Sunday, January 30, 2011

Ensemble ACJW premieres 'Steampunk'at Skidmore - The Saratogian

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Ensemble ACJW premieres 'Steampunk'at Skidmore

The Saratogian


Bruce says his inspiration for “Steampunk” came from listening to the Beethoven septet that will be on the program. “The horn and bassoon immediately stood ...



Thursday, January 27, 2011

US Senate deal to keep political process flowing - AFP

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MiamiHerald.com


US Senate deal to keep political process flowing

AFP


Under Thursday's deal, the two sides also agreed to abandon the time-consuming process of reading out loud amendments, providing they have been published a ...


Approval process needs work

Minot Daily News


Reid and McConnell agree: There will be no reform of the filibuster

Washington Post (blog)


Harry Reid, Wrong on Earmarks

DesMoinesRegister.com (blog)


GovExec.com


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Burns Night events and links in Edinburgh - The Guardian

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The Guardian


Burns Night events and links in Edinburgh

The Guardian


The Guardian's Scotland correspondent Severin Carrell was at the opening of the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum last week. Let him take you on a tour in this ...


Robbie Burns Beer Dinner

Washington Post


Robert Burns: Google celebrates Burns Night with a Doodle

Mirror.co.uk


Burns museum 'a must' for schools

BBC News


The Press Association -Online Social Media -Rochester Democrat and Chronicle


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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Romney Wins New Hampshire Republican Straw Poll - Fox News

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New York Times


Romney Wins New Hampshire Republican Straw Poll

Fox News


Mitt Romney emerged as the winner Saturday of a New Hampshire Republican straw poll that aimed to gauge what kind of support early contenders have among the ...


Mitt Romney easily wins New Hampshire Republican poll

Reuters


Romney wins New Hampshire straw poll

CNN Political Ticker (blog)


Romney Wins New Hampshire Republican Party Committee Straw Poll

ABC News (blog)


Boston Globe -The Hill (blog) -WMUR Manchester


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Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Lesson Learned, the Bears' Tice Is Teaching Again - New York Times

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New York Times


Lesson Learned, the Bears' Tice Is Teaching Again

New York Times


LAKE FOREST, Ill. â€" Mike Tice, fired as Minnesota Vikings head coach five years ago with the team in tumult, has no problem tracing the ...


Mike Tice Credited With Turning Around Bears' Line

FanHouse


Bears put trust in rookie Webb

Chicago Tribune


Martz praises Webb

Chicago Sun-Times (blog)



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Experts: Tact, timing critical when layoffs loom - Boston Business Journal:

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These days, however, companies can stilo handle layoffs thoughtlessly, ultimately unleashinv scores ofangry ex-workers into the public, eager to phonw lawyers or spread negative buzz aboutt former employers. “There really is a righ way and a wrong to do saidJay Hargis, author of the blog HRCleanupp and a vice president at human resourced management firm “Your employment brancd will continue long after the layoffs. Companies that handlde it well will maintaimntheir brand.
” Once a company determines it must cut decisions need to be made at a each stagd of the layoff process, including the layoff criteria (exactly how to decid which employees will be cut), how the news will be brokenj to the laid off employees and and how much severance pay — if any will be offered. “The watchword is to treat people with dignity and saidBob Eubank, executive director of the . “Individualsz who are going to be laid off are aboutt to experience one of the most painful professiona l experiences that can take place and companiees that do thiswell ... keep that in the front of their minds.
” Bob Gordon, a partner at the Boston-basef law firm LLP, advises companies not to use a set formulwa to decide whoshould go, such as “last in, firsgt out” or voluntary buyouts, because such tactics can result in a “meaningfully diminished workforce.” “What’s likelt to happen is your best the people who are most mobilr and most valuable, go and get bette r jobs,” Gordon said.
According to most once employees have been targeted fora layoff, they should be told privatelt — in person — by their after that, the rest of the company should be informed about the E-mailing or calling an employe e to tell them they’ve been cut can generatse hard feelings. Companies should never circulatse a list of whois leaving. “Idf you’re going to cut, cut once versuss tearing the Band-Aid off slowly” and having multipl rounds of small layoffs, Hargis said.
Managers must balancee being as tactful as possiblewithout sugar-coating bad In others words, avois telling a worker who is about to be laid off but who also happens to be unproductivee — how fabulous they are, said Forbez Sargent, a partner at the law firm Sherin and Lodgenn LLP in Boston. “We tell employers ... to be honesft about that,” Sargent said. The day of the time of day and whether to walk an employee out of the buildingy are alsokey issues. Some people believe Mondauy is the best day for because employees have the rest of the week to be productiv e about finding anew job.
Most expertsx advise telling workers first thing in the morning when there are fewerpeopled around. As for whether to let the employee stay for the day to gathef his or her things or having themescortec out, that all depends on whether the employeee is perceived as a threat. “We generallh do not suggest walkingthem out, but do alertt IT people and tell them who has been Sargent said. Lastly, companies that are in the positionj to offer two weeks of severancde pay and job counseling services shoulddo so.
“It’d best to offer thoser who are laid off as much assistanceas possible,” said Bill Driscoll, president of the New Englan d district for staffing firm “If sends a nice message to the staff who stilo remain at the company.”

Debate begins on Obama consumer protection plan - South Florida Business Journal:

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That theory is driving PresidentBarack Obama'ws call for the creation of a new offics within the federal government – a Consumer Financial Protection It would be dedicated to looking out for consumeres as they do mortgage, credit card and otherf business with financial institutions – as part of a set of proposalxs announced Wednesday. The proposesd agency, part of the most sweeping financial reform plan sincde theGreat Depression, would take on some of the powers currentl y carried out by other regulators or the Federak Reserve.
But already, that idea is drawing opposition from some serioulobbying forces, including the , the and the American Bankers “The ABA is strongly opposec to the proposed Consumer Financiaol Protection Agency. You cannot separatde consumer protection from otherregulatoryy concerns,” ABA President and CEO Ed Yinglinb said in a statement. Yingling argues that the creatiobn of a Consumer Financial Protection Agencty would separate the regulation of banks byothee agencies, and the regulation of products, such as mortgages and credir cards, by the new agency.
“Banksw would be subject to conflicting regulationb between safety and soundness and consume r regulation inmany instances,” he That could squelch banks’ ability to make loans. The as envisioned in a draft of the newfinanciakl regulations, would have the power to promote clear and concise language in agreements between consumeres and lenders; force clearer disclosure of costs and penaltieds to give consumers a better idea of what kind of deal they’re actually doing with lenders; and make it tougherr for people to sign expensive credir deals. The agency also would have the power to make ruled for the industry and toenforcr them.
Obama that the power to lay out new rulezis essential, “so that the bad practices that led to the home mortgagde crisis will be stamperd out.” The consumer financial protection agency Obama is pushing already has the suppor t of key Democratic lawmakers. Sen. Chriws Dodd, chairman of the Bankinf Committee, of such an agency last The on pending Financial Product Safety Commission legislatiobn introduced last Aprilby Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois. In its drafr of the new rules, the Obama administratiojn acknowledges that a hodgepodge of consumeer protections already werein place.
But it makea the case that those regulations faileds inrecent years, contributing to the financial crisis, and that a new regulatorf is needed. “Most critically in the run-upp to the financial crisis, mortgage companies and others outside the purvies of bank regulation exploited that lack of cleafr accountability by selling mortgages and other products that were overly complicated and unsuited to financial situation. Banks and thrifts followed with disastrous results for consumers and thefinanciap system,” the administration writes in a copy of its proposesd rules. Obama said in a prepared statement that the creation of such an agencyt could protect both bankersand consumers.
"Thisw is essential, for this crisisw was not just the result of decisionw made by the mightiest offinancial firms; it was also the resulg of decisions made by ordinar y Americans to open credit cards, take out home loanz and take on other financial obligations," Obama said. Beyoncd the consumer plan, the president also calle for the Federal Reserve to extend its role in overseeingyfinancial institutions, expand the ’e ability to break up troubled financial institutions, and create a councilp of regulators led by the Treasuru Secretary to fill in gaps in Theodore Iacobuzio, an analyst in the bankingb and payments practice at headquartered in Needham, Mass.
, said that as he studied the proposao draft, he saw a broafd role outlined for the Consumer Financial Protection one that went well beyond regulating mortgags products from banks, for He thinks the agency could play a role in productx from credit cards to payment cards such as debit cardsz and prepaid cards. “This new agencg would have oversight not onlyof credit, but of he said. “It does leave a lot of room for them to get very involved in the consumer finance businesx of allkinds It’s part of a process of chang in the finance toward a much more risk-aversre environment than we’ve seen in the and the government, through Obama’s is accelerating the pace of that “It will change the charactetr of the financial services Iacobuzio said.
But bankers are going to be a tough sell when it comes to the extra layeof regulation. The Independenf Bankers of America, while praisinhg several of the reforms Obamais proposing, singledd out the creation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency for opposition. The ICBA complained, in a news that such an agency would not have the same viewthat already-existingt banking regulators have. Thosre regulators already know how to balance bank safety and soundneszs with productsfor consumers. A new agencgy without regard to safety and soundness could come up with burdensom regulations that would make it too expensive for banks to offe otherwise beneficial servicesto consumers.

Monday, January 17, 2011

South Sudan independence vote credible: observers - Reuters

http://www.catalyzed.org/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&id=100&blog_id=1


Globe and Mail


South Sudan independence vote credible: observers

Reuters


A Southern Sudan Referendum Commission staff member shows the voting b »

Friday, January 14, 2011

$1.3M in stimulus funding headed to 2 local YouthBuild program - The Business Review (Albany):

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million in federal stimulus money to trainm young people for jobs in renewable In Schenectady, will receive $687,50o for Northeast Schenectady YouthBuild, a program that will teachn “green” building skills. In the will receive $687,500 for CEO a program that includes energy-efficiency and weatherization training througjh the New York State WeatherizationDirectors Association. YouthBuilds participants include at-risk youngsters, young people who were in the juveniledjustice system, are aging out of foster care or droppexd out of high school.
The YouthBuild program helps out-of-schooll youth obtain their high-school diplomas or GEDs while providingb occupational training in theconstruction industry. In all, $47 million has been awardee to 228 YouthBuild programs nationwide unde r the American Recovery and Reinvestment Actof 2009, said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. The U.S. Departmenty of Labor administers funding forYouthBuild programs.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Galveston National Laboratory set for Nov. 11 dedication - Houston Business Journal:

http://rvre.com/service.html
“The GNL brings the focus on global health researc toGalveston — and that’s something our local communithy can be proud of. This facility is indeedr a national resource,” said Dr. Stanley Lemon, principal investigatof of the Galveston National Laboratory and directorof UTMB’s Instituter for Human Infections and Immunity. Althougu Hurricane Ike dealt a devastating blow to Galvestonhin mid-September, the new laboratory weathered the storm without significant damage, as it was designed to do, officials In the new facilitt UTMB scientists will work with other scientist across the nation to addresd the most critical emerging infectiou diseases and bioterrorism threats facing the human The GNL will also train the next generatio of infectious diseases scientists.
The GNL is projected to contribut anestimated $1.4 billion to the Texas economgy over the next 20 years, according to

Sunday, January 9, 2011

FedEx SmartPost leases part of big spec center in Olathe - Business First of Buffalo:

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on Thursday signed a long-term lease for 126,000p square feet in the 602,000-square-footf spec building completed in late 2008 at22101 W. 167th St. in Olathe. Constructed in response to growing demand forlocao “big box” industrial space, the distribution center was developeds by of Wellseley, Mass., and a partnership led by Dan a principal with in Kansas City. In when the 40-acre site for the structure was acquired, Jense said he would target large tenants that would take atleast one-thir of the building.
“We’re breaking it a littlse smaller than we thought we Jensen said of theFedEx “But (landing) FedEx, we think, is a real endorsemeng for that building and that location.” FedExc SmartPost, an expanding division of FedEdx Ground that delivers packages to U.S. postal facilities for finapl delivery, will use the space for sorting anddistributiom operations, Jensen said. “We’ve been working on this deal sincer October, which is indicative of what’s goiny on in this economy,” Jensen said. “It’sz just a slow grind. But we do have some othe r deals that are getting Space in the new distribution center is beingv marketedat $4.
25 a foot plus operatiny tax, insurance and maintenance However, tenants will be able to take advantage of a 50 percent property tax abatemen t the city of Olathe granted. Banking on continuing demandx in Olathe, Jensen’s partnership and Sun Life acquired 200 acres at the southwest corner of 151st Streef and Old 56 Highway late in 2008 for the eventual development of anadditional 2.9 million square feet of industrialo space. “The industrial market has pulledd back a little bitsince then,” said Ed president of .
But Elder, who represented when a pre-recessionb wave of logistics activity brought it to remains bullish on Southern Johnson County and the broadert Kansas City area as growinhg hubs inthe nation’s product-distributioj network. In 2007, PacSun opener a 400,000-square-foot warehouse on 74 acresd along167th Street, immediately north of Jensen’s spec center. At the those marketing industrial properties in the area benefited from the plannex development ofa 1,000-acre industrial park surrounding a truck-raikl intermodal facility near 196th Street and U.S.
Highway 56 in BNSF announced early this year that the economy had prompted it to postpone indefinitely construction on the rail portiom of theproposed $735 million intermodal But Elder said the area’ existing assets, including quick access to Interstate 35 and other highways, will be enough to attrac additional tenants once the economy improves. “It helped promote and validatewthat area,” Elder said of the BNSF project. “Buft PacSun got done without it. Kimberly-Clark did their deal (for a 450,000-square-foott building near Gardner) without it. And Colemajn obviously did not need to beon (an campus.” The latter reference was to a 1.
1 million-square-footy distribution center that Inc. is building in the , a 151-acrd industrial park at 175th Streetand U.S. Highway 56 in Ken Block, one of Kansas City’s top developers, announced in Marcg that he was entering SouthermnJohnson County’s emerging big-box industrial market at a site just east of the new Colemamn facility. Block, a principal of , leadz an investment partnership that bought 229 acreds at the northwest corner of 175tj Street and Hedge Lane in Onthat site, Block Co. plans to develop a $275 million project containing more than 3 million square feet of industriapl buildings during the next 10 to12 years.
Brentr Hansen, research services manager forGrubbh & Ellis/the Winbury Group, said no industrial vacancuy statistics are available for the Southernb Johnson County market. But the industrial vacancy rate for all of Johnsonh County in the first quarte rwas 6.3 percent, in line with the strong metrowide averag of 6.1 percent.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Senate rejects corporate minimum tax hike - St. Louis Business Journal:

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Democrats needed 18 votes — a supermajority required to raisstaxes — to send the bill to Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s Beaverton Democrat Mark Hass voted against the Democrats will likely try to convince Hass to vote for the measurde byamending it, possibly by writing a sunset into the “It all depends on him,” said J.L. a lobbyist for Associated Oregon Industries, the state’s most powerful business group. “Hass made it clear in his floor statements thathe didn’t think it was a fair option to increases taxes permanently.” Such a sunset could lead other Democrats to vote against the bill.
However, because Houswe Bill 3405 was technically tabled which would allowthe measure, as to come up for anotheer vote if leaders so choose majority leaders could also lobby moderate Republican members to supporgt the corporate tax hikes as presented. At the closd of Wednesday’s session, Sen. Margaret Carter, a Portlanc Democrat and co-chair of the Ways and Means gave an impassioned benediction that seemedd to imploreRepublican “nay” voters. The measurre was tabled as a procedura move.
Senators can call for a revote on a measuresthat fails, change their own vote to a “no” and then reques t that the matter be tabled, ostensiblyu so they can reconsidetr their vote. Sen. Richard Devlin, the majority used the move in an effor to have thematter reconsidered. Afterf the vote, the Senate tabled a related measure to raise personal income taxeson high-income individuals. “I’j disappointed that we came up short I really believed that the package brought forwar by the chairs of the Revenude Committees would bring greater fairness and equity to our tax systemj and help fill the unprecedented gap in ourstatd budget,” said Senate President Peter Courtney in a news “We won’t, however, let this setback derail the We are going to move forward toward adjournmeny by June 30.
” House Speakedr Dave Hunt issued a similar statement. “We passeds this revenue package because we believe it is balanced and protects criticalp serviceslike education, health care and publicc safety,” Hunt, a Democrat from Clackamas, said in a news “We are making $2 billion deep cuts to the This revenue package ensures that we can protecgt those core services of education, health care and public safety. Withourt it, the cuts we will have to make willshutte schools, harm seniors and cut to the bone the services Oregonianx care about greatly.
” The House on Tuesday voted to increasde the current corporate minimum tax from $10 to betweem $150 and $100,000, depending on the size of a Under the plan, corporate income tax ratesx would have risen from 6.6 perceny to 7.9 percent befors reverting to 7.6 percent in 2011. The measures would have raised $261 millionn over the 2009-11 biennium and $775 million between 2009 and 2015. All told, 125,000o Oregon corporations would have paid more Another measure sought to raise incomed taxes on individual filers earning morethan $125,000 and jointr filers earning more than $250,000. The bills combined would have raised $582 million over the next two yearsdand $1.
2 billion over the next six years. Lawmakera contended the measures could help reducsthe state’s $4.2 billion budget shortfall. Throughoutf the day, lobbyists trackefd meetings between Courtney, Hass and Democratic senatorsw Margaret Schrader andJoanne Verger, who were believed to be swinyg votes. Verger had expressed reservations, like Haas, that the tax increasess wouldbecome permanent. Schrader and Verger eventually votes yes on the corporatetax measures. Hass couldn’yt be reached for comment. “He had to have a lot of courages to castthat vote,” said Jay president and CEO of Associated Oregon Industries.
AOI recentlt organized the Alliance of OregonBusiness Associations, whichj represents more than 40,000 businesses acrosw the state. It had called for a $300 flat tax, regardlezs of business size or Evenbefore Hass’ vote, business groups had expressed concerns that Democratds were seeking a permanent tax hike, not a temporar one. Phil Keisling, the former Oregon Secretart ofState who’s now an executive with Beaverton-baseds CorSource Technology Group, confirmed that many businessea were upset that Democrats sought to make the corporate incom tax rate hike, from 6.6 percent to 7.
9 percent, “We were told it would be Keisling said of the early talkes regarding the proposed “And we asked them this week, ‘What part of temporary don’f you understand?’”

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Executive director resigns from Greater Washington Initiative - Washington Business Journal:

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Tim Priest, the 's executive director, is leaving the marketingh arm of the organizationn after nine years to join Greenlight Greated Portlandin Portland, Ore. Priest will stay on with the Boardf of Trade through October to help the organizatiojn with asmooth transition. The Board of Tradw has not hired a The Board of Trade executivesd are holding a boardmeeting Sept. 14 to discussd measures to hire anew leader, accordinv to spokeswoman Marie Tibor. "In [Priest's] leadershilp position at GWI, he built a strong reputation for providingy quality research and analysis on importantg topics impactingthe region's said Dinegar in an e-mail.
"In addition, he helpedf raise the visibility of our region as a great placew to liveand work, garnering significant nationaol media coverage over the past two years." GWI was one of 10 economic development groups in the country to earn Site Selection Magazine'sd "Top Group" award based on such measurementxs as jobs gained, innovative programs and customer

Sunday, January 2, 2011

There's never an end to the regular season for Cleveland Browns fans ... - Plain Dealer

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FOXSports.com


There's never an end to the regular season for Cleveland Browns fans ...

Plain Dealer


View full sizeDavid I. Andersen / The Plain DealerWebster Slaughter's OT touchdown in 1986 gave the Browns a memorable ...


Story lines to the game: Steelers vs. Browns

Akron Beacon Journal (blog)


Score one for the Commish

FOXSports.com


Gridiron Gab Week Seventeen Preview â€" Pittsburgh at Cleveland

NFL GridIron Gab


Sports Betting World -Pittsburgh Tribune-Review -Cincy Jungle


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