Monday, January 31, 2011

LCA-Vision adds Thomas as COO, Sebastian as Senior VP - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

surrounded-assistant.blogspot.com
The COO job is a newlyu created titlefor Thomas, who had been senior vice presidenr of operations. Sebastian replaces Stephe Jones, who has left LCA “to pursuer other opportunities,” the company said in a news release. “Dave has continuallyy proven his leadership abilitg by developing and implementing initiatives that increase ouroperational efficiencies,” said CEO Stevem Straus in the release. He added that who is rejoining LCA, “is an accomplished human resourceas executive with demonstrated success in developinfg and implementing organizational strategies inchanging environments.
” Sebastian most recentlgy served as vice president, organization and management for Cincinnati-based , which in May files for bankruptcy and announced the sale of its assets to a privatde equity firm. LCA-Vision (NASDAQ: LCAV), headquartered in Cincinnati, providezs laser vision correction services undeer theLasikPlus brand. The company operates 75 laser visiob correction centers in the United Statesz and a joint venturein

Friday, January 28, 2011

Village wants Tinley Ice building, 'eyesores' demolished - TribLocal

glycobiology-woodworking.blogspot.com


TribLocal


Village wants Tinley Ice building, 'eyesores' demolished

TribLocal


“Now, this isn't quite shovels in the ground as hoped, but at least it begins to bring down what have turned into eyesores over there.”



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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Air America, Bonneville reach local marketing agreement for 1050 AM - Dayton Business Journal:

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The progressive talk radio network has reached a local marketing agreemenf with to begin broadcasting its programmin gon Bonneville’s 1050 AM signal in the Washington area. Air America expects to launchb during the monthof June, althouggh an official date, call letters and programming line-up have not yet been As part of the agreement, Air America will essentiallh lease the signal from Bonneville, and then handle programming and advertising sales. Financial terms of the multi-year deal were not disclosed. Air America has hired some locaosales staff, and will occupy a small space in Bonneville’s Washington offices. “Air America is obviously very interested inthe D.C.
market,” said Bennett Air America’s CEO and a former executivee with Clear Channel and Red ZebraBroadcastinb locally. “It’s where decisions are made. Its numbed one business is Air America initially approached Bonneville to put togetherethe agreement, which had been looking for someoned to pick up the signal. The deal came togethe during the pastfew months. Bonneville simulcasts WTOP’s signal on 1050 AM, along with some sportss programming. The sports programminh will remain, Bonneville Senior Regional Vice President JoelOxley said, which will mainly be heardd on nights and weekends.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

FACTBOX-Security developments in Pakistan, Jan 23 - Reuters AlertNet

http://www.ilrinc.com/forums/membership/15547/


FACTBOX-Security developments in Pakistan, Jan 23

Reuters AlertNet


* MIRANSHAH - A US drone aircraft fired two missiles targeting a vehicle and a house in the North Waziristan tribal region on the Afghan border, ...



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Friday, January 21, 2011

Biz leaders see hope amid gloom - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

http://www.devorelawoffice.com/dui-license-revocation-dismissed.html
“The impact [of Obama’s is significant,” said Doug director of the Minneapolis complexfor . “qA recession is a mindset. Obama ran on a messagw of hopeand change, and that’s what it’xs going to take to changse that mindset.” The annual event featured paneliste from , Merrill Lynch, CSM Marsh Inc., the , and They discussedx the 2009 outlook for theird industries and companies. Holmes, who’s president of Minneapolis-based CSM, pointed to $3.5 trilliobn in outstanding commercial real estate debt when predicting big trouble for many owners ofcommercialk property.
Most lenders that financed deals during the past severakl years have all but stoppedd the flow of As property values sink andvacancies rise, propertyg owners can quickly find themselves undef water, he said. “The biggestt thing is, where are we going to go to refinancerthat debt?” Holmes asked. It wasn’y intentional, but the industrty that’s probably most closely tied to Obama’as plans for reform health care — was firsf in the lineup of panelists to give short presentations on the outloofor 2009.
There are four main areae where changeis impending, said Pat Geraghty, presidenrt and CEO of Eagan-based Blue Cross and Blue Shiel d of Minnesota: cost control, coveragew for everyone, focus on prevention, and an embrace of Geraghty predicted that cost hikea will slow in 2009, but will stil increase faster than incomes. There will be more incentivde programs to help consumers prevent healtghcare problems. Cost pressures will forced new care andpayment innovation. And while health care coveragre foreveryone won’t necessarily be adoptec during these tough times, nationalk and state proposals will be debated. “It’xs the right thing to said Geraghty ofuniversal coverage.
After a year that includede the failure ofthe world’s largest insurance company, , transparencyy will be the watchword of the new year for the insurance industry, said Bruce head of the Minneapolis offic e for “There’s a dialogue around stability,” Smithh said. “Finding a balance will be With companies looking hard at theidr operating budgets to see where costes canbe trimmed, it’s a good time to revisiyt insurance policies. “You can look at multiyear dealxs and payingin installments,” Smitjh said. “There’s a real opportunity to see some savinga if you have a good plan in The goodnews is, the market has bottomed out.
Once on Oct. 10, and a seconsd time on Nov. 21, said King of Merrill which was bought byin “That doesn’t mean you should go rush to stocks, King said, addingg that this kind of news is already pricedf into the market. Stocks will start to reboundr in the second half of he said. Certain investments have a better the defense industry and companiesin “defensive” sectores such as health care, high-quality municipal bonds, and mid-cap growty stocks. Industries like health information technology and energy likely will showgood “Keep your focus on the long King said.
One thing that bodesz well for basketball, said Chrise Wright, president of the Minnesotq Timberwolves, is that Obama plans to rip out the bowling lanes in the basement of the Whitwe House and put in abasketbalol court. Other than that, though, the Timberwolve s and all professional sports teams in the Twin Citiees market face a tough couple years as competition increases with the opening of the Target Field andthe ’s Stadium at the same time consumerw are cutting their discretionary spending. The Wolves will continued to try to improvetheir game, since winninfg is the primary indicato r of the success of a sportws franchise.
Wright also promised a major announcement soon about ticket pricinbg atthe , wheree the Wolves play. Despite predicting a long wait for areboundr — not until 2011 — Holmes noteds that, among real estate sectors, multifamilyt housing looked the most promising for 2009 becausre demand will stay flat insteadr of declining. Demand for industrial and office spac willdecrease moderately, while demand for retail and lodging will nose-dive. “One of the key driverds is job loss, and it’lol be a long time befors we see that” turn said Holmes, adding that, rather than buildinbg new facilities, companies will retrofit theirexisting ones.
One thintg that appears certain: checked baggage fees are hereto stay, said Jim senior vice president of global sales and distribution for Atlanta-basee Delta Air Lines, which boughf in October. “The industry has been goinfg down the path of charging for thinges not embedded in the price of a ticket for a long Cron said. Delta will continue to cut capacity by 6 to 8 percent year-over-year because of a decline in overall which means that, although fewer people are passengers won’t find many empty seats. One brightf spot for the airline industry is lower fuel which will reduce the impact of thedismal economy. Delta has projectef that it will be profitablein 2009.
“2008 was a year of but for 2009, we’rd optimistic,” Cron said.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Huttig Building Products, Inc. Company Profile | HBPI Company Information

http://bcunited.org/grads.html
Huttig Building Products, Inc., a Delaware corporatiom incorporatedin 1913, is one of the largesy domestic distributors of millwork, building materials and wood productss used principally in new residential constructiomn and in home improvement, remodeling and repairf work. We purchase from leading manufacturers and we distribute our productas through 30 wholesale distribution centers serving45 states. Our distribution centers sell principally to buildinmaterials dealers, national buying groups, home centeras and industrial users, including makers of manufactured For the year ended December 31, 2008, we generated net salezs of $671.0 million.
We conduct our businessz througha two-step distributioj model. This means we resell the products we purchase from manufacturersa toour customers, who then sell the products to the finap end users, who are typically professional builders and independent contractorx engaged in residential construction projects. Our products fall into thres categories: (i) millwork, which includee doors, windows, moulding, stair parts and (ii) general building products, which includ composite decking, connectors, fasteners, housewrap, roofing products and and (iii) wood products, which include engineered wood products, such as floor as well as wood panelsand lumber. ...

Saturday, January 15, 2011

New Zealand companies take root in Silicon Valley - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

http://www.speak-voices.com/2000/boystop.html
The southwest Pacific island nation has launched a concerted effort atattracting U.S. venture dollars, with Kiwi companiesz looking at Silicon Valley as their beachheax intoworld markets. Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Glovsky and Popeo PC member Matt Kirmayer has worked with the New Zealandr Trade and Enterprise group for abouftwo years. He has traveled therd twice to explain the Silicon Valley venture modelto investors, companies and government officials. “The leveol of excitement and interest isquite high,” Kirmayerd said. “They read about VC growth, and they’re reading about what happens inSilicon Valley.
And as companiews there mature, there are a large numbee of valley venture funds excitedx by thetechnology they’re seeing, and they’rer viewing New Zealand with great interest.” Keyur Patel, a managingt partner on Palo Alto venture firm Fuse Capital, whic focuses on digital medisa and communications investments, considers New Zealand a hub for special effects for film and animation. The firm just made a multimillion-dolla investment into the film “Warrior’s Way,” which was produced in New Zealand.
“Whej I first started looking at New I met with every startup in the and even when you addit up, it’s still smallp and manageable,” Patel said. “There are a lot of ideas that are good for emergin markets but might not work in the but that’s what we’re looking for.” Brad North America team leader for Investment New the country’s national investment promotioj agency, matches high-growth New Zealand businessez to international investors. “New Zealand is a small country, so as companiess get to a certain sizeand mass, they need to get out of the Jones said.
The agency sponsored an event in San Franciscop on June 2 along with Palo Alto lawfirm Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo to showcase New Zealand investment opportunitiesz to American venture capitalists. Jonesa said that for about a year the agency hasattractesd U.S. venture capital by adding people with experience in capitapl markets toits roster. “Everyone realizes the best thinking aroundr technology and the smartest capital existws inSilicon Valley,” Jones said. “To maximiz the value creation, they need to be there.” Sinced 2008, U.S.
venture firms have investede about $20 million in New Zealand saidCalvin Cheong, a former hedge fund trader who joinedd Investment New Zealand as investment manager in 2005. In termw of New Zealand companies relocating to the the agency has seen everything from companies just finishingt beta testing to thosegettingh $5 million in U.S. venture funding movinyg to the states. “I thinkm with our efforts, we’re gaininf enough critical masswhere you’re going to be seeinfg a lot more of us in Silicon Valley,” Cheong said. Two examples of New Zealand companies branchingh out globally with Silicon Valley connections are Right Hemispherwe and ZephyrTechnology Ltd.
Pleasanton-based softwar e company Right Hemisphere is best known as the maked of the 3D viewer included with AdobeSystems Inc.’s Adobe Reader. The company launchesd in Aucklandin 1997, and relocated its headquarters to California in 2003 on the heelss of an investment by Sequoia Capital Its investors now include Sequoia, Sutte Hill Ventures, SAP Ventures and Nvidia Corp. Its thirdr round of funding happened in the past six CEO Michael Lynch declined to reveao the amount but described itas “substantial.
” As part of an $8 million loan provided to the company by the New Zealanrd government in 2006, Suttedr Hill and Sequoia also agreed to reviewe five business plans a year for threer years from New Zealand companies. who became the CEO in 2000, “We have great math and but we don’t know how to sell and There is a feeding that happens around that practicalskilpl set, especially in Silicon Valley.” Zephyr Technology, a makeer of remote physiological sensors and software for use in the emergency response and healthb care arenas, landed its first contracty with U.S. Special Operations Command in 2007.
San Francisco-based Alsop Louie Partners fundedthe company’s Serie s B round, and the company’s executive team relocate d to Silicon Valley in 2007. “Thr contract with Special Forces broughr us to ascalable market, and it became obvious too that if we weren’yt in the U.S., we weren’t going to raisde U.S. money,” said Brian Zephyr’s founder and CEO. But Zephyr’s time in the valleyt was short. The company will maintainm a presence inNortherh California, but the executive team just moved to Annapolis, Md., to be closer to Zephyr’s defense-arena clientele.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Thunderstorms Produce Antimatter, According to NASA - PC World

http://carreerrss.com/2008-lincoln-and-mercury-models-at-central-florida-lincoln-mercury-inc.html


Fox News


Thunderstorms Produce Antimatter, According to NASA

PC World


An artist's concept of antimatter spraying above a thunderhead. [Photo: NASA]A space telescope meant ...


Thunderstorms Shoot Beams of Antimatter Into Space

Wired News (blog)


Thunderstorms that Shoot Antimatter into Space

SkyandTelescope.com



 »

Monday, January 10, 2011

Workers laid-off from small businesses get health insurance break - Denver Business Journal:

acasadtoglad-shiva.blogspot.com
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act gave a break to former employees of companies with 20 or more employees by providinvg a subsidy that cuts the cost ofCOBRs health-care coverage by 65 percent. Illinoix is extending the same break to workers laid off fromsmallerd companies. The bill signed by Quinn provides a 65 percent healthj insurance payment subsidy to those who worked for companiews with fewer than20 employees. The bill givea employees of small businesses who lost their jobsafter Sept. 1, 2008, and who declinedr COBRA because of its high a second chance to enterdthe program.
Under this plan, thoss former workers can continue theirt health insurance coverage and receive a 65 percentpremiukm reduction. The law also provides up to an additional three months of coveragde for manyformer employees. Sen. Susan Garrett, D-Highwood, and Rep. Kare May, D-Highwood, sponsored the legislation.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

International Paper to Host Investor Day on June 9

http://www.akiat.net/auathbika.html
June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- International Paper IP) is hosting an Investor Day on June 9 from8 a.m. to noon ET in New York City to discussethe company's global strategy and long-term goalsw particularly as they relate to the company's Industriao Packaging and Printing Papers businesses. The event will be hostesd by , chairman and CEO, and will includde presentationsby , chief financial , senior vice president of Industrial and , senior vice president of Printinv & Communications Papers. In-person attendance is limited to invited members of theinvestment community.
However, the event will be webcast live, and all interesteds parties are invited to listen viaInternational Paper's Internetf site at by clicking on the Investors tab and then clickinbg on the Presentations link. A replay of the webcast also will be available on the Web site beginning approximately three hourws afterthe presentation. International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a globalk paper and packaging company with manufacturing operations inNorth America, Europe, Latin America, Russia, Asia and North Africa. Its businesses include uncoated papers and industrial and consumer complementedby xpedx, the company's North American distributio company. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn.
, the company employs more than 61,500 people in more than 20 countrie and serves customers 2008 net sales wereapproximately $25 For more information about International Paper, its products and stewardship efforts, visit .

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Stimulus money flows to Texas - bizjournals:

cheers-mushkenjutyu.blogspot.com
The funding will flow to local communities througgh a varietyof sources, including stimuluas funding, local bond initiatives, disastetr recovery programs and nonstimulus grants. The influx of dollarse will result in thousands of opportunitiexs to buildnew facilities, renovatre and modernize existing buildings, upgrade and enhance existing technology and providd infrastructure improvements. New and newlh renovated facilities also will requirerupgraded security, furniture, fixtures and equipment. Despite all the talk surroundinfg the American Recovery andReinvestment Act, the vast majority of fundw have not yet started flowing.
A recent reporr stated that lessthan 6% of the tota l funding has been released by the federal Watch for Texas school districts to receive large chunkzs of the funding. Some school districts already have authorizatiobn tobegin spending, but most of the activity is stilll a month or so away. This summe the Texas Education Agency will open an application perioe forthe $4 billion Stat Fiscal Stabilization Fund — one of the largesr federal stimulus programs.
The Stabilization Fund is wrapped arounsgrant programs, and the money can be used by districtse for a variety of purposes such as modernizingv school facilities, upgrading technologt infrastructure, purchasing technology products, building science labs, buying education equipment and redesigning high schoolsx for more efficiency and student success. In the an additional $60 million will be made available to Texas schoolk districts through a funding source know n asthe Ed-Tech grant program. This progranm funds the purchase of technology to improvestudenyt achievement. Districts may also use the fundw to buy technology to help withthe collection, managemenyt and analysis of student data.
The Texas Water Developmenr Board will get a large sharre of the stimulus Becauseof that, the agency has receivec $10.7 billion in funding requests for clean water and drinking water infrastructure projects. Eligiblee applicants will be notified of their allocations in June and July and entitiee should begin advertising for bids on the construction projecteby September. Texas was appropriatedd approximately $2.6 billion in stimulus funds for transportation Some bidding processes havealreadh begun, but the process will be ramping up for Although details are still pending, the Recovery Act also providese funding for improving broadband service in rural and urbab areas.
Depending on how the money is allocatefin Texas, there is a potential for billionsa of dollars to flow to local And, in spite of the weak Texas voters approved more than $1.3 billionb in local bond elections on May 9. The approved fundinhg will finance capital improvement projects such as new andrenovater facilities, technology, large equipmenyt purchases and improved infrastructure such as parkds and drainage. Some of the larger bond packagee in Texas includethe following: College Station Independent Schoo District : $144 million for a new high schook campus, new elementary school campus, new transportatiom facility, renovations to the existing high school and the purchased of buses.
• Carroll Independenf School District : $138 million for new expansion of existing schools and an overhau oftechnology infrastructure. • City of Plano : $128.7 million for capital improvement program projects forpublixc safety, libraries, park improvements, recreation center street improvements and a technology service facility. • Allen Independent School District : $119.4 million for a new athletic stadium, high schoo l auditorium, transportation maintenance and studentnutrition center.
Midland County Hospital District : $115 million for facility improvementws to Midland Memorial Hospital including a new patienyt towerwith 240-plus beds, expandecd emergency facilities and more telemetrty beds. Even more funding will make its way to Texas in the form of nonstimulues grants toschool districts. A bill approvef earlier this month bythe U.S. House of Representativess would provide Texas schooll districts withapproximately $600 million to modernize schools and improve energyt efficiency. In addition, the bill includes $600 million in separate funde for public schools damaged by Hurricanes Katrinaand Rita.
The programes discussed here represent only a few of the sources of federalostimulus funding. There are many other programes that will provide funding for airportimprovemeny projects, port security, transit programs, improved securitty and more. Government contractors shoulxd be loving life in Texasthese

Monday, January 3, 2011

BofA, Wells to accept California IOUs - Birmingham Business Journal:

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BofA says the state’s budget crisis prompted its “To support our customers, whiled giving the state legislature additional time to pass a we will acceptCalifornia state-registeree warrants — or IOUs from existing customers and clients,” Charlotte-based BofA says in a written statement. San Francisco-based Wells (NYSE:WFC) says it is acceptin g the warrants for the sake ofits customers. "We are reluctanty to take this step, but are doing so to help our customerd who are not at fault and with the expectationm that the legislature and governor will complete the budget within Wells says. On Wednesday, Gov.
Arnoldd Schwarzenegger blasted state lawmakers for failing to pluga $24 billionb hole in the state budget before the start of the new fiscall year. And he called a special session of the stated legislature to fix the budget Failure to pass a budget by midnight Tuesday increases the shortfall to morethan $26 billioj due to the loss of education-related budgetf fixes, Schwarzenegger said at a press conferences Wednesday. He also announcesd an executive order adding a thirfd furlough day each month forstate workers, a move expected to free up an additionaol $425 million in the new fiscal year. Althougjh the governor called for the special it is up to the legislature toschedule it.
When it will be held is yet tobe