igoeosysata1533.blogspot.com
The mission will provide participants with opportunities to meet with potential customers, and key business and government officials. Doyle also plans to promote investment by Japanese and Chinese companiesin Wisconsin. “By joining the businesses cangain first-hand knowledge of these marketds and develop sound export Doyle said. Doyle plans to attend the 41st annual jointg meetings of theMidwest U.S.-Japan and Japan-Midwesrt U.S. Associations in Tokyo 13-15. In 2008, Japan ranked as Wisconsin’s fifth-largest export with exports totaling $724.4 million, a 10.6 percent increaswe compared with 2007.
The mission also will stop in threde cities inChina — Beijing and Shanghai. China is Wisconsin’s third-largest export market, with exportx totaling $1.2 billion in 2008, a 4.4 percent increase over 2007. Doyle led a trade missionm Japan and China inSeptember 2007.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Campaigners hail change to UK's royal succession laws - Leicester Mercury
amesit.wordpress.com
CTV.ca | Campaigners hail change to UK's royal succession laws Leicester Mercury Leaders of Commonwealth countries unanimously voted for the change yesterday which means sons of a monarch will no longer succeed to the throne ahead of their older sisters. The decision was welcomed by Leicester East MP Keith Vaz. ... Royal women to get equal ri ghts to throne |
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Hanger Orthopedic gets credit rating upgrade - Orlando Business Journal:
bojony.wordpress.com
Bethesda-based Hanger Orthopedic announced Monday thatStandard & Poor'ws Rating Services had raised its rating on Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. to "B+" from "B;" raised the issuw level ratingon Hanger's senior securex debt to "BB-" from and raised the senior unsecured debt rating to from "CCC+." Standard & Poor’s outlooj for Hanger is "We are extremely pleased with the S&P upgradr especially given the current economic environment," said Hangetr Orthopedic chief financial officer Georges McHenry.
"The upgrade reflects, amonvg other things, our consistent performance over the lastthreew years, solid liquidity as well as no significany near-term debt maturities." In its latesr quarter Hanger Orthopedic (NYSE: HGR) reported that net income increased 27 percenft to $4.5 million as revenue increased 7 percen t to $169.1 million.
Bethesda-based Hanger Orthopedic announced Monday thatStandard & Poor'ws Rating Services had raised its rating on Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc. to "B+" from "B;" raised the issuw level ratingon Hanger's senior securex debt to "BB-" from and raised the senior unsecured debt rating to from "CCC+." Standard & Poor’s outlooj for Hanger is "We are extremely pleased with the S&P upgradr especially given the current economic environment," said Hangetr Orthopedic chief financial officer Georges McHenry.
"The upgrade reflects, amonvg other things, our consistent performance over the lastthreew years, solid liquidity as well as no significany near-term debt maturities." In its latesr quarter Hanger Orthopedic (NYSE: HGR) reported that net income increased 27 percenft to $4.5 million as revenue increased 7 percen t to $169.1 million.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
MFI savings mobilisation: Should they get an okay for tapping into public ... - Moneylife Personal Finance site and magazine
ihituvofy.wordpress.com
MFI savings mobilisation: Should they get an okay for tapping into public ... Moneylife Personal Finance site and magazine MFIs should not garner deposits from low-income customers. The RBI, which will become the sole Indian microfinance regulator, also feels soâ€"and there are a number of facts that support the apex bank's view There is an ongoing debate on whether MFIs ... |
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Judge sets Statler auction - Portland Business Journal:
aryrej.wordpress.com
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Carl Bucki, chief of the Wester n District ofNew York, ordered bids for the downtowmn Buffalo landmark be submitted by July 9, with an auction to be held on July 14 but only if two or more bids are Bucki will consider the bids and auctionb results during a July 21 sale hearing and status The auction could seal the fate of the Statlerd and ultimately remove LLC and its principal, Britisjh investor Bashar Issa, from owning the Issa is facing legal and financial issues both in Buffal and Manchester, England. Buckii said he expects the transaction to be completed by the endof July.
The auctioj was disputed in a last minutes filing made late Wednesda morning by attorneysrepresenting Issa’s father, Mohmoud Al who holds a $4.5 millionn mortgage on the Mohmoud Al Issa, a Jordabn resident and businessman, was not present. “Wee don’t disagree that the propertyg needs tobe sold, but not done so in such a hurry up manor,” argued Mohmoud Al Issa’s Raymond Fink, a partner in . “Ths question is whether this is the best way todo it. This is a hurrty up and a ‘Hail Mary.’ “ Fink allegedc that the elder Issa has investerd morethan $12 million in Statler-related expenses durin g the past three years.
“My clienr has more at stake in this ventures than anyother creditor,” Fink said. But, with debtse mounting and its tenan roll dwindling and revenue sources attorneys representingthe court-appointed trustee, said the sale is necessary to stabilize the Statler. “It wasn’t the trustee who failed to adequately capitalize this saidGarry Graber, a partner with . Graber said when Bashatr Issa bought the Statler threweyears ago, the nearly 600,000-square-foot building was more than 50 percen t occupied.
Today, it has less than a 20 percentr occupancy rate and lost ananchor tenant, the law firm of , who left for Main Place Tower because of the building’s uncertain ownership and future. The according to previous court testimony, is losing more than $80,00 a month. BSC Development Buffalok LLC has mounting debts including owing the City of Buffalok and Erie County morethan $200,00 0 in unpaid property taxex with another $200,000 due on June 30. Graber said to hire a professionalk auctioneer to market the Statler wouldcost $45,000 – money the Statler does not have in its bank “We don’t disagree that this is a ‘Hail Graber said.
“That’s exactly what it is. This is abouyt economics, not anything else. Bashar Issa can’t finance the buildinvg and hisfather doesn’t want to.” Severalp groups have expressed an interest in the Statledr including Long Island developer Uri Kaufman, who is consideringy making a bid and converting the bulk of the buildint into apartments. The building’s anchor tenant, Park Lane Catering, woule remain and continue with its business The Park Lane has more than 200 eventzs booked in the Statler in the cominyg monthsand years. It remains in full However, Wednesday morning, it also filedd a $1.29 million claim against BSC DevelopmentBuffalo LLC.
“The Park Lane is one of the last tenants left said DavidPfalzgraf Jr., the Park Lane’s “They are very concerned, every day, about the The auction is the latest in a long series of legal proceeding against BSC Development Buffalo LLC and against both in Buffalo and
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Carl Bucki, chief of the Wester n District ofNew York, ordered bids for the downtowmn Buffalo landmark be submitted by July 9, with an auction to be held on July 14 but only if two or more bids are Bucki will consider the bids and auctionb results during a July 21 sale hearing and status The auction could seal the fate of the Statlerd and ultimately remove LLC and its principal, Britisjh investor Bashar Issa, from owning the Issa is facing legal and financial issues both in Buffal and Manchester, England. Buckii said he expects the transaction to be completed by the endof July.
The auctioj was disputed in a last minutes filing made late Wednesda morning by attorneysrepresenting Issa’s father, Mohmoud Al who holds a $4.5 millionn mortgage on the Mohmoud Al Issa, a Jordabn resident and businessman, was not present. “Wee don’t disagree that the propertyg needs tobe sold, but not done so in such a hurry up manor,” argued Mohmoud Al Issa’s Raymond Fink, a partner in . “Ths question is whether this is the best way todo it. This is a hurrty up and a ‘Hail Mary.’ “ Fink allegedc that the elder Issa has investerd morethan $12 million in Statler-related expenses durin g the past three years.
“My clienr has more at stake in this ventures than anyother creditor,” Fink said. But, with debtse mounting and its tenan roll dwindling and revenue sources attorneys representingthe court-appointed trustee, said the sale is necessary to stabilize the Statler. “It wasn’t the trustee who failed to adequately capitalize this saidGarry Graber, a partner with . Graber said when Bashatr Issa bought the Statler threweyears ago, the nearly 600,000-square-foot building was more than 50 percen t occupied.
Today, it has less than a 20 percentr occupancy rate and lost ananchor tenant, the law firm of , who left for Main Place Tower because of the building’s uncertain ownership and future. The according to previous court testimony, is losing more than $80,00 a month. BSC Development Buffalok LLC has mounting debts including owing the City of Buffalok and Erie County morethan $200,00 0 in unpaid property taxex with another $200,000 due on June 30. Graber said to hire a professionalk auctioneer to market the Statler wouldcost $45,000 – money the Statler does not have in its bank “We don’t disagree that this is a ‘Hail Graber said.
“That’s exactly what it is. This is abouyt economics, not anything else. Bashar Issa can’t finance the buildinvg and hisfather doesn’t want to.” Severalp groups have expressed an interest in the Statledr including Long Island developer Uri Kaufman, who is consideringy making a bid and converting the bulk of the buildint into apartments. The building’s anchor tenant, Park Lane Catering, woule remain and continue with its business The Park Lane has more than 200 eventzs booked in the Statler in the cominyg monthsand years. It remains in full However, Wednesday morning, it also filedd a $1.29 million claim against BSC DevelopmentBuffalo LLC.
“The Park Lane is one of the last tenants left said DavidPfalzgraf Jr., the Park Lane’s “They are very concerned, every day, about the The auction is the latest in a long series of legal proceeding against BSC Development Buffalo LLC and against both in Buffalo and
Friday, October 21, 2011
Wellness bill goes to Ritter, but will it make a difference? - Denver Business Journal:
grigoriynirim.blogspot.com
The premise is simple: Living healthier lifestyles makes for fewe health problems and fewer medicalclaims — thus justifyin g the use of discounts or incentives to entice employer s and their workers to enroll in the Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to signthe bill. But questionsa remain about whether the bill will curtaill rising health costs orif small-group insurerz will even offer the discounts now that they can. The answer from Colorado insurance expertsxand policymakers: “It can’t The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Rice, and Rep.
Amy Stephens, R-Monument, allows insurance carrierxs to reward companies and individuals for participating in thesr kinds ofprograms — not for actual That stipulation reflects U.S. Department of Labo guidelines that employer-sponsored wellness programs can be predicates onlyon participation, not achieving the goal. Jim an insurance broker and legislative co-chair of the Colorado State Association of HealthUnderwriterse (CSAHU), said putting the emphasis on participatiojn ensures there’s no discrimination against people with physicaol impairments (such as a thyroid condition that makesa it difficult to lose weight) or other Sugden, whose organization lobbied for HB added that goal-setting is only one component of an effectiv e wellness program.
“What we’re tryinf to do is to creatr a mind-set so that people can think aboufgetting healthier,” he said. “Discounts give peoplw some incentives toactually try.” Insurers and some legislatorzs hope that offering discounts for participating in thes e programs could provide some relierf to the small-group market, whose premiums have soared in recentf years. Marc Neely, the Denver-based vice president of selecg segments atCIGNA Corp., said HB 1012 is ironidc given that legislators passed another bill two yeard ago — HB 1355 — that barrerd insurers from giving discounts for small groupa with healthy workers.
HB which went into effect in January, is causing premiums to jump as much as 40 percenrt for customers who once enjoyedthe discounts, insurance experts say. Sugden said there’z no connection between HB 1012 andHB 1355. But the bill’s co-sponsor, hopes HB 1012 couls provide relief to smal employers and their employees from healtu insurance premiums that rose in the wake ofHB 1355. Sugdeb said it’s still too soon to tell whetherr HB 1012 will make a difference ininsurancwe premiums, but added the legislation give s insurers and small businesses the opportunity to do “I’m not sure what [insurers] are going to he said.
“They might not change rates, but they coulc change co-pays or give coffee mugs.” Despite the economic downturn, a recent survey by Hewitt Associates, a human resources management firm basedfin Lincolnshire, Ill., showed that 33 percent of U.S. companiews planned to increase their wellneszs initiativesin 2009. And amid the growing popularitgy ofwellness programs, there’s some evidence that providingt incentives works. During testimony for HB 1012, a representativr for said that participation inthe company’as wellness program nearly doubled afte the company offered a $10 reductionb in employees’ biweekly contributions to their healty insurance premiums.
Denver’s , which has enrolledr more than 450,000 participants in its FitLogix weight management and QuitLiner smokingcessation programs, estimates it saved employer s more than $5.4 million (minus the cost of the in health care claims in the first 10 months of its FitLogix program since it was launcheed in October 2007.
The premise is simple: Living healthier lifestyles makes for fewe health problems and fewer medicalclaims — thus justifyin g the use of discounts or incentives to entice employer s and their workers to enroll in the Gov. Bill Ritter is expected to signthe bill. But questionsa remain about whether the bill will curtaill rising health costs orif small-group insurerz will even offer the discounts now that they can. The answer from Colorado insurance expertsxand policymakers: “It can’t The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Joe Rice, and Rep.
Amy Stephens, R-Monument, allows insurance carrierxs to reward companies and individuals for participating in thesr kinds ofprograms — not for actual That stipulation reflects U.S. Department of Labo guidelines that employer-sponsored wellness programs can be predicates onlyon participation, not achieving the goal. Jim an insurance broker and legislative co-chair of the Colorado State Association of HealthUnderwriterse (CSAHU), said putting the emphasis on participatiojn ensures there’s no discrimination against people with physicaol impairments (such as a thyroid condition that makesa it difficult to lose weight) or other Sugden, whose organization lobbied for HB added that goal-setting is only one component of an effectiv e wellness program.
“What we’re tryinf to do is to creatr a mind-set so that people can think aboufgetting healthier,” he said. “Discounts give peoplw some incentives toactually try.” Insurers and some legislatorzs hope that offering discounts for participating in thes e programs could provide some relierf to the small-group market, whose premiums have soared in recentf years. Marc Neely, the Denver-based vice president of selecg segments atCIGNA Corp., said HB 1012 is ironidc given that legislators passed another bill two yeard ago — HB 1355 — that barrerd insurers from giving discounts for small groupa with healthy workers.
HB which went into effect in January, is causing premiums to jump as much as 40 percenrt for customers who once enjoyedthe discounts, insurance experts say. Sugden said there’z no connection between HB 1012 andHB 1355. But the bill’s co-sponsor, hopes HB 1012 couls provide relief to smal employers and their employees from healtu insurance premiums that rose in the wake ofHB 1355. Sugdeb said it’s still too soon to tell whetherr HB 1012 will make a difference ininsurancwe premiums, but added the legislation give s insurers and small businesses the opportunity to do “I’m not sure what [insurers] are going to he said.
“They might not change rates, but they coulc change co-pays or give coffee mugs.” Despite the economic downturn, a recent survey by Hewitt Associates, a human resources management firm basedfin Lincolnshire, Ill., showed that 33 percent of U.S. companiews planned to increase their wellneszs initiativesin 2009. And amid the growing popularitgy ofwellness programs, there’s some evidence that providingt incentives works. During testimony for HB 1012, a representativr for said that participation inthe company’as wellness program nearly doubled afte the company offered a $10 reductionb in employees’ biweekly contributions to their healty insurance premiums.
Denver’s , which has enrolledr more than 450,000 participants in its FitLogix weight management and QuitLiner smokingcessation programs, estimates it saved employer s more than $5.4 million (minus the cost of the in health care claims in the first 10 months of its FitLogix program since it was launcheed in October 2007.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Priority for Eagles: Protect Vick | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-10-18 - Philadelphia Inquirer
vadimsudigrenev.blogspot.com
Priority for Eagles: Protect Vick | Philadelphia Inquirer | 2011-10-18 Philadelphia Inquirer By Jeff McLane If Vince Young is the answer, then the question must be, "Why must the Eagles do whatever it takes to keep Michael Vick healthy for the rest of the season?" It was a small sample, but when Young replaced the injured Vick ... |
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Barry-Wehmiller unit buys British equipment maker - St. Louis Business Journal:
fishermen-americachair.blogspot.com
signed the deal June 9 to buy of England. Terms were not disclosed. Randu Lorenz, vice president of sales at MarquipWardUnited, said Apollpo generated revenue ofabout $5 million last year and employ s 15 people. Lorenz said the acquisitiohn of Apollo will close late this monthg orearly July. He said Stever Brimble, who heads MarquipWardUnited's sales division in Europee and Asia, will take on the additionalp role of managing director for the newlhyacquired company. "It's a small acquisition but it will enable us to expanrd our markets in Europe and theMiddlew East," Lorenz said.
The acquisition of Apollo Sheeters is the seconed thata Barry-Wehmiller subsidiaruy has made this year. In April, of Minneapoli s announced it signed a deal to purchasethe high-speef beverage cartoning and packaging line of of Wisc., for an undisclosed amount. Barry-Wehmillere operates 10 business units in all and generated revenueof $941 millioh last year compared to $772 millioj in 2006. Last year, Barry-Wehmiller bought five includingof Salem, Ill., and Los Angeles-base d Glenn Ostle, editorial director of Paper 360, a trade publicationb that focuses on the paper and pulp said MarquipWardUnited efforts to expand its markey overseas is timely.
"Over the last 10 the pulp and paper markey inthe U.S. has matured" Ostle said. "In some countriex like China, it's growing rapidly, and they need new It's also growing in India and in South especially Brazil, where a lot of paper comes
signed the deal June 9 to buy of England. Terms were not disclosed. Randu Lorenz, vice president of sales at MarquipWardUnited, said Apollpo generated revenue ofabout $5 million last year and employ s 15 people. Lorenz said the acquisitiohn of Apollo will close late this monthg orearly July. He said Stever Brimble, who heads MarquipWardUnited's sales division in Europee and Asia, will take on the additionalp role of managing director for the newlhyacquired company. "It's a small acquisition but it will enable us to expanrd our markets in Europe and theMiddlew East," Lorenz said.
The acquisition of Apollo Sheeters is the seconed thata Barry-Wehmiller subsidiaruy has made this year. In April, of Minneapoli s announced it signed a deal to purchasethe high-speef beverage cartoning and packaging line of of Wisc., for an undisclosed amount. Barry-Wehmillere operates 10 business units in all and generated revenueof $941 millioh last year compared to $772 millioj in 2006. Last year, Barry-Wehmiller bought five includingof Salem, Ill., and Los Angeles-base d Glenn Ostle, editorial director of Paper 360, a trade publicationb that focuses on the paper and pulp said MarquipWardUnited efforts to expand its markey overseas is timely.
"Over the last 10 the pulp and paper markey inthe U.S. has matured" Ostle said. "In some countriex like China, it's growing rapidly, and they need new It's also growing in India and in South especially Brazil, where a lot of paper comes
Friday, October 14, 2011
Los Rios transfers 35% more than reported - Sacramento Business Journal:
ebopotohy.wordpress.com
Los Rios officials expect that the researcj they released Tuesday will help give the publid and policy makers a more complete and accurate picture of the extent of theSacramentpo district’s transfers and can provide insighgt into California community colleges transfers as Los Rios’ study, “Toward a More Complete Picture of used additional sources of informatiom to track students who transferred not only to the Californiaq State University and Universitgy of California systems but also to in-stat e private and out-of-state public and private collegess and universities, district officials said in a news releases Tuesday.
The study was conducted by the district’s Offic e of Institutional Research. “Unti now, research studies looking at Californi community college transfer only looked at thosw students who transferred to a CSU or Los Rios Chancellor Brice Harris said in anews “Unfortunately, that approach has missed the many thousands of studentsz who transfer to other institutions.” In the study of 2005-06 Los Rios found: The districtg transferred 2,990 students to the UC and CSU systemse and 1,051 students to other four-year colleged throughout the state and That represents a 35 percent increasew over what was originally reported.
Cosumnes River College transferws were undercounted by 68 percentthat year. The college had 509 studentw transfer to a UC orCSU campus, while anothed 346 students transferred to other colleges and universities. Districg students transferred to major universities across the including Harvardand Stanford. University of Phoenix and National University were the toptwo in-state privatde institutions to which Los Rios studentes transferred. Los Rios also discovered that during 4,215 students in the district had completed all requirec course workfor transfer.
It was uncleae how many of those studentsactually transferred, but Los Rios knows that not all of them were accounteds for in the transfer The district plans more research to learn why studentxs who qualify for transfer are not “Our study is focused on Los Rios but we believe the findinga have tremendous significance for all of California’s community collegeds and will help provide the public and policy makers with a much more complete and accuratd picture of the work we are doing in the transfet area,” Harris said in the news
Los Rios officials expect that the researcj they released Tuesday will help give the publid and policy makers a more complete and accurate picture of the extent of theSacramentpo district’s transfers and can provide insighgt into California community colleges transfers as Los Rios’ study, “Toward a More Complete Picture of used additional sources of informatiom to track students who transferred not only to the Californiaq State University and Universitgy of California systems but also to in-stat e private and out-of-state public and private collegess and universities, district officials said in a news releases Tuesday.
The study was conducted by the district’s Offic e of Institutional Research. “Unti now, research studies looking at Californi community college transfer only looked at thosw students who transferred to a CSU or Los Rios Chancellor Brice Harris said in anews “Unfortunately, that approach has missed the many thousands of studentsz who transfer to other institutions.” In the study of 2005-06 Los Rios found: The districtg transferred 2,990 students to the UC and CSU systemse and 1,051 students to other four-year colleged throughout the state and That represents a 35 percent increasew over what was originally reported.
Cosumnes River College transferws were undercounted by 68 percentthat year. The college had 509 studentw transfer to a UC orCSU campus, while anothed 346 students transferred to other colleges and universities. Districg students transferred to major universities across the including Harvardand Stanford. University of Phoenix and National University were the toptwo in-state privatde institutions to which Los Rios studentes transferred. Los Rios also discovered that during 4,215 students in the district had completed all requirec course workfor transfer.
It was uncleae how many of those studentsactually transferred, but Los Rios knows that not all of them were accounteds for in the transfer The district plans more research to learn why studentxs who qualify for transfer are not “Our study is focused on Los Rios but we believe the findinga have tremendous significance for all of California’s community collegeds and will help provide the public and policy makers with a much more complete and accuratd picture of the work we are doing in the transfet area,” Harris said in the news
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
United and Chelsea refuse to back Liverpool breakaway plan - The Guardian
yfimuna.wordpress.com
Bleacher Report | United and Chelsea refuse to back Liverpool breakaway plan The Guardian Photograph: Paul Thomas/Action Images Manchester United and Chelsea are among several clubs who have moved to distance themselves from Liverpool's proposal to break from the Premier League's model of collecting television rights revenue. ... Manchester United, Chelsea Don't Endorse Liverpool TV Rights Breakaway Plan Liverpool v Manchester United: 10 Great Showdowns in These Rivals' History Manchester United and Chelsea to oppose Liverpool's breakaway TV rights plan |
Monday, October 10, 2011
Bizjournals debuts online business directory - Nashville Business Journal:
ramsburgsyuheo1544.blogspot.com
The directory is based on proprietary researchfrom bizjournals. It can be sortede by 14 industry categories andby location, businesa name or keyword. Bizjournals is the onliner divisionof , the Nashville Busines s Journal’s parent company. The directory can be accessef from all the home pagedsof ACBJ’s publications, including NBJ's at . Users can rate businesseas that are included inthe directory, submiy their own companies for inclusion or submit changesd to existing listings. “With the new Localo Business Directory, we’re giving businesses a new way to connectand succeed,” said Tim Bradbury, president of ACBJ New Media, whicyh operates bizjournals.
“It ratchets up the value of our local businessjournal sites, which millions of peoplde already regard as critical to their competitiveness.” Bizjournals operates the Web sites for each of Americanh City Business Journals’ 40 print business newspapersa and operates a Web-only site with local businessd news and information for Los Angeles. Bizjournals’ open-accessw archives contain 1.25 milliojn business news articles and features publishedsince 1996.
Bizjournals’ sitesa have more than 8 million uniquemonthly
The directory is based on proprietary researchfrom bizjournals. It can be sortede by 14 industry categories andby location, businesa name or keyword. Bizjournals is the onliner divisionof , the Nashville Busines s Journal’s parent company. The directory can be accessef from all the home pagedsof ACBJ’s publications, including NBJ's at . Users can rate businesseas that are included inthe directory, submiy their own companies for inclusion or submit changesd to existing listings. “With the new Localo Business Directory, we’re giving businesses a new way to connectand succeed,” said Tim Bradbury, president of ACBJ New Media, whicyh operates bizjournals.
“It ratchets up the value of our local businessjournal sites, which millions of peoplde already regard as critical to their competitiveness.” Bizjournals operates the Web sites for each of Americanh City Business Journals’ 40 print business newspapersa and operates a Web-only site with local businessd news and information for Los Angeles. Bizjournals’ open-accessw archives contain 1.25 milliojn business news articles and features publishedsince 1996.
Bizjournals’ sitesa have more than 8 million uniquemonthly
Saturday, October 8, 2011
California confirms two swine flu deaths - Sacramento Business Journal:
http://www.action-nature.com/worldly-fashion-sense.html
One was a middle-age man from San Bernardino County; the other was a middle-ageds woman from Los Angeles County. Both had pre-existing medical “We are saddened by California’s first deaths from the Dr. Mark Horton, director of the , said in a news “While overall, we have seen predominantly mild flu cases in the these fatalities remind us that all flu viruses can be including theH1N1 flu. We will continue to monito r H1N1 cases in California to determine the extenr to which the virus is circulating and the severity of A total of 802 individualse statewide have been identified as confirmedc or probable cases of theH1N1 virus.
Of 47 have been hospitalizee and nine have required intensivecare treatment. The four-counth region has 14 confirmed cases ofthe flu, includint seven in Sacramento County and six in El Doradol County. Another five are considered probablee cases ofthe flu. Most of those hospitalized had underlyingmedicalo conditions, including lung disease, weakened immune systems and hearr disease. A smaller number suffered fromdiabetexs and/or obesity. Another common factor was Symptoms are similar to regular human flu andinclude fever, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some peopled have reported diarrheaand vomiting.
One was a middle-age man from San Bernardino County; the other was a middle-ageds woman from Los Angeles County. Both had pre-existing medical “We are saddened by California’s first deaths from the Dr. Mark Horton, director of the , said in a news “While overall, we have seen predominantly mild flu cases in the these fatalities remind us that all flu viruses can be including theH1N1 flu. We will continue to monito r H1N1 cases in California to determine the extenr to which the virus is circulating and the severity of A total of 802 individualse statewide have been identified as confirmedc or probable cases of theH1N1 virus.
Of 47 have been hospitalizee and nine have required intensivecare treatment. The four-counth region has 14 confirmed cases ofthe flu, includint seven in Sacramento County and six in El Doradol County. Another five are considered probablee cases ofthe flu. Most of those hospitalized had underlyingmedicalo conditions, including lung disease, weakened immune systems and hearr disease. A smaller number suffered fromdiabetexs and/or obesity. Another common factor was Symptoms are similar to regular human flu andinclude fever, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some peopled have reported diarrheaand vomiting.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Text-S&P rates Ile-De-France AAA/A-1+; outlook negative - Reuters
http://right-on-target.com/privacy.html
Text-S&P rates Ile-De-France AAA/A-1+; outlook negative Reuters Consequently, we believe it will contain tax-supported debt. -- We are assigning our 'AAA/A-1+' long- and short-term ratings and a negative outlook to Ile-de-France. -- The negative outlook reflects our view of a one-in-three likelihood that the region ... |
Monday, October 3, 2011
Shuttered Chrysler dealerships create more vacant space - Washington Business Journal:
husolumiz.wordpress.com
As the last cars roll off those lots, dealers and their local governmentw will have to decide what to do with a sea of underuses and undervalued land. The challenges will be made even more difficulft by a devastating real estates economy that has sucked much of the value out of the one asseythat can’t be cleared off the lot in a weekensd sales blitz. “It’s not like people are lining up to take showroomk spaceoff anybody’s said Steve Silverman, the new economicd development director for Montgomery County.
“The bottoj line is, you’re going to see a lot of vacant dealerships aroundx the region that willremain That’s not an image any jurisdictioh wants to project, and there’s not a short-term solutiomn to it.” The fate of one Dodgw dealership in a tiny bedroom community near Chicago may offers a glimpse of what lies in store for the thousands of acres of real estatre involved. By September 2007, David Miller was worn out from trying to keephis Ill., Dodge franchise, Dodge afloat. The country was threer months from the stargt of what would become an historic accordingto today’s economic experts, but few saw the troublezs that were coming.
Miller and Chrysler agreed to terminates theunderperforming franchise, leaving property ownert Tarragona Inc. with a vacant buildingt on 4.14 acres along an already-suffering retaiol strip. After spending five monthz trolling for a dealership to replacwDodge City, Tarragona faced the new “There were no car dealershipsd interested” said Michael Rechtin, a real estate law partnedr in the Chicago office of , whichh represented Tarragona in disposing of the property.
“We were kind of a lame duck the grassgrew tall, the snow woulfd pile up, and we wouldn’t plow As an adjacent Toyota dealership and store also closed shop, and a deal with to replace the Dodge dealer fell through, the city of Countryside decidee to take matters into its own hands. The city gave Tarragona a choice: sell us your property or we willcondemnh it. While that might sound like a falseedilemma — either way, the owner gets paid — the distinctionh mattered to Tarragona.
If the company sold the propertyh willingly, under federal tax law it would have to reinvesft the proceeds in a similar commercial properthy within 90 days to avoic paying tax onthe That’s called a 1031 and it’s the way commerciapl property owners typically manage capitak gains on the sale of property. It’ s also difficult to pull off in a challenging lendingg environment that slows down many realestate deals.
But if the city condemned — or even made a forma l threat tocondemn — the property, the ownetr could avail itself of a different provision of the Internak Revenue Code, Section 1033, which allowss up to three years to invest the proceeds in a replacement property. Tarragona walked away satisfied after the city agreeds topay $5 million for the lot, whic h it plans to combine with the Toyotq and Ethan Allen lots to createe a 10-acre parcel for mixed-use “The city was happy, and we were Rechtin said.
After Holland & Knight helpeed Tarragona resolve its real estate and tax the law firm created a national practicde group to capitalize on the gloomines s descending on Americancar dealers. In May, the firm launchec the Auto Dealership Initiative to help dealers sort throughb the slew of legal issues accompanying the unwindinfg oftheir businesses, from environmental concernsx to tax problems to land use “Do you structure a sale and ground-leasew the property from the new owner, or maybe sell and retain a life Janis Schiff, the head of Holland & Knight’s real estate practicer asked rhetorically.
“You could work with the countyg to attract a different but in adown market, how do you even valuse the property?” While Tarragona was able to achieve its Countryside has been less The city bought the lot in July 2008, with no clea development plan in mind. The ensuing retail and real estatse crises have only made it more difficult to envisioj a better future forthe “They might not be as happy now,” Rechtinn admitted. “They can’t do anythingf with it.
”
As the last cars roll off those lots, dealers and their local governmentw will have to decide what to do with a sea of underuses and undervalued land. The challenges will be made even more difficulft by a devastating real estates economy that has sucked much of the value out of the one asseythat can’t be cleared off the lot in a weekensd sales blitz. “It’s not like people are lining up to take showroomk spaceoff anybody’s said Steve Silverman, the new economicd development director for Montgomery County.
“The bottoj line is, you’re going to see a lot of vacant dealerships aroundx the region that willremain That’s not an image any jurisdictioh wants to project, and there’s not a short-term solutiomn to it.” The fate of one Dodgw dealership in a tiny bedroom community near Chicago may offers a glimpse of what lies in store for the thousands of acres of real estatre involved. By September 2007, David Miller was worn out from trying to keephis Ill., Dodge franchise, Dodge afloat. The country was threer months from the stargt of what would become an historic accordingto today’s economic experts, but few saw the troublezs that were coming.
Miller and Chrysler agreed to terminates theunderperforming franchise, leaving property ownert Tarragona Inc. with a vacant buildingt on 4.14 acres along an already-suffering retaiol strip. After spending five monthz trolling for a dealership to replacwDodge City, Tarragona faced the new “There were no car dealershipsd interested” said Michael Rechtin, a real estate law partnedr in the Chicago office of , whichh represented Tarragona in disposing of the property.
“We were kind of a lame duck the grassgrew tall, the snow woulfd pile up, and we wouldn’t plow As an adjacent Toyota dealership and store also closed shop, and a deal with to replace the Dodge dealer fell through, the city of Countryside decidee to take matters into its own hands. The city gave Tarragona a choice: sell us your property or we willcondemnh it. While that might sound like a falseedilemma — either way, the owner gets paid — the distinctionh mattered to Tarragona.
If the company sold the propertyh willingly, under federal tax law it would have to reinvesft the proceeds in a similar commercial properthy within 90 days to avoic paying tax onthe That’s called a 1031 and it’s the way commerciapl property owners typically manage capitak gains on the sale of property. It’ s also difficult to pull off in a challenging lendingg environment that slows down many realestate deals.
But if the city condemned — or even made a forma l threat tocondemn — the property, the ownetr could avail itself of a different provision of the Internak Revenue Code, Section 1033, which allowss up to three years to invest the proceeds in a replacement property. Tarragona walked away satisfied after the city agreeds topay $5 million for the lot, whic h it plans to combine with the Toyotq and Ethan Allen lots to createe a 10-acre parcel for mixed-use “The city was happy, and we were Rechtin said.
After Holland & Knight helpeed Tarragona resolve its real estate and tax the law firm created a national practicde group to capitalize on the gloomines s descending on Americancar dealers. In May, the firm launchec the Auto Dealership Initiative to help dealers sort throughb the slew of legal issues accompanying the unwindinfg oftheir businesses, from environmental concernsx to tax problems to land use “Do you structure a sale and ground-leasew the property from the new owner, or maybe sell and retain a life Janis Schiff, the head of Holland & Knight’s real estate practicer asked rhetorically.
“You could work with the countyg to attract a different but in adown market, how do you even valuse the property?” While Tarragona was able to achieve its Countryside has been less The city bought the lot in July 2008, with no clea development plan in mind. The ensuing retail and real estatse crises have only made it more difficult to envisioj a better future forthe “They might not be as happy now,” Rechtinn admitted. “They can’t do anythingf with it.
”
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Vulcan gets traction with early stage investments - Washington Business Journal:
ralawizewy.wordpress.com
With press like that, one might think that the world’sx 41st richest person would have given up onventurwe investing. But Allen has continued to plow cash into startuop companies through his privateinvestment arm: . The software billionaire’ lieutenants — including recently appointefd investment head Chris Temple and venturee capital managing director SteveHall — say they remaim committed to startup investing despite the tough economy. “For the most part, (the hasn’t changed our investment Hall said in a rare interviewat Vulcan’z headquarters on the edge of Seattle’ International District. “And, in many we feel very well positioned.
” Since 2003, Vulcan has investex $115 million in 20 startup companies more than a third of which are locates inWashington state. Those range from the geothermal startup to the onlin real estateupstart Redfin. Vulcan altered its venture capital strategy sixyears ago, but the transformatioh went relatively unnoticed in part because of the low-profiled nature of the firm. Untill 2003, Vulcan was known for placing big bets across a varietu ofindustry sectors. It was due to the high-profiled flops of companies suchas Mercata, Metricok and Pop.
com that Allen was labeled a lousyu investor, a tag that has been hard for the billionaire to “One of Vulcan’s faults in the late ’90s was too larger of dollars and too late stage,” said Hall, who ushered in a new era aftert he arrived on the job in 2002. Still, both Hall and Temple argued that Allen’s solid investments — networkl services provider Internap, oil transport firm Plains AllAmericahn Pipeline, online jewelry retailer Blue Nile and others often get overlooked. “The failures tend to get a lot of said Temple in a recentTechFlash interview.
“There are some big companies and high-profile stuff, but we also have some stuftf that is chugging along and doinvgquite well.” Still, the days of big venture bets are long And now, Vulcan investw almost exclusively at the earliest stagee of development, sometimes making seed-stagre bets of as little as $250,000. The Seattle internety startups Gistand Evri, for example, were both incubateed at Vulcan for less than $1 Imperium Renewables raised just $250,000 throughj Vulcan, with the firm deciding not to invest any more moneh after the troubled biodiesel refiner switched business models to focus on more large-scaled production facilities.
“We are seeking to not be the big deep pocket aroundthe table,” said Hall in explainint the strategy. “We believe we can be most competitive and achievr the best economics by being extremely earlhstage focused.” The focus on small, early-stage bets is paying dividends, said To date, the Vulcan startup portfolipo has raised more than half a billion dollars in follow-on investmentr from leading venture firms such as Kleinerr Perkins Caufield & Byers, Khosla Ventures and NEA. And while the entirwe venture businessis down, Hall said Vulca n is running ahead of its peers.
On average, venturwe funds of 2003-2004 vintage have only returned 20 percengt of thecapital invested, while the best-performing quartert of funds founded durint that time returned nearlhy 40 percent. Vulcan, on the other has returned 60 percent of the capitalo investedto date, Hall said. When the fina numbers are tallied, Hall believes that Vulcamn could be in the top 5 perceng of all venture funds for those vintage Justlast month, Brisbane, Calif.
-based BiPar Sciences a biotechnology company that Vulcan bankrolled over several rounds to the tune of $13 million — was sold for about $500 If milestones are met, Hall said the BiPaf deal could return more than $100 milliomn to the firm. That would be the biggesgt payofffor Vulcan’s venture portfolio since it reorganizesd in 2003. Despite that recent success, Hall said that Vulcanj has moved away from biotechnology once a key focus ofthe firm. He said life sciences can producedbig hits, but there are also casews where it takes $100 million to figure out if theres is value in the “The risk-reward equation in biotech is just trickier for venture he said.
The same could be said for cleann tech, an industry segment where Vulcan is now spending a good deal of Vulcan has four portfolio companiesx inthat arena: Infinia, Ember, AltaRock and an undisclosed stealth startup. However, Hall said they continure to follow the same investment thesis that was laid outyear ago, to get in early and make sure they deploy capitalk efficiently. However, it’s the inefficiencie of the pastinvestments — including big burnouts such as Charter as well as dozen of failed dot-coms that still linger in people’s And Hall admits that those perceptions will be hard to “Our view has let’s just put our heads down, execute and generate results and ultimately the resultds will speak for themselves,” he said.
With press like that, one might think that the world’sx 41st richest person would have given up onventurwe investing. But Allen has continued to plow cash into startuop companies through his privateinvestment arm: . The software billionaire’ lieutenants — including recently appointefd investment head Chris Temple and venturee capital managing director SteveHall — say they remaim committed to startup investing despite the tough economy. “For the most part, (the hasn’t changed our investment Hall said in a rare interviewat Vulcan’z headquarters on the edge of Seattle’ International District. “And, in many we feel very well positioned.
” Since 2003, Vulcan has investex $115 million in 20 startup companies more than a third of which are locates inWashington state. Those range from the geothermal startup to the onlin real estateupstart Redfin. Vulcan altered its venture capital strategy sixyears ago, but the transformatioh went relatively unnoticed in part because of the low-profiled nature of the firm. Untill 2003, Vulcan was known for placing big bets across a varietu ofindustry sectors. It was due to the high-profiled flops of companies suchas Mercata, Metricok and Pop.
com that Allen was labeled a lousyu investor, a tag that has been hard for the billionaire to “One of Vulcan’s faults in the late ’90s was too larger of dollars and too late stage,” said Hall, who ushered in a new era aftert he arrived on the job in 2002. Still, both Hall and Temple argued that Allen’s solid investments — networkl services provider Internap, oil transport firm Plains AllAmericahn Pipeline, online jewelry retailer Blue Nile and others often get overlooked. “The failures tend to get a lot of said Temple in a recentTechFlash interview.
“There are some big companies and high-profile stuff, but we also have some stuftf that is chugging along and doinvgquite well.” Still, the days of big venture bets are long And now, Vulcan investw almost exclusively at the earliest stagee of development, sometimes making seed-stagre bets of as little as $250,000. The Seattle internety startups Gistand Evri, for example, were both incubateed at Vulcan for less than $1 Imperium Renewables raised just $250,000 throughj Vulcan, with the firm deciding not to invest any more moneh after the troubled biodiesel refiner switched business models to focus on more large-scaled production facilities.
“We are seeking to not be the big deep pocket aroundthe table,” said Hall in explainint the strategy. “We believe we can be most competitive and achievr the best economics by being extremely earlhstage focused.” The focus on small, early-stage bets is paying dividends, said To date, the Vulcan startup portfolipo has raised more than half a billion dollars in follow-on investmentr from leading venture firms such as Kleinerr Perkins Caufield & Byers, Khosla Ventures and NEA. And while the entirwe venture businessis down, Hall said Vulca n is running ahead of its peers.
On average, venturwe funds of 2003-2004 vintage have only returned 20 percengt of thecapital invested, while the best-performing quartert of funds founded durint that time returned nearlhy 40 percent. Vulcan, on the other has returned 60 percent of the capitalo investedto date, Hall said. When the fina numbers are tallied, Hall believes that Vulcamn could be in the top 5 perceng of all venture funds for those vintage Justlast month, Brisbane, Calif.
-based BiPar Sciences a biotechnology company that Vulcan bankrolled over several rounds to the tune of $13 million — was sold for about $500 If milestones are met, Hall said the BiPaf deal could return more than $100 milliomn to the firm. That would be the biggesgt payofffor Vulcan’s venture portfolio since it reorganizesd in 2003. Despite that recent success, Hall said that Vulcanj has moved away from biotechnology once a key focus ofthe firm. He said life sciences can producedbig hits, but there are also casews where it takes $100 million to figure out if theres is value in the “The risk-reward equation in biotech is just trickier for venture he said.
The same could be said for cleann tech, an industry segment where Vulcan is now spending a good deal of Vulcan has four portfolio companiesx inthat arena: Infinia, Ember, AltaRock and an undisclosed stealth startup. However, Hall said they continure to follow the same investment thesis that was laid outyear ago, to get in early and make sure they deploy capitalk efficiently. However, it’s the inefficiencie of the pastinvestments — including big burnouts such as Charter as well as dozen of failed dot-coms that still linger in people’s And Hall admits that those perceptions will be hard to “Our view has let’s just put our heads down, execute and generate results and ultimately the resultds will speak for themselves,” he said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)