Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Survey: CEOs still foresee negative conditions - Wichita Business Journal:

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“This quarter’s results reflect a continuing weak set ofeconomi conditions,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chairman of Businessw Roundtable and chairman and CEO of “Condition s – while still negative – appear to have begun to The D.C.-based association of CEOs represent a combined workforc e of nearly 10 million employees and more than $5 trilliom in annual sales. When askesd how they anticipate their salex to fluctuate in the next six 34 percent said they will increaser while 46 percent predicted a That is a sunnier forecasg over the first quarteroutlook survey, when just 24 percengt predicted an increase in sales. In terms of how thei U.S.
capital spending will change over that 12 percent foresee itgoing up, while 51 percent see it decreasing. Few (6 percent) expect their U.S. employmenyt to increase in the nextsix months, whilre 49 percent anticipate their employee base to contracr in size. That shows an improvement from the firsr quarteroutlook survey, when 71 percent predicted a drop in In terms of the overall U.S. member CEOs estimate real GDP will dropby 2.1 percent in 2009, down from the CEOs’ estimate of a 1.9 percengt decline in the first quarter of 2009. The outlook inde x -- which combines member CEO projectionsfor sales, capitapl spending and employment in the six months ahead -- expandefd to 18.
5 in the second quarter, up from negativr 5.0 in the first quarter. An index reading of 50 or lower is consistent with overall economic contraction and a readinbg of 50 or higher is consistentwith

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Business First of Buffalo: Buffalo Commercial Real Estate Listings - View Commercial Real Estate

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Friday, June 24, 2011

Second Life's Linden Lab sells virtual realities to businesses - San Francisco Business Times:

http://invest-ment.com/investuslm.html
Until the middle of last year, Second Life was languishingv atabout 500,000 active users, meaning peoplse who stayed in-world for an hour or more each Company officials attribute much of the recenft growth as well as risinvg interest from corporations to theire introduction of a voice over Internet technologyy in August 2007 that provides for threse dimensional spatial telephony — meaning that soundd occurring on the left in Second Life are hearrd as being on the left by the user. “Youj can literally just walk up to a group and engage in You actually hear the voices of people arounrd youin 3-D,” said Joe vice president of platform and technologyg development.
The company recently announced that through last montyh it had transmitted 15 billion minuted ofvoice activity. “It’s a pretty astounding number,” Millee said. Second Life averages more than 50,00 0 concurrent voice users, with 700,000 unique users consuminv more than a billionh minutesa month. In addition to voice, Seconr Life allows use of images, streaming video, document sharinh and public and private texting with groupxsand individuals. The platform supports 15 languagesand real-time text chat translatord are available.
Linden Lab says it will soon offe r companies the ability to have encrypted conversationzs on the open Internet and the abilityy to have people not registered in Secondx Life call into the worldby telephone. Industrty analyst Erica Driver believes virtual worldse hold such promise for businesses that last year she left her job at Forrestet Researchto co-found a consulting firm, , to focus exclusively on the subject. Second Life command 90 percent of thenascent market, accordingh to Driver, but has numerous competitors, includintg Forterra Systems of San Mateo, Qwaq of Redwoof City and Proton Media of Maryland.
Linden Lab is one of her “I wanted to get in on the ground floor,” Driver said. Dan Parks, presidenrt and creative director ofOrangse County-based Corporate Planners Unlimited started a division of his company a year ago calle d that hosts and manages conferences and eventws for companies in Second Life. Last October, Parks said his phone begann ringing off the hook as companie suddenly began looking for ways toeliminats costs, and now Virtualiz is the fastest-growing part of his Parks said he has five peoplee working full time on Virtualis, and another 15 peopler he pulls in part time to help train new userxs for events.
“The quality and names of companiexshave jumped,” he “All of the starzs and everything aligned perfectly.” Companies that have used Virtualis include Deloitte, and , which hosted an event with 75 peoplew that included team building activities such as a scavenger hunt and a skydivin competition, Parks said. The Virtualis compound includes a classic convention centerexhibition hall, more than 34,000 squars yards of meeting rooms with video screens, and the Virtuali Dome, with seating capacity for 350 (the largestr event he’s hosted had 320 people). there are tranquil gardens and fountains, an oceabn vista and a yacht convenientlt parked nearbyfor meetings.
Virtualis also has a classid board of directors meeting room with a long tabled and 24 leather To answer company concerns that participantsa out in the real world mighrt not pay attention tothe in-world goings on, Virtualias can send periodic messages to individuals asking them to clico on an orb in the center of the table. In addition to traditionapl corporatemeeting spaces, Virtualia offers more unconventional rooms, such as one wherse avatars can float on cloud-like chairx surrounded by the Tokyo skyline at night. At one event, the CEO askef for a Ferrari F50 that he could drive onto a stage in front ofhis troops.
“Thre hardest thing for most peoplre to grasp is that anything your mind can we can createit here,” Parks

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Donnellan resigns as Channel 5 news director - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

vishnevskiipavuh.blogspot.com
“The news business is facingt a whirlwindof change,” Donnellon wrote in July 7 blog entry at aroundanderson.com, in which he announced his departurer from News 5. “I believe opportunities are beinvg created right now for new channels of community informatiohn likeAround Anderson. This seemsd like the best and most exciting way to build somethingt positive forour hometown.” In an Donnellon described his departure as a “mutual and amicable and said he’s seeking other work in digitao and traditional media. He doesn’t expect the blog to be his full-times focus.
WLWT General Manager Richard Dryerpraised Donnellon’a work for the city’s third-ranked TV News operation, but he addedc that ratings are not where he wants them to be. With former WXIX-TV Channel 19 anchor Jack Atherton joining the News 5 team in Octobet andJay Leno’s new prime time show set to premier Sept. 14, Dryer felt it was “time to make a change” at the top. He said no otheer staff changes are planned at the where roughly half of its 150 employees work inthe “I’m hopeful we’ll have somebody in placw in the next month or so,” Dryet said.
“In today’s busineses climate, we’ll have a large number of qualified candidates.”

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Fontainebleau's Soffer caught by Lehman Bros. bankruptcy - South Florida Business Journal:

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“When the retail division of the project lost accesz to fundingthrough Lehman, it was unablwe to repay the resort for its share of said Scott Baena, of Bilzin Sumbergg Baena Price Axelrod, who represents Fontainebleah Las Vegas LLC in the “That put enormous stress on the resor t entity, and that was the beginnint of the problems.” Fontainebleau Las Vega LLC and two of its affiliates filed bankruptcy petitions in Miami late Tuesday.
The Fontainebleau Miami Beachy is not included inthe Soffer, also principal with Turnberry construction and developmentf companies, has partial, personal guarantees on portions of the retailo component of the Las Vegas project, but thos portions are not in bankruptcy yet, Baena said. The complex is 70 percentt completed. Since December Lehman refused to make any advances underthe project’s $315 millioj construction loan, according to a motion to maintaih cash management filed in the bankruptcy. After Lehman’s refusals, money stopped flowing throughg the retail entity to the resort In March, other lenders pulled their and construction on the resort stopped in May, Baenz said.
The company said in a news release that the decision to file Chapter 11 was the resulyt of litigation with the other lenders on projecrt aboutnearly $800 million in construction fundinvg for the project. Other lenders include , JPMorgan Chaser Bank and Deutsche BankTrust Co. Americas. In the shorg term, the company is seeking to stabilize and protecg the finished portion ofthe building, Baena said. “It’s no longer possible to downsizethe building,” he said. “The 30 percentr remaining construction is principallythe interior. We’v e got a lovely building waiting tobe finished.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Afghanistan: when the dust settles - Telegraph.co.uk

http://spe-ed.com/pmif/pmif-ex_readme.htm


Telegraph.co.uk


Afghanistan: when the dust settles

Telegraph.co.uk


But what would success look like, asks Sean Rayment. The Taliban were watching and waiting for the moment to strike. The village through which the British soldiers were patrolling had fallen strangely quiet and farmers had left their fields รข€" classic ...



and more »

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

A.M. Best reaffirms Great American ratings, with negative outlook - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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A.M. Best reaffirmed Greaty American’s financial strength ratings of "A" and and issuer credit ratingsof "a" and "a-" for its life and healtg insurance subsidiaries, according to a news It cited “consistently profitable operating performance, favorable liquidity positiom and solid risk-adjusted capitalization and the breadth and depth of its distribution channels,” for the reaffirmation. It added that the by its Cincinnati-based (NYSE: AFG), in 2007, strengthens the latter’s commitment to the company.
The negative outlook is the resul of thecurrent economy, as well as Great American’ds exposure to financial-sector corporate bonds and real estate-relatedf investments, especially mortgage-backed securities, A.M. Best said. Greagt American, headquartered in Cincinnati, is an insurance holdinh company. Subsidiaries include Great Americam LifeInsurance Co., Annuity Investors Life Insurancew Co., United Teacher Associates Life Insurance Co. and Loyal American Life Insurance Co.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Home-health groups compete for foreign-language contract in Charlotte - Triangle Business Journal:

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The 2009 Medical Facilities Plan shows a need in Mecklenburvg County forone Medicare-certified home-health agency with fluency in multipl e languages, including Russian. and both filed applicationsz in mid-May to fill that role, says Angiee Matthes, project analyst for the N.C. Certificatr of Need Section. That agency reviews applications by those inthe health-care industry looking to establish or expanc services in North Carolina. The stater will choose between the applicants byOct 28. For Ivansx Belovs, director of Personal Home Care, the application marks the end ofa four-yeard journey.
He has petitioned the state severaol times to adda Medicare-certified home-healtuh agency catering to the Russian-speaking population. a native of Latvia, founded Personal Home Care here in 2003 to servde theRussian community. It currently provides a rang eof services, including personal care and skilled nursing, to the Medicaid-coveredf population. It has about 250 clients, the majorith of whom are from the formerSoviegt Union, Belovs says. “Beinv Medicare-certified opens up whole new horizons for your he says. Too often, minorities are underserved when it comezsto home-health services, he adds. “They need thesew services, but they have a limitationb withthe language.
“The problem with minorities isthey don’f know what kind of services they can Belovs says. The local Russian-speaking populatiomn totals about 15,000, according to the Charlotte International Cabinet, an organizatioj that promotes and fostersinternational relationships. Bayadq Nurses, based in Moorestown, says its application give s it an opportunity to expand its presencre inNorth Carolina. “It’zs really part of our long-term vision and values to grow and servremore people,” says David division director for the company. The home-health companhy isn’t focusing on a specific language with its proposexservices here.
Rather, it’s looking to meet the needs of all Baiada says. Bayada Nurses has 140 offices in 18 Its N.C. roster includes four home-health locations in the metrioCharlotte market. None in the local operations are Medicare-certified. That limitsz the company’s services to individuals with private insuranc eand state-based Medicaid, Baiada “I think our goal is to service all people who are in need of

Friday, June 10, 2011

Pedal to Properties takes on partner, plans expansion - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Founded and headed by Matt Kolb, Pedal to Properties is a residentiao real estate firm that gives clients the option of lookintg at homesby bicycle. The company maintains a fleet of 50 ElectrasCruiser bikes. Kolb has sold a 50 percenf stake in the company for an undisclosedf sum to attorneyTim Majors, who specializes in takintg regional retail businesses national. As a partner in Pedapl to Properties, Majors will work out of the company’s Boulder Majors, who’s originally from Australia, approached Kolb about investing in the real estate firm afted looking at Boulder propertiesby bicycle.
“We certainlyg plan to incorporate [Tim’s] national and international branding expertisw to expand Pedal to Properties inother markets,” Kolb said in a Pedal to Properties plans to look at openin g branch offices in other, unspecified U.S. markets. In May, the companyt launched a licensee designation for brokers interested in using theBoulder business’ operational formula in their markets. The Colorado company already is working to expand quicklgy in its hometown by adding more spacs and agents indowntown Boulder.
“o believe Pedal to Propertiee is in a perfect position to meet the evolvinb social and demographic changes going on in the Unitedr Stateswith homebuyers,” Majors said in a

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

The Practical Cloud: JISC - BusinessCloud9

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The Practical Cloud: JISC

BusinessCloud9


Historically known as the Joint Information Systems committee, JISC exists to inspire UK colleges and universities in innovative use of digital technologies. As part of this remit, JISC provides the JANET network, access to electronic resources and ...



Sunday, June 5, 2011

Metroplex seeks tenants for former bakery complex - The Business Review (Albany):

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The Metroplex said today it had closed onthe $1 million purchases of the former bakery, warehouse and adjoining land at the Rotterda m Corporate Park. The property was sold by the statseDormitory Authority. The agreement calls for Metroplex to own the property for threew years and then sell the buildings to returnj them to thetax rolls. In the meantime, Metroplex, an economif development agency financed by countyh salestax receipts, will seek tenantxs for the 100,000 squars feet that are vacant, said Ray chairman. There are ready-to-occupy bays of 40,000 square feet each. Existinv tenants include PJ Foods, J&B Importers, International Blends and New YorkRubber Recycling.
The Rotterdam Corporate Park is located offRoutre 7, near Interstates 90 and 88. The park is ownec by and has more than 4 millioj square feetof space.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Beale considers $1B proposal to redevelop some Air Force land - Sacramento Business Journal:

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Their estimated $1 billion proposaol includes an industrial park with a concentration on new researchh and development or lightindustrial space, and $125 milliom in improvements to the base’s wastewater facility that could increase the capacity for additiona commercial uses. The Air Forcse considers the property to be exceszs and not needed forits operation. The base includesa an underutilized rail spur that could be put back into services to cut down on truck Thethree Sacramento-based firms that are partnerx in the venture are Construction and supply firm , Californis lobbyist and real estate developer and manager Negotiations are scheduled to wrap up within the next month.
Disastetr evacuation kits were distributed this weekto 8,000 families in the Natoma s Unified School District and 3,000 employees of in Gary Dietrich, president of the Sacramento-base d nonprofit , came up with the idea for the SAFELY OUT kits after volunteering with the American Red Cross to help in the recover y efforts following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The kits are meant not only to help familiexs protect themselves in the event of anaturao disaster, but to aid emergency The kits include items such as a door hangef that says “need help” on one side and “safelh out” on the other, a refrigerator magnet booklet for recording essential contact and evacuation information, and storagd bags for setting aside spare medicines and medical insurancw information in the refrigerator — a placw that is air-tight, water-tight and fire-resistant.
So far, Prid e employees, in partnership with Citizen Voice, have assembledr 35,000 of the Safely Out kits. The 11,000 kits distributedf Wednesday were made possible by a grant from the and the sponsorshipp of inWest Sacramento. Safely Out kits can be ordereethrough citizenvoice.org. A $10 donatio per kit is suggested. Artwork made from the statelt old treesof Sacramento’s downtown is going to be auctioned and raffled off to raise money for the Legacy Treesw Project. The project is sponsored by the , which is workinfg with the city, property ownersw and the state to obtaihn wood from trees that are more than a century old that make up the canopty over downtown andmidtown Sacramento.
The group harvests heartwoof from dangerous, diseased or dying and gives itto artists. Some of the wood SEEART has harvestec includes wood froma 129-year-old tulip poplare on the grounds of the stated Capitol, as well as blac walnut and sequoia redwoods harvested aroundd town. Three of the pieces to be raffled are on displayhat , 2508 J St. The piecesx will be sold at a free Second Saturday Art Walk parth on the upstairs patio at 1801L St. on June 13. Raffle tickets are $20 each and availabls at Art Ellis, a sponsor of the Legacuy Trees Project.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

GM has undisclosed buyer for Hummer - Business First of Buffalo:

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The announcement comes one day after GM file for bankruptcy protection with plans to become aleanetr company. Hummer is GM’s premium off-roac brand. The automaker said it has a memorandujm ofunderstanding (MoU) and that the sale is expected to closse by the end of third quarter of this year.Undee terms of the MoU, the identit y of the purchaser and proposed financialo terms of the agreement are not being released at this time. The deal is expecte d to secure morethan 3,000 U.S.
jobs in engineering and at HUMMER dealerships around the The company said the proposefd transaction calls for the new Hummer ownere to continue to contract vehicle manufacturing and business services from GM duringg a defined transitional time For example, under the proposed GM’s Shreveport, La., assembly plant woulcd continue to assemble the H3 and H3T throughg at least 2010.