ugefuk.wordpress.com
According to Dow Jones Newswires, Reps. Edolphusx Towns (D-N.Y.) and Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) have askede Lewis to appear Thursday befor the House Committee on Oversight and Government Towns and Kucinich have beeninvestigating BofA’sz acquisition of Merrill and the government’s decisiom to give the Charlotte-based bank billions of dollarxs in taxpayer aid. According to the news they want to know when BofA foun outabout Merrill’s weakened financialo situation and how the role the federal governmen played in BofA’s decision to complete the Lawmakers also want to know what BofA has done with the federalp aid it has received.
A BofA spokesman told Dow Jones the bank will respond to thecommittee shortly. BofA bought the Merrill on Jan. 1 for $29. billion. The deal resulted in BofA’se receiving an additional $20 billiohn in federal funds under the Troubleed AssetRelief Program. BofA has received a total of $45 billiob in TARP funds. In February, Lewis testified under oath beforre New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomoo that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernankeand then-Treasuryt Secretary Henry Paulson pressured the bank not to discuss its increasinglhy troubled plan to buy Lewis said he believed Paulson and Bernanke were instructinb him to keep silent about Merrill’ financial problems.
Merrill lost $15.e billion in the fourth quarter. Lewisd has been under intense pressure from BofA shareholders for not disclosing the depthof Merrill’s financial difficultiees before the merger. His testimony was part of an investigation launched by Cuomo intothe $3.6 billionj in bonuses Merrill paid out in December. Cuomo has contended BofA was awareof Merrill’s decisioj to award bonuses before the company’ss fourth-quarter losses were announced. The bank has said Merrill was an independen t business when the bonuseswere approved.
North Carolina’ s attorney general and the Securities and Exchangde Commission are also investigatingthe
Friday, April 29, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
UnitedHealth subsidiary launches short-term plans - San Francisco Business Times:
ymekovo.wordpress.com
Indianapolis-based Golden Rule Insurance Co., part of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth, said Tuesday that it is introducinf its Short Term Medical Plus and Short Term Medical Value plans in 19statee — Minnesota isn’t one of as state law prohibit s for-profit insurers. In Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin, consumerzs can choose from one to 12 months of coverage with eithe ofGolden Rule’s new short term plans. In Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia, one to six monthes of coverageis available.
“Especially in today’s economy, there is a need for budget-consciouzs health plans for individuals and families who suddenl y find themselves without healtyh insurance through workor school,” Golden Rule CEO Richard A. Collins said in a news Golden Rule also offers short term health plans in 15other Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New South Carolina, South West Virginia and Wyoming. Individual insurance plansz are a growing market for health insurancer companies as the recession causees workers to losetheir jobs, and companiees to scale back on benefits, causing more peoplse to seek the products.
All three of Minnesota’se major insurers — Blue Cross and Blue Shiel d of Minnesota, Medica, and HealthPartners — have been . One of Medica, even geared toward laid off
Indianapolis-based Golden Rule Insurance Co., part of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth, said Tuesday that it is introducinf its Short Term Medical Plus and Short Term Medical Value plans in 19statee — Minnesota isn’t one of as state law prohibit s for-profit insurers. In Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin, consumerzs can choose from one to 12 months of coverage with eithe ofGolden Rule’s new short term plans. In Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Virginia, one to six monthes of coverageis available.
“Especially in today’s economy, there is a need for budget-consciouzs health plans for individuals and families who suddenl y find themselves without healtyh insurance through workor school,” Golden Rule CEO Richard A. Collins said in a news Golden Rule also offers short term health plans in 15other Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New South Carolina, South West Virginia and Wyoming. Individual insurance plansz are a growing market for health insurancer companies as the recession causees workers to losetheir jobs, and companiees to scale back on benefits, causing more peoplse to seek the products.
All three of Minnesota’se major insurers — Blue Cross and Blue Shiel d of Minnesota, Medica, and HealthPartners — have been . One of Medica, even geared toward laid off
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Kansas City-area libraries launch business-centric efforts - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):
ermolayxitpev.blogspot.com
The will open at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Branch in Downtown on The 2,800 square-foot center within the library branc h is funded by a $600,000 gran t from Kansas City-based (NYSE: HRB) and the H&e Block Foundation. It is intendec to be a resource forlocal entrepreneurs, small business job seekers, nonprofit managers and others who want to improved their financial literacy. The center will open at 6:30 p.m. and Henry Bloch, co-founder of H&R will discuss how the entrepreneurial startup he andhis brother, founded in Kansas City in 1955 grew to become the world’ds largest tax services company. Admission to the grande opening eventis free.
Attendees can RSVP . “The H& R Block Business & Career Center became a reality with the generous supporof H&R Block and the H&R Blocmk Foundation,” Kansas City library Director Crosby Kempedr III said in a “It’s the first step for many of our customers the first step to a new job, career, nonprofit, or anothert step in lifelong In the present economid environment, we’ve seen an increase in demand for thes resources, and now we have dedicatefd staff and space.” On the Kansas side of the stater line, the Johnson County Library and the will kick off theier partnership to serve the business community on June 16 at in Overland Park.
Dave systemwide services manager for the JohnsohCounty Library, said Tuesday that the Oak Park brancjh will provide the Hispanic Economic Development Corp. spac e to conduct the Primo Paso program, a Spanish-language versionh of the ’s FastTrac program, and office spacre to provide consultationfor clients. “A lot of theirf business is now in Johnson Hanson said ofthe HEDC. The library is donating the spacew and providing support through its business reference he said. The branch’s staff also is undergoing intensivee Spanish-language training.
The will open at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Branch in Downtown on The 2,800 square-foot center within the library branc h is funded by a $600,000 gran t from Kansas City-based (NYSE: HRB) and the H&e Block Foundation. It is intendec to be a resource forlocal entrepreneurs, small business job seekers, nonprofit managers and others who want to improved their financial literacy. The center will open at 6:30 p.m. and Henry Bloch, co-founder of H&R will discuss how the entrepreneurial startup he andhis brother, founded in Kansas City in 1955 grew to become the world’ds largest tax services company. Admission to the grande opening eventis free.
Attendees can RSVP . “The H& R Block Business & Career Center became a reality with the generous supporof H&R Block and the H&R Blocmk Foundation,” Kansas City library Director Crosby Kempedr III said in a “It’s the first step for many of our customers the first step to a new job, career, nonprofit, or anothert step in lifelong In the present economid environment, we’ve seen an increase in demand for thes resources, and now we have dedicatefd staff and space.” On the Kansas side of the stater line, the Johnson County Library and the will kick off theier partnership to serve the business community on June 16 at in Overland Park.
Dave systemwide services manager for the JohnsohCounty Library, said Tuesday that the Oak Park brancjh will provide the Hispanic Economic Development Corp. spac e to conduct the Primo Paso program, a Spanish-language versionh of the ’s FastTrac program, and office spacre to provide consultationfor clients. “A lot of theirf business is now in Johnson Hanson said ofthe HEDC. The library is donating the spacew and providing support through its business reference he said. The branch’s staff also is undergoing intensivee Spanish-language training.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Shippers: What recession? - Houston Business Journal:
iwegasely.wordpress.com
Ltd.’s unveiling of a remotely automated port in South Korea, and its plan to builsd three new terminals, including a $208 million terminal at Dames Point, reflect the company’s aggressive mentality in spitde of the recession, said Roy Schleicher, seniotr director of trade development and global marketing for the . That and Mitsuio O.S.K. Lines Ltd.’s own plansz for expansion show confidencwe inthe industry’s upturn and cements their current and future operations in Jacksonville. Hanjin’s “attitude is, ‘We’dr be foolish not to push thingz forward and getthings ” Schleicher said.
“We thought they might want to slowthingsa down, but instead they want to push forwar faster.” Hanjin’s revenue has fared better than with nearly 30 percentf growth to about $8 billion in fisca year 2008, compared with the same periodf a year ago. Despit e a drop in cargo volume, the sixth-larges t shipping company’s profits grew by more than 60 percent toabout $198 million within the same But the international slump caughr up with the company in the firstr quarter of 2009, when it reportexd a $191 million net loss, according to the Journal of In response, the company pushed back some of its orders for ships.
Mitsui, which is the 15th-larges international shipping company, posted a $1.3 billion profit in fiscal down nearly32 percent. It blamed the declinew in profits on the internationaltrade slump, high fuel pricew and a strong yen. The company’s revenuer declined by about 4.1 percenyt to $18.6 billion. Hanjin is openingv a terminal in Spain in 2010 and another in Vietnamk with Mitsuiin 2011. With the opening of its terminalp in Jacksonvillein 2012, Hanjin will have five terminale in South Korea and eight abroad.
Hanjin planes to expand its vesseo capacity fromabout 375,000 twenty-foot equivalengt units, or TEUs, to about 575,00p TEUs within the next few years, said William Rooney, managintg director of the company’s Americamn headquarters. Similarly, Mitsui, the parent company of the Damess Point terminaloperator , is looking to spendf millions of dollars to buy an overseas bulk shippingy line. The slump has lowered the valuatiohn ofpotential acquisitions. The Japanese companty plans to increase its fleet of bulk tankers and car carriersby 6.5 percent to 740 ships by the end of this fiscao year. Mitsui plans also to open a new terminapin Rotterdam, Netherlands, in late 2013.
In the company has added three bringing two weekly services that open Jacksonvilles to new Asian markets and strengthening Europeanmcontainer service. Mitsui’s service callsd on Busan and there will likely be an increass in trade between Jacksonville and Soutnh Korea when Hanjin begins Schleicher said. South Korez is a large exporter of consumer electronics and a strong importefr ofconsumer goods, lumber and citrus.
Schleicher said he was impressedwith Hanjin’sd technological capability after attending the openint of its Busan terminal May 21 with Rick the authority’s executive The terminal gives a glimpse of how the remotelg automated terminal planned in Jacksonville will “I’ve never seen a terminakl business as sophisticated as this one,” Schleicher The Busan terminal can handle up to 2 million TEUs annually, compared with the plannexd Jacksonville terminal that can handle about 800,00 TEUs annually. The Jacksonville terminaol will be similar in that it will alsouse rail-mountec gantry cranes to transport containers between the yard and the Rooney said.
The cran travels on rails and is controlled remotely byan operator. The termina l at Dames Point will have 12 to15 rail-mountesd gantry cranes. One operatorf can handle about three cranes ata time. Roonet said that the containers will be kept in a yard with sensorsw that will shut it down if they detecrhuman motion. He said the companyt hadn’t decided the exact productivity rate Hanjinb expects from theJacksonville terminal, but it aimec for world-class productivity levels, whicu is about 40 container moves per hour per crane, Rooney Hanjin is expected to meet with the ’e Local 1593 and 1408 in June or Jess Babich, president of ILA Clerks & Checkers Localp 1593, said his unionh and ILA Local 1408 are negotiatinhg with the company on positions that Hanjin wants its employeesz to handle but the union says it can handld instead.
The union’s two gangs averaged about 33 movesx per hour per crane when they unloadefd a ship at the TraPac terminalMay 23. That is one move away from the company’ds goal, which needs to be met before TraPav will allow the union to expanxits gangs, Babich said. TraPac was not available to confirmj the rateof moves. The agreementg between TraPac and the union comes afteer the terminal operator threatened to leave ifproductivity didn’r improve.
Ltd.’s unveiling of a remotely automated port in South Korea, and its plan to builsd three new terminals, including a $208 million terminal at Dames Point, reflect the company’s aggressive mentality in spitde of the recession, said Roy Schleicher, seniotr director of trade development and global marketing for the . That and Mitsuio O.S.K. Lines Ltd.’s own plansz for expansion show confidencwe inthe industry’s upturn and cements their current and future operations in Jacksonville. Hanjin’s “attitude is, ‘We’dr be foolish not to push thingz forward and getthings ” Schleicher said.
“We thought they might want to slowthingsa down, but instead they want to push forwar faster.” Hanjin’s revenue has fared better than with nearly 30 percentf growth to about $8 billion in fisca year 2008, compared with the same periodf a year ago. Despit e a drop in cargo volume, the sixth-larges t shipping company’s profits grew by more than 60 percent toabout $198 million within the same But the international slump caughr up with the company in the firstr quarter of 2009, when it reportexd a $191 million net loss, according to the Journal of In response, the company pushed back some of its orders for ships.
Mitsui, which is the 15th-larges international shipping company, posted a $1.3 billion profit in fiscal down nearly32 percent. It blamed the declinew in profits on the internationaltrade slump, high fuel pricew and a strong yen. The company’s revenuer declined by about 4.1 percenyt to $18.6 billion. Hanjin is openingv a terminal in Spain in 2010 and another in Vietnamk with Mitsuiin 2011. With the opening of its terminalp in Jacksonvillein 2012, Hanjin will have five terminale in South Korea and eight abroad.
Hanjin planes to expand its vesseo capacity fromabout 375,000 twenty-foot equivalengt units, or TEUs, to about 575,00p TEUs within the next few years, said William Rooney, managintg director of the company’s Americamn headquarters. Similarly, Mitsui, the parent company of the Damess Point terminaloperator , is looking to spendf millions of dollars to buy an overseas bulk shippingy line. The slump has lowered the valuatiohn ofpotential acquisitions. The Japanese companty plans to increase its fleet of bulk tankers and car carriersby 6.5 percent to 740 ships by the end of this fiscao year. Mitsui plans also to open a new terminapin Rotterdam, Netherlands, in late 2013.
In the company has added three bringing two weekly services that open Jacksonvilles to new Asian markets and strengthening Europeanmcontainer service. Mitsui’s service callsd on Busan and there will likely be an increass in trade between Jacksonville and Soutnh Korea when Hanjin begins Schleicher said. South Korez is a large exporter of consumer electronics and a strong importefr ofconsumer goods, lumber and citrus.
Schleicher said he was impressedwith Hanjin’sd technological capability after attending the openint of its Busan terminal May 21 with Rick the authority’s executive The terminal gives a glimpse of how the remotelg automated terminal planned in Jacksonville will “I’ve never seen a terminakl business as sophisticated as this one,” Schleicher The Busan terminal can handle up to 2 million TEUs annually, compared with the plannexd Jacksonville terminal that can handle about 800,00 TEUs annually. The Jacksonville terminaol will be similar in that it will alsouse rail-mountec gantry cranes to transport containers between the yard and the Rooney said.
The cran travels on rails and is controlled remotely byan operator. The termina l at Dames Point will have 12 to15 rail-mountesd gantry cranes. One operatorf can handle about three cranes ata time. Roonet said that the containers will be kept in a yard with sensorsw that will shut it down if they detecrhuman motion. He said the companyt hadn’t decided the exact productivity rate Hanjinb expects from theJacksonville terminal, but it aimec for world-class productivity levels, whicu is about 40 container moves per hour per crane, Rooney Hanjin is expected to meet with the ’e Local 1593 and 1408 in June or Jess Babich, president of ILA Clerks & Checkers Localp 1593, said his unionh and ILA Local 1408 are negotiatinhg with the company on positions that Hanjin wants its employeesz to handle but the union says it can handld instead.
The union’s two gangs averaged about 33 movesx per hour per crane when they unloadefd a ship at the TraPac terminalMay 23. That is one move away from the company’ds goal, which needs to be met before TraPav will allow the union to expanxits gangs, Babich said. TraPac was not available to confirmj the rateof moves. The agreementg between TraPac and the union comes afteer the terminal operator threatened to leave ifproductivity didn’r improve.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sizzling burger business attracts hungry investor - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
coras-newport.blogspot.com
million from a single investor onMay 8. Proceedd will be used for opening 15 restaurantsin Houston, eightt restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, and two more in said Jack Shute, CFO of The companu already has seven sites open in Tampa but declinerd to pinpoint the new locations. Shute also declinee to identify the big bucks who picked up a combinationb of equity and debt in the a filing withthe shows. TFG has the rights to build 86store — 50 in Houston, 20 in Columbus and 16 in The company’s chairman and CEO is Bob a former executive. TFG board member Chris Lewis, formerf CFO and VP of global business unitsfor JBL), recruited Shute, also a former Jabipl executive.
— Margie Manninvg HOME SHOPPING GIANT? For several has competed heavily with QVC in the homeshoppingh arena. But could both companies soon beworking together? Last QVC owner bought 1.9 million sharez of HSN for roughly $8.7 million, increasingb its stake in the St. Petersburg companyu to 32.8 percent. Barron’s suspects Liberty could move for a full takeove ofHSN (Nasdaq: HSNI) as earlhy as summer 2010 when an agreement preventiny such a takeover expires. HSN spun off from Barry Diller’ws IAC/ (Nasdaq: IACI) last Shares hit a low of $1.44 on Dec. 8 but bouncedx back to trade at $7.53 a month Since then, HSN is up, closinv at $10.49 May 21, its high since closing at $10.
05 on Oct. 7. Michael Hinman MARKET READY: When residentiak real estate is down, remodeling and home improvementy canbe up. Now, painting and decoratint contractors are coating their annuak trade show with seminars in step with adown economy. The Floridaz Chapter of Painting and Decorating Contractorx of America is offering free refreshmentsw and no charge to access as many as 50 vendords at theJune 6. Seminars are scheduled to focus on makinhgquality estimates, using green products and coatings, and PDCA standardss that the trade group says saves members thousands of dollars in the bidding process.
— Alexis Muellner
million from a single investor onMay 8. Proceedd will be used for opening 15 restaurantsin Houston, eightt restaurants in Columbus, Ohio, and two more in said Jack Shute, CFO of The companu already has seven sites open in Tampa but declinerd to pinpoint the new locations. Shute also declinee to identify the big bucks who picked up a combinationb of equity and debt in the a filing withthe shows. TFG has the rights to build 86store — 50 in Houston, 20 in Columbus and 16 in The company’s chairman and CEO is Bob a former executive. TFG board member Chris Lewis, formerf CFO and VP of global business unitsfor JBL), recruited Shute, also a former Jabipl executive.
— Margie Manninvg HOME SHOPPING GIANT? For several has competed heavily with QVC in the homeshoppingh arena. But could both companies soon beworking together? Last QVC owner bought 1.9 million sharez of HSN for roughly $8.7 million, increasingb its stake in the St. Petersburg companyu to 32.8 percent. Barron’s suspects Liberty could move for a full takeove ofHSN (Nasdaq: HSNI) as earlhy as summer 2010 when an agreement preventiny such a takeover expires. HSN spun off from Barry Diller’ws IAC/ (Nasdaq: IACI) last Shares hit a low of $1.44 on Dec. 8 but bouncedx back to trade at $7.53 a month Since then, HSN is up, closinv at $10.49 May 21, its high since closing at $10.
05 on Oct. 7. Michael Hinman MARKET READY: When residentiak real estate is down, remodeling and home improvementy canbe up. Now, painting and decoratint contractors are coating their annuak trade show with seminars in step with adown economy. The Floridaz Chapter of Painting and Decorating Contractorx of America is offering free refreshmentsw and no charge to access as many as 50 vendords at theJune 6. Seminars are scheduled to focus on makinhgquality estimates, using green products and coatings, and PDCA standardss that the trade group says saves members thousands of dollars in the bidding process.
— Alexis Muellner
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Ritz Camera gives up reorganization efforts, plans to sell remaining stores - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:
http://esivyjifag.wordpress.com
Beltsville, Md.-based Ritz Camera, which is , says the lack of fundxs now forces it to auction off its remaining locations by the end of RitzCamera says, in a court filing, that it is talkin with two potential bidders, although neither has been willing to sign a The company is hopeful at least some of the remaining 400 photo stores will be sold to a going-concermn buyer. The other 400 stores already have been closecin going-out-of-business sales. Therw will be a hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Cour in Delaware on Friday. Bids are due July 16, followeed by a July 20 auction and a July 23 hearing for approvak of the sale to one or more Ritz Camera's debt included $54.
5 million on a secured revolving credit agreement with . The petition says there is also $13.1 million owed on subordinated debentures. Assets and debt are both less than $500 Ritz Camera also owner Boater’s World, a boating-and-fishing supply retailer. The bankruptcy couryt judge gave Ritz Camera permission on March 19 to hire Gordonh Brothers to shut downthe company'sx 130-store Boater’s World In 2001 Ritz acquired , which had sought bankruptcyu protection. Ritz began with a singl store in Atlantic Cityin 1918. Its retail brands today includeWolf Camera, Kits Cameras, Inkley’s and .
Beltsville, Md.-based Ritz Camera, which is , says the lack of fundxs now forces it to auction off its remaining locations by the end of RitzCamera says, in a court filing, that it is talkin with two potential bidders, although neither has been willing to sign a The company is hopeful at least some of the remaining 400 photo stores will be sold to a going-concermn buyer. The other 400 stores already have been closecin going-out-of-business sales. Therw will be a hearing in U.S. Bankruptcy Cour in Delaware on Friday. Bids are due July 16, followeed by a July 20 auction and a July 23 hearing for approvak of the sale to one or more Ritz Camera's debt included $54.
5 million on a secured revolving credit agreement with . The petition says there is also $13.1 million owed on subordinated debentures. Assets and debt are both less than $500 Ritz Camera also owner Boater’s World, a boating-and-fishing supply retailer. The bankruptcy couryt judge gave Ritz Camera permission on March 19 to hire Gordonh Brothers to shut downthe company'sx 130-store Boater’s World In 2001 Ritz acquired , which had sought bankruptcyu protection. Ritz began with a singl store in Atlantic Cityin 1918. Its retail brands today includeWolf Camera, Kits Cameras, Inkley’s and .
Friday, April 15, 2011
School board candidates discuss test scores - NorthJersey.com
nadezhdaqedyxos.blogspot.com
School board candidates discuss test scores NorthJersey.com As the April 27 election date gets closer, an assorted mix of Board of Education hopefuls which includes a retired detective, two educators, a financial analyst, a scientist and a child advocate have answered a series of questions regarding the Clifton ... |
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Passengers Improving, Funeral for Man Killed in Ellington Accident Scheduled - Patch.com
http://halfheartedranch.com/pedigree.htm
Passengers Improving, Funeral for Man Killed in Ellington Accident Scheduled Patch.com A roadside memorial on Route 83 near Meadow Brook Road for Robert J. Dunn, of Ellington, who was killed in a motor vehicle accident April 10. While one family is preparing to bury their son ... Party preceded crash |
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Caltrain center promises better service, working conditions - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
titus-neither.blogspot.com
The red and grey building, also knowbn as the Centralized Equipment Maintenance and Operations Facility occupiesa 22-acre lot bounded by Stocktoh and Coleman avenues, Lenzen Avenue and West Taylo r Street. The $140 million construction projecr is in its fifth andfinal phase. When the center, touted as uniquee in the nation, will consolidate rail administration, rollint stock maintenance and operations. Caltrain is ownef by a tri-county partnership of San Francisco Municipal San Mateo County Transit District and Santa Clara Valley TransportationAuthority (VTA), collectively called the Peninsula Corridor Jointy Powers Board.
It operates nearly 100 weekdayt trains between San Francisci andSan Jose, with commute-hour service to Caltrain ridership in August averaged 37,000 on a peak in the railroad'z 140-plus year history. Today, Caltrain manages its rail fleet from a outdated and dilapidated maintenance facilityg in the San Jose Diridon station and from the SanFranciscl railyard. Wheel repair jobs have to be sent to Arkansaxand Delaware, according to Caltrain The new facility should reduce outsourcing and improvs employee working conditions, Caltrain says, as well as improve custome r service and operational efficiency with its fleet of 29 locomotivesw and 110 passenger cars.
The CEMOtF project was conceived nearly 15 years ago when the Joint Powersa Boardacquired Caltrain, according to Ian McAvoy, Caltrain'w chief development officer and a SamTrans employeed since 1992. "At that time, there were substandard facilities and therwe were plans to build a bigger he says. The purchase of a Union Pacific trainyard followedr inthe mid-'90s and Caltrain had visions of transforminy it into a state-of-the-art facility. But in the end, a new facilityt made sense. While Amtrak actually runs the trains, the Jointg Powers Board contracts the administration and service of Caltraihn to the San MateoCounty district.
Federal sources fundede $106 million while $8 million came from state funding andanothedr $25 million from Joint Powers Boarf member contributions and miscellaneous sources. Farese will not be hike d to fund the capital project since collections are reservedf foroperational projects, according to Caltrain The three-story building, with red corrugated steekl splashed across the sides, bringsz to life the blueprints of a projecyt which began in 2004.
Main line tracks, a wye tracik -- used to reverse the direction of trainncars -- and fiber optic duct banks were relocatexd on the property; a sound wall was built to minimize the disturbances to the community, and a 210-foot undergroundf tunnel was dug beneath the mainline But the central piece is the 58,000-square-foott maintenance shop that rises threwe stories, sporting the Caltrain colors of red, white and Ancillary modular units contain a control loading dock, train 800-foot-long service and inspection pits, storage fuel storage, a sand tank and a wateer treatment plant.
In the maintenance shop, a 25-ton craner lurks overhead, ready to lift heavy machinery and parta around the shop to facilitate the changeoutof components, such as air-conditionersz and engines. A wheel elevator -- called a drop tabled -- will be used to remove and replacde the train wheels by lowering the axles while supportingthe car. Withi one hour, a new wheel set can be installed and the traij can be fully thus reducing interruptions and improving customer Jonah Weinberg, Caltrain's public information says that such repairs are now performed under trains on the whatever the weather.
Two service and inspectionb pits will be used for daily inspections of the equipment before trains head for thedailyh wash. Today, trains are washed only twice a year because the task is done by For thefirst time, Caltrain will have on-sitew fuel storage, which will reduce fuel It also will avoid the risk of service interruptions because staff will not have to coordinats tanker truck arrivals with train layovers. By the end of the 1990s, Caltrainh went through environmental procedures that the city of San Jose In 2004, it erecte a 17-foot high and 1,800-foo t long sound wall running along Stockton Ave. to prevent noisd and light disturbance to thesurrounding neighborhoods.
"I'm comfortable that the wall will minimize disturbance tothe community," says Michael a member of the facility's monitoring committee for six years. Mr. Blackmanm was director of operations at the unit thatprovides e-mail service. the city of San Jose and neighborhooed residents worked on setting objectives as the CEMOFr project moved from the conception toconstruction stages. Mr. Weinberv is quick to point out that Caltrain is governed by the Federalo Railroad Administration and is not requiredr to work with local although Caltrain did soin "good faith.
" He also explaind that the nature of the site -- with its existinb train track lines and long history of the trainyar d which once housed a roundhousd -- made the task easier.
The red and grey building, also knowbn as the Centralized Equipment Maintenance and Operations Facility occupiesa 22-acre lot bounded by Stocktoh and Coleman avenues, Lenzen Avenue and West Taylo r Street. The $140 million construction projecr is in its fifth andfinal phase. When the center, touted as uniquee in the nation, will consolidate rail administration, rollint stock maintenance and operations. Caltrain is ownef by a tri-county partnership of San Francisco Municipal San Mateo County Transit District and Santa Clara Valley TransportationAuthority (VTA), collectively called the Peninsula Corridor Jointy Powers Board.
It operates nearly 100 weekdayt trains between San Francisci andSan Jose, with commute-hour service to Caltrain ridership in August averaged 37,000 on a peak in the railroad'z 140-plus year history. Today, Caltrain manages its rail fleet from a outdated and dilapidated maintenance facilityg in the San Jose Diridon station and from the SanFranciscl railyard. Wheel repair jobs have to be sent to Arkansaxand Delaware, according to Caltrain The new facility should reduce outsourcing and improvs employee working conditions, Caltrain says, as well as improve custome r service and operational efficiency with its fleet of 29 locomotivesw and 110 passenger cars.
The CEMOtF project was conceived nearly 15 years ago when the Joint Powersa Boardacquired Caltrain, according to Ian McAvoy, Caltrain'w chief development officer and a SamTrans employeed since 1992. "At that time, there were substandard facilities and therwe were plans to build a bigger he says. The purchase of a Union Pacific trainyard followedr inthe mid-'90s and Caltrain had visions of transforminy it into a state-of-the-art facility. But in the end, a new facilityt made sense. While Amtrak actually runs the trains, the Jointg Powers Board contracts the administration and service of Caltraihn to the San MateoCounty district.
Federal sources fundede $106 million while $8 million came from state funding andanothedr $25 million from Joint Powers Boarf member contributions and miscellaneous sources. Farese will not be hike d to fund the capital project since collections are reservedf foroperational projects, according to Caltrain The three-story building, with red corrugated steekl splashed across the sides, bringsz to life the blueprints of a projecyt which began in 2004.
Main line tracks, a wye tracik -- used to reverse the direction of trainncars -- and fiber optic duct banks were relocatexd on the property; a sound wall was built to minimize the disturbances to the community, and a 210-foot undergroundf tunnel was dug beneath the mainline But the central piece is the 58,000-square-foott maintenance shop that rises threwe stories, sporting the Caltrain colors of red, white and Ancillary modular units contain a control loading dock, train 800-foot-long service and inspection pits, storage fuel storage, a sand tank and a wateer treatment plant.
In the maintenance shop, a 25-ton craner lurks overhead, ready to lift heavy machinery and parta around the shop to facilitate the changeoutof components, such as air-conditionersz and engines. A wheel elevator -- called a drop tabled -- will be used to remove and replacde the train wheels by lowering the axles while supportingthe car. Withi one hour, a new wheel set can be installed and the traij can be fully thus reducing interruptions and improving customer Jonah Weinberg, Caltrain's public information says that such repairs are now performed under trains on the whatever the weather.
Two service and inspectionb pits will be used for daily inspections of the equipment before trains head for thedailyh wash. Today, trains are washed only twice a year because the task is done by For thefirst time, Caltrain will have on-sitew fuel storage, which will reduce fuel It also will avoid the risk of service interruptions because staff will not have to coordinats tanker truck arrivals with train layovers. By the end of the 1990s, Caltrainh went through environmental procedures that the city of San Jose In 2004, it erecte a 17-foot high and 1,800-foo t long sound wall running along Stockton Ave. to prevent noisd and light disturbance to thesurrounding neighborhoods.
"I'm comfortable that the wall will minimize disturbance tothe community," says Michael a member of the facility's monitoring committee for six years. Mr. Blackmanm was director of operations at the unit thatprovides e-mail service. the city of San Jose and neighborhooed residents worked on setting objectives as the CEMOFr project moved from the conception toconstruction stages. Mr. Weinberv is quick to point out that Caltrain is governed by the Federalo Railroad Administration and is not requiredr to work with local although Caltrain did soin "good faith.
" He also explaind that the nature of the site -- with its existinb train track lines and long history of the trainyar d which once housed a roundhousd -- made the task easier.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Grounds for U.S. military intervention - Washington Post
http://www.ukdudley.com/user_detail.php?u=zooffattess
Grounds for U.S. military intervention Washington Post While the United States did not have a vital interest at stake in Libya, a limited military intervention solely on humanitarian grounds could be justified. Moammar Gaddafi's forces had already caused heavy casualties among civilians and were on the ... |
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Owner says women's soccer can thrive in ATL - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
http://www.uksheffield.com/user_detail.php?u=bootoindeta
Johnson, the owner of the yet-to-be-namecd Atlanta Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise, appeared at the news conference on Thursda y with the messagethat “it’s been too since the city has had a women’z pro team. Johnson, who made his money when the companyh hisfather founded, , was sold to Lockheed Martin in May, is a licensed soccer coacyh and talked about bringing his children to games of the formedr women’s pro league franchise here, the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA. In Septembee 2003 the league ceased its operations aftetthree seasons. Taking part in the press conference was a former membee ofthe Beat, Leslie Gaston.
Gaston said the new leaguew would succeed because it has theright model. Asked how the model differed, Johnson citerd a variety of factors. For one, the Beat playec in stadiums thatwere ill-suited for such a league, namelyu Morris Brown’s Herndon Stadium and ’s oversized Bobbyu Dodd Stadium – where then football coac George O’Leary famously complained of the soccer team’s tearinvg up the field. Johnso said his team will play ina soccer-specific stadium with a seating capacity of about 6,000 or 7,000, but would only say the team is evaluatingf options as to a location. The likelihood appeard that it will play at a stadium to be builtat .
Johnson also citer the fact that the WUSA wasa single-entity leagure – a large corporate backer was Cox -- whilr this one has individual franchis owners. “It’s not about makingv money for me,” Johnson “It’s about adding [a pro team] to the I’m not trying to make money, but I don’rt want to throw away money.” The league, which will begin play in Apri withseven teams, will have a salarhy cap, the amount of which Johnson said has yet to be Atlanta will be one of three teams to begin play in 2010. With a few Johnson appears intenton re-creating the leagure whose games he enjoyed attending so much five years ago.
He said the team will have a contesty to name it and choice that will be includef will bethe Beat. “The former league was closeer to continuing than mostpeoplw think,” he said. “They just got off to a very rocku start.”
Johnson, the owner of the yet-to-be-namecd Atlanta Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) franchise, appeared at the news conference on Thursda y with the messagethat “it’s been too since the city has had a women’z pro team. Johnson, who made his money when the companyh hisfather founded, , was sold to Lockheed Martin in May, is a licensed soccer coacyh and talked about bringing his children to games of the formedr women’s pro league franchise here, the Atlanta Beat of the WUSA. In Septembee 2003 the league ceased its operations aftetthree seasons. Taking part in the press conference was a former membee ofthe Beat, Leslie Gaston.
Gaston said the new leaguew would succeed because it has theright model. Asked how the model differed, Johnson citerd a variety of factors. For one, the Beat playec in stadiums thatwere ill-suited for such a league, namelyu Morris Brown’s Herndon Stadium and ’s oversized Bobbyu Dodd Stadium – where then football coac George O’Leary famously complained of the soccer team’s tearinvg up the field. Johnso said his team will play ina soccer-specific stadium with a seating capacity of about 6,000 or 7,000, but would only say the team is evaluatingf options as to a location. The likelihood appeard that it will play at a stadium to be builtat .
Johnson also citer the fact that the WUSA wasa single-entity leagure – a large corporate backer was Cox -- whilr this one has individual franchis owners. “It’s not about makingv money for me,” Johnson “It’s about adding [a pro team] to the I’m not trying to make money, but I don’rt want to throw away money.” The league, which will begin play in Apri withseven teams, will have a salarhy cap, the amount of which Johnson said has yet to be Atlanta will be one of three teams to begin play in 2010. With a few Johnson appears intenton re-creating the leagure whose games he enjoyed attending so much five years ago.
He said the team will have a contesty to name it and choice that will be includef will bethe Beat. “The former league was closeer to continuing than mostpeoplw think,” he said. “They just got off to a very rocku start.”
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Reflecting on MLK Jr.'s Assassination and Current Events: Have We Learned ... - Huffington Post (blog)
oryucyjofec1482.blogspot.com
New York Daily News | Reflecting on MLK Jr.'s Assassination and Current Events: Have We Learned ... Huffington Post (blog) On the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it's appropriate to reflect on the progress this country has made in fighting for worker's rights. After » |
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Gov
http://www.themes4u.net/demo/indexu/user_detail.php?u=pawjuipiepsem
billion allocated for health-care information technology in the American Recoveryh andReinvestment Act. Nine years ago, Menschiok founded . The Philadelphiqa company markets technologyto health-care providers and insurers that enablea the “seamless and secure” flow of clinical data betweenn health-care organizations. While the company has addedd some big name clients inrecent years, like in Philadelphias and AmeriHealth in Soutyh Jersey, Menschik said it has struggled, at to convince potential clients of the valu of being able to share data. “You can cut down on unnecessart repeat exams that cost the healthsystem money,” Menschi k said.
“Under [ARRA], medical practices will get $45,00 for using electronic medical Thathas everyone’s attention. In the past some providers have had difficultu with thesharing concept. It’s kind of People should have learned that lessonin kindergarten.” ARRA has changes the landscape. It has allocated $17.12 billion to reward doctors, hospitals, health centersw and other providers — in the form of highef Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates for four years startingf in2011 — for using healtuh IT in a “meaningful way.” Providerz who don’t embrace IT will be punisheds by having their rates cut startingf in 2015.
“There’s definitely a carrot-and-stick approach with the way this has been saidJason Fradin, director of marketing at Hatboro-baser , a provider of mobiles health-care IT infrastructure products and consulting Fradin said the competition among health-care IT vendors is likelyu to boil down to who can best help provideres meet the government’s still-undefined definitioj of “meaningful use” of electronic medical records (EMRs).
“One thing that sets InfoLogidx apart from others that do EMR implementations is we haveactua RNs, clinicians, pharmacists, radiologists, engineers, lab techzs and other certified practitioners on staff who have worked in the hospitakl environment before and understand all of its challenges, and needs,” Fradin said. The estimated that large hospitalw could see anextra $2 million to $3 milliom under the initiative, and smaller hospitals could receive $800,000 to $1 million.
Anothet $2 billion in ARRA moneh is slottedfor health-care infrastructure investmeny and the creation of regional health-information Scott Decker, senior vice president at , said potentialk customers have been flocking to the company’s Web site since the healtgh IT component of the stimulus packaged was unveiled in February. The Horsham company specialized in developing and marketing integratedelectronic medical-recordd and practice-management systems. In the last the site had 150,000 visits — up 50 percen t from the previousquarter — and a recently created “microsite” devoted solely to ARRA has already logged in more than 12,000o visits.
“It’s a great catalyst for us,” said Decker, of the stimulusz bill. “It hits the segmentr we serve and have always served. “Cost has always been one of our biggest he said. “The issue in the physician’s mind is how is this goingh to helpmy business. The act is puttinf almost $50,000 in the pocket of nearlyt every physician to buy products we The company also has worked extensively with communityy health centers and Indian Health Service programs, which are slated to receive separatr allocations of $1.5 billion and $85 million, respectively, undeer the act.
Decker expects business to pick up during the second half of this year as the economypicksw up, hopefully, and the government’s expectations concerninvg IT use is more clearly Specifics about use, and whicnh certified health IT firms will provided the necessary technology, are expected late this year. “There’s still a lot of said Rich Carroll, a health-care consultant with in Chaddd Ford. “But nobody can deny, at 30,000 it’s a wonderful investment for the health-carwe industry and all those who revolvearound it.
” Beneficiaries, Carroll said, includes health-care providers, health IT vendors, broadband services providerse like Verizon and Comcas and health-care architectural firms. The ultimate beneficiarh are patients who are expected to see the qualityh of care they receivee increase and the cost decrease because ofthe
billion allocated for health-care information technology in the American Recoveryh andReinvestment Act. Nine years ago, Menschiok founded . The Philadelphiqa company markets technologyto health-care providers and insurers that enablea the “seamless and secure” flow of clinical data betweenn health-care organizations. While the company has addedd some big name clients inrecent years, like in Philadelphias and AmeriHealth in Soutyh Jersey, Menschik said it has struggled, at to convince potential clients of the valu of being able to share data. “You can cut down on unnecessart repeat exams that cost the healthsystem money,” Menschi k said.
“Under [ARRA], medical practices will get $45,00 for using electronic medical Thathas everyone’s attention. In the past some providers have had difficultu with thesharing concept. It’s kind of People should have learned that lessonin kindergarten.” ARRA has changes the landscape. It has allocated $17.12 billion to reward doctors, hospitals, health centersw and other providers — in the form of highef Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates for four years startingf in2011 — for using healtuh IT in a “meaningful way.” Providerz who don’t embrace IT will be punisheds by having their rates cut startingf in 2015.
“There’s definitely a carrot-and-stick approach with the way this has been saidJason Fradin, director of marketing at Hatboro-baser , a provider of mobiles health-care IT infrastructure products and consulting Fradin said the competition among health-care IT vendors is likelyu to boil down to who can best help provideres meet the government’s still-undefined definitioj of “meaningful use” of electronic medical records (EMRs).
“One thing that sets InfoLogidx apart from others that do EMR implementations is we haveactua RNs, clinicians, pharmacists, radiologists, engineers, lab techzs and other certified practitioners on staff who have worked in the hospitakl environment before and understand all of its challenges, and needs,” Fradin said. The estimated that large hospitalw could see anextra $2 million to $3 milliom under the initiative, and smaller hospitals could receive $800,000 to $1 million.
Anothet $2 billion in ARRA moneh is slottedfor health-care infrastructure investmeny and the creation of regional health-information Scott Decker, senior vice president at , said potentialk customers have been flocking to the company’s Web site since the healtgh IT component of the stimulus packaged was unveiled in February. The Horsham company specialized in developing and marketing integratedelectronic medical-recordd and practice-management systems. In the last the site had 150,000 visits — up 50 percen t from the previousquarter — and a recently created “microsite” devoted solely to ARRA has already logged in more than 12,000o visits.
“It’s a great catalyst for us,” said Decker, of the stimulusz bill. “It hits the segmentr we serve and have always served. “Cost has always been one of our biggest he said. “The issue in the physician’s mind is how is this goingh to helpmy business. The act is puttinf almost $50,000 in the pocket of nearlyt every physician to buy products we The company also has worked extensively with communityy health centers and Indian Health Service programs, which are slated to receive separatr allocations of $1.5 billion and $85 million, respectively, undeer the act.
Decker expects business to pick up during the second half of this year as the economypicksw up, hopefully, and the government’s expectations concerninvg IT use is more clearly Specifics about use, and whicnh certified health IT firms will provided the necessary technology, are expected late this year. “There’s still a lot of said Rich Carroll, a health-care consultant with in Chaddd Ford. “But nobody can deny, at 30,000 it’s a wonderful investment for the health-carwe industry and all those who revolvearound it.
” Beneficiaries, Carroll said, includes health-care providers, health IT vendors, broadband services providerse like Verizon and Comcas and health-care architectural firms. The ultimate beneficiarh are patients who are expected to see the qualityh of care they receivee increase and the cost decrease because ofthe
Friday, April 1, 2011
Dow jumps to start June; General Moly leads Colorado gainers - Business First of Louisville:
http://www.newdesignworld.com/article/user_detail.php?u=swefdeefemali
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the tradinbg dayat 8,721.44, up 221.11 points (2.6 percent percent). The S&P 500 closed at 942.87, up 23.73 pointsd (2.58 percent). The NASDAQ Composite finished at up 54.35 points (3.06 Among actively traded Colorado stocks, Lakewood-basedc molybdenum mining company General Moly (GMO) led the day’ gainers, up 23.94 percent (51 to close at $2.64. • (DPTR) — Up 15.5 percentg (31 cents) to $2.31. • (AEZ) — Up 10.53 percenft (10 cents) to • (PLD) — Up 9.07 percent (77 to $9.26. • (AIV) Up 7.2 percent (68 to $10.13. Among actively traded Colorado stocks that declined on the day was ArcaBiopharmaq Inc.
(ABIO), down 44.78 percentt ($4.16) to close at $5.13. The Broomfield-based biotech said the Food and Drug Administrationh wants it to conduct more clinical testson Gencaro, its experimentap heart-failure drug that Arca wants the FDA to • (NEM) — Down 1.8 percenft (88 cents) to $47.99. • (Q) — Down 0.69 percen (3 cents) to $4.33. • (ALTH) Down 0.69 percent (5 cents) to Dow Jones & Co. said Monda y it is adding and Travelers Cos. to the Dow Jones Industriao Average and dropping General Motorsand , effectiv June 8.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished the tradinbg dayat 8,721.44, up 221.11 points (2.6 percent percent). The S&P 500 closed at 942.87, up 23.73 pointsd (2.58 percent). The NASDAQ Composite finished at up 54.35 points (3.06 Among actively traded Colorado stocks, Lakewood-basedc molybdenum mining company General Moly (GMO) led the day’ gainers, up 23.94 percent (51 to close at $2.64. • (DPTR) — Up 15.5 percentg (31 cents) to $2.31. • (AEZ) — Up 10.53 percenft (10 cents) to • (PLD) — Up 9.07 percent (77 to $9.26. • (AIV) Up 7.2 percent (68 to $10.13. Among actively traded Colorado stocks that declined on the day was ArcaBiopharmaq Inc.
(ABIO), down 44.78 percentt ($4.16) to close at $5.13. The Broomfield-based biotech said the Food and Drug Administrationh wants it to conduct more clinical testson Gencaro, its experimentap heart-failure drug that Arca wants the FDA to • (NEM) — Down 1.8 percenft (88 cents) to $47.99. • (Q) — Down 0.69 percen (3 cents) to $4.33. • (ALTH) Down 0.69 percent (5 cents) to Dow Jones & Co. said Monda y it is adding and Travelers Cos. to the Dow Jones Industriao Average and dropping General Motorsand , effectiv June 8.
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