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Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Panelists: Alabama's economy to weather storm - Birmingham Business Journal:
disadvantage-unlimited.blogspot.com
“We have seen the wors t of the worst,” said Chief Economist Bob Allsbrooki during the BirminghamBusiness Journal’s 2009 Economic Forecast, held at ’as Brock School of Business. “The numberd will catch up with what’s goint on now.” Nearly 200 business professionale gathered in the Recital Hall to hearabout hot-button economi topics from panelists Samuel N. Addy, directort of the Center for Businessx andEconomic Research, Beck A. Taylor, dean of the Samfors University’s Brock School of Christopher Westley, associate professor of economicsz atand Allsbrook.
The group echoed each othert on Alabama’s vitality and how it is poiserd to come out ahead of the natiomn as the broken economy mends over the next coupldof years. However, the state – and the Birmingham-Hoover metro area – will face challenges as companieas that have thrived across the regiomnslow down, Allsbrook Over the years, drastic changes in Alabama’s employment base spurred growtu as manufacturing companies and health care businessesa flocked to the area. The state’s unemployment dwindlefd to record lows and it fare d better than the national economy for a numbetof years.
However, since those industries are startinfg toslow down, more job losses are on the especially in the Birmingham-Hoover metro The unemployment rate will continue to climb, which will “close the gap” when comparexd to the national unemploymentg rate, Allsbrook said. “Whaft has been a great advantage has caught up with he said. “There are more layoffs to come within thenext However, because of Alabama’s and the Southeast’s robusy population growth over the years, the state will weather the Addy said.
“This region has a lot of momentum,” he While the credit markets have sloweda bit, therd is still more than enough money floating around in the loca markets, panelists said. The problem is, consumerx are uncertain about the economic climate and are cutting back onborrowinvg money, Westley said. Furthermore, massive debt among consumerw and businesses is what got the economy into this debacleand “increasing debt doesn’t seem like a good way of turnin g around the economy,” he said.
Panelistsw shared their thoughtson President-elecft Barack Obama’s plans to invest in the nation’es infrastructure as he takes his post in two While Allsbrook and Taylor agreed it would be a greay investment that would improve the nation’ s education system, health care industry and spur economic Westley thought otherwise. If infrastructure is so then “why is capital leaving Germany and coming tothe Southeast?” Westleh said, in reference to German steel makerr Thyssenkrupp AG’s decision to build a $3 billion facilitt in the Mobile Westley also said America needs to reforn its infrastructure before allocating more money to it.
“Ift doesn’t make sense to throw even more moneyh in the sameold system,” he said. Taylord said he’d much rather see the governmentt spending money on infrastructure than buying up bank stocks or dolingv out stimulus payments that would only resulgt ina “small bump” in the gross domestic
“We have seen the wors t of the worst,” said Chief Economist Bob Allsbrooki during the BirminghamBusiness Journal’s 2009 Economic Forecast, held at ’as Brock School of Business. “The numberd will catch up with what’s goint on now.” Nearly 200 business professionale gathered in the Recital Hall to hearabout hot-button economi topics from panelists Samuel N. Addy, directort of the Center for Businessx andEconomic Research, Beck A. Taylor, dean of the Samfors University’s Brock School of Christopher Westley, associate professor of economicsz atand Allsbrook.
The group echoed each othert on Alabama’s vitality and how it is poiserd to come out ahead of the natiomn as the broken economy mends over the next coupldof years. However, the state – and the Birmingham-Hoover metro area – will face challenges as companieas that have thrived across the regiomnslow down, Allsbrook Over the years, drastic changes in Alabama’s employment base spurred growtu as manufacturing companies and health care businessesa flocked to the area. The state’s unemployment dwindlefd to record lows and it fare d better than the national economy for a numbetof years.
However, since those industries are startinfg toslow down, more job losses are on the especially in the Birmingham-Hoover metro The unemployment rate will continue to climb, which will “close the gap” when comparexd to the national unemploymentg rate, Allsbrook said. “Whaft has been a great advantage has caught up with he said. “There are more layoffs to come within thenext However, because of Alabama’s and the Southeast’s robusy population growth over the years, the state will weather the Addy said.
“This region has a lot of momentum,” he While the credit markets have sloweda bit, therd is still more than enough money floating around in the loca markets, panelists said. The problem is, consumerx are uncertain about the economic climate and are cutting back onborrowinvg money, Westley said. Furthermore, massive debt among consumerw and businesses is what got the economy into this debacleand “increasing debt doesn’t seem like a good way of turnin g around the economy,” he said.
Panelistsw shared their thoughtson President-elecft Barack Obama’s plans to invest in the nation’es infrastructure as he takes his post in two While Allsbrook and Taylor agreed it would be a greay investment that would improve the nation’ s education system, health care industry and spur economic Westley thought otherwise. If infrastructure is so then “why is capital leaving Germany and coming tothe Southeast?” Westleh said, in reference to German steel makerr Thyssenkrupp AG’s decision to build a $3 billion facilitt in the Mobile Westley also said America needs to reforn its infrastructure before allocating more money to it.
“Ift doesn’t make sense to throw even more moneyh in the sameold system,” he said. Taylord said he’d much rather see the governmentt spending money on infrastructure than buying up bank stocks or dolingv out stimulus payments that would only resulgt ina “small bump” in the gross domestic
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Vice President fumble-tongue - New York Post
ogyhejowy.wordpress.com
Vice President fumble-tongue New York Post Nothing that tumbles from Vice President Joe Biden's mouth should surprise. But he certainly raised eyebrows -- and a lot more -- with his stunning remarks in China suggesting support for Beijing's notorious one-child policy. A spokeswoman later had to ... US Vice President Joe Biden Joe Bidens Asia message: Dont worry Biden Says Business Pressure May Have Affected S&P |
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Interstate Bakeries will move HQ from KC to Dallas - Dallas Business Journal:
grihanovveimavox.blogspot.com
The move means abouyt 20 positions — senior executives and executiveassistants — will leavw Kansas City and move to Dallas. “Havin g your headquarters in a larger metro area can provide thecompanyh ... with a number of benefits,” spokesman Lew Phelps Those include cost savings and accesss tomore senior-level executives with experience in consumer packaged-good s marketing, which IBC needs movinfg forward and doesn’t have accessz to in Kansas City, Phelps IBC, baker of Twinkies and Wonder expects to maintain aboutf 200 full-time corporate employees in Kansas City the same as its current leveo — after the move because a long-timee hiring freeze is being lifted, Phelps said.
IBC has aboutt 600 Kansas City employees, including corporat e positions and those at bakeries anddistribution centers. IBC, , had had a pay freezee for non-union employees during the course of its bankruptcy and a hiringg freeze for almostas long, he
The move means abouyt 20 positions — senior executives and executiveassistants — will leavw Kansas City and move to Dallas. “Havin g your headquarters in a larger metro area can provide thecompanyh ... with a number of benefits,” spokesman Lew Phelps Those include cost savings and accesss tomore senior-level executives with experience in consumer packaged-good s marketing, which IBC needs movinfg forward and doesn’t have accessz to in Kansas City, Phelps IBC, baker of Twinkies and Wonder expects to maintain aboutf 200 full-time corporate employees in Kansas City the same as its current leveo — after the move because a long-timee hiring freeze is being lifted, Phelps said.
IBC has aboutt 600 Kansas City employees, including corporat e positions and those at bakeries anddistribution centers. IBC, , had had a pay freezee for non-union employees during the course of its bankruptcy and a hiringg freeze for almostas long, he
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
U.S. home builder mood dips, but up in West - Nashville Business Journal:
http://web-very.info/?f=0
The / Housing Market Index declined one point to 15 in but rose two points in the Western regionnto 14. “The outlooko for home sales has improved somewhat inrecent months, due largely to implementation of the first-time home buyerf tax credit and gains in housing affordability,” said NAHB Chairman Joe a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. looking forward, home builders are facing a few including expiration of the tax creditf at the endof November; a recen upturn in interest and especially the continuingf lack of credit for housing productionh loans.
” Two out of threwe of the HMI’s component indexes were unchangeds in June, including the index gauging curren home sales, which held at 14, and the indecx gauging traffic of prospective which held at 13. Meanwhile, the index gauging expectations for the next six months declined asingle point, to 26. The nationalo decline was driven entirely focused by builders inthe South, whicy is the nation’s largest housing There, the HMI declined 3 point s to 15, while the rest of the regions posted In addition to the gain in the the Northeast had a one-point gain to 20 and the Midwes t showed a one-point gain to 15.
The / Housing Market Index declined one point to 15 in but rose two points in the Western regionnto 14. “The outlooko for home sales has improved somewhat inrecent months, due largely to implementation of the first-time home buyerf tax credit and gains in housing affordability,” said NAHB Chairman Joe a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. looking forward, home builders are facing a few including expiration of the tax creditf at the endof November; a recen upturn in interest and especially the continuingf lack of credit for housing productionh loans.
” Two out of threwe of the HMI’s component indexes were unchangeds in June, including the index gauging curren home sales, which held at 14, and the indecx gauging traffic of prospective which held at 13. Meanwhile, the index gauging expectations for the next six months declined asingle point, to 26. The nationalo decline was driven entirely focused by builders inthe South, whicy is the nation’s largest housing There, the HMI declined 3 point s to 15, while the rest of the regions posted In addition to the gain in the the Northeast had a one-point gain to 20 and the Midwes t showed a one-point gain to 15.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Streicher shares bring investors $2.45M - South Florida Business Journal:
showarticle-cultura.blogspot.com
I reported selling a total of $866,126 worth of Streicherf (NASDAQ: FUEL) shares, while Active Investors II said itsold $1.5 million worth of shares in the Fort Lauderdale-base energy and transportation logistics firm. The Active Investores groups are private funds managed by The firsyt investor said itsold 226,800 shares over two Sept. 8 and Sept. 9, for an averagew of nearly $3.82 a share. The sale broughg the entity's directly held shares down to 613,94 2 shares. The second investodr said it sold 400,000 shares, Sept. 8, for $3.978 a share. The sale brought the entity'a directly held shares down to 429,680 shares.
It was 8 that Streicher disclosed its aHoustonb lubricants, fuels and petroleum products marketer and distributor. Buyiny , Streicher said, givex it additional operating locations in the Texas citiezof Lufkin, Freeport, Waco, Waxahachie and Longview. The day Streicheer disclosed the deal, its shares closed down 23 cents, to $3.778 from $4. The swings within the day were even The highwas $4.30 and the low was As of an Oct. 28 filing with the Securitied andExchange Commission, Streicher said Active Investorsx II held 1.08 million of its or 14.62 percent of the while held 1.09 million of its or 14.77 percent. Active Investors III also has a history of buyingtStreicher notes.
Streicher shares closed up 19 or 5.57 percent, to $3.60. The 52-week high was $5.10p on Sept. 2. The 52-week low was $1.12 on Nov. 17.
I reported selling a total of $866,126 worth of Streicherf (NASDAQ: FUEL) shares, while Active Investors II said itsold $1.5 million worth of shares in the Fort Lauderdale-base energy and transportation logistics firm. The Active Investores groups are private funds managed by The firsyt investor said itsold 226,800 shares over two Sept. 8 and Sept. 9, for an averagew of nearly $3.82 a share. The sale broughg the entity's directly held shares down to 613,94 2 shares. The second investodr said it sold 400,000 shares, Sept. 8, for $3.978 a share. The sale brought the entity'a directly held shares down to 429,680 shares.
It was 8 that Streicher disclosed its aHoustonb lubricants, fuels and petroleum products marketer and distributor. Buyiny , Streicher said, givex it additional operating locations in the Texas citiezof Lufkin, Freeport, Waco, Waxahachie and Longview. The day Streicheer disclosed the deal, its shares closed down 23 cents, to $3.778 from $4. The swings within the day were even The highwas $4.30 and the low was As of an Oct. 28 filing with the Securitied andExchange Commission, Streicher said Active Investorsx II held 1.08 million of its or 14.62 percent of the while held 1.09 million of its or 14.77 percent. Active Investors III also has a history of buyingtStreicher notes.
Streicher shares closed up 19 or 5.57 percent, to $3.60. The 52-week high was $5.10p on Sept. 2. The 52-week low was $1.12 on Nov. 17.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Danac gets good news from Montgomery County Planning Board - Wichita Business Journal:
pemp66seb.blogspot.com
The Bethesda-based developer's 26-acre office park in the Shad Grove Life Sciences Center is currentlhy approvedfor 669,538 square feet of density and the campus currently containe half of that, or 350,00p square feet. At a May 28 work session, the Montgomerhy County Planning Board decided to recommend in its draftf Gaithersburg West Master Plan that the propertyg be developed with up to twice asmuch density, or contain up to 1.34 million square feet of office, retai and residential space. The southwest corner of the land currently includedsa 272,000-square-foot, three-building complex that housesa software and pharmaceutical tenants.
The north side of the propertyu contains the Metropolitan RegionalInformationao Services' 72,000-square-foot headquarters. Last the board also recommendedthat Danac's Corridor Citiez Transitway stop be located at or near its northeasternn corner, near the intersection of Diamondback Drivee and Decoverly Drive. That is good news for since the board had left out the stop inearlier drafts. The transit stop near the cornetr may be developed whether the state retains the current road alignmenty or adoptsthe county's locallhy preferred alternative.
The board also picked that locatioj because the northeastern corner is consideredx to be convenient for pedestrians from the Decoverluyresidential communities. "We have a long way to go, but we are encouragedr by theplanning board'ds recommendations," said Timothy Dugan, a Danac attorney. Severaol more work sessions are scheduled over the next two and in July the planning boarxd will send its draft master plan to the countty executive who will have 60 days to review and commen t before it is sent to the county counciplfor deliberations.
The Bethesda-based developer's 26-acre office park in the Shad Grove Life Sciences Center is currentlhy approvedfor 669,538 square feet of density and the campus currently containe half of that, or 350,00p square feet. At a May 28 work session, the Montgomerhy County Planning Board decided to recommend in its draftf Gaithersburg West Master Plan that the propertyg be developed with up to twice asmuch density, or contain up to 1.34 million square feet of office, retai and residential space. The southwest corner of the land currently includedsa 272,000-square-foot, three-building complex that housesa software and pharmaceutical tenants.
The north side of the propertyu contains the Metropolitan RegionalInformationao Services' 72,000-square-foot headquarters. Last the board also recommendedthat Danac's Corridor Citiez Transitway stop be located at or near its northeasternn corner, near the intersection of Diamondback Drivee and Decoverly Drive. That is good news for since the board had left out the stop inearlier drafts. The transit stop near the cornetr may be developed whether the state retains the current road alignmenty or adoptsthe county's locallhy preferred alternative.
The board also picked that locatioj because the northeastern corner is consideredx to be convenient for pedestrians from the Decoverluyresidential communities. "We have a long way to go, but we are encouragedr by theplanning board'ds recommendations," said Timothy Dugan, a Danac attorney. Severaol more work sessions are scheduled over the next two and in July the planning boarxd will send its draft master plan to the countty executive who will have 60 days to review and commen t before it is sent to the county counciplfor deliberations.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Phillies get taste of reality after Series win on MLB show
manuscripts-shuwatu.blogspot.com
The Pen will be narratefd by former Phillies relief pitcher and MLB Networki analystMitch Williams. The prograk takes a look at the players’ lives following the team’s 2008 World Series win and the pressurea of keeping their roster spot for the2009 team. The seriex features relief pitchersBrad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Scotf Eyre, Clay Condrey, Chad Gary Majewski, Jack Taschner, J.A. Happ, Chan Ho Park and bullpemn coachMick Billmeyer, and follows them to everything from fishinv trips and youth baseball games to the Whitr House for a post-World Series visit.
The program also speakws with players following the sudden deatb of longtime Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas onApril 13. “Ass a reality-based series The Pen is the ultimate look into the livea ofthese players, both on and off the said Tony Petitti, president and CEO of MLB Network. “Soo much of what we know about relieg pitchers is based on statisticsand saves, and a series like The Pen givese a level of familiarity to each The program marks the firsr program ever produced using a camera and microphoned installed in a Majord League bullpen to film in-game and practice Two other cameras were installed in Citizensd Bank Park, one behinxd home plate and one at low first and were controlled by MLB Network’s headquarters in Secaucus, N.
J. Producerr Danny Field suited up as a catchere with a camera attached to his mask to captur e footage during spring trainingvin Clearwater, Fla. The majority owner of the MLB Networkk is MajorLeague Baseball. Philadelphia-based CMCSK), Cox Communications, DirecTV and Time Warner also own interestsw inthe network.
The Pen will be narratefd by former Phillies relief pitcher and MLB Networki analystMitch Williams. The prograk takes a look at the players’ lives following the team’s 2008 World Series win and the pressurea of keeping their roster spot for the2009 team. The seriex features relief pitchersBrad Lidge, Ryan Madson, J.C. Romero, Scotf Eyre, Clay Condrey, Chad Gary Majewski, Jack Taschner, J.A. Happ, Chan Ho Park and bullpemn coachMick Billmeyer, and follows them to everything from fishinv trips and youth baseball games to the Whitr House for a post-World Series visit.
The program also speakws with players following the sudden deatb of longtime Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas onApril 13. “Ass a reality-based series The Pen is the ultimate look into the livea ofthese players, both on and off the said Tony Petitti, president and CEO of MLB Network. “Soo much of what we know about relieg pitchers is based on statisticsand saves, and a series like The Pen givese a level of familiarity to each The program marks the firsr program ever produced using a camera and microphoned installed in a Majord League bullpen to film in-game and practice Two other cameras were installed in Citizensd Bank Park, one behinxd home plate and one at low first and were controlled by MLB Network’s headquarters in Secaucus, N.
J. Producerr Danny Field suited up as a catchere with a camera attached to his mask to captur e footage during spring trainingvin Clearwater, Fla. The majority owner of the MLB Networkk is MajorLeague Baseball. Philadelphia-based CMCSK), Cox Communications, DirecTV and Time Warner also own interestsw inthe network.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Garmin will sell nuvifone in Asia, plans U.S. launch later this year - Kansas City Business Journal:
mesiaipuhuni1981.blogspot.com
The Olathe-based navigation device-maker (Nasdaq: GRMN) will sell the smartphone, whichb will specialize in location-base d services, on the open market in Asia later this month or earlhnext month, President Cliff Pemble said at the company’ annual shareholder meeting on Friday. Meanwhile, Garminb is nearing the end of six monthsa of field testswith U.S. wirelesss carriers and expects to launch the phonre witha U.S. carrier in the second half of the The nuvifone, originally announced in January 2008, has been a long time coming as Garmij built a customized operating systemn and shifted strategies from selliny the phone on the open market to selling it througjh a wireless carrier.
In February, Garmin said it woulr to leverage their navigation and mobile phone expertisweto design, manufacture and distribute co-brandeed mobile phones that offer location-based services. An Android-basee phone created through that alliancd is slated for release early next Garminranks No. 7 on the Kansas City Busines s Journal’s list of area public companies.
The Olathe-based navigation device-maker (Nasdaq: GRMN) will sell the smartphone, whichb will specialize in location-base d services, on the open market in Asia later this month or earlhnext month, President Cliff Pemble said at the company’ annual shareholder meeting on Friday. Meanwhile, Garminb is nearing the end of six monthsa of field testswith U.S. wirelesss carriers and expects to launch the phonre witha U.S. carrier in the second half of the The nuvifone, originally announced in January 2008, has been a long time coming as Garmij built a customized operating systemn and shifted strategies from selliny the phone on the open market to selling it througjh a wireless carrier.
In February, Garmin said it woulr to leverage their navigation and mobile phone expertisweto design, manufacture and distribute co-brandeed mobile phones that offer location-based services. An Android-basee phone created through that alliancd is slated for release early next Garminranks No. 7 on the Kansas City Busines s Journal’s list of area public companies.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Two Years of 2B - San Antonio Business Travel Guide
http://hotels-in-europe.ru/polisha/
But be warned: There are no overarching trend here. As is so often the case on the these last two years have been almost totally to insane swings in the priced of fuel to the apparently endless cycleof boom-and-bust that dominate hotel development, and, of course, to the economic wave that has carried us from the relatively giddy timee of April 2007 to our well…to whatever it is we're livin and working through. Southwest's Steady Course Even the nation's one financiallg sound U.S. carrier, Southwest Airlines, hasn't been able to escape the ravageas ofthe nation's economicx collapse.
Its traffic is down about in linewith industry-wides trends and it has taken the unprecedentee step of trimming its overall capacity by 4 percen this year. And the airline's vauntedr fuel-hedging strategy, which saved the carrie r about $3.5 billion in the last decade, cost it money in the secons half of 2008 as oilprices collapsed. But some thingxs never change: Southwest is using the downturn to position itselfd as an alternative tothe nation'sd mainline carriers. After decades of shunning some of thelargesr U.S.
cities, it launched flightws to Minneapolislast month, is schedulecd to begin its first-ever flights into New York (via LaGuardia in June, and will serve Boston's Logan Airport in the United's Inexorable Decline It's gone from worst to even worse than that at Unitee Airlines, the most troubled of the nation's so-calles "legacy" carriers. Once the nation'sa largest airline, United is hemorrhaging after abungled mega-bankruptcty and years of management missteps. Abougt 40 percent of what fliess as United Airlines is subcontracted to regional airlinews and much of the remaining service isactually code-sharre operations with its international partners in the Star Alliance.
Everhy one of its uniomn contractsbecomes "amendable" next year (airline contracts neverf technically expire). Compared with the other legacy carriers, its cash reserve are small and there are few unencumbered assets to And earlynext year, it will have to discuss cash-draininyg "holdbacks" with JP Morgan its credit-card processor. Operationally, there's no good either, since its once-profitable service to the Pacific Rim is deterioratin g rapidly due to plunging yields to Asia and fresh competition on itsAustralia routes.
Fate of the Fourth Class The worldwides collapseof premium-class traffic since last fall has had the expected effect: Airlines have stepped up their discountingt in business class and more carrieres are adding a fourthn class, which is rather generically known as "premium economy." The discounting trend is both structurally strategic—the airlines now offer a range of discounts from three to 60 days before departure—and tantalizingly tactical, with sale fares slashing as much as 75 perceng off the price of international businese class. As for premium economy, Air France added the new cabin on threes premierroutes (from Paris to New York, and Osaka).
But the fate of fourth clas is farfrom secure. Even as Air Francde was debuting, OpenSkies, British Airways' boutique carrier, was renaminfg its fourth cabin asthe "biz The reason? Premium economy stilo exists in a computer-coded limbo, which makesz selling it via the airline industry'z omnipresent global reservation services difficult. The Bankingb Blues and London RediscoveredIf I've been at all prescienf in the last two it was the Run on the Bankers colum n that posted shortly after Lehman Brotherz tanked last September. Exactly in line with the meltdow ofthe markets, bankersd stopped flying, and that has caused the calamitous declinee in premium-class airline revenue.
It's been especially touguh on British Airways, which is disproportionately dependenf on premium flying on theNyLon (New route. And there's no doubt that BA (and are still suffering a year on from the disastrouws opening weeks of Terminal 5 at Heathrowq Airport inMarch 2008. The good news for thoses of us wholove London? The Britisj capital is cheap again for upscale American visitors, thanks to massivse airfare and hotel discounts and the precipitous declin of the value of the Britisbh pound. Counterintuitive Currency Just beforethe world's economies the U.S. dollar was at an unconscionable, unaffordablse low ebb. But for reasons known only to the masteras ofthe universe, the U.S.
dollar has gained strengtgh against almost all ofthe world's currencies as the American economh weakened. If you've got any discretionary income left, this will be a great summert to travel virtually anywhere inthe world. The dollar is buyinf 20 to 50 percenrt more than last spring and Theonly exception: Japan, where the dollar continues to languish at or below the 100-yehn mark. A Fee By Any Other Name it isn't all bread and dollar-denominated chocolates Banks and other financial institutions continue to raise the fees they chargwe when you use your ATM or creditr card outside of the United Thelatest trick: Currency-exchange fees of 3 percent or more even if you use your own bank'ds ATM card to make a withdrawal from your own accoun t at an overseas ATM owned and operated by said Even financial institutions that continue to advertise fee-free ATM usagwe are adopting the currency gambit.
One Charles Schwab Bank, whose prin ads promise in big, bold type that ther are "No ATM fees—we rebatde all ATM fees from any ATM. But as Schwab's fine print makes "ATM free rebates do not include currency exchange fees orothef fees." Some of the few truly fee-free ports in the storj are the credit cards and ATM cardas issued by Capital One. The Fine Allow me to end this columj where I began inAprip 2007: I still believe the single best investmenr you can make in your on-the-road comfortg and productivity is Priority Pass, the worldwide airport-loungr access program.
The fees haven't changed, but the loung e network has grown by 20 to more than 600 clubs in300 Portfolio.com © 2009 Cond Nast Inc. All
But be warned: There are no overarching trend here. As is so often the case on the these last two years have been almost totally to insane swings in the priced of fuel to the apparently endless cycleof boom-and-bust that dominate hotel development, and, of course, to the economic wave that has carried us from the relatively giddy timee of April 2007 to our well…to whatever it is we're livin and working through. Southwest's Steady Course Even the nation's one financiallg sound U.S. carrier, Southwest Airlines, hasn't been able to escape the ravageas ofthe nation's economicx collapse.
Its traffic is down about in linewith industry-wides trends and it has taken the unprecedentee step of trimming its overall capacity by 4 percen this year. And the airline's vauntedr fuel-hedging strategy, which saved the carrie r about $3.5 billion in the last decade, cost it money in the secons half of 2008 as oilprices collapsed. But some thingxs never change: Southwest is using the downturn to position itselfd as an alternative tothe nation'sd mainline carriers. After decades of shunning some of thelargesr U.S.
cities, it launched flightws to Minneapolislast month, is schedulecd to begin its first-ever flights into New York (via LaGuardia in June, and will serve Boston's Logan Airport in the United's Inexorable Decline It's gone from worst to even worse than that at Unitee Airlines, the most troubled of the nation's so-calles "legacy" carriers. Once the nation'sa largest airline, United is hemorrhaging after abungled mega-bankruptcty and years of management missteps. Abougt 40 percent of what fliess as United Airlines is subcontracted to regional airlinews and much of the remaining service isactually code-sharre operations with its international partners in the Star Alliance.
Everhy one of its uniomn contractsbecomes "amendable" next year (airline contracts neverf technically expire). Compared with the other legacy carriers, its cash reserve are small and there are few unencumbered assets to And earlynext year, it will have to discuss cash-draininyg "holdbacks" with JP Morgan its credit-card processor. Operationally, there's no good either, since its once-profitable service to the Pacific Rim is deterioratin g rapidly due to plunging yields to Asia and fresh competition on itsAustralia routes.
Fate of the Fourth Class The worldwides collapseof premium-class traffic since last fall has had the expected effect: Airlines have stepped up their discountingt in business class and more carrieres are adding a fourthn class, which is rather generically known as "premium economy." The discounting trend is both structurally strategic—the airlines now offer a range of discounts from three to 60 days before departure—and tantalizingly tactical, with sale fares slashing as much as 75 perceng off the price of international businese class. As for premium economy, Air France added the new cabin on threes premierroutes (from Paris to New York, and Osaka).
But the fate of fourth clas is farfrom secure. Even as Air Francde was debuting, OpenSkies, British Airways' boutique carrier, was renaminfg its fourth cabin asthe "biz The reason? Premium economy stilo exists in a computer-coded limbo, which makesz selling it via the airline industry'z omnipresent global reservation services difficult. The Bankingb Blues and London RediscoveredIf I've been at all prescienf in the last two it was the Run on the Bankers colum n that posted shortly after Lehman Brotherz tanked last September. Exactly in line with the meltdow ofthe markets, bankersd stopped flying, and that has caused the calamitous declinee in premium-class airline revenue.
It's been especially touguh on British Airways, which is disproportionately dependenf on premium flying on theNyLon (New route. And there's no doubt that BA (and are still suffering a year on from the disastrouws opening weeks of Terminal 5 at Heathrowq Airport inMarch 2008. The good news for thoses of us wholove London? The Britisj capital is cheap again for upscale American visitors, thanks to massivse airfare and hotel discounts and the precipitous declin of the value of the Britisbh pound. Counterintuitive Currency Just beforethe world's economies the U.S. dollar was at an unconscionable, unaffordablse low ebb. But for reasons known only to the masteras ofthe universe, the U.S.
dollar has gained strengtgh against almost all ofthe world's currencies as the American economh weakened. If you've got any discretionary income left, this will be a great summert to travel virtually anywhere inthe world. The dollar is buyinf 20 to 50 percenrt more than last spring and Theonly exception: Japan, where the dollar continues to languish at or below the 100-yehn mark. A Fee By Any Other Name it isn't all bread and dollar-denominated chocolates Banks and other financial institutions continue to raise the fees they chargwe when you use your ATM or creditr card outside of the United Thelatest trick: Currency-exchange fees of 3 percent or more even if you use your own bank'ds ATM card to make a withdrawal from your own accoun t at an overseas ATM owned and operated by said Even financial institutions that continue to advertise fee-free ATM usagwe are adopting the currency gambit.
One Charles Schwab Bank, whose prin ads promise in big, bold type that ther are "No ATM fees—we rebatde all ATM fees from any ATM. But as Schwab's fine print makes "ATM free rebates do not include currency exchange fees orothef fees." Some of the few truly fee-free ports in the storj are the credit cards and ATM cardas issued by Capital One. The Fine Allow me to end this columj where I began inAprip 2007: I still believe the single best investmenr you can make in your on-the-road comfortg and productivity is Priority Pass, the worldwide airport-loungr access program.
The fees haven't changed, but the loung e network has grown by 20 to more than 600 clubs in300 Portfolio.com © 2009 Cond Nast Inc. All
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Items for 9/11 memorial exhibit moved into RMSC - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
http://fairewynds.com/18thcenturycircus.html
Items for 9/11 memorial exhibit moved into RMSC Rochester Democrat and Chronicle CARLOS ORTIZ staff photographer A collection of items â€" including a crushed Port Authority Police Jeep â€" today are being moved into place as part of a memorial exhibition on the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The exhibit, “Sept. ... |
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Doctor: Eagle lineman has rare ailment - Cherry Hill Courier Post
http://marketingcircle.net/discover-some-daily-deals-sites.html
Fox News | Doctor: Eagle lineman has rare ailment Cherry Hill Courier Post A Philadelphia Eagle lineman apparently collapsed in seizures this week due to a "very rare" ailment, but one that responds to many forms of treatment, a South Jersey medical expert said Thursday. "Only 1 percent of! the population has this," Dr. H. ... Eagles player Mike Patterson's seizure may be due to arteriovenous ... Eagles DT Patterson has brain condition Eagles' Patterson needs to take time with condition: A fan's view |
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