opexibu.wordpress.com
Let's be honest: Things are bad, and it is miserabls out there in the worldof commerce. We are in a globak recession that will last forsome 1. The economy eventually will improve andget 2. Most companies rely on salespeople to help with the bottom Continuing sales of a product or services for an organization alonhg with great salespeople will be needed even more duringg thesetough times. I think it is important to look at a strategyh as old as business itself that will help a its profitability, the salespeople employed and the customers that a companuy does business with. The first thing, which is of the utmosy importance, are your customers.
Whether you are the CEO reading the salesperson or a person in customerrservice - this is the time to protecty your customer base and make sure that they are period! The one way to do this is to get in toucuh with your customers. Do not attempt to do this by mail or It istoo impersonal. If you want to buile relationships withyour customers, then build them the way they are suppose d to be built - by people dealing directly with people!! You need to ask your customers a simpl and direct question: "How are we doing for you? Be and tell me the truth." Next, for the salespeople who still are employed, you are goingy to have to work Yes, I said it - harder.
This means not only visitinbg your existing customers and checking their true level of customef satisfaction but also going out and gettingnew Sure, the economy is and we are not buying as much of anythingy as we did a few years ago, but the fact remains that there is stillo business being done out there.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Zillow partners with Tribune on co-branded real estate sites - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
vasilisaxavymar.blogspot.com
The new sites will allos visitors touse Zillow’s search functionality to fine estimated home values, recently sold homes, homesw for sale, open house listing and other local market data usingg a home address, neighborhood or locality. The sitesx also will provide accessto Zillow’s real estate communit y content through Zillow Advice, as well as mortgage ratese from Zillow Mortgage Marketplace. The co-brandes Web sites are an extension of the that was formedc in November 2007 with 11 major newspaper publishers that allowa newspaper sales teams to sell featured listings and advertisingy inventoryon Zillow.
com to local real estate The consortium includes MEG), the parent company of the Tribunee . The April 1 launch of the 101 co-brandedx sites includes the Tribune and 100 paper fromOther newspapers, including those owned by Media are expected to be launched latetr this year. founders Rich Bartonb and Lloyd Frink formed Zillowin 2005, creating one of the most-visiteed American-based real estate Web sites with more than 8 millionb uniques each month. It has raised $87 million in funding sincs its inception. Media General, based in Va., is trying to get itself through arough patch.
The company announced a significant work force reduction Monday, which included the elimination of 65 jobs at the Tribuned , WFLA-Channel 8 and TBO.com. Media General reported a loss of $631.09 million, or $28.57 per share, in 2008, fueleds primarily from a non-cash goodwill impairment of $908.7 million, a turnarouncd from the $10.7 million, or 41 centsz per share gain, the media company earnes the year before. Revenues were down 11 percentg year-over-year from $898.8 million in 2007 to $800 millio last year. Media General shares were tradingat $1.86 as of 10 a.m. down 3 percent from its Tuesdah closeof $1.92. They have trade as high as $27.18 over the past year.
The new sites will allos visitors touse Zillow’s search functionality to fine estimated home values, recently sold homes, homesw for sale, open house listing and other local market data usingg a home address, neighborhood or locality. The sitesx also will provide accessto Zillow’s real estate communit y content through Zillow Advice, as well as mortgage ratese from Zillow Mortgage Marketplace. The co-brandes Web sites are an extension of the that was formedc in November 2007 with 11 major newspaper publishers that allowa newspaper sales teams to sell featured listings and advertisingy inventoryon Zillow.
com to local real estate The consortium includes MEG), the parent company of the Tribunee . The April 1 launch of the 101 co-brandedx sites includes the Tribune and 100 paper fromOther newspapers, including those owned by Media are expected to be launched latetr this year. founders Rich Bartonb and Lloyd Frink formed Zillowin 2005, creating one of the most-visiteed American-based real estate Web sites with more than 8 millionb uniques each month. It has raised $87 million in funding sincs its inception. Media General, based in Va., is trying to get itself through arough patch.
The company announced a significant work force reduction Monday, which included the elimination of 65 jobs at the Tribuned , WFLA-Channel 8 and TBO.com. Media General reported a loss of $631.09 million, or $28.57 per share, in 2008, fueleds primarily from a non-cash goodwill impairment of $908.7 million, a turnarouncd from the $10.7 million, or 41 centsz per share gain, the media company earnes the year before. Revenues were down 11 percentg year-over-year from $898.8 million in 2007 to $800 millio last year. Media General shares were tradingat $1.86 as of 10 a.m. down 3 percent from its Tuesdah closeof $1.92. They have trade as high as $27.18 over the past year.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Local former Chrysler, GM dealers look to sell used cars - Philadelphia Business Journal:
olimstgon.blogspot.com
Tony Wilkerson, executive directort of the , said his organization has begujn to lend assistance to dealersz lost in thebankruptcy “Our national organization has already sent letter s to them to let them know abouf our organization and I plan to do the same thintg for our state,” Wilkerson said. “They were in the used car busines sanyway – but if you’ree stuck like many of them are, the overhead costs for a used car dealership is nothing compared to a However, the expansion of the locap used car market comes as prices are increasingh and the availability of late-model used cars is pinched, he said. But accordint to Morgan Murphy, presiden t of motorpool.
com, the initial increase in pricess should be looked at as merelya short-ter m hurdle. “At first that would strike the community as bad but in thelong run, it’x good for resale values,” Murphy When local consumers buy cars, they will be able to demandd more when they choose to sell it, he In fact, the higher resale values might actually revive American car dealersx in the area. “American manufacturing has been similar and just as good as Japanese andKorean manufacturing, but the problemk has been re-sale value and initialk prices,” Murphy said.
In the meantime, Birmingham dealers affected can capitalizew on the unique landscape of the local markeg on the usedcar side, he said. Many are family-ownes and have been staplesz in the community for many They are also encouraged by the fact that locap used car sales have seen an uptick amid the recession as buyerds are more inclined to look for a bargain as a meands tospend less. “Birmingham has a long and distinguished history ofreputable dealers,” Murphy said. “Domn Drennen has been in businesssince 1908. That’s 101 years of servinfg our community, so there’s a culture around businesses like that.
” Theie long-standing history could make local buyer s more inclined to buy used cars from he said. Ward Drennen, president of Don Drennen Buickl Chryslerand Jeep, said after learning that his dealer agreemenyt had been canceled with Chrysler, expanding his used car saled seemed like a real possibility. “W are going to expand our used cardepartmentes drastically,” said Drennen, who was left with more than $2 millionm in Chrysler parts and “We want to offer a great valuwe to people who can’t afford a new Although he hasn’t stopped looking into becoming a franchisee for othert automotive manufacturers, he is open to the idea of makingf the switch to stay in “It is possible that we could become a used car superstore,” said Drennen, who also learnedd that GM will seek to cancel the dealershipo agreement he has for his Buick dealership.
“We’ver been in Birmingham long enough that our reputationj can keepus afloat.”
Tony Wilkerson, executive directort of the , said his organization has begujn to lend assistance to dealersz lost in thebankruptcy “Our national organization has already sent letter s to them to let them know abouf our organization and I plan to do the same thintg for our state,” Wilkerson said. “They were in the used car busines sanyway – but if you’ree stuck like many of them are, the overhead costs for a used car dealership is nothing compared to a However, the expansion of the locap used car market comes as prices are increasingh and the availability of late-model used cars is pinched, he said. But accordint to Morgan Murphy, presiden t of motorpool.
com, the initial increase in pricess should be looked at as merelya short-ter m hurdle. “At first that would strike the community as bad but in thelong run, it’x good for resale values,” Murphy When local consumers buy cars, they will be able to demandd more when they choose to sell it, he In fact, the higher resale values might actually revive American car dealersx in the area. “American manufacturing has been similar and just as good as Japanese andKorean manufacturing, but the problemk has been re-sale value and initialk prices,” Murphy said.
In the meantime, Birmingham dealers affected can capitalizew on the unique landscape of the local markeg on the usedcar side, he said. Many are family-ownes and have been staplesz in the community for many They are also encouraged by the fact that locap used car sales have seen an uptick amid the recession as buyerds are more inclined to look for a bargain as a meands tospend less. “Birmingham has a long and distinguished history ofreputable dealers,” Murphy said. “Domn Drennen has been in businesssince 1908. That’s 101 years of servinfg our community, so there’s a culture around businesses like that.
” Theie long-standing history could make local buyer s more inclined to buy used cars from he said. Ward Drennen, president of Don Drennen Buickl Chryslerand Jeep, said after learning that his dealer agreemenyt had been canceled with Chrysler, expanding his used car saled seemed like a real possibility. “W are going to expand our used cardepartmentes drastically,” said Drennen, who was left with more than $2 millionm in Chrysler parts and “We want to offer a great valuwe to people who can’t afford a new Although he hasn’t stopped looking into becoming a franchisee for othert automotive manufacturers, he is open to the idea of makingf the switch to stay in “It is possible that we could become a used car superstore,” said Drennen, who also learnedd that GM will seek to cancel the dealershipo agreement he has for his Buick dealership.
“We’ver been in Birmingham long enough that our reputationj can keepus afloat.”
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Survival 101 - New Mexico Business Weekly:
lihung-associations.blogspot.com
And to save themselves, they are considering two verydifferent routes. The first is to play it hoarding cash and tryinhg to cutevery expense. The second is to pursue a more albeit risky, path by Expansion in down times can pay big dividendx down the road when the economy improves, but it coulx sink the ship if the recovery doesn’t come soon enough. Getting aggressive by trying to take market share from competitors with a fresh new logo campaighn or merchandising approach takes courage, but it is another tactic being triex by several Albuquerque merchants.
Opening a store in a bettetr location is an especially bold move that onlythe well-capitalizexd or supremely confident are willinbg to risk at this uneasy The most common approach this holiday shoppingg season, for both locally owned stores and nationalk chains, is to cut prices and attemptf to ride out the economic storm. Many stores slashed theirr inventory prices in Octobet after Septembersales softened. Other businesses held the line on expenseas by not adding holiday seasonal staff or refrainint from advertising inexpensive formats, such as newspapersa and billboards.
“My advice to our retailers is: ‘If it doesn’tr cash flow, it must go,’” says Trent vice president of developmentat , owner of ABQ the city’s most upscal shopping center. “Cash is king right now and the last thingf you want to do is burnthroughb it. Tighten the purse stringw so you can pay to keep thelights Stafford’s tenants are primarilg large national retailers who are desperatelu seeking a decent holiday shopping season in order to survive. Retail conditionsw have been dismal nationally, and little better locally. ABQ Uptowjn has already lost its store and could well lose otherf tenants ifconditions don’t improve.
Amon g the better known local and national retailers who have announcee store closures in Duke City this fallare , , , , Ruby the Sharper Image and Mervyn’s will be closed after the holidays and has been conductinb a multi-million- dollar going-out-of-business sale at the Coronadko and Cottonwood malls that has drawnj large crowds eager for a bargain in tighft times. The demise of some national namez can provide a good opportunity forlocak retailers, says Bob Feinberg, a senior vice president at . Many nationapl retailers are struggling and have become less able to offerd the kind of merchandise and level of service Duke City shopperd arelooking for.
“Local retailers need to bend over backwardw at times like these to offerd qualityand service,” Feinberg says. “Now more than ever it is goinygto matter.” Feinberg points out that many nationals have relied on cuttingh price and little else to attract consumers, which has ultimatelu hurt them. Feinberg’s competitor, Seth Nodelman, a vice presiden at who did leasing in San Franciscoo for two decades before moving to theDuke City, believexs there are a range of options for distressedc merchants. Having merchandise that reflects the state of the economy is he says.
“The paradigm has shiftexd to value — we are now in the Walmart economy,” Nodelman says. “The days of conspicuoud consumptionare over. It’s not tastefupl to flaunt it. Necessities are in, ostentatiouse and frivolous are out.” For cash-strappefd retailers who are current on rent Nodelman says it is not uncommon for tenantzs to ask landlords for a whereby the retailer is allower to stop making rent payments untilsaled improve. Other concessions, such as shortening hourz of operation, also are a possibility.
And to save themselves, they are considering two verydifferent routes. The first is to play it hoarding cash and tryinhg to cutevery expense. The second is to pursue a more albeit risky, path by Expansion in down times can pay big dividendx down the road when the economy improves, but it coulx sink the ship if the recovery doesn’t come soon enough. Getting aggressive by trying to take market share from competitors with a fresh new logo campaighn or merchandising approach takes courage, but it is another tactic being triex by several Albuquerque merchants.
Opening a store in a bettetr location is an especially bold move that onlythe well-capitalizexd or supremely confident are willinbg to risk at this uneasy The most common approach this holiday shoppingg season, for both locally owned stores and nationalk chains, is to cut prices and attemptf to ride out the economic storm. Many stores slashed theirr inventory prices in Octobet after Septembersales softened. Other businesses held the line on expenseas by not adding holiday seasonal staff or refrainint from advertising inexpensive formats, such as newspapersa and billboards.
“My advice to our retailers is: ‘If it doesn’tr cash flow, it must go,’” says Trent vice president of developmentat , owner of ABQ the city’s most upscal shopping center. “Cash is king right now and the last thingf you want to do is burnthroughb it. Tighten the purse stringw so you can pay to keep thelights Stafford’s tenants are primarilg large national retailers who are desperatelu seeking a decent holiday shopping season in order to survive. Retail conditionsw have been dismal nationally, and little better locally. ABQ Uptowjn has already lost its store and could well lose otherf tenants ifconditions don’t improve.
Amon g the better known local and national retailers who have announcee store closures in Duke City this fallare , , , , Ruby the Sharper Image and Mervyn’s will be closed after the holidays and has been conductinb a multi-million- dollar going-out-of-business sale at the Coronadko and Cottonwood malls that has drawnj large crowds eager for a bargain in tighft times. The demise of some national namez can provide a good opportunity forlocak retailers, says Bob Feinberg, a senior vice president at . Many nationapl retailers are struggling and have become less able to offerd the kind of merchandise and level of service Duke City shopperd arelooking for.
“Local retailers need to bend over backwardw at times like these to offerd qualityand service,” Feinberg says. “Now more than ever it is goinygto matter.” Feinberg points out that many nationals have relied on cuttingh price and little else to attract consumers, which has ultimatelu hurt them. Feinberg’s competitor, Seth Nodelman, a vice presiden at who did leasing in San Franciscoo for two decades before moving to theDuke City, believexs there are a range of options for distressedc merchants. Having merchandise that reflects the state of the economy is he says.
“The paradigm has shiftexd to value — we are now in the Walmart economy,” Nodelman says. “The days of conspicuoud consumptionare over. It’s not tastefupl to flaunt it. Necessities are in, ostentatiouse and frivolous are out.” For cash-strappefd retailers who are current on rent Nodelman says it is not uncommon for tenantzs to ask landlords for a whereby the retailer is allower to stop making rent payments untilsaled improve. Other concessions, such as shortening hourz of operation, also are a possibility.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Job losses put squeeze on students in Silicon Valley - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
esyy23mozy.blogspot.com
Mathur, a senior technical program managerat , aims to leverager the undergraduate technology background he garnered at Rohilkhand University in his native India as well as his graduate studies in informatio systems and business at . But the economy has derailede his effort. On April 2, Sun told Mathur that his positionwas redundant. That means at the end of May he will losehis job, as well as the tuitionj reimbursement package the company was putting towarsd his MBA at Santa Clara University’s Leavet School of Business.
“Now my primary job is findin anew job,” said Mathur, adding that he knowsz at least a half dozen classmates in a similar “The studies take a beating because you’re obviously not as focused as you’f like to be. Suddenly I have to pay all this and who knows howlong I’ll be in this positiob of making no money.” It’s a growingt problem at Leavey’s graduate a part-time model where a majority of students are full-timw professionals by day and theier tuition is supplemented by employer reimbursements.
As a privatde institution that sits high in national the program is anything but A three-unit evening MBA class for the 2008-09 school year costs $2,352. The accelerateed MBA tuition for the classof 2010, whic h began last summer, toppedx $72,000. Students in the Executive MBA prograj from the class of 2009paid “I think anecdotally there’s a lot of uneasinesse (among students) at the businesws school right now,” said Elizabety Ford, senior assistant dean of graduate programas at Leavey. “Without having statistics on morale, we can sensee it. It’s very unpredictable for us righr now.
” Enrollments in full-time graduate programs typically spike when there are large numbers of with undergraduates electing to go directly to graduate school rather than test thejob market. Applications for the claszs of 2010 atStanford University’s Graduate Schoolp of Business rose 43 percen t over the class of 2007, from 4,582 to 6,575 for abougt 745 slots. But there are no guaranteese there will be a job waitinb after completinggraduate school.
“When people come to a graduaterbusiness school, especially a full-time program, there’ss a high desire to either take a step up in managemeny in the same field or look at doiny something very different from what you were doinvg before you came to school,” said Andy Chan, assistantt dean and director of the MBA career managemenyt center at Stanford’s Graduate School of “In a down economy employerd are less willing and have less of a need for hirinv people without direct experience.” The biggest challengs today for business school graduates students, Chan said, is the sheer number of candidatez in the job market.
There are studentsd coming outof school, people already let go by their company and those at unhealthyg companies perhaps anticipating work force cuts. Stanford students are drawin on thebusiness school’s staff of career advisers as well as alumniu employed to give guidance. Each year, whethedr face-to-face or via telephone, the graduate schoo l facilitates morethan 2,000 career counseling appointments with students and alumni, Chan That doesn’t include informal conversations, such as e-maiol and phone correspondence.
If there is any good news to be it’s that there’s still “q decent flow of job opportunitiea coming throughthe office,” Chan said, though 30 percengt less than last year or the year before. “The good news is that we have employer s who are lookingat people,” Chan “I’m not so discouraged from the standpoint of no Ford said part-time business programs are trying to “gaugee and guess” what’s going to happehn for fall enrollment. Initial indicators show that interestremains high. Information sessions are attractinggood turnout.
Applications to the graduates program are even with lastyear — abour 400 competing for 225 to 250 The question is whether those applications translate to “We just don’t know,” Ford There’s no way to know how many students are affected by the same scenarii as Mathur, she said, but the business school has beguh taking steps to addressd it.
Mathur, a senior technical program managerat , aims to leverager the undergraduate technology background he garnered at Rohilkhand University in his native India as well as his graduate studies in informatio systems and business at . But the economy has derailede his effort. On April 2, Sun told Mathur that his positionwas redundant. That means at the end of May he will losehis job, as well as the tuitionj reimbursement package the company was putting towarsd his MBA at Santa Clara University’s Leavet School of Business.
“Now my primary job is findin anew job,” said Mathur, adding that he knowsz at least a half dozen classmates in a similar “The studies take a beating because you’re obviously not as focused as you’f like to be. Suddenly I have to pay all this and who knows howlong I’ll be in this positiob of making no money.” It’s a growingt problem at Leavey’s graduate a part-time model where a majority of students are full-timw professionals by day and theier tuition is supplemented by employer reimbursements.
As a privatde institution that sits high in national the program is anything but A three-unit evening MBA class for the 2008-09 school year costs $2,352. The accelerateed MBA tuition for the classof 2010, whic h began last summer, toppedx $72,000. Students in the Executive MBA prograj from the class of 2009paid “I think anecdotally there’s a lot of uneasinesse (among students) at the businesws school right now,” said Elizabety Ford, senior assistant dean of graduate programas at Leavey. “Without having statistics on morale, we can sensee it. It’s very unpredictable for us righr now.
” Enrollments in full-time graduate programs typically spike when there are large numbers of with undergraduates electing to go directly to graduate school rather than test thejob market. Applications for the claszs of 2010 atStanford University’s Graduate Schoolp of Business rose 43 percen t over the class of 2007, from 4,582 to 6,575 for abougt 745 slots. But there are no guaranteese there will be a job waitinb after completinggraduate school.
“When people come to a graduaterbusiness school, especially a full-time program, there’ss a high desire to either take a step up in managemeny in the same field or look at doiny something very different from what you were doinvg before you came to school,” said Andy Chan, assistantt dean and director of the MBA career managemenyt center at Stanford’s Graduate School of “In a down economy employerd are less willing and have less of a need for hirinv people without direct experience.” The biggest challengs today for business school graduates students, Chan said, is the sheer number of candidatez in the job market.
There are studentsd coming outof school, people already let go by their company and those at unhealthyg companies perhaps anticipating work force cuts. Stanford students are drawin on thebusiness school’s staff of career advisers as well as alumniu employed to give guidance. Each year, whethedr face-to-face or via telephone, the graduate schoo l facilitates morethan 2,000 career counseling appointments with students and alumni, Chan That doesn’t include informal conversations, such as e-maiol and phone correspondence.
If there is any good news to be it’s that there’s still “q decent flow of job opportunitiea coming throughthe office,” Chan said, though 30 percengt less than last year or the year before. “The good news is that we have employer s who are lookingat people,” Chan “I’m not so discouraged from the standpoint of no Ford said part-time business programs are trying to “gaugee and guess” what’s going to happehn for fall enrollment. Initial indicators show that interestremains high. Information sessions are attractinggood turnout.
Applications to the graduates program are even with lastyear — abour 400 competing for 225 to 250 The question is whether those applications translate to “We just don’t know,” Ford There’s no way to know how many students are affected by the same scenarii as Mathur, she said, but the business school has beguh taking steps to addressd it.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Peabody, Shanxi Lu
gault-rickettsias.blogspot.com
The Shaxi Mine, whichy is under construction, has the potential to expandc to 15 million tons or more per year in line with the developmeny of a new rail project that would servew electricity customers and other industrial users in Centrakl andEastern China. In the coming the companies said they plan to conducty a feasibility study to evaluate technical requirements for next phasesof development, whicjh also includes other coal reserves in the regiohn owned by Lu’an. “China is leadinbg the world in industrial growth and fuelingy its progresswith coal,” said Peabody Energy Chairmaj and Chief Executive Gregory Boyce in a statement.
“Peabodg has a growing presence in Asia and seeks to partnerein world-class coal projects to fuel long-termn energy needs …” Peabody has an expanding presence in China and is the only non-Chinese partnef in GreenGen, a near-zero emissions powere project in Tianjin. The company is pursuing multiple partnershipsz in Asia that include a larg e surface mine and downstream coal conversion facility with the governmenrt ofInner Mongolia, China and otherf partners; and projects in Mongolia, which includw the Peabody-Polo Resources joint China is the fastest-growing coal marke in the world, using coal to fuel 80 percen of its electricity.
China is expecteed to nearly double its electricity consumptionby 2015. Lu’a n had $5 billion in revenue in 2008. Peabody Energy BTU) is the world’s largestg private-sector coal company, with revenue of $6.6 billionj in 2008. Its coal productds fuel 10 percent ofall U.S. electricity generation and 2 percentg ofworldwide electricity.
The Shaxi Mine, whichy is under construction, has the potential to expandc to 15 million tons or more per year in line with the developmeny of a new rail project that would servew electricity customers and other industrial users in Centrakl andEastern China. In the coming the companies said they plan to conducty a feasibility study to evaluate technical requirements for next phasesof development, whicjh also includes other coal reserves in the regiohn owned by Lu’an. “China is leadinbg the world in industrial growth and fuelingy its progresswith coal,” said Peabody Energy Chairmaj and Chief Executive Gregory Boyce in a statement.
“Peabodg has a growing presence in Asia and seeks to partnerein world-class coal projects to fuel long-termn energy needs …” Peabody has an expanding presence in China and is the only non-Chinese partnef in GreenGen, a near-zero emissions powere project in Tianjin. The company is pursuing multiple partnershipsz in Asia that include a larg e surface mine and downstream coal conversion facility with the governmenrt ofInner Mongolia, China and otherf partners; and projects in Mongolia, which includw the Peabody-Polo Resources joint China is the fastest-growing coal marke in the world, using coal to fuel 80 percen of its electricity.
China is expecteed to nearly double its electricity consumptionby 2015. Lu’a n had $5 billion in revenue in 2008. Peabody Energy BTU) is the world’s largestg private-sector coal company, with revenue of $6.6 billionj in 2008. Its coal productds fuel 10 percent ofall U.S. electricity generation and 2 percentg ofworldwide electricity.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Parent Profile: Adam and Jeanne Ackor - VillageSoup Belfast
http://foodblogalliance.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&id=1839&blog_id=40
VillageSoup Belfast | Parent Profile: Adam and Jeanne Ackor VillageSoup Belfast By Little Learners Childcare | Apr 13, 2011 Little Learners students: Our son Henry is 3 and attends the toddler classroom, our daughter Phoebe is 7 and attends the summer program during school vaction part time. How did you choose Little Learners? ... |
Monday, April 11, 2011
FBR may consider bank charter - Washington Business Journal:
flat
FBR has been doing business underf the Arlington Asset Investment namesince February. The name changee will become officialJune 10. It will also begin tradingg on the New York Stock Exchangs under the new tickersymbol “AI” on the same day. Arlingtobn Asset Management announced the changes as part of a numbefr of corporate actions approved by investors at its annua l shareholder meetingJune 1. It also includes the adoptionj of a shareholder rights plan designed to reduce the likelihoo d of a takeover through investors buyinfgup stock.
“These actionss are in furtherance of the strategic shift of the companyy initiated by recently selling its control positiohnin ,” Arlington Asset said in a Arlington Asset will use proceedzs from selling its stake in FBR Capital Marketsx to invest in government guaranteed mortgage-backed securitiexs and says “it may also consider opportunities for financiall service operating businesses potentially in the form of a bank FBR (NYSE: FBR), which reported its first profitable quarte r after two years of has lost 75 percent of its markegt value in the last Its stock now trades at 47 cents per share.
FBR has been doing business underf the Arlington Asset Investment namesince February. The name changee will become officialJune 10. It will also begin tradingg on the New York Stock Exchangs under the new tickersymbol “AI” on the same day. Arlingtobn Asset Management announced the changes as part of a numbefr of corporate actions approved by investors at its annua l shareholder meetingJune 1. It also includes the adoptionj of a shareholder rights plan designed to reduce the likelihoo d of a takeover through investors buyinfgup stock.
“These actionss are in furtherance of the strategic shift of the companyy initiated by recently selling its control positiohnin ,” Arlington Asset said in a Arlington Asset will use proceedzs from selling its stake in FBR Capital Marketsx to invest in government guaranteed mortgage-backed securitiexs and says “it may also consider opportunities for financiall service operating businesses potentially in the form of a bank FBR (NYSE: FBR), which reported its first profitable quarte r after two years of has lost 75 percent of its markegt value in the last Its stock now trades at 47 cents per share.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Memphis City Schools lays off 320 - Memphis Business Journal:
http://homedesigne.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/design-of-modern-doors/
In a budget proposalp to the Memphis City Council onApril 29, MCS superintendent Kriner Cash presented a plan to lay off up to 100 administratorsw and 250 custodial workers. The cuts were discussed and passecdduring MCS’ April 9 budget meeting, duringb which MCS approved its budgert of $875 million. MCS had no further comment on the The job cuts were cite in a Tennessee Department of Labort and Workforce Development reportreleased Monday. The layoffxs were implemented after an analysisw revealed MCS had too many employees in some areaz and not enoughin others, said Martavius Jones, Memphisx City Schools Commissioner for District 4.
“I can’ t second guess what someone else did, but the districgt didn’t look to make difficult reductions in workforce in the pastwhen necessary,” Jonexs said. He said the layoffs will be permanent, but there won’t be any more during this fiscalo year. “There could be more difficul decisions to makegoin forward,” Jones said. “Superintendent Cash put us on noticee that it couldhappen again. The city counciol is currently reviewing the budget and assessinythe city’s $84.7 million shares of the 2009-10 budget. The city has budgetedf school fundingat $25 million for the coming schoolp year. Last year, it cut $66 millio n in school funding.
The Shelby Count Chancery Court has ruled the city is requireed to fund the schools and it must payMCS $57 millio n from last year.
In a budget proposalp to the Memphis City Council onApril 29, MCS superintendent Kriner Cash presented a plan to lay off up to 100 administratorsw and 250 custodial workers. The cuts were discussed and passecdduring MCS’ April 9 budget meeting, duringb which MCS approved its budgert of $875 million. MCS had no further comment on the The job cuts were cite in a Tennessee Department of Labort and Workforce Development reportreleased Monday. The layoffxs were implemented after an analysisw revealed MCS had too many employees in some areaz and not enoughin others, said Martavius Jones, Memphisx City Schools Commissioner for District 4.
“I can’ t second guess what someone else did, but the districgt didn’t look to make difficult reductions in workforce in the pastwhen necessary,” Jonexs said. He said the layoffs will be permanent, but there won’t be any more during this fiscalo year. “There could be more difficul decisions to makegoin forward,” Jones said. “Superintendent Cash put us on noticee that it couldhappen again. The city counciol is currently reviewing the budget and assessinythe city’s $84.7 million shares of the 2009-10 budget. The city has budgetedf school fundingat $25 million for the coming schoolp year. Last year, it cut $66 millio n in school funding.
The Shelby Count Chancery Court has ruled the city is requireed to fund the schools and it must payMCS $57 millio n from last year.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Insurance industry experts question Citizens
http://www.ushomeguide.ws/user_detail.php?u=beavyattarl
has become the focusx of concern as Florida approaches anothedrhurricane season. Though Citizens, the state’es insurer of last resort, has increasef its reserves in thepast year, it wouldc need to raise money from other sources to cover the cost of a powerfulo storm striking a densely populated Dennis Burke, vice president of state relations with the , said Citizenss might need to raise billions of dollarxs quickly after a storm — something he said would be very difficulgt in today’s stymied credit markets. “I’m not sure how Florid a could cover [damages] from a majo storm,” Burke said.
Unlike largew private insurers that turn to reinsurance companies to coverthuge losses, Citizens would have to use its own resourcees and money from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. But critics said the fund doesn’r have enough in reservs to cover the immediate needws Citizens would face following a big Burke said the problem could worsen as largecompaniezs — the ones with reinsuranced coverage — cut back their Florids operations. This month, State Farm received approvapl to withdraw from property insurancecoveragse completely, with the restriction that it transfer that businesw to other private companies and not Citizens.
To cove r a shortfall, the Hurricanre Catastrophe Fund almost certainly would have to issudrevenue bonds. But given liquidity probleme in thefinancial markets, raising billions of dollard to cover potential losses could provew extremely difficult, industry experts Don Brown, a former state representative who chaired the House Insurancse Committee, distributed a paper on that He argued that Florida is one majorr storm away from severe financial problems, and wouls require emergency aid from the federaol government to cover its obligations to the propert y owners it covers.
Brown said he sees a paralleol between the housing market before the crasj of 2007and Florida’s property insurance market. “Wse have an extremely fragile insurance systemin Florida,” Brown said. “We are one disastef away from devastation inour Florida’s exposure to hurricane threats is Stephen Weinstein, senior vice president with Ltd., a reinsurancer company, said the state accounts for about a thirf of the global risk for hurricane and thunderstork damage. Given its exposure, other experts said Floridza needs a sounder basis for coverintits property.
Guy Marvin, presiden of the , said if private insurers could assess ratexs that representthe risk, they would remain activs in the state. But he said the state’e offer of insurance from Citizens, whicnh has rates frozen at 2005 has distortedthe market. Steve Pociask, presidengt of the American Consumer Institute Centerf forCitizen Research, said Florida needa to begin a transition back to private marketg insurance. “We created a real problemn in the market,” Pociask said.
“We need to take it slow and start the transition back to the When the government sets pricestoo low, othefr insurers will just leave the
has become the focusx of concern as Florida approaches anothedrhurricane season. Though Citizens, the state’es insurer of last resort, has increasef its reserves in thepast year, it wouldc need to raise money from other sources to cover the cost of a powerfulo storm striking a densely populated Dennis Burke, vice president of state relations with the , said Citizenss might need to raise billions of dollarxs quickly after a storm — something he said would be very difficulgt in today’s stymied credit markets. “I’m not sure how Florid a could cover [damages] from a majo storm,” Burke said.
Unlike largew private insurers that turn to reinsurance companies to coverthuge losses, Citizens would have to use its own resourcees and money from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund. But critics said the fund doesn’r have enough in reservs to cover the immediate needws Citizens would face following a big Burke said the problem could worsen as largecompaniezs — the ones with reinsuranced coverage — cut back their Florids operations. This month, State Farm received approvapl to withdraw from property insurancecoveragse completely, with the restriction that it transfer that businesw to other private companies and not Citizens.
To cove r a shortfall, the Hurricanre Catastrophe Fund almost certainly would have to issudrevenue bonds. But given liquidity probleme in thefinancial markets, raising billions of dollard to cover potential losses could provew extremely difficult, industry experts Don Brown, a former state representative who chaired the House Insurancse Committee, distributed a paper on that He argued that Florida is one majorr storm away from severe financial problems, and wouls require emergency aid from the federaol government to cover its obligations to the propert y owners it covers.
Brown said he sees a paralleol between the housing market before the crasj of 2007and Florida’s property insurance market. “Wse have an extremely fragile insurance systemin Florida,” Brown said. “We are one disastef away from devastation inour Florida’s exposure to hurricane threats is Stephen Weinstein, senior vice president with Ltd., a reinsurancer company, said the state accounts for about a thirf of the global risk for hurricane and thunderstork damage. Given its exposure, other experts said Floridza needs a sounder basis for coverintits property.
Guy Marvin, presiden of the , said if private insurers could assess ratexs that representthe risk, they would remain activs in the state. But he said the state’e offer of insurance from Citizens, whicnh has rates frozen at 2005 has distortedthe market. Steve Pociask, presidengt of the American Consumer Institute Centerf forCitizen Research, said Florida needa to begin a transition back to private marketg insurance. “We created a real problemn in the market,” Pociask said.
“We need to take it slow and start the transition back to the When the government sets pricestoo low, othefr insurers will just leave the
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Exelixis inks potential $1 billion Sanofi-Aventis deal - San Francisco Business Times:
http://www.ukmanchester.com/user_detail.php?u=neeriasar
Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL) also will receive guaranteeed research fundingof $21 million over three years from the Frencbh drugmaker (NYSE: SNY), but over severakl years could win $1 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Sanofi-Aventis will have an exclusive worldwide license for the oralcompoundz XL-147, which is in a Phasee I trial by Exelixis, and XL-765, whicn is in Phase It will have sole responsbility for all subsequentf clinical, regulatory, commercial and manufacturinv work, while Exelixis will help conduct ongoing and potential future clinical trials and manufacturing.
The deal was foreshadowedr at last week’s conference in San where Exelixis CEO George Scangos said a partnershipfor XL-147 and XL-765 was a goal for the firsf half of this year. “Thaty gives us a little more than a montn to meetthat goal,” he said at the Exelixis is scheduled to present data June 1 from Phasre I trials of the two compoundz at the annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Both compoundws target an enzymecalled phosphoinositide-3 kinase, or PI3K. It is one of the most frequentl y dysregulated pathways inhuman tumors, Scangosd said, playing a key role in tumotr growth, proliferation, survival and resistance.
Over the long Exelixis and Sanofi-Aventis will combine efforts on severa l preclinical programs aroundPI3K inhibitors. Those drugxs are likely to work in combination with other cancerf fighters and on a varietu oftumor types, Scangos said at the JMP Securities “But the development path is complexx and expensive,” Scangos said. “I’m not sure we could pay our even if itwas 50-50 so they’re great candidates to partner.” Exelixis may be responsiblde for certain clinical trials, it said in a pres s release Thursday.
The deal is Exelixis’ second this paid $15 million upfront — with the potentiao of $339 million in milestone and royalty payments to develop and commercialize agonistsof sphingosine-1-phosphatse type 1 receptor, or S1P1, which is implicated in severall autoimmune diseases.
Exelixis (NASDAQ: EXEL) also will receive guaranteeed research fundingof $21 million over three years from the Frencbh drugmaker (NYSE: SNY), but over severakl years could win $1 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Sanofi-Aventis will have an exclusive worldwide license for the oralcompoundz XL-147, which is in a Phasee I trial by Exelixis, and XL-765, whicn is in Phase It will have sole responsbility for all subsequentf clinical, regulatory, commercial and manufacturinv work, while Exelixis will help conduct ongoing and potential future clinical trials and manufacturing.
The deal was foreshadowedr at last week’s conference in San where Exelixis CEO George Scangos said a partnershipfor XL-147 and XL-765 was a goal for the firsf half of this year. “Thaty gives us a little more than a montn to meetthat goal,” he said at the Exelixis is scheduled to present data June 1 from Phasre I trials of the two compoundz at the annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. Both compoundws target an enzymecalled phosphoinositide-3 kinase, or PI3K. It is one of the most frequentl y dysregulated pathways inhuman tumors, Scangosd said, playing a key role in tumotr growth, proliferation, survival and resistance.
Over the long Exelixis and Sanofi-Aventis will combine efforts on severa l preclinical programs aroundPI3K inhibitors. Those drugxs are likely to work in combination with other cancerf fighters and on a varietu oftumor types, Scangos said at the JMP Securities “But the development path is complexx and expensive,” Scangos said. “I’m not sure we could pay our even if itwas 50-50 so they’re great candidates to partner.” Exelixis may be responsiblde for certain clinical trials, it said in a pres s release Thursday.
The deal is Exelixis’ second this paid $15 million upfront — with the potentiao of $339 million in milestone and royalty payments to develop and commercialize agonistsof sphingosine-1-phosphatse type 1 receptor, or S1P1, which is implicated in severall autoimmune diseases.
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Business Journal of Milwaukee: Milwaukee Commercial Real Estate Listings - View Commercial Real Estate
http://www.annuaire-evenementiel.info/user_detail.php?u=oraweelry
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Saturday, April 2, 2011
Cubs' Pena attempts some little ball - ESPN (blog)
http://www.nuanpp.org/user_detail.php?u=acactaspkeype
Cubs' Pena attempts some little ball ESPN (blog) CHICAGO -- Mama said there'd be days like this: Down by three, nobody on base, bottom of the seventh, and you're getting beat by the Pirates. The Pirates! Again! If things like that keep happening, people will start to talk -- and ... |
Friday, April 1, 2011
Billy Joel pulls the plug on his autobiography - New York Post
ernstiryastrov.blogspot.com
CTV.ca | Billy Joel pulls the plug on his autobiography New York Post Singer Billy Joel is canceling his $3 million memoir, "The Book of Joel," a little more than two months before it was slated to hit bookshelves. Joel, 61, told the Associated Press that the decision to cancel was his and that it took writing the book ... Billy Joel pulls plug on tell- » |
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