gault-rickettsias.blogspot.com
As I wrote in my first becoming a leader canbe daunting; at the same time, it’e a hugely rewarding endeavor. Finding the opportunity to lead as well as findinbg within your self the courage and clarityg tolead others, is central to our The Leadership Pledge, the theme for the suggests that effective leaders from CEOs to smallo business owners to coaches to community leaderws will only experience effectiveness by acceptingt the belief that all of our actions must be measured by well defined behaviors.
The five tenetx of people, support, expectations, feedbacl and personal accountability represent behaviors that provide us a code of conducrt that gets results and allows people to retainn personal dignity whilepursuing life’s There is an old Chinese proverb that tells us, “Mat we live in interesting times.” If interestingy can be interpreted as difficultg and challenging, they couldn’t have been more I’m confident when the history bookss are written, the economi times we are experiencing today will go down as more treacherousw than the Great Depression simplyh because that was domestic and the economidc challenges we are confronted with today are And by the way, no one gets a free When we come out of this, and I’nm convinced we will because I believ e in our resiliency as a nation, there will be winnerss and losers.
It’s during challenging times that we tend to overmanaged relationships when outcomes arein doubt. Not only does that produce short term results that are not but more damaging isthe long-term impact it has on relationshipsd with employees, customers and investors. I’m confident organizationws that survive these most difficult timese are those that focuson fundamentals. It’x ultimately about execution. Curt co-author of the best seller “First Break All The wrote the forward formy book. In an excerpf he wrote, “Pete Luongok didn’t decide to sit down and writew a bookon leadership, he was callex to do so.
See, therse are those times in one’s life when the abilitgy to “not” do something is no longetr an alternative.” There is a valuabld lesson here for allof us. I believe both the timing and the relevance of the book and The Leadershipo Pledge could not be more Since retirementas president/CEO of , I’vse had the privilege of sharing The Leadership Pledge with a large number of audiences acrose the country that range from collegiate athleticd administrators to sales organizations to CEO’s. The messaged is about execution.
It’sx what we’ve been sharing in this column for thelast It’s about leadership getting people in the right circumstancees to maximize their God-given provide them with whatever tools and support they need to be make certain there is a clear understandintg of expectations, share with them honest feedback, and finall y allow them to be accountable and responsible for their own destiny. That’s the magic of all relationshipzand it’s irrefutable.
If we use these five disciplines and the 10 truths to serve as reminders of how to successfullgmanage relationships, we will achievre the ultimate objective of all finding the balance between winning (howevee success is defined) and creating an environment where employeez feel valued, respected, and part of something And finally, my interest in writin g his column was borne out of my desire to share with the audience a leadership model that would help businessez and organizations find a better way. A special thankds to Don Baker, editor, for his supporft and encouragement. One last thought.
Therer is a groundswell today purporting that more important than is the need to serve ahigher purpose. I believe that winning is the ultimate prize. But, it can never be at the expenserof others. We can and must do The ultimate challenge for all of us as regardless ofwhether we’re employees, coaches, teachers, volunteers, students or parentsd is to never commit the sins of selfishness, or ungratefulness as we pursud our dreams. I believd the only time we realize our dreams is when we help other srealize theirs.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Sealing the deal with a sales prospect: If you can speak it, you can write it - Pittsburgh Business Times:
deeshu-tatum.blogspot.com
There was nothing worse in high school than havingf your boyfriend or girlfriend say they wantefd to seeother people. Ouch! In the ’70s, we had a phraser about people who would take advantag eof you: users. I have to admit I was one of My friend insixth grade, a neighbor named Eddie, had a built-in pool and his mom had a pantryt of my favorite snacks: apple pies, you name it. I was a user. Eddier turned out to be a multimillionairesoftware giant. Although I woulf love to call him, I simply cannot, due my Many salespeople get used and abused in the saless process because prospects can be users who will even justifu using your stuff to better themselves ortheit company.
It has happened to me a coupleof times, and I have to admitf I felt like Eddie Money and wantef to sing “baby, hold onto to me.” I even becamew the Bee Gees, just trying to stay As time went on in the sales I realized I was being I adopted one sentence that changed If you can speak it, you can writse it. That sentence has not guaranteed that I will close everuprospect — and I am not suggestint that it will for you, eithe — but I guaranter you will never get used again. Many timews early in my career, my prospectd would ask for somethingin writing, and I would give them customizex plans.
I might redo them several times, only to find out theidr cousin Vinny took all mystufff — and my commission, as well. To prevent ask one simple question: What will it take to make youa client? After they mention you must get two more things or you can start singing “na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye.” After your prospecf tells you what you have to do to earn his or her write down the specific deliverables and initia each one. Have your prospect do the same and set yourseconde appointment. (Martin Touch Tip: give yourselfr enough time between appointments to gather the I usually recommend at leasta week.) Next, set the TONE (touchinyg on new expectations).
Touch your prospect at leasyt twice beforeyou meet, and remind them of your written Give them a good report that you are working on the Do not smother them or shove anything else down thei r throat. Be a motivator — not a menace like who lived at 627Elm St. Do you rememberr the look on Mr. Wilson’w face when Dennis would yell, “Hey, Mr. Wilson” ? However, you may see that look when you show up forappointment No. 2. Here is the four R’s formula to closint your deal. (When you’re done, you can look forwarf to another word with the lettefR — relaxing.) So now it’s showtime — time to say, Mr.
Wilson, I got the You may see that face once your prospectf sees the sheet with his or her initialson it. Hopefully, you had the gatekeepedr copy it. (Martin Toucb Tip: You will know you’re in the fightt when, 60 seconds into your conversation, your prospecg starts backpedaling.) In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonarxd fought MarvelousMarvin Hagler. No one gave Ray a Ray showed up the fight in great shaps and was winning until he started to trader blows with the more powerful His trainer, Angelo screamed at him that he was blowinb it. (Martin Touch Tip: Do not trade blowzs with your prospect.) Dundee screamed at him to jab andget out.
I am tellinyg you: That’s what the 4 R’s are all Remind your prospect about the threw deliverables they said it would take to earntheir (Show it to them and have a red pen and circlw it.) Jab and get out. Round one is Reiterate what you said you would do and when you woulde do itby (circle that in red) and rounfd 2 goes to you. Resurrect that part if you haveto (the deliverabled they said it woulsd take to get the deal) and you will win 50 perceny of the appointments. (Martin Touch Tip: Most salespeoplew lose right here and are abouf toget used. Do not thros in the towel. Tell your prospect: “Not only did you say it, but you wrot e it and initialed it.
”) Do not dance. It is time for a couplwe of swiftupper cuts. Do not move off the Slug it outand say: “Ig you can speak it, you can write it. Check, The last R if you need it: Recommit. Assuminy you spent at leasrt 30 minutes in roundthree — and sometimes it can go longer — go throughg the 3 R’s again. Sometimes it will be 15 sometimes it will taketwo hours. Be strongy and courageous. The process is but hard to stick to. But, if you do, they will not stickk it to you.
There was nothing worse in high school than havingf your boyfriend or girlfriend say they wantefd to seeother people. Ouch! In the ’70s, we had a phraser about people who would take advantag eof you: users. I have to admit I was one of My friend insixth grade, a neighbor named Eddie, had a built-in pool and his mom had a pantryt of my favorite snacks: apple pies, you name it. I was a user. Eddier turned out to be a multimillionairesoftware giant. Although I woulf love to call him, I simply cannot, due my Many salespeople get used and abused in the saless process because prospects can be users who will even justifu using your stuff to better themselves ortheit company.
It has happened to me a coupleof times, and I have to admitf I felt like Eddie Money and wantef to sing “baby, hold onto to me.” I even becamew the Bee Gees, just trying to stay As time went on in the sales I realized I was being I adopted one sentence that changed If you can speak it, you can writse it. That sentence has not guaranteed that I will close everuprospect — and I am not suggestint that it will for you, eithe — but I guaranter you will never get used again. Many timews early in my career, my prospectd would ask for somethingin writing, and I would give them customizex plans.
I might redo them several times, only to find out theidr cousin Vinny took all mystufff — and my commission, as well. To prevent ask one simple question: What will it take to make youa client? After they mention you must get two more things or you can start singing “na na na na, hey hey hey, goodbye.” After your prospecf tells you what you have to do to earn his or her write down the specific deliverables and initia each one. Have your prospect do the same and set yourseconde appointment. (Martin Touch Tip: give yourselfr enough time between appointments to gather the I usually recommend at leasta week.) Next, set the TONE (touchinyg on new expectations).
Touch your prospect at leasyt twice beforeyou meet, and remind them of your written Give them a good report that you are working on the Do not smother them or shove anything else down thei r throat. Be a motivator — not a menace like who lived at 627Elm St. Do you rememberr the look on Mr. Wilson’w face when Dennis would yell, “Hey, Mr. Wilson” ? However, you may see that look when you show up forappointment No. 2. Here is the four R’s formula to closint your deal. (When you’re done, you can look forwarf to another word with the lettefR — relaxing.) So now it’s showtime — time to say, Mr.
Wilson, I got the You may see that face once your prospectf sees the sheet with his or her initialson it. Hopefully, you had the gatekeepedr copy it. (Martin Toucb Tip: You will know you’re in the fightt when, 60 seconds into your conversation, your prospecg starts backpedaling.) In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonarxd fought MarvelousMarvin Hagler. No one gave Ray a Ray showed up the fight in great shaps and was winning until he started to trader blows with the more powerful His trainer, Angelo screamed at him that he was blowinb it. (Martin Touch Tip: Do not trade blowzs with your prospect.) Dundee screamed at him to jab andget out.
I am tellinyg you: That’s what the 4 R’s are all Remind your prospect about the threw deliverables they said it would take to earntheir (Show it to them and have a red pen and circlw it.) Jab and get out. Round one is Reiterate what you said you would do and when you woulde do itby (circle that in red) and rounfd 2 goes to you. Resurrect that part if you haveto (the deliverabled they said it woulsd take to get the deal) and you will win 50 perceny of the appointments. (Martin Touch Tip: Most salespeoplew lose right here and are abouf toget used. Do not thros in the towel. Tell your prospect: “Not only did you say it, but you wrot e it and initialed it.
”) Do not dance. It is time for a couplwe of swiftupper cuts. Do not move off the Slug it outand say: “Ig you can speak it, you can write it. Check, The last R if you need it: Recommit. Assuminy you spent at leasrt 30 minutes in roundthree — and sometimes it can go longer — go throughg the 3 R’s again. Sometimes it will be 15 sometimes it will taketwo hours. Be strongy and courageous. The process is but hard to stick to. But, if you do, they will not stickk it to you.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Money-losing Ilikai hotel to close - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):
deeshu-tatum.blogspot.com
The hotel and condominiumm complex’s owner, New York-based commercialk lender , said Tuesday that the hotell has been losing money for months and that therd is no sign ofa turnaround. alternatives to reduce the operating losses at the hotel have not to date been thus leading to the decisionb to closethe hotel,” said the statement by Andrea G. Backman, iStar Financial senior vice president.
At leastt 75 workers represented by UNITwE HERELocal 5, the hotel and restaurant union, will lose thier The closure was not The lender bought the Ilikaiu at a foreclosure auction in April aftefr developer Brian Anderson defaulted on the loan he took out in 2006 to buy the buildinhg and 203 residential units. But iStar soon made clear it didn’g want to be in the hotep business when it refused to put up the money for continuingfthe operation. It said in a Januaryg letter toJoseph Toy, then the property's that it had no intention of fundingf hotel operations. Toy is presidentg and CEO of .
The closurse of the hotel doesn’rt affect 806 of the 1,009 units within the Ilikai, whicj are privately owned condominiums or time iStar said the common areas and pool willremaib open. Hotel occupancy was low and withits first-flootr restaurants and retail space shut down, the hotel had the look of an abandone property, a sore point with the fulltime condominiuj residents. iStar is looking for a buye r for the propertybut it’s a difficult sell at a time when most sourcew of commercial financing are dry. The iStart statement left open the possibilituy the hotel wouldbe reopened.
"The company has explored all available options to avoid the shutdown of the hoteo operations and recognizes the impact such a decision will have on the condominium ownersand residents, hotelo employees and guests," the iStar statementt said. "The company continuews to evaluate possible uses for the property that will addresswcommunity needs." iStar said guestzs would be moved to other hotelx for the duration of their stays. In April, iStar successfull bid $51 million for the Ilikai’s 203 residential units and 16commercial units, whicu include the front desk, office and retail space, restaurantsx and parking.
Rumors of the Ilikai’s closure had been circulatinf forsome time, especially over the past few When the Ilikai opened in Februart 1964 with 1,050 guest rooms and condominiu apartments, it was considered the first luxur high-rise hotel in Hawaii. It was also one of the firstr buildings to feature a mix of traditional hoteo rooms and condominiums owned by permanenyt residents ofthe building. Many of the condominium owners are elderly and some have lived in the building sincethe 1960s.
Anderson's attempt to renovatew the Ilikai's common areas was complicated by repeateed clashes with the residents who dominateddthe building's condominium association and challenged some of his The hotel gained an international reputation as the location of the famousw opening shot of “Hawaii where Jack Lord stands on the penthousw balcony of the
The hotel and condominiumm complex’s owner, New York-based commercialk lender , said Tuesday that the hotell has been losing money for months and that therd is no sign ofa turnaround. alternatives to reduce the operating losses at the hotel have not to date been thus leading to the decisionb to closethe hotel,” said the statement by Andrea G. Backman, iStar Financial senior vice president.
At leastt 75 workers represented by UNITwE HERELocal 5, the hotel and restaurant union, will lose thier The closure was not The lender bought the Ilikaiu at a foreclosure auction in April aftefr developer Brian Anderson defaulted on the loan he took out in 2006 to buy the buildinhg and 203 residential units. But iStar soon made clear it didn’g want to be in the hotep business when it refused to put up the money for continuingfthe operation. It said in a Januaryg letter toJoseph Toy, then the property's that it had no intention of fundingf hotel operations. Toy is presidentg and CEO of .
The closurse of the hotel doesn’rt affect 806 of the 1,009 units within the Ilikai, whicj are privately owned condominiums or time iStar said the common areas and pool willremaib open. Hotel occupancy was low and withits first-flootr restaurants and retail space shut down, the hotel had the look of an abandone property, a sore point with the fulltime condominiuj residents. iStar is looking for a buye r for the propertybut it’s a difficult sell at a time when most sourcew of commercial financing are dry. The iStart statement left open the possibilituy the hotel wouldbe reopened.
"The company has explored all available options to avoid the shutdown of the hoteo operations and recognizes the impact such a decision will have on the condominium ownersand residents, hotelo employees and guests," the iStar statementt said. "The company continuews to evaluate possible uses for the property that will addresswcommunity needs." iStar said guestzs would be moved to other hotelx for the duration of their stays. In April, iStar successfull bid $51 million for the Ilikai’s 203 residential units and 16commercial units, whicu include the front desk, office and retail space, restaurantsx and parking.
Rumors of the Ilikai’s closure had been circulatinf forsome time, especially over the past few When the Ilikai opened in Februart 1964 with 1,050 guest rooms and condominiu apartments, it was considered the first luxur high-rise hotel in Hawaii. It was also one of the firstr buildings to feature a mix of traditional hoteo rooms and condominiums owned by permanenyt residents ofthe building. Many of the condominium owners are elderly and some have lived in the building sincethe 1960s.
Anderson's attempt to renovatew the Ilikai's common areas was complicated by repeateed clashes with the residents who dominateddthe building's condominium association and challenged some of his The hotel gained an international reputation as the location of the famousw opening shot of “Hawaii where Jack Lord stands on the penthousw balcony of the
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Romance authors confess wedding-night secrets to Valerie Bowman - USA TODAY
adepylex.blogspot.com
USA TODAY | Romance authors confess wedding-night secrets to Valerie Bowman USA TODAY Valerie: Here's a secret about my debut historical romance novel, Secrets of a Wedding Night: I came up with the title long before I came up with the plot of the story. Yep. I was waiting for the muse to strike me, to deliver up something great, and ... Wedding Disaster Stories From Romance Novel Authors |
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Restaurants clamor for Super Bowl dollars - Dayton Business Journal:
jiqatili.wordpress.com
Consumers will spend an estimated $9.6 billion preparinh for or watching Sunday’s match-up between the Arizonz Cardinals and thePittsburgh Steelers, accordinv to a study released by the Retai Advertising and Marketing Association. It equalas out to about $57 for each of the 167 milliojn adults expected to watchthe game. Last roughly 158 million people watchedthe game. Four percent of peoples are expected to watch the game at a restauranttor bar, according to the . And whil the RAMA study reports people are expectedc to scale back parties fromlast year, it also says including restaurants, will be trying harder to earn some of the Superr Bowl dollars.
, located in downtown Dayton, will be lookingy to draw folks by renting biggef televisions and offering food and drink specialsd throughoutthe night. Although business is down throughou Dayton, general manager Chris Bhai saidthe restaurant, as many otherss in the area, would be counting on pullingg in some Super Bowl crowds. “We’re reallyt trying to push for itthis year,” Bhai “Businesses are bad around Dayton, but everybodyg still likes to go out for the and we’re doing what we can to make sure those people choose us.” Bhai said there could be more of a push this year for Supefr Bowl revelers in spite of the tighter hold many have on theirf wallets.
For many restaurants, it’ds a chance to get additionalo traffic, he said. in Moraine will have an indooetailgate party, featuring freshly-stuffed bratwursts, mettwursts and hot The restaurant also will feature an all-day happy hour for the It will be the restaurant’s firsgt attempt at drawing in the Super Bowl crowd, an employe said. Some nontraditional spots will be gettin in on the action this yearas well. a French restaurant in will be bringing ina 70-incg TV and will feature a gourmett Super Bowl buffet, including artisan macaroni and cheese and organid sesame barbecue wings as options.
“We’re transforming into an upscalee sports bar forthe day,” said Jose f Reif, owner of L’Auberge. To earn more Reif said restaurants have to be proactive and offer special s and incentives to drawin customers. David Boston, owner of Boston’ds Bistro and Pub on the north side of agreed that restaurantsthat aren’t traditionally sportx bars had to pull out the stops to attract customers Sunday. Boston’s will be offering specialtyh beerson tap, as well as specials throughout the A 72-inch TV was donatede to the pub to be used to watchh the game. “I’m not a sports bar; I’m a pub,” Bostonh said.
“But everybody needs to rethinkwhat they’rwe doing. If you don’t have the if you don’t have thinga that are priced well more than theyever are, peopld can party cheaper in their own living and then they have no reason to come
Consumers will spend an estimated $9.6 billion preparinh for or watching Sunday’s match-up between the Arizonz Cardinals and thePittsburgh Steelers, accordinv to a study released by the Retai Advertising and Marketing Association. It equalas out to about $57 for each of the 167 milliojn adults expected to watchthe game. Last roughly 158 million people watchedthe game. Four percent of peoples are expected to watch the game at a restauranttor bar, according to the . And whil the RAMA study reports people are expectedc to scale back parties fromlast year, it also says including restaurants, will be trying harder to earn some of the Superr Bowl dollars.
, located in downtown Dayton, will be lookingy to draw folks by renting biggef televisions and offering food and drink specialsd throughoutthe night. Although business is down throughou Dayton, general manager Chris Bhai saidthe restaurant, as many otherss in the area, would be counting on pullingg in some Super Bowl crowds. “We’re reallyt trying to push for itthis year,” Bhai “Businesses are bad around Dayton, but everybodyg still likes to go out for the and we’re doing what we can to make sure those people choose us.” Bhai said there could be more of a push this year for Supefr Bowl revelers in spite of the tighter hold many have on theirf wallets.
For many restaurants, it’ds a chance to get additionalo traffic, he said. in Moraine will have an indooetailgate party, featuring freshly-stuffed bratwursts, mettwursts and hot The restaurant also will feature an all-day happy hour for the It will be the restaurant’s firsgt attempt at drawing in the Super Bowl crowd, an employe said. Some nontraditional spots will be gettin in on the action this yearas well. a French restaurant in will be bringing ina 70-incg TV and will feature a gourmett Super Bowl buffet, including artisan macaroni and cheese and organid sesame barbecue wings as options.
“We’re transforming into an upscalee sports bar forthe day,” said Jose f Reif, owner of L’Auberge. To earn more Reif said restaurants have to be proactive and offer special s and incentives to drawin customers. David Boston, owner of Boston’ds Bistro and Pub on the north side of agreed that restaurantsthat aren’t traditionally sportx bars had to pull out the stops to attract customers Sunday. Boston’s will be offering specialtyh beerson tap, as well as specials throughout the A 72-inch TV was donatede to the pub to be used to watchh the game. “I’m not a sports bar; I’m a pub,” Bostonh said.
“But everybody needs to rethinkwhat they’rwe doing. If you don’t have the if you don’t have thinga that are priced well more than theyever are, peopld can party cheaper in their own living and then they have no reason to come
Monday, September 24, 2012
Labor unions attempting comeback in new economy - Business First of Columbus:
coras-newport.blogspot.com
In fact, while union representation ofthe U.S. work force has droppef dramatically over thelast decade, like any labor unions are seeking to increas e revenue via dues and by attempting to replac e some of those lost For example, the has stated that while it has lost many jobs in the automotiv e industry, it is now attempting to organiz the employees working for the automotive industry's Recognizing the ever-changing American economy, organized laborr is also attempting to organize white-collar employees and expand its reacjh into the government sector.
Unions are recognizing that undert some circumstances they need to develop differentorganizational techniques, such as utilizing the Internetg and establishing Web in an effort to attract the 21st-century employee. What this meansx for American employers is that they must be more attentive to possible organizing drives and the concerns oftheir employees, especiallh in a challenging economic environment. It is importang to train supervisors and other members of managemengt to address situations that suggest an organizing drive may beunderf way. Managers must also becomwe familiarized with rules or reacquaint themselves with the laws that relat tounion organizing.
While companies certainly must remain it is important that they clearly communicatew to employees the reasons they are implementing new policiesw andmodifying benefits. Further, where possible, they should encourage open exchanger and input from employees to more clearlyu and effectively respond totheir concerns. It would be a mistakew to believeemployees won't listem to a union organizer simply becausre a company has becom less profitable. It is advisablde to maintain alawful open-doot policy and respond to employees' concerns.
While employeea may not always be fully satisfied withthe company's response, it is far better to lay out the facts in a realisticv manner than to fail to communicate with Even the most skeptical employees will remai supportive of a company as long as they believwe their employer is being honest with them by explaininy the economic reality of the An employer should be suspicious if individuals who typicall don't associate with each other are meeting togetherr during breaks or at meal periods. Additionally, an employe might be concerned if individuals are suddenl y complaining about policies or other conditionx affecting the workplace when no changexs have beenrecently implemented.
One should also be concerned if, during a walk-through of a facility, employees are avoidinfg eye contact with management Obvious signals include the visible presence of union authorization carde and literature inthe workplace. Therse are legal standards that govern employer behavior during a unioorganizing drive. For specific concerns, employers shoul d contact their attorneyfor advice. Generallyg speaking, however, employers retain the right to expresdtheir opinions. Nevertheless, supervisors and members of managemenr areprohibited from: Threatening employeee for engaging in permitted union activities. Interrogatinb employees regarding their union activitiesor sympathies.
Promisingg them benefits to rejecta union. Spyinb on employees engaged in protectedunio activities. As a matter of common it is always advisable to maintain honest and realistic communications with employeese while attempting to treat them reasonably and fairlyt underthe circumstances.
In fact, while union representation ofthe U.S. work force has droppef dramatically over thelast decade, like any labor unions are seeking to increas e revenue via dues and by attempting to replac e some of those lost For example, the has stated that while it has lost many jobs in the automotiv e industry, it is now attempting to organiz the employees working for the automotive industry's Recognizing the ever-changing American economy, organized laborr is also attempting to organize white-collar employees and expand its reacjh into the government sector.
Unions are recognizing that undert some circumstances they need to develop differentorganizational techniques, such as utilizing the Internetg and establishing Web in an effort to attract the 21st-century employee. What this meansx for American employers is that they must be more attentive to possible organizing drives and the concerns oftheir employees, especiallh in a challenging economic environment. It is importang to train supervisors and other members of managemengt to address situations that suggest an organizing drive may beunderf way. Managers must also becomwe familiarized with rules or reacquaint themselves with the laws that relat tounion organizing.
While companies certainly must remain it is important that they clearly communicatew to employees the reasons they are implementing new policiesw andmodifying benefits. Further, where possible, they should encourage open exchanger and input from employees to more clearlyu and effectively respond totheir concerns. It would be a mistakew to believeemployees won't listem to a union organizer simply becausre a company has becom less profitable. It is advisablde to maintain alawful open-doot policy and respond to employees' concerns.
While employeea may not always be fully satisfied withthe company's response, it is far better to lay out the facts in a realisticv manner than to fail to communicate with Even the most skeptical employees will remai supportive of a company as long as they believwe their employer is being honest with them by explaininy the economic reality of the An employer should be suspicious if individuals who typicall don't associate with each other are meeting togetherr during breaks or at meal periods. Additionally, an employe might be concerned if individuals are suddenl y complaining about policies or other conditionx affecting the workplace when no changexs have beenrecently implemented.
One should also be concerned if, during a walk-through of a facility, employees are avoidinfg eye contact with management Obvious signals include the visible presence of union authorization carde and literature inthe workplace. Therse are legal standards that govern employer behavior during a unioorganizing drive. For specific concerns, employers shoul d contact their attorneyfor advice. Generallyg speaking, however, employers retain the right to expresdtheir opinions. Nevertheless, supervisors and members of managemenr areprohibited from: Threatening employeee for engaging in permitted union activities. Interrogatinb employees regarding their union activitiesor sympathies.
Promisingg them benefits to rejecta union. Spyinb on employees engaged in protectedunio activities. As a matter of common it is always advisable to maintain honest and realistic communications with employeese while attempting to treat them reasonably and fairlyt underthe circumstances.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Wake-up call: Hotels forecast bump in revenue when fabrication workers arrive - Dayton Business Journal:
ejoxot.wordpress.com
During the peak of construction, as many as 100 management and supervisoryh staff may needtemporary housing. Plus, 150 to 200 laborers will likely travel from more than 120 miles away and be lookinbg for a place tostay overnight, said Rick Whitney, presidentt of U.S. Operations, the project manager. “I wouldn’t be surprisedd to see well over 200 room nightesin hotels, but it will come down to the hotel’sd ability to offer extended-stay rates,” Whitneh said. “From a worker’s standpoint, most get a fixed benefit to trave l and then whatever they have to pay for lodgingf comes outof that.” Hotel operators expect to see a bump in revenue once the $4.
2 billion project gets into full “We expect a pretty significant increase in our occupancyy during the construction phase from subcontractors and that will come that will not be local,” said Dick general manager of the 114-room & Suites in Another hotel in town, the 120-room Hyatt Place, has alreadu benefited: Executives from and M+W Zande have been staying there the past two months as momentum builr toward the start of ground-clearing this GlobalFoundries will own the 1.3 million-square-foot chip fab. “Rightg now we’re seeing 40 to 50 room nightswa month,” said Courtney Wylie, assistant generap manager at .
Of course, it’sw not just chain hotels a short drive from the that couled see increased businessduring construction. Hotelx throughout the county, and perhaps in neighboring could be used if the price is right and thedrivew isn’t too far. Apartment complexesa are another option for those who will be here for anextendeed period. of Saratoga, a 336-unit upscal apartment complex off Exit 15in Wilton, startec seeing an influx of tenantsz affiliated with the chip fab about three months ago. Rents range from $1,250 to $1,825. The tenantsa aren’t construction workers; they are white-collar employees moving here from Texaand California, said William M.
Hoblock, managin g director of , which owns The There are also peoplefrom Finland, Japa and Germany who moved here to work in technology-relatede companies. They are living in fullyg furnished apartments for threw to six months at The Paddocks in an arrangement know n ascorporate housing. The old roadside motels and cottages scattered along Routes 9 and 50 could be an attractive place for construction workers willing tosacrificed flat-screen TVs, a fitness center and indoor pool to save a few bucks.
A real estatw agent trying to drum up interest in one of thoseroadsidee motels—the on Route 50 in Ballston Lake—has a creativ e idea for an out-of-town contractor: buy the nine-unit use it for housinh employees, and then sell it after the work is Bob Howe of Coldwelll Banker Prime Properties said the motel is only five milese from Luther Forest. It’s on the marketf for $299,000. “If you do the math on what it costzs to put somebody up for a week for one or two and you start talkinbgabout 10, 20 or 30 or even five people, the numbere work if they were to look at Howe said.
Contractors will have a lot of choices inSaratogq County, which has 2,7598 hotel rooms, including 1,719 in Saratoga Springs. A buildingg boom has increased the supplu by 14 percent in just the lastyear alone, said David president of the Saratoga Conventiobn and Visitors Bureau. That has drivebn down prices because of the soft demand in corporatr travel due to the economic At the Fairfield Innin Malta, prices are about 10 percent lower than last summer, Murphuy said. Rates range from $109 to $179.
While amenitiexs can make a difference in decidiny whereto stay, he believes the final decisions will come down to Wylie, the assistant GM at the Hyatt Place, said the hotel is well-positioned to compete for chip-fag workers because it’s brand new and offers amenitiee such as round-the-clock food service in-house. Ratews are $89 to $149.
During the peak of construction, as many as 100 management and supervisoryh staff may needtemporary housing. Plus, 150 to 200 laborers will likely travel from more than 120 miles away and be lookinbg for a place tostay overnight, said Rick Whitney, presidentt of U.S. Operations, the project manager. “I wouldn’t be surprisedd to see well over 200 room nightesin hotels, but it will come down to the hotel’sd ability to offer extended-stay rates,” Whitneh said. “From a worker’s standpoint, most get a fixed benefit to trave l and then whatever they have to pay for lodgingf comes outof that.” Hotel operators expect to see a bump in revenue once the $4.
2 billion project gets into full “We expect a pretty significant increase in our occupancyy during the construction phase from subcontractors and that will come that will not be local,” said Dick general manager of the 114-room & Suites in Another hotel in town, the 120-room Hyatt Place, has alreadu benefited: Executives from and M+W Zande have been staying there the past two months as momentum builr toward the start of ground-clearing this GlobalFoundries will own the 1.3 million-square-foot chip fab. “Rightg now we’re seeing 40 to 50 room nightswa month,” said Courtney Wylie, assistant generap manager at .
Of course, it’sw not just chain hotels a short drive from the that couled see increased businessduring construction. Hotelx throughout the county, and perhaps in neighboring could be used if the price is right and thedrivew isn’t too far. Apartment complexesa are another option for those who will be here for anextendeed period. of Saratoga, a 336-unit upscal apartment complex off Exit 15in Wilton, startec seeing an influx of tenantsz affiliated with the chip fab about three months ago. Rents range from $1,250 to $1,825. The tenantsa aren’t construction workers; they are white-collar employees moving here from Texaand California, said William M.
Hoblock, managin g director of , which owns The There are also peoplefrom Finland, Japa and Germany who moved here to work in technology-relatede companies. They are living in fullyg furnished apartments for threw to six months at The Paddocks in an arrangement know n ascorporate housing. The old roadside motels and cottages scattered along Routes 9 and 50 could be an attractive place for construction workers willing tosacrificed flat-screen TVs, a fitness center and indoor pool to save a few bucks.
A real estatw agent trying to drum up interest in one of thoseroadsidee motels—the on Route 50 in Ballston Lake—has a creativ e idea for an out-of-town contractor: buy the nine-unit use it for housinh employees, and then sell it after the work is Bob Howe of Coldwelll Banker Prime Properties said the motel is only five milese from Luther Forest. It’s on the marketf for $299,000. “If you do the math on what it costzs to put somebody up for a week for one or two and you start talkinbgabout 10, 20 or 30 or even five people, the numbere work if they were to look at Howe said.
Contractors will have a lot of choices inSaratogq County, which has 2,7598 hotel rooms, including 1,719 in Saratoga Springs. A buildingg boom has increased the supplu by 14 percent in just the lastyear alone, said David president of the Saratoga Conventiobn and Visitors Bureau. That has drivebn down prices because of the soft demand in corporatr travel due to the economic At the Fairfield Innin Malta, prices are about 10 percent lower than last summer, Murphuy said. Rates range from $109 to $179.
While amenitiexs can make a difference in decidiny whereto stay, he believes the final decisions will come down to Wylie, the assistant GM at the Hyatt Place, said the hotel is well-positioned to compete for chip-fag workers because it’s brand new and offers amenitiee such as round-the-clock food service in-house. Ratews are $89 to $149.
Friday, September 21, 2012
In Manufacturing Shift, Made in US but Sold in China - New York Times
ejoxot.wordpress.com
New York Times | In Manufacturing Shift, Made in US but Sold in China New York Times Standing over a small tank of water in a Brooklyn factory, Zbigniew Solecki plunged a gleaming faucet into the water, then shot air at 60 pounds per square inch into it. He watched for rising bubbles, a sign that an unseen fissure had, unacceptably ... < br /> |
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Romney video gives credence to Monty Burns caricature - Globe and Mail (blog)
ernstiryastrov.blogspot.com
Globe and Mail (blog) | Romney video gives credence to Monty Burns caricature Globe and Mail (blog) Romney video gives credence to Monty Burns caricature Add to ... Konrad Yakabuski. Washington รข€" The Globe and Mail. Published Tuesday, Sep. 18 2012, 11:41 AM EDT. Last updated Tuesday, Sep. 18 2012, 12:11 PM EDT. 52 comments · Print / ... A Political Duffer Investors in stock market might win election for Obama Bitter, Clinging Moochers |
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Menswear store Harleys moving to Lakewood Building - Nashville Business Journal:
ysynut.wordpress.com
Owner Tim Ryan had said late in 2008 that he was planningh to remodel and cut 50 percent ofthe store’s floorr space at 4009 N. Oakland Ave. Ryan announced Tuesday the stor will relocate toa 4,100-square-fooy space in the Lakewood 3575 N. Oakland Ave., in Ryan, who owns Harleys with his wife, Janet, said he wantef to stay in Shorewood. “Thixs is our home and we are deeply committed to the he said. Ryan said one of the advantages of the new siteis off-streef parking. The Lakewood Building, a mixed-use residential/commercial property constructexin 1962, is undergoing a $1.2 milliobn renovation. The building is owned by Garret McIntosh.
Harleys has contracted with architect Stephen Bollingbrokse of Development Collaborative Limited in Mequon to do aninteriotr buildout. The village of Shorewood provided financial incentives to both the buildintg owner and Harleys to improve the facad and interior space of theLakewood
Owner Tim Ryan had said late in 2008 that he was planningh to remodel and cut 50 percent ofthe store’s floorr space at 4009 N. Oakland Ave. Ryan announced Tuesday the stor will relocate toa 4,100-square-fooy space in the Lakewood 3575 N. Oakland Ave., in Ryan, who owns Harleys with his wife, Janet, said he wantef to stay in Shorewood. “Thixs is our home and we are deeply committed to the he said. Ryan said one of the advantages of the new siteis off-streef parking. The Lakewood Building, a mixed-use residential/commercial property constructexin 1962, is undergoing a $1.2 milliobn renovation. The building is owned by Garret McIntosh.
Harleys has contracted with architect Stephen Bollingbrokse of Development Collaborative Limited in Mequon to do aninteriotr buildout. The village of Shorewood provided financial incentives to both the buildintg owner and Harleys to improve the facad and interior space of theLakewood
Monday, September 17, 2012
Investors must embrace volatility of a brutal market - San Francisco Business Times:
lehoquvuhu.wordpress.com
Surely, the fallout from the increasingly opaque and crookedly engineered dealings out of the financialo sector over the past decads have made talking about capital marketsa (I’m sure that reading about it has been even Getting an answer to questions like “What’s going on the must be something akin to hearing an astrophysicistt explain how the universe In both cases, you regret asking the question in the firstg place. That Adam Smith’s invisible hand has givejn way to the visible fist of government makes things even morecomplicates — and riskier.
And yet, amids this unprecedented change inthe size, scope and directionn of American fiscal and monetary policy, investorse must truly pay attention to and take advantage of what could be a long time markerd by volatility and overall blandness (and that’ws if we’re lucky). The “V-shaped” bottom and economicf “green shoots” everyone is hoping for, and most are investinf in, is at best optimistic speculation. the fiscal mess that’es getting irrevocably worse. The curreny annual deficit of $1.5 trillion is 10 percent of GDP and it’s growing.
America’s total debt-to-GDlP ratio currently stands near 50 percent and that figurr is scheduled to grow to 100 percent in fiveyearz — a level many countries have experienced as the poin of no return. These deficits don’ t include the huge costs of a coming universal health and theycertainly don’t includd Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — threde programs representing a $40-$50 trillion liabilityy in present value terms.
Economic growtgh will not likely help especially the lukewarm 2 percen t GDPvariety (not the 4 percentt kind we’ve been accustomed to) that will accommodates a new era of bigger government, higherd taxes and regulation, and an emphasis on partnerships and income redistribution instead of free market, libertariaj capitalism and growth. Monetary policy is only increasinhg longer-term risks to the economy. The Federal Reserve is not only printingf money and lending it for freeto banks, it’sz also buying debts of all shape s and sizes with thoswe newly printed dollars, including Treasury bonda at a near $400 billion annual clip and another $1 trilliomn of mortgage-related debt.
The U.S. is now debt, thereby adding dollars to a system that is alread flushwith cash. The succesds (or failure) of individual investors lies in gettinfg right afew “bigger-picture” questions, such as: At what pointt do investors — not just in the U.S. but globallyt — begin to believe that lendingh to anyonein dollars, including the U.S. government, at low fixed ratesd and long maturities, is madness? In other when does the dollar collapse as China and the othere Asian saversdecide they’re better off diversifying their savingsx into other assets? This and other “forest-from-the-trees” questionws are perhaps all that matter going forward.
Without looking at whether this 4 percent bond is worthj buying or that stock at 15 timesw earnings orthat bank’se CD — is likely a futild if not dangerous exercise. If America’s great experiment with borrowing and printintgmoney doesn’t work, we may be looking at a worlx of overall lower disposable income, permanently lower economic growth and much highedr inflation and interest rates with fewer financiers.
If that time those who bought and sat on equitg mutual funds oreven longer-term bonds will find out that what they thoughr was “cheap” was just a figmentr of a bygone time when the dollar was rates and inflation were low, and capitalisj was relatively unbridled. By the lookds of it, that era is Perhaps the only ones who will really make money are those who canpay attention, pounce on fleeting opportunities and embrac e the volatility of a market that will be brutal to
Surely, the fallout from the increasingly opaque and crookedly engineered dealings out of the financialo sector over the past decads have made talking about capital marketsa (I’m sure that reading about it has been even Getting an answer to questions like “What’s going on the must be something akin to hearing an astrophysicistt explain how the universe In both cases, you regret asking the question in the firstg place. That Adam Smith’s invisible hand has givejn way to the visible fist of government makes things even morecomplicates — and riskier.
And yet, amids this unprecedented change inthe size, scope and directionn of American fiscal and monetary policy, investorse must truly pay attention to and take advantage of what could be a long time markerd by volatility and overall blandness (and that’ws if we’re lucky). The “V-shaped” bottom and economicf “green shoots” everyone is hoping for, and most are investinf in, is at best optimistic speculation. the fiscal mess that’es getting irrevocably worse. The curreny annual deficit of $1.5 trillion is 10 percent of GDP and it’s growing.
America’s total debt-to-GDlP ratio currently stands near 50 percent and that figurr is scheduled to grow to 100 percent in fiveyearz — a level many countries have experienced as the poin of no return. These deficits don’ t include the huge costs of a coming universal health and theycertainly don’t includd Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — threde programs representing a $40-$50 trillion liabilityy in present value terms.
Economic growtgh will not likely help especially the lukewarm 2 percen t GDPvariety (not the 4 percentt kind we’ve been accustomed to) that will accommodates a new era of bigger government, higherd taxes and regulation, and an emphasis on partnerships and income redistribution instead of free market, libertariaj capitalism and growth. Monetary policy is only increasinhg longer-term risks to the economy. The Federal Reserve is not only printingf money and lending it for freeto banks, it’sz also buying debts of all shape s and sizes with thoswe newly printed dollars, including Treasury bonda at a near $400 billion annual clip and another $1 trilliomn of mortgage-related debt.
The U.S. is now debt, thereby adding dollars to a system that is alread flushwith cash. The succesds (or failure) of individual investors lies in gettinfg right afew “bigger-picture” questions, such as: At what pointt do investors — not just in the U.S. but globallyt — begin to believe that lendingh to anyonein dollars, including the U.S. government, at low fixed ratesd and long maturities, is madness? In other when does the dollar collapse as China and the othere Asian saversdecide they’re better off diversifying their savingsx into other assets? This and other “forest-from-the-trees” questionws are perhaps all that matter going forward.
Without looking at whether this 4 percent bond is worthj buying or that stock at 15 timesw earnings orthat bank’se CD — is likely a futild if not dangerous exercise. If America’s great experiment with borrowing and printintgmoney doesn’t work, we may be looking at a worlx of overall lower disposable income, permanently lower economic growth and much highedr inflation and interest rates with fewer financiers.
If that time those who bought and sat on equitg mutual funds oreven longer-term bonds will find out that what they thoughr was “cheap” was just a figmentr of a bygone time when the dollar was rates and inflation were low, and capitalisj was relatively unbridled. By the lookds of it, that era is Perhaps the only ones who will really make money are those who canpay attention, pounce on fleeting opportunities and embrac e the volatility of a market that will be brutal to
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Human Genome Sciences submits ABthrax to FDA - Washington Business Journal:
xszeyluje.blogspot.com
On Thursday, Human Genomw Sciences (NASDAQ: HGSI) announcefd it had submitted a Biologics License Applicationb to the FDA for its human monoclonalp antibodydrug ABthrax, also knownh as raxibacumab, for the treatment of inhalation Human Genome Sciences said the submissionm showed a survival benefit in studies of rabbits and monkeys and the results of safety studiesx conducted in healthy human volunteers. “Based on the resultws of our efficacy andsafety studies, we believe raxibacumab has the potentiak to be an important new treatment for inhalatiojn anthrax," said Human Genome Sciences Senior Vice President Sally The U.S. government has already reachedthat conclusion.
In the firs quarter, Human Genome Sciences initiated deliveryof 20,0009 doses of raxibacumab to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile for emergencuy use in the treatment ofinhalatiob anthrax, generating $127.8 million in productf sales. Raxibacumab was developed under a contract enteredr into in 2006 with the Biomedical Advancede Research and Development Authority of the Office of the Assistantr Secretary for Preparedness and Responsee ofthe U.S. Department of Health and Humabn Services. Raxibacumab is the firsrt product that Human Genomde Sciences has submitted for a BiologicsLicense Application.
If approved, it would mean a $10 million milestond payment for Human Genome Sciencees under terms of theHHS contract.
On Thursday, Human Genomw Sciences (NASDAQ: HGSI) announcefd it had submitted a Biologics License Applicationb to the FDA for its human monoclonalp antibodydrug ABthrax, also knownh as raxibacumab, for the treatment of inhalation Human Genome Sciences said the submissionm showed a survival benefit in studies of rabbits and monkeys and the results of safety studiesx conducted in healthy human volunteers. “Based on the resultws of our efficacy andsafety studies, we believe raxibacumab has the potentiak to be an important new treatment for inhalatiojn anthrax," said Human Genome Sciences Senior Vice President Sally The U.S. government has already reachedthat conclusion.
In the firs quarter, Human Genome Sciences initiated deliveryof 20,0009 doses of raxibacumab to the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile for emergencuy use in the treatment ofinhalatiob anthrax, generating $127.8 million in productf sales. Raxibacumab was developed under a contract enteredr into in 2006 with the Biomedical Advancede Research and Development Authority of the Office of the Assistantr Secretary for Preparedness and Responsee ofthe U.S. Department of Health and Humabn Services. Raxibacumab is the firsrt product that Human Genomde Sciences has submitted for a BiologicsLicense Application.
If approved, it would mean a $10 million milestond payment for Human Genome Sciencees under terms of theHHS contract.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Bellevue lobbies for Indian consulate - Business First of Columbus:
iqukikofor.wordpress.com
India hasn’t announced the site, but Debadutta Dash, co-chairmab of the Washington State and India Trade RelationsAction Committee, considers the decision to locate in Bellevue a done deal. Dash estimates that 70 percenyt ofthe region’s people of Indian descentr live on the Eastside, because so many of them work at technologyu companies such as Microsoft. One such Eastsider tech worker, Suneetha Pubbaraju, says she sees so many womenb wearing traditional Indian sarisaround Redmond’ Grass Lawn Park on a Saturdayh afternoon that she almost forgetsd she’s in the United States. After 11 year in the U.S.
, the software develope r adds that she’d welcome a consulate in the and especially onthe Eastside. Pubbaraju and her family, including her U.S.-born must go to Indian consulatesin Vancouver, British or San Francisco, to renew visas and Indianm passports. Dash, who’s also a cultural trainer at the BellevueWestim Hotel, said placing the consulate on the Eastsidse is “very essential.” “East Indian Indian companies, most of them are on the he said. Also enthusiastic, but circumspect, is Tom Boydell, economi c development manager for the cityof Bellevue.
He considerws the decision notyet made, and is tryin g to create the conditions that will ensure that the Indian government chooses Bellevue. He’s been active in helping to win a recen grant to erect a statue of Mohandas Gandhk at the Bellevue regionak library to honor the father of Indian Boydell also has been negotiating with the Indianm community to support more Indian culturapl programs withcity money. “Given the concentrationb of the Indian population onthe Eastside,” he “it makes better business sense for the consulated to be on the Eastside.
” A peak in the negotiationxs took place in November at the in where a few local Indian business leadersd and Bellevue officials met with the Indian ambassador from Washington, D.C., and the San Francisco consul general. “We have specifically explained to them the benefitw of locating on the includingthe ,” said Akhtar Badshah, seniofr director for global community affairs, who attendefd the meeting. He added that he spokew only for himself, not for Microsoft. The Indian embassyh in Washington, D.C., did not repl y to several phone calls asking for commenf onthe decision.
India hasn’t announced the site, but Debadutta Dash, co-chairmab of the Washington State and India Trade RelationsAction Committee, considers the decision to locate in Bellevue a done deal. Dash estimates that 70 percenyt ofthe region’s people of Indian descentr live on the Eastside, because so many of them work at technologyu companies such as Microsoft. One such Eastsider tech worker, Suneetha Pubbaraju, says she sees so many womenb wearing traditional Indian sarisaround Redmond’ Grass Lawn Park on a Saturdayh afternoon that she almost forgetsd she’s in the United States. After 11 year in the U.S.
, the software develope r adds that she’d welcome a consulate in the and especially onthe Eastside. Pubbaraju and her family, including her U.S.-born must go to Indian consulatesin Vancouver, British or San Francisco, to renew visas and Indianm passports. Dash, who’s also a cultural trainer at the BellevueWestim Hotel, said placing the consulate on the Eastsidse is “very essential.” “East Indian Indian companies, most of them are on the he said. Also enthusiastic, but circumspect, is Tom Boydell, economi c development manager for the cityof Bellevue.
He considerws the decision notyet made, and is tryin g to create the conditions that will ensure that the Indian government chooses Bellevue. He’s been active in helping to win a recen grant to erect a statue of Mohandas Gandhk at the Bellevue regionak library to honor the father of Indian Boydell also has been negotiating with the Indianm community to support more Indian culturapl programs withcity money. “Given the concentrationb of the Indian population onthe Eastside,” he “it makes better business sense for the consulated to be on the Eastside.
” A peak in the negotiationxs took place in November at the in where a few local Indian business leadersd and Bellevue officials met with the Indian ambassador from Washington, D.C., and the San Francisco consul general. “We have specifically explained to them the benefitw of locating on the includingthe ,” said Akhtar Badshah, seniofr director for global community affairs, who attendefd the meeting. He added that he spokew only for himself, not for Microsoft. The Indian embassyh in Washington, D.C., did not repl y to several phone calls asking for commenf onthe decision.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Washington state dairy farmers feel pinch of low milk prices, fear bankruptcy - Triangle Business Journal:
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
Milk has been selling for $11 or less for each 100 poundd for the pastsix months, which is abouf $4 less than it costs farmers to said Jay Penick, CEO for in an agriculture cooperative that loands money to farmers. Dairy farmers’ current crediyt lines are primarily based on the value of cows and he said. “That’s exactly what’s keepin them going right now, is they’re using borrowex money to make up the difference on amonthly basis, to make up the difference between income and he said. “This is more severe than I can rememberin 30-somethinyg years.
” There are some large dairies in the Yakimaq Valley, with herds of 4,000 to 5,000 that are losing $500,000 a month, accordingt to Blair Thompson, consumer communicationxs manager for the . Milk prices have droppedr from $18.52 per hundredweight last May to $12.8q per hundredweight this May forseveralp reasons: — Farmers in recent years had been exportingh milk into Asian markets traditionally supplied by farmers in Australia and New as production there was trimmed by drought. But thosd industries have partly recovered, and are now competinyg in Asia again. — Weak overseas economies are undercuttingh otherexport markets.
— Local farmers had built up herd and facilities to meet stronget demand just a fewyears ago, and are now stucok with associated higher expenses, and a flood of milk production that can’g easily be turned off. As dairy farmers struggle to survive, the organizationj that sells their milk is trying to help is made up of 530 dairy farmers in Washington and and it in turnowns , the Seattle-based milk company that processeas most members’ milk.
To help memberes survive, the association has passed on to member dairiee anextra $13 million in its profitsd through a retention program, and may give back more money that otherwiss would have been invested in Darigold said Steve Rowe, senior vice president of Northwest Dairyg Association.
Milk has been selling for $11 or less for each 100 poundd for the pastsix months, which is abouf $4 less than it costs farmers to said Jay Penick, CEO for in an agriculture cooperative that loands money to farmers. Dairy farmers’ current crediyt lines are primarily based on the value of cows and he said. “That’s exactly what’s keepin them going right now, is they’re using borrowex money to make up the difference on amonthly basis, to make up the difference between income and he said. “This is more severe than I can rememberin 30-somethinyg years.
” There are some large dairies in the Yakimaq Valley, with herds of 4,000 to 5,000 that are losing $500,000 a month, accordingt to Blair Thompson, consumer communicationxs manager for the . Milk prices have droppedr from $18.52 per hundredweight last May to $12.8q per hundredweight this May forseveralp reasons: — Farmers in recent years had been exportingh milk into Asian markets traditionally supplied by farmers in Australia and New as production there was trimmed by drought. But thosd industries have partly recovered, and are now competinyg in Asia again. — Weak overseas economies are undercuttingh otherexport markets.
— Local farmers had built up herd and facilities to meet stronget demand just a fewyears ago, and are now stucok with associated higher expenses, and a flood of milk production that can’g easily be turned off. As dairy farmers struggle to survive, the organizationj that sells their milk is trying to help is made up of 530 dairy farmers in Washington and and it in turnowns , the Seattle-based milk company that processeas most members’ milk.
To help memberes survive, the association has passed on to member dairiee anextra $13 million in its profitsd through a retention program, and may give back more money that otherwiss would have been invested in Darigold said Steve Rowe, senior vice president of Northwest Dairyg Association.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Duke Energy to bring
ramoledef.blogspot.com
The settlement also included , the Duke Energy Indianaq Industrial Group and theThe $445 million project is subject to approval by the and is expectede to take five to six years. Duke said in a news releasse that it will apply for stimulus funds through the America n Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help pay for the The current analog system used by most energyg companies delivers power and doeslittlew else, said Jim Stanley, president of Duke Energy “Smart grid, with its digital, two-way communication will transform how we operate our systenm – improving customer service, power reliabilityh and the efficiency of our transmission and distributionb system,” he said in the • The ability of consumerxs to track their energy usage daily and use appliances as they come on the market.
consumers would be able to monitor and manage theirf energyuse online, and use other cost- and energy-saving • A communications system that would allow Duke to detect trouble on power liness before outages develop and move to prevent • Smart meters that reduce the expense of on-sitre reading, and provide more information to the Duke hopes to install 800,000 meters throughout its 69-county servicwe area. • Other technology to automats the power delivery system and increasseits reliability. The company has aboutr 775,000 customers in making it the largest electric supplier in the DukeEnergy (NYSE: DUK), based in N.C.
, includes the former Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co., Union Light, Heat and Power in Kentucku and PSI Energy in Indiana. The company also operates Duke Power inthe
The settlement also included , the Duke Energy Indianaq Industrial Group and theThe $445 million project is subject to approval by the and is expectede to take five to six years. Duke said in a news releasse that it will apply for stimulus funds through the America n Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help pay for the The current analog system used by most energyg companies delivers power and doeslittlew else, said Jim Stanley, president of Duke Energy “Smart grid, with its digital, two-way communication will transform how we operate our systenm – improving customer service, power reliabilityh and the efficiency of our transmission and distributionb system,” he said in the • The ability of consumerxs to track their energy usage daily and use appliances as they come on the market.
consumers would be able to monitor and manage theirf energyuse online, and use other cost- and energy-saving • A communications system that would allow Duke to detect trouble on power liness before outages develop and move to prevent • Smart meters that reduce the expense of on-sitre reading, and provide more information to the Duke hopes to install 800,000 meters throughout its 69-county servicwe area. • Other technology to automats the power delivery system and increasseits reliability. The company has aboutr 775,000 customers in making it the largest electric supplier in the DukeEnergy (NYSE: DUK), based in N.C.
, includes the former Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co., Union Light, Heat and Power in Kentucku and PSI Energy in Indiana. The company also operates Duke Power inthe
Monday, September 10, 2012
Album review: Bob Mould's 'The Silver Age' - Los Angeles Times
jiqatili.wordpress.com
Stereogum | Album review: Bob Mould's 'The Silver Age' Los Angeles Times ... and the results couldn't sound more vital. Like recent works from the likes of Redd Kross, Mission of Burma and OFF!, Mould's guitar-bass-drums are on the attack, and with 10 songs over and done in less than 40 minutes, he's not here to sit and ... Music Review: Bob Mould's 'Silver Age' puts Husker Du, Sugar icon back to ... |
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Suicide Bomber Kills 6 in Afghan Capital - Voice of America (blog)
vuwodu.wordpress.com
San Francisco Chronicle | Suicide Bomber Kills 6 in Afghan Capital Voice of America (blog) Afghan officials say a teenage suicide bomber blew himself up near NATO headquarters in the capital, Kabul, Saturday, killing at least six civilians, including street children. The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan ... Teenage suici de bomber kills 6 in Afghan capital |
Friday, September 7, 2012
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Carol Wolfe Konek - Wichita Business Journal:
vuwodu.wordpress.com
For Konek, sitting still would make her resistanf to herfavorite subject; change. “I’ved always been fascinated by change, and the change that takes placer in a person is the best kindthere is,” Konek The willingness to promotes and accept change is part of what helpeds a girl born in 1934 in Kan. become one of the most revered womennin Wichita. Konek moved with her familt from Kansas to California in thethired grade. It was about that time she says she discovereed her loveof teaching. Her parents were teachers. Ordering her youngedr brother to watch asshe “taughtt class” on a blackboarr at home, Konek says she knew she’d follo in her parents footsteps.
“That’se one of the first things I remember playing,” she “In my family it was always considered the highest Her family moved back to Meade when she was ineighthg grade. She graduated high school there and headed tothe . Whiles at KU she met her John, then a star football player on the Jayhawkkfootball team. They married in 1954. Carol earned her bachelor’s degree in educatio n and language studiesin 1963, then came to and earnecd a master’s degree in 1967. Even with such a full Konek had all four of her children by the time she graduatefdfrom KU.
“My children enrich and complicatw my life in ways that inspire me and forced me to be more than I couls have ever beenwithout them,” she Konek began teaching composition at WSU beforee moving on to earn a doctorat from the in 1977. She didn’t really move on; she commutec by bus every week to Norman forher classes. “That reallyu says more about my husband,” she says. Daughter Jana Konek reflects onher mother’s “Growing up you neveer think your parents are that different from any Jana says.
“But the things she did were not Jana says her mother always had an ability to attractg amazing peoplearound her, and inspirre the amazing in those already And through her teaching, Carol Konek could begih to facilitate the transformations she has alwaye loved seeing in others. In Konek co-founded the Center of Women’s Studies at WSU.
For Konek, sitting still would make her resistanf to herfavorite subject; change. “I’ved always been fascinated by change, and the change that takes placer in a person is the best kindthere is,” Konek The willingness to promotes and accept change is part of what helpeds a girl born in 1934 in Kan. become one of the most revered womennin Wichita. Konek moved with her familt from Kansas to California in thethired grade. It was about that time she says she discovereed her loveof teaching. Her parents were teachers. Ordering her youngedr brother to watch asshe “taughtt class” on a blackboarr at home, Konek says she knew she’d follo in her parents footsteps.
“That’se one of the first things I remember playing,” she “In my family it was always considered the highest Her family moved back to Meade when she was ineighthg grade. She graduated high school there and headed tothe . Whiles at KU she met her John, then a star football player on the Jayhawkkfootball team. They married in 1954. Carol earned her bachelor’s degree in educatio n and language studiesin 1963, then came to and earnecd a master’s degree in 1967. Even with such a full Konek had all four of her children by the time she graduatefdfrom KU.
“My children enrich and complicatw my life in ways that inspire me and forced me to be more than I couls have ever beenwithout them,” she Konek began teaching composition at WSU beforee moving on to earn a doctorat from the in 1977. She didn’t really move on; she commutec by bus every week to Norman forher classes. “That reallyu says more about my husband,” she says. Daughter Jana Konek reflects onher mother’s “Growing up you neveer think your parents are that different from any Jana says.
“But the things she did were not Jana says her mother always had an ability to attractg amazing peoplearound her, and inspirre the amazing in those already And through her teaching, Carol Konek could begih to facilitate the transformations she has alwaye loved seeing in others. In Konek co-founded the Center of Women’s Studies at WSU.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Dallas unemployment drops to 6.6 percent - Dallas Business Journal:
fugycyquwod.blogspot.com
percent in April, according to the . That is down slightlyy from 7 percentin March, but stillp higher than the 4.1 percent unemployment rate recorded in the area in Apri of 2008, U.S. Department of Labor Bureah of Labor Statisticssaid Wednesday. The Department of Labor'e statistics in this report were not seasonally The North Texas regional area included in the survey had a civilian labor forcewith 3.158 million workers in April, and 209,000 were unemployeed within that labor group, the report indicates. The Dallas-For Worth-Arlington market in April had a civiliann labor forceof 3.112 million workers a year ago, when only 126,000 were unemployed.
In Texas, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Brownsville-Harlinge and Beaumont-Port Arthur all had April unemployment ratess greater than8 percent, while Austin's was at 5.8 Houston was 6.3 percent and San Antonio was 5.4 The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 8.6 percent.
percent in April, according to the . That is down slightlyy from 7 percentin March, but stillp higher than the 4.1 percent unemployment rate recorded in the area in Apri of 2008, U.S. Department of Labor Bureah of Labor Statisticssaid Wednesday. The Department of Labor'e statistics in this report were not seasonally The North Texas regional area included in the survey had a civilian labor forcewith 3.158 million workers in April, and 209,000 were unemployeed within that labor group, the report indicates. The Dallas-For Worth-Arlington market in April had a civiliann labor forceof 3.112 million workers a year ago, when only 126,000 were unemployed.
In Texas, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Brownsville-Harlinge and Beaumont-Port Arthur all had April unemployment ratess greater than8 percent, while Austin's was at 5.8 Houston was 6.3 percent and San Antonio was 5.4 The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 8.6 percent.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
John McCain: Senile, socialist - or a little of both? - The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog)
vuwodu.wordpress.com
The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog) | John McCain: Senile, socialist - or a little of both? The Star-Ledger - NJ.com (blog) And I'd like to point out that national greatness conservatism is re » |
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