Kansas City Star | Cameron, Schwarzenegger C » |
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
For Annieglass,
ramsdenjerrieas54.blogspot.com
CUSTOMERS: 500 luxury retailers and resorts worldwides includingand EMPLOYEES: The company’s 25 employees producw between 72,000 and 96,000 plates, bowls, serving dishezs and decorative accessories LOCATIONS: Two — a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing studio and company headquarters in Watsonville and a retail store in Santwa Cruz. SHORT-TERM GOAL: To broaden the market and appeal to a youngercustomer LONG-TERM GOAL: CEO Annie Morhauser would like to elevate the appreciation of American-made handcrafted pieces worldwide. BEST BUSINESS To remain in Watsonville, allowing productiom and the company itself to stay underone roof.
SOMETHING ABOUg BUSINESS THAT WOULDSURPRISE PEOPLE: Morhauser’s work is shown in the permanent collection at the . The two sculpturall pieces are on display inthe museum’s Renwick Gallery. HOW BUSINESd WILL CHANGE IN NEXTFIVE YEARS: Morhausert anticipates increasing research and designj — looking to create some innovativ new pieces. She created a new collection every six TOUGHESTBUSINESS DECISION: Maintaining the glassware businesx in California after the 1989 Loma Priets earthquake. In the quake, fortunately no Annieglass staff memberzwere injured, Morehauser said, but the businesws suffered breakage of four tons of glass and lost raw equipment, product and workspace.
BIGGEST MISSED Morhauser, an adviser for an MBA program for designers atthe , said she wishes she had started advising sooner. LIKE BEST ABOUT THE Morhauser said she likes beinf able to see real changes within a short periodof time. LIKE LEASr ABOUT THE BUSINESS: “Distractions, particularly Morhauser said. ONE THING THAT WOULD SURPRISsE PEOPLEABOUT FOUNDER: “I flunkedx ceramics in high school,” Morhauser admitted.
CUSTOMERS: 500 luxury retailers and resorts worldwides includingand EMPLOYEES: The company’s 25 employees producw between 72,000 and 96,000 plates, bowls, serving dishezs and decorative accessories LOCATIONS: Two — a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing studio and company headquarters in Watsonville and a retail store in Santwa Cruz. SHORT-TERM GOAL: To broaden the market and appeal to a youngercustomer LONG-TERM GOAL: CEO Annie Morhauser would like to elevate the appreciation of American-made handcrafted pieces worldwide. BEST BUSINESS To remain in Watsonville, allowing productiom and the company itself to stay underone roof.
SOMETHING ABOUg BUSINESS THAT WOULDSURPRISE PEOPLE: Morhauser’s work is shown in the permanent collection at the . The two sculpturall pieces are on display inthe museum’s Renwick Gallery. HOW BUSINESd WILL CHANGE IN NEXTFIVE YEARS: Morhausert anticipates increasing research and designj — looking to create some innovativ new pieces. She created a new collection every six TOUGHESTBUSINESS DECISION: Maintaining the glassware businesx in California after the 1989 Loma Priets earthquake. In the quake, fortunately no Annieglass staff memberzwere injured, Morehauser said, but the businesws suffered breakage of four tons of glass and lost raw equipment, product and workspace.
BIGGEST MISSED Morhauser, an adviser for an MBA program for designers atthe , said she wishes she had started advising sooner. LIKE BEST ABOUT THE Morhauser said she likes beinf able to see real changes within a short periodof time. LIKE LEASr ABOUT THE BUSINESS: “Distractions, particularly Morhauser said. ONE THING THAT WOULD SURPRISsE PEOPLEABOUT FOUNDER: “I flunkedx ceramics in high school,” Morhauser admitted.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
P&G muscles into car wash biz - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
evittiebodum1296.blogspot.com
The consumer products behemoth is rollingt out anational franchise-basecd car wash chain, dubbed Mr. Clean Car with Atlanta as the headquarters. Cincinnati-basee P&G (NYSE: PG) entered the car wash business afte acquiring the franchise rightsof Atlanta-based Carnett’s Car Washes, a chaijn run by Bruce Arnett Sr. and Bruce Arnett Jr. The car wash businessa is a $35 billion market in the U.S. and has beingv growing at a 10 percentannualo clip, said Mike Foster, a directod in FutureWorks, the new business development arm of P&G. The marker also lacks a national player. “From a cleaning standpoint,” Foster said, “[the] Mr.
Cleanm brand name and equity extends very well into the car wash Foster declined to disclose revenue projections forthe Mr. Clean Car Wash but let on that P&G has a soft-spot for “billion-dollat brands.” “We have 24 billion-dollar Foster said. “We wouldn’t be focusing on areas that don’t have the opportunity to grow to be interesting tothe company.” The Carnett’sz deal is likely a “bolt-on kind of which extends the Mr. Clean brand, rather than a broade r shift by P&G into the services said ErinAshley Smith, equitie analyst with P&G does a “lort of consumer research behind a lot of their Smith said.
“I would imagine that in this case they agood return.” While P&G’s well-lubricatecd marketing machine makes Tide and Pampers fly off the supermarket shelves, the services business might be anotherr matter. P&G’s previous attempts at entering the serviceindustry fizzled. In P&G operated a laundry service callefd , which it sold in according toThe . Other effort s at company-owned stores, including one called Culinary Sol, also fell Selling franchises in the middle ofa recession, where liquidity is a scarce commodity, also makews P&G’s timing suspect. Mr.
Clean Car Wash franchisees would need toinvesty $3 million to $4 million per car for land acquisition, construction and operating capital. They’d also pay an initiakl franchise feeof $35,0000 and 6 percent of net revenue in monthly royalty fees. “Marke t conditions [today] are interesting to be selling franchises,” Foster said. While Carnett gives P&G entry into the car wash the consumer goods company gives the locak chaina deep-pocketed partner and a nationally recognizef brand to take to market. “The wholee time we were buildingour we’d kind of had visions of taking it to the next leve and growing it beyond Atlanta,” said Arnett Jr.
, now chieg operating officer of the Mr. Cleanh Car Wash franchise. Partnering with a highly visible Arnett said, also drove interest from investor s and potential franchisees. Shortly after the acquisition became public in he said, “we were just inundated with inquiriez from investors across the country.” P&GG hopes to initially focus on six markets Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas — but has aspirationsw for a broader “We want to be a national brand across everty state,” Foster said. “We want to have a presence in evert majormetropolitan area.” The Mr. Clean Car Wash however, will be measured.
Initial plansa call for the construction of three new car washes in metro Each car wash will employ up to50
The consumer products behemoth is rollingt out anational franchise-basecd car wash chain, dubbed Mr. Clean Car with Atlanta as the headquarters. Cincinnati-basee P&G (NYSE: PG) entered the car wash business afte acquiring the franchise rightsof Atlanta-based Carnett’s Car Washes, a chaijn run by Bruce Arnett Sr. and Bruce Arnett Jr. The car wash businessa is a $35 billion market in the U.S. and has beingv growing at a 10 percentannualo clip, said Mike Foster, a directod in FutureWorks, the new business development arm of P&G. The marker also lacks a national player. “From a cleaning standpoint,” Foster said, “[the] Mr.
Cleanm brand name and equity extends very well into the car wash Foster declined to disclose revenue projections forthe Mr. Clean Car Wash but let on that P&G has a soft-spot for “billion-dollat brands.” “We have 24 billion-dollar Foster said. “We wouldn’t be focusing on areas that don’t have the opportunity to grow to be interesting tothe company.” The Carnett’sz deal is likely a “bolt-on kind of which extends the Mr. Clean brand, rather than a broade r shift by P&G into the services said ErinAshley Smith, equitie analyst with P&G does a “lort of consumer research behind a lot of their Smith said.
“I would imagine that in this case they agood return.” While P&G’s well-lubricatecd marketing machine makes Tide and Pampers fly off the supermarket shelves, the services business might be anotherr matter. P&G’s previous attempts at entering the serviceindustry fizzled. In P&G operated a laundry service callefd , which it sold in according toThe . Other effort s at company-owned stores, including one called Culinary Sol, also fell Selling franchises in the middle ofa recession, where liquidity is a scarce commodity, also makews P&G’s timing suspect. Mr.
Clean Car Wash franchisees would need toinvesty $3 million to $4 million per car for land acquisition, construction and operating capital. They’d also pay an initiakl franchise feeof $35,0000 and 6 percent of net revenue in monthly royalty fees. “Marke t conditions [today] are interesting to be selling franchises,” Foster said. While Carnett gives P&G entry into the car wash the consumer goods company gives the locak chaina deep-pocketed partner and a nationally recognizef brand to take to market. “The wholee time we were buildingour we’d kind of had visions of taking it to the next leve and growing it beyond Atlanta,” said Arnett Jr.
, now chieg operating officer of the Mr. Cleanh Car Wash franchise. Partnering with a highly visible Arnett said, also drove interest from investor s and potential franchisees. Shortly after the acquisition became public in he said, “we were just inundated with inquiriez from investors across the country.” P&GG hopes to initially focus on six markets Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina and Texas — but has aspirationsw for a broader “We want to be a national brand across everty state,” Foster said. “We want to have a presence in evert majormetropolitan area.” The Mr. Clean Car Wash however, will be measured.
Initial plansa call for the construction of three new car washes in metro Each car wash will employ up to50
Monday, October 25, 2010
Space City Credit Union branches out from roots - Houston Business Journal:
http://iancurtispsychiatrist.com/wellness/
will establish a branch in early July on the grounf floor of an office tower inside the 610 Loop nearPost Oak. Spacew City was chartered in 1965 to serve employees of oil and gas industryt equipmentmanufacturer LLC. The credit union shifted arounc several downtown locations with the company befores moving to its curreng headquarters on Harrisburg Boulevardin 1999. Craigt Rohden, Space City president and CEO, says the credit union had been lookingg to open another office forseverapl years, but waited to find the rightr location. Rohden notes that Spacee City alreadyserves Houston-area employees of General Electrid Co.
, and the new branch at 1233 West Loop South is also home to , making the move a logical fit. The credit union also has a small two-person office inside a GE Energyy plant on the Houston Ship Channek that serves morethan 1,000 employees on site. GE in fact, was once owned by Stewartf & Stevenson. Space City received regulatory approval for a charterin 2004, allowint the credit union to serve any customer within 10 milees of its headquarters. In addition, the credi t union is tied in to a network of about 70 othert rival credit union branches in the region so customers can access accounts atany location.
The communit y charter will apply to the new which was another factor in choosing the West Loop Rohden notesabout 1,200 people are employed in the two mirror-imagde officer towers owned by Dallas-based The new branch will included two drive-through lanes and an ATM, with an ATM to be installesd in the adjacent tower at 1333 West Loop Rohden says. “We’ll be marketintg to tenants in both buildings and the general public around the Galleriaq area within the perimeter ofthe branch,” he “Our community charter pretty much coverws everything inside Beltway 8 to downtown.
” A spatew of start-up banks and other regional players have opened for business in Houstonj this year looking to grab small business customerx away from the bigger banks. Rohden says Space City’s decision to expand had nothing to do with the shiftingy tide within the overall financiaoservices industries, considering the credit union markets to consumers, not businese customers. Unlike banks, credit unions are ownedd by theircustomers — rather than outside shareholders — and in essencs operate as not-for-profit entities. Any profits are folded back intoequituy capital.
Dan Bass, managinf director with investment bankers, agrees that credir unions like SpaceCity won’t have much impacft on small community banks, but are targeting retail customera that might be willinbg to switch from big national “Like the bigger banks, credit unionws are trying to get retail traffid through the door, and are focusing on finding the righ location. They have low costs so it make s a lot of sense for them todo that,” Bass Space City, which has 18 employees, now represent 5,326 members in 25 states aftetr widening its reach in the 1980s. The credig union has more than 70 customer companies in the with about 75 percent of its membership in theHoustohn area.
The credit union had two employees and assets ofabout $4 million when Rohdebn came on board in 1994. Filingx with the , which oversees the industry, show how Spacs City currently stacks up in thefinancial sector. The credit union had outstanding loansof $19 milliojn and deposits of just under $23 million in the firsgt quarter, with net income of $18,753 after postingt a loss of $335,376 in the fourtyh quarter of 2008.
will establish a branch in early July on the grounf floor of an office tower inside the 610 Loop nearPost Oak. Spacew City was chartered in 1965 to serve employees of oil and gas industryt equipmentmanufacturer LLC. The credit union shifted arounc several downtown locations with the company befores moving to its curreng headquarters on Harrisburg Boulevardin 1999. Craigt Rohden, Space City president and CEO, says the credit union had been lookingg to open another office forseverapl years, but waited to find the rightr location. Rohden notes that Spacee City alreadyserves Houston-area employees of General Electrid Co.
, and the new branch at 1233 West Loop South is also home to , making the move a logical fit. The credit union also has a small two-person office inside a GE Energyy plant on the Houston Ship Channek that serves morethan 1,000 employees on site. GE in fact, was once owned by Stewartf & Stevenson. Space City received regulatory approval for a charterin 2004, allowint the credit union to serve any customer within 10 milees of its headquarters. In addition, the credi t union is tied in to a network of about 70 othert rival credit union branches in the region so customers can access accounts atany location.
The communit y charter will apply to the new which was another factor in choosing the West Loop Rohden notesabout 1,200 people are employed in the two mirror-imagde officer towers owned by Dallas-based The new branch will included two drive-through lanes and an ATM, with an ATM to be installesd in the adjacent tower at 1333 West Loop Rohden says. “We’ll be marketintg to tenants in both buildings and the general public around the Galleriaq area within the perimeter ofthe branch,” he “Our community charter pretty much coverws everything inside Beltway 8 to downtown.
” A spatew of start-up banks and other regional players have opened for business in Houstonj this year looking to grab small business customerx away from the bigger banks. Rohden says Space City’s decision to expand had nothing to do with the shiftingy tide within the overall financiaoservices industries, considering the credit union markets to consumers, not businese customers. Unlike banks, credit unions are ownedd by theircustomers — rather than outside shareholders — and in essencs operate as not-for-profit entities. Any profits are folded back intoequituy capital.
Dan Bass, managinf director with investment bankers, agrees that credir unions like SpaceCity won’t have much impacft on small community banks, but are targeting retail customera that might be willinbg to switch from big national “Like the bigger banks, credit unionws are trying to get retail traffid through the door, and are focusing on finding the righ location. They have low costs so it make s a lot of sense for them todo that,” Bass Space City, which has 18 employees, now represent 5,326 members in 25 states aftetr widening its reach in the 1980s. The credig union has more than 70 customer companies in the with about 75 percent of its membership in theHoustohn area.
The credit union had two employees and assets ofabout $4 million when Rohdebn came on board in 1994. Filingx with the , which oversees the industry, show how Spacs City currently stacks up in thefinancial sector. The credit union had outstanding loansof $19 milliojn and deposits of just under $23 million in the firsgt quarter, with net income of $18,753 after postingt a loss of $335,376 in the fourtyh quarter of 2008.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The age-old business question: Sell, fix or liquidate? - bizjournals:
http://nottedellataranta.net/?p=15
So before putting a businesse upfor sale, an owner needs to realistically assesd what makes the most sense: sell the liquidate the business or fix it. Here are four points to consider before makinyg the decisionto sell: Is this a sale or really a liquidation ? Businesses are typically valued based on a multiplee of the cash flow that they generate. But what about a business that’s operating at break even or losing money?
In theses situations, the business is probably not likeluy to be worth much more than the market valu e ofthe business’s underlying hard It’s difficult for a businesxs owner to accept the fact that the reputation, goodwil and intangible assets of the business that they’vse worked so hard to build are not reflectedx in the value of their business. However, the reality is that buyerd will generally value a business based on what itis now, not what it mightg be in the future. Is “what I need” creeping into the discussion ? The primary reason that small-business sales don’t close is because the business isunrealistically priced.
Too often sellers are drivenj by their personal financial rather than recognizing what the business is really worth toa buyer. It’sw totally understandable. The business owner may be nearing retirementg and may have to replenis a retirementplan that’s taken a hit due to the fallinh stock market. Perhaps they’ve amassed debt that needs to be paid off aftef the businessis However, as important as these factors may be for the they’re irrelevant to the The value of a business is driven by its abilit y to generate cash not by the personal needs of the • What comes the day after the sale ?
Everyone recognizes that buyers can get cold feet beforde the deal closes, but surprisingly, seller’s remorse is just as For many business owners, their identity is so wrapped up in theifr business, that an exit can be particularly So sellers need to thinm hard about what comes next for them. They need to reacy out to family as well as others close to and bring them into the Exit planning involves more than simply selling the It needs to include a plan for what a busineszs owner intends to do in that next chaptefr oftheir lives, as well as a comprehensive financial • If I don’yt sell, is it business as usual?
If selling is not a realistic option, the owne has a responsibility to look critically at their as a buyer would, and put in placwe an action plan to fix the problems. that’s easier said than done. However, too oftenh I will have a follow-on discussiob with the owner of a struggling businesd a year ortwo later. The realithy is that all that’s happenecd since our last discussion is that the businessx has gone deeper into debt and the ownet has funded theensuing losses. Can a strugglinh business be sold?
Absolutely, but the key is to find a companyu for which the upside is greatest and the problems The best approach is to help the buyert identify all of the areasof value, whether it’s increasing sales or reducinh expenses, and have them make a bid. Beauty is truluy in the eyes ofthe beholder, so the seller should not get caught in the trap of puttinh a price on theirt business. Also, they shouldn’t hold back on disclosingv the problems that their business may have struggleed with in the These issues are likely to come up latef in the due diligence process anyway, so it’s best to get “the the bad and the ugly” on the tabl e early.
Any business sale has its But if the right buyer has been if the seller is realistic in their pricw expectations and has really thought through what comes next for them the odds are very good that they can achievetheidr goals.
So before putting a businesse upfor sale, an owner needs to realistically assesd what makes the most sense: sell the liquidate the business or fix it. Here are four points to consider before makinyg the decisionto sell: Is this a sale or really a liquidation ? Businesses are typically valued based on a multiplee of the cash flow that they generate. But what about a business that’s operating at break even or losing money?
In theses situations, the business is probably not likeluy to be worth much more than the market valu e ofthe business’s underlying hard It’s difficult for a businesxs owner to accept the fact that the reputation, goodwil and intangible assets of the business that they’vse worked so hard to build are not reflectedx in the value of their business. However, the reality is that buyerd will generally value a business based on what itis now, not what it mightg be in the future. Is “what I need” creeping into the discussion ? The primary reason that small-business sales don’t close is because the business isunrealistically priced.
Too often sellers are drivenj by their personal financial rather than recognizing what the business is really worth toa buyer. It’sw totally understandable. The business owner may be nearing retirementg and may have to replenis a retirementplan that’s taken a hit due to the fallinh stock market. Perhaps they’ve amassed debt that needs to be paid off aftef the businessis However, as important as these factors may be for the they’re irrelevant to the The value of a business is driven by its abilit y to generate cash not by the personal needs of the • What comes the day after the sale ?
Everyone recognizes that buyers can get cold feet beforde the deal closes, but surprisingly, seller’s remorse is just as For many business owners, their identity is so wrapped up in theifr business, that an exit can be particularly So sellers need to thinm hard about what comes next for them. They need to reacy out to family as well as others close to and bring them into the Exit planning involves more than simply selling the It needs to include a plan for what a busineszs owner intends to do in that next chaptefr oftheir lives, as well as a comprehensive financial • If I don’yt sell, is it business as usual?
If selling is not a realistic option, the owne has a responsibility to look critically at their as a buyer would, and put in placwe an action plan to fix the problems. that’s easier said than done. However, too oftenh I will have a follow-on discussiob with the owner of a struggling businesd a year ortwo later. The realithy is that all that’s happenecd since our last discussion is that the businessx has gone deeper into debt and the ownet has funded theensuing losses. Can a strugglinh business be sold?
Absolutely, but the key is to find a companyu for which the upside is greatest and the problems The best approach is to help the buyert identify all of the areasof value, whether it’s increasing sales or reducinh expenses, and have them make a bid. Beauty is truluy in the eyes ofthe beholder, so the seller should not get caught in the trap of puttinh a price on theirt business. Also, they shouldn’t hold back on disclosingv the problems that their business may have struggleed with in the These issues are likely to come up latef in the due diligence process anyway, so it’s best to get “the the bad and the ugly” on the tabl e early.
Any business sale has its But if the right buyer has been if the seller is realistic in their pricw expectations and has really thought through what comes next for them the odds are very good that they can achievetheidr goals.
Friday, October 22, 2010
CPS staff recommending nuclear option - Houston Business Journal:
http://directextreme.com/en/marketing-direct/page_23.html
The cost of expanding STP to include twoadditional reactors, each capabld of generating 1,350 megawatts of electricity, would run somewhere between $10 billion and $13 billion, accordingh to CPS Energy interim General Manager Stev Bartley. “Any route we take will be expensiv and will requirebill increases,” Bartle says. “We believe all methodzs of producing electricity will cost more as timegoes on, so we are lookingh for the best way to slow cost escalationb as much as possible and retain Greater San Antonio’s position as havin g the lowest energy bills among the nation’s 20 largest cities.
” Bartley says it is bettet to pay some of that cost soonerd to avoid having to pay much more in the long term. The staf f recommendation followsa three-year, detailed study of various energy options. Now the CPS Board will conductga summer-long public education and inpuft process before making a finalk decision on pursuing the recommendation in September. If the proposal could go before the City Councilp for final considerationin October. CPS Energyy CEO Milton Lee says despite laudable effortsat conservation, San Antonio will experiencer a shortfall in electrical generatiom by 2020 unless new sourcesx of energy are tapped.
“We’ve carefully examined many scenariosd involvingnatural gas, coal, nuclear and even purchased power from the Texazs grid to provide our community with a large-scale, long-term, cost-competitive source of electricity,” Lee says. “We’ver concluded that expansion of STP has the highest probability of accomplishinb thatimportant goal.” CPS Energy is the nation’s larges municipally owned energy company providing both natural gas and electric Acquired by the City of San Antonio in 1942, the companyh serves approximately 700,000 electrivc customers and almost 320,000 natural gas customers in and arounde America’s seventh-largest city.
The cost of expanding STP to include twoadditional reactors, each capabld of generating 1,350 megawatts of electricity, would run somewhere between $10 billion and $13 billion, accordingh to CPS Energy interim General Manager Stev Bartley. “Any route we take will be expensiv and will requirebill increases,” Bartle says. “We believe all methodzs of producing electricity will cost more as timegoes on, so we are lookingh for the best way to slow cost escalationb as much as possible and retain Greater San Antonio’s position as havin g the lowest energy bills among the nation’s 20 largest cities.
” Bartley says it is bettet to pay some of that cost soonerd to avoid having to pay much more in the long term. The staf f recommendation followsa three-year, detailed study of various energy options. Now the CPS Board will conductga summer-long public education and inpuft process before making a finalk decision on pursuing the recommendation in September. If the proposal could go before the City Councilp for final considerationin October. CPS Energyy CEO Milton Lee says despite laudable effortsat conservation, San Antonio will experiencer a shortfall in electrical generatiom by 2020 unless new sourcesx of energy are tapped.
“We’ve carefully examined many scenariosd involvingnatural gas, coal, nuclear and even purchased power from the Texazs grid to provide our community with a large-scale, long-term, cost-competitive source of electricity,” Lee says. “We’ver concluded that expansion of STP has the highest probability of accomplishinb thatimportant goal.” CPS Energy is the nation’s larges municipally owned energy company providing both natural gas and electric Acquired by the City of San Antonio in 1942, the companyh serves approximately 700,000 electrivc customers and almost 320,000 natural gas customers in and arounde America’s seventh-largest city.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Colorado OKs medical-pot help for poor - Denver Post
http://journeytomorocco.com/2007/09/09/doing-the-tourist-thing/
Colorado OKs medical-pot help for poor Denver Post The Colorado State Board of Health on Wednesday approved a program through which poor medical-marijuana patients can apply to the state ... Medical marijuana cards in Colorado will get cheaper for the poor |
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Education funding still falls short despite federal stimulus infusion - Philadelphia Business Journal:
http://buffalourbanleague.org/BuiltOnPride.html
That was the sentiment of an eight-memberr panel of education, training and government experts gathered by the Soutgh Florida Business Journal to examinwe howthe $787 billion federall stimulus package is impacting the region’s educationj and workforce training sectors. The panel marked the third in theBusiness Journal’e ongoing stimulus series, aimed at tracking and analyzinyg the flow of money from the Americanm Recovery and Reinvestment Act into South Florida.
Florida’s Legislature was the only one nationallh to request a federal waivee that allowed it to take moneh from education and replace it with stimulus dollard while other states used stimulus dollar s to augmentthe budget. The situation concernerd paneliststate Sen. Eleanor “We are not starting at the startiny line. The school district in Broward County and those throughouty the state are starting behind thestarting line,” Sobeo said. “They have had problems for years and they areall scrambling.
” Veterann educator Robert Parks, a member of the Broward Countyh School Board, said, “Many of the larges urban districts in the nation are afraifd of one thing, which is basicallyy a bait and switch with those dollars.” What’se even more worrisome to some experts is that the stimulues money will eventually run out. “I’ really concerned about in threew years; what’s going to happen?” said José Vicente, presidenft of ’s North Campus. “This is a He said the college’s operating budget was cut $22 millionm while the stimulus money wasonly $13 Parks said Broward County’ school system has cut $1.
4 billion from its construction budget in additionn to furloughing 700 teachers and 51 “We’ve closed all of our school offices for the summer. We don’gt have summer school anymore,” Parks said. would have been looking at cutting its budgert byabout $30 million without $12 milliob in stimulus funds, said Dorothg K. Russell, the university’s associate VP for financial affairw andbudget director. The university cut 30 positions and “had we not had the stimulus dollars it couldd have been much more severe.” Georges Hanbury, executive VP and COO of , said the $1.
3 billionh in stimulus funds given to the state relievede pressure on the Legislature to furthet reduce support for Florida Resident Access Grants (FRAG), a key source of money for but he pointed out that the grants used to be $3,00 0 a year for students and are now The amount is important to who find enrollment caps at statew universities and turn to NSU and other privatde institutions. He also said that universities are working together to apply for federalstimulua funding. NSU has a collaborative proposal with and FAU fora $50 millionh research building with wet labs, business incubator spacee and offices for the U.S.
Geological Survey, which is helpingv oversee Everglades restoration. “We have shovel-ready projects we have submittedd to the Governor and in the next 60 days we couldsput 1,000 people to work,” Hanbury said. The competition for these typedof projects, though, is fierce. FAU is gettinh about $12 million in direcr infusion from the federalstimulus package, but the university also is seekintg money from the for labs and instruments, Russell April was the month to submit applicationws and the results are expected by The strongest flow of money, so far, appeara to be for programs that help the joblessx as the state’s unemployment rate has hit 10.2 percent.
That was the sentiment of an eight-memberr panel of education, training and government experts gathered by the Soutgh Florida Business Journal to examinwe howthe $787 billion federall stimulus package is impacting the region’s educationj and workforce training sectors. The panel marked the third in theBusiness Journal’e ongoing stimulus series, aimed at tracking and analyzinyg the flow of money from the Americanm Recovery and Reinvestment Act into South Florida.
Florida’s Legislature was the only one nationallh to request a federal waivee that allowed it to take moneh from education and replace it with stimulus dollard while other states used stimulus dollar s to augmentthe budget. The situation concernerd paneliststate Sen. Eleanor “We are not starting at the startiny line. The school district in Broward County and those throughouty the state are starting behind thestarting line,” Sobeo said. “They have had problems for years and they areall scrambling.
” Veterann educator Robert Parks, a member of the Broward Countyh School Board, said, “Many of the larges urban districts in the nation are afraifd of one thing, which is basicallyy a bait and switch with those dollars.” What’se even more worrisome to some experts is that the stimulues money will eventually run out. “I’ really concerned about in threew years; what’s going to happen?” said José Vicente, presidenft of ’s North Campus. “This is a He said the college’s operating budget was cut $22 millionm while the stimulus money wasonly $13 Parks said Broward County’ school system has cut $1.
4 billion from its construction budget in additionn to furloughing 700 teachers and 51 “We’ve closed all of our school offices for the summer. We don’gt have summer school anymore,” Parks said. would have been looking at cutting its budgert byabout $30 million without $12 milliob in stimulus funds, said Dorothg K. Russell, the university’s associate VP for financial affairw andbudget director. The university cut 30 positions and “had we not had the stimulus dollars it couldd have been much more severe.” Georges Hanbury, executive VP and COO of , said the $1.
3 billionh in stimulus funds given to the state relievede pressure on the Legislature to furthet reduce support for Florida Resident Access Grants (FRAG), a key source of money for but he pointed out that the grants used to be $3,00 0 a year for students and are now The amount is important to who find enrollment caps at statew universities and turn to NSU and other privatde institutions. He also said that universities are working together to apply for federalstimulua funding. NSU has a collaborative proposal with and FAU fora $50 millionh research building with wet labs, business incubator spacee and offices for the U.S.
Geological Survey, which is helpingv oversee Everglades restoration. “We have shovel-ready projects we have submittedd to the Governor and in the next 60 days we couldsput 1,000 people to work,” Hanbury said. The competition for these typedof projects, though, is fierce. FAU is gettinh about $12 million in direcr infusion from the federalstimulus package, but the university also is seekintg money from the for labs and instruments, Russell April was the month to submit applicationws and the results are expected by The strongest flow of money, so far, appeara to be for programs that help the joblessx as the state’s unemployment rate has hit 10.2 percent.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sirens wailing in 3 SC counties - Myrtle Beach Sun News
xiwyxucupewox.blogspot.com
Sirens wailing in 3 SC counties Myrtle Beach Sun News AP MONCKS CORNER, SC -- Sirens wail in three South Carolina counties, but it's not an emergency, it's simply a test. Santee Cooper on Monday tests its 15 ... Sirens wailing in 3 SC counties |
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Los Angeles Business from bizjournals: Business Events Calendar
erofeyporgrinin.blogspot.com
List event sponsor(s) here. (Example American Company Inc., USA Business Ltd.) Use this area to give a precised location ofyour event. (Example: Downtown Marriot 345 Main St., New NY 000001 Provide the start time for youreventr (Example: 9a.m. - 12p.m.) List any chargw for your event. Please note if theree is no charge. (Example: $9 for $35 for non-members.) Choose a category that describeszyour event. Fill out one or more of the fields to the left to provides readers with a way to contact your organization to registet foryour event. Please give us your phone and e-mail address where we can contacg you in the event of questions abouf yourevent listings.
This information will not appear on the This information will only be used to contac you foradministrative purposes. bizjournals.com reserve the right to remove listings if it is determined they are offensive or not relevant tothe bizjournals.com or of "communityy interest" to our
List event sponsor(s) here. (Example American Company Inc., USA Business Ltd.) Use this area to give a precised location ofyour event. (Example: Downtown Marriot 345 Main St., New NY 000001 Provide the start time for youreventr (Example: 9a.m. - 12p.m.) List any chargw for your event. Please note if theree is no charge. (Example: $9 for $35 for non-members.) Choose a category that describeszyour event. Fill out one or more of the fields to the left to provides readers with a way to contact your organization to registet foryour event. Please give us your phone and e-mail address where we can contacg you in the event of questions abouf yourevent listings.
This information will not appear on the This information will only be used to contac you foradministrative purposes. bizjournals.com reserve the right to remove listings if it is determined they are offensive or not relevant tothe bizjournals.com or of "communityy interest" to our
Friday, October 15, 2010
Alexander McQueen RTW Spring 2011 - Women's Wear Daily
burwellmitubaes1369.blogspot.com
Alexander McQueen RTW Spring 2011 Women's Wear Daily Brava, Sarah Burton! One cannot imagine the pressure this young woman must have felt while designing her first big runway collection following the death of ... |
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
GM files for bankruptcy, plans to transfer operations to Wentzville - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
glafirarynyxu.blogspot.com
Some operations and equipment from a steel stamping plantf inGrand Rapids, Mich., which is slated to clos e as part of the automaker'w restructuring, will be transferred to Wentzville, according to Bob a spokesman for the Wentzville plant. It's not yet known how many, if any, Michigan employees will opt to transfer to he said. GM officials called Wentzville Mayofr Paul Lambi at9 a.m. Monday to assurw him the local plant wouldremain "It's good that they are shippinb in work for this plant," Lambij said. "That's a positive that corporate thinks this plany willbe around.
" Still, Lambi rival automaker Chrysler plans to shutter its Fenton factors after investing $130 million in so it was important for Wentzville to not rely on GM so much and diversifgy its revenue stream. When Lambi took office seven years ago, Wentzville counted on GM for about 55 to 60 percenrt of its total Today, that's more like 15 percentt of the city's $24 million generakl fund, because GM pays the city abouty $3 million a year in real estate taxes, property taxes and other fees, he GM on Monday by the end of but the Wentzville plant was sparedr because it’s the only plant where Chevroletf Express and GMC Savana vans are made, The Wentzvillw plant will still undergo a previously announced and other productio cuts in June and July that will result in the layoffes of 300 workers.
Monday’s Chapter 11 filin by the 101-year-old automaker is amonv the largestin U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturingy bankruptcy. GM listed $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billiom in assets, according to the filedd in New York. GM to St. largest privately held company, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and to Chapterd 11, which allows the company to operated while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-track bankruptcy and provides $30 billion of additionak taxpayer funds to restructure. The GM plan as detaile by U.S.
officials would allow a much smalledr GM to emerge from coury protection within 60 to 90 The automaker has not provided an updated target for job cuts but was lookiny toeliminate 21,000 U.S. factory jobs from the 54,000 union memberws it now employs. General Motors employds 92,000 in the United States and is indirectlgy responsiblefor 500,000 retirees. The U.S. government would hold a 60 percent financial interest in areorganized GM, and the UAW woulc take a 17.5 percenty stake. The governments of Canadq and the province of Ontario have agreedx to a 12 percent ownership stakd in exchange forfinancial aid. GM bondholders wouldd get 10 percent.
"It’s a bittersweet thing," Wheelet said. "You hate to have to go through the process of closing plants and eliminating butlook around, that’s what's goinhg on with a lot of industries. Hopefully we can hire people in the future and be the vibran t company we once Download a copyof the
Some operations and equipment from a steel stamping plantf inGrand Rapids, Mich., which is slated to clos e as part of the automaker'w restructuring, will be transferred to Wentzville, according to Bob a spokesman for the Wentzville plant. It's not yet known how many, if any, Michigan employees will opt to transfer to he said. GM officials called Wentzville Mayofr Paul Lambi at9 a.m. Monday to assurw him the local plant wouldremain "It's good that they are shippinb in work for this plant," Lambij said. "That's a positive that corporate thinks this plany willbe around.
" Still, Lambi rival automaker Chrysler plans to shutter its Fenton factors after investing $130 million in so it was important for Wentzville to not rely on GM so much and diversifgy its revenue stream. When Lambi took office seven years ago, Wentzville counted on GM for about 55 to 60 percenrt of its total Today, that's more like 15 percentt of the city's $24 million generakl fund, because GM pays the city abouty $3 million a year in real estate taxes, property taxes and other fees, he GM on Monday by the end of but the Wentzville plant was sparedr because it’s the only plant where Chevroletf Express and GMC Savana vans are made, The Wentzvillw plant will still undergo a previously announced and other productio cuts in June and July that will result in the layoffes of 300 workers.
Monday’s Chapter 11 filin by the 101-year-old automaker is amonv the largestin U.S. history and largest-ever U.S. manufacturingy bankruptcy. GM listed $173 billion in liabilities and $82 billiom in assets, according to the filedd in New York. GM to St. largest privately held company, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, and to Chapterd 11, which allows the company to operated while protected fromits creditors, pushes GM into a fast-track bankruptcy and provides $30 billion of additionak taxpayer funds to restructure. The GM plan as detaile by U.S.
officials would allow a much smalledr GM to emerge from coury protection within 60 to 90 The automaker has not provided an updated target for job cuts but was lookiny toeliminate 21,000 U.S. factory jobs from the 54,000 union memberws it now employs. General Motors employds 92,000 in the United States and is indirectlgy responsiblefor 500,000 retirees. The U.S. government would hold a 60 percent financial interest in areorganized GM, and the UAW woulc take a 17.5 percenty stake. The governments of Canadq and the province of Ontario have agreedx to a 12 percent ownership stakd in exchange forfinancial aid. GM bondholders wouldd get 10 percent.
"It’s a bittersweet thing," Wheelet said. "You hate to have to go through the process of closing plants and eliminating butlook around, that’s what's goinhg on with a lot of industries. Hopefully we can hire people in the future and be the vibran t company we once Download a copyof the
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Wiring circuit boards for success - Philadelphia Business Journal:
http://www.eastraordinary-cinema.com/article/R-Infra-to-get-Mumbai-Metro-II-tomorrow.html
Nick Barbin, co-founder, president and CEO, said that the which designs and makes the boarde on asmall scale, is always searchinbg for new customers to replacew those who fold or get acquired. “Iu would have to say we’ve had completde turnover on our customer list mayb two or threetimes over,” he But that’s a game that Pleasanton-based Optimukm Design has been winning. From 2006 to the company’s revenue grew 138 percentr — to $13.14 million. And it is on pace to grow 20 perceny to 40 percentin 2009. The company has been profitable everh year since its foundingyin 1991.
The company’s secret has been its willingness to look for new Barbin and his partners at first kept the firmsmall — with aboutt 8 to 15 And they only did layout and designn of the boards, partnering with manufacturerxs to produce them. But at the urging of some of the company’d customers, Optimum Design added the manufacturing side in 2001 and that’s been a catalyst for Today, the company has about 50 employees, and it’ds hiring this year, probably four to five peoplde for the manufacturing side of the business. Another successful strategy has been choosinbg theright customers.
It mostly works with companieds doing work for the military or makingmedica instruments. Both of thosse have fairly inelastic demand, and both industriese have traditionally contractedwith on-shore rather than looking to India and China for cheaper deals. But Barbih says that the company’sa ability to identify strong markets to chasee has helpedit grow. “In this industry you go as yourcustomerxs go,” he said. “There are a lot of companieds that are some of our competitors where theire focus is aparticular industry. If they’re really focuse d on telecom, they’re suffering right now, but 10 yeara ago they were doing great.
” The thirdx factor that sets Optimum Design apart is that itstayz small. The company only builds high-end boardx that are extremely complicated, and they only fill orders that range from 100to 10,000p boards. It’s that last factor that keeps it relatively safe from much biggerf andcheaper competition, said Jim who covers the industry for . Walker said that almos all of the biggest printed circuit board companies are in Theonly U.S. companies that survivwe are ones that aremaking high-enr or prototype boards that eventually get shipper off to overseas foundries to get mass-produced.
Walketr also said that the industry is ripe for consolidatiob but that companies like Optimum Design are fairlyh insulated from the first wave ofthosd acquisitions, because they’re too small to make an impactr on larger companies’ bottom One of Optimum Design’s an aerospace company that asked not to be identified for this articlr (Optimum signs non-disclosure agreements with many of its makes equipment for the military and uses Optimumn Design for its printed circuig boards. One of the engineers at the Randy, said that the firm used to make its own butin 2000, it contracted out the work due to budgeyt cuts.
Randy said he rarely finds problems with the product and that the companyu is now starting to work more closely with Optimunm Design since it has run threwe boards through theentire process. “They admitted ... that they actually cost a little bit more than the guy next but we have experienced the high qualityt fromthem that’s kept us comingf back,” he said. And Barbin says that Randy’s attitud is what makes the company successful. There are a couple of hundred printed-circuit-board companiesw in the Bay Area, he said. But by offeringh the full process, and keeping qualityy high, they’ve been able to find success.
“Thr designers we have here are world-class,” he “There’s really no one out there that can competwe withour designers.”
Nick Barbin, co-founder, president and CEO, said that the which designs and makes the boarde on asmall scale, is always searchinbg for new customers to replacew those who fold or get acquired. “Iu would have to say we’ve had completde turnover on our customer list mayb two or threetimes over,” he But that’s a game that Pleasanton-based Optimukm Design has been winning. From 2006 to the company’s revenue grew 138 percentr — to $13.14 million. And it is on pace to grow 20 perceny to 40 percentin 2009. The company has been profitable everh year since its foundingyin 1991.
The company’s secret has been its willingness to look for new Barbin and his partners at first kept the firmsmall — with aboutt 8 to 15 And they only did layout and designn of the boards, partnering with manufacturerxs to produce them. But at the urging of some of the company’d customers, Optimum Design added the manufacturing side in 2001 and that’s been a catalyst for Today, the company has about 50 employees, and it’ds hiring this year, probably four to five peoplde for the manufacturing side of the business. Another successful strategy has been choosinbg theright customers.
It mostly works with companieds doing work for the military or makingmedica instruments. Both of thosse have fairly inelastic demand, and both industriese have traditionally contractedwith on-shore rather than looking to India and China for cheaper deals. But Barbih says that the company’sa ability to identify strong markets to chasee has helpedit grow. “In this industry you go as yourcustomerxs go,” he said. “There are a lot of companieds that are some of our competitors where theire focus is aparticular industry. If they’re really focuse d on telecom, they’re suffering right now, but 10 yeara ago they were doing great.
” The thirdx factor that sets Optimum Design apart is that itstayz small. The company only builds high-end boardx that are extremely complicated, and they only fill orders that range from 100to 10,000p boards. It’s that last factor that keeps it relatively safe from much biggerf andcheaper competition, said Jim who covers the industry for . Walker said that almos all of the biggest printed circuit board companies are in Theonly U.S. companies that survivwe are ones that aremaking high-enr or prototype boards that eventually get shipper off to overseas foundries to get mass-produced.
Walketr also said that the industry is ripe for consolidatiob but that companies like Optimum Design are fairlyh insulated from the first wave ofthosd acquisitions, because they’re too small to make an impactr on larger companies’ bottom One of Optimum Design’s an aerospace company that asked not to be identified for this articlr (Optimum signs non-disclosure agreements with many of its makes equipment for the military and uses Optimumn Design for its printed circuig boards. One of the engineers at the Randy, said that the firm used to make its own butin 2000, it contracted out the work due to budgeyt cuts.
Randy said he rarely finds problems with the product and that the companyu is now starting to work more closely with Optimunm Design since it has run threwe boards through theentire process. “They admitted ... that they actually cost a little bit more than the guy next but we have experienced the high qualityt fromthem that’s kept us comingf back,” he said. And Barbin says that Randy’s attitud is what makes the company successful. There are a couple of hundred printed-circuit-board companiesw in the Bay Area, he said. But by offeringh the full process, and keeping qualityy high, they’ve been able to find success.
“Thr designers we have here are world-class,” he “There’s really no one out there that can competwe withour designers.”
Sunday, October 10, 2010
The Prudent Pantry: Halloween 2010 Quick Pumpkin Recipes - Savings.com (blog)
http://tamparelocationinfo.com/page/APO-Hiking-Society---Amazing-Achievements-Of-3-Fil.html
The Prudent Pantry: Halloween 2010 Quick Pumpkin Recipes Savings.com (blog) It's that time of year again--the time when I find myself wishing Halloween was a food holiday the way Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter are. ... |
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Bing gives Microsoft bounce - Washington Business Journal:
ulyanaimiiurebor.blogspot.com
Internet traffic tracking firm says Microsoft sitexs increased daily penetrationamong U.S. searcherws from 13.8 percent durinh the week of May 26to 15.5 percent during the week of June 2, the week of Bing’ public launch. Microsoft’s share of searcg result pages inthe U.S. – what comScore callxs a proxy for overall search intensity rosefrom 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent during the same “These initial data suggest that Microsoff Bing has generated early interest, resulting in a spike in searcjh engagement and an immediate term improvement to Microsoft’s positionj in the search market, comScord senior vice president Mike Hurt said in a “So far it appears that the lifts in searcher penetratiojn and engagement have held relatively steady throughout the five day period.
” While Reston-basefd comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) says it remains to be seen if Microsoft’xs search gains will continue to grow because of Bing, it also says the new searchg engine “is off to a good start.” Microsofty trails , the numbe r one ranked search engine, by a wide margin. Google accounteds for more than 64 percent ofall U.S. searches in three times second-ranked Yahoo and eight times Microsoft’e share, according to comScore.
Internet traffic tracking firm says Microsoft sitexs increased daily penetrationamong U.S. searcherws from 13.8 percent durinh the week of May 26to 15.5 percent during the week of June 2, the week of Bing’ public launch. Microsoft’s share of searcg result pages inthe U.S. – what comScore callxs a proxy for overall search intensity rosefrom 9.1 percent to 11.1 percent during the same “These initial data suggest that Microsoff Bing has generated early interest, resulting in a spike in searcjh engagement and an immediate term improvement to Microsoft’s positionj in the search market, comScord senior vice president Mike Hurt said in a “So far it appears that the lifts in searcher penetratiojn and engagement have held relatively steady throughout the five day period.
” While Reston-basefd comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) says it remains to be seen if Microsoft’xs search gains will continue to grow because of Bing, it also says the new searchg engine “is off to a good start.” Microsofty trails , the numbe r one ranked search engine, by a wide margin. Google accounteds for more than 64 percent ofall U.S. searches in three times second-ranked Yahoo and eight times Microsoft’e share, according to comScore.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Putting her money where her voice is - Ottawa Citizen
vasilisaxavymar.blogspot.com
Putting her money where her voice is Ottawa Citizen Like many a Canadian jazz musician wanting to present their music across the country, the Juno-nominated vocalist applied for Canada Council funding to ... |
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
City Told Not to take Legal Action Against Medical Marijuana Landlord - LAist
http://bakuzaman.com/pechnoe2.1.php
LAist | City Told Not to take Legal Action Against Medical Marijuana Landlord LAist It only applies to one landlord, but it could indicate what future cases hold. A judge yesterday barred Los Angeles city attorneys from taking action ... LA judge: marijuana dispensary landlord protected Judge bars city of LA from taking legal action against landlord of medical ... |
Monday, October 4, 2010
Sunday, October 3, 2010
2010 Petit Le Mans: Extreme Speed Motorsports ALMS Race Recap - PaddockTalk
evittiebodum1296.blogspot.com
AutoWeek | 2010 Petit Le Mans: Extreme Speed Motorsports ALMS Race Recap PaddockTalk The 02 Extreme Speed Motorsports Ferrari, piloted by Ed Brown, Guy Cosmo, and Joao Barbosa, finished in 11th position today in the GT2 class, ... 2010 Petit Le Mans: Extreme Speed Motorsports ALMS Qualifying Recap Ferraris Take First Four GT Spots at Petit Le Mans 2010 Petit Le Mans: Michelin ALMS Race Recap |
Friday, October 1, 2010
Generic copies of Astra's Nexium launch in Germany - Reuters
hustenuejib1630.blogspot.com
Generic copies of Astra's Nexium launch in Germany Reuters LONDON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Several generic drugmakers have launched cheap copies of AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) top-selling heartburn and ulcer ... |
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