Harding “I want to make sure my father’s investment is safe.” Several shareholders askeed whether and when the dividend would be raisesd back to its previous level. First Financiakl said in January it would cut the quarterly dividend from 17 centsw a share to10 cents.
“It was a tougu decision,” Davis said. “We were in a period of the worsf economic stress in80 years, and we felt it was the pruden thing to do. “We want to provide some good level of dividend but we also want to see the stockmprice improve. To do that, we need earningss improvement, so we need growth.” While Davis isn’ pleased with First Financial’s total return to shareholdera – a loss of 26 percent sincr January2008 – it stackd up well with other banks and with the he said. The S&P 500 fell 32 percent in that span whiler the stocks of a group ofFirsr Financial’s peers plunged 57 percent.
“This is the most difficulr banking environment andeconomy I’ve ever seen or experienced,” Davisx said. “But I think we’re weatheringb it quite well.” A shareholder proposap passed that that asks the board to conside r declassifying the board so that each membeer has to runfor re-election each year. In the board members served staggered three-yeafr terms. “If you have a board that stands for electioneveryu year, you have a board that is subject to replacement if it’s not acting in the best interests of said William Singer, a downtown attorney representing Denver-basex shareholder Gerald Armstrong, who put the proposal up for a vote.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Philadelphia Business Journal:
cahijisebi.wordpress.com
A survey by America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade groupo in Washington, D.C., found small-group coverage in 2006 averageds $312 per month for single coverageand $814 per mont h for family coverage. Helen president of the National Business Group on Healtbin Washington, D.C., said that when evaluatinyg plan options, employers should consider the quality of care provided to its members and not just the premiu prices. First on her list is checking to make sure the insurer is accredited by the Nationa l Committee forQuality Assurance.
Next wouldd be reading throughthe plans' HEDIS (Health Plan Employetr Data and Information Set) scores, which the NCQA accumulates to track plans on various performance measures. "You can find out thingzs like what percentage of theit members receivea beta-blocker after sufferinvg a heart attack," Darling said. "I'd also make sure the physicianss in theplan are, with very few board certified. And I'd want to see that the plan hasa 'centerz of excellence' program for certainm procedures such as organ transplants and cardiovascular care.
" When evaluatinvg premiums, Darling suggested businesses ask for a breakdow n of all prices to determine whether it mightr be cheaper to outsource certain part of the such as prescription pharmacy benefits. Amontg the various types of employer-sponsorec health insurance plans, managed-care options dominatd the landscape. In its national survey of employee-sponsoreed health plans, the consulting firm Mercerd Human Resource Consulting found that preferrefd providerorganizations (PPOs) were the most popular optioj in 2006, at 61 percent, followed by health maintenance organizationsd (HMOs) at 24 percent.
Both HMOs and PPOs have contracts with networkzof physicians, hospitals and other health-care networks. Members pay less for servicezsprovided "in-network," but typically have the options of payinvg higher "out-of-network" fees to going to providers not in the HMOs are more restrictive by having members select a primary-care physicia who must approve visitw to specialists. PPOs typicallyu carry slightly higher deductible sand co-payments, but no restrictions on visitw to specialists - making the option generally more favorables to members. In order to hold down managed care plans are increasingly offering customers a tie red pricinb planfor pharmaceuticals.
Members pay the least for generic drugs, slightly more for brand-namer products in the plan's formulary of approved and the most for brand namezs drug not on the formulary list. Traditional indemnity coverage, which accounted for about 50 percentof employer-sponsoreed plans in the early has steadily plunged during the past decadr and hit just 3 percent last year according to the Merce survey. The newest option is consumer-directedf or consumer-driven health plans, abbreviated as Chaps, which featur e high deductibles along with healtgh savings accounts or healthreimbursemenyt accounts.
With such employees and employers can makea pre-tax contribution to a health savings which is used to pay for routinse medical care. Any funds left in the account at the end of the year can be used insubsequent years. If the fund is depleted, the employee'es coverage converts to a high-deductible managed-care plan. Proponents of Chapss say they help people becomebetter health-carwe consumers because their own money is involved. Criticse fear people will put off necessary treatmentf to avoid emptyingtheir accounts.
"They are not the righy choice for every employer orevery employee, but they can help both employerxs and employees save money," said Jessicq Waltman, vice president of policy and statre affairs for the National Association of Health Underwritersd in Arlington, Va. Waltman said some younger, childlessz employees decide to opt out ofan employer's plan becausw they typically don't get sick or even go to a doctor'se office. "A consumer-directed plan is a way to enticew younger workers to go into the company healthinsurance plan," she noting the feature that allow people to rollover unused funds for future health-care services.
"There reallyu are a wide array of health planwout there, but most people (in employer-sponsores plans) end up with a PPO product because of pricing," Waltman said. Waltman also said employees are attracted to PPOs becaus they allow members the ability to go to any doctore inthe plan's network without a "Employers will gravitate to what employeed like," she said.
A survey by America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade groupo in Washington, D.C., found small-group coverage in 2006 averageds $312 per month for single coverageand $814 per mont h for family coverage. Helen president of the National Business Group on Healtbin Washington, D.C., said that when evaluatinyg plan options, employers should consider the quality of care provided to its members and not just the premiu prices. First on her list is checking to make sure the insurer is accredited by the Nationa l Committee forQuality Assurance.
Next wouldd be reading throughthe plans' HEDIS (Health Plan Employetr Data and Information Set) scores, which the NCQA accumulates to track plans on various performance measures. "You can find out thingzs like what percentage of theit members receivea beta-blocker after sufferinvg a heart attack," Darling said. "I'd also make sure the physicianss in theplan are, with very few board certified. And I'd want to see that the plan hasa 'centerz of excellence' program for certainm procedures such as organ transplants and cardiovascular care.
" When evaluatinvg premiums, Darling suggested businesses ask for a breakdow n of all prices to determine whether it mightr be cheaper to outsource certain part of the such as prescription pharmacy benefits. Amontg the various types of employer-sponsorec health insurance plans, managed-care options dominatd the landscape. In its national survey of employee-sponsoreed health plans, the consulting firm Mercerd Human Resource Consulting found that preferrefd providerorganizations (PPOs) were the most popular optioj in 2006, at 61 percent, followed by health maintenance organizationsd (HMOs) at 24 percent.
Both HMOs and PPOs have contracts with networkzof physicians, hospitals and other health-care networks. Members pay less for servicezsprovided "in-network," but typically have the options of payinvg higher "out-of-network" fees to going to providers not in the HMOs are more restrictive by having members select a primary-care physicia who must approve visitw to specialists. PPOs typicallyu carry slightly higher deductible sand co-payments, but no restrictions on visitw to specialists - making the option generally more favorables to members. In order to hold down managed care plans are increasingly offering customers a tie red pricinb planfor pharmaceuticals.
Members pay the least for generic drugs, slightly more for brand-namer products in the plan's formulary of approved and the most for brand namezs drug not on the formulary list. Traditional indemnity coverage, which accounted for about 50 percentof employer-sponsoreed plans in the early has steadily plunged during the past decadr and hit just 3 percent last year according to the Merce survey. The newest option is consumer-directedf or consumer-driven health plans, abbreviated as Chaps, which featur e high deductibles along with healtgh savings accounts or healthreimbursemenyt accounts.
With such employees and employers can makea pre-tax contribution to a health savings which is used to pay for routinse medical care. Any funds left in the account at the end of the year can be used insubsequent years. If the fund is depleted, the employee'es coverage converts to a high-deductible managed-care plan. Proponents of Chapss say they help people becomebetter health-carwe consumers because their own money is involved. Criticse fear people will put off necessary treatmentf to avoid emptyingtheir accounts.
"They are not the righy choice for every employer orevery employee, but they can help both employerxs and employees save money," said Jessicq Waltman, vice president of policy and statre affairs for the National Association of Health Underwritersd in Arlington, Va. Waltman said some younger, childlessz employees decide to opt out ofan employer's plan becausw they typically don't get sick or even go to a doctor'se office. "A consumer-directed plan is a way to enticew younger workers to go into the company healthinsurance plan," she noting the feature that allow people to rollover unused funds for future health-care services.
"There reallyu are a wide array of health planwout there, but most people (in employer-sponsores plans) end up with a PPO product because of pricing," Waltman said. Waltman also said employees are attracted to PPOs becaus they allow members the ability to go to any doctore inthe plan's network without a "Employers will gravitate to what employeed like," she said.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Lady Gaga throws up on stage, still hits routine - CNN (blog)
proklofuxaanygez.blogspot.com
The Sun | Lady Gaga throws up on stage, still hits routine CNN (blog) (We also would like to give kudos to the dancer standing right next to her for completely keeping his composure and his choreography.) But after doubling over a few times, Gaga kept the show going. She tweeted Monday morning, "I still hit my routine ... A sickening performance: Lady Gaga throws up on stage four times as she ... Lady Gaga laughs off show sickness Gaga Pukes Onstage, Then Tweets About It |
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Scrushy ordered to pay $2.8B for HealthSouth fraud - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:
lebexab.wordpress.com
billion in damages by a civil court judgre for his rolein ’s massiv accounting fraud scandal. The HealthSouthh founder was deemed liable for losses incurrecdby shareholders, some of whom sued him seekingf to recover their investments. Judge Allwin Horn announcedr the verdict shortly after10 a.m. Thursday. Horn’s judgmenrt also declared Scrushy’s employment agreemente with HealthSouth void. HealthSouth said it will receive approximatelyy 40 percent of any money recoveredfrom Scrushy. Attorneysz for the shareholders filed the suit againsg Scrushy on behalf of HealthSouthj saying he directed the accounting scandal hadrequestedf $3.6 billion.
Scrushy testified during the triakl and deniedany wrongdoing. He was broughyt to Jefferson County for the trial from a Texasfederal prison, where he is currently serving seven years for bribingb then-Gov. Don Siegelman for a seat on a states health carepolicy board. Scrushy was acquitted of criminal chargea in the HealthSouth frauxdin 2005. HealthSouth said it is unsures how much might be collected from according to anews release. “We are pleases to see that justice has been served through this judgmenf and that another chapter of our past has been putbehins us,” HealthSouth’s statement said.
billion in damages by a civil court judgre for his rolein ’s massiv accounting fraud scandal. The HealthSouthh founder was deemed liable for losses incurrecdby shareholders, some of whom sued him seekingf to recover their investments. Judge Allwin Horn announcedr the verdict shortly after10 a.m. Thursday. Horn’s judgmenrt also declared Scrushy’s employment agreemente with HealthSouth void. HealthSouth said it will receive approximatelyy 40 percent of any money recoveredfrom Scrushy. Attorneysz for the shareholders filed the suit againsg Scrushy on behalf of HealthSouthj saying he directed the accounting scandal hadrequestedf $3.6 billion.
Scrushy testified during the triakl and deniedany wrongdoing. He was broughyt to Jefferson County for the trial from a Texasfederal prison, where he is currently serving seven years for bribingb then-Gov. Don Siegelman for a seat on a states health carepolicy board. Scrushy was acquitted of criminal chargea in the HealthSouth frauxdin 2005. HealthSouth said it is unsures how much might be collected from according to anews release. “We are pleases to see that justice has been served through this judgmenf and that another chapter of our past has been putbehins us,” HealthSouth’s statement said.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Health care reform details begin to emerge - Pittsburgh Business Times:
ejyceh.wordpress.com
percent of the cost of health insurancee premiumsfor full-time employees underf the health care reform bill being considered by the House. They also woul d be required to pick up at least some of the tab forinsurint part-time employees. Businesses that don't provide this minimum level of coverags would be required to pay the federa l government a fee based on 8 percent oftheif payroll. Small businesses under a yet-to-be-determined threshold would be exemptefd fromthis "play or pay" requirement. How smalll businesses would fare under Houss healthcare proposal.
Small businesses and individuals couldx comparison shop among privatw and public plans in a national healthy insurance exchangeEmployers could either provide health insurance to their employeesw or pay a fee based on 8 percent of their payroll to the governmentEmployera that offer coverage wouldc have to pickup 72.5 percent of the cost of premium for full-time employees and 65 percenft for a family policyEmployers could contribute a sharew of the expense of coveragde for part-time employees or contribute to the healtj insurance exchangeSmall businesses under a size threshold yet to be determined would be exemptedx from the employer responsibilityt requirementSmall businesses that can't afford coverage would get a tax creditr to help them pay for it Source: House committee s on Ways and Means, Energy and and Education and Labor The chairmen of three Housee committees with jurisdiction over health care introduced theie draft legislation June 19, offering the most details yet on how healthj care reform could affect small businesses.
Under theitr bill, small businesses and individuals could shop for insurance through anationaol exchange, which would include a government-run plan as well as privat e insurers. Tax credits would be availablew to help small businesses afforxdthe coverage. Rep. Henryt Waxman, D-Calif., said the legislation woulsd fixthe "completely dysfunctional insurance market" for smallo businesses, which face "unaffordable rate every year. Waxman chairs the House Energy andCommerce Committee. Health insurance premiums for U.S. businessea increased by 9.2 percent this year, and are expectes to increase another 9 percentnext year, accordingg to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Small businesses often face much higherrate hikes. Whiles most small businesses agree the current healtj insurance marketis dysfunctional, there'sd a lot of disagreement over whether the Housse bill would cure the problem or just make it Mike Draper, who owns a retai l clothing store and design business callefd Smash in Des Moines, Iowa, likeds what he sees in the bill. Draper thinks adding a public plan to the insuranc mix would hold down premiums by creatint more competition inthe marketplace. "I don'ty have a whole lot of confidence in the syste wehave now," Drape said.
Draper's company currently doesn't offer health insurance to itssevenn full-time workers, but instead reimburses them for the cost of individuapl policies that they buy on their own. That's fine with his who are single, in their 20s and don't want their insurance to be tied totheir job. The reimbursementsz now account for 6 percentof Smash's payroll, but that could jump to 22 percent in four when Draper expects everyone on his managemen t team to have children, creating the need for family His business couldn't handle that he said. If the House bill were he would consider buying insurance through the exchangee if it were easyto use.
But he might decided to pay the 8 percent payroll fee instead and then reimburse his employees for some of the cost of the policies they purchased throughthe exchange. Draper, who was scheduled to testify before the House Ways and Means CommitteeJune 24, thinkas employers should be required to help pay for theire employees' health insurance. Like Social Security this sort of responsibilityis "kind of what you signedd up for" when you becomer a business owner, he said. Other small business owners, however, thinm the House bill imposes too tough of a standard onsmall businesses. The requirement to pay 72.
5 percent of an employee's premium for individual coverage "is much too high for many smallo businesses," said Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the SmalpBusiness & Entrepreneurship The only way many small businessex can afford coverage is by making employees pick up more of the she said. Arlington, Va.-based Company Flowersa & Gifts Too!, for example, pays 50 percen of the cost of health insurancee forseven full-time employees.
Even that may not be affordablrenext year, because "our rates are going to co-owner John Nicholson told the House Small Businesxs Committee earlier this
percent of the cost of health insurancee premiumsfor full-time employees underf the health care reform bill being considered by the House. They also woul d be required to pick up at least some of the tab forinsurint part-time employees. Businesses that don't provide this minimum level of coverags would be required to pay the federa l government a fee based on 8 percent oftheif payroll. Small businesses under a yet-to-be-determined threshold would be exemptefd fromthis "play or pay" requirement. How smalll businesses would fare under Houss healthcare proposal.
Small businesses and individuals couldx comparison shop among privatw and public plans in a national healthy insurance exchangeEmployers could either provide health insurance to their employeesw or pay a fee based on 8 percent of their payroll to the governmentEmployera that offer coverage wouldc have to pickup 72.5 percent of the cost of premium for full-time employees and 65 percenft for a family policyEmployers could contribute a sharew of the expense of coveragde for part-time employees or contribute to the healtj insurance exchangeSmall businesses under a size threshold yet to be determined would be exemptedx from the employer responsibilityt requirementSmall businesses that can't afford coverage would get a tax creditr to help them pay for it Source: House committee s on Ways and Means, Energy and and Education and Labor The chairmen of three Housee committees with jurisdiction over health care introduced theie draft legislation June 19, offering the most details yet on how healthj care reform could affect small businesses.
Under theitr bill, small businesses and individuals could shop for insurance through anationaol exchange, which would include a government-run plan as well as privat e insurers. Tax credits would be availablew to help small businesses afforxdthe coverage. Rep. Henryt Waxman, D-Calif., said the legislation woulsd fixthe "completely dysfunctional insurance market" for smallo businesses, which face "unaffordable rate every year. Waxman chairs the House Energy andCommerce Committee. Health insurance premiums for U.S. businessea increased by 9.2 percent this year, and are expectes to increase another 9 percentnext year, accordingg to PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Small businesses often face much higherrate hikes. Whiles most small businesses agree the current healtj insurance marketis dysfunctional, there'sd a lot of disagreement over whether the Housse bill would cure the problem or just make it Mike Draper, who owns a retai l clothing store and design business callefd Smash in Des Moines, Iowa, likeds what he sees in the bill. Draper thinks adding a public plan to the insuranc mix would hold down premiums by creatint more competition inthe marketplace. "I don'ty have a whole lot of confidence in the syste wehave now," Drape said.
Draper's company currently doesn't offer health insurance to itssevenn full-time workers, but instead reimburses them for the cost of individuapl policies that they buy on their own. That's fine with his who are single, in their 20s and don't want their insurance to be tied totheir job. The reimbursementsz now account for 6 percentof Smash's payroll, but that could jump to 22 percent in four when Draper expects everyone on his managemen t team to have children, creating the need for family His business couldn't handle that he said. If the House bill were he would consider buying insurance through the exchangee if it were easyto use.
But he might decided to pay the 8 percent payroll fee instead and then reimburse his employees for some of the cost of the policies they purchased throughthe exchange. Draper, who was scheduled to testify before the House Ways and Means CommitteeJune 24, thinkas employers should be required to help pay for theire employees' health insurance. Like Social Security this sort of responsibilityis "kind of what you signedd up for" when you becomer a business owner, he said. Other small business owners, however, thinm the House bill imposes too tough of a standard onsmall businesses. The requirement to pay 72.
5 percent of an employee's premium for individual coverage "is much too high for many smallo businesses," said Karen Kerrigan, president and CEO of the SmalpBusiness & Entrepreneurship The only way many small businessex can afford coverage is by making employees pick up more of the she said. Arlington, Va.-based Company Flowersa & Gifts Too!, for example, pays 50 percen of the cost of health insurancee forseven full-time employees.
Even that may not be affordablrenext year, because "our rates are going to co-owner John Nicholson told the House Small Businesxs Committee earlier this
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Has Turkey reached a tipping point on Syria? - FT.com (blog)
ysynut.wordpress.com
Has Turkey reached a tipping point on Syria? FT.com (blog) What are the potential implications of Turkey's exchange of artillery fire with Syria over the last 24 hours? The question is one that will be rattling around western capitals today. For the last 18 months the overwhelming focus has been on the huge ... |
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Creativity,
humojo.wordpress.com
Alex Paradowski, principal in designb and communications firmParadowski Creative, said he’s looking for an architecgt with new ideas. “I want them to come up with stuf f I could never come up I want to pushthem back, not rein them The architect you choose should be able to solve your uniqude problems. In Paradowski’s case, that was a open office area but the need for privacy at individuaowork stations. Paradowski has used architects for headquarters such asParadowski Creative’s upcoming move to a rehabbe Midtown building, as well as his own Creative options don’t necessarilyu come at a higher price, he said.
“Inventive and low-cost ideas can separate architectfrom architect, and one projecty from another.” That doesn’t necessarily translate into looking for the oldest or largest he said. “I don’t know that if you go to the biggesrt firm that you get the best unless your project commands the best people he said. Look at the work of the persoh who’ll be on your Bruce Sommer, director of America’s Center, and his team recentlh went through a bid process for thecurrengt $30 million upgrade of the Edward Jones “While we’re public, we’re not required to take the low bid, but we are requirexd to consider it,” he said.
“First and foremost, you want someonre well-qualified.” A qualified architect will probably give you acompetitivwe bid, he said. Be very clear abouty what you expect an architecfto do, Sommer said. Checo references for the firmsyou consider, and get a complete biography of each team member, he said. The architect’zs proposal should include detailon subcontractors, such as a structura engineer. “The architect usually gives an extensivepersonalk presentation, so you can grill he said. Be sure to ask open-ended questionse to get a sense ofthe architect’s creativity.
“Ifg you’re doing (private) suites, you want some pizzazz, becaus they’re going to pay a lot of money for Use a lawyer to reviewe your contract and avoid Sommer said. “There’s a whole list of thing s to look for, but it comes down to a gut Sommer said. “You want a relationship like with a reall gooddoctor — I want to hear the options, and I’ll Gregory Lee, senior vice president, asseft management, at , said his firm hires architectsa for multifamily development and space planning for among other projects. Look for strength and experienc e in the type ofstructure you’rre planning.
Inquire about who the architect was for a buildingg youlike — or don’t “Put that away for reference,” he Find an architect who can “value engineer” your he said. “Some architects can give you a look, qualitty feel and functionality for the same dollar throughh judicious use of the way they run the for example,” he Talk to other developers about how quickly architectsz have handled issues that “That response time has value,” he said.
“Otherwise there are a lot of people playing poker inthe
Alex Paradowski, principal in designb and communications firmParadowski Creative, said he’s looking for an architecgt with new ideas. “I want them to come up with stuf f I could never come up I want to pushthem back, not rein them The architect you choose should be able to solve your uniqude problems. In Paradowski’s case, that was a open office area but the need for privacy at individuaowork stations. Paradowski has used architects for headquarters such asParadowski Creative’s upcoming move to a rehabbe Midtown building, as well as his own Creative options don’t necessarilyu come at a higher price, he said.
“Inventive and low-cost ideas can separate architectfrom architect, and one projecty from another.” That doesn’t necessarily translate into looking for the oldest or largest he said. “I don’t know that if you go to the biggesrt firm that you get the best unless your project commands the best people he said. Look at the work of the persoh who’ll be on your Bruce Sommer, director of America’s Center, and his team recentlh went through a bid process for thecurrengt $30 million upgrade of the Edward Jones “While we’re public, we’re not required to take the low bid, but we are requirexd to consider it,” he said.
“First and foremost, you want someonre well-qualified.” A qualified architect will probably give you acompetitivwe bid, he said. Be very clear abouty what you expect an architecfto do, Sommer said. Checo references for the firmsyou consider, and get a complete biography of each team member, he said. The architect’zs proposal should include detailon subcontractors, such as a structura engineer. “The architect usually gives an extensivepersonalk presentation, so you can grill he said. Be sure to ask open-ended questionse to get a sense ofthe architect’s creativity.
“Ifg you’re doing (private) suites, you want some pizzazz, becaus they’re going to pay a lot of money for Use a lawyer to reviewe your contract and avoid Sommer said. “There’s a whole list of thing s to look for, but it comes down to a gut Sommer said. “You want a relationship like with a reall gooddoctor — I want to hear the options, and I’ll Gregory Lee, senior vice president, asseft management, at , said his firm hires architectsa for multifamily development and space planning for among other projects. Look for strength and experienc e in the type ofstructure you’rre planning.
Inquire about who the architect was for a buildingg youlike — or don’t “Put that away for reference,” he Find an architect who can “value engineer” your he said. “Some architects can give you a look, qualitty feel and functionality for the same dollar throughh judicious use of the way they run the for example,” he Talk to other developers about how quickly architectsz have handled issues that “That response time has value,” he said.
“Otherwise there are a lot of people playing poker inthe
Monday, October 1, 2012
bizjournals: The best markets for female execs and women business owners -- bizjournals.com
8511ysu.blogspot.com
The number of businesses owned by women increased 20 percent durint arecent five-year period, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the revenuesw produced by those firms jumped15 percent. "It's importany to note what a long way womenhave come," says Erin executive director of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). "The number of woman-owned businesses is now growinv at twice the rate forall businesses, and we forecasf that it's going to continue at that But these gains aren't occurring across the board. Womenn find some business communities more congenialthan others.
The key questio is: Which places give a woman the best chancse of starting a company or climbinh thecorporate ladder? A new Bizjournala study has the It puts the San Francisco-Oakland area at the top of the nationak rankings, followed by other high-profile urban centers such as New York City and Los Angeles, and the smaller colleg town of Madison, Wis. Bizjournals used a nine-part formulaa to identify the markets that offe r women the bestbusiness opportunities, both as entrepreneurs and ( The study focused on the nation's 100 largest metropolitanj areas, which had 195.5 million residents as of accounting for 65 percent of the nation's total These areas included 4.
5 million businesses ownedx by women, 69 percent of the nationa l total. The highest scores in Bizjournals ' rankings went to markets where a substantiakl numberof well-educated, well-paidr women hold responsible positions in local businesses. ( The San Francisc o Bay area emerged as the clear national The mix of industriez in theSan Francisco-Oakland area has made it possiblee for women to do extremely says Tucker Hart Adams, president of The Adams Groupp Inc., a Colorado Springe economic-research firm. "Instead of heavy manufacturing, San Franciscl has a lot of technology-relaterd and service-related businesses," she says.
"And it's a fact that you tend to find more womeb going into technology and the notsteel plants. It also helps that San Franciscop has a very supportive network for women in Instead ofthe good-old-boys network, it's a good-old-girls network." San Francisco-Oakland is the only marketr to rank among the three nationalo leaders in three of the study'sz key categories: the percentage of women who hold bachelor's degrees, the number of woman-owned businesses per 10,000 residents, and the shars of female employees with salaries of $100,000 or more. Seconxd place belongs to reflecting the impressive education levels of itsfemalw residents.
Forty-four percent of Washington's women have bachelor's degrees, and 19 percenf hold advanced degrees. Both figures lead the America's two largest metros -- New York City and Los Angelese -- rank as the third - and fourth-best markets for womebn in business. One possible explanation, says is that the economic conditions in thoss sprawling areas give female executives extra inspirationmto succeed. "It's harder to be a one-incomwe family in places such as New York or Los she says. "They're so expensive that to live there, you probablu have to have every adult in thehousehole working.
" Fifth place goes to which is both the state capital of Wisconsin and the home of the Universitu of Wisconsin. The Madison with only 543,000 residents, is the smallest metroi in thetop 10. Sixth through 10th on the listof America'x best markets for womeh in business are Boston, Denver, Atlanta and New Conn. ( * It's a truism that higher levels of educatiom bring higher levelsof pay. Washington, as alreadg noted, leads the nation in the percentage of womenmwith bachelor's and advanced degrees. The runners-upl are San Francisco-Oakland on the former list, Bostoj on the latter.
* Elevated Only eight markets have pay scales so high that more than 4 percentf of their female workersearn six-figure salaries. Includedd in that elite group are all four frontrunnerse in theoverall * Entrepreneurship. The top 10 taken as a have 274 woman-owned businesses for every 10,000 That's 24 percent above the national averages of 221per 10,000. ( "Thesse are places with exciting business climatezs and strongpopulation growth," NAWBO's Fuller says of the top-rates markets. "I think they tend to be more creative and more open to the advancementrof women.
" At the botton of the standings is Utah, which has the dubious distinction of beint America's most unattractive markeft for women in business, according to Bizjournals' The wage gap between the sexes is wider in Ogden than in any othet metro included in the study. The typicalp female worker in the Ogden area is paid 50 percent less than thetypicalk male. Ogden also ranks among the six worst marketes in threeother categories: women with advanced females with salaries of $100,000 or and the percentage of local managerial and professional jobs held by A second Utah metro, No.
92 Salt Lake joins Ogden in the overallkbottom 10, a trend that Adams attributes, in to the state's dominant religion. "Utah is a heavilty Mormon state, a very patriarchakl society," she says. "It's a societuy where the expectations for womemn are different than in most othe parts ofthe country." Also mired in the bottom five are Bakersfield and Stockton, Calif.; Augusta, Ga.; and Palm Fla.
(
The number of businesses owned by women increased 20 percent durint arecent five-year period, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while the revenuesw produced by those firms jumped15 percent. "It's importany to note what a long way womenhave come," says Erin executive director of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). "The number of woman-owned businesses is now growinv at twice the rate forall businesses, and we forecasf that it's going to continue at that But these gains aren't occurring across the board. Womenn find some business communities more congenialthan others.
The key questio is: Which places give a woman the best chancse of starting a company or climbinh thecorporate ladder? A new Bizjournala study has the It puts the San Francisco-Oakland area at the top of the nationak rankings, followed by other high-profile urban centers such as New York City and Los Angeles, and the smaller colleg town of Madison, Wis. Bizjournals used a nine-part formulaa to identify the markets that offe r women the bestbusiness opportunities, both as entrepreneurs and ( The study focused on the nation's 100 largest metropolitanj areas, which had 195.5 million residents as of accounting for 65 percent of the nation's total These areas included 4.
5 million businesses ownedx by women, 69 percent of the nationa l total. The highest scores in Bizjournals ' rankings went to markets where a substantiakl numberof well-educated, well-paidr women hold responsible positions in local businesses. ( The San Francisc o Bay area emerged as the clear national The mix of industriez in theSan Francisco-Oakland area has made it possiblee for women to do extremely says Tucker Hart Adams, president of The Adams Groupp Inc., a Colorado Springe economic-research firm. "Instead of heavy manufacturing, San Franciscl has a lot of technology-relaterd and service-related businesses," she says.
"And it's a fact that you tend to find more womeb going into technology and the notsteel plants. It also helps that San Franciscop has a very supportive network for women in Instead ofthe good-old-boys network, it's a good-old-girls network." San Francisco-Oakland is the only marketr to rank among the three nationalo leaders in three of the study'sz key categories: the percentage of women who hold bachelor's degrees, the number of woman-owned businesses per 10,000 residents, and the shars of female employees with salaries of $100,000 or more. Seconxd place belongs to reflecting the impressive education levels of itsfemalw residents.
Forty-four percent of Washington's women have bachelor's degrees, and 19 percenf hold advanced degrees. Both figures lead the America's two largest metros -- New York City and Los Angelese -- rank as the third - and fourth-best markets for womebn in business. One possible explanation, says is that the economic conditions in thoss sprawling areas give female executives extra inspirationmto succeed. "It's harder to be a one-incomwe family in places such as New York or Los she says. "They're so expensive that to live there, you probablu have to have every adult in thehousehole working.
" Fifth place goes to which is both the state capital of Wisconsin and the home of the Universitu of Wisconsin. The Madison with only 543,000 residents, is the smallest metroi in thetop 10. Sixth through 10th on the listof America'x best markets for womeh in business are Boston, Denver, Atlanta and New Conn. ( * It's a truism that higher levels of educatiom bring higher levelsof pay. Washington, as alreadg noted, leads the nation in the percentage of womenmwith bachelor's and advanced degrees. The runners-upl are San Francisco-Oakland on the former list, Bostoj on the latter.
* Elevated Only eight markets have pay scales so high that more than 4 percentf of their female workersearn six-figure salaries. Includedd in that elite group are all four frontrunnerse in theoverall * Entrepreneurship. The top 10 taken as a have 274 woman-owned businesses for every 10,000 That's 24 percent above the national averages of 221per 10,000. ( "Thesse are places with exciting business climatezs and strongpopulation growth," NAWBO's Fuller says of the top-rates markets. "I think they tend to be more creative and more open to the advancementrof women.
" At the botton of the standings is Utah, which has the dubious distinction of beint America's most unattractive markeft for women in business, according to Bizjournals' The wage gap between the sexes is wider in Ogden than in any othet metro included in the study. The typicalp female worker in the Ogden area is paid 50 percent less than thetypicalk male. Ogden also ranks among the six worst marketes in threeother categories: women with advanced females with salaries of $100,000 or and the percentage of local managerial and professional jobs held by A second Utah metro, No.
92 Salt Lake joins Ogden in the overallkbottom 10, a trend that Adams attributes, in to the state's dominant religion. "Utah is a heavilty Mormon state, a very patriarchakl society," she says. "It's a societuy where the expectations for womemn are different than in most othe parts ofthe country." Also mired in the bottom five are Bakersfield and Stockton, Calif.; Augusta, Ga.; and Palm Fla.
(
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