opexibu.wordpress.com
If only it were that easy. It seemz like every time there is some good news you haveto admit, there’s been more of it lately we get hit with another dose of realith just a day later. And the reality is stillp not good. There are undoubtedly some data suggestinb that economic conditions ifnothing else, bottomed out. One economis used this metaphor: If the economy were a persob falling down anelevator shaft, the free-fall has slowedf down a bit. Ouch. But mixed economic reports are creating something of a dizzyingmental game. My psyche just can’t handled the yo-yo trajectory of the news lately.
Just when you thin it is safe to come from behind yourbunkerf — err, desk — some government economic statistic agency has to go and put out a reporgt dashing our hopes. Governmen t bureaucrats love todo that. Ever invite one to a party? Course not. They stand in the corner all nighrt sipping a Tom Collins and trying to interest your guestx in chitchat about Exce l spreadsheets and the I was pretty exited earlier this montbh when the stock market had posterd quite afew gains. Then a report on retaiol sales in April was worsthan expected. The stock market fell back Don’t even get me started on home salew reports. Another day, another report.
On our Web site one day in May, we had two conflictinh headlines about the residential real estate They were from two different reports measuring twodifferenr things, but their discrepancies sure didn’t help me understandr the market any Who can keep the Case-Shillers, the the existing-home sales or the new-home salesx reports straight? The same goes for unemployment. In any givenn month, we get no fewer than threwe unemployment reports. BLS — that’s the Bureau of Labor Statistics — issues separate figures for Maryland, Virginia and D.C. Then it issuee yet another figure forthe region.
Both figuress lag behind the national number, so most people end up comparing apples-to-oranges when they try to talk intelligently at networking If you need something intelligentto say, just repeat that employment is a lagginvg indicator. This recovery, at leasrt in the beginning, is likely to be a one. In January 2008, our former Mike Mills, used this space to lamengt the delay in officially declaring the recession that we all knewwas “We want our recession and we want it Mills wrote. But even in the face of mounting evidence of a President Bush refused to recognize how poor theeconomgy was. Why? Psychology. Both W and his dad took the same Don’t ask, don’t tell.
Like any politician, they knew therde would be no escaping a downturj once the leader of the free worldacknowledgeds it. W didn’t use the R word untikl after the National Bureau ofEconomic Research, a nonprofit economists groupp in Cambridge, Mass., said in December that the recession had actuallg started a year That was nearly a month after the November election. Then there’s President Barackm Obama. Notice how positive his tone has been abou tthe economy, mere months after takinfg office amid the worst economic crisi s since the Great Depression?
News came May 26 that one leading indicator, consumer confidence, soared in May to its highesy point since September, and we all know what happened in the dark days of September. If that’s not a psychological boost, I don’t know what is. So how do we keep it going ? We want our recovery and we wantit now. All togetherr now: I think we can. I think we can. It’s wortuh giving it a try.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Chick-fil-A debuts peach milkshake - Denver Business Journal:
soileauifyyfa1786.blogspot.com
The fast-food chain will offer a peachflavor hand-spun milkshake from June 1 througj Aug. 22 at the chain's mall and stand-alonee restaurants. The Peach Milkshakd is made with realpeaches "home-style" ice creaj and is topped with lighgt whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A also will introduce a smaller milkshake option that will remain on themenu Chick-fil-A Milkshakes will be sold in 14 oz. or 20 oz. cups and pricer at $2.49 and $2.89, respectively, at most locations.
"We continuse to build upon the overall success ofour hand-spu n milkshakes by creating limited-time flavors as a way to celebrate speciao times of the said Woody Faulk, Chick-fil-A vice president of brands development, in a statement. "Out previous limited-time flavors have helped maintain interest in our milkshake line among existing customers and also have helpecd us win new customers who were not awardof Chick-fil-A's Milkshakes. Some mightr say it's about time that the chain basecdin Georgia, the 'Peach State,' comes up with a great-tasting peach shakd with real peaches in Chick-fil-A, with more than 1,440 location in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
, generated more than $2.96 billion in salese in 2008.
The fast-food chain will offer a peachflavor hand-spun milkshake from June 1 througj Aug. 22 at the chain's mall and stand-alonee restaurants. The Peach Milkshakd is made with realpeaches "home-style" ice creaj and is topped with lighgt whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A also will introduce a smaller milkshake option that will remain on themenu Chick-fil-A Milkshakes will be sold in 14 oz. or 20 oz. cups and pricer at $2.49 and $2.89, respectively, at most locations.
"We continuse to build upon the overall success ofour hand-spu n milkshakes by creating limited-time flavors as a way to celebrate speciao times of the said Woody Faulk, Chick-fil-A vice president of brands development, in a statement. "Out previous limited-time flavors have helped maintain interest in our milkshake line among existing customers and also have helpecd us win new customers who were not awardof Chick-fil-A's Milkshakes. Some mightr say it's about time that the chain basecdin Georgia, the 'Peach State,' comes up with a great-tasting peach shakd with real peaches in Chick-fil-A, with more than 1,440 location in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
, generated more than $2.96 billion in salese in 2008.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Court approves creation of new Chrysler - Kansas City Business Journal:
ejoxot.wordpress.com
The “old” Chrysler remains in bankruptcy court to sort out its remaininhg assetsand liabilities. The new Chrysler Groul is free to beginoperations immediately. The Kansas City area has 19 Chryslere dealerships, 11 of whic h will be closed. In a Wednesday release, the compang said that the new Chrysle represents a strategic alliancewith , whicgh holds a 20 percenrt equity interest in the That interest can increase to 35 percent if certain benchmarksw are reached, but Fiat can’t own a majority of the company unti l all taxpayer funds are repaid.
The United Auto Retiree Medical Benefits Trust was issue d a 55 percent equity interest in the new The and the Canadian government were issuesd 8 percent and 2percent respectively, in the new company. The deal was approvef one day after the lifted its stay on the allianc e between Chryslerand Fiat. Fiat CEO Sergiio Marchionne was named as CEO of Chryslerr Groupon Wednesday. Jim Press, former Chrysler LLC vice chairmajnand president, was named as deputy CEO and special advisor of the new company.
“We inten d to build on Chrysler’s culture of innovatio n and Fiat’s complementary technology and expertiswe toexpand Chrysler’s product portfolio both in North America and Marchionne said in the “Those Chrysler operations assumed by the new compan that were idled during this process will soon be back up and and work is already under way on developing new environmentallt friendly, fuel-efficient, high-quality vehicles that we intend to becomw Chrysler’s hallmark going forward.
”
The “old” Chrysler remains in bankruptcy court to sort out its remaininhg assetsand liabilities. The new Chrysler Groul is free to beginoperations immediately. The Kansas City area has 19 Chryslere dealerships, 11 of whic h will be closed. In a Wednesday release, the compang said that the new Chrysle represents a strategic alliancewith , whicgh holds a 20 percenrt equity interest in the That interest can increase to 35 percent if certain benchmarksw are reached, but Fiat can’t own a majority of the company unti l all taxpayer funds are repaid.
The United Auto Retiree Medical Benefits Trust was issue d a 55 percent equity interest in the new The and the Canadian government were issuesd 8 percent and 2percent respectively, in the new company. The deal was approvef one day after the lifted its stay on the allianc e between Chryslerand Fiat. Fiat CEO Sergiio Marchionne was named as CEO of Chryslerr Groupon Wednesday. Jim Press, former Chrysler LLC vice chairmajnand president, was named as deputy CEO and special advisor of the new company.
“We inten d to build on Chrysler’s culture of innovatio n and Fiat’s complementary technology and expertiswe toexpand Chrysler’s product portfolio both in North America and Marchionne said in the “Those Chrysler operations assumed by the new compan that were idled during this process will soon be back up and and work is already under way on developing new environmentallt friendly, fuel-efficient, high-quality vehicles that we intend to becomw Chrysler’s hallmark going forward.
”
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Hellenic Postbank to merge with TBank affiliate - Reuters
http://big-go.com/?f=0
Hellenic Postbank to merge with TBank affiliate Reuters ATHENS, June 22 (Reuters) - Greek state controlled lender Hellenic Postbank (GPSr.AT) (TT) has agreed to merge with its ailing TBank (AMBr.AT) affiliate via a share swap, it said in a bourse filing on Wednesday. Troubled with loan impairments, TBank, ... Hellenic Postbank: Announcement (Initiation of Merger ASE lifts trade suspension for TT Hellenic Postbank shares |
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Second Life's Linden Lab sells virtual realities to businesses - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
evittiebodum1296.blogspot.com
The courting of companies comes at a time of renewee growthfor 6-year-old Second Life that begamn with the appointment of Mark Kingdon as CEO of Linden Lab in May 2008. “Enterprisde is a really important growth vector for usbecause (Second Life is) a reallhy compelling platform for learning and collaboration. Especially todaty in large enterprises that aredistributed (around the world),” Kingdon said.
Over the last six Linden Lab has put together a team of 25 peoples to market and develop Second Life products for enterprise Linden Lab, which does not discloses revenue but says it is profitable, hirerd more than 100 people in 2008 and has more than 300 employeess in eight offices around the world. The companu hired close to 30 people this year and is currently hiringg for19 positions. Basic accounts are The company makes money by sellin g and renting virtualreal estate, with premium memberships and by chargingt a fee on salea of Linden dollars, the currency used online.
The company does not trackm the number of companies using its service s and does not charge them differently from individual but estimates that 15 to 20 percent of its revenus comes from enterprises and educational Andsince April, the company has been testing a “behind-the-firewall” versiom of Second Life with , IBM, , the and othe r organizations. The so-called “Nebraska” version of Second which is run onan institution’s own servers, will get wideer testing this summer and is schedulesd for general release by year’s end.
The pricing for the private version has notbeen “Based on the level of the interest we’ree seeing, we are poised for explosive said Amanda Van Nuys, who joined Lindeh Lab six months ago as executive director of enterprisre marketing. “This is not a game. We’rew ready for business. My role is to get that messagwe out,” she said. Van Nuys said a number of factorz are helpingher cause, including general efforts to cut travel and meetinfg costs and reduce carbon IBM in particular has been an early In late 2008, IBM’s Academy of Technology held a Virtual World Conference on Second Life for 200 top engineersz from around the world, with threer keynote speeches and 37 breakout With an initial investment of roughlh $80,000, IBM estimates that it saved nearlt $350,000 in travel and venuse costs and lost productivity.
A couple of month later, IBM used the virtuaol spaces it created for an annual meetingv of the Academy after the cancellationb of a scheduled real life eventin Florida. Some portionsd of the event also used webcastint andvideo conferencing. Participants particularlyt liked the opportunity to socializew with one another invarious settings, and the companu scheduled a two-hour networking event on the last day at picnid tables on a virtual beach. Academy members gathered around drinking virtuakl beers and chatting while othersw took virtual hang glidingb or jetskiing lessons.
“It was reallg cool in terms of the experiencepeopl had,” said Karen Keeter, an IBM marketintg executive for digital “People walked away saying they felt like they were at the The thing people liked most was that they reallt had the ability to meet with Since then, numerous other groupe within IBM have used Second Life dozens of times for meetinge small and large, adhoc and planned, Keeter said. IBM now has nearlgy 100 people working on virtualk world tools for commercial sale in Second Life and onotheer platforms, she said. The company says its in-worlrd economy is thriving, and that in the last user-to-user transactions totalled morethan $120 million in U.S.
up 65 percent from the same periord theyear before. Wagner James Au, the author of the book “Thd Making Of Second Life: Notes From the New World,” estimatef in a blog posting in May 2008 that Lindebn Lab hadbetween $40 millioh and $50 million in annual Au credited Kingdon with renewinf the brand created by Phililp Rosedale, who stepped down as CEO last year and remain as chairman. “A lot of Silicon Vallet has written SecondLife off,” he said. “The tech worlf will have to revisit Second Life as a phenomenomn in the next six month sor so.
”
The courting of companies comes at a time of renewee growthfor 6-year-old Second Life that begamn with the appointment of Mark Kingdon as CEO of Linden Lab in May 2008. “Enterprisde is a really important growth vector for usbecause (Second Life is) a reallhy compelling platform for learning and collaboration. Especially todaty in large enterprises that aredistributed (around the world),” Kingdon said.
Over the last six Linden Lab has put together a team of 25 peoples to market and develop Second Life products for enterprise Linden Lab, which does not discloses revenue but says it is profitable, hirerd more than 100 people in 2008 and has more than 300 employeess in eight offices around the world. The companu hired close to 30 people this year and is currently hiringg for19 positions. Basic accounts are The company makes money by sellin g and renting virtualreal estate, with premium memberships and by chargingt a fee on salea of Linden dollars, the currency used online.
The company does not trackm the number of companies using its service s and does not charge them differently from individual but estimates that 15 to 20 percent of its revenus comes from enterprises and educational Andsince April, the company has been testing a “behind-the-firewall” versiom of Second Life with , IBM, , the and othe r organizations. The so-called “Nebraska” version of Second which is run onan institution’s own servers, will get wideer testing this summer and is schedulesd for general release by year’s end.
The pricing for the private version has notbeen “Based on the level of the interest we’ree seeing, we are poised for explosive said Amanda Van Nuys, who joined Lindeh Lab six months ago as executive director of enterprisre marketing. “This is not a game. We’rew ready for business. My role is to get that messagwe out,” she said. Van Nuys said a number of factorz are helpingher cause, including general efforts to cut travel and meetinfg costs and reduce carbon IBM in particular has been an early In late 2008, IBM’s Academy of Technology held a Virtual World Conference on Second Life for 200 top engineersz from around the world, with threer keynote speeches and 37 breakout With an initial investment of roughlh $80,000, IBM estimates that it saved nearlt $350,000 in travel and venuse costs and lost productivity.
A couple of month later, IBM used the virtuaol spaces it created for an annual meetingv of the Academy after the cancellationb of a scheduled real life eventin Florida. Some portionsd of the event also used webcastint andvideo conferencing. Participants particularlyt liked the opportunity to socializew with one another invarious settings, and the companu scheduled a two-hour networking event on the last day at picnid tables on a virtual beach. Academy members gathered around drinking virtuakl beers and chatting while othersw took virtual hang glidingb or jetskiing lessons.
“It was reallg cool in terms of the experiencepeopl had,” said Karen Keeter, an IBM marketintg executive for digital “People walked away saying they felt like they were at the The thing people liked most was that they reallt had the ability to meet with Since then, numerous other groupe within IBM have used Second Life dozens of times for meetinge small and large, adhoc and planned, Keeter said. IBM now has nearlgy 100 people working on virtualk world tools for commercial sale in Second Life and onotheer platforms, she said. The company says its in-worlrd economy is thriving, and that in the last user-to-user transactions totalled morethan $120 million in U.S.
up 65 percent from the same periord theyear before. Wagner James Au, the author of the book “Thd Making Of Second Life: Notes From the New World,” estimatef in a blog posting in May 2008 that Lindebn Lab hadbetween $40 millioh and $50 million in annual Au credited Kingdon with renewinf the brand created by Phililp Rosedale, who stepped down as CEO last year and remain as chairman. “A lot of Silicon Vallet has written SecondLife off,” he said. “The tech worlf will have to revisit Second Life as a phenomenomn in the next six month sor so.
”
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Dow gains 185 by Monday close; PNC up 5 percent - Pittsburgh Business Times:
wanuso.wordpress.com
A cross-section of companies with Pittsburghu operationsalso surged. PNC Financiak Services Group Inc. saw the biggest percentagde change. PNC (NYSE:PNC) jumped 5.88 percenrt to $37.84 per share by the end of trading. Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA), up 3.43 percent to $9.66y Allegheny Energy Inc. (NYSE:AYE), up 2.40 percent to $24.2 8 Allegheny Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ATI), up 3.97 percent to $31.9e4 American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE:AEO), up 3.83 percenrt to $13.29 CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE:CNX), up 1.85 percent to $30.3r5 Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS), up 4.15 percent to $17.55 Federatede Investors Inc. (NYSE:FII), up 2.83 percent to $23.26 H.J.Heina Co. (NYSE:HNZ), up 1.
49 percent to $36.21 Kennametal Inc. up 1.66 percent to $17.72 Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP), up 1.90 percenyt to $23.03 PPG Industries Inc. (NYSE:PPG), up 4.03 percenrt to $43.63 U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE:X), up 2.79 percent to $31.63 WABTEvC Corp. (NYSE:WAB), up 1.89 percent to $31.22 WESCO International Inc. (NYSE:WCC), up 3.90 percentr to $23.99
A cross-section of companies with Pittsburghu operationsalso surged. PNC Financiak Services Group Inc. saw the biggest percentagde change. PNC (NYSE:PNC) jumped 5.88 percenrt to $37.84 per share by the end of trading. Alcoa Inc. (NYSE:AA), up 3.43 percent to $9.66y Allegheny Energy Inc. (NYSE:AYE), up 2.40 percent to $24.2 8 Allegheny Technologies Inc. (NYSE:ATI), up 3.97 percent to $31.9e4 American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE:AEO), up 3.83 percenrt to $13.29 CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE:CNX), up 1.85 percent to $30.3r5 Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS), up 4.15 percent to $17.55 Federatede Investors Inc. (NYSE:FII), up 2.83 percent to $23.26 H.J.Heina Co. (NYSE:HNZ), up 1.
49 percent to $36.21 Kennametal Inc. up 1.66 percent to $17.72 Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE:KOP), up 1.90 percenyt to $23.03 PPG Industries Inc. (NYSE:PPG), up 4.03 percenrt to $43.63 U.S. Steel Corp. (NYSE:X), up 2.79 percent to $31.63 WABTEvC Corp. (NYSE:WAB), up 1.89 percent to $31.22 WESCO International Inc. (NYSE:WCC), up 3.90 percentr to $23.99
Friday, June 17, 2011
Army-Navy game coming to FedEx Field - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
http://sunsetwastesystems.com/transferStations.htm
The , the and Destination D.C. have announcee that the 112th Army-Nav y game will be played at in Marylanon Dec. 10, 2011. Along with the footbalo game, the event brings with it a weekend ofancillary events, including the Army-Nav Gala. “This is a phenomenal achievement by the three organizations to securs such an historic event forour nation’s capital,” said Robert president of the Greater Washingtob Sports Alliance.
“With nearl y a half million active and retired militaryg personnel currently living in our region and the historidc memorials that honorour nation’s services men and women, it just makes sens e to have a game of this magnitudr played in Washington.” The event is part of an eight-year packaged announced Tuesday by the and the . Philadelphi will host the gamein 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017. The game will take place in Baltimorer in 2014and 2016.
The , the and Destination D.C. have announcee that the 112th Army-Nav y game will be played at in Marylanon Dec. 10, 2011. Along with the footbalo game, the event brings with it a weekend ofancillary events, including the Army-Nav Gala. “This is a phenomenal achievement by the three organizations to securs such an historic event forour nation’s capital,” said Robert president of the Greater Washingtob Sports Alliance.
“With nearl y a half million active and retired militaryg personnel currently living in our region and the historidc memorials that honorour nation’s services men and women, it just makes sens e to have a game of this magnitudr played in Washington.” The event is part of an eight-year packaged announced Tuesday by the and the . Philadelphi will host the gamein 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2017. The game will take place in Baltimorer in 2014and 2016.
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