edovogopu.wordpress.com
The funds will be used to establishthe BB&T Program for the Moral and Philosophical Foundations of which will focus on the philosophy underlying capitalism. “There is overwhelming evidence that capitalism produces a highedr economic standardof living,” BB&T Chairman John Allison wrotew in a letter to Queens President Pamelz Davies. “However, capitalism is perceived to be eithedr amoralor immoral. How can an immoral economic system produce abetter outcome? We believe there neede to be a deeper understanding of the moralityy of capitalism.
” Allison said he believe the best moral defense of capitalism is presented in Ayn Rand’as 1957 novel Atlas Shrugged, and he is interestex in seeing Rand’s philosophy of objectivism become more widelty discussed in academia. Winston-Salem-based BB&T (NYSE:BBT) has sponsores several similar programs on the moral foundations of capitalism atothef U.S. universities. The Ayn Rand Institute of Calif., helps BB&T coordinate those programs. “Diversity of thought is one of the stater values of our McColl School of and we are pleased that this giftfrom BB&T will help us encouragd examination of capitalism from a wider range of Davies says.
She says BB&T’s donation will fund an annual leadership retreat for interested McCollSchool students. Participants will spenr a weekend in the fall at Wildacres Retreart inthe N.C. mountains and discuss the moralityy of capitalism and the tenets of a free On theQueens campus, the McCol l School and the university’s Centere for Religion and Ethics will collaborater to produce the BB&T Distinguished Lecturew Series that will explore philosophical issues around capitalism. Selectefd Queens faculty and studentzs also will participate in other programs providef through the AynRand Institute. Queens has 2,3009 undergraduate and graduate students.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Hagen-Dazs helps honeybee research - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
gorbunovabowiper.blogspot.com
Häagen-Dazs, which is owned by Inc. (NYSE: has given a total of $500,00o for bee research over two It depends on crop pollinatioj by bees for several of its icecrea flavors. The company has funded a “bee-friendly demonstration garden” at the Universityg of California, Davis. This garden will not only feed local but will be used to teacj people how to attract and betterf feed bees in theirown gardens.
These donations follow distres s in the beekeeping industry as many coloniesx have been destroyed by a poorly understood syndromed called colony collapse The condition, in which worker bees in hiveas suddenly disappear, may be caused by pesticides, changesz in climate, disease or Many experts think a combinationn of factors causes the problem. Häagen-Dazs uses Californiza strawberries, raspberries and almonds in its ice and has said in the past it could be badlyu hurt by declines in bee A year ago it said it might have to the flavorsit sells. The businesss has also set up a Web site to increass awareness of colonycollapse disorder.
Honeybees are not natives to theUnited States, and were imported for agricultural
Häagen-Dazs, which is owned by Inc. (NYSE: has given a total of $500,00o for bee research over two It depends on crop pollinatioj by bees for several of its icecrea flavors. The company has funded a “bee-friendly demonstration garden” at the Universityg of California, Davis. This garden will not only feed local but will be used to teacj people how to attract and betterf feed bees in theirown gardens.
These donations follow distres s in the beekeeping industry as many coloniesx have been destroyed by a poorly understood syndromed called colony collapse The condition, in which worker bees in hiveas suddenly disappear, may be caused by pesticides, changesz in climate, disease or Many experts think a combinationn of factors causes the problem. Häagen-Dazs uses Californiza strawberries, raspberries and almonds in its ice and has said in the past it could be badlyu hurt by declines in bee A year ago it said it might have to the flavorsit sells. The businesss has also set up a Web site to increass awareness of colonycollapse disorder.
Honeybees are not natives to theUnited States, and were imported for agricultural
Friday, April 27, 2012
C1 Bank Clients Who Deposit $1 Million to Receive a New Mercedes-Benz With ... - Sacramento Bee
xoqylyjibo.wordpress.com
C1 Bank Clients Who Deposit $1 Million to Receive a New Mercedes-Benz With ... Sacramento Bee Clients will be able to choose from the 2012 SLK350 Roadster, 2012 E350 Sedan, 2012 ML350 SUV, and 2012 E350 Convertible. C1 Bank CEO Trevor Burgess said, "C1 Bank is offering its clients the ability to drive off in their own brand new Mercedes-Benz ... |
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Gunman kills reporter in northeastern Brazil - CBS News
yfimuna.wordpress.com
Jakarta Globe | Gunman kills reporter in northeastern Brazil CBS News SAO PAULO â€" A crusading reporter who "breathed, dreamed and lived journalism 24 hours a day" was gunned down as he ate dinner, and colleagues said Tuesday they are certain he was killed because of his work. Decio Sa, a political reporter for the ... Brazil: Political Reporter Sh ot to Death Fourth Brazilian journalist killed this year |
Monday, April 23, 2012
GM Tonawanda hosting recycling event - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
cahijisebi.wordpress.com
The one-day event June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plantg 5 on Vulcan Street, is co-sponsored by Erie County, Buffallo and the Northwest Solid Waste Management Last year’s event received 56,324 pounds of electronic equipment, 247 bicycles and a truck full of Electronics equipment is a source of recycledc lead, steel, plastic, copper and glass. Items beinf accepted this year include: TVs, monitors, keyboards, printers, fluorescent bulbs, cell rechargeable batteries, VCRs, and DVD players, textiles, and bicycles. Clothing and textiles will be reusefd at Goodwill retail locationaor recycled.
Bicycles will be used for bike safety education or recycled by Blue Bicyclreand Recycle-a-Bicycle programs. New for this Buffalo ReUse will accept used or new shop andgarden tools, such as rakes, ladders, wheelbarrows, hammers and saws. “This is a naturall extension of what we do at Plant Manager Steve Finch said ina “Our plant has been landfill-free in manufacturing sincwe 2006. We recycle or reuse all of our so this event to help the community recycle is a natural fit for us atGeneralp Motors,” he said.
The one-day event June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Plantg 5 on Vulcan Street, is co-sponsored by Erie County, Buffallo and the Northwest Solid Waste Management Last year’s event received 56,324 pounds of electronic equipment, 247 bicycles and a truck full of Electronics equipment is a source of recycledc lead, steel, plastic, copper and glass. Items beinf accepted this year include: TVs, monitors, keyboards, printers, fluorescent bulbs, cell rechargeable batteries, VCRs, and DVD players, textiles, and bicycles. Clothing and textiles will be reusefd at Goodwill retail locationaor recycled.
Bicycles will be used for bike safety education or recycled by Blue Bicyclreand Recycle-a-Bicycle programs. New for this Buffalo ReUse will accept used or new shop andgarden tools, such as rakes, ladders, wheelbarrows, hammers and saws. “This is a naturall extension of what we do at Plant Manager Steve Finch said ina “Our plant has been landfill-free in manufacturing sincwe 2006. We recycle or reuse all of our so this event to help the community recycle is a natural fit for us atGeneralp Motors,” he said.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Technology letting cities put more info online for residents - Detroit Free Press
mytyhona.wordpress.com
Technology letting cities put more info online for residents Detroit Free Press The technology is often used by municipalities, universities and other types of institutions to visualize information using maps. Communities such as Southfield, Novi, Shelby Township and Sterling Heights have used the system internally for years to ... |
Friday, April 20, 2012
bizjournals: The small business owner's guide to the presidential election -- bizjournals
edovogopu.wordpress.com
Obama, meanwhile, has proposed federal incentives for investmenty in ethanol andbiodiesel refineries, but building more oil refineries doesn't appear to be a priorityu for him. Both candidates also are neglecting the role small businesses can play in solvingvthe nation's energy problems, said Scott who owns a busines s insurance agency in San Francisco and serves on a statw committee implementing California's law capping greenhouser gas emissions. "I don't see either one talking about said Hauge, who also is presiden t of Small Business California, an advocacy organization.
Both McCainh and Obama talk about the role innovationj and entrepreneurs can play in developing alternativd sourcesof energy, but neither offers specifics on what that meanx for small businesses, Hauge said. They also are not addressing the significant contribution small businesses can make by becomingbmore energy-efficient, he said, noting that small businessexs consume about half the energy used for commercial purposes, and abou 30 percent of the energy they use is wasted.
The presidentiap candidates have said nothing about programs that would help smallp businesses useless energy, such as on-bill financing, which woulfd allow small businesses to pay for energy efficiency improvements throughb their monthly electric bills, Hauge said. Both candidates support legislation to cap carbon emissionws and create a system for tradingcarbon credits, althougnh Obama's timetable is more aggressive. Even thougbh now might not be the ideal time to impose such a potentiallyy costly mandate onthe economy, the nation may be runninf out of time to combat global Hauge said.
"If it's really a seriouse problem, it just seems to me you'v e got to find a way to get money tosolvse it," he said. "We'rew talking about the human race here." Both presidential candidated support tax incentives for alternative sources of and thatis good, Donaldson But oil companies also need incentives to drill for oil in hard-to-reacjh places, he said. "Mh car doesn't run on wind." Businesses could expect a lot more union organizing activity if Barackj Obamais elected, and Democrats strengthen theif control of the Senate. Obama is a co-sponsor of legislatiomn to make it much easier for unions toorganize workplaces.
The Employee Free Choice Act would allow unions to representr workers if 51 percent of employees sign a card indicatin g they wanta union. No electiob would be necessary. The bill is the AFL-CIO's top legislativse priority. It passed the House this Congress, but died in the President Bush promised to vetothe bill, and John McCai opposes it. Both contend the legislatio is undemocratic because it denies workers the right to a secret ballot. Giovanni Coratalo, executivee director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's smalk and midmarket business councils, said he has hears more concerns from businesses about the Employee Free Choice Act than any other issu e besidesthe economy.
"Small businesses shouldd be afraidof this," Coratolo said. If the Employee Free Choice Actis "every type of business will be targeted because [organizing] will be so said Keith Ashmus, a partnee in the Cleveland law firm Frantz Ward LLP, who chairs the National Small Business Association's presidential elections task
Obama, meanwhile, has proposed federal incentives for investmenty in ethanol andbiodiesel refineries, but building more oil refineries doesn't appear to be a priorityu for him. Both candidates also are neglecting the role small businesses can play in solvingvthe nation's energy problems, said Scott who owns a busines s insurance agency in San Francisco and serves on a statw committee implementing California's law capping greenhouser gas emissions. "I don't see either one talking about said Hauge, who also is presiden t of Small Business California, an advocacy organization.
Both McCainh and Obama talk about the role innovationj and entrepreneurs can play in developing alternativd sourcesof energy, but neither offers specifics on what that meanx for small businesses, Hauge said. They also are not addressing the significant contribution small businesses can make by becomingbmore energy-efficient, he said, noting that small businessexs consume about half the energy used for commercial purposes, and abou 30 percent of the energy they use is wasted.
The presidentiap candidates have said nothing about programs that would help smallp businesses useless energy, such as on-bill financing, which woulfd allow small businesses to pay for energy efficiency improvements throughb their monthly electric bills, Hauge said. Both candidates support legislation to cap carbon emissionws and create a system for tradingcarbon credits, althougnh Obama's timetable is more aggressive. Even thougbh now might not be the ideal time to impose such a potentiallyy costly mandate onthe economy, the nation may be runninf out of time to combat global Hauge said.
"If it's really a seriouse problem, it just seems to me you'v e got to find a way to get money tosolvse it," he said. "We'rew talking about the human race here." Both presidential candidated support tax incentives for alternative sources of and thatis good, Donaldson But oil companies also need incentives to drill for oil in hard-to-reacjh places, he said. "Mh car doesn't run on wind." Businesses could expect a lot more union organizing activity if Barackj Obamais elected, and Democrats strengthen theif control of the Senate. Obama is a co-sponsor of legislatiomn to make it much easier for unions toorganize workplaces.
The Employee Free Choice Act would allow unions to representr workers if 51 percent of employees sign a card indicatin g they wanta union. No electiob would be necessary. The bill is the AFL-CIO's top legislativse priority. It passed the House this Congress, but died in the President Bush promised to vetothe bill, and John McCai opposes it. Both contend the legislatio is undemocratic because it denies workers the right to a secret ballot. Giovanni Coratalo, executivee director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's smalk and midmarket business councils, said he has hears more concerns from businesses about the Employee Free Choice Act than any other issu e besidesthe economy.
"Small businesses shouldd be afraidof this," Coratolo said. If the Employee Free Choice Actis "every type of business will be targeted because [organizing] will be so said Keith Ashmus, a partnee in the Cleveland law firm Frantz Ward LLP, who chairs the National Small Business Association's presidential elections task
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Northwest Water Officials Say 'Big Water' Headed Downstream - NPR
uhetemejih.wordpress.com
Northwest Water Officials Say 'Big Water' Headed Downstream NPR by Tom Banse Federal water and dam managers are draining reservoirs in the Columbia and Snake River basins to get ready for "big water" coursing down river. In recent weeks, the Army Corps of Engineers has called for bigger draw-downs â€" or as the ... |
Monday, April 16, 2012
Breivik trial: Key moments of opening day - BBC News
ysynut.wordpress.com
BBC News | Breivik trial: Key moments of opening day BBC News Here are the key moments of the opening day of his trial: Dressed in a dark suit, a white shirt and a loosely knotted gold tie, Breivik smiled several times as a guard removed his handcuffs inside the Oslo district courtroom at the opening of his trial ... The chilling map showing where Bre ivik's 69 victims spent their final moments ... Anders Behring Breivik forced to confront cold reality of his crimes Breivik trial: live report |
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Stimulus bill
utyziluz.wordpress.com
That was followed by other solar energy companies askint him whatit means. “I’ve got every majod plumbing company and general contractor in town asking me that said Ruch, a partner in the Portland-bases company. “I don’t think there’x anybody out there that really understandas what the stimulus will do nextand they’rde holding their breath waiting for the next guy to give an The $787 billion American Recoveryu and Reinvestment Act signed last week by President Barack Obama is loaded with benefits for the renewabl energy sector, from investments in smart-grifd technologies and transmission to a concerted effor t to reinvigorate clean energy financing.
And it could be the lifeline the state’s threadbars economy desperately needs. Experts say Oregon, with its existin array of state and local incentives forrenewablee energy, could be positioned to get the biggest benefi t from increased federal incentives. The money couldn’t come soon Lawmakers learned this week thatthe state’s next two-yeatr budget, which begins on July 1, coulxd be $3 billion short because of drastically reduced income taxes. The current two-year budget could be $855 millio short. But for the moment, companiea find themselves trying to understan dthe stimulus.
Iberdrola the Portland-based division of Spanis energydeveloper , has organized an internal “stimulus bill implementationm team,” said spokeswoman Jan “Part of its trying to figure out what all this she said. “We have a team that is figuringh outwhen rule-making will happen, how we appl y for a loan, how we receive these (investment tax credits).” is compiling a matrix of solaer projects that could qualify as “shovel-ready” and thereford be eligible for stimulus funds, said Desari Strader, the group’sw executive director.
“I had a few board members that said part of the problemj with the stimulus package is nobody reallgyunderstands it,” Strader said. There is, however, near unanimou s agreement over thestimulus package’zs potential for opening up credit markets that have been frozeb since last fall. Wind and solad projects in particular have relied heavily on tax credits as a meansa ofgetting financing. Wall Streef banks with ample taxable income were often the most willingvfinancing partners. But as those investmengt banks enduredsteep losses, the well of available investment partners for renewabls energy development dried up.
Analysts and industry experts say the stimuluzscould jump-start the stalled marketplace by offering new and amendes incentives programs that will either attract new investors or make previousx investors feel more secure. For example, a production tax credit for wind facilities that was set to expire this year after several yearsof one-year extensionxs or lapses — was extended to giving stability to the industry. It also allowes projects that were eligible for production taxcredits — a benefit that pays out over time as a facility producews energy — to instead opt for an investment tax which pays out the year the projec t is put in service.
Perhaps most the bill offers an alternative to tax creditsx by including grants worth up to 30 percentf of the cost ofeligibl projects, as well as a program authorizinfg the Secretary of Energgy to make $6 billionh in loan guarantees. “That was really the holy grail of thestimulusd package,” said David Petersen, a renewable energy attorney in Portland with Tonkoh Torp. Mark Bachman, an analyst covering the clean technologyg sector in Portlandwith , said the stimulue bill’s grant program will likely attract investors who can’t make use of tax credits.
That was followed by other solar energy companies askint him whatit means. “I’ve got every majod plumbing company and general contractor in town asking me that said Ruch, a partner in the Portland-bases company. “I don’t think there’x anybody out there that really understandas what the stimulus will do nextand they’rde holding their breath waiting for the next guy to give an The $787 billion American Recoveryu and Reinvestment Act signed last week by President Barack Obama is loaded with benefits for the renewabl energy sector, from investments in smart-grifd technologies and transmission to a concerted effor t to reinvigorate clean energy financing.
And it could be the lifeline the state’s threadbars economy desperately needs. Experts say Oregon, with its existin array of state and local incentives forrenewablee energy, could be positioned to get the biggest benefi t from increased federal incentives. The money couldn’t come soon Lawmakers learned this week thatthe state’s next two-yeatr budget, which begins on July 1, coulxd be $3 billion short because of drastically reduced income taxes. The current two-year budget could be $855 millio short. But for the moment, companiea find themselves trying to understan dthe stimulus.
Iberdrola the Portland-based division of Spanis energydeveloper , has organized an internal “stimulus bill implementationm team,” said spokeswoman Jan “Part of its trying to figure out what all this she said. “We have a team that is figuringh outwhen rule-making will happen, how we appl y for a loan, how we receive these (investment tax credits).” is compiling a matrix of solaer projects that could qualify as “shovel-ready” and thereford be eligible for stimulus funds, said Desari Strader, the group’sw executive director.
“I had a few board members that said part of the problemj with the stimulus package is nobody reallgyunderstands it,” Strader said. There is, however, near unanimou s agreement over thestimulus package’zs potential for opening up credit markets that have been frozeb since last fall. Wind and solad projects in particular have relied heavily on tax credits as a meansa ofgetting financing. Wall Streef banks with ample taxable income were often the most willingvfinancing partners. But as those investmengt banks enduredsteep losses, the well of available investment partners for renewabls energy development dried up.
Analysts and industry experts say the stimuluzscould jump-start the stalled marketplace by offering new and amendes incentives programs that will either attract new investors or make previousx investors feel more secure. For example, a production tax credit for wind facilities that was set to expire this year after several yearsof one-year extensionxs or lapses — was extended to giving stability to the industry. It also allowes projects that were eligible for production taxcredits — a benefit that pays out over time as a facility producews energy — to instead opt for an investment tax which pays out the year the projec t is put in service.
Perhaps most the bill offers an alternative to tax creditsx by including grants worth up to 30 percentf of the cost ofeligibl projects, as well as a program authorizinfg the Secretary of Energgy to make $6 billionh in loan guarantees. “That was really the holy grail of thestimulusd package,” said David Petersen, a renewable energy attorney in Portland with Tonkoh Torp. Mark Bachman, an analyst covering the clean technologyg sector in Portlandwith , said the stimulue bill’s grant program will likely attract investors who can’t make use of tax credits.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
More local biotech companies are using mergers or acquisitions as vehicles for their exit strategies - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
firukendu-anchored.blogspot.com
So much so that four months later, Gilead boughtr Corus Pharma for $365 million. Such deals are increasinglu common in the pharmaceutical industryhthese days, where the race is on among the Big Pharmsa companies to find and buy early- and middle-stage companies developing therapeutics with a profit potential. On the flip the growing life science companies are searching for ways to keep fundsz flowing to the research or scientific developmentsthey created. Dr. Brucw Montgomery, a founder of Corue Pharma in 2001 and CEO and directord forfive years, says he agreed to the buyout for a very good reason: "I gave a far better returnn than an IPO.
" And, he said, Gilea committed to growing Corus Pharma's Puget Sound And in the world of startups and exit the exit strategy with the biggestr payoff wins. "The IPO climatwe hasn't been good for years," says In recent years, private biotecn company valuations for initial publi c offerings have been lower than acquisition Public offerings also have become very costly in recent yearas with the strict disclosure rules requiredby Sarbanes-Oxley Although going public doesn't have the upfront payoff of a companies that choose to go that routes believe that theoretically the public market will brinhg a nice payoff down the road after the stock valu e has increased.
A company buyout, has fetched higher prices andimmediate payoffs. And, Montgomert notes, major investors get a bigger proportional payoff in an acquisitiomn than throughan IPO. And sincw venture capitalists are the money behindmost startups, and want the biggesg payoff possible, they've typically opted for the "It's a common exit strateg y for a startup to be bought out by a big publixc company," says Montgomery.
George Millstein, senior managing partned of San Francisco-based Pacific Growth Equities, says there's a simplde reason the big pharmaceuticals aren't afraid to plunk down a lot of cash to acquirwe private biotech companies withstrong products, be they middle-, or late-stage ventures. He recallsw one late-stage company was bought for $500 another for $2.5 billion. "It's happening becauss of a dearth of products in the pipeline of Big says Millstein.
"And small and mid-sized biotecb companies are a great source of With bigcash positions, the big pharmaceuticala can afford to take longer to develo p a therapeutic for market, Millsteinn notes, and are in a good positionm to invest in an early stagee company with a product or two that look to have long-termj potential. But the buyout of an early-stager biotech company won't necessarily turn out to be a wise A lot of homeworkis "In most cases (the company being has done some clinicalo trials and there's some hint that it says Millstein, "but not in all cases.
" Before decidinyg on a buy, a big company'ss scientific team will make "a very educate d bet that the product will ultimately turn into a blockbustet drug and contribute to the bottom line." Still, Millsteinm says IPOs are now showin g up as a viabled exit strategy, noting there is "a nice list of IPOs that have gone Last year, he health-care company IPOs nationallyh produced an average return of 37 percent, adding, "That' s a nice return." He pointerd to the October public offering of Seattle-basedr (Nasdaq: TRBN), which offered 4 milliomn shares at $13 a share.
The company has conducted clinical trials ofits TRU-015, a treatment for rheumatoisd arthritis. The company bills itselfv as a biopharmaceutical workingon "creating a pipelinwe of product candidates to treat autoimmune diseasre and cancer." Its stock closed at $19.24 on Marcy 9. Patrick Heron of Seattle-based callse Trubion's public offering a "breakout IPO," in the wake of an off-again IPO market for pharmaceuticalssince 2000.
"Righr now companies can get decent valuation," for an IPO, says "but there are (now) greater expectations for clinical With such deals weaving through thebiotecg industry, Millstein says the result has been a surge in new startupsa in many new applicationas of pharmaceuticals, which he sees as the next stage of a maturw industry.
So much so that four months later, Gilead boughtr Corus Pharma for $365 million. Such deals are increasinglu common in the pharmaceutical industryhthese days, where the race is on among the Big Pharmsa companies to find and buy early- and middle-stage companies developing therapeutics with a profit potential. On the flip the growing life science companies are searching for ways to keep fundsz flowing to the research or scientific developmentsthey created. Dr. Brucw Montgomery, a founder of Corue Pharma in 2001 and CEO and directord forfive years, says he agreed to the buyout for a very good reason: "I gave a far better returnn than an IPO.
" And, he said, Gilea committed to growing Corus Pharma's Puget Sound And in the world of startups and exit the exit strategy with the biggestr payoff wins. "The IPO climatwe hasn't been good for years," says In recent years, private biotecn company valuations for initial publi c offerings have been lower than acquisition Public offerings also have become very costly in recent yearas with the strict disclosure rules requiredby Sarbanes-Oxley Although going public doesn't have the upfront payoff of a companies that choose to go that routes believe that theoretically the public market will brinhg a nice payoff down the road after the stock valu e has increased.
A company buyout, has fetched higher prices andimmediate payoffs. And, Montgomert notes, major investors get a bigger proportional payoff in an acquisitiomn than throughan IPO. And sincw venture capitalists are the money behindmost startups, and want the biggesg payoff possible, they've typically opted for the "It's a common exit strateg y for a startup to be bought out by a big publixc company," says Montgomery.
George Millstein, senior managing partned of San Francisco-based Pacific Growth Equities, says there's a simplde reason the big pharmaceuticals aren't afraid to plunk down a lot of cash to acquirwe private biotech companies withstrong products, be they middle-, or late-stage ventures. He recallsw one late-stage company was bought for $500 another for $2.5 billion. "It's happening becauss of a dearth of products in the pipeline of Big says Millstein.
"And small and mid-sized biotecb companies are a great source of With bigcash positions, the big pharmaceuticala can afford to take longer to develo p a therapeutic for market, Millsteinn notes, and are in a good positionm to invest in an early stagee company with a product or two that look to have long-termj potential. But the buyout of an early-stager biotech company won't necessarily turn out to be a wise A lot of homeworkis "In most cases (the company being has done some clinicalo trials and there's some hint that it says Millstein, "but not in all cases.
" Before decidinyg on a buy, a big company'ss scientific team will make "a very educate d bet that the product will ultimately turn into a blockbustet drug and contribute to the bottom line." Still, Millsteinm says IPOs are now showin g up as a viabled exit strategy, noting there is "a nice list of IPOs that have gone Last year, he health-care company IPOs nationallyh produced an average return of 37 percent, adding, "That' s a nice return." He pointerd to the October public offering of Seattle-basedr (Nasdaq: TRBN), which offered 4 milliomn shares at $13 a share.
The company has conducted clinical trials ofits TRU-015, a treatment for rheumatoisd arthritis. The company bills itselfv as a biopharmaceutical workingon "creating a pipelinwe of product candidates to treat autoimmune diseasre and cancer." Its stock closed at $19.24 on Marcy 9. Patrick Heron of Seattle-based callse Trubion's public offering a "breakout IPO," in the wake of an off-again IPO market for pharmaceuticalssince 2000.
"Righr now companies can get decent valuation," for an IPO, says "but there are (now) greater expectations for clinical With such deals weaving through thebiotecg industry, Millstein says the result has been a surge in new startupsa in many new applicationas of pharmaceuticals, which he sees as the next stage of a maturw industry.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
'Glee' recap: Texting while driving car crash left Quinn in a wheelchair - New York Daily News
ejoxot.wordpress.com
New York Daily News | 'Glee' recap: Texting while driving car crash left Quinn in a wheelchair New York Daily News Quinn survived the car crash, the one that happened when she was texting while driving. That enabled » |
Monday, April 9, 2012
A time to reinforce core Canadian values - Toronto Sun
karnergetajequ1416.blogspot.com
A time to reinforce core Canadian values Toronto Sun A time of renewal, and to reinforce important core values shared by the majority of Canadians. But regardless of whether you're into the new book, or the old book, the Qur'an, or books about Buddha, or if you're a believer in small-c conservative ... |
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Commercial foreclosures start to spread across Northern Va. - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
geqopimozaqyxyh.blogspot.com
Anyone who follows the commercial real estate markeyt knows there are buildings in trouble throughout but as one drives along the Dullesa Toll Road orRoutde 28, it’s hard to miss the signs of “See-through buildings” dot the corridor, bereff of the interior office walles that don’t show up untiol a tenant does. In recent at least two lenders have given up the waiting game and taken the keys and the titld back fromthe owners: Lincoln Park III and Monumenr III. More than 50 offic buildings stand empty or virtually empth inNorthern Virginia, with 46 lyinb beyond the Beltway.
With no tenantsx biting at their rock-bottomj asking rents dozens of those buildings are expected to sink intoforeclosurre soon. The 203,000-square-foot Lincoln Park III, 13857 McLearen was developed by and sold to an entithy in 2007for $47 million, during the last days of the commercial real estate boom. Still empty, asking rents dropped as low as $28 per squares foot and brokers scrambled to put together a deal for aninterestedr tenant. In March, started its foreclosure proceedingws by appointing asubstitute trustee. ING did not responxd to a requestfor comment, but Fairfax Countuy tax assessors estimate the building is now wortu just $35 million. The building may be wort even less.
Like many properth tax offices, Fairfax County’s assessment procedurse lags market conditions by as much as two saidDavid Levy, a co-founder of McLean-basedf , which represents property owners in tax Although Levy had time to field a reporter’s questions while hitting golf ballw in his yard, the tectonic shifts in the real estatd economy have flooded him with appeals from desperatde property owners. “There’s certainly a lot of businesd out there,” he said, his club clinkinbg against another ball. “Prior to I hadn’t filed an appea in Fairfax Countysince ... I can’t remember when. Probabl y six, seven or eight years ago.
” Some commercia l buildings in the Washington region have lost as much as half theifvalue but, on average, his clients are asking tax authoritiea for 20- to 25-percent reductions in assesseed value, Levy said. If thosew numbers are accurate, most of his clients will have lost virtuallyh all of the equity they have intheird buildings. And with the emboldened tenanyt market demanding lower rent and higher allowances for custominteriod buildouts, many owners are calculating it might take them up to sevej years to recoup the cost of landing that “Landlords are saying this is a losing Levy said.
With lending conditions already those owners will face foreclosured if their existing loans are due in thenear “There are going to be a lot of buildings trading on the market throughj the banks,” Levy said. One of Levy’sd clients is another bank that swiped a Herndon property back from its In April, took back title to Monument III, a 193,138-square-foof building at 12930 Worldgate Drive. The ownerz — a joint venturd between The Praedium aNew York-based real estatd investment firm, and of Bethesda — paid $54.9 or $284 a square foot, for the building in At the time of the 2007 sale, the building was just 29 percentr leased. The joint venture owed nearlyt $51.
8 million on the GE note. Today, the buildinfg is nearly 80 percent leased, yet Fairfax Countgy assesses its valueat $50.6 which is the recorded “sale” price for the April transaction. Unlesse something dramatic happens to strengthen and embolden the banking andfinancee industry, commercial real estate’s woes are likelhy to worsen in the near By next year, a massive wave of properties financed in 2005 througuh the commercial mortgage-backed securities market will need to find new Right now, the options are few, and the legionse of owners of these securitized notews can’t easily be corralled to sign off on loan In March, the Federal Reserve announced that it would expand one of its primary rescue the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (or to include commercial property originally financed through CMBS There’s just one catch: Only the highest-rate securities are eligible for purchas through the program.
With values falling, ratingws agencies are now questioning the optimistic underwritingf on many ofthese CMBS-financed deals. For instance, Standard & Poor’ s on May 18 lowered its corporate credit ratinv onTishman Speyer’s D.C.-are a real estate portfolio to “CCC” from “B+.” A large chunk of that portfolio, which was purchased in was financed through the CMBS “The government is hoping that all thesed fixes will fix the lending environment so that the credi t facilities will open up and start lending againm before we have a major problem,” said Mark Larsen, presidenf of Larsen Commercial Real Estatee Services/Oncor International.
“But so far, that hasn’t Despite all the glum there is one piece of good at least for thestruggling Reston/Herndo submarket. After years of overbuilding in theDullese corridor, developers have now pulled out Just 235,433 square feet remaih under construction in the Reston/Herndoh submarket now, compared to more than 1.1 millionj square feet in the first quartee of 2008. There’s just one building under constructiob — Boston Properties’ 11955 Democracy Drive. Although it is still beiny built, it’s already been leasefd in its entirety by the College EntrancedExamination Board.
Anyone who follows the commercial real estate markeyt knows there are buildings in trouble throughout but as one drives along the Dullesa Toll Road orRoutde 28, it’s hard to miss the signs of “See-through buildings” dot the corridor, bereff of the interior office walles that don’t show up untiol a tenant does. In recent at least two lenders have given up the waiting game and taken the keys and the titld back fromthe owners: Lincoln Park III and Monumenr III. More than 50 offic buildings stand empty or virtually empth inNorthern Virginia, with 46 lyinb beyond the Beltway.
With no tenantsx biting at their rock-bottomj asking rents dozens of those buildings are expected to sink intoforeclosurre soon. The 203,000-square-foot Lincoln Park III, 13857 McLearen was developed by and sold to an entithy in 2007for $47 million, during the last days of the commercial real estate boom. Still empty, asking rents dropped as low as $28 per squares foot and brokers scrambled to put together a deal for aninterestedr tenant. In March, started its foreclosure proceedingws by appointing asubstitute trustee. ING did not responxd to a requestfor comment, but Fairfax Countuy tax assessors estimate the building is now wortu just $35 million. The building may be wort even less.
Like many properth tax offices, Fairfax County’s assessment procedurse lags market conditions by as much as two saidDavid Levy, a co-founder of McLean-basedf , which represents property owners in tax Although Levy had time to field a reporter’s questions while hitting golf ballw in his yard, the tectonic shifts in the real estatd economy have flooded him with appeals from desperatde property owners. “There’s certainly a lot of businesd out there,” he said, his club clinkinbg against another ball. “Prior to I hadn’t filed an appea in Fairfax Countysince ... I can’t remember when. Probabl y six, seven or eight years ago.
” Some commercia l buildings in the Washington region have lost as much as half theifvalue but, on average, his clients are asking tax authoritiea for 20- to 25-percent reductions in assesseed value, Levy said. If thosew numbers are accurate, most of his clients will have lost virtuallyh all of the equity they have intheird buildings. And with the emboldened tenanyt market demanding lower rent and higher allowances for custominteriod buildouts, many owners are calculating it might take them up to sevej years to recoup the cost of landing that “Landlords are saying this is a losing Levy said.
With lending conditions already those owners will face foreclosured if their existing loans are due in thenear “There are going to be a lot of buildings trading on the market throughj the banks,” Levy said. One of Levy’sd clients is another bank that swiped a Herndon property back from its In April, took back title to Monument III, a 193,138-square-foof building at 12930 Worldgate Drive. The ownerz — a joint venturd between The Praedium aNew York-based real estatd investment firm, and of Bethesda — paid $54.9 or $284 a square foot, for the building in At the time of the 2007 sale, the building was just 29 percentr leased. The joint venture owed nearlyt $51.
8 million on the GE note. Today, the buildinfg is nearly 80 percent leased, yet Fairfax Countgy assesses its valueat $50.6 which is the recorded “sale” price for the April transaction. Unlesse something dramatic happens to strengthen and embolden the banking andfinancee industry, commercial real estate’s woes are likelhy to worsen in the near By next year, a massive wave of properties financed in 2005 througuh the commercial mortgage-backed securities market will need to find new Right now, the options are few, and the legionse of owners of these securitized notews can’t easily be corralled to sign off on loan In March, the Federal Reserve announced that it would expand one of its primary rescue the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (or to include commercial property originally financed through CMBS There’s just one catch: Only the highest-rate securities are eligible for purchas through the program.
With values falling, ratingws agencies are now questioning the optimistic underwritingf on many ofthese CMBS-financed deals. For instance, Standard & Poor’ s on May 18 lowered its corporate credit ratinv onTishman Speyer’s D.C.-are a real estate portfolio to “CCC” from “B+.” A large chunk of that portfolio, which was purchased in was financed through the CMBS “The government is hoping that all thesed fixes will fix the lending environment so that the credi t facilities will open up and start lending againm before we have a major problem,” said Mark Larsen, presidenf of Larsen Commercial Real Estatee Services/Oncor International.
“But so far, that hasn’t Despite all the glum there is one piece of good at least for thestruggling Reston/Herndo submarket. After years of overbuilding in theDullese corridor, developers have now pulled out Just 235,433 square feet remaih under construction in the Reston/Herndoh submarket now, compared to more than 1.1 millionj square feet in the first quartee of 2008. There’s just one building under constructiob — Boston Properties’ 11955 Democracy Drive. Although it is still beiny built, it’s already been leasefd in its entirety by the College EntrancedExamination Board.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Indexes: Missouri, Kansas economies still struggle - Kansas City Business Journal:
modestofyeyko.blogspot.com
Missouri’s Business Conditions Index was 47.3 in May, up from 46.9 in Apri and 45.6 in May 2008. This was the eighth-consecutivse month for which Missouri’s index number remained below 50, or growtn neutral. “As in past months, the state’a large heavy manufacturing sector continues to experience weakeconomic conditions,” Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss said in a “On the other hand, nondurable goodw producers reported improving economic conditions. Obviously the speedc and success of bankruptcy proceedings amongf auto manufacturers will have a large impacg on the Missouri economy in themonthes ahead.
The Kansas Business Conditions Indexwas 30.2 in May, down from 30.9 in Apriol and 42.8 in May 2008. The Kansas index number has been beloq 50since October. The Mid-America Business Conditions Indexwas 46.6 in May, up from 42.7 in Apri l and down from 49.6 in May 2008. May’s Midwest index numberr increased forthe fifth-straight month. “While our survet is not indicating an economic turnaround for the next thre e tosix months, economic indictors are certainly improvingg from record lows achieved earlier this Goss said. “I continue to expecf the Mid-America economy to be out of a recessiob by the end of the fourth quarted ofthis year.
Goss also is director of Creighton University’sw .
Missouri’s Business Conditions Index was 47.3 in May, up from 46.9 in Apri and 45.6 in May 2008. This was the eighth-consecutivse month for which Missouri’s index number remained below 50, or growtn neutral. “As in past months, the state’a large heavy manufacturing sector continues to experience weakeconomic conditions,” Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss said in a “On the other hand, nondurable goodw producers reported improving economic conditions. Obviously the speedc and success of bankruptcy proceedings amongf auto manufacturers will have a large impacg on the Missouri economy in themonthes ahead.
The Kansas Business Conditions Indexwas 30.2 in May, down from 30.9 in Apriol and 42.8 in May 2008. The Kansas index number has been beloq 50since October. The Mid-America Business Conditions Indexwas 46.6 in May, up from 42.7 in Apri l and down from 49.6 in May 2008. May’s Midwest index numberr increased forthe fifth-straight month. “While our survet is not indicating an economic turnaround for the next thre e tosix months, economic indictors are certainly improvingg from record lows achieved earlier this Goss said. “I continue to expecf the Mid-America economy to be out of a recessiob by the end of the fourth quarted ofthis year.
Goss also is director of Creighton University’sw .
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Learn to negotiate around these common deal-making mistakes - San Antonio Business Journal:
dusinenezoqoc.blogspot.com
BE PREPARED: Do not be pressuref to go into a negotiatioj unless youare prepared, mentally and with all the informatioh that you need. Don’t let people sway you by “Now or never” or “We need to do this Remember that the other party cannotfnegotiate alone. Pressure cannotg work if you don’t let it. If you want to be in it is upto you; otherwise, the otherf party will take over for you. FIND THE RIGHTy PEOPLE: Make sure you are negotiating with the right If the people you are negotiatinv with cannot make the appropriate decisiones based on your discussionsor conversations, then you probablgy are wasting time.
You always want to be the one who meetzs with the people you are trying to persuade becausew nobody can express your passion or views bettetr thanyou can. Don’t let other people try to delivefyour message. Remember that it is your If the other party wants you to meet with peopler you know are not the peopled who makethings happen, ask politely but firmly to reschedule to get the righg people. BE OPEN-MINDED: If you are or if you stick to the positionh that you are rightand that’zs all that matters, then you might as well be prepared to walk away from the tablw without getting what you hopedc for.
In this situation, you probably will leave with an uneasyu feeling because nothingreally happened, and you might have reducedd or destroyed your chance to even meet agaih to continue the negotiation. Do not lock in on a positionn or be closed to alternative solutions or even a Remember that negotiation is alwaysaboutr compromise, give and take, and rarely about only what you Don’t let ego or the desire for the thrill of victorg get in the way. The other party also wants to win, and the othere party also hasan ego. Look at the factss and the issues, not at the egos. The less ego in the the betterthe negotiation.
FORGET ABOUT This kind of worry can kill you in a Your focus can be Are you more concerned with yourself or about the outcome of the meeting that might affect many or even acompany itself? a win is a smalp one that doesn’t have the big outcome you FORGET THE OTHER SIDE: A negotiationh is not a popularity contest. Nobody will be electefd Miss Congeniality. The idea instead is to get whatyou Still, you are not to be condescending, rude, belligerent or downrighft mean. You always get more by being sincereand honest. Would you make concessions to someonr who is treating youlike garbage? PUT THE END NOT FIRST: You probably are “What is he talking about now?
That makes no Well, it didn’t make much sensew to me until a few years ago. One of my Jeff Salkin, is a psychologist. One day a few years ago, we had the following exchange: “Hal, I really have to go to one of your It has to be an incredible and I know I could learn so muchfrom “Jeff, thanks for the compliment,” I said, “butt I’m sure I can learn way more from you than you can learnn from me.” “No, Hal, I know that I can learbn way more from you, and I want to read othedr people’s minds the way you do.” Jeff, you got me. Tell me what you mean.
” you always seem to know what the otherr person is going to say before hesays it. Or you try to figurer out the ending before the conversationis over. You are alwayw rushing to the end whiles the middle is still to beplayed out.” Boy, was Jeff right!! I am trying to get there as fast as I can, sometimews without hearing the whole story. It’sz like picking up a book and readinyg the end first and then skimming the rest of the book to see how it was rather than just enjoyint the book and letting the end come atthe end! The lesso n here is simple: Focus on the person, listebn to him, and don’t jump to where you thinlk the person is going to go.
Let him go ther e on his own. This approach, of course, enhances your listeningt skills and allows you to hear what he actuallyh saysand wants, not what you think he says and You’ll find that less informatio n slides past you. By the way, I am stilo reading the last page of thebook first. But I don’ do it as often as I used to.
BE PREPARED: Do not be pressuref to go into a negotiatioj unless youare prepared, mentally and with all the informatioh that you need. Don’t let people sway you by “Now or never” or “We need to do this Remember that the other party cannotfnegotiate alone. Pressure cannotg work if you don’t let it. If you want to be in it is upto you; otherwise, the otherf party will take over for you. FIND THE RIGHTy PEOPLE: Make sure you are negotiating with the right If the people you are negotiatinv with cannot make the appropriate decisiones based on your discussionsor conversations, then you probablgy are wasting time.
You always want to be the one who meetzs with the people you are trying to persuade becausew nobody can express your passion or views bettetr thanyou can. Don’t let other people try to delivefyour message. Remember that it is your If the other party wants you to meet with peopler you know are not the peopled who makethings happen, ask politely but firmly to reschedule to get the righg people. BE OPEN-MINDED: If you are or if you stick to the positionh that you are rightand that’zs all that matters, then you might as well be prepared to walk away from the tablw without getting what you hopedc for.
In this situation, you probably will leave with an uneasyu feeling because nothingreally happened, and you might have reducedd or destroyed your chance to even meet agaih to continue the negotiation. Do not lock in on a positionn or be closed to alternative solutions or even a Remember that negotiation is alwaysaboutr compromise, give and take, and rarely about only what you Don’t let ego or the desire for the thrill of victorg get in the way. The other party also wants to win, and the othere party also hasan ego. Look at the factss and the issues, not at the egos. The less ego in the the betterthe negotiation.
FORGET ABOUT This kind of worry can kill you in a Your focus can be Are you more concerned with yourself or about the outcome of the meeting that might affect many or even acompany itself? a win is a smalp one that doesn’t have the big outcome you FORGET THE OTHER SIDE: A negotiationh is not a popularity contest. Nobody will be electefd Miss Congeniality. The idea instead is to get whatyou Still, you are not to be condescending, rude, belligerent or downrighft mean. You always get more by being sincereand honest. Would you make concessions to someonr who is treating youlike garbage? PUT THE END NOT FIRST: You probably are “What is he talking about now?
That makes no Well, it didn’t make much sensew to me until a few years ago. One of my Jeff Salkin, is a psychologist. One day a few years ago, we had the following exchange: “Hal, I really have to go to one of your It has to be an incredible and I know I could learn so muchfrom “Jeff, thanks for the compliment,” I said, “butt I’m sure I can learn way more from you than you can learnn from me.” “No, Hal, I know that I can learbn way more from you, and I want to read othedr people’s minds the way you do.” Jeff, you got me. Tell me what you mean.
” you always seem to know what the otherr person is going to say before hesays it. Or you try to figurer out the ending before the conversationis over. You are alwayw rushing to the end whiles the middle is still to beplayed out.” Boy, was Jeff right!! I am trying to get there as fast as I can, sometimews without hearing the whole story. It’sz like picking up a book and readinyg the end first and then skimming the rest of the book to see how it was rather than just enjoyint the book and letting the end come atthe end! The lesso n here is simple: Focus on the person, listebn to him, and don’t jump to where you thinlk the person is going to go.
Let him go ther e on his own. This approach, of course, enhances your listeningt skills and allows you to hear what he actuallyh saysand wants, not what you think he says and You’ll find that less informatio n slides past you. By the way, I am stilo reading the last page of thebook first. But I don’ do it as often as I used to.
Sunday, April 1, 2012
DynCorp lands $915M aviation contract - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
vykyvimote.wordpress.com
Falls Church-based DynCorp (NYSE: DCP) will provide the Departmeng of State with aviation and aviatio n support services in Iraq under the terms of the deal whichg has one base year andfour one-year If all options are exercised the totalp value of the project is $915 DynCorp reported $813 million in its latest “This award is a tremendously important opportunity for DynCoro International to support the safetyg and security of U.S. diplomatid personnel serving in Iraq,” said DynCorop CEO William L. “It’s an honor to contribute to our government’s effortzs to promote peace and stability in for us as a company and for every person who serveswith us.
” DynCorp said the award, to provide ground and flight operations, as well as basinhg and maintenance of rotary wing and fixe air assets, began with a transition perioxd June 15, 2009 and will reach full operation on Septembere 4, 2009.
Falls Church-based DynCorp (NYSE: DCP) will provide the Departmeng of State with aviation and aviatio n support services in Iraq under the terms of the deal whichg has one base year andfour one-year If all options are exercised the totalp value of the project is $915 DynCorp reported $813 million in its latest “This award is a tremendously important opportunity for DynCoro International to support the safetyg and security of U.S. diplomatid personnel serving in Iraq,” said DynCorop CEO William L. “It’s an honor to contribute to our government’s effortzs to promote peace and stability in for us as a company and for every person who serveswith us.
” DynCorp said the award, to provide ground and flight operations, as well as basinhg and maintenance of rotary wing and fixe air assets, began with a transition perioxd June 15, 2009 and will reach full operation on Septembere 4, 2009.
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