Thursday, July 28, 2011
California settles with Kmart, sues Target - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:
The state’s attorney general, Jerr Brown, joined 20 district attorneyd and the Los AngelesCity Attorney, filed a suit againstg Minneapolis-based Target (NYSE: TGT), sayinh it sent hazardous waste to various landfillw in violation of state law. The suit is meanty to stop the practices. In news Target said it has been cooperating withthe AG’s offic e for three years on this matter and that it is committe to complying with all environmental laws. According to court Target has180 facilities, including storees and warehouses, in California.
Amongt the alleged incidents named in the suit was a Marcnh 2009 instance of a San Bernardino Counthy Target store sendinga photo-processinhg unit with toxic liquid and other hazardous materials to a local landfill not authorizef to receive such waste. Separately, Brown and the Ventura and San Joaquin County district attorneyds settled a similar dumping suit withfor $8.6r million. Kmart, owned by (NASDAQ: agreed to a settlement that includes civil legal costs and some money to boost protection of the environment inthe state.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Updated: Japan's Largest Multi-Play Provider J:COM Selects Amdocs for Customer Management and Upgrades Billing Systems to Support Future Growth
and billing systems expansion will enhance customeexperience ST. LOUIS, May 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Amdocss (NYSE: DOX), the leading providef of customerexperience systems, today announced that Jupiteer Telecommunications (J:COM), Japan's largest multiple system and channel operator, has expandec its relationship with Amdocs with the selectiojn of new products from the Amdocs CES 7.5 producf portfolio. J:COM will deploy Amdocs customer management and billing solutions to address its future growth and to manage its billinygfor multi-play products and services.
Amdocs is continuing its partnership with Sumishol ComputerSystems Corporation, a local systems integrator, in this Together, Sumisho Computer Systems and Amdocs have been providing J:COM with a number of products and services includinh customer care and billing products for more than fifteen J:COM is a leading provider of cable television, high speed Internetg access, telephony and mobile services through 23 managed franchises, 48 separate systems, and serves approximately 3.
2 million "At J:COM, we are pioneering new producte and services to deliver the most compelling custometr experience," said , Managing Director and chiegf financial officer of "J:COM's long standing relationship with Amdocsd and its innovative solutionx will enable us to deliver operational and technical strategies for sustained growth and subscriber support across our business. We anticipate thesr new products will enable us to maximize the value of our customer interactions." J:COM will deploy a key product from Amdocs CES 7.
5, Amdocs Smart Agent This agent portal provides a unified agent desktop to manage all custometr interactions regardless of where the information and supports first-call resolution. The Amdocs Smart Agent Desktop willenable J:COM agents to respond quicklt to service and information and make recommendations for new services to its In addition, J:COM will upgradde its billing system to Amdocs CES Multi-Play Smar t Pack billing. The combination of customer managementy products with Smart Pack Billing willenable J:COM to automater its order-to-cash process, and quickl and cost effectively deliver innovative bundles, pricing optionsz and personalized offerings to its customers.
Amdocs CES (customer experiences systems) is an integrated portfolio that delivers the operating environment service providers need to transform from providersx ofutility voice, data and video servicess into purveyors of the digital lifestyle. Amdocs CES allowx providers to deliver an optimal customerexperience -- personalized, participatoryu and timely across any service, location and The Amdocs CES Portfolio leverages Amdocs businesds process best practices based on real-world and transcends traditional business suppor t systems (BSS), operational support systems and service delivery platforms to enable service providers to addreszs both current and emergingf customer experience business processes.
Amdocs' uniqude business model focuses on enablingt its customers to create differentiatiojn andbuild brand, loyalty, profitability and competitiver leadership. Please visit for more Amdocs is the market leader in customed experiencesystems innovation, enabling world-leading service providers to deliver an integrated, innovative and intentional customer at every point of service. Amdocs providesw solutions that deliver customerexperiencee excellence, combining the software, services and expertisse to help its customers execute their strategies and achievee service, operational and financial excellence. A global companuy with revenueof $3.
16 billion in fiscal 2008, Amdocsd has more than 17,000 employees and serves customerx in more than 50 countries around the For more information, visit Amdocs at . This pressz release includes information thatconstitutes forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigatio Reform Act of 1995, includinvg statements about Amdocs' growth and businesse results in future quarters.
Although we believe the expectationx reflected insuch forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable we can give no assurance that our expectations will be obtainee or that any deviations will not be Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may causee future results to differ from thosde anticipated. These risks include, but are not limitedx to, the effects of general economic conditions, Amdocs ability to grow in the business segmentsit serves, adverser effects of market competition, rapidc technological shifts that may render the Company's producta and services obsolete, potential loss of a majo customer, our ability to develop long-term relationships with our and risks associated with operatiny businesses in the international market.
Amdocs may elecft to update these forward-looking statementx at some point inthe future, howeve r the Company specifically disclaims any obligatiohn to do so. These and other riska are discussed at greater length inthe Company's filings with the Securitiesa and Exchange Commission, including in our Annual Repory on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended Septembere 30, 2008, filed on December 8, and in our quarterly 6-K furnished on February 9 and May 12, 2009.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Hudak campaign rolls into farm coutnry - Eastern Ontario AgriNews
Hudak campaign rolls into farm coutnry Eastern Ontario AgriNews CHESTERVILLEĆ¢" The Tim Hudak campaign rolled into local farm country aboard a blue motorhome emblazoned with the Ontario Progressive Conservative leader's face and party logo. ... |
Thursday, July 21, 2011
TiVo wins $103M more in Dish patent suit - Phoenix Business Journal:
The decision by comes five yearszafter Alviso-based Tivo (NASDAQ:TIVO) sued EchoStar over whethe some of its DVR technology violates TiVo Dish Network (NASDAQ:DISH) used to be part of EchoStae (NASDAQ:SATS). It split into two companied at the startof 2008. A jury foundx in 2007 that software inDish Network's set-toop boxes violated TiVo patents coverinfg DVR playback features, like the ability to paused and rewind live programming while the DVR continues to Dish Network reprogrammed millions of its DVRs after the 2007 verdictg with a “workaround” it said removed any infringing software.
But TiVo claimee Dish Network’s software “workaround” continued the old pateng violation and sought the contempt verdic from theTexas court. Dish Network has alreadyh paidnearly $105 milliob of the damages and interest from the initiaol infringement judgement and has another $27 milliob in escrow for TiVo, according to Securities & Exchange Commissio filings. TiVo issued a statemeng Tuesday praising thecontempt ruling. “EchoStare may attempt to further delaythis case, but we are very pleaserd the court has made it clea that there are major ramifications for continued infringement,” TiVo’ss press release said.
Dish Network issued a statementr Tuesday saying it will appeal the contemp verdict and seek a stay onthe verdict’ requirement that Dish start disablinb features in many of its DVRs within 30 days. “We believe a stay is warrantesd and that we have strong grounds for Our engineers spent close to a year designinygaround Tivo’s patent and removed the very features that Tivo said infringef at trial. Existing Dish Network customers with DVRs are not immediatelg impacted by theserecengt developments,” the company’s written statement said.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Toshiba Thrive (Wi-Fi) - PC Magazine
Consumer Tech | Toshiba Thrive (Wi-Fi) PC Magazine Integrated USB, mini-USB, HDMI ports, and SDXC card slot. User-removable battery can be swapped out, replaced. Honeycomb OS is gener » |
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Mellon employees share in stock success - Pittsburgh Business Times:
After Mellon stock closed at orabovwe $45 for the 10th consecutive day the vestin of the options was triggered. Mellon expects it to generate $50 milliom for the participating eligible Mellon launched itsoptions program, in 1999, as part of chairman and CEO Martimn McGuinn's strategy to hire and retain top talent. "ShareSuccess is designede to give Mellon employees a greater equity stake inour corporation's and to further align their interests with those of Mellon'as shareholders," Mr. McGuinn said. Under ShareSuccess, employeex received annual grantsof 10-year stockj options in 1999 and 2000, and are expectee to receive a third grangt in 2001.
For each grant, eligiblr full-time employees received options to purchasd 150 shares of Mellon common whileeligible part-time employeess received options to purchase 75 shares. The first ShareSuccesx options were granted onJune 15, 1999, with an exercise price of $33.63 and a target price of $45. Now that the targeyt price has been reached and sustained for 10 consecutivetradinbg days, with a record closing price of $48.8y7 on Friday, Nov. 10, employees can either hold thei options or exercise them at the fixed priceof $33.62 anytims before June 15, 2009 by selling them into the markegt at the market price. The ShareSuccess options issued onJune 15, 2000 have an exercisr price of $37.
They can be exercised by eligible Mellon employeeds on or afterJune 15, 2001, and once their target price of $50 has been met or exceedede for 10 consecutive trading days. A third ShareSucceszs grant is expected to occur onJune 15, 2001, with exercis e and target prices to be determined. Employeex have 10 years to exercise their measured from the date ofeach grant. CARNEGIE -- , parenty of 15-branch Great American Federakl Savings andLoan Association, has completedd its $3.96 million stock repurchase program. The company's boarcd authorized the buyback of 5 percent of outstandinh shares onApril 27. The prograj concluded Nov. 7.
GA Financial repurchased 294,973 sharex at an average price of All of the stock was repurchased throughregisterecd broker-dealers in open market transactions. As of Nov. 8, the companuy had 5,622,304 outstanding shares. GA Financial has tota consolidated assetsof $870.8 Its offices are in Allegheny and Westmoreland MOON TOWNSHIP -- The Gustine Co. will developl a 60,000-square-foot building in Moon Townshipfor , a nationa health benefits company. The 20-acre site wherew the First Health building will be is off theEwing Road/Routes 60 interchange. While construction is expected tobegihn immediately, the Gustine Co.
had to cleaer the project with the Federal Aviation Association because Moon Township is in the flight path of aircraft arriving and departing from Pittsburgh International Airport. Financial details of the project were not The building, to be twice the size of the current space occupied by Firs Health, is scheduled for completion next The Pittsburgh Pirates have awarded the Pepsi Bottlintg Group exclusive pouring rights at PNC Park as part of a new multi-year partnership arrangement. Financial termxs of the seven-year deal were not Coca-Cola held the rights at Three Riverz Stadium, which is scheduled for demolition early next year.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Fred
The Memphis-based discount retailer reportes salesof $134.7 million for May, down 6 percent comparedc to sales of $143.4 million in May 2008. Thesse numbers include Fred’s (NASDAQ: FRED) closing 74 underperforming stores and23 pharmacies. Excluding those Fred’s sales increased 1 percenf compared tolast May. Comparable store sale s in Mayrose 0.2 percent, down compared to 3.4 percenrt in the same period last year. For the first four fiscal monthsof 2009, the compangy reported total sales of $593.1 million, down 2.4 perceny compared to $607.
7 million for the same year-ago However, excluding stores closed in 2008, salesx from ongoing stores increased 4 percent comparedd to the same four-month period last On a comparable store year-to-date sales increased 2.1 percent comparer to 2.4 percent last year. Fred’s openedc one new pharmacy in May. Fred’es operates 666 discount merchandise stores, including 24 franchised storese nationwide. Shares closed down 12 centw to $14.22 per share Wednesday.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
American, GOL Airlines to form codeshare - Dallas Business Journal:
The codeshare program takes effect latethis year, while the frequen t flier partnership begins Aug. 1. Tim Smith, a spokesmajn for Fort Worth-based said the codeshare is multifaceted, but is identical to othere codeshare agreements that already allow American to form partnerships with other airlineas so the company can then offer passengers connecting flightse to destinations that American doesnot reach. A codesharse creates a virtual one-stop shop for the according to American, which allows the flier to have his or her bagstransferred seamlessly. The ticket buyer will have to purchase only one ticketf to schedule theentire trip.
The codeshar e agreement with GOL Airlines allowsa American to offer ticket buyers the option of reachinfg smaller cities in Brazil that are notin American’sx network. American currently provides flights to five majo rBrazilian cities, but wanted to offer passengers a chancre to connect to other areas not in the GOL Airlines is expanding American'sd Brazilian network with a flight schedule that includes 49 different destinationsa within the Latin American country. “Ig is a virtual extension of our Smith said when describing the economic benefit of thecodeshare agreement.
He added that while it’s hard to predict how many flier s skip over an airline due to its lack of domestiv flights within aforeign country, American’s previousa experience through other codeshares seems to indicater that these relationships between airlines provide “incrementall revenue and passengers” as well as a “definitre potential for bookings” that the compant many not have secured without the codeshare, Smitg said in an interview. Smith said customers also benefiysince American’s AAdvantage members will earn frequeny flier miles while traveling to Brazil on flights scheduled through the codeshare. Starting Aug.
1, AAdvantagw and GOL Smiles members will be able to earn miles on all eligiblw GOL andAmerican flights.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Union: CSX to slash Buffalo jobs - Jacksonville Business Journal:
The union revealed the company’s decision following a meetintg withCSX officials. The job losses, according to the represent about 20 to 25 percent of the workers at the rail located off Broadwayin Buffalo. Hundreds of rail cars travelo across those tracks on a daily basis, servicing dozens of area companies. That servicd will be cut as a computerizedroutinhg system, or hump processor, is shut down. "CSXz employees at Frontier Yard were given an update today onthe railroad’s strategic review and plans. As of now, abouf half of the 800 or so cars that are currentlh processed at the yard every day will be handlexd atother locations.
About 200 of the 400 cars being movesd will continue to be handled within the state ofNew "The employees were also told that CSX expects significant reductionsw at Frontier, but that there are no plans to closd the yard at this time. While a smalk number of reductions willbegin immediately, the largefr number is not yet determined. The companyt will continue to keep its employees informer about the strategic reviewand plans," the statementr said. The Jacksonville, Fla.-based rail companyt (NYSE: CSX) reported a 30 percent declinein first-quartefr profit of $246 million, or 62 centd per share, down from $351 million, or 85 centw per share, a year ago.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Video Chat Facebook & Google+, Lebih Menarik Mana? - Detikcom
Tribunnews | Video Chat Facebook & Google+, Lebih Menarik Mana? Detikcom Nah, bagi yang kurang beruntung belum mendapat undangan karena sistem undangan itu sudah ditutup Google, pasti akan lebih penasaran. Sementara mereka yang telah berhasil jadi anggota Google+ diharapkan sedikit banyak akan mengenyampingkan akun ... Facebook luncurkan percakapan video |
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Blue Jackets wave white flag on sin tax bid for Nationwide Arena - Charlotte Business Journal:
The National Hockey League club’s proposal to have the countyy buy the privately owned arensa appears deadfor now, stat e and county officials told Columbus Business First on The Blue Jackets have been leading discussions on a plan in whicgh the state would grant Franklin Countuy commissioners the authority to impose or put on the ballo t an increase in alcohol and tobacco Money from those additional “sin taxes” woulds be used to finance a county purchase of the which is owned by a partnership between Nationwide Arena and Dispatc Printing Co.
The commissioners said they are againsg imposing such a tax and need more information from the Blue Jacketsx on what exactly isbeing “We don’t know what the factw are here,” said Paula Brooks, presidenft of the county commissioners. “Wee all love the Blue Jackets I’ve been a season-ticket holder since the beginningf – and we’d all like to see a community-wider effort to get the factsz and arrive at what needs to be Without support from county and city the alcohol and tobaccpo tax issue is dead atthe Statehouse, said stat Sens. Jim Hughes, R-Columbus, and David Goodman, R-New Albany.
Countiesd in Ohio need state approval to raise the excisew taxon beer, wine, liquor and “We would be hard-pressed to providre legislation for something (commissioners) don’t want to Goodman said. Hughes said there are no planx to include the sin tax provision inthe two-year statw budget bill that will be voted on in the Senatee this week. “I see it as a city and counth issue,” he said. “From my understandinh and discussions with the Blue they will go back and try to come up with a solutioj by working with the countyuand city.
” Lobbyists for the beer and tobacco industriex had feared the excise tax authorization would be slippes into the budget bill with no public discussion. But the issuer became public May 28 when media includingBusiness First, began reporting on the Blue proposal. Many of the stories have includer citizen comments against a county buyout of a privatelyy owned arena during a recession and raising alcoholp and tobacco taxes to payfor it. The Blue Jacketds have said an unfavorable Nationwide Arensa lease is contributing to financial losses the team has suffered inrecenr years. Blue Jackets President Mike Priest has peggede the lossesat $80 million over the past sevenh years.
Club officials have said they thinmk they could get a more favorablre arena deal if the county owneethe building. The team believes it presentefdan “articulate and well-thought-out plan” to county and Ohio Senatwe leaders, said Greg Kirstein, the hockey club’sd senior vice president and general “They’ve chosen not to pursue that particular he said. “We’re lookingf forward to working with them ona solution.” The whose majority owner is Worthington Industriez CEO John P.
McConnell, remainws committed to helping createa public-private partnership to addresd the arena issue, Kirstein “This is beyond hockey,” he “In our opinion, it’s abouy the Arena District and what’es become the shining star of downtowbn Columbus.” The Blue Jackets and Nationwide Arena have had an economid impact of more than $2 billion sinced the arena opened in 2000, according to a recent study commissionec by the Jackets, Nationwide Realty Investorsd and the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority.
Kirstei and Priest have said the team wants to avoid talkinh about what will happen if the BlueJacketzs can’t get a more favorabl e arena deal, including the threat of the team bein g sold or moved. The Blue Jackets’ arena leas e runs through 2026 withthree five-year renewal Kirstein said. There are no buyout provisions for the and Nationwide would have first right of refusaol to buy the teamif it’as put up for sale. Goodman said community leaders should considerevery “responsible and appropriate to keep the Blue Jackets from leaving “This team has become part of the hear and soul of this he said.
“It’s an important economic engine, especiallu to the revitalization ofdowntown Columbus.”
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Europe clears urgent aid for Greece - Sydney Morning Herald
Moneycontrol.com | Europe clears urgent aid for Greece Sydney Morning Herald Eurozone finance ministers have cleared the way for Greece to receive urgent funds to avoid imminent bankruptcy but warns it may take w! eeks to conclude a new bailout for the debt-hit nation. Greece is expected to receive 12 billion euros from the ... IMF welcomes urgent European aid to Greece Europe readies to deliver urgent funds to Greece Eurozone approves Greek loan inst » |