Bakersfield Now | Calif. students get leeway on whooping cough shots San Francisco Chronicle It's up to local schools and districts to decide whether to » |
martes, 26 de julio de 2011
Calif. students get leeway on whooping cough shots - San Francisco Chronicle
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domingo, 24 de julio de 2011
Heller employees size up ex-partners for new suit - San Francisco Business Times:
uraa-quartely.blogspot.com
The lawsuit, filed last week, names 13 including former ChairmanMatthew Larrabee, at San Francisco-basedx Heller Ehrman and seeks to include about 120 others who were partnersz as of August about one month before the firm shut Most of Heller Ehrman’s former partnerzs have moved on to other law Heller Ehrman had more than 860 employeees working in 13 offices across the country when the firm foldeds last year, said Craig Collins, the lawyer representing the ex-staffersz in the suit.
Most employees were laid off prior tothe firm’ bankruptcy filing last December and were not paid for accrued vacationj time or other benefits, the suit The lawsuit said partners should be held responsible for violationd of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, a federalk law that requires advance warning precediny mass layoffs. It also seeks to collect pay for accruecvacation time. There have been instances of law firm partners beinyg on the hook for financial obligations atprevious firms.
Amonb the most notable was the bankruptcygof , a notable San Francisco law firm until its 2003 Former Brobeck employees allegee after the firm’s implosion that they were not paid from retiremenr and pension plans and that they were owed money underd the WARN Act. The trustee overseeing Brobeck’a bankruptcy sued former Brobeck partners, claiming they were requirerd to repay the firm money they took while Brobecko was insolvent in 2001and 2002. The vast majoritu of partners acceptedthe trustee’xs settlement, paying more than $23 million, equal to pennies on the Larrabee did not respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit, filed last week, names 13 including former ChairmanMatthew Larrabee, at San Francisco-basedx Heller Ehrman and seeks to include about 120 others who were partnersz as of August about one month before the firm shut Most of Heller Ehrman’s former partnerzs have moved on to other law Heller Ehrman had more than 860 employeees working in 13 offices across the country when the firm foldeds last year, said Craig Collins, the lawyer representing the ex-staffersz in the suit.
Most employees were laid off prior tothe firm’ bankruptcy filing last December and were not paid for accrued vacationj time or other benefits, the suit The lawsuit said partners should be held responsible for violationd of the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, a federalk law that requires advance warning precediny mass layoffs. It also seeks to collect pay for accruecvacation time. There have been instances of law firm partners beinyg on the hook for financial obligations atprevious firms.
Amonb the most notable was the bankruptcygof , a notable San Francisco law firm until its 2003 Former Brobeck employees allegee after the firm’s implosion that they were not paid from retiremenr and pension plans and that they were owed money underd the WARN Act. The trustee overseeing Brobeck’a bankruptcy sued former Brobeck partners, claiming they were requirerd to repay the firm money they took while Brobecko was insolvent in 2001and 2002. The vast majoritu of partners acceptedthe trustee’xs settlement, paying more than $23 million, equal to pennies on the Larrabee did not respond to a request for comment.
viernes, 22 de julio de 2011
Wendel Rosen sets example for other law firms to follow - Charlotte Business Journal:
coras-newport.blogspot.com
But with a client list that includews "green" companies such as , Wendel Rosejn was determined to change its waste statisticsd and lessen its impact on the Asa result, it became the first law firm certified by the Bay Area Greenm Business Program in 2003. "Initially we didn't thini there was much we couls do," said firm partner Richard A. noting that Wendel Rosen did not own the buildingh where its officeswere located. But the firm hirexd a consultant and began to work ongoingf green, starting with the whitd stuff. "The biggest thing is the paper usage. We use millionxs of sheets a year," Lyons said.
Wendel Rosen alreadty was using 30 percent recycled content paper but switcheds to 100percent post-consumer content, chlorine-free paper as part of its effort to becomr certified. The change saves more than 250maturr trees, 24,000 gallons of water and enough electricitty to power 3.4 homes each according to a firm brochure. It also cuts greenhouse gas emission sby 40,000 pounds. Additionap paper-saving techniques were usinf double-sided copying, reuse of back sides for draft copies and using electronicc copies such as PDF fileswhen possible. It's not however, for the firm to go fully paperless as some businessezs are ableto do.
"People still need They still needsomething tangible," Lyonsa said. Recycling as much waste paper as possible is another step inthe firm'ds efforts to go green. Lyone said it began using soy-based inks for installed water-saving faucets and posted reminders to turn off lights and put computeras in sleep mode when notin use. Green practicee have saved thefirm money, althoughu Lyons did not know the exact figure.
The savingsz have resulted from direct changes inpurchasingb - the company focuses on recyclef products, which he calls "very - and indirectly through reduced waste, just because employees think about it "I see people comment if there is too much printingh going on," he said. The goal of goinbg green came fromthe company's Sustainable Busineses and , which works with companiesw that value health, the environmentr and a sustainable economy. Among them are Clif Bar, Mountain Peoples Warehouse, Nature's Equity, Seapoing Farms, Solaicx and . Lyons and othert members of the sustainable businesws practicegroup - Bruce Jonathan W. Redding and Donald S.
Simon - wantedc their firm to incorporate the same goals ofenergg conservation, waste and pollutio reduction and sustainability that their clients were pursuing. "This puts us on a level playing field with that we sharetheir values, and this is importantt to a lot of those people," Lyonsz said. "So yes, basically it's been good for business." Shareed environmental consciousness is one of the factords that brought into the Wendel Rosenclient fold, said the solar powe firm's owner and CEO, Gary T.
Sun Light was certified greenin 2002, and Gerbefr began crossing paths on the sustainability issue circuit with Simon and others from the law as they worked toward its certification. "Wre try to do business with green companies atevery opportunity," Gerber said. "Outr commitment to green businessa doesn't stop at our four walls." Support from clienty companies was one what surprised Lyons was the supporg from other attorneys at the firm and from its staffd about the greenbusiness "People feel good about it," he "This reflects the values that they have at Green Business Program Regional Coordinator Ceil Scandoned said three more law firmse have joined the more than 700 certifiedx green companies on the program's roster.
Wendel Rosen's experience in becoming certified is an exampl that shows companies do not have to changde their basic business functions to reducreenvironmental impact, said Pamela Evans, green businessz program coordinator for Alameda County. One of the first evaluationn steps is lookingat what's goingb in the waste bins. In Wendel Rosen'es case, that evaluation yielded the expecter result, she said. "For them, papeer was the biggest waste stream.
" Benefits: Reduced better client relationships, more focused purchasing and moneyusavings
But with a client list that includews "green" companies such as , Wendel Rosejn was determined to change its waste statisticsd and lessen its impact on the Asa result, it became the first law firm certified by the Bay Area Greenm Business Program in 2003. "Initially we didn't thini there was much we couls do," said firm partner Richard A. noting that Wendel Rosen did not own the buildingh where its officeswere located. But the firm hirexd a consultant and began to work ongoingf green, starting with the whitd stuff. "The biggest thing is the paper usage. We use millionxs of sheets a year," Lyons said.
Wendel Rosen alreadty was using 30 percent recycled content paper but switcheds to 100percent post-consumer content, chlorine-free paper as part of its effort to becomr certified. The change saves more than 250maturr trees, 24,000 gallons of water and enough electricitty to power 3.4 homes each according to a firm brochure. It also cuts greenhouse gas emission sby 40,000 pounds. Additionap paper-saving techniques were usinf double-sided copying, reuse of back sides for draft copies and using electronicc copies such as PDF fileswhen possible. It's not however, for the firm to go fully paperless as some businessezs are ableto do.
"People still need They still needsomething tangible," Lyonsa said. Recycling as much waste paper as possible is another step inthe firm'ds efforts to go green. Lyone said it began using soy-based inks for installed water-saving faucets and posted reminders to turn off lights and put computeras in sleep mode when notin use. Green practicee have saved thefirm money, althoughu Lyons did not know the exact figure.
The savingsz have resulted from direct changes inpurchasingb - the company focuses on recyclef products, which he calls "very - and indirectly through reduced waste, just because employees think about it "I see people comment if there is too much printingh going on," he said. The goal of goinbg green came fromthe company's Sustainable Busineses and , which works with companiesw that value health, the environmentr and a sustainable economy. Among them are Clif Bar, Mountain Peoples Warehouse, Nature's Equity, Seapoing Farms, Solaicx and . Lyons and othert members of the sustainable businesws practicegroup - Bruce Jonathan W. Redding and Donald S.
Simon - wantedc their firm to incorporate the same goals ofenergg conservation, waste and pollutio reduction and sustainability that their clients were pursuing. "This puts us on a level playing field with that we sharetheir values, and this is importantt to a lot of those people," Lyonsz said. "So yes, basically it's been good for business." Shareed environmental consciousness is one of the factords that brought into the Wendel Rosenclient fold, said the solar powe firm's owner and CEO, Gary T.
Sun Light was certified greenin 2002, and Gerbefr began crossing paths on the sustainability issue circuit with Simon and others from the law as they worked toward its certification. "Wre try to do business with green companies atevery opportunity," Gerber said. "Outr commitment to green businessa doesn't stop at our four walls." Support from clienty companies was one what surprised Lyons was the supporg from other attorneys at the firm and from its staffd about the greenbusiness "People feel good about it," he "This reflects the values that they have at Green Business Program Regional Coordinator Ceil Scandoned said three more law firmse have joined the more than 700 certifiedx green companies on the program's roster.
Wendel Rosen's experience in becoming certified is an exampl that shows companies do not have to changde their basic business functions to reducreenvironmental impact, said Pamela Evans, green businessz program coordinator for Alameda County. One of the first evaluationn steps is lookingat what's goingb in the waste bins. In Wendel Rosen'es case, that evaluation yielded the expecter result, she said. "For them, papeer was the biggest waste stream.
" Benefits: Reduced better client relationships, more focused purchasing and moneyusavings
martes, 19 de julio de 2011
Outlay of $7.7M for W
http://www.toyota-info.com/sienna/toyota%20sienna%20xle.html
million in federal stimulus money for infrastructure projects ranging from Watervliet toWarren County. Gov. Davide Paterson announced the projectslast week, saying he had certified that the projects met federal stimulus standards, as required by law. All $51.1 million has now been set aside in the Capitaol Region fortransportation projects. Paterson’s office has estimatexd that the region willreceive $98.1 millionm in total stimulus infrastructure funds. The new projectes include $7.7 million to reconstruct 19th Streetyin Watervliet, near the Congress Stree t bridge. The work is scheduled to finish inwinter 2010.
The city expects to put the project out to bid withintwo weeks, said city generaol manager Mark Gleason. Bids are scheduled to be returned byJune 29, he The city will save $400,000p by using stimulus moneh to fund the entire projecgt instead of having to provide a matchinvg payment to get standard federal highway funding, Gleason said. “We’ll get a totallyg revamped 19th Street. Aesthetically, it will be much better, and thered will be a lot of safet y featuresput in,” Gleason said. Another project will involve repavingt seven miles of Route 5 in the cities of Albangand Schenectady, and the towns of Colonie and Niskayuna. The work will total $7.
5 millionb and finish in the fallof 2010. Constructionn crews will complete site-preparation work for nine bus/rapid-transitf stations and install handicap-accessible sidewalmk ramps at 160 intersections. The statw Department of Transportation expects to bid the projecg sometimenext month, said spokesmamn Peter Van Keuren. • $3 million to continue roadwor on Bay Street inGlens Falls, a road connecting the city with Queensbury. The projecy is scheduled to finish insummer 2010. • $1.3 millionj to replace a bridge inGreens County. The 37-year-old bridge in the town of New Baltimorew isbeyond repair. The project is set to end late this Paterson also announceda $6.
2 million project to rehabilitatw a bridge in the town of Germantown, Columbiwa County. The project will end in summed 2011.
million in federal stimulus money for infrastructure projects ranging from Watervliet toWarren County. Gov. Davide Paterson announced the projectslast week, saying he had certified that the projects met federal stimulus standards, as required by law. All $51.1 million has now been set aside in the Capitaol Region fortransportation projects. Paterson’s office has estimatexd that the region willreceive $98.1 millionm in total stimulus infrastructure funds. The new projectes include $7.7 million to reconstruct 19th Streetyin Watervliet, near the Congress Stree t bridge. The work is scheduled to finish inwinter 2010.
The city expects to put the project out to bid withintwo weeks, said city generaol manager Mark Gleason. Bids are scheduled to be returned byJune 29, he The city will save $400,000p by using stimulus moneh to fund the entire projecgt instead of having to provide a matchinvg payment to get standard federal highway funding, Gleason said. “We’ll get a totallyg revamped 19th Street. Aesthetically, it will be much better, and thered will be a lot of safet y featuresput in,” Gleason said. Another project will involve repavingt seven miles of Route 5 in the cities of Albangand Schenectady, and the towns of Colonie and Niskayuna. The work will total $7.
5 millionb and finish in the fallof 2010. Constructionn crews will complete site-preparation work for nine bus/rapid-transitf stations and install handicap-accessible sidewalmk ramps at 160 intersections. The statw Department of Transportation expects to bid the projecg sometimenext month, said spokesmamn Peter Van Keuren. • $3 million to continue roadwor on Bay Street inGlens Falls, a road connecting the city with Queensbury. The projecy is scheduled to finish insummer 2010. • $1.3 millionj to replace a bridge inGreens County. The 37-year-old bridge in the town of New Baltimorew isbeyond repair. The project is set to end late this Paterson also announceda $6.
2 million project to rehabilitatw a bridge in the town of Germantown, Columbiwa County. The project will end in summed 2011.
domingo, 17 de julio de 2011
Editorial: Tough times make stricter welfare rules unfairly harsh - Detroit Free Press
vypybiza.wordpress.com
Gamasutra | Editorial: Tough times make stricter welfare rules unfairly harsh Detroit Free Press Federal welfare reforms adopted in the mid-1990s limited Temporary Assistance to Needy Families to 60 months of benefits within a lifetime, with certain exceptions. What made the changes reasonably effective and not unduly punitive -- including in ... AP-MI--Welfare Limits-Michigan, 2nd Ld-Writethru,208 Michigan law would cap welfare benefits State Senate Caps Lifetime Welfare Benefits At Four Years |
viernes, 15 de julio de 2011
Oahu home prices back on top - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):
shelly-polymer.blogspot.com
Yet, the primary risk to Oahu’s housingf market is still “what happenes to jobs,” Bonham said. “When people’s income goes or they lose their they’re being forced to throw their housr onthe market,” he said. coupled with adjustable interest rates that areadjustingh upwards, could cause Honolulj to see its foreclosure rate continue to he said. While Hawaii did not see the huge number of foreclosurez that crashed manyMainland markets, the states was ranked 14th in the nation in the number of foreclosurew starts during the first quarter, accordinfg to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s National Delinquency Survey.
“For us, the primaryu reason for foreclosures is going to be job loss andincomse loss, and adjustable rates,” Bonham said, noting that a lot of foreclosurexs on the Mainland were due to adjustinb interest rates. “Our cycle was later so we had more of them to work And foreclosures will put more downward pressureron prices, he said. UHERO has forecasf a drop in home pricee of 9 percent in 2009 and anothet 5 percentin 2010, predictions that are drivenn largely by the job picture.
Sinc e the forecast was released in early the outlook for job growth for the statehas “With the additional problems of the fiscal the outlook has worsened and the home price forecast will go down Bonham said, referring to the state’s projectecd budget shortfalls over the next two Despite that, Honolulu will likely keep its distinction as the most expensivew place to buy a house, sincer California’s priciest markets are unlikely to see any type of a he said.
Yet, the primary risk to Oahu’s housingf market is still “what happenes to jobs,” Bonham said. “When people’s income goes or they lose their they’re being forced to throw their housr onthe market,” he said. coupled with adjustable interest rates that areadjustingh upwards, could cause Honolulj to see its foreclosure rate continue to he said. While Hawaii did not see the huge number of foreclosurez that crashed manyMainland markets, the states was ranked 14th in the nation in the number of foreclosurew starts during the first quarter, accordinfg to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s National Delinquency Survey.
“For us, the primaryu reason for foreclosures is going to be job loss andincomse loss, and adjustable rates,” Bonham said, noting that a lot of foreclosurexs on the Mainland were due to adjustinb interest rates. “Our cycle was later so we had more of them to work And foreclosures will put more downward pressureron prices, he said. UHERO has forecasf a drop in home pricee of 9 percent in 2009 and anothet 5 percentin 2010, predictions that are drivenn largely by the job picture.
Sinc e the forecast was released in early the outlook for job growth for the statehas “With the additional problems of the fiscal the outlook has worsened and the home price forecast will go down Bonham said, referring to the state’s projectecd budget shortfalls over the next two Despite that, Honolulu will likely keep its distinction as the most expensivew place to buy a house, sincer California’s priciest markets are unlikely to see any type of a he said.
miércoles, 13 de julio de 2011
New York ruling will change appraisals in Hawaii - bizjournals:
belyaevostapuki.blogspot.com
Since May 1, all lendera that do residential mortgage loans for homes of one to four unit s sold by and on the secondary market must abidse by the Home Valuation Codeof Conduct, which is intendedf to place a firewall between appraiser and lender to ensurew appraisals that are independent and That means that mortgage brokers can no longer select Loan officers at banks and other lendere also are no longer able to choose or requesg specific appraisers, and must guarantee to the federall mortgage giants that the appraisals were done accordingg to the code. Bank employees who selecty appraisers must work in a department that is independen t of the loanproduction staff.
Lenderw cannot use in-house appraisers or an appraisall company that is an affiliatr ofthe lender, unless they are independent of the loan productiomn department. Many brokers and lenders will insteard have to use athird party, whicu likely will be a Mainland-based appraisal management company, to select the The Home Valuation Code of Conduct was the resulg of an agreement between Freddie Mac and Fannier Mae and New York stat Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who had sued lenderr Washington Mutual over inflatedeappraisal values. The real estate industry as a whole has not welcomesdthe change. Thousands of people are affectedc inHawaii alone.
The state has 5,8732 licensed mortgage solicitors, including 359 on the Mainland, 701 mortgage broker and 567 licensed realestate appraisers, includinbg 62 on the Mainland. The wrote to Fannie Mae and Freddiew Mac on April 20 asking that the implementatiob of the code be postponed forone year, citinb a lack of guidance from the federally sponsored The National Association of Mortgage Brokeras sued the in February to stop the which it had said would run up costs of mortgagesw for consumers and help to put smal businesses out of business. But the groulp withdrew the lawsuit in April to furtherr assess its strategy against thefederap agency.
While it is too soon to assess the full effectr of the code herein Hawaii, businessa is starting to change for mortgage brokers, lenders and appraisers. At Bank of before May 1, residentiall loan officers and thewholesalwe division, which handles loans from mortgage brokers, ordered and trackedx their own appraisals. Since May 1, the bank has had its quality control division, which is independent of the loan productiobn department, order appraisals for both said Shanae Souza, senior vice presidentt for compliance and systems.
“Forty people used to do theidr own thing and follow upon it, so the administrativew tasks are actually quite huge,” she The bank chose not to use an appraisapl management company. So far, one additionak person has been hired to help with theincreasee workload, Souza said. Some will win, some will lose “It’s a tremendou change [from] how business has been conducted in the said Wayne Sadoyama of the Honolulju appraisal firmStellmacher & Sadoyama.
“It’s not cleae how everything will eventuallyget resolved; some people will lose other people may gain some One thing that will change is the relationshipws that mortgage brokers have built over the yearsd with certain appraisers, said Greg Ravelo, principal mortgags broker for in Honolulu and president of the . “Tiese like that will be more orless severed, or at leasyt put to a minimum,” he Under the code, any appraiser who is on an approvedx list could be hiree for the job.
“It’s supposed to be a rotatiomn basis; you don’t really know who’sd going to be the particula appraiser,” said Honolulu-based mortgage broker Donald Lau, a past presidentf of the Hawaii Association ofMortgagew Brokers. “You may have an appraiser who’w not experienced. Some of the appraisal firms that don’t have established relationships with brokersor lenders, they could really lose But it may end up helping the up-and-cominyg appraisers, who may not have the same long-established ties with the lenderse that the larger firms have, Ravelo “My understanding with the third party [appraisap management companies], they’re going to try and look for the lowestr bidder,” he said.
The one groupo that may be most affected are the buyers and who could see their appraisakfees jump. “I think they’re more so the victimsa of this situation,” Ravelo said. “Witjh the new [appraisal management company] setup, they’re finding the lowest biddet forthe appraisers. However, the bill’s coming out substantially higher.” There have been situationsa already where an appraisal fee that should havebeen $350 direcf from an appraiser ended up costiny $800 when it went through an appraisal management company, Ravelo “If you had a relationship with an appraiser, you couled get it for less than $400, becausde of return business,” he “That’s out the door now.
”
Since May 1, all lendera that do residential mortgage loans for homes of one to four unit s sold by and on the secondary market must abidse by the Home Valuation Codeof Conduct, which is intendedf to place a firewall between appraiser and lender to ensurew appraisals that are independent and That means that mortgage brokers can no longer select Loan officers at banks and other lendere also are no longer able to choose or requesg specific appraisers, and must guarantee to the federall mortgage giants that the appraisals were done accordingg to the code. Bank employees who selecty appraisers must work in a department that is independen t of the loanproduction staff.
Lenderw cannot use in-house appraisers or an appraisall company that is an affiliatr ofthe lender, unless they are independent of the loan productiomn department. Many brokers and lenders will insteard have to use athird party, whicu likely will be a Mainland-based appraisal management company, to select the The Home Valuation Code of Conduct was the resulg of an agreement between Freddie Mac and Fannier Mae and New York stat Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, who had sued lenderr Washington Mutual over inflatedeappraisal values. The real estate industry as a whole has not welcomesdthe change. Thousands of people are affectedc inHawaii alone.
The state has 5,8732 licensed mortgage solicitors, including 359 on the Mainland, 701 mortgage broker and 567 licensed realestate appraisers, includinbg 62 on the Mainland. The wrote to Fannie Mae and Freddiew Mac on April 20 asking that the implementatiob of the code be postponed forone year, citinb a lack of guidance from the federally sponsored The National Association of Mortgage Brokeras sued the in February to stop the which it had said would run up costs of mortgagesw for consumers and help to put smal businesses out of business. But the groulp withdrew the lawsuit in April to furtherr assess its strategy against thefederap agency.
While it is too soon to assess the full effectr of the code herein Hawaii, businessa is starting to change for mortgage brokers, lenders and appraisers. At Bank of before May 1, residentiall loan officers and thewholesalwe division, which handles loans from mortgage brokers, ordered and trackedx their own appraisals. Since May 1, the bank has had its quality control division, which is independent of the loan productiobn department, order appraisals for both said Shanae Souza, senior vice presidentt for compliance and systems.
“Forty people used to do theidr own thing and follow upon it, so the administrativew tasks are actually quite huge,” she The bank chose not to use an appraisapl management company. So far, one additionak person has been hired to help with theincreasee workload, Souza said. Some will win, some will lose “It’s a tremendou change [from] how business has been conducted in the said Wayne Sadoyama of the Honolulju appraisal firmStellmacher & Sadoyama.
“It’s not cleae how everything will eventuallyget resolved; some people will lose other people may gain some One thing that will change is the relationshipws that mortgage brokers have built over the yearsd with certain appraisers, said Greg Ravelo, principal mortgags broker for in Honolulu and president of the . “Tiese like that will be more orless severed, or at leasyt put to a minimum,” he Under the code, any appraiser who is on an approvedx list could be hiree for the job.
“It’s supposed to be a rotatiomn basis; you don’t really know who’sd going to be the particula appraiser,” said Honolulu-based mortgage broker Donald Lau, a past presidentf of the Hawaii Association ofMortgagew Brokers. “You may have an appraiser who’w not experienced. Some of the appraisal firms that don’t have established relationships with brokersor lenders, they could really lose But it may end up helping the up-and-cominyg appraisers, who may not have the same long-established ties with the lenderse that the larger firms have, Ravelo “My understanding with the third party [appraisap management companies], they’re going to try and look for the lowestr bidder,” he said.
The one groupo that may be most affected are the buyers and who could see their appraisakfees jump. “I think they’re more so the victimsa of this situation,” Ravelo said. “Witjh the new [appraisal management company] setup, they’re finding the lowest biddet forthe appraisers. However, the bill’s coming out substantially higher.” There have been situationsa already where an appraisal fee that should havebeen $350 direcf from an appraiser ended up costiny $800 when it went through an appraisal management company, Ravelo “If you had a relationship with an appraiser, you couled get it for less than $400, becausde of return business,” he “That’s out the door now.
”
domingo, 10 de julio de 2011
UnitedHealth CEO: Flexibility will help weather 'disruptive change' - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
http://lawyerswithalife.com/article_panic.html
“Leading companies actually take advantages of disruptive change andchallengintg markets,” Hemsley said at the company’w annual meeting in Minnetonka. Also at the stockowners approvedthe company's slate of directors and voted down a shareholder-proposedx measure regulating executive compensation. The meetint comes at an unsettled time for theinsurancs industry. UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH) in April , though it still beat Profit was $984 million, or 81 centsx per share, versus $994 or 78 cents per share, durin the first quarter of 2008.
UnitedHealth’sa insurance plan enrollment has been shiftinygtoward lower-margin, government-sponsored health planes — that has worried investors because of the government’s plans to tighten Medicarwe Advantage reimbursement rates. There’s also a great deal of uncertaintyh overPresident Obama’s plans for a majorr health care reform this Still, investors' worries appear to have been allayef some in recent months. Afterr hitting a low of about $16 per sharre in March, UnitedHealth’s stock is now trading at about $28 per share.
The company has been activelyh engaging in the healthreform process, rather than oppose it as many health insurers did when the Clinton administration sought to overhaul the systemn in the 1990s. UnitedHealth CEO Hemsley last montbh , saying the skyrocketing cost of health care was hurtingthe country.
“Leading companies actually take advantages of disruptive change andchallengintg markets,” Hemsley said at the company’w annual meeting in Minnetonka. Also at the stockowners approvedthe company's slate of directors and voted down a shareholder-proposedx measure regulating executive compensation. The meetint comes at an unsettled time for theinsurancs industry. UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH) in April , though it still beat Profit was $984 million, or 81 centsx per share, versus $994 or 78 cents per share, durin the first quarter of 2008.
UnitedHealth’sa insurance plan enrollment has been shiftinygtoward lower-margin, government-sponsored health planes — that has worried investors because of the government’s plans to tighten Medicarwe Advantage reimbursement rates. There’s also a great deal of uncertaintyh overPresident Obama’s plans for a majorr health care reform this Still, investors' worries appear to have been allayef some in recent months. Afterr hitting a low of about $16 per sharre in March, UnitedHealth’s stock is now trading at about $28 per share.
The company has been activelyh engaging in the healthreform process, rather than oppose it as many health insurers did when the Clinton administration sought to overhaul the systemn in the 1990s. UnitedHealth CEO Hemsley last montbh , saying the skyrocketing cost of health care was hurtingthe country.
viernes, 8 de julio de 2011
PCMC constructing a parallel road to Ajmera - Times of India
edibin.wordpress.com
PCMC constructing a parallel road to Ajmera Times of India PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is constructing a parallel road to the main road in Ajmera colony of Pimpri which is expected to reduce the traffic on the busy Ajmera road. The Ajmera - Nehrunagar main road is around two ... |
miércoles, 6 de julio de 2011
Survey: CEOs still foresee negative conditions - Business First of Buffalo:
kowutoco.wordpress.com
“This quarter’s results reflect a continuing weak set of economic saidIvan Seidenberg, chairman of Business Roundtables and chairman and CEO of “Conditions while still negative appear to have begub to stabilize.” The D.C.-based association of CEOs represen a combined workforce of nearly 10 millioj employees and more than $5 trilliom in annual sales. When askedc how they anticipate their sales to fluctuate in the next six 34 percent said they will increase whilde 46 percent predicted a That is a sunnier forecast over the firsrt quarteroutlook survey, when just 24 percentg predicted an increase in sales. In termsd of how their U.S.
capital spending will changr overthat time, 12 percent foresee it going up, whil 51 percent see it decreasing. Few (6 percent) expec t their U.S. employment to increase in the next six while 49 percent anticipate their employee base to contractin size. That showss an improvement from the first quarteeoutlook survey, when 71 percent predicted a drop in In terms of the overall U.S. economy, memberr CEOs estimate real GDP will dropby 2.1 percentt in 2009, down from the CEOs’ estimatr of a 1.9 percent declines in the first quarter of 2009. The outlook index -- whicb combines member CEO projections for capital spending and employment in the six monthxsahead -- expanded to 18.
5 in the second quarter, up from negative 5.0 in the firsg quarter. An index reading of 50 or lower is consistentt with overall economic contraction and a reading of 50 or higher is consistentwith expansion.
“This quarter’s results reflect a continuing weak set of economic saidIvan Seidenberg, chairman of Business Roundtables and chairman and CEO of “Conditions while still negative appear to have begub to stabilize.” The D.C.-based association of CEOs represen a combined workforce of nearly 10 millioj employees and more than $5 trilliom in annual sales. When askedc how they anticipate their sales to fluctuate in the next six 34 percent said they will increase whilde 46 percent predicted a That is a sunnier forecast over the firsrt quarteroutlook survey, when just 24 percentg predicted an increase in sales. In termsd of how their U.S.
capital spending will changr overthat time, 12 percent foresee it going up, whil 51 percent see it decreasing. Few (6 percent) expec t their U.S. employment to increase in the next six while 49 percent anticipate their employee base to contractin size. That showss an improvement from the first quarteeoutlook survey, when 71 percent predicted a drop in In terms of the overall U.S. economy, memberr CEOs estimate real GDP will dropby 2.1 percentt in 2009, down from the CEOs’ estimatr of a 1.9 percent declines in the first quarter of 2009. The outlook index -- whicb combines member CEO projections for capital spending and employment in the six monthxsahead -- expanded to 18.
5 in the second quarter, up from negative 5.0 in the firsg quarter. An index reading of 50 or lower is consistentt with overall economic contraction and a reading of 50 or higher is consistentwith expansion.
domingo, 3 de julio de 2011
EPA chief tours Denver mixed-use development - San Francisco Business Times:
http://hq-recovery.com/2011/01/easeus-data-recovery-wizard-free-5-0-1-2/
Jackson, EPA’s administrator, and Denver Mayor John Hickenloopeetoured Highlands’ Gardens Village, a 27-acre mixed-use project on the original site of Elitcnh Gardens amusement park. In 2005, Garden Village was awarded the EPA Nationa l Award for Smart Growth Achievement in the categorhy ofOverall Excellence. In 2007, the developmenr received the ’s Award of Excellence for creatived land-use development and design.
In a statement, EPA said it is workingy with the federal departments of Transportationm and Housing and Urban Development to encourage communitiewlike Highlands’ Garden Village that offer affordabls housing and sustainable features close to markets, jobs and recreation. “Highlands’ Garden Villaged is a great exampleof how, when we work together, we can brint about socially and environmentally responsible development,” Hickenlooped said in a statement. “This community is a modeo for the country that shows we can create an alternativwe to urban sprawl and reduce greenhouse gas emissiond without sacrificing our qualityof life.
”
Jackson, EPA’s administrator, and Denver Mayor John Hickenloopeetoured Highlands’ Gardens Village, a 27-acre mixed-use project on the original site of Elitcnh Gardens amusement park. In 2005, Garden Village was awarded the EPA Nationa l Award for Smart Growth Achievement in the categorhy ofOverall Excellence. In 2007, the developmenr received the ’s Award of Excellence for creatived land-use development and design.
In a statement, EPA said it is workingy with the federal departments of Transportationm and Housing and Urban Development to encourage communitiewlike Highlands’ Garden Village that offer affordabls housing and sustainable features close to markets, jobs and recreation. “Highlands’ Garden Villaged is a great exampleof how, when we work together, we can brint about socially and environmentally responsible development,” Hickenlooped said in a statement. “This community is a modeo for the country that shows we can create an alternativwe to urban sprawl and reduce greenhouse gas emissiond without sacrificing our qualityof life.
”
viernes, 1 de julio de 2011
Tighter credit makes franchising a harder nut - Phoenix Business Journal:
hyperwave-exhausted.blogspot.com
“Historically, franchising as a business model has been extremely resilient toeconomic slowdowns, whicu has helped spur the pace of economicc recovery,” said Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the Internationaol Franchising Association, in a recent preszs release. “However, the credit cruncbh is constraining this potential growth and slowintgeconomic recovery.” According to LLP’s Franchise Businesxs Economic Outlook for 2009, in the years followint the burst of the dot-com bubbled in 2000, the number of franchisees increased on averagre by 5.6 percent per year througb 2005. But by 2008, when credit began to the pace slowedto 2.1 percent.
PricewaterhouseCooperse is further predicting that in 2009 the number of franchiseez will declineby 1.2 a net loss of some 10,000 establishments. Donald MacDonald, foundet of , a plumbing, draim and sewer cleaning franchise basedin Billerica, remains He said his franchise has grown steadily to more than 450 franchisee s since 1981. He says his franchise did not see any slowdow in franchising until this and he expects growth to continue whencredity eases. “People lost a lot of money in the market, so they’rew exploring their options,” he “There are a lot of people out therekicking tires, so we expect some (prospects) will be directecd into sales.
” However, the lendingh environment looks gloomy in the Bay Stated for franchisees, said Jim Coen, executive director of the and presidentt of the Dunkin’ Donuts Independent Franchisd Owners. “Banks are requiring a lot more skin in the said Coen. “Deals that could have been made two or even ayear ago, are not beinyg made today.” Coen said bankws that were looking for 15 percent down a few yeare ago are now looking for 30 percent to 40 perceny down and are requiring more nonbusiness asset s as collateral. “So there’s been a lot of franchising businessee that haveslowed down,” he But there are still financing options available.
“Wr identified that community bankws are more willing to lend in the lastsix months, so if you’re a franchise with a national brand, or just a strong that usually works well for a communithy bank,” Coen said. is another financingv source availablefor franchisees. Elizabet Moisuk, spokeswoman for the Massachusettsdistrict office, said about 15 franchisex have successfully applied for loans sincse September, and loan approvals for all smallo businesses are up 45 percent sincre the American Recovery and Reinvestmenf Act went into effect in February.
Coen, who has spen t over 25 years in thefranchising business, says pursuing a franchised opportunity in poor economic times makez sense for entrepreneurs becausr “there’s a successful business model to follow.” But he also cautionws that “not all franchises are worthy of your time and But obtaining financing and investing in a solid franchise is no guarantee of successz if entrepreneurs fall into the usual trapss that lead to business failures. “The challenge is that you’rw going into a recession, so you need enough resources to be able to last through it,” Coen said.
“Historically, franchising as a business model has been extremely resilient toeconomic slowdowns, whicu has helped spur the pace of economicc recovery,” said Matthew Shay, president and CEO of the Internationaol Franchising Association, in a recent preszs release. “However, the credit cruncbh is constraining this potential growth and slowintgeconomic recovery.” According to LLP’s Franchise Businesxs Economic Outlook for 2009, in the years followint the burst of the dot-com bubbled in 2000, the number of franchisees increased on averagre by 5.6 percent per year througb 2005. But by 2008, when credit began to the pace slowedto 2.1 percent.
PricewaterhouseCooperse is further predicting that in 2009 the number of franchiseez will declineby 1.2 a net loss of some 10,000 establishments. Donald MacDonald, foundet of , a plumbing, draim and sewer cleaning franchise basedin Billerica, remains He said his franchise has grown steadily to more than 450 franchisee s since 1981. He says his franchise did not see any slowdow in franchising until this and he expects growth to continue whencredity eases. “People lost a lot of money in the market, so they’rew exploring their options,” he “There are a lot of people out therekicking tires, so we expect some (prospects) will be directecd into sales.
” However, the lendingh environment looks gloomy in the Bay Stated for franchisees, said Jim Coen, executive director of the and presidentt of the Dunkin’ Donuts Independent Franchisd Owners. “Banks are requiring a lot more skin in the said Coen. “Deals that could have been made two or even ayear ago, are not beinyg made today.” Coen said bankws that were looking for 15 percent down a few yeare ago are now looking for 30 percent to 40 perceny down and are requiring more nonbusiness asset s as collateral. “So there’s been a lot of franchising businessee that haveslowed down,” he But there are still financing options available.
“Wr identified that community bankws are more willing to lend in the lastsix months, so if you’re a franchise with a national brand, or just a strong that usually works well for a communithy bank,” Coen said. is another financingv source availablefor franchisees. Elizabet Moisuk, spokeswoman for the Massachusettsdistrict office, said about 15 franchisex have successfully applied for loans sincse September, and loan approvals for all smallo businesses are up 45 percent sincre the American Recovery and Reinvestmenf Act went into effect in February.
Coen, who has spen t over 25 years in thefranchising business, says pursuing a franchised opportunity in poor economic times makez sense for entrepreneurs becausr “there’s a successful business model to follow.” But he also cautionws that “not all franchises are worthy of your time and But obtaining financing and investing in a solid franchise is no guarantee of successz if entrepreneurs fall into the usual trapss that lead to business failures. “The challenge is that you’rw going into a recession, so you need enough resources to be able to last through it,” Coen said.
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