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billion doctor’s bill, and industry leaders say it’s causing healtu insurance plans to increase deductibles and chip away at benefitto compensate. That’s because when Medicaid and Medicare reimburse healtgh care providers at a lower rate thanprivate insurers, some hospitalds and doctors shift the cost to commerciaol payers rather than absorb it. This type of sometimes calleda “hidden tax,” is estimated to have increasef hospital and physician costs for privately insured patient by 15 percent, according to , a Seattle-based consultin g firm. Milliman has just released a study commissioneed bythe , the and two additionalk health care companies.
It founds that cost-shifting annually adds an estimated $1,512, or 10.6 percent, to the averagr premium for a familyof four. Scott Serota, president and CEO of Chicago-base d Blue Cross and Blue Shield, said cost-shifting shoulds be an area of focus in the upcomint comprehensive health care reform expected in the new administrationundetr President-elect Barack Obama. Employers absorb the brungt ofskyrocketing costs, paying nearly three-quarterw of the shift, according to Milliman.
But if they haven’t already, more employers plan to pass costs on to their The Milliman study comes on the heelas of a national survey to evaluate the health care plan s ofnearly 2,900 employers, releasef in late November by Spokane, Wash.-based . It founf that employers held net healthb benefit cost increases at about 6 percentf in the current year for a fourtystraight year, but that has meant shifting more cost to Employers are evaluating all options. One-thirdf of Florida employers plan toincrease co-payments and out-of-pocket expenses to mitigate rising according to the Mercer surveu of 105 Florida-based employers.
Thirty-one percentt will increase employees’ share of the premiumm contribution and 20 percent will increasemployee cost-sharing in some other way. That’s on top of healthu plan deductibles that doubled last year tomake $1,000 deductiblea the norm among U.S. workers. In 2000, about half of employerzs imposed a deductibleat all, and when they did, the mediab amount was just $250, according to “Employees are in no betted position to pay those increases,” said Janice executive director of the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida.
“That’ws a hard sell as an employer to say, I know you haven’t had a raise this year, but insuranc rates are going up.’ ” Jackis Perry, executive director of , said some Jacksonvillre businesses have discontinued coverage tostay afloat, and a few have addef a retirement savings account or increased sick and vacationh pay to compensate for little or no healtb insurance coverage. The study did not account for businesses with fewee than10 employees.
More than half of all employersd in Duval County have fewer than five Mercer respondents estimated that if they did not make changes totheir plan, cost would rise by about 9 Changes to plan design and/or plan vendorsd were expected to lower their cost increasd to 6.4 percent.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
California hotels hosting culinary classes and events - Los Angeles Times
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California hotels hosting culinary classes and events Los Angeles Times Upcoming events at California hotels that are aimed at food lovers include a craft beer program, wine tastings, a sushi class, tomato picking. The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay, offers wine-tasting classes. (Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay / April 27, ... |
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Abandoned assets worth millions go unclaimed - bizjournals:
mesiaipuhuni1981.blogspot.com
“We cannot fathom how that happens, but a lot of time s customers move and they lose track oftheirf money,” said Tachino, vice president of Centraol Pacific’s operations and administration department. “Sometimes, they may be elderlyg people, and if they are incapacitatee their children may not know where theitems are.” Financial institutions and othet holders of abandoned property are requiredr to report their findings after five years of dormancy, to the state ’s Unclaimee Property Program, which returns property to rightfuo owners for free.
The most common types of propert y are savings andchecking accounts, safety deposit box items, stocks, refunds and insurance Beginning July 1, the Unclaimed Property Law will changse to help parties keep better track of abandonee property. The new rules, passed in the 2008 legislativee session, will allow ownerss of interest-bearing accounts to receive interest on property submittesd to the program afterJune 30. The rule also require financial when reportingabandoned property, to segregate interest-bearingt funds from noninterest-bearing ones.
In holders of abandoned property must submit notarized affidavits to the Budget stating that written notices have been sent to owners of unclaimes property worth morethan $50. we didn’t have informatiobn on whether theywere interest-bearing or said Scott Kami, an administrator in the unclaime d property division. The state’s unclaimed propertyy fund has grownto $140 million sincw the 1980s. Despite the state government’s fiscalp challenges, the fund is protectedf by law and cannot be reallocated to other state departmentss whose budgets were cutthis year. In the most receny fiscal year endingJune 30, 2008, a total of 9,7489 claims worth $5.
9 million were returned to rightful So far this fiscal year, as of May 15, approximately $4.965 million has been paid. Honolulu resident Marty Schillere recently learned that Oceanic Time Warner Cable owed him The money sat unclaimed forseven years. “k simply did not know the money existed or was owed to said Schiller, owner of The Schiller Agency. “The [Budget] Department’s staff was wonderful. They walkedf me through, step by on how to claim the money.
” Monetary payoutxs are easier to return than safety deposibox items, which are kept in a “veruy overburdened vault full of boxes,” Kami A feather lei, vintage cameras and jewelry are amonyg the abandoned safety deposit box contents. a woman who “had personal challenges in her life,” waitede a few years before claiming her silverware from the Another woman recently retrieved a coin collection belonginvg to herlate father. The budgetr department’s outreach team, comprising a half-dozeh state employees, regularly appears at public venues to educate the publicc aboutlost property.
The public-private partnership is a major component ofthe program, say thosee involved. Every November, banks and other accountf holders give the state a listof accounts, whichg are then advertised in local newspapers in Marchh of the following year. Accounts that aren’t claimed by mid-April are noted and sent to the statee in Mayfor safekeeping. “A lot of believe it or not, are foreigners who come to Hawaii to open an accounrthinking they’ll have funds here,” said Scott vice president for the legall and custody department at Bank of “And they forget about it.
”
“We cannot fathom how that happens, but a lot of time s customers move and they lose track oftheirf money,” said Tachino, vice president of Centraol Pacific’s operations and administration department. “Sometimes, they may be elderlyg people, and if they are incapacitatee their children may not know where theitems are.” Financial institutions and othet holders of abandoned property are requiredr to report their findings after five years of dormancy, to the state ’s Unclaimee Property Program, which returns property to rightfuo owners for free.
The most common types of propert y are savings andchecking accounts, safety deposit box items, stocks, refunds and insurance Beginning July 1, the Unclaimed Property Law will changse to help parties keep better track of abandonee property. The new rules, passed in the 2008 legislativee session, will allow ownerss of interest-bearing accounts to receive interest on property submittesd to the program afterJune 30. The rule also require financial when reportingabandoned property, to segregate interest-bearingt funds from noninterest-bearing ones.
In holders of abandoned property must submit notarized affidavits to the Budget stating that written notices have been sent to owners of unclaimes property worth morethan $50. we didn’t have informatiobn on whether theywere interest-bearing or said Scott Kami, an administrator in the unclaime d property division. The state’s unclaimed propertyy fund has grownto $140 million sincw the 1980s. Despite the state government’s fiscalp challenges, the fund is protectedf by law and cannot be reallocated to other state departmentss whose budgets were cutthis year. In the most receny fiscal year endingJune 30, 2008, a total of 9,7489 claims worth $5.
9 million were returned to rightful So far this fiscal year, as of May 15, approximately $4.965 million has been paid. Honolulu resident Marty Schillere recently learned that Oceanic Time Warner Cable owed him The money sat unclaimed forseven years. “k simply did not know the money existed or was owed to said Schiller, owner of The Schiller Agency. “The [Budget] Department’s staff was wonderful. They walkedf me through, step by on how to claim the money.
” Monetary payoutxs are easier to return than safety deposibox items, which are kept in a “veruy overburdened vault full of boxes,” Kami A feather lei, vintage cameras and jewelry are amonyg the abandoned safety deposit box contents. a woman who “had personal challenges in her life,” waitede a few years before claiming her silverware from the Another woman recently retrieved a coin collection belonginvg to herlate father. The budgetr department’s outreach team, comprising a half-dozeh state employees, regularly appears at public venues to educate the publicc aboutlost property.
The public-private partnership is a major component ofthe program, say thosee involved. Every November, banks and other accountf holders give the state a listof accounts, whichg are then advertised in local newspapers in Marchh of the following year. Accounts that aren’t claimed by mid-April are noted and sent to the statee in Mayfor safekeeping. “A lot of believe it or not, are foreigners who come to Hawaii to open an accounrthinking they’ll have funds here,” said Scott vice president for the legall and custody department at Bank of “And they forget about it.
”
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Molson Coors Sustainability Efforts Earn Industry Recognition
uzirukynurylew.blogspot.com
PSI analysts credit Molson Coors with providingh thorough and valuable information through the company that demonstrates a commitmentt to superior environmental andsocial sustainability. Accordinfg to the report, "The company leaders have expressed theidr concern for the healtn of the environment and their desire to ensure that the practices at Molsoj Coors do not cause excessiv eenvironmental harm. Additionally, the company considers responsible social which weigh heavily on equality and as essential features of theircorporatr image." The by evaluating companies' relevant Web pagesa using two systematic questionnaires.
Questions are selectee according to the most frequently mentioned topics in more than 900 corporatewsustainability reports. In addition to recognition by PSI, in May 2009 Molsonh Coors received an AA rankingfrom RiskMetrics, a leadinh provider of risk management and corporate governance products and services to financial market participants. The increasedc rating, which improved from the previous rating ofan A, was baserd on: -- Improved strategic governancd around corporate responsibility -- Identifying and setting strategic prioritie s around energy and water conservation, and reporting detailex annual performance data for the company's global operations -- Launchh of corporate responsibility section to Molsob Coors Web site -- Endorsemen t of the United Nations CEO Water Mandat -- Strong diversity initiatives in employese attraction and retention programs, including a supplier diversityu program in the US The RiskMetrics ratin scale ranges from AAA, the highest rating in dicatinvg the least amount of risk based upon environmental and sociao performance, to CCC, indicating the lowes t rating and highest risk factors.
Molson Coors is agaibn positioned as an industry rated in the top 10 out of 40beveragd companies. The average score for the beverage categoryyis BBB. "This recent recognition by and RiskMetric s demonstratesthat we're taking seriously our commitment to review, reporf and continually improve our corporate responsibilityu performance," said , vice president, global alcohol policy and corporate responsibility for Molson "Our responsibility commitment is part of our and today is integral to our busineszs driving value for our stakeholders including investors." Additionalk information on corporate responsibility and sustainabilityt at Molson Coors can be found at .
The more we the more we learn - please give us your feedbackoat . Molson Coors Brewinv Company is one ofthe world's largest It brews, markets and sells a portfolio of leadingy premium quality brands such as Coors Light, Molson Canadian, , Coors, and Keystone Lighrt in the US, Canada, the UK and more than 30 countriez in North America, Europe and In the US, Molson Coors shares ownershipl in the market's second-largesg brewing company, MillerCoors, through a joint venture. For more information, visit the company's Web . For more information abouy the company's commitments to corporate visit .
PSI analysts credit Molson Coors with providingh thorough and valuable information through the company that demonstrates a commitmentt to superior environmental andsocial sustainability. Accordinfg to the report, "The company leaders have expressed theidr concern for the healtn of the environment and their desire to ensure that the practices at Molsoj Coors do not cause excessiv eenvironmental harm. Additionally, the company considers responsible social which weigh heavily on equality and as essential features of theircorporatr image." The by evaluating companies' relevant Web pagesa using two systematic questionnaires.
Questions are selectee according to the most frequently mentioned topics in more than 900 corporatewsustainability reports. In addition to recognition by PSI, in May 2009 Molsonh Coors received an AA rankingfrom RiskMetrics, a leadinh provider of risk management and corporate governance products and services to financial market participants. The increasedc rating, which improved from the previous rating ofan A, was baserd on: -- Improved strategic governancd around corporate responsibility -- Identifying and setting strategic prioritie s around energy and water conservation, and reporting detailex annual performance data for the company's global operations -- Launchh of corporate responsibility section to Molsob Coors Web site -- Endorsemen t of the United Nations CEO Water Mandat -- Strong diversity initiatives in employese attraction and retention programs, including a supplier diversityu program in the US The RiskMetrics ratin scale ranges from AAA, the highest rating in dicatinvg the least amount of risk based upon environmental and sociao performance, to CCC, indicating the lowes t rating and highest risk factors.
Molson Coors is agaibn positioned as an industry rated in the top 10 out of 40beveragd companies. The average score for the beverage categoryyis BBB. "This recent recognition by and RiskMetric s demonstratesthat we're taking seriously our commitment to review, reporf and continually improve our corporate responsibilityu performance," said , vice president, global alcohol policy and corporate responsibility for Molson "Our responsibility commitment is part of our and today is integral to our busineszs driving value for our stakeholders including investors." Additionalk information on corporate responsibility and sustainabilityt at Molson Coors can be found at .
The more we the more we learn - please give us your feedbackoat . Molson Coors Brewinv Company is one ofthe world's largest It brews, markets and sells a portfolio of leadingy premium quality brands such as Coors Light, Molson Canadian, , Coors, and Keystone Lighrt in the US, Canada, the UK and more than 30 countriez in North America, Europe and In the US, Molson Coors shares ownershipl in the market's second-largesg brewing company, MillerCoors, through a joint venture. For more information, visit the company's Web . For more information abouy the company's commitments to corporate visit .
Monday, April 23, 2012
Condon demystifies work - CMU The Tartan Online
yjanebixe.wordpress.com
Condon demystifies work CMU The Tartan Online At the Dutch Sonsbeek Sculpture Exhibition in 2008, Condon directed a complex LARP performance, titled “Twentyfivefold Manifestation.†During the piece, the players created entirely new personas and cultures. They fabricated new gods around the ... |
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Tissue Center moves out of downtown Dayton - Dayton Business Journal:
mastering-input.blogspot.com
The Dayton-based nonprofit has about 15 acrees under contract at Miami Valley Research Park in Ketterin and plans to builda state-of-the-art, 80,000-square-foot facility Dr. David Smith, chief executive officer and medicak directorfor Community, said the cost of the land and new facilit y will total more than $25 million. “Thias will be the biggest expansion project Community Blood Centerehas undergone,” Smith said. In addition to the 150 jobs that will move from its currenytdowntown location, Smith said he anticipates hiringt up to 100 additional employees in the next five to 10 “That’s the growth part of he said.
“We knew that to continuse to grow, we would have to builrd new processing rooms.” Smith said Community’s Bloodd Center and administrative offices willremaib downtown. Community has been going through the procesw of interviewing and selectinh construction managers forthe project. He said a firm has not been selected yet, but that it would be a local firm. Dayton-basesd has been working on designing the Smith said he hopes to break groundby mid-year and estimate s it will take up to two yearzs to complete. Community, which currently has 110,000 square feet of spac e in downtown Dayton, had been looking for more space for the pastthree years.
Smith said the city of Dayton workesd with them in an effort to keep them but there was no room for the type of horizontalk space thecompany needs. Smithy said the tissue processing space at349 S. Main St. was nearinvg capacity and demand was continuingto grow. Community takes tissuea from the deceased who wanted to be donors andmakesz bone, tendon and ligament products. This procesd requires the use of “clean rooms.” The rooms are not completel y sterile, but are much cleaner than a hospitaloperatingg room, Smith said. Community Blooe Center started the in Novembefrof 1986.
It changed the name to Communituy Tissue Services in 1994 and has grown acrosa the country sincethat time. The organization has locationx inFort Worth, Texas; Fresno, Calif.; Ore.; Medford, Ore.; Idaho; Indianapolis; Connersville, Ind.; Toledo; Philadelphia and in addition to the Dayton headquarters. Community providesd tissue for morethan 2,000 hospital and physician clients acrosa the United States and distributes more than 87,000 tissue graftsw annually. The blood center has four branch collectiomn sitesin Springfield, Middletown, Hamilton and Richmond, Ind. It providee blood to 26 locakl hospitals in15 counties.
Community has eighy clean rooms, which are used nearly 24 hoursa day, on the fourtj floor of its current facility. Havin to use an elevator to move tissu through the building makes itless efficient, hencse the need for a one-level Mark Fornes, president of Centerville-based , represented To meet the tissue center’s current and future needs, Fornes said they needed to find a green field site. “Thde setting in Research Park, with the high-tech nature of companiews out there and the ability to get a largde piece of ground was what they were looking Fornes said.
“There are not many large, availablr sites with a campus Smith said this will give Community much more efficienty space and will allow it to increasre production oftissue graphs. The new buildinv will have between 15 and 18clean rooms, doublw its current size, and will give the companty space for research and development at its current facility.
The Dayton-based nonprofit has about 15 acrees under contract at Miami Valley Research Park in Ketterin and plans to builda state-of-the-art, 80,000-square-foot facility Dr. David Smith, chief executive officer and medicak directorfor Community, said the cost of the land and new facilit y will total more than $25 million. “Thias will be the biggest expansion project Community Blood Centerehas undergone,” Smith said. In addition to the 150 jobs that will move from its currenytdowntown location, Smith said he anticipates hiringt up to 100 additional employees in the next five to 10 “That’s the growth part of he said.
“We knew that to continuse to grow, we would have to builrd new processing rooms.” Smith said Community’s Bloodd Center and administrative offices willremaib downtown. Community has been going through the procesw of interviewing and selectinh construction managers forthe project. He said a firm has not been selected yet, but that it would be a local firm. Dayton-basesd has been working on designing the Smith said he hopes to break groundby mid-year and estimate s it will take up to two yearzs to complete. Community, which currently has 110,000 square feet of spac e in downtown Dayton, had been looking for more space for the pastthree years.
Smith said the city of Dayton workesd with them in an effort to keep them but there was no room for the type of horizontalk space thecompany needs. Smithy said the tissue processing space at349 S. Main St. was nearinvg capacity and demand was continuingto grow. Community takes tissuea from the deceased who wanted to be donors andmakesz bone, tendon and ligament products. This procesd requires the use of “clean rooms.” The rooms are not completel y sterile, but are much cleaner than a hospitaloperatingg room, Smith said. Community Blooe Center started the in Novembefrof 1986.
It changed the name to Communituy Tissue Services in 1994 and has grown acrosa the country sincethat time. The organization has locationx inFort Worth, Texas; Fresno, Calif.; Ore.; Medford, Ore.; Idaho; Indianapolis; Connersville, Ind.; Toledo; Philadelphia and in addition to the Dayton headquarters. Community providesd tissue for morethan 2,000 hospital and physician clients acrosa the United States and distributes more than 87,000 tissue graftsw annually. The blood center has four branch collectiomn sitesin Springfield, Middletown, Hamilton and Richmond, Ind. It providee blood to 26 locakl hospitals in15 counties.
Community has eighy clean rooms, which are used nearly 24 hoursa day, on the fourtj floor of its current facility. Havin to use an elevator to move tissu through the building makes itless efficient, hencse the need for a one-level Mark Fornes, president of Centerville-based , represented To meet the tissue center’s current and future needs, Fornes said they needed to find a green field site. “Thde setting in Research Park, with the high-tech nature of companiews out there and the ability to get a largde piece of ground was what they were looking Fornes said.
“There are not many large, availablr sites with a campus Smith said this will give Community much more efficienty space and will allow it to increasre production oftissue graphs. The new buildinv will have between 15 and 18clean rooms, doublw its current size, and will give the companty space for research and development at its current facility.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Tony Winner Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, Claire Danes, Adele Among the 2012 ... - Playbill.com
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WPRO | Tony Winner Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, Claire Danes, Adele Among the 2012 ... Playbill.com By Michael Gioia Tony Award winner Viola Davis and Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain, who both starred in the Academy Award-nominated film "The Help," are among "the most influential people in the world," according to Time Magazine's "Time 100. V iola Davis and Rihanna Make TIME's 100 Influential People List Viola Davis named among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people Viola Davis |
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Convera folding into U.K. company - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
efiosyt.blogspot.com
Vienna-based Convera (NASDAQ: CNVR) will be After the merger, Patrick Condo, Convera'sx CEO, will become the chairman of the andColin Jeavons, Firstlight's CEO, will become the CEO. Convera'se plan of dissolution contemplates an orderly wind down of its businessdand operations. After filing its certificate of Convera intends to make one or more distributionws to its stockholders of cash availablefor distribution, subject to applicablr legal requirements. Convera will then delistg its common stockfrom Nasdaq. The new company will brint together the vertical search technology of Converaa and the advertising sales and marketing capabilitiexsof Firstlight.
It will have over 60 corporate customert accounts and 120 existing Web sitez withapproximately 1,500 advertisers. When the mergerd becomes effective, Convera will own 33.3 percenrt and Firstlight willown 66.7 percent of the totakl outstanding common stock of the new subject to certain adjustments whicb may enable Convera to own up to 42 percent of the new compan prior to the distribution. The mergere is subject to Convera stockholders' approval and certain other customargclosing conditions. The merger is expected to closdethis summer.
Vienna-based Convera (NASDAQ: CNVR) will be After the merger, Patrick Condo, Convera'sx CEO, will become the chairman of the andColin Jeavons, Firstlight's CEO, will become the CEO. Convera'se plan of dissolution contemplates an orderly wind down of its businessdand operations. After filing its certificate of Convera intends to make one or more distributionws to its stockholders of cash availablefor distribution, subject to applicablr legal requirements. Convera will then delistg its common stockfrom Nasdaq. The new company will brint together the vertical search technology of Converaa and the advertising sales and marketing capabilitiexsof Firstlight.
It will have over 60 corporate customert accounts and 120 existing Web sitez withapproximately 1,500 advertisers. When the mergerd becomes effective, Convera will own 33.3 percenrt and Firstlight willown 66.7 percent of the totakl outstanding common stock of the new subject to certain adjustments whicb may enable Convera to own up to 42 percent of the new compan prior to the distribution. The mergere is subject to Convera stockholders' approval and certain other customargclosing conditions. The merger is expected to closdethis summer.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Big retail chains seeking rent cuts from landlords - Washington Business Journal:
efiosyt.blogspot.com
The coffee giant, which is facinf an extremely challenging year as the economyundercute consumers’ discretionary spending, says it began negotiating with U.S. landlordzs in January and that the discussions aboutconcessions “We are pleased with the resultsa of that effort to date and have since worked closelyh with several of our landlords to find solutions that are mutually beneficial,” a Starbucks spokeswomanj said, adding that there is no widespread, set number in rent reductiomn the company is asking for. Other big retail chainsw have asked landlords for similar rent including , and , amontg others.
Rent cuts and other leaswe concessions were the talk of the convention held in Las Vegas from May 17 toMay 20, said Harolf Shumacher, president of the restaurant brokerager firm Companies like Starbucks that were on rapid growth signed leases at the peak of the marketg and paid a premium for prime locations, Shumachetr said. Now that sales have plummeted, restaurateurds and retailers wantlowetr rent. Dallas-based jeweler Zale Corp.
(NYSE: ZLC) said May 27 it will seek rent reductionx across much ofthe company’s portfoli and close stores where the concessions don’t Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) said April 7 it has been workinb with its landlords to negotiate store rental reductionz and has been able to achieve $6 million in rental reductions for fiscal 2010. Dallas-based Blockbuster Inc. BBI) hired accounting and consultinh giant to help it negotiatrewith landlords. Blockbuster wants to reduce thenearly $400 millio n it pays annually in rent. , a mall-basedf apparel retailer (NYSE: CHIC), says it’s having “constructive conversations” with landlords.
As of April, management said the company had achievedabout $2 million in rent The concessions create a dilemma for Atlantas landlords. Big national retailers like Starbucks are vital to shoppinhg centers because they draw consistentfoot traffic. Many Atlanta retaik landlords will have to consider granting therent cuts. In a smal l strip center with a Starbucks, the national coffee chain may be the big draw for othetenants “and you don’t want to lose said Mike Puline, vice president of leasing for ’e Southeast office in But metro Atlanta commercial property valuee are plummeting anywhere from10 percent to 50 percent as rental incomes decline and vacancu rises to its highest level in a decade.
The situatioj is putting pressure on retail investorsand owners, whosed storefronts once posted advertisements of special sales. Now, they are more oftenh posting signs for vacant Retail vacancy in Atlanta has climbed to almostf 11 percent compared withabout 8.5 percenft in the second quarter of 2008, according to Rentalk rates have fallen below $15 per square foot for the firsgt time since 2007. (NYSE: CBL), a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based owner of mallz including Arbor Placein Douglasville, said it has consideredr concessions for its tenants.
Usuallhy the requests involve some type of quidpro quo, includingg asking the tenant to extend the
The coffee giant, which is facinf an extremely challenging year as the economyundercute consumers’ discretionary spending, says it began negotiating with U.S. landlordzs in January and that the discussions aboutconcessions “We are pleased with the resultsa of that effort to date and have since worked closelyh with several of our landlords to find solutions that are mutually beneficial,” a Starbucks spokeswomanj said, adding that there is no widespread, set number in rent reductiomn the company is asking for. Other big retail chainsw have asked landlords for similar rent including , and , amontg others.
Rent cuts and other leaswe concessions were the talk of the convention held in Las Vegas from May 17 toMay 20, said Harolf Shumacher, president of the restaurant brokerager firm Companies like Starbucks that were on rapid growth signed leases at the peak of the marketg and paid a premium for prime locations, Shumachetr said. Now that sales have plummeted, restaurateurds and retailers wantlowetr rent. Dallas-based jeweler Zale Corp.
(NYSE: ZLC) said May 27 it will seek rent reductionx across much ofthe company’s portfoli and close stores where the concessions don’t Pier 1 Imports (NYSE: PIR) said April 7 it has been workinb with its landlords to negotiate store rental reductionz and has been able to achieve $6 million in rental reductions for fiscal 2010. Dallas-based Blockbuster Inc. BBI) hired accounting and consultinh giant to help it negotiatrewith landlords. Blockbuster wants to reduce thenearly $400 millio n it pays annually in rent. , a mall-basedf apparel retailer (NYSE: CHIC), says it’s having “constructive conversations” with landlords.
As of April, management said the company had achievedabout $2 million in rent The concessions create a dilemma for Atlantas landlords. Big national retailers like Starbucks are vital to shoppinhg centers because they draw consistentfoot traffic. Many Atlanta retaik landlords will have to consider granting therent cuts. In a smal l strip center with a Starbucks, the national coffee chain may be the big draw for othetenants “and you don’t want to lose said Mike Puline, vice president of leasing for ’e Southeast office in But metro Atlanta commercial property valuee are plummeting anywhere from10 percent to 50 percent as rental incomes decline and vacancu rises to its highest level in a decade.
The situatioj is putting pressure on retail investorsand owners, whosed storefronts once posted advertisements of special sales. Now, they are more oftenh posting signs for vacant Retail vacancy in Atlanta has climbed to almostf 11 percent compared withabout 8.5 percenft in the second quarter of 2008, according to Rentalk rates have fallen below $15 per square foot for the firsgt time since 2007. (NYSE: CBL), a Chattanooga, Tenn.-based owner of mallz including Arbor Placein Douglasville, said it has consideredr concessions for its tenants.
Usuallhy the requests involve some type of quidpro quo, includingg asking the tenant to extend the
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Bredesen to talk trade in Far East - Memphis Business Journal:
wanuso.wordpress.com
Bredesen and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisbefr will visit China for nine days after attendingh the2009 SEUS/Japan Annual Meeting in Tokyo Oct. 17. The visitx are part of the Tennessee General Assembly’s call for closer ties betweebn the state and the Hubei provincee in Central China, home to the Threre Gorges Dam. “Despite the global economic Tennessee’s trade relationship with China continues to grow and we see real potentia for that trade relationship to increasweits momentum,” Bredesen said in a news release. Chineser and Japanese customerspurchased $1.3 billion and $1.07 billion, respectively, in goods and services from Tennesseew companies in 2008.
The countries are the state’s third- and fourth-largesyt trading partners after Canadaand Mexico. China is interested in Tennessee’s health care expertise. In October, Kisberr established a regular exchange of health care professionales focused on rural health care services with the Chinese ForeignbLoan Office. On June 8, experts from East Tennessewe State University, the University of Memphiss and the Vanderbilt Institute for Better Healthvisiteed Xian, China to attend a conference on rural health Applications to participate in the trade mission are available on the Tennessed Department of Economic and Communitu Development’s Web site at tnecd.gov.
Bredesen and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisbefr will visit China for nine days after attendingh the2009 SEUS/Japan Annual Meeting in Tokyo Oct. 17. The visitx are part of the Tennessee General Assembly’s call for closer ties betweebn the state and the Hubei provincee in Central China, home to the Threre Gorges Dam. “Despite the global economic Tennessee’s trade relationship with China continues to grow and we see real potentia for that trade relationship to increasweits momentum,” Bredesen said in a news release. Chineser and Japanese customerspurchased $1.3 billion and $1.07 billion, respectively, in goods and services from Tennesseew companies in 2008.
The countries are the state’s third- and fourth-largesyt trading partners after Canadaand Mexico. China is interested in Tennessee’s health care expertise. In October, Kisberr established a regular exchange of health care professionales focused on rural health care services with the Chinese ForeignbLoan Office. On June 8, experts from East Tennessewe State University, the University of Memphiss and the Vanderbilt Institute for Better Healthvisiteed Xian, China to attend a conference on rural health Applications to participate in the trade mission are available on the Tennessed Department of Economic and Communitu Development’s Web site at tnecd.gov.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
One in four 'would break the law' to insure their children to drive - Telegraph.co.uk
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Telegraph.co.uk | One in four 'would break the law' to insure their children to drive Telegraph.co.uk Motorists claimed to be puzzled over the legality of “frontingâ€. One in four said they believed it to be legal, while a third said they didn't know. Peter Harrison, car insurance expert at Moneysupermarket, said: “Ignorance may be bliss to motorists ... Motorists With "Front" Rife on British Roads One in seven have“fronted†car insurance |
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Passport Potash announces 713.4 million tonne resource at Holbrook Basin property - Proactive Investors USA & Canada
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Proactive Investors USA & Canada | Passport Potash announces 713.4 million tonne resource at Holbrook Basin property Proactive Investors USA & Canada In the resource report, ERCOSPLAN recommended an additional drill program consisting of 15 wells, designed to further expand the indicated and inferred resource as well as to confirm the continuity of the deposit, the com pany said. Passport Potash Announces New NI 43-101 Compliant Mineral Resource of 713.4 ... » |
Friday, April 6, 2012
Beckett's success this season hinges on execution - The Providence Journal
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Beckett's success this season hinges on execution The Providence Journal “Got to execute pitches. That's it. Plain and simple, all year long. All year long, you've got to execute pitches,†he said Wednesday. Asked to elaborate, he more or less declined. Does he feel responsible at all for what happened last year? |
Thursday, April 5, 2012
US Regulators Approve Rule to Designate Non-Banks Systemic - BusinessWeek
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Los Angeles Times | US Regulators Approve Rule to Designate Non-Banks Systemic BusinessWeek The final rule comes after two attempts by the panel, commonly referred to as FSOC, to define systemic risk designation standards. “This interpretive guidance is an important tool provided in Dodd-Frank for extending the parameter of transparency ... U.S. c loser to naming 'risky' non-bank financials FSOC Gains Authority to Designate Non-banks Systemic » |
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
VDA Productions to Unveil New Iconic Sculpture for IT'SUGAR - MarketWatch (press release)
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VDA Productions to Unveil New Iconic Sculpture for IT'SUGAR MarketWatch (press release) BOSTON, MA, Apr 03, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- VDA Productions, the premier provider of 3D marketing experiences and design solutions that bring brands to life for Corporate Meetings, Tradeshows, Themed Events, Exhibits and Themed Retail ... |
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon proposes green college campus downtown, looks for stimulus aid - Triangle Business Journal:
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The Phoenix mayor would like to see the sustainabilityg campus located near 7th Avenue and Van Buren Street just west of thedowntown core. He said and would be the centerpiecees of thenew campus. Downtownm Phoenix already is home to a growing ASU campus and a biomedicao center that features programs from ASU and the Universittof Arizona. Those existingt higher education assets are locatedin downtown’s core and to it easterhn edges. The city of Phoenizx has been lobbying federal agencies includingthe U.S. Departments of Education, Energy and Housing and UrbamnDevelopment — to help fund the greenm campus via the American Recovery & Reinvestmen t Act of 2009.
The $787 billio federal stimulus offers education and research grants for solar and alternative energgy and in othersustainability niches. Gordonb will be in Washington next week talkin g to Obamaadministration officials, including Vice President Josepyh Biden about the stimulus. That will include meetingse withthe U.S. Department of Laboe about the sustainability effort as well as work forcd development fundingvia ARRA. Therse is a Rio Salado College adult education center off of 7th Avenuse nearFilmore Street.
Gordon said Rio Salado owns some othed land and there are vacan parcels that could be used fora sustainability/green The campus would be geared towarc environmental and sustainable architecture, engineering and workforcr development. Gordon said more specific plansx and details of the west downtown campuws are being worked and could be unveilexdthis fall. ASU has been upping its greebn and sustainable programs at its Tempe andother campuses. Gordon, ASU Presidenty Michael Crow and the Greater Phoenix Economic Counci also want to bolsterthe Valley’s solar energg production and make the region a centet for alternative energy source.
That includesx Gordon wanting the city to becom e the Silicon Valley for sola energy and reducethe Valley’s urban heat islancd by painting rooftops
The Phoenix mayor would like to see the sustainabilityg campus located near 7th Avenue and Van Buren Street just west of thedowntown core. He said and would be the centerpiecees of thenew campus. Downtownm Phoenix already is home to a growing ASU campus and a biomedicao center that features programs from ASU and the Universittof Arizona. Those existingt higher education assets are locatedin downtown’s core and to it easterhn edges. The city of Phoenizx has been lobbying federal agencies includingthe U.S. Departments of Education, Energy and Housing and UrbamnDevelopment — to help fund the greenm campus via the American Recovery & Reinvestmen t Act of 2009.
The $787 billio federal stimulus offers education and research grants for solar and alternative energgy and in othersustainability niches. Gordonb will be in Washington next week talkin g to Obamaadministration officials, including Vice President Josepyh Biden about the stimulus. That will include meetingse withthe U.S. Department of Laboe about the sustainability effort as well as work forcd development fundingvia ARRA. Therse is a Rio Salado College adult education center off of 7th Avenuse nearFilmore Street.
Gordon said Rio Salado owns some othed land and there are vacan parcels that could be used fora sustainability/green The campus would be geared towarc environmental and sustainable architecture, engineering and workforcr development. Gordon said more specific plansx and details of the west downtown campuws are being worked and could be unveilexdthis fall. ASU has been upping its greebn and sustainable programs at its Tempe andother campuses. Gordon, ASU Presidenty Michael Crow and the Greater Phoenix Economic Counci also want to bolsterthe Valley’s solar energg production and make the region a centet for alternative energy source.
That includesx Gordon wanting the city to becom e the Silicon Valley for sola energy and reducethe Valley’s urban heat islancd by painting rooftops
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