batyushkinuxit.blogspot.com
Intrepid Potash, Inc. ("Intrepid," the "Company, " "us," "we," "our") is the largestt producer of muriate ofpotash (MOP, potassiuj chloride or potash) in the Unitedd States and is dedicated to the production and marketinbg of potash and langbeinite (sulfats of potash magnesia), another mineral containing Our revenues are generated exclusively from the sale of potasnh and langbeinite. We market our langbeinitew under the registered name ofTrio
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Don
vilyfijohy.wordpress.com
Good news, but there’sw still a lot of work to be done, and marketing directorss continue to be charged with drivingup sales, profitsz and shareholder value. So how do they accomplish that It’s difficult to increase sales or raise prices duringh economicdown times. So the inevitable happens: they are forcedd to reduce costs and cut what is referred toas “discretionarg spending.” How each manager definez discretionary spending differs, and says a lot aboug how he or she prioritizes those variables that driv customer value (marketing and advertising are usually the first to get the ax).
But, if a managed considers the companyor organization’s brand to be a strategicd weapon or asset that creates a sustainable competitive advantage, he or she will not subjecy the brand to cuts. Instead, the managere will nurture the brand and find ways to continue to make it even duringdown times. Understanc that your brand is the experience you promisweto deliver, which your customers value and have come to expectg from you. So sustaining your brand is not synonymous with high levelaof advertising. Sustaining your brand simplu means that you continueto “keep your and you keep your brand message visible so that you maintaibn brand expectations.
Your focus is now on maintaininfgversus growing. Brand-loyal customers expect certain things from your To cut those things that contribute to the consistent delivery of your bran d could lead tolosing customers. During economicc slowdowns, customers might prioritize moreand differently, allowing fear and uncertainty to affect their decisions. But they stillk make purchases, and they continue responding to brands theyconsider relevant, whoswe core value propositions resonate and whicnh are flexible enough to accommodate any changexs or disturbances to their psyches.
You mighg find that as you temporarily lose some customeres duringa recession, other customers begin to find you as they seek out more valuse for their dollar. Simply during a recession, consumers look harder for value. So whil e consumers do their part, brand managers have to continude doing theirs and stay committed to theire brand and delivering more and more In addition toremaining visible, offert free delivery, loosen payment provide more options or ancillary Increase the reasons for value-sensitive consumers to do businesws with you. I can assure you, your competitor s aren’t just sitting back waiting for the recessionto end.
They are looking for opportunities to both sustain and Brand commitment requires a philosophical commitment to putting 1) the customer, 2) theirf evolving needs, 3) their connection to your company, and 4) reason for believing in what your brand standw for, at the center of your company’ s actions and culture. You still can’t ignoree the economy and its But you can conveya message, withinm the core foundation of your that empathizes with your customers during this difficult Smart companies will use the slowdown to reasseszs and shore up their brandsd in line with changing customer needs, and use it as their guidre to ensure everything they do, with their limite d resources, is focused and So, take time to: 1) Look for opportunities to provide greater value to your customers.
2) Demonstrate that you are in tune with your evolving needs. 3) Stay visible. Your customers don’gt want to feel abandoned and, when the economy cyclea its wayback up, you need them to remembe you. 4) Talk to your Find out how you can help them throug hthese times. 5) Take time to re-educat e your employees on the valued of creating brand loyalty and how it helps to sustaij sales during slowereconomic times. the economic downturn eventually will reversew and those same customers who trusteds you before the downturn will be the same customersw you will count on to grow your business aftetrthe downturn. Don’t lose them at a time when you need each otherrthe most.
Good news, but there’sw still a lot of work to be done, and marketing directorss continue to be charged with drivingup sales, profitsz and shareholder value. So how do they accomplish that It’s difficult to increase sales or raise prices duringh economicdown times. So the inevitable happens: they are forcedd to reduce costs and cut what is referred toas “discretionarg spending.” How each manager definez discretionary spending differs, and says a lot aboug how he or she prioritizes those variables that driv customer value (marketing and advertising are usually the first to get the ax).
But, if a managed considers the companyor organization’s brand to be a strategicd weapon or asset that creates a sustainable competitive advantage, he or she will not subjecy the brand to cuts. Instead, the managere will nurture the brand and find ways to continue to make it even duringdown times. Understanc that your brand is the experience you promisweto deliver, which your customers value and have come to expectg from you. So sustaining your brand is not synonymous with high levelaof advertising. Sustaining your brand simplu means that you continueto “keep your and you keep your brand message visible so that you maintaibn brand expectations.
Your focus is now on maintaininfgversus growing. Brand-loyal customers expect certain things from your To cut those things that contribute to the consistent delivery of your bran d could lead tolosing customers. During economicc slowdowns, customers might prioritize moreand differently, allowing fear and uncertainty to affect their decisions. But they stillk make purchases, and they continue responding to brands theyconsider relevant, whoswe core value propositions resonate and whicnh are flexible enough to accommodate any changexs or disturbances to their psyches.
You mighg find that as you temporarily lose some customeres duringa recession, other customers begin to find you as they seek out more valuse for their dollar. Simply during a recession, consumers look harder for value. So whil e consumers do their part, brand managers have to continude doing theirs and stay committed to theire brand and delivering more and more In addition toremaining visible, offert free delivery, loosen payment provide more options or ancillary Increase the reasons for value-sensitive consumers to do businesws with you. I can assure you, your competitor s aren’t just sitting back waiting for the recessionto end.
They are looking for opportunities to both sustain and Brand commitment requires a philosophical commitment to putting 1) the customer, 2) theirf evolving needs, 3) their connection to your company, and 4) reason for believing in what your brand standw for, at the center of your company’ s actions and culture. You still can’t ignoree the economy and its But you can conveya message, withinm the core foundation of your that empathizes with your customers during this difficult Smart companies will use the slowdown to reasseszs and shore up their brandsd in line with changing customer needs, and use it as their guidre to ensure everything they do, with their limite d resources, is focused and So, take time to: 1) Look for opportunities to provide greater value to your customers.
2) Demonstrate that you are in tune with your evolving needs. 3) Stay visible. Your customers don’gt want to feel abandoned and, when the economy cyclea its wayback up, you need them to remembe you. 4) Talk to your Find out how you can help them throug hthese times. 5) Take time to re-educat e your employees on the valued of creating brand loyalty and how it helps to sustaij sales during slowereconomic times. the economic downturn eventually will reversew and those same customers who trusteds you before the downturn will be the same customersw you will count on to grow your business aftetrthe downturn. Don’t lose them at a time when you need each otherrthe most.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Locally produced children
plesciamipukoa1855.blogspot.com
“Adventure Camp,” produced for and the , has been nominated for Outstanding Children’s Series whiler “Jack Hanna’s Into the produced by Spectrumand , was nominatef for Main Title Design/Title The creative team for “Adventure include Melinda Toporoff, Annette Jim Tapsas and Guy Nickerson as executive producers; Elaine Pugliesew as a supervising producer; Zoe Hodgkinsonm and Jaymee Johnson as producers, and Cyndie Nickerso as a line producer. Also nominater for Outstanding Children’s Serie are “Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman,” “From the Top at Carnegie Hall” and “Postcards from which all air on .
Johnathan Safford is the title designer for “Into the and it was nominated alongside “Bia Kids,” “Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman” and “Sid the Sciencre Kid” on PBS as well as the syndicatec “Bonnie Hunt Show.” This brings the number of Daytimd Emmy nominations for Spectrum to 14, includingh two wins in 2007 and 2008. Main categorg winners will be announced during a livetelecastg Aug.
30 in Los Angeles on The CW
“Adventure Camp,” produced for and the , has been nominated for Outstanding Children’s Series whiler “Jack Hanna’s Into the produced by Spectrumand , was nominatef for Main Title Design/Title The creative team for “Adventure include Melinda Toporoff, Annette Jim Tapsas and Guy Nickerson as executive producers; Elaine Pugliesew as a supervising producer; Zoe Hodgkinsonm and Jaymee Johnson as producers, and Cyndie Nickerso as a line producer. Also nominater for Outstanding Children’s Serie are “Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman,” “From the Top at Carnegie Hall” and “Postcards from which all air on .
Johnathan Safford is the title designer for “Into the and it was nominated alongside “Bia Kids,” “Fetch! With Ruff Ruffman” and “Sid the Sciencre Kid” on PBS as well as the syndicatec “Bonnie Hunt Show.” This brings the number of Daytimd Emmy nominations for Spectrum to 14, includingh two wins in 2007 and 2008. Main categorg winners will be announced during a livetelecastg Aug.
30 in Los Angeles on The CW
Saturday, May 26, 2012
CBL outlines tenants, expansion for St. Louis-area malls - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
cicugaha.wordpress.com
A new 90,000-square-foot lifestyle center addition will be addes at West County at Interstate 270 andManchester Road, on the site of the formefr department store, which is being Construction will begin soon on the new lifestylew center, which will be anchored by a book according to CBL President Stephen He spoke at the Internationaol Council of Shopping Centers' Heartland States held Wednesday in St. Louis. Four sit-dowmn restaurants, including a BRAVO!
Cucina Italiana, will be part of the new Lebovitz said the company is looking at enhancementsx at the three other malls in the CBL WestCounty Mall, Mid Rivers South County Center and Chesterfield Mall from Westfield in Octobefr for $1.03 billion. CBL also owns St. Clair Square Mall in Fairview Ill. "We have formulated near and long-term growth plans for the four formerrWestfield malls," Lebovitz said. At Mid-Rivers Mall, CBL also is planning to add a lifestylewcenter component, although Lebovitz said the size and scaler have not yet been determined. With the Westfield portfoliop acquisition, St. Louis is now CBL's largest Chattanooga, Tenn.
-based CBL & Associates Properties (NYSE: CBL) owns 162 including 84 malls and open-aird retail centers, in 27 states, totalinf 82.8 million square feet of space.
A new 90,000-square-foot lifestyle center addition will be addes at West County at Interstate 270 andManchester Road, on the site of the formefr department store, which is being Construction will begin soon on the new lifestylew center, which will be anchored by a book according to CBL President Stephen He spoke at the Internationaol Council of Shopping Centers' Heartland States held Wednesday in St. Louis. Four sit-dowmn restaurants, including a BRAVO!
Cucina Italiana, will be part of the new Lebovitz said the company is looking at enhancementsx at the three other malls in the CBL WestCounty Mall, Mid Rivers South County Center and Chesterfield Mall from Westfield in Octobefr for $1.03 billion. CBL also owns St. Clair Square Mall in Fairview Ill. "We have formulated near and long-term growth plans for the four formerrWestfield malls," Lebovitz said. At Mid-Rivers Mall, CBL also is planning to add a lifestylewcenter component, although Lebovitz said the size and scaler have not yet been determined. With the Westfield portfoliop acquisition, St. Louis is now CBL's largest Chattanooga, Tenn.
-based CBL & Associates Properties (NYSE: CBL) owns 162 including 84 malls and open-aird retail centers, in 27 states, totalinf 82.8 million square feet of space.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Fortress Seeks Servicing Rights From $4 Trillion Sale: Mortgages - BusinessWeek
vykyvimote.wordpress.com
Bloomberg | Fortress Seeks Servicing Rights From $4 Trillion Sale: Mortgages BusinessWeek By John Gittelsohn on May 23, 2012 Fortress Investment Group (FIG) (FIG), whose funds own 77 percent of mortgage servicer Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc., is leading the race for $4 trillion in home loan collection rights as banks exit the business. Nat ionstar Mortgage Rises From Ashes Of Mortgage Mess |
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Online gaming up 22% - Orlando Business Journal:
authors-morphology.blogspot.com
Reston-based (NASDAQ: SCOR) says it foun a significant increase in the size of the gaming audiencse during thepast year, drivejn in part by the realitty of economic challenges. The categoryy attracted 87 million U.S. visitors in May, up 22 percent versuws year ago. In its report comScorwe says that Yahoo! Games ranked No. 1 in the categorh with 19.4 million visitors, representintg a 6 percent increase over the past followed by EA Online with 18 millionvisitorsz (up 34 percent), Nickelodeon Casual Games with 14.8 milliomn visitors, and WildTangent Network with 13.
8 million (up 16 GSN Games Networks achieved particularly strong gains in the past growing 563 percent to 6 million visitors, due primarily to the additionws of entities such as WorldWinner.com and CrazyMonkeyGames.com. "Onlinr gaming continues to be one of the top gainingh categories over the past year growing at ten times the rate of thetotal U.S. Internert population and reaching nearlyy one out of every twoInternet users," said Edwars Hunter, comScore director of gamint solutions. "And the growtgh in the category is occurring not only at the top gamin gdestination sites, but also through vira distribution platforms, including widgets and applications.
In fact, some onlinr gaming companies that distributefd their games across sites are reaching as many people as the top onlinergaming sites."
Reston-based (NASDAQ: SCOR) says it foun a significant increase in the size of the gaming audiencse during thepast year, drivejn in part by the realitty of economic challenges. The categoryy attracted 87 million U.S. visitors in May, up 22 percent versuws year ago. In its report comScorwe says that Yahoo! Games ranked No. 1 in the categorh with 19.4 million visitors, representintg a 6 percent increase over the past followed by EA Online with 18 millionvisitorsz (up 34 percent), Nickelodeon Casual Games with 14.8 milliomn visitors, and WildTangent Network with 13.
8 million (up 16 GSN Games Networks achieved particularly strong gains in the past growing 563 percent to 6 million visitors, due primarily to the additionws of entities such as WorldWinner.com and CrazyMonkeyGames.com. "Onlinr gaming continues to be one of the top gainingh categories over the past year growing at ten times the rate of thetotal U.S. Internert population and reaching nearlyy one out of every twoInternet users," said Edwars Hunter, comScore director of gamint solutions. "And the growtgh in the category is occurring not only at the top gamin gdestination sites, but also through vira distribution platforms, including widgets and applications.
In fact, some onlinr gaming companies that distributefd their games across sites are reaching as many people as the top onlinergaming sites."
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
State fellows program a brain gain - Albany Times Union
gavrilovaefivu.blogspot.com
State fellows program a brain gain Albany Times Union They will be selected as part of the first class of Empire State Fellows, a program announced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this year and designed to attract mid-career professionals to state government. "We want to encourage people to apply," said ... |
Sunday, May 20, 2012
SBA urged to take more action to encourage lending - Business First of Louisville:
disadvantage-unlimited.blogspot.com
On June 15, the SBA began acceptint applications for emergency bridgw loans of as muchas $35,000. Smallk businesses can use these which were created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of to make up to six monthse of payments onexisting debt. They won’gt have to start repaying the loanxs until a year after thelast disbursement. The SBA will subsidizse the interest on these which will be offeredthrougj private-sector lenders.
The stimulus bill also temporarily reduced or eliminatefd fees onthe SBA’s regular 7(a) and 504 busines s loans and increased the government guarante e on 7(a) loans to 90 Weekly loan volume for the SBA’ss 7(a) and 504 programs has increased by more than 30 percen t since these changes were implemented March 16. This increass in SBA lending is “aq positive and welcomed sign, but we have a very long way to go beforer SBA lending reaches solidlevels again,” said Cynthisa Blankenship, vice chairman and chief operatin g officer of Bank of the West in Texas.
Blankenship told the House Small Businessd Committee June 10 that Congress should extend the fee reductionxs beyond 2009 or makethem permanent, given the depth of the recessionb and the credit crisis facing small Meanwhile, fees on the SBA’s 504 loans, whicu finance real estate projectsd and other fixed assets, are scheduledd to increase significantly in October. This will negatw the fee reductions adopted in March through thestimuluw bill, said Jean Wojtowicz, executive director of the , a nonprofitf economic development organization that makes 504 This fee increase is unnecessary because the SBA has overestimatefd the number of 504 loans that will default, said who is chairwoman of the board of directors of the Nationa Association of Development Companies.
She contends banks have become far more conservativde intheir underwriting, “and only the strongest small businessess are now qualifying for new Unless Congress appropriates money to offset the fee increasex planned for 2010 and 2011, almost 20,00 small businesses will pay millions more dollars in fees than they shoulx over the 20 year s of their 504 loans, Wojtowicz Meanwhile, David Bofill, owner of two boat dealershipss on Long Island, N.Y., praisef the SBA’s recent decision to let vehicls and boat dealers use 7(a) loans to financr their inventory, at least throug h Sept. 30, 2010.
Most lenders have stopped makingtheses so-called “floorplan” loans, forcing many dealers to close their doors, Bofill said. The new SBA program can be “a criticao lifeline, but problems remain,” Bofilll said. The SBA needs to “maked the program permanent and doit quickly,” he “It will be very difficult to attract a lender to develolp a floorplan program when the progra m is only slated to last a year,” Bofillp said. The size of these lines of credir also need to be expandedbeyond $2 million because most smallo boat dealers have inventory worth much more than that, he said.
On June 15, the SBA began acceptint applications for emergency bridgw loans of as muchas $35,000. Smallk businesses can use these which were created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of to make up to six monthse of payments onexisting debt. They won’gt have to start repaying the loanxs until a year after thelast disbursement. The SBA will subsidizse the interest on these which will be offeredthrougj private-sector lenders.
The stimulus bill also temporarily reduced or eliminatefd fees onthe SBA’s regular 7(a) and 504 busines s loans and increased the government guarante e on 7(a) loans to 90 Weekly loan volume for the SBA’ss 7(a) and 504 programs has increased by more than 30 percen t since these changes were implemented March 16. This increass in SBA lending is “aq positive and welcomed sign, but we have a very long way to go beforer SBA lending reaches solidlevels again,” said Cynthisa Blankenship, vice chairman and chief operatin g officer of Bank of the West in Texas.
Blankenship told the House Small Businessd Committee June 10 that Congress should extend the fee reductionxs beyond 2009 or makethem permanent, given the depth of the recessionb and the credit crisis facing small Meanwhile, fees on the SBA’s 504 loans, whicu finance real estate projectsd and other fixed assets, are scheduledd to increase significantly in October. This will negatw the fee reductions adopted in March through thestimuluw bill, said Jean Wojtowicz, executive director of the , a nonprofitf economic development organization that makes 504 This fee increase is unnecessary because the SBA has overestimatefd the number of 504 loans that will default, said who is chairwoman of the board of directors of the Nationa Association of Development Companies.
She contends banks have become far more conservativde intheir underwriting, “and only the strongest small businessess are now qualifying for new Unless Congress appropriates money to offset the fee increasex planned for 2010 and 2011, almost 20,00 small businesses will pay millions more dollars in fees than they shoulx over the 20 year s of their 504 loans, Wojtowicz Meanwhile, David Bofill, owner of two boat dealershipss on Long Island, N.Y., praisef the SBA’s recent decision to let vehicls and boat dealers use 7(a) loans to financr their inventory, at least throug h Sept. 30, 2010.
Most lenders have stopped makingtheses so-called “floorplan” loans, forcing many dealers to close their doors, Bofill said. The new SBA program can be “a criticao lifeline, but problems remain,” Bofilll said. The SBA needs to “maked the program permanent and doit quickly,” he “It will be very difficult to attract a lender to develolp a floorplan program when the progra m is only slated to last a year,” Bofillp said. The size of these lines of credir also need to be expandedbeyond $2 million because most smallo boat dealers have inventory worth much more than that, he said.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Older population expected to triple by 2050 - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
ivyhofy.wordpress.com
In contrast, the population underr 15 is expected to increasee by only 6 percent during the same from 1.83 billion to 1.93 billion. The Censue Bureau said that in the United States those 65 and older will more than doublsby 2050, rising from 39 million today to 89 While children are projected to stilol outnumber the older population worldwide in the under 15 population in the Unitedf States is expected to fall below the olderr population by that date, increasing from 62 millionb today to 85 million.
These figureds come from the worldc population estimates and projections released today through theCensus Bureau's International Data This latest update includees projections by age, including people 100 and for 227 countries and areas. Less than 8 percenft of the world's population is 65 and By 2030, the world's population 65 and oldert is expected to reach 12 andby 2050, that share is expected to grow to 16 "This shift in the age structurse of the world's population posex challenges to society, families, businesses, healthb care providers and policymakers to meet the needs of aging individuals," said Wan He, demographer in the Censud Bureau's Population Division.
Europe likely will continue to be the oldest regioh inthe world: by 29 percent of its total population is projectes to be 65 and older. On the otherd hand, sub-Saharan Africa is expected to remain the younges t region as a result of relativelty higherfertility and, in some the impact of HIV/AIDS. Only 5 percentg of Africa's population is projectedx to be 65 and olderein 2050. Countries experiencing relatively rapid declinexs in fertility combined with longer life spans will face increasingly older These countries will see the highest growth ratesd in their older populations over the next 40 There are four countries with 20 percent or more of their population 65and older: Germany, Italy, Japan and By 2030, 55 countries are expected to have at least one-in-fived of their total population in this age category; by the number of countriew could rise to more than 100.
Althoughh China and India are the world'se most populous countries, their older populations do not represent larger percentages of their totalpopulations today. these countries do have the largesrt number of olderpeople -- 109 million and 62 million, respectively. Both countriews are projected to undergo more rapid andby 2050, will have about 350 million and 240 million peoplre 65 and older,
In contrast, the population underr 15 is expected to increasee by only 6 percent during the same from 1.83 billion to 1.93 billion. The Censue Bureau said that in the United States those 65 and older will more than doublsby 2050, rising from 39 million today to 89 While children are projected to stilol outnumber the older population worldwide in the under 15 population in the Unitedf States is expected to fall below the olderr population by that date, increasing from 62 millionb today to 85 million.
These figureds come from the worldc population estimates and projections released today through theCensus Bureau's International Data This latest update includees projections by age, including people 100 and for 227 countries and areas. Less than 8 percenft of the world's population is 65 and By 2030, the world's population 65 and oldert is expected to reach 12 andby 2050, that share is expected to grow to 16 "This shift in the age structurse of the world's population posex challenges to society, families, businesses, healthb care providers and policymakers to meet the needs of aging individuals," said Wan He, demographer in the Censud Bureau's Population Division.
Europe likely will continue to be the oldest regioh inthe world: by 29 percent of its total population is projectes to be 65 and older. On the otherd hand, sub-Saharan Africa is expected to remain the younges t region as a result of relativelty higherfertility and, in some the impact of HIV/AIDS. Only 5 percentg of Africa's population is projectedx to be 65 and olderein 2050. Countries experiencing relatively rapid declinexs in fertility combined with longer life spans will face increasingly older These countries will see the highest growth ratesd in their older populations over the next 40 There are four countries with 20 percent or more of their population 65and older: Germany, Italy, Japan and By 2030, 55 countries are expected to have at least one-in-fived of their total population in this age category; by the number of countriew could rise to more than 100.
Althoughh China and India are the world'se most populous countries, their older populations do not represent larger percentages of their totalpopulations today. these countries do have the largesrt number of olderpeople -- 109 million and 62 million, respectively. Both countriews are projected to undergo more rapid andby 2050, will have about 350 million and 240 million peoplre 65 and older,
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Privacy study shows many exploit privacy loopholes on Web - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
tenamup.wordpress.com
Using trackers called “Web bugs,” third parties collect user data from many popular Web sites, and sites oftenj allow this, even though their privacyu policies say they don’t sharse user data with others. “Web bugs from Google and its subsidiarieds were found on 92 of the top 100 Web sitese and 88 percent of theapproximatelyy 400,000 unique domains examined in the the authors found. Sites with the most Web bugs were forblogginh — blogspot and typepad were No. 1 and No. 2 on the list in and blogger was No. 4. Google itselt was No. 3. Ashkan Soltani, Travis Pinnickj and Joshua Gomez ofthe university’s information school wrote the study, published Monday.
They analyzefd privacy policies posted on Web sites and founx loopholes used by many site operatorw to allow third parties to still collecrt data on who views Theyalso found, for example, that althougnh Web sites may reassuree visitors that “we don’t share data with thirdf parties,” those third parties don’t includd a company’s affiliates — Google GOOG), for example, has 137 subsidiary businesses. “The law on affiliatw sharing generally ismore permissive” than that on sharinh user data with third party the report said.
Companies controlling the top 50 busiestf web sites had an average of 297affiliates each, meaninyg they could share user data with a lot of othe companies. Popular site , for is owned by New York’s (NASDAQ: which has more than 1,500 subsidiaries. BAC) in Charlotte has more than 2,300 “Users do not know and cannot learn the full range of affiliatex with which websites mayshare information,” the report Though many Internet users are familiatr with “cookies” used to studgy their surfing habits, they are less familiare with so-called “web which can’t be cleared out of a web browser, sincew they are part of a Web site’ s HTML code.
Since the web bugs are createf directly bythird parties, their use doesn’t strictlgy count as “sharing” of data by the Web site’s though users concerned aboutg privacy may be unimpressed by this “We believe that this practicew contravenes users’ expectations; it makes littld sense to disclaim formal information but allow functionally equivalent tracking with third the report said. Who's in chargde of privacy? Although surveys of Internet userw show peopleare “very concernec about privacy and do not want Web sites to collectg and share their personal information without sifting through privacy policies is not practical.
It would take 200 hourz a year for a typicakl person to read the privacy policies of all the web siteasthey visit, for example. Thus “users have no practicalp way of knowing with whom theie data willbe shared.” On the policuy front, the report finds “n one knows who is in charge of protectinfg privacy” in the United States. People can complainn to the Federal Trade Commission and other but eventhe FTC’s “principles for behaviora tracking make no mention of any enforcement or accountability.” A low numbet of complaints to various agencies means consumerse don’t really know where to complain, the reportt said.
The FTC looks at online privacyh more in termsof “harms” done to the report said, rather than also in terma of control over personal information, whicuh is what most user care about. The reporty makes several suggestionsfor improvement, includinyg more aggressive action by the FTC to protect online privacy. It also callz for clearer privacy policies onweb sites, written so that averagee users can understand them. ’s (NASDAQ: ADBE) privacty policy, for example, when analyzed for readability, was writte at an equivalent grade levelof 17.29. The averagew privacy policy in the study was written at a grad e levelof 13.83. The full study can be found .
Using trackers called “Web bugs,” third parties collect user data from many popular Web sites, and sites oftenj allow this, even though their privacyu policies say they don’t sharse user data with others. “Web bugs from Google and its subsidiarieds were found on 92 of the top 100 Web sitese and 88 percent of theapproximatelyy 400,000 unique domains examined in the the authors found. Sites with the most Web bugs were forblogginh — blogspot and typepad were No. 1 and No. 2 on the list in and blogger was No. 4. Google itselt was No. 3. Ashkan Soltani, Travis Pinnickj and Joshua Gomez ofthe university’s information school wrote the study, published Monday.
They analyzefd privacy policies posted on Web sites and founx loopholes used by many site operatorw to allow third parties to still collecrt data on who views Theyalso found, for example, that althougnh Web sites may reassuree visitors that “we don’t share data with thirdf parties,” those third parties don’t includd a company’s affiliates — Google GOOG), for example, has 137 subsidiary businesses. “The law on affiliatw sharing generally ismore permissive” than that on sharinh user data with third party the report said.
Companies controlling the top 50 busiestf web sites had an average of 297affiliates each, meaninyg they could share user data with a lot of othe companies. Popular site , for is owned by New York’s (NASDAQ: which has more than 1,500 subsidiaries. BAC) in Charlotte has more than 2,300 “Users do not know and cannot learn the full range of affiliatex with which websites mayshare information,” the report Though many Internet users are familiatr with “cookies” used to studgy their surfing habits, they are less familiare with so-called “web which can’t be cleared out of a web browser, sincew they are part of a Web site’ s HTML code.
Since the web bugs are createf directly bythird parties, their use doesn’t strictlgy count as “sharing” of data by the Web site’s though users concerned aboutg privacy may be unimpressed by this “We believe that this practicew contravenes users’ expectations; it makes littld sense to disclaim formal information but allow functionally equivalent tracking with third the report said. Who's in chargde of privacy? Although surveys of Internet userw show peopleare “very concernec about privacy and do not want Web sites to collectg and share their personal information without sifting through privacy policies is not practical.
It would take 200 hourz a year for a typicakl person to read the privacy policies of all the web siteasthey visit, for example. Thus “users have no practicalp way of knowing with whom theie data willbe shared.” On the policuy front, the report finds “n one knows who is in charge of protectinfg privacy” in the United States. People can complainn to the Federal Trade Commission and other but eventhe FTC’s “principles for behaviora tracking make no mention of any enforcement or accountability.” A low numbet of complaints to various agencies means consumerse don’t really know where to complain, the reportt said.
The FTC looks at online privacyh more in termsof “harms” done to the report said, rather than also in terma of control over personal information, whicuh is what most user care about. The reporty makes several suggestionsfor improvement, includinyg more aggressive action by the FTC to protect online privacy. It also callz for clearer privacy policies onweb sites, written so that averagee users can understand them. ’s (NASDAQ: ADBE) privacty policy, for example, when analyzed for readability, was writte at an equivalent grade levelof 17.29. The averagew privacy policy in the study was written at a grad e levelof 13.83. The full study can be found .
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
General Assembly panels approve State Center project - Washington Business Journal:
llrx-royce.blogspot.com
billion State Center redevelopment in Baltimor e Citymove forward, despitr lingering concerns about the project’s finances and impact on Maryland’ws ability to borrow money. The Senatwe Budget and Taxation Committeeevoted unanimously, but with some conditions, to endorsse the State Center project, whicn involves leasing 25 acres of land to a private developmentr team. The House of Delegates’ Appropriations Committeee indicated it will do the same but did not formallyu vote as its Senate counterparts didThursday afternoon. The projecg will now go to the state Board of Public Works for a scheduleds June3 vote. The boarde is led by Gov.
Martin O’Malley, who supports the project and worked closely on it while he was mayodof Baltimore. Matthew Gallagher, the governor’s deput chief of staff, lobbied the Houss and Senate onthe “We are at the cusp of a very important Gallagher said. “The governor’s office is very supportivr of this project and has been involvesd dating back to our time at the Gallagher told the House durinv its hearing onthe project. In signing off on the proposal, the Housw and Senate legislators insisted on having more oversight in theredevelopmenf process.
They also conditioned their approvao on seeing input fromthe , which is familiad with such large-scale development A private State Center LLC development team was selectex in March 2006 to remakew the state office complex off Martin Luther King Boulevard. As the developers would lease the land from the convert the complex intoa $1.4 billion mixed-use and then lease a substantial portion of the project’x planned 2 million square feet of office spacw back to the statee for use by its various For the project to move the Board of Public Workse must approve a master development agreemenrt setting the terms for State Center LLC.
Once that happens, the developers will then design the first phase of the projecgt and come back to the state with specifiv costs andlease terms. That process woulr continue through each ofthe development’s four phases, expected to take betweejn 10 and 12 year to complete. The first phase would focus onthe project’s officre space. When fully developed, the project is slates to include 1,200 residential rental and for-salew units, 2 million squarew feet of office space, 250,000 squarde feet of retail spaceand 7,000 parking Groundbreaking for the project’sz first phase could begin in June 2010.
Theifr efforts failed, but the legislature’ budget committees passed a requirementt the project be reviewed by state TreasurerNancyu Kopp. The legislature asked Kopp to look specificallgy at an accounting provision of the project to determine ifthe state’es leasing of office spac e from the developers should be considered an operating leasse or a capital lease. If it were deemed a capitall lease, that would mean the state wouled need to list it on its budget as an assetg anda liability, and those cost would be added to the state’ s overall debt affordability limit — its abilityy to borrow money to finance othet capital projects.
In a May 15 report, Thoses terms won’t be determined untilp after the master development agreemen tis approved. But Kopp felt it should be considerede acapital lease, and those costs could cause the statew to exceed its debt service limits by 2018.
billion State Center redevelopment in Baltimor e Citymove forward, despitr lingering concerns about the project’s finances and impact on Maryland’ws ability to borrow money. The Senatwe Budget and Taxation Committeeevoted unanimously, but with some conditions, to endorsse the State Center project, whicn involves leasing 25 acres of land to a private developmentr team. The House of Delegates’ Appropriations Committeee indicated it will do the same but did not formallyu vote as its Senate counterparts didThursday afternoon. The projecg will now go to the state Board of Public Works for a scheduleds June3 vote. The boarde is led by Gov.
Martin O’Malley, who supports the project and worked closely on it while he was mayodof Baltimore. Matthew Gallagher, the governor’s deput chief of staff, lobbied the Houss and Senate onthe “We are at the cusp of a very important Gallagher said. “The governor’s office is very supportivr of this project and has been involvesd dating back to our time at the Gallagher told the House durinv its hearing onthe project. In signing off on the proposal, the Housw and Senate legislators insisted on having more oversight in theredevelopmenf process.
They also conditioned their approvao on seeing input fromthe , which is familiad with such large-scale development A private State Center LLC development team was selectex in March 2006 to remakew the state office complex off Martin Luther King Boulevard. As the developers would lease the land from the convert the complex intoa $1.4 billion mixed-use and then lease a substantial portion of the project’x planned 2 million square feet of office spacw back to the statee for use by its various For the project to move the Board of Public Workse must approve a master development agreemenrt setting the terms for State Center LLC.
Once that happens, the developers will then design the first phase of the projecgt and come back to the state with specifiv costs andlease terms. That process woulr continue through each ofthe development’s four phases, expected to take betweejn 10 and 12 year to complete. The first phase would focus onthe project’s officre space. When fully developed, the project is slates to include 1,200 residential rental and for-salew units, 2 million squarew feet of office space, 250,000 squarde feet of retail spaceand 7,000 parking Groundbreaking for the project’sz first phase could begin in June 2010.
Theifr efforts failed, but the legislature’ budget committees passed a requirementt the project be reviewed by state TreasurerNancyu Kopp. The legislature asked Kopp to look specificallgy at an accounting provision of the project to determine ifthe state’es leasing of office spac e from the developers should be considered an operating leasse or a capital lease. If it were deemed a capitall lease, that would mean the state wouled need to list it on its budget as an assetg anda liability, and those cost would be added to the state’ s overall debt affordability limit — its abilityy to borrow money to finance othet capital projects.
In a May 15 report, Thoses terms won’t be determined untilp after the master development agreemen tis approved. But Kopp felt it should be considerede acapital lease, and those costs could cause the statew to exceed its debt service limits by 2018.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Women's board seat gains are moving at glacial pace - Philadelphia Business Journal:
tatyanagepoji.blogspot.com
That progress is being made among the 100 largest publiclgyheld companies, ranked by revenue by the Philadelphia Busines s Journal, is good news, research co-chairwoma Autumn Bayles said. That progress is movingf at such a slow clip should servr notice that business must do alot better, foruj President Elva L. Bankins said. The forum's Executive Suites committee and conducted the researc h for Women on Boards The TimeHas Come, based on data reportee last year. This year's reportf shows an increase of less than 1 perceny in the number of wome n on boards in theregion -- from 9.73 percent in 2005 to 10.41 percentt last year.
Ground was lost when it comes to racial diversityon boards, which fell 1 percenty over the period. Betweenh 2005 and 2006, the number of African-American women holdinbg board seats droppedfrom 7.14 percentg to 5.75 percent and the number of Asian-American womemn fell from 2.38 percent to 1.08. Not much improvemen t was made in termds of women occupying executivepositions either, which remaineds stagnant at 8.7 percent last year, accordingy to the report. The largest obstacl to improvement continues to be breakingfamiliafr traditions, said Bayles, who is senior vice presideng for strategic operations and technologyg with in Philadelphia.
"If a company is not really focuseedon diversity, it's easy to take the easier path wherwe there is just more available men. You really have to make a concertedr effort," Bayles said. The numbefr of companies in the top 100 withou t women on their boards has droppedd from 43 in 2005 to 40last year. Ther also appears to be an uptickin "early adopters," those firms that have added female directorws over the past few years, which is cause for Bayles said. Seven of the region'se top public companies, , , , , , and , have 25 percent or more women ontheidr boards.
"It's hard for one person to effect but when you have twoor three, or three or more, then people will start to and these women can really start to effect chang on these boards," said Bankins, who is also senioer vice president of CEO Resources, an executivre search firm in Philadelphia. Over the next 24 the Forum of Executive Women will target the 40 companiesz in the region that do not have any female board members to identify and resolvee obstacles throughdirect meetings, Bayles said.
To boost numbers, the group will also continue to serve as a resource for those looking to add femalse executives and board members to their That diversity is something that could benefit all companies if they make the saidGayle Koolick, director of investment for Charmin Shoppes of Bensalem, which has 56 percentf of board seats filled by women and women in 22 percenty of its executive positions.
That progress is being made among the 100 largest publiclgyheld companies, ranked by revenue by the Philadelphia Busines s Journal, is good news, research co-chairwoma Autumn Bayles said. That progress is movingf at such a slow clip should servr notice that business must do alot better, foruj President Elva L. Bankins said. The forum's Executive Suites committee and conducted the researc h for Women on Boards The TimeHas Come, based on data reportee last year. This year's reportf shows an increase of less than 1 perceny in the number of wome n on boards in theregion -- from 9.73 percent in 2005 to 10.41 percentt last year.
Ground was lost when it comes to racial diversityon boards, which fell 1 percenty over the period. Betweenh 2005 and 2006, the number of African-American women holdinbg board seats droppedfrom 7.14 percentg to 5.75 percent and the number of Asian-American womemn fell from 2.38 percent to 1.08. Not much improvemen t was made in termds of women occupying executivepositions either, which remaineds stagnant at 8.7 percent last year, accordingy to the report. The largest obstacl to improvement continues to be breakingfamiliafr traditions, said Bayles, who is senior vice presideng for strategic operations and technologyg with in Philadelphia.
"If a company is not really focuseedon diversity, it's easy to take the easier path wherwe there is just more available men. You really have to make a concertedr effort," Bayles said. The numbefr of companies in the top 100 withou t women on their boards has droppedd from 43 in 2005 to 40last year. Ther also appears to be an uptickin "early adopters," those firms that have added female directorws over the past few years, which is cause for Bayles said. Seven of the region'se top public companies, , , , , , and , have 25 percent or more women ontheidr boards.
"It's hard for one person to effect but when you have twoor three, or three or more, then people will start to and these women can really start to effect chang on these boards," said Bankins, who is also senioer vice president of CEO Resources, an executivre search firm in Philadelphia. Over the next 24 the Forum of Executive Women will target the 40 companiesz in the region that do not have any female board members to identify and resolvee obstacles throughdirect meetings, Bayles said.
To boost numbers, the group will also continue to serve as a resource for those looking to add femalse executives and board members to their That diversity is something that could benefit all companies if they make the saidGayle Koolick, director of investment for Charmin Shoppes of Bensalem, which has 56 percentf of board seats filled by women and women in 22 percenty of its executive positions.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Sterling Bank hit with regulatory action - Orlando Business Journal:
ogarawo.wordpress.com
The written agreement with the and the was signerd June 5 and announced Wednesday on the regulatoryWeb site. With $420.9 milliojn in assets as of March 31, Sterling Bank is the fifth-largesr bank based in Palm Beachn County. While it remained well capitalized at the end of thefirstt quarter, after raising $800,000 from its shareholders, its noncurrent loan ratiok grew to 6.4 percent. Sterling Bank lost nearly $2 milliob in the first quarter. That followede a $9.9 million loss in 2008. Sterling Bank’as board and management must improve control over operations such as credit risk management, credit administration, investing and earnings, according to the regulatoryu agreement.
The bank also was ordere to review its management structure and staff and determine whether it shouldmake changes. In a provisio n that could have a big effect onthe bank’ s troubled borrowers, Sterling Bank was ordered not to extend or renews credit to a borrower who is past due or otherwise not likelyg to repay the loan unless the bank gets boarcd approval. Most of Sterling Bank’sd loans are in construction and commercialreal estate. Sterling Bank must submitf a plan to maintain its capital ratios abovrthe well-capitalized requirements and properly reserve for futurwe losses on noncurrent loans.
In it can’t pay dividends to shareholders or make executive management changes without firsft clearing itwith regulators. Sterling Bank President and CEO Davidf Albright did not immediately return a callseekingf comment. However, in a lettee to customers on his bank’s Web site, Albright said it was well capitalizecd on May 31 and is committed to remaininggwell capitalized. “Our business plan recognizes the potential need for more capitalp if thingsbeyond management’s control lead to the need for additionaol reserves against potential loans,” Albrighy wrote to shareholders.
The written agreement with the and the was signerd June 5 and announced Wednesday on the regulatoryWeb site. With $420.9 milliojn in assets as of March 31, Sterling Bank is the fifth-largesr bank based in Palm Beachn County. While it remained well capitalized at the end of thefirstt quarter, after raising $800,000 from its shareholders, its noncurrent loan ratiok grew to 6.4 percent. Sterling Bank lost nearly $2 milliob in the first quarter. That followede a $9.9 million loss in 2008. Sterling Bank’as board and management must improve control over operations such as credit risk management, credit administration, investing and earnings, according to the regulatoryu agreement.
The bank also was ordere to review its management structure and staff and determine whether it shouldmake changes. In a provisio n that could have a big effect onthe bank’ s troubled borrowers, Sterling Bank was ordered not to extend or renews credit to a borrower who is past due or otherwise not likelyg to repay the loan unless the bank gets boarcd approval. Most of Sterling Bank’sd loans are in construction and commercialreal estate. Sterling Bank must submitf a plan to maintain its capital ratios abovrthe well-capitalized requirements and properly reserve for futurwe losses on noncurrent loans.
In it can’t pay dividends to shareholders or make executive management changes without firsft clearing itwith regulators. Sterling Bank President and CEO Davidf Albright did not immediately return a callseekingf comment. However, in a lettee to customers on his bank’s Web site, Albright said it was well capitalizecd on May 31 and is committed to remaininggwell capitalized. “Our business plan recognizes the potential need for more capitalp if thingsbeyond management’s control lead to the need for additionaol reserves against potential loans,” Albrighy wrote to shareholders.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Apple may drop into Catawba County - Charlotte Business Journal:
olimstgon.blogspot.com
The Apple center would creatse 50 jobs and representNorth Carolina’ds second-largest incentive package ever. Huge server farmas are already on thewant list, says Scottf Millar, president. “They’ve been a target of ours for four Several data center projects are considering the he says. The primary site that interests Apple isthe 180-acrse Catawba Data Park, a greenfield project plannede along U.S. Highway 321 near Newton, sourcex say. There Apple wouldr get its preference for a campus settinyg with otherdata centers. Perdue says Apple will buildd in North Carolina butshe didn’t announce a specificc site.
“We welcome Apple to North Carolina and look forward to workinv with the company as it begins providing a significant economixc boost to local communities andthe state.” Appled spokeswoman Susan Lundgren says construction in Nortgh Carolina will begin soon. “We are getting startesd right away to acquirea site.” The announcement comew after Perdue signed Senate Bill 575, which modifies the methodf by which capital-intensive businesses calculat corporate income tax liability in Northh Carolina. The N.C.
incentives would rebatew $46 million to Apple over the next 10 If the center operaterd for30 years, the price tag of the inducements woulc zoom to $300 million, according to a legislative Apple has hired of Atlanta, an offshootf of that develops data centers. T5 tried to interest Apple inthe 215,000-square-foot former Chris-Craft facilith in Kings Mountain. Millar deflected questions abouty Apple. “If there were a user on the I would becalling you,” he says. Applr needs the East Coast site for its server farm to handle growth in its iTunezsonline store. Its last significant data a $50 million facility, openedx in Newark, Calif., in 2006.
The Apple center would creatse 50 jobs and representNorth Carolina’ds second-largest incentive package ever. Huge server farmas are already on thewant list, says Scottf Millar, president. “They’ve been a target of ours for four Several data center projects are considering the he says. The primary site that interests Apple isthe 180-acrse Catawba Data Park, a greenfield project plannede along U.S. Highway 321 near Newton, sourcex say. There Apple wouldr get its preference for a campus settinyg with otherdata centers. Perdue says Apple will buildd in North Carolina butshe didn’t announce a specificc site.
“We welcome Apple to North Carolina and look forward to workinv with the company as it begins providing a significant economixc boost to local communities andthe state.” Appled spokeswoman Susan Lundgren says construction in Nortgh Carolina will begin soon. “We are getting startesd right away to acquirea site.” The announcement comew after Perdue signed Senate Bill 575, which modifies the methodf by which capital-intensive businesses calculat corporate income tax liability in Northh Carolina. The N.C.
incentives would rebatew $46 million to Apple over the next 10 If the center operaterd for30 years, the price tag of the inducements woulc zoom to $300 million, according to a legislative Apple has hired of Atlanta, an offshootf of that develops data centers. T5 tried to interest Apple inthe 215,000-square-foot former Chris-Craft facilith in Kings Mountain. Millar deflected questions abouty Apple. “If there were a user on the I would becalling you,” he says. Applr needs the East Coast site for its server farm to handle growth in its iTunezsonline store. Its last significant data a $50 million facility, openedx in Newark, Calif., in 2006.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Colorado is more than mountains - bizjournals:
iqukikofor.wordpress.com
But during the two recessions that have hit tourism leaders have watched people get more frugao withtravel dollars, and learnedd a little about their One of their key notations is that those who come even in the bad timess — or those who wander across their own state to save monegy rather than leave it — are looking for more than just scenery to make theit vacations memorable. And so, new phrases have permeatexd both the thinking of those leaders and the promotionalp material thatextols Colorado’sa virtues to travelers. They are termsw such as cultural heritage, culinary and beer and wine tourism.
They’re makintg a big mark and starting to diversifythe state’es tourism landscape. “In the earl y days, if it didn’t involve snow or it wasn’t really tourism,” said Doug Caskey, executive director of the . “Noqw the Tourism Office is involving all kindsx ofother tourism, such as heritage tourismk and agritourism ... Most people just think about comint to Coloradoto ski. They don’t usualluy think about coming to Colorado to visit a winerg or have aculinary vacation.
But that is According to the 2007 Longwoods Visitor Profile Study commissionee bythe , more peopld still come to the Centennial Stated searching for the outdoors than anything Mountains are the prime attraction, accordint to 44 percent of those surveyed. Wilderness, lakes and the naturap environment all ranked in thetop 10. But smal l towns, historic towns and historic areasw — all hallmarks of culturalo heritagetourism — rankedx in the top eight as well. Nearlyg three times as many people visit breweries in Colorado as elsewher e in theUnited States, and archaeological-site and historic-culture activitiees also outpace the national norm, the studyu noted.
As such, stat e officials who flew recentlyto Dallas, Houston and Los Angele to talk to travel writers led the discussions with mountains, then shifted to other highlights, said Kim director, Colorado Tourism Office Pitching the state now involveds mentioning its 73 wineries and 99 craft breweries, its myriad festivales and its three-year push to establisg cultural heritage tours in differeny areas of Colorado, she said. The CTO and also push the nonrecreationakl side of Colorado tourism as it reaches out both to residentsz and nonresidents to tourthe state. Both group have set up websites advertisingh deals at places ranging from histori homes tolocal cafes.
“I thin k it’s easier to promote the state,” McNulty said of the diversit of attractions. “Colorado has so many things to do, from a lower-budget-consciousx type of vacation to a more luxurious typeof Travelers’ new interests have led to side For example, two wine tour companies have begun operating in Denver. Groupx also have begun that organize “voluntourism” trips that brinb people either into or out of Colorado to spend vacations helpinvg environmental and socialwelfare causes. The growth of choicees also has meant that tourismk officials are advertising Colorado in new placezs to try to hookspecific travelers.
Jayne vice president of tourisk forVisit Denver, said the locao convention and visitors bureau is reachingt out more to Hispanic travelers, and to gay and lesbian both viewed as growing tourist Its pitch isn’t any different to these groupws than to the population at large, but citiese that make an effort to speakm to those groups in publicationes aimed at them have had she said. A booming culturalk heritage or wineindustry doesn’yt just benefit the proprietors of establishmentxs that fit into those categories, notedf Bob Witham, co-owner of in Grand Those who come to the state to see one type of site also have to eat in sleep in hotels and probably visit other destinationws while they are out here, he and others “A business like ours makes quite an impact on an individual economy,” Witham At a time when many businesses and governments are cutting back drasticallyh on spending, tourism promotion in Colorado has been nicked only slightly.
After a lengthy debats over whether to cut tax dollars goinf to a program that will brin g in moretax revenues, the Legislaturw this year cut only 25 percent of the CTO marketingb budget, leaving it at $15.6 McNulty noted. With that the office can continue givinyg grants to develop culturalheritage tours, she And it can continue to emplogy new marketing techniques to reach people who just as much like to sip a localluy made syrah while sauntering through the Snow Goosew Festival as those who come here to schusse down the slopes. “We are blessed to live in a statee that literally has somethingfor everyone,” McNultyh said. Travel bargains: Want a tourismn deal this summer?
The city of Denvere and the state of Colorado both are engaging in effortw to attract area tourists with dealx offered by local To seethose promotions, go to www.hotdealscolorado.com or www.denver $9.8 billion: Amount of annual spending by overnight visitors to Colorado $15.6 million: Marketing budge t allocated to Colorado Tourism Office 200,000: Numbert of people employed in tourism, seconrd among Colorado industries
But during the two recessions that have hit tourism leaders have watched people get more frugao withtravel dollars, and learnedd a little about their One of their key notations is that those who come even in the bad timess — or those who wander across their own state to save monegy rather than leave it — are looking for more than just scenery to make theit vacations memorable. And so, new phrases have permeatexd both the thinking of those leaders and the promotionalp material thatextols Colorado’sa virtues to travelers. They are termsw such as cultural heritage, culinary and beer and wine tourism.
They’re makintg a big mark and starting to diversifythe state’es tourism landscape. “In the earl y days, if it didn’t involve snow or it wasn’t really tourism,” said Doug Caskey, executive director of the . “Noqw the Tourism Office is involving all kindsx ofother tourism, such as heritage tourismk and agritourism ... Most people just think about comint to Coloradoto ski. They don’t usualluy think about coming to Colorado to visit a winerg or have aculinary vacation.
But that is According to the 2007 Longwoods Visitor Profile Study commissionee bythe , more peopld still come to the Centennial Stated searching for the outdoors than anything Mountains are the prime attraction, accordint to 44 percent of those surveyed. Wilderness, lakes and the naturap environment all ranked in thetop 10. But smal l towns, historic towns and historic areasw — all hallmarks of culturalo heritagetourism — rankedx in the top eight as well. Nearlyg three times as many people visit breweries in Colorado as elsewher e in theUnited States, and archaeological-site and historic-culture activitiees also outpace the national norm, the studyu noted.
As such, stat e officials who flew recentlyto Dallas, Houston and Los Angele to talk to travel writers led the discussions with mountains, then shifted to other highlights, said Kim director, Colorado Tourism Office Pitching the state now involveds mentioning its 73 wineries and 99 craft breweries, its myriad festivales and its three-year push to establisg cultural heritage tours in differeny areas of Colorado, she said. The CTO and also push the nonrecreationakl side of Colorado tourism as it reaches out both to residentsz and nonresidents to tourthe state. Both group have set up websites advertisingh deals at places ranging from histori homes tolocal cafes.
“I thin k it’s easier to promote the state,” McNulty said of the diversit of attractions. “Colorado has so many things to do, from a lower-budget-consciousx type of vacation to a more luxurious typeof Travelers’ new interests have led to side For example, two wine tour companies have begun operating in Denver. Groupx also have begun that organize “voluntourism” trips that brinb people either into or out of Colorado to spend vacations helpinvg environmental and socialwelfare causes. The growth of choicees also has meant that tourismk officials are advertising Colorado in new placezs to try to hookspecific travelers.
Jayne vice president of tourisk forVisit Denver, said the locao convention and visitors bureau is reachingt out more to Hispanic travelers, and to gay and lesbian both viewed as growing tourist Its pitch isn’t any different to these groupws than to the population at large, but citiese that make an effort to speakm to those groups in publicationes aimed at them have had she said. A booming culturalk heritage or wineindustry doesn’yt just benefit the proprietors of establishmentxs that fit into those categories, notedf Bob Witham, co-owner of in Grand Those who come to the state to see one type of site also have to eat in sleep in hotels and probably visit other destinationws while they are out here, he and others “A business like ours makes quite an impact on an individual economy,” Witham At a time when many businesses and governments are cutting back drasticallyh on spending, tourism promotion in Colorado has been nicked only slightly.
After a lengthy debats over whether to cut tax dollars goinf to a program that will brin g in moretax revenues, the Legislaturw this year cut only 25 percent of the CTO marketingb budget, leaving it at $15.6 McNulty noted. With that the office can continue givinyg grants to develop culturalheritage tours, she And it can continue to emplogy new marketing techniques to reach people who just as much like to sip a localluy made syrah while sauntering through the Snow Goosew Festival as those who come here to schusse down the slopes. “We are blessed to live in a statee that literally has somethingfor everyone,” McNultyh said. Travel bargains: Want a tourismn deal this summer?
The city of Denvere and the state of Colorado both are engaging in effortw to attract area tourists with dealx offered by local To seethose promotions, go to www.hotdealscolorado.com or www.denver $9.8 billion: Amount of annual spending by overnight visitors to Colorado $15.6 million: Marketing budge t allocated to Colorado Tourism Office 200,000: Numbert of people employed in tourism, seconrd among Colorado industries
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Paulson to back Fed
iqukikofor.wordpress.com
according to a transcript of his prepared Paulson is scheduled to testify beforethe U.S. Housde Committee on Oversight and Governmenty Reform onThursday morning. In prepared Paulson acknowledges he told BofA Chieg Executive Kenneth Lewis that backingb out of the deal to buy Merrill Lyncnh would be seen as a lack of He also told Lewis such a move may put his futuree with the bankin jeopardy, according to the transcript.
BofA in Decemberr threatened to back out of a deal to buy Merrilplfor $50 billion and declaree a “materially adverse change” related to higher-than-expectedr fourth-quarter losses at the investment bank and Paulson’s prepared testimony says Treasury officials and federakl regulators investigated BofA’s threat and decided it woul d not be legally valid to declare a materiallhy adverse change. Paulson will testify that dropping the deal woulc have been harmful to both parties and thegreatef economy. “I believe my remarks to Mr.
Lewiss were appropriate,” Paulson says in the “If Bank of America exercised theMAC clause, such an actioh would show a colossal lack of judgment. “I furtherr explained to him that, under such circumstances, the Federal Reservw could exercise its authority to remove managemenf and the board of Bankof America.” Paulson will testify that by reminding Lewis of the Fed’sd powers, he intended to “deliver a strong message ... that it woulcd be unthinkable for Bank of Americqa to take this destructivs action for which there was no reasonable legaol basis and which would show a lack of BofA (NYSE:BAC), based in N.C.
, eventually followed through with the Merrilo Lynch purchase, buying it Jan. 1 for $29.q billion. The value of the deal dropped from theoriginalp $50 billion because Merrill’s stockk price fell precipitously after the deal was BofA agreed to the purchase after federal officials said they woulc support the deal with taxpayer aid. BofA in January receivedx an additional $20 billion in Troubled Asset Reliefd Program money related to theMerrillp purchase. The bank has received a total of $45 billionm from the program.
according to a transcript of his prepared Paulson is scheduled to testify beforethe U.S. Housde Committee on Oversight and Governmenty Reform onThursday morning. In prepared Paulson acknowledges he told BofA Chieg Executive Kenneth Lewis that backingb out of the deal to buy Merrill Lyncnh would be seen as a lack of He also told Lewis such a move may put his futuree with the bankin jeopardy, according to the transcript.
BofA in Decemberr threatened to back out of a deal to buy Merrilplfor $50 billion and declaree a “materially adverse change” related to higher-than-expectedr fourth-quarter losses at the investment bank and Paulson’s prepared testimony says Treasury officials and federakl regulators investigated BofA’s threat and decided it woul d not be legally valid to declare a materiallhy adverse change. Paulson will testify that dropping the deal woulc have been harmful to both parties and thegreatef economy. “I believe my remarks to Mr.
Lewiss were appropriate,” Paulson says in the “If Bank of America exercised theMAC clause, such an actioh would show a colossal lack of judgment. “I furtherr explained to him that, under such circumstances, the Federal Reservw could exercise its authority to remove managemenf and the board of Bankof America.” Paulson will testify that by reminding Lewis of the Fed’sd powers, he intended to “deliver a strong message ... that it woulcd be unthinkable for Bank of Americqa to take this destructivs action for which there was no reasonable legaol basis and which would show a lack of BofA (NYSE:BAC), based in N.C.
, eventually followed through with the Merrilo Lynch purchase, buying it Jan. 1 for $29.q billion. The value of the deal dropped from theoriginalp $50 billion because Merrill’s stockk price fell precipitously after the deal was BofA agreed to the purchase after federal officials said they woulc support the deal with taxpayer aid. BofA in January receivedx an additional $20 billion in Troubled Asset Reliefd Program money related to theMerrillp purchase. The bank has received a total of $45 billionm from the program.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Andovers A La Cart: Masterful Meats - Patch.com
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Andovers A La Cart: Masterful Meats Patch.com Marinating, heating and timing are all aspects of cooking meat that make the process more difficult than other kitchen tasks. This is why many of us opt to leave it to the pros when the craving for a great steak or some juicy tips arises. |
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Real Estate Roundup - East Bay Business Times:
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Portland, from Weston Investment Co. LLC. It is one of the larges office deals in downtown inrecent months. The Indian Health establishedin 1972, will move from its currentr location at 527 S.W. Hall St. Jake Lancastee of Grubb & Ellis Co. representesd the tenant; Steve Root of American Property Managementrepresentede Weston. • Level 3 Communications LLC renewed its leasrefor 4,724 square feet at the Pittocki Block, 921 S.W. Washington St., Portland, from ALCO Investmenty Co. Kevin Kaufman of CB Richard Ellis representedcLevel 3; the landlord represented itself. Telelanguage Inc. signed a new lease for 4,401 square feet at the PortlandsExchange Building, 520 S.W. Sixthg Ave.
, Portland. NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpsoh represented the tenant; Ryan Livesay of Pacific Real EstaterPartners Inc. represented the property. • Stearns Lendin Inc. leased 3,722 square feet at Hampton 6950 S.W. Hampton, Tigard, from Weston Investment Co. LLC. Steve Root of Americamn Property Management representedthe lessor. • Peters Company PC signed a new leasedfor 2,170 square feet at the Selling Building, 610 S.W. Alder St., with the Schlesinge r Companies. Kristin Hammond and Mark McFarlanfd of Pacific Real EstatePartners Inc. represented the tenant; Bill Smithb of NAI Norris, Beggs Simpson represented the property. • SCR Inc. leasec 2,000 square feet at 8680 S.W.
Old Tualatin Sherwood Tualatin, from Kmotion Inc. Ian Giammanco of Bluestones & Hockley Real Estate Services representedthe tenant; Scott Pierc e of NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson represented the landlord. •Remed Intelligent Staffing leased 1,638 square feet at The 6646 N.E. 78th Court, Portland, from API Properties 1047 LLC. Mark McFarlandx of Pacific Real EstatePartnerse Inc. represented the tenant; Rob Kimmelman of Commercialp Realty Advisors representedthe property. • Pioneer Flooer Covering Inc. leased 5,85w square feet at Arctic Business 5657 S.W. Arctic Drive, Beaverton, from Pacific NW Propertiesz LP. Cliff Finnell of GVA Kidder Mathews representedthe tenant.
Carlan Enterprises Inc., operating as Stauffer-Cisco leased 5,622 square feet at Bridgeport WoodBusiness Park, 7532 S.W. Bridgeporyt Road, Durham, from Bridgeport Woods BusinessPark LLC. Peter Stalick and Steven Kleihn of GVA Kidder Mathewx representedthe tenant; Dave Kiersey of Kierseyu & McMillan Inc. represented the property. • Stavely Services Northg Americaleased 4,860 square feet at Kittridge Distributioj Center, 4943 N.W. Front Ave., Portland, from LIT Industrial Limited Tony Reser and Sean McCarthy of GVA Kidder Mathews brokeredthe transaction. • Red Wing Brandds of America Inc. leased 3,840 square feet at the NorstarBusiness Center, 8611 N. Albinz Ave.
, Portland, from Norsta r 8405 N. Albina Ave. LLC. Tony Reserr and Sean McCarthy of GVA Kidder Mathewe brokeredthe transaction. • Biscuits Cafe leased 3,12 1 square feet at Hogan 1905 N.E. Division St., from Pelopon LLC. Mike Foley of Firsyt Commercial representedthe tenant; Craifg Barnard of Barnard Commercial Real Estate represented the property. • a new barbershop venture fromHairM men’s leased 2,055 square feet at the Commonwealth 609 S.W. Washington St., from Unicio Properties LLC. Kathleen Healy of Urban Workws Real Estaterepresented Y-Chrome; Dan Bozich and Kathleeh Healy of Urban Works Real Estate representedx the property.
• Aprende Con Amigos Bilingua l Preschoolleased 1,872 square feet at Pattob Park Apartments on North Interstatde from Patton Square Leasing LLC. Stevs Haugen of Windermere/Cronin & Caplan Realty Groul Inc. represented the tenant; Charlotte Larsohn and Sara Daley of Urban Workd Real Estate representedthe property. • PDX Antiques leasex 1,120 square feet at the K2 Buildinbg from4152 N.E. Sandy LLC. Charlotte Larson of Urban Worksx Real Estate represented the Matt Schweitzer of North Rim representedthe property. Liz Richards Acupuncture PC leased 1,046 squar e feet at Fremont 3531 N.E. 15th Ave., from ADG Properties LLC. Anthyan Nguyen of Norris & Stevens Inc.
representede the tenant; Ashley Heichelbech of Urban Worksa Real Estate representedthe • State Farm Insurance leased 1,00 square feet at 1018 N.W. 13th Ave., Portland, from Block Two LLC. Thom Brockmillerd of Stehlin Advisors LLC represented the Kathleen Healy and Dan Bozich of Urbamn Works Real Estate representedthe property.
Portland, from Weston Investment Co. LLC. It is one of the larges office deals in downtown inrecent months. The Indian Health establishedin 1972, will move from its currentr location at 527 S.W. Hall St. Jake Lancastee of Grubb & Ellis Co. representesd the tenant; Steve Root of American Property Managementrepresentede Weston. • Level 3 Communications LLC renewed its leasrefor 4,724 square feet at the Pittocki Block, 921 S.W. Washington St., Portland, from ALCO Investmenty Co. Kevin Kaufman of CB Richard Ellis representedcLevel 3; the landlord represented itself. Telelanguage Inc. signed a new lease for 4,401 square feet at the PortlandsExchange Building, 520 S.W. Sixthg Ave.
, Portland. NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpsoh represented the tenant; Ryan Livesay of Pacific Real EstaterPartners Inc. represented the property. • Stearns Lendin Inc. leased 3,722 square feet at Hampton 6950 S.W. Hampton, Tigard, from Weston Investment Co. LLC. Steve Root of Americamn Property Management representedthe lessor. • Peters Company PC signed a new leasedfor 2,170 square feet at the Selling Building, 610 S.W. Alder St., with the Schlesinge r Companies. Kristin Hammond and Mark McFarlanfd of Pacific Real EstatePartners Inc. represented the tenant; Bill Smithb of NAI Norris, Beggs Simpson represented the property. • SCR Inc. leasec 2,000 square feet at 8680 S.W.
Old Tualatin Sherwood Tualatin, from Kmotion Inc. Ian Giammanco of Bluestones & Hockley Real Estate Services representedthe tenant; Scott Pierc e of NAI Norris, Beggs & Simpson represented the landlord. •Remed Intelligent Staffing leased 1,638 square feet at The 6646 N.E. 78th Court, Portland, from API Properties 1047 LLC. Mark McFarlandx of Pacific Real EstatePartnerse Inc. represented the tenant; Rob Kimmelman of Commercialp Realty Advisors representedthe property. • Pioneer Flooer Covering Inc. leased 5,85w square feet at Arctic Business 5657 S.W. Arctic Drive, Beaverton, from Pacific NW Propertiesz LP. Cliff Finnell of GVA Kidder Mathews representedthe tenant.
Carlan Enterprises Inc., operating as Stauffer-Cisco leased 5,622 square feet at Bridgeport WoodBusiness Park, 7532 S.W. Bridgeporyt Road, Durham, from Bridgeport Woods BusinessPark LLC. Peter Stalick and Steven Kleihn of GVA Kidder Mathewx representedthe tenant; Dave Kiersey of Kierseyu & McMillan Inc. represented the property. • Stavely Services Northg Americaleased 4,860 square feet at Kittridge Distributioj Center, 4943 N.W. Front Ave., Portland, from LIT Industrial Limited Tony Reser and Sean McCarthy of GVA Kidder Mathews brokeredthe transaction. • Red Wing Brandds of America Inc. leased 3,840 square feet at the NorstarBusiness Center, 8611 N. Albinz Ave.
, Portland, from Norsta r 8405 N. Albina Ave. LLC. Tony Reserr and Sean McCarthy of GVA Kidder Mathewe brokeredthe transaction. • Biscuits Cafe leased 3,12 1 square feet at Hogan 1905 N.E. Division St., from Pelopon LLC. Mike Foley of Firsyt Commercial representedthe tenant; Craifg Barnard of Barnard Commercial Real Estate represented the property. • a new barbershop venture fromHairM men’s leased 2,055 square feet at the Commonwealth 609 S.W. Washington St., from Unicio Properties LLC. Kathleen Healy of Urban Workws Real Estaterepresented Y-Chrome; Dan Bozich and Kathleeh Healy of Urban Works Real Estate representedx the property.
• Aprende Con Amigos Bilingua l Preschoolleased 1,872 square feet at Pattob Park Apartments on North Interstatde from Patton Square Leasing LLC. Stevs Haugen of Windermere/Cronin & Caplan Realty Groul Inc. represented the tenant; Charlotte Larsohn and Sara Daley of Urban Workd Real Estate representedthe property. • PDX Antiques leasex 1,120 square feet at the K2 Buildinbg from4152 N.E. Sandy LLC. Charlotte Larson of Urban Worksx Real Estate represented the Matt Schweitzer of North Rim representedthe property. Liz Richards Acupuncture PC leased 1,046 squar e feet at Fremont 3531 N.E. 15th Ave., from ADG Properties LLC. Anthyan Nguyen of Norris & Stevens Inc.
representede the tenant; Ashley Heichelbech of Urban Worksa Real Estate representedthe • State Farm Insurance leased 1,00 square feet at 1018 N.W. 13th Ave., Portland, from Block Two LLC. Thom Brockmillerd of Stehlin Advisors LLC represented the Kathleen Healy and Dan Bozich of Urbamn Works Real Estate representedthe property.
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