mastering-input.blogspot.com
Business Journal researchers combed informationfrom ESPN.com, MSN.FoxSports.com, Cot’s Baseball Contracts, PGA team Web sites and Wikepedia.com to rank the Phoenix-area’s 25 highest-paid sports stars based on 2009-09 salary or winnings. O’Nea outpaced his closest rival by a couplemillion bucks. Arizonwa Cardinals wide receiverLarry Fitzgerald, who help drivd the team to the Suped Bowl this year, came in second with $17.1 million. O’Neall won three NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakersa and one with the Miami Heat before beinb traded tothe Suns. He averageed 24.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game during his career.
Roundintg out the top five are Suns playersAmare Stoudemire, $15.1 million; Steve Nash, $12.3 and Jason Richardson. $12.2 million. The highest-paidr member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, outfielder Eric Byrnes, $11.7 came in at No. 6. Linebacker Karlos Dansby led the fiel for the Arizona Cardinals takingin $8.1 million at No. 8. Phoenisx Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski scored the top pay on his teamat $6.5 for the No. 11 spot. The only golfer to make the list was Phil Mickelso nat No. 19 with winnings of $5.2 The complete list appearz in the June 5 print editionn of the PhoenixBusiness Journal. To subscribw or order a copy ofthat jbertolino@bizjournals.com.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
With Bob Evans chain restored, attention turns to fixing Mimi
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Times have changed. The Columbus-basee restaurant and food company has stabilizexd its Bob Evansrestaurant chain, while Mimi’s with its West Coast has seen its performancd slide. New executives, new new marketing and a new look have arrives atthe Tustin, Calif.-based chain, giving Bob Evans hope it can steadg Mimi’s Cafe as customers turn a cold shoulder to casua dining. “Even though we had a tough quarter, we remain focused on the things we can such asbuilding sales, improving margins and, most the intelligent deployment of our capitak assets and cash flow,” CEO Steve Davisd said in a Nov. 12 conference call with stoclk analysts.
Sales at Mimi’s restaurants open at leasy two years have fallen for 18consecutive months. Cafes in California, Nevada and Florida, areasw hardest hit by real estate andeconomidc troubles, account for 73 percent of the chain’x sales. CFO Donald Radkoski said Mimi’s same-stores sales are projected to be down 5 percent to 7 percentg in the second half of the BobEvans restaurants, by contrast, have postef eight straight quarters of same-store sales gains through the first quarter, including a 1.8 percent increasw for fiscal 2008. The streaok ended this past quarter, when salesx slipped 0.5 percent. Mimi’s with its $3.
4 millioj average restaurant annual sales remains the growthg engine forthe company, with 12 new restaurantzs scheduled to open in 2009, down from an initiap plan for 17. One Bob Evans, which averag e $1.8 million annually, is slatedx to open in the coming year. Mimi’s Cafe is thinkingv small and large as it triews todrive sales. The chain has introduceed a menuoffering smaller-size entrees that David said have become one of its top five salexs categories. “I think everybody knows that folkds are being more health conscious and watchingwhat they’re eating,” he “With our heavy female skew, it made sense to introduce this line.
” Chicago-based , in its Menu Innovation Monthlg Report, said limited-time offers among the nation’es top 250 chains are at a five-year with 197 reported in October. There were 547 new menu itemsz inthe month, a 40 percen increase over the monthly average this the restaurant consulting firm said. Mimi’s is workingy to improve its carry-out and breakfast salez as well. Davis said Mimi’s Cafe did not have a takeougt menu when Bob Evans acquired it and still lags competitors with just 4 percent of sales coming fromthe to-go menu.
It’w trying to build its breakfastbusinessw – lunch and dinner accounrt for 80 percent of sales – with coupones that give lunch or dinner customers $5 off a breakfasf purchase. “The whole though t process is it’s always easier to get a customer who comese in to come back more frequently than it is to try to get new Davis said. The executive suite at Mimi’s Cafe has turned over in the past year. Tim CEO of Alhambra, Calif.-based Shakey’s USA became president a year ago. New chiefs of finance and marketing Davis said the chain is hiring three employeese to focus on positioning the brand as the All DayFresy Cafe.
“They’ve cranked out more marketin g in 90 daysthan we’ve probablu seen in the last year,” he “They’re really making great progress on developiny our product pipeline. ... These are individuals who have experience withthat and, no disrespectr to the prior team, but that was not a core Mimi’s has eliminated 250,000 work hourd at its restaurants in the quarter withoutf sacrificing customer satisfaction ratings, said Tod Spornhauer, senio r vice president of finance. Mimi’s also is testin redesigned entrances and bars to bette r promote appetizer andalcoho sales. It has seen some success, Davids said.
“We have some Mimi’s Cafe restaurants that are 27 years old andreallu haven’t been touched,” he
Times have changed. The Columbus-basee restaurant and food company has stabilizexd its Bob Evansrestaurant chain, while Mimi’s with its West Coast has seen its performancd slide. New executives, new new marketing and a new look have arrives atthe Tustin, Calif.-based chain, giving Bob Evans hope it can steadg Mimi’s Cafe as customers turn a cold shoulder to casua dining. “Even though we had a tough quarter, we remain focused on the things we can such asbuilding sales, improving margins and, most the intelligent deployment of our capitak assets and cash flow,” CEO Steve Davisd said in a Nov. 12 conference call with stoclk analysts.
Sales at Mimi’s restaurants open at leasy two years have fallen for 18consecutive months. Cafes in California, Nevada and Florida, areasw hardest hit by real estate andeconomidc troubles, account for 73 percent of the chain’x sales. CFO Donald Radkoski said Mimi’s same-stores sales are projected to be down 5 percent to 7 percentg in the second half of the BobEvans restaurants, by contrast, have postef eight straight quarters of same-store sales gains through the first quarter, including a 1.8 percent increasw for fiscal 2008. The streaok ended this past quarter, when salesx slipped 0.5 percent. Mimi’s with its $3.
4 millioj average restaurant annual sales remains the growthg engine forthe company, with 12 new restaurantzs scheduled to open in 2009, down from an initiap plan for 17. One Bob Evans, which averag e $1.8 million annually, is slatedx to open in the coming year. Mimi’s Cafe is thinkingv small and large as it triews todrive sales. The chain has introduceed a menuoffering smaller-size entrees that David said have become one of its top five salexs categories. “I think everybody knows that folkds are being more health conscious and watchingwhat they’re eating,” he “With our heavy female skew, it made sense to introduce this line.
” Chicago-based , in its Menu Innovation Monthlg Report, said limited-time offers among the nation’es top 250 chains are at a five-year with 197 reported in October. There were 547 new menu itemsz inthe month, a 40 percen increase over the monthly average this the restaurant consulting firm said. Mimi’s is workingy to improve its carry-out and breakfast salez as well. Davis said Mimi’s Cafe did not have a takeougt menu when Bob Evans acquired it and still lags competitors with just 4 percent of sales coming fromthe to-go menu.
It’w trying to build its breakfastbusinessw – lunch and dinner accounrt for 80 percent of sales – with coupones that give lunch or dinner customers $5 off a breakfasf purchase. “The whole though t process is it’s always easier to get a customer who comese in to come back more frequently than it is to try to get new Davis said. The executive suite at Mimi’s Cafe has turned over in the past year. Tim CEO of Alhambra, Calif.-based Shakey’s USA became president a year ago. New chiefs of finance and marketing Davis said the chain is hiring three employeese to focus on positioning the brand as the All DayFresy Cafe.
“They’ve cranked out more marketin g in 90 daysthan we’ve probablu seen in the last year,” he “They’re really making great progress on developiny our product pipeline. ... These are individuals who have experience withthat and, no disrespectr to the prior team, but that was not a core Mimi’s has eliminated 250,000 work hourd at its restaurants in the quarter withoutf sacrificing customer satisfaction ratings, said Tod Spornhauer, senio r vice president of finance. Mimi’s also is testin redesigned entrances and bars to bette r promote appetizer andalcoho sales. It has seen some success, Davids said.
“We have some Mimi’s Cafe restaurants that are 27 years old andreallu haven’t been touched,” he
Monday, November 26, 2012
Reformatting a business - San Francisco Business Times:
ernstiryastrov.blogspot.com
a San Francisco post-production company, entrepreneurshi has been a 20-year effort to stay abreast of changin g technology and new markets in a businessz that is constantlyin "Our story is the story of the evolution of an Salyer said. Salyer started Video Arts in 1976. At first, he did smalo production jobs, videotaping legal depositions. Eventually Videl Arts moved into videl training programs and corporate Alongthe way, Salyer took on two Ed Rudolph and Steve Calou. In he moved the company from Brisbaner to China Basin inSan Francisco.
In the mid-1980s, new technology led Salyer into emerging markets that transformed Vide Arts into a wholly different The developmentof large-scale computer graphics systemxs fostered a new and lucrativre business for video post-productionn boutiques specializing in animation and graphics. Meanwhile, Betacam, a new broadcasty tape format, arrived on the scene. Salyetr and his partners saw a promising markeft fora post-production company that used both the Betacanm format and computer graphics technology. They formed a limited partnershi andraised $100,000 from investors.
Leveraged with lease financing, the cash allowedr them to buy $225,000 worth of and in January 1986, Vide o Arts became a post-production company. In its new Video Arts turned a profit withinsix months. It developed a thrivin businessin graphics, animation and standardx post-production services for corporatee communications and broadcasting. By 1992, Salyer had paid off his investors and boughyt out their interest in the Technology again took a hand in the fate of Videpo Arts when the development of desktop graphics touched off a sea changse inthe industry.
Post productio n was divided intothree segments: a smalkl low-end market for cost-driven a large mid-range market, wher Video Arts operated; and a small high-en market for projects that required powerful equipment. As desktopp graphics improved, the low-end started eating into the At thesame time, high-end shopss added so-called non-linear editing technology, which can handlde complex jobs quickly and easily. With a growinf number of clients using sophisticatedspecial effects, high-enc providers with non-linear editing invaded the middle Video Arts was getting squeezed. Salyer invested in new equipment to keep the compan y at the top ofthe mid-range market.
Moreover, he decideed to focus on creative services, wherwe human talent is more importantthan machines. Video Arts started targetiny design-intensive, visually complex projects. "It meant increasing our markey sharein advertising," Salyer said. "Ww had to be more proactive with the ad InJanuary 1996, Videi Arts opened a second office on Batterg Street, in the hear t of San Francisco's advertising Salyer used cash reserves, an SBA loan and lease financingh to equip the 6,000-square-foot operation. The new strategyg is paying off, but Video Arts is alreaduy grappling withanother technology-relatee challenge.
In advertising, where budgetxs tend to be more ample than in other ad agencies and the editorial companiesx that do a lot of advertising work are rapidlyh turningto high-end, non-linear technology. "It happened faster than we thoughtit would," said "The business is a moving Salyer and his partners have hiref a consultant to help them develop a five-year plan. Salyer calls the process "company therapy." It's a way of life for a businesx rooted in an industry that is constantly changing, he said.
"We're always trying to figure out what todo
a San Francisco post-production company, entrepreneurshi has been a 20-year effort to stay abreast of changin g technology and new markets in a businessz that is constantlyin "Our story is the story of the evolution of an Salyer said. Salyer started Video Arts in 1976. At first, he did smalo production jobs, videotaping legal depositions. Eventually Videl Arts moved into videl training programs and corporate Alongthe way, Salyer took on two Ed Rudolph and Steve Calou. In he moved the company from Brisbaner to China Basin inSan Francisco.
In the mid-1980s, new technology led Salyer into emerging markets that transformed Vide Arts into a wholly different The developmentof large-scale computer graphics systemxs fostered a new and lucrativre business for video post-productionn boutiques specializing in animation and graphics. Meanwhile, Betacam, a new broadcasty tape format, arrived on the scene. Salyetr and his partners saw a promising markeft fora post-production company that used both the Betacanm format and computer graphics technology. They formed a limited partnershi andraised $100,000 from investors.
Leveraged with lease financing, the cash allowedr them to buy $225,000 worth of and in January 1986, Vide o Arts became a post-production company. In its new Video Arts turned a profit withinsix months. It developed a thrivin businessin graphics, animation and standardx post-production services for corporatee communications and broadcasting. By 1992, Salyer had paid off his investors and boughyt out their interest in the Technology again took a hand in the fate of Videpo Arts when the development of desktop graphics touched off a sea changse inthe industry.
Post productio n was divided intothree segments: a smalkl low-end market for cost-driven a large mid-range market, wher Video Arts operated; and a small high-en market for projects that required powerful equipment. As desktopp graphics improved, the low-end started eating into the At thesame time, high-end shopss added so-called non-linear editing technology, which can handlde complex jobs quickly and easily. With a growinf number of clients using sophisticatedspecial effects, high-enc providers with non-linear editing invaded the middle Video Arts was getting squeezed. Salyer invested in new equipment to keep the compan y at the top ofthe mid-range market.
Moreover, he decideed to focus on creative services, wherwe human talent is more importantthan machines. Video Arts started targetiny design-intensive, visually complex projects. "It meant increasing our markey sharein advertising," Salyer said. "Ww had to be more proactive with the ad InJanuary 1996, Videi Arts opened a second office on Batterg Street, in the hear t of San Francisco's advertising Salyer used cash reserves, an SBA loan and lease financingh to equip the 6,000-square-foot operation. The new strategyg is paying off, but Video Arts is alreaduy grappling withanother technology-relatee challenge.
In advertising, where budgetxs tend to be more ample than in other ad agencies and the editorial companiesx that do a lot of advertising work are rapidlyh turningto high-end, non-linear technology. "It happened faster than we thoughtit would," said "The business is a moving Salyer and his partners have hiref a consultant to help them develop a five-year plan. Salyer calls the process "company therapy." It's a way of life for a businesx rooted in an industry that is constantly changing, he said.
"We're always trying to figure out what todo
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Times' retirement plan hit by $154M loss - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
shemwellmygalej1291.blogspot.com
Net assets of the plan for the which owns the Globe and fellto $417.7 million. The plan was particularl y hard hit bysome $171.5 million in losses withihn several mutual funds. For example, the plan’s largesg holding, the Vanguard 500 Index Investment fund, suffereed a nearly 40 percentg lossin value. Anotheer fund in the Times’ the Vanguard Asset AllocationInvestment fund, dropped nearlyt 32 percent year-over-year. Only one of its major fund theDodge & Cox Income Fund, posted a positivee return in 2008. Investments in fixed incomer and insurance assetsgenerated $5.3 milliom in income. Dividend income of $11.6 million also helpedr offset losses.
Interest income from the company’s borrowing from its retiremeng fundtotaled $594,000. The Timese has traditionally matched a fraction ofGlobs employees’ contributions to theif 401(k) accounts, however a proposal in front of leadershipp would eliminate the program.
Net assets of the plan for the which owns the Globe and fellto $417.7 million. The plan was particularl y hard hit bysome $171.5 million in losses withihn several mutual funds. For example, the plan’s largesg holding, the Vanguard 500 Index Investment fund, suffereed a nearly 40 percentg lossin value. Anotheer fund in the Times’ the Vanguard Asset AllocationInvestment fund, dropped nearlyt 32 percent year-over-year. Only one of its major fund theDodge & Cox Income Fund, posted a positivee return in 2008. Investments in fixed incomer and insurance assetsgenerated $5.3 milliom in income. Dividend income of $11.6 million also helpedr offset losses.
Interest income from the company’s borrowing from its retiremeng fundtotaled $594,000. The Timese has traditionally matched a fraction ofGlobs employees’ contributions to theif 401(k) accounts, however a proposal in front of leadershipp would eliminate the program.
Friday, November 23, 2012
When Homes Become Hotels Short Stays, Lengthy Fights - Wall Street Journal
houghtalingbaemo1268.blogspot.com
Wall Street Journal | When Homes Become Hotels Short Stays, Lengthy Fights Wall Street Journal On the other side of the streetâ€"and the debateâ€"is his neighbor, Emily Chase Smith, a lawyer who rents her home for $1,800 a week when she is away. Ms. Chase Smith, who stays in short-term rentals herself when vacationing, said she mostly rents her .. . |
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Report: Columbus holding its own amid recession - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
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A report from Washington, D.C.-based liberal public-policy thinki tank dubbed the MetroMonitor bills itself asa “beneath the recession-era look at metros with more than 500,000 residents as of 2007. The repor placed the Columbus metropolitamn statistical area 40th among those ranked for its basedon employment, unemployment, output, home prices and foreclosure No other Ohio city made the top 50. Cleveland, Akron and Dayton found slots from 61st to Toledo was rankedthe 10th-weakest major metropolitam area nationwide. Leading the pack in the report was San one of four Texas cities amongthe nation’sa top five. Detroit was ranked last, followec by Cape Coral, Fla.
, and Stockton, two areas devastated by the foreclosure crisis. Brookings found that the metropolitanh perspectiveon states’ performance amid the recessionm “suggests that recovery may be quits uneven as well, posing particular challengews for policymakers seeking to ensure a truluy national rising economic tide.” Columbus’ strengthsd and weaknesses in the report The city ranked 25th for its 1.7 percentr decline in employment since its peak earlier this Columbus found itself at 32nd for its modesyt 0.4 percent gain in inflation-adjusted housing prices for the first three months of 2008 comparexd with the same period this year.
But the city was rankec near the bottom ofthe list, at for the 4.8 percent decline in its gross metropolitan product – a measure of the goods and service produced in the area – in the firsty quarter of 2009 compared with its pre-recession Comparing the last three months of 2008 with the firsg quarter this year alone, the GMP dropped 1.7 representing the 14th-worst decline amonyg the cities measured. To download the full click .
A report from Washington, D.C.-based liberal public-policy thinki tank dubbed the MetroMonitor bills itself asa “beneath the recession-era look at metros with more than 500,000 residents as of 2007. The repor placed the Columbus metropolitamn statistical area 40th among those ranked for its basedon employment, unemployment, output, home prices and foreclosure No other Ohio city made the top 50. Cleveland, Akron and Dayton found slots from 61st to Toledo was rankedthe 10th-weakest major metropolitam area nationwide. Leading the pack in the report was San one of four Texas cities amongthe nation’sa top five. Detroit was ranked last, followec by Cape Coral, Fla.
, and Stockton, two areas devastated by the foreclosure crisis. Brookings found that the metropolitanh perspectiveon states’ performance amid the recessionm “suggests that recovery may be quits uneven as well, posing particular challengews for policymakers seeking to ensure a truluy national rising economic tide.” Columbus’ strengthsd and weaknesses in the report The city ranked 25th for its 1.7 percentr decline in employment since its peak earlier this Columbus found itself at 32nd for its modesyt 0.4 percent gain in inflation-adjusted housing prices for the first three months of 2008 comparexd with the same period this year.
But the city was rankec near the bottom ofthe list, at for the 4.8 percent decline in its gross metropolitan product – a measure of the goods and service produced in the area – in the firsty quarter of 2009 compared with its pre-recession Comparing the last three months of 2008 with the firsg quarter this year alone, the GMP dropped 1.7 representing the 14th-worst decline amonyg the cities measured. To download the full click .
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Landmark health reform bill passes Senate - South Florida Business Journal:
inufyw.blogspot.com
Also winning passage on Thursdayy was a the creation of a statde agency charged with improving the delivery of healthg care across the The “Healthy Kids — Healthy Oregon” bill, which will increase taxea on hospitals and health insurers by $150 million per marks a major victor y for Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who proposedx the measure. It faced fierce opposition by hospital who were pacified when their proposefd tax hikewas moderated. Insurers still maintain that the measure will increase the cost of health coverage for thousandsdof Oregonians, by adding a 1 percent premium to the cost of commerciaol health insurance.
By raising additional funds, the state will receivwe $500 million in unclaimed federal health care dollars. The second bill, which allocates two-year funding of $3 millionm from the state’s general fund, createa the Oregon Health Authority to oversee existing stat e programs that touch on health The new state agency is charged with establishin health industry cost control measures and with promotiny health care reform at anationak level. Both bills now head to the governot forhis signature.
Also winning passage on Thursdayy was a the creation of a statde agency charged with improving the delivery of healthg care across the The “Healthy Kids — Healthy Oregon” bill, which will increase taxea on hospitals and health insurers by $150 million per marks a major victor y for Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who proposedx the measure. It faced fierce opposition by hospital who were pacified when their proposefd tax hikewas moderated. Insurers still maintain that the measure will increase the cost of health coverage for thousandsdof Oregonians, by adding a 1 percent premium to the cost of commerciaol health insurance.
By raising additional funds, the state will receivwe $500 million in unclaimed federal health care dollars. The second bill, which allocates two-year funding of $3 millionm from the state’s general fund, createa the Oregon Health Authority to oversee existing stat e programs that touch on health The new state agency is charged with establishin health industry cost control measures and with promotiny health care reform at anationak level. Both bills now head to the governot forhis signature.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Fast Facts: Contractors must register under new law - Philadelphia Business Journal:
sucujovide.wordpress.com
The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act was passed last year in an efforyt to thwart unfair business In additionto registration, the law requires contractorsx to obtain minimum insurance, provide their registration numbed in their ads and contracts, and put in certaij contract terms for home improvementg contracts. There is a criminal penalty for home improvement fraurd and a fine for contractors who perform work but are not Even subcontractors need to Any home improvement contractor who is not registeref by July 1 is prohibited working on anyhome improvements.
Failure to registedr is a violation of the law and unregistered contractors facelegal action, including civil penalties of $1,000 or according to the attorney general.
The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act was passed last year in an efforyt to thwart unfair business In additionto registration, the law requires contractorsx to obtain minimum insurance, provide their registration numbed in their ads and contracts, and put in certaij contract terms for home improvementg contracts. There is a criminal penalty for home improvement fraurd and a fine for contractors who perform work but are not Even subcontractors need to Any home improvement contractor who is not registeref by July 1 is prohibited working on anyhome improvements.
Failure to registedr is a violation of the law and unregistered contractors facelegal action, including civil penalties of $1,000 or according to the attorney general.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
AutoZone board approves $500M stock repurchase - Denver Business Journal:
sucujovide.wordpress.com
The company’s board of directors approved the repurchase June 17 as part ofthe company’sa ongoing share repurchase program, the company announcer after the close of markets Wednesday. The last repurchasw authorization was in Decembe and was asimilar $500 There were three $500 million authorizations in 2008 and a tota l of $7.9 billion since 1998. "We remain committed to utilizing shares repurchases within the bounds of a disciplined capitapl structure to enhance stockholder returns while maintaining adequate liquiditg to execute our said CFOBill Giles.
Memphis-based AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) is the leadingh retailer and distributor of automotivde replacement parts and accessories inthe U.S. The companyt sells auto and lighttruck parts, chemicals and accessoriee through 4,172 AutoZone stores in 48 the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S. and 168 stored in Mexico. Shares of AutoZone closeed Wednesdayat $155.54, up 2.37 percent.
The company’s board of directors approved the repurchase June 17 as part ofthe company’sa ongoing share repurchase program, the company announcer after the close of markets Wednesday. The last repurchasw authorization was in Decembe and was asimilar $500 There were three $500 million authorizations in 2008 and a tota l of $7.9 billion since 1998. "We remain committed to utilizing shares repurchases within the bounds of a disciplined capitapl structure to enhance stockholder returns while maintaining adequate liquiditg to execute our said CFOBill Giles.
Memphis-based AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) is the leadingh retailer and distributor of automotivde replacement parts and accessories inthe U.S. The companyt sells auto and lighttruck parts, chemicals and accessoriee through 4,172 AutoZone stores in 48 the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S. and 168 stored in Mexico. Shares of AutoZone closeed Wednesdayat $155.54, up 2.37 percent.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Obama memo against pre-emption has critics worrying about lawsuits - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
ycoguqi.wordpress.com
A May 20 memo from Obama also directed agenciesz to review regulations issued during the past 10 yearws to see if theycontained pre-emptions that are not If they do, agencies should consider amending the regulations, the memo “Pre-emption of state law by executive departments and agencies should be undertaken only with full consideration of the legitimats prerogatives of the states and with a sufficiengt legal basis for pre-emption,” the memo During the Bush administration, regulatory agencieds sometimes included pre-emption language in the preambles of regulations.
Obama’s policy agains federal pre-emption of state laws will resulty in more lawsuitsagainst businesses, particularly in the area of producy liability, according to the and the . “Manufacturersx sell products into anational market, and a national regulatory standard helps ensure predictables treatment in the courts,” said associationh Vice President Rosario Palmieri. “It’s unwise to replace a regulatory system based on objectives science and agency experts witha 50-state patchwork of ofte n arbitrary jury decisions. Lisa Rickard, president of the , said the memo was a gift to lawyers.
“Removing pre-emption runs completely counter to the goal of stabilizing the economhy andgrowing jobs, except for those in the lawsuirt business,” she said. The , formerlg known as the , praised Obama’s It “makes clear that the rule of law will once againb prevail over the ruleof politics,” said associatiomn President Les Weisbrod. “The memo overturnee actions taken by Bush administration bureaucrats who were influencedby well-connected corporations who wantefd to rewrite and reinterpret congressional legislation, undermine the constitutional system of checks and balances, and put the publif at risk and compromise laws designec to give Americans basif rights to hold wrongdoers accountable.
” Microloans up, big loans down for smalk businesses last year Lending data collectes by the ’s Office of Advocacy confirms the importancd of business credit cards to small firms. A new reporg found that the total valueof small-business loans outstanding increasedc by 4 percent in the 12 months that endedf in June 2008, down from the previousx year’s increase of 8 These numbers are for small-business loansw as a whole, not just SBA loans.
The number of busines s loans of lessthan $100,000 jumped by nearly 16 as large lenders concentratedd on credit cards, according to the By contrast, the number of business loans in the $100,0090 to $1 million range fell by more than 23 The report used call reportsa submitted by banks as well as Community Reinvestmeny Act data. Business loans of less than $1 million were considere d to be small-business Based on call report data, the top five small-business lenderxs in June 2008were , , , and Presidenyt Barack Obama has selected a venture capitalist to be chievf counsel of the Small Business Administration’s Office of a post usually held by an Winslow Sargeant, a managing director in the technology practicse of Madison, Wis.
-based Venture Investors, is Obama’s choicre to head the Office of The office is an independeny entity inside SBA that ensurez that federal agencies consider the impact of theid regulations on small businesses. He is the seconrd venture capitalist to be selecteds for a top post atthe SBA. Agency Administratoer Karen Mills worked as a principal in private equity and venture capital firmsd for 26 years before she took over the SBA in Sargeant worked as a senior engineer at several large corporationsbefore co-founding Aanetcom, a semiconductord chip company that later was acquired by From 2001 to he served as program manager for the Smallp Business Innovation Research program at the ’s engineering Sargeant’s lack of legal training means he will have to rely heavilyu on the attorneys at the Offices of Advocacy.
Much of the office’s work involves analyzing whether government agencies have followecd federal laws that require them to analyze the economicv impact that proposed ruleds would have onsmall businesses. In fiscal this input saved small businessesabout $11 billiohn in forgone regulatory costs, according to the
A May 20 memo from Obama also directed agenciesz to review regulations issued during the past 10 yearws to see if theycontained pre-emptions that are not If they do, agencies should consider amending the regulations, the memo “Pre-emption of state law by executive departments and agencies should be undertaken only with full consideration of the legitimats prerogatives of the states and with a sufficiengt legal basis for pre-emption,” the memo During the Bush administration, regulatory agencieds sometimes included pre-emption language in the preambles of regulations.
Obama’s policy agains federal pre-emption of state laws will resulty in more lawsuitsagainst businesses, particularly in the area of producy liability, according to the and the . “Manufacturersx sell products into anational market, and a national regulatory standard helps ensure predictables treatment in the courts,” said associationh Vice President Rosario Palmieri. “It’s unwise to replace a regulatory system based on objectives science and agency experts witha 50-state patchwork of ofte n arbitrary jury decisions. Lisa Rickard, president of the , said the memo was a gift to lawyers.
“Removing pre-emption runs completely counter to the goal of stabilizing the economhy andgrowing jobs, except for those in the lawsuirt business,” she said. The , formerlg known as the , praised Obama’s It “makes clear that the rule of law will once againb prevail over the ruleof politics,” said associatiomn President Les Weisbrod. “The memo overturnee actions taken by Bush administration bureaucrats who were influencedby well-connected corporations who wantefd to rewrite and reinterpret congressional legislation, undermine the constitutional system of checks and balances, and put the publif at risk and compromise laws designec to give Americans basif rights to hold wrongdoers accountable.
” Microloans up, big loans down for smalk businesses last year Lending data collectes by the ’s Office of Advocacy confirms the importancd of business credit cards to small firms. A new reporg found that the total valueof small-business loans outstanding increasedc by 4 percent in the 12 months that endedf in June 2008, down from the previousx year’s increase of 8 These numbers are for small-business loansw as a whole, not just SBA loans.
The number of busines s loans of lessthan $100,000 jumped by nearly 16 as large lenders concentratedd on credit cards, according to the By contrast, the number of business loans in the $100,0090 to $1 million range fell by more than 23 The report used call reportsa submitted by banks as well as Community Reinvestmeny Act data. Business loans of less than $1 million were considere d to be small-business Based on call report data, the top five small-business lenderxs in June 2008were , , , and Presidenyt Barack Obama has selected a venture capitalist to be chievf counsel of the Small Business Administration’s Office of a post usually held by an Winslow Sargeant, a managing director in the technology practicse of Madison, Wis.
-based Venture Investors, is Obama’s choicre to head the Office of The office is an independeny entity inside SBA that ensurez that federal agencies consider the impact of theid regulations on small businesses. He is the seconrd venture capitalist to be selecteds for a top post atthe SBA. Agency Administratoer Karen Mills worked as a principal in private equity and venture capital firmsd for 26 years before she took over the SBA in Sargeant worked as a senior engineer at several large corporationsbefore co-founding Aanetcom, a semiconductord chip company that later was acquired by From 2001 to he served as program manager for the Smallp Business Innovation Research program at the ’s engineering Sargeant’s lack of legal training means he will have to rely heavilyu on the attorneys at the Offices of Advocacy.
Much of the office’s work involves analyzing whether government agencies have followecd federal laws that require them to analyze the economicv impact that proposed ruleds would have onsmall businesses. In fiscal this input saved small businessesabout $11 billiohn in forgone regulatory costs, according to the
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Romanian immigrant wins visa lottery, becomes a US citizen - York Daily Record
vittitowmehigyk1238.blogspot.com
Romanian immigrant wins visa lottery, becomes a US citizen York Daily Record Zefania Stube, 4, laughs as she sits on her father's lap Thursday in the York County Administrative Center during a naturalization ceremony Thursday. Zefania and her father, Andrew Stube, were there to witness her mother and his wife, Jecklin Pamujiono ... |
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Kingpin investors raise energy stakes - Kansas City Business Journal:
esivyjifag.wordpress.com
A bevy of high-profil e asset managers and hedge fund gurus returned to buyinfg mode after taking financial lumps in the second half of 2008 when the valu of energy company shares tanked alonv with the price of oil andnaturak gas. Prominent investors such as all-star asseft manager Paul Tudor Jones, energy maverick T. Boone Pickenx and hedge fund investor George Soros dipped their toes in the energty pool once again and grabbed multipl stakes inHouston companies, according to regulatoryu statements filed this month. Jones, who overseezs Tudor Investment Corp.
, foundf bargains in 10 Houston-based energy companies or majof players with a significant presence inthe region, and also took a new positioj in Waste Management still a big favorite of Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates. Pickens, who has spen t the past 12 months lobbying for his plan to help the countryg kick the importedoil habit, still knows a fossil-fuelp bargain when he sees one. The Texasz oil maven took new positions in a wide range of energty companieswith beaten-down stock prices at the end of a year that the bellwether Philadelphiza Oil Service Index dipped nearlty 60 percent. Pickens dabbled in services playerse such asSchlumberger Ltd. and Halliburton Co.
, natural gas shal producer ChesapeakeEnergy Corp. and high-profile exploration and production company AnadarkoPetroleu Corp. Soros took even biggef bites inthe process, gainingh new positions in services players Naborws Industries Ltd. and Weatherford International Inc. after selling off his Schlumbergerstakes — while adding to his positioj in . Besides his substantia l switchinto Weatherford, Soros made anothet big move in late April involving a Houston-based companuy by adding 3 million more shares of Plains Exploratio n and Production Co., boosting his stake to nearly 6.5 milliomn shares.
Energy analysts and asset investmentg managers who follow these movers and shakers say that aftetr energy stock prices kept climbing in 2007 towardf lofty highsin mid-2008, it’xs been a while since the notiojn of value investing could be applied to the “Timing is everything,” says Eddie Allen, senior partner with Eaglre Global Advisors LLC. “There may have been an over-reactionj in the fall with the sell-ofr of oil stocks.
There’s still a lot of volatilith todeal with, but these investors did well in anticipatintg the rise (in oil prices) that we’ve seen so far this from the mid-$30s to Allen says that value investor are still playing a bit of a waiting game. He notexs that stock prices are down, naturalk gas has not followed oil’x recovery in 2009, and there are concerns that priced could stay depressed as inventories There is also more he adds, about possible consolidation as mid-cal exploration and production companies eye the pickingw among smaller competitors. Dan co-president and head of researchat Tudor, Pickering, Holt Co. Securities Inc.
, says Soros and Tudor might have even added more shares during the quartetr if energy stocks had not rallied and moved a bit higherthan “The market took off so strongly in the first quarter that investors took a pause waiting for a pullback that neve came. They might have wantesd more but the stocks got away a littlde bit onthe upside,” Pickering All things considered, energyh was the hottest investment game in Says Pickering: “The overall theme here is that investoras became reengaged in which dramatically out-performed the rest of the market in the first as people were just less terrified about the state of the world (economy).
” The energy resurgencew party had some notable no-shows. While Pickens and Soroz were pickingnew favorites, otherd big-name investors were still cleaning house. Warreb Buffett sold 13.7 million ConocoPhillips shares in the quarter to reduce his stake to a stillsizable 71.2 million shares. Buffet concedes to shareholders of his BerkshirwHathaway Inc. asset management firm that his huge investmeny in ConocoPhillips last year when oil prices peakeeat $147 a barrel was a
A bevy of high-profil e asset managers and hedge fund gurus returned to buyinfg mode after taking financial lumps in the second half of 2008 when the valu of energy company shares tanked alonv with the price of oil andnaturak gas. Prominent investors such as all-star asseft manager Paul Tudor Jones, energy maverick T. Boone Pickenx and hedge fund investor George Soros dipped their toes in the energty pool once again and grabbed multipl stakes inHouston companies, according to regulatoryu statements filed this month. Jones, who overseezs Tudor Investment Corp.
, foundf bargains in 10 Houston-based energy companies or majof players with a significant presence inthe region, and also took a new positioj in Waste Management still a big favorite of Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates. Pickens, who has spen t the past 12 months lobbying for his plan to help the countryg kick the importedoil habit, still knows a fossil-fuelp bargain when he sees one. The Texasz oil maven took new positions in a wide range of energty companieswith beaten-down stock prices at the end of a year that the bellwether Philadelphiza Oil Service Index dipped nearlty 60 percent. Pickens dabbled in services playerse such asSchlumberger Ltd. and Halliburton Co.
, natural gas shal producer ChesapeakeEnergy Corp. and high-profile exploration and production company AnadarkoPetroleu Corp. Soros took even biggef bites inthe process, gainingh new positions in services players Naborws Industries Ltd. and Weatherford International Inc. after selling off his Schlumbergerstakes — while adding to his positioj in . Besides his substantia l switchinto Weatherford, Soros made anothet big move in late April involving a Houston-based companuy by adding 3 million more shares of Plains Exploratio n and Production Co., boosting his stake to nearly 6.5 milliomn shares.
Energy analysts and asset investmentg managers who follow these movers and shakers say that aftetr energy stock prices kept climbing in 2007 towardf lofty highsin mid-2008, it’xs been a while since the notiojn of value investing could be applied to the “Timing is everything,” says Eddie Allen, senior partner with Eaglre Global Advisors LLC. “There may have been an over-reactionj in the fall with the sell-ofr of oil stocks.
There’s still a lot of volatilith todeal with, but these investors did well in anticipatintg the rise (in oil prices) that we’ve seen so far this from the mid-$30s to Allen says that value investor are still playing a bit of a waiting game. He notexs that stock prices are down, naturalk gas has not followed oil’x recovery in 2009, and there are concerns that priced could stay depressed as inventories There is also more he adds, about possible consolidation as mid-cal exploration and production companies eye the pickingw among smaller competitors. Dan co-president and head of researchat Tudor, Pickering, Holt Co. Securities Inc.
, says Soros and Tudor might have even added more shares during the quartetr if energy stocks had not rallied and moved a bit higherthan “The market took off so strongly in the first quarter that investors took a pause waiting for a pullback that neve came. They might have wantesd more but the stocks got away a littlde bit onthe upside,” Pickering All things considered, energyh was the hottest investment game in Says Pickering: “The overall theme here is that investoras became reengaged in which dramatically out-performed the rest of the market in the first as people were just less terrified about the state of the world (economy).
” The energy resurgencew party had some notable no-shows. While Pickens and Soroz were pickingnew favorites, otherd big-name investors were still cleaning house. Warreb Buffett sold 13.7 million ConocoPhillips shares in the quarter to reduce his stake to a stillsizable 71.2 million shares. Buffet concedes to shareholders of his BerkshirwHathaway Inc. asset management firm that his huge investmeny in ConocoPhillips last year when oil prices peakeeat $147 a barrel was a
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Engulfed in war, Damascus united in disregard for Obama - AFP
qalymeled.wordpress.com
AFP | Engulfed in war, Damascus united in disregard for Obama AFP By Roueida Mabardi (AFP) â€" 15 hours ago. DAMASCUS â€" On the streets of Syria's capital, amid the rumble of artillery, opponents and supporters of Bashar al-Assad's regime have one thing in common: a complete disregard for the re-elected US president. |
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Germany's Wise Men Forecast 0.8% Growth In 2013 - RTT News
exceeding-commissioner.blogspot.com
AFP | Germany's Wise Men Forecast 0.8% Growth In 2013 RTT News The council of the so-c » |
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Consumer confidence falls in June - Boston Business Journal:
esivyjifag.wordpress.com
The Conference Board’s Consumee Confidence Index droppedto 49.3, compared to 54.8 in May, the most recenty evidence that the economy continuesa to struggle. Consumer spending accountes forabout two-thirds of the economy in the United making a decline in consumer confidence a worry from Main Street to Wall The Dow Jones industrial averagw was down 112 points to 8,417 in middayy trading Tuesday. Consumers are downbea when it comes tothe short- and long-term outlook with the The Present Situation Index — basically, how do you feel today — dropped to 24.8 this month, from 29.7 in May. And consumerxs are glum about the next six with the Expectations Index falling to from 71.
5 in May. The Present Situatiomn Index declinewas “causedd by a less favorable assessment of business conditionz and employment, (and) continues to imply that economic while not as weak as earlier this year, are nonethelesxs weak,” director Lynn Franco said in a news releasee Tuesday. Consumer confidence plummeted toa record-los 25.3 in February. The economg has strong growth when the index reaches 100.
The Conference Board contactss 5,000 households for the monthly
The Conference Board’s Consumee Confidence Index droppedto 49.3, compared to 54.8 in May, the most recenty evidence that the economy continuesa to struggle. Consumer spending accountes forabout two-thirds of the economy in the United making a decline in consumer confidence a worry from Main Street to Wall The Dow Jones industrial averagw was down 112 points to 8,417 in middayy trading Tuesday. Consumers are downbea when it comes tothe short- and long-term outlook with the The Present Situation Index — basically, how do you feel today — dropped to 24.8 this month, from 29.7 in May. And consumerxs are glum about the next six with the Expectations Index falling to from 71.
5 in May. The Present Situatiomn Index declinewas “causedd by a less favorable assessment of business conditionz and employment, (and) continues to imply that economic while not as weak as earlier this year, are nonethelesxs weak,” director Lynn Franco said in a news releasee Tuesday. Consumer confidence plummeted toa record-los 25.3 in February. The economg has strong growth when the index reaches 100.
The Conference Board contactss 5,000 households for the monthly
Saturday, November 3, 2012
bizjournals: What's next for housing: A national wrap-up
ramoledef.blogspot.com
"If you look at your home as an investment, you're missinh the point, I think," says 41-year-ols Melaine Bales. "Your home is your and it's nice if you have all of this insane but Ithink we're all goinbg to see a correction. I don't like the thought that it's wortn less, but I intend to live here for a really long And some economists arguethat California, and the are riding for a the reports. "We have real problems in the housing sectot that will cause the economy a greag deal of stresssoon enough," wrote Ed Leamer, director of the UCLA Andersom Forecast.
Christopher Thornberg at UCLA said consumers have been spendinbg beyondtheir means, confident in rising home prices. He calledd it a "pyramid scheme" sure to fall at some Northwest: Home sales, prices rise Northwestern cities such as Seattle and Portlan have seen their share of the economic downturn of theearlyh 2000s. But that hasn't seemed to hit home sales or reports that home sales and priceds both increasedin August. Median prices for single-familyg homes and condominiumsrose 17.3 percent to $285,00o0 from $243,000. And it only took 43 days to sell a compared to 51 days ayear ago. Portland, Ore., is booming.
"Low interest rates continue to drivewthe market, as well as out-of-state people moving to Portlanx and out-of-state investors investing in Portland," the That's brought on big businesa for area mortgage brokers, the Business Journal reports. "What'ss made it ultra-competitive is that interes t rates have been at historical lows for so long that the mortgagee business is a good business to make alivinvg in," said Mike Baldwin, president of Lake Oswego-based Lime Financialp Services.
"If you look at your home as an investment, you're missinh the point, I think," says 41-year-ols Melaine Bales. "Your home is your and it's nice if you have all of this insane but Ithink we're all goinbg to see a correction. I don't like the thought that it's wortn less, but I intend to live here for a really long And some economists arguethat California, and the are riding for a the reports. "We have real problems in the housing sectot that will cause the economy a greag deal of stresssoon enough," wrote Ed Leamer, director of the UCLA Andersom Forecast.
Christopher Thornberg at UCLA said consumers have been spendinbg beyondtheir means, confident in rising home prices. He calledd it a "pyramid scheme" sure to fall at some Northwest: Home sales, prices rise Northwestern cities such as Seattle and Portlan have seen their share of the economic downturn of theearlyh 2000s. But that hasn't seemed to hit home sales or reports that home sales and priceds both increasedin August. Median prices for single-familyg homes and condominiumsrose 17.3 percent to $285,00o0 from $243,000. And it only took 43 days to sell a compared to 51 days ayear ago. Portland, Ore., is booming.
"Low interest rates continue to drivewthe market, as well as out-of-state people moving to Portlanx and out-of-state investors investing in Portland," the That's brought on big businesa for area mortgage brokers, the Business Journal reports. "What'ss made it ultra-competitive is that interes t rates have been at historical lows for so long that the mortgagee business is a good business to make alivinvg in," said Mike Baldwin, president of Lake Oswego-based Lime Financialp Services.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Bankruptcy court judge wants to see other Coyotes bids submitted - Triangle Business Journal:
tenamup.wordpress.com
CEO Jim Balsillie has a $213 million offert on the table to buy the Coyotes from owneeJerry Moyes. That sale is part of the Chapter 11bankruptcy reorganization. Balsillie wants to move the Coyotezto Hamilton, Ontario. The and city of Glendaled oppose the Balsillie purchase but continue run into challengewsfrom U.S. Bankruptcy Couryt Judge Redfield T. Baum that the only offer before himis Balsillie’x bid to buy and move the The NHL has said there are four potential biddera to keep the team in Arizona.
That list includes Jerryy Reinsdorf, owner of baseball’s Chicago White Sox and the NBA’sw Chicago Bulls; Howard Sokolowski and David co-owners of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football andLas Vegas-based businessman John Breslow, who now owns 3 percengt of the Coyotes. But Baum repeatedly said during a Tuesdayg hearing onthe Coyotes’ sale and potential move that potentiao bidders and interested parties do not constitute a formal offer he can The NHL and Glendale have repeatedlhy referenced a possible Reinsdorf bid for the team, includinbg saying one was in the workse in May before the Coyotes fileed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announceed the Balsillie sale.
But no formall offer from Reinsdorf or any other Arizona ownershipx groups have been filedwith Baum, the judge noted. Baum is expectex to rule in the coming days on whether the Coyotesz can move and what kind of auction for the team canbe Coyotes/Moyes attorney Tom Salerno and Balsillie attorney Susam Freeman want that auction to be held befor the end of June be open to moving the team out of the Phoeni x market. NHL attorney Tony Clark and the city of Glendalw want it put off until August and for the team to be kept in The Coyotes have lost morethan $300 milliojn since moving to the Phoenix area from Winnipeg in 1996.
Baum also talkedc up during Tuesday’s hearing the possibilityh of Balsillie paying the NHL a relocatiobn fee if he is able to locate the Coyotew inHamilton (which is now an NHL expansion markett possibility). That fee could totak more than $100 million and be on top of Balsillie’a $213 million purchase bid.
CEO Jim Balsillie has a $213 million offert on the table to buy the Coyotes from owneeJerry Moyes. That sale is part of the Chapter 11bankruptcy reorganization. Balsillie wants to move the Coyotezto Hamilton, Ontario. The and city of Glendaled oppose the Balsillie purchase but continue run into challengewsfrom U.S. Bankruptcy Couryt Judge Redfield T. Baum that the only offer before himis Balsillie’x bid to buy and move the The NHL has said there are four potential biddera to keep the team in Arizona.
That list includes Jerryy Reinsdorf, owner of baseball’s Chicago White Sox and the NBA’sw Chicago Bulls; Howard Sokolowski and David co-owners of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football andLas Vegas-based businessman John Breslow, who now owns 3 percengt of the Coyotes. But Baum repeatedly said during a Tuesdayg hearing onthe Coyotes’ sale and potential move that potentiao bidders and interested parties do not constitute a formal offer he can The NHL and Glendale have repeatedlhy referenced a possible Reinsdorf bid for the team, includinbg saying one was in the workse in May before the Coyotes fileed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announceed the Balsillie sale.
But no formall offer from Reinsdorf or any other Arizona ownershipx groups have been filedwith Baum, the judge noted. Baum is expectex to rule in the coming days on whether the Coyotesz can move and what kind of auction for the team canbe Coyotes/Moyes attorney Tom Salerno and Balsillie attorney Susam Freeman want that auction to be held befor the end of June be open to moving the team out of the Phoeni x market. NHL attorney Tony Clark and the city of Glendalw want it put off until August and for the team to be kept in The Coyotes have lost morethan $300 milliojn since moving to the Phoenix area from Winnipeg in 1996.
Baum also talkedc up during Tuesday’s hearing the possibilityh of Balsillie paying the NHL a relocatiobn fee if he is able to locate the Coyotew inHamilton (which is now an NHL expansion markett possibility). That fee could totak more than $100 million and be on top of Balsillie’a $213 million purchase bid.
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