lebexab.wordpress.com
The Overland Park trucking company’sz ongoing negotiations with the union are at risk of analyst Art Hatfield said ina note. “Givemn the developments with the negotiations between the two partiews and the increasing uncertainty pertaininy to the outcome of those we believe a bankruptcy at YRC Worldwidew is still likely in the nearto mid-term,” he While the parties have kept quiet about the talks, YRC reportedl y wants to end its union pensionm payments for 14 months, which woulxd provide savings of $500 million, and not make up for While that proposal would offer YRC significantr and badly needed liquidity during the period, it “would face a toughg and challenging road to becominbg a reality,” Hatfield wrote.
“From what we know, YRC would not be conceding anything material to the pensionplans and/or its Teamsters employeesd under the proposal,” he wrote. “Additionally, if the proposal goes on to a vote tothe Teamster-representefd employees at YRC, we believe the likelihood of a favorable vote woulf be low at best, given that the employeed would be the ones to feel the brunt of theswe terminated payments over the long term ... and that securitt provisions and protections for Teamsters employees are not part of the concessionzs made by thecompany (to our knowledge).
” In Hatfield wrote, the Teamsters probablt want payment deferrals instead, which woul d be difficult for YRC becausr its lenders probably would be reluctant to let the companyh tie up assets or real estate as And YRC probably has little left to offetr as collateral, he said. Hatfield changed his rating on YRC shares from “Market Perform” to “Not Rated.” YRC beganj the recent concessions talks with the Teamsters on June 29. The pricr of YRC stock (Nasdaq: YRCW) plungedx Wednesday, dropping as low as 89 cents to hita 52-week low. The previous 52-weeo low was $1.20 on Nov. 20, accordingh to . YRC closed on Wednesday at 89 down35 cents, or 28 on volume of 20.
2 million shares. The stock’ss average daily volume the past three monthsis 3.6 million shares. Overland Park-based YRC, which has roughly 49,000 employee s — more than half of them uniojnmembers — has been weighed down by debt and a lengthuy freight recession, and lost $257.4 millionj in the first quarter. It has integrated subsidiaries, shut down laid off workers and sold property to try to cut costss andmaintain liquidity. Early this year, Teamsterx members agreed to a 10 percent wage cut and suspension of cost-of-living adjustments through 2013 in exchangs for a 15 percent stake in the company.
YRC also has been negotiatinvg to defer union pension fund paymentsw using company real estate as collateraol and on June 18 secured an agreement with the largest pensionb fund todefer $83 million in payments. The uniob has said it also is reachinf out tostakeholders — such as pension fund s and YRC’s lenders — to address the cash YRC ranks No. 2 on the Kansae City Business Journal ’s list of area public companies.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
No More Either/Or At QB For Ohio State - NBC4i.com
awipekyhila.blogspot.com
Toledo Blade | No More Either/Or At QB For Ohio State NBC4i.com For a change, after being listed as an OR - in other words, having co-starters - position each week, this time the starting QB job is » |
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Finding reasons, solutions when buying decisions are put on hold - Washington Business Journal:
plesciamipukoa1855.blogspot.com
The challenge is determining if the delay is adisguises objection, an unresolved concern, an excuse or real. Most how can you get to the truth and move thesale forward?? Buyers are like Wall Street: Neither likesa uncertainty. Understanding risk can help you smooth the progresd towarda decision. Caution is an indication of risk and it’s rampant right now. Sellers become too, not wanting to hear a negative But consider that getting a negative decision now is bettere than getting one aftetinvesting time, energy and resources pursuing a prospect for weeks or even Try facilitating a discussion aroundc best-case and worst-case scenarios.
What is the worst case if theydo nothing, and what is the best case if they move forward What is the worst-case scenario if they buy now, and what is the best case if they dela y the decision? Having this conversation gives you the opportunit to influence their thought process and provide inpu t into the scenarios. Three common themew emerge as reasons for delayed which are incomplete or poorinitial qualification, unanswere d concerns and changes in priorities. Wher e you are, what to do Did you just take the prospect’sd word that they could benefit fromwhat you’re selling?? Qualifying the need means gaininv evidence that their situatio n justifies the purchase.
For example, everyone wantsx new office furniture, but how does not buying it now affectthe company? It coulds range from lost productivith to poor market image to no effec at all. If there’s evidence of significant the urgency to make a purchaseris real. It’s also important to acquire the perspective of all involved decision makers toidentify It’s rare for everyone to agree on needsx and priorities within a company. Withoutg this information, it’s difficult to implementr a strategy tomove forward.
Opportunitiezs that need funding or that are waitinyg for funding are less likely to close than thoser that have abudget Risk-adverse sellers avoid having the early crucial conversations about budgets and money. Hopinb that traditional benefits will carry the decisionb is riskier than having a direct and frankm discussion about the investment requirements earlyu in thesales process. There is a difference between not havingv the budget and being unwillingv to investthe budget. One is a logistical proble while the other is a perceivedvalue problem. You can’t fix logistics, but you can addressw value. In a cautionary you must run an “A” game and qualify thoroughly.
A presentation or proposall that is premature will automaticall y generatea stall. Buyers unconsciously go throughb three major phasesof buying. they evaluate if they have a need that is severed enoughto fix. Once a need is the assessment ofoptiond occurs.
The challenge is determining if the delay is adisguises objection, an unresolved concern, an excuse or real. Most how can you get to the truth and move thesale forward?? Buyers are like Wall Street: Neither likesa uncertainty. Understanding risk can help you smooth the progresd towarda decision. Caution is an indication of risk and it’s rampant right now. Sellers become too, not wanting to hear a negative But consider that getting a negative decision now is bettere than getting one aftetinvesting time, energy and resources pursuing a prospect for weeks or even Try facilitating a discussion aroundc best-case and worst-case scenarios.
What is the worst case if theydo nothing, and what is the best case if they move forward What is the worst-case scenario if they buy now, and what is the best case if they dela y the decision? Having this conversation gives you the opportunit to influence their thought process and provide inpu t into the scenarios. Three common themew emerge as reasons for delayed which are incomplete or poorinitial qualification, unanswere d concerns and changes in priorities. Wher e you are, what to do Did you just take the prospect’sd word that they could benefit fromwhat you’re selling?? Qualifying the need means gaininv evidence that their situatio n justifies the purchase.
For example, everyone wantsx new office furniture, but how does not buying it now affectthe company? It coulds range from lost productivith to poor market image to no effec at all. If there’s evidence of significant the urgency to make a purchaseris real. It’s also important to acquire the perspective of all involved decision makers toidentify It’s rare for everyone to agree on needsx and priorities within a company. Withoutg this information, it’s difficult to implementr a strategy tomove forward.
Opportunitiezs that need funding or that are waitinyg for funding are less likely to close than thoser that have abudget Risk-adverse sellers avoid having the early crucial conversations about budgets and money. Hopinb that traditional benefits will carry the decisionb is riskier than having a direct and frankm discussion about the investment requirements earlyu in thesales process. There is a difference between not havingv the budget and being unwillingv to investthe budget. One is a logistical proble while the other is a perceivedvalue problem. You can’t fix logistics, but you can addressw value. In a cautionary you must run an “A” game and qualify thoroughly.
A presentation or proposall that is premature will automaticall y generatea stall. Buyers unconsciously go throughb three major phasesof buying. they evaluate if they have a need that is severed enoughto fix. Once a need is the assessment ofoptiond occurs.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Rambus stock jumps on news of EU settlement - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
hihozeima.blogspot.com
Los Altos-based Rambus (NASDAQ:RMBS) said under the proposeed resolution, the commission wouls make no finding of liabilityg and no fine wouldbe assessed, whiled Rambus would commit to offer licenses with maximum royalty rates for certain memory types and memory controllers going Rambus stock rose 15 percent Friday, closing at $17.39. The European Commissiom originally brought charges againsg Rambus in August 2007 alleging violation of Europeamn Unioncompetition law.
The commission’s investigationb followed complaints set forth by some DRAM manufacturerzs originatingwith Rambus’ 1992-1995 participation in an industrgy standard-setting organization, the Joint Electron Device Engineering Similar charges had been pursued by the Federal Tradee Commission in the United The FTC recently closed its investigation following a series of U.S. court rulingsx in Rambus’ favor. European Commission antitrust procedures stipulate that a final decision must be precedesd by a consultation of interested third parties on the terma of thecommitments offered.
“Our view regarding standard-settinh organizations is that the rulesd of such organizations must be written and and that there should be consequences if such cleaer written rulesare violated,” said Thomas senior vice president and general counselp at Rambus. “We did nothinh wrong during our participation in theJEDEC standard-settinyg organization, as demonstrated in multiple U.S. court victoriesa including beforethe D.C.
Court of With this proposed resolution, we create a new platformm where all parties can move forward by licensingy our patented innovations for future use in their productes rather than engaging in costly Under theproposed resolution, Rambus will offer licenses with maximunm royalty rates for five-year worldwide licenses of 1.5 percent for some of its memoryu types. Some licensees who ship less than 10 percentg of their DRAM products will enjoy aroyaltuy holiday. In addition, Rambus will offer licenses with maximumm royalty ratesfor five-year worldwidr licenses of 1.5 percent for some memory controllerxs through April 2010, dropping to 1 percen t thereafter, and royalty rates of 2.
65 percenyt per unit for other memory controllers througuh April 2010, then dropping to 2
Los Altos-based Rambus (NASDAQ:RMBS) said under the proposeed resolution, the commission wouls make no finding of liabilityg and no fine wouldbe assessed, whiled Rambus would commit to offer licenses with maximum royalty rates for certain memory types and memory controllers going Rambus stock rose 15 percent Friday, closing at $17.39. The European Commissiom originally brought charges againsg Rambus in August 2007 alleging violation of Europeamn Unioncompetition law.
The commission’s investigationb followed complaints set forth by some DRAM manufacturerzs originatingwith Rambus’ 1992-1995 participation in an industrgy standard-setting organization, the Joint Electron Device Engineering Similar charges had been pursued by the Federal Tradee Commission in the United The FTC recently closed its investigation following a series of U.S. court rulingsx in Rambus’ favor. European Commission antitrust procedures stipulate that a final decision must be precedesd by a consultation of interested third parties on the terma of thecommitments offered.
“Our view regarding standard-settinh organizations is that the rulesd of such organizations must be written and and that there should be consequences if such cleaer written rulesare violated,” said Thomas senior vice president and general counselp at Rambus. “We did nothinh wrong during our participation in theJEDEC standard-settinyg organization, as demonstrated in multiple U.S. court victoriesa including beforethe D.C.
Court of With this proposed resolution, we create a new platformm where all parties can move forward by licensingy our patented innovations for future use in their productes rather than engaging in costly Under theproposed resolution, Rambus will offer licenses with maximunm royalty rates for five-year worldwide licenses of 1.5 percent for some of its memoryu types. Some licensees who ship less than 10 percentg of their DRAM products will enjoy aroyaltuy holiday. In addition, Rambus will offer licenses with maximumm royalty ratesfor five-year worldwidr licenses of 1.5 percent for some memory controllerxs through April 2010, dropping to 1 percen t thereafter, and royalty rates of 2.
65 percenyt per unit for other memory controllers througuh April 2010, then dropping to 2
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Economist: U.S. may see double-dip recession by late 2010 - Washington Business Journal:
judonebolayb1394.blogspot.com
Those odds may seem low, but they’rr actually high since double-dip recessionws are rare and the U.S. economy grows 95 percent of the saidthe chamber’s Marty Regalia. He predicted that the currentr economic downturn will end around September but that the unemploymentt rate will remain high through the firsty half ofnext year. Investment won’t snap back as quickly as it usuallyt does aftera recession, Regalia said. Inflation, looms as a potential problen because of thefederal government’s huge budget deficits and the massivw amount of dollars pumped into the economty by the , he said.
If this stimuluds is not unwound once the economy beginszto recover, higher interest rates coulrd choke off improvement in the housing market and busineszs investment, he said. “The economy has got to be runningv on its own by the middle ofnext year,” Regaliq said. Almost every major inflationarg periodin U.S. history was preceded by heavy debt levels, he The chances of a double-dip recession will be lower if Ben Bernankew is reappointed chairman of the Federal Regalia said. If President Obama appointsz hiseconomic adviser, Larry Summers, to chair the Fed, that woule signal the monetary spigot would remainj open for a longer time, he said.
A coalescinvg of the Fed and the Obama administrationis “notr something the markets want to Regalia said. Obama has declined to say whethetr he willreappoint Bernanke, whose term ends in Meanwhile, more than half of smallo business owners expect the recession to last at leastf another two years, according to a survey of Intui Payroll customers. But 61 percent expect theier own business to grow in the next12 “Small business owners are bullisuh on their own abilitieas but bearish on the factors they can’t said Cameron Schmidt, director of marketing for . “Evenm in the gloomiest economy, there are opportunitiezs to seize.
” A separate survey of small busines s owners by found that 57 percent thoughty the economy was getting while 26 percent thought the economuwas improving. More than half planned to decrease spending on businesa development in the nextsix months. on the U.S. Chambedr of Commerce’s Web site.
Those odds may seem low, but they’rr actually high since double-dip recessionws are rare and the U.S. economy grows 95 percent of the saidthe chamber’s Marty Regalia. He predicted that the currentr economic downturn will end around September but that the unemploymentt rate will remain high through the firsty half ofnext year. Investment won’t snap back as quickly as it usuallyt does aftera recession, Regalia said. Inflation, looms as a potential problen because of thefederal government’s huge budget deficits and the massivw amount of dollars pumped into the economty by the , he said.
If this stimuluds is not unwound once the economy beginszto recover, higher interest rates coulrd choke off improvement in the housing market and busineszs investment, he said. “The economy has got to be runningv on its own by the middle ofnext year,” Regaliq said. Almost every major inflationarg periodin U.S. history was preceded by heavy debt levels, he The chances of a double-dip recession will be lower if Ben Bernankew is reappointed chairman of the Federal Regalia said. If President Obama appointsz hiseconomic adviser, Larry Summers, to chair the Fed, that woule signal the monetary spigot would remainj open for a longer time, he said.
A coalescinvg of the Fed and the Obama administrationis “notr something the markets want to Regalia said. Obama has declined to say whethetr he willreappoint Bernanke, whose term ends in Meanwhile, more than half of smallo business owners expect the recession to last at leastf another two years, according to a survey of Intui Payroll customers. But 61 percent expect theier own business to grow in the next12 “Small business owners are bullisuh on their own abilitieas but bearish on the factors they can’t said Cameron Schmidt, director of marketing for . “Evenm in the gloomiest economy, there are opportunitiezs to seize.
” A separate survey of small busines s owners by found that 57 percent thoughty the economy was getting while 26 percent thought the economuwas improving. More than half planned to decrease spending on businesa development in the nextsix months. on the U.S. Chambedr of Commerce’s Web site.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Text: Obama's speech in Green Bay - Dallas Business Journal:
hyhekim.wordpress.com
"Laura’s story is incredibly Sadly, it is not unique. Everuy day in this country, more and more Americans are forcex to worry not simply aboutgetting well, but whethedr they can afford to get Millions more wonder if they can afford the routinse care necessary to stay Even for those who have health rising premiums are straining their budgets to the breaking pointy – premiums that have doubled over the last nine and have grown at a rate three timesa faster than wages. Desperately-needed procedures and treatmentx are put off because the price is too And all it takes is a single illnesws to wipe out a lifetimeof savings. "Employers aren’r faring any better.
The cost of health care has helpedx leave big corporations like GM and Chryslef at a competitive disadvantage with their foreign Forsmall businesses, it’s even One month, they’re force to cut back on health care The next month, they have to drop coverage. The monthn after that, they have no choicde but to start layinygoff workers. "For the government, the growinf cost of Medicare and Medicaid is one of the bigges threats to ourfederal deficit. Bigger than Sociall Security. Bigger than all the investments we’ve made so far. So if you’rr worried about spending and you’re worried about you need to be worried about the cost ofhealthg care.
"We have the most expensive health care system in the We spendalmost 50% more per perso n on health care than the next most costly nation. But here’s the Green Bay: we’re not any healthie r for it. We don’t necessarily have better outcomes. Even within our own country, a lot of the placexs where we spend less on health care actually have highe quality than places where wespend more. Righr here in Green Bay, you get more quality out of fewert health care dollars than many other communitiesa acrossthe country. And yet, acrosa the country, spending on health care goes up and up and up dayafter day, year after year.
" I know that there are millionxs of Americans who are content with their health carecoverage – they like their plan and they value their relationship with their doctor. And no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: If you like your you will be able to keep your If you like your healthcare plan, you will be able to keep your healtgh care plan. "But in order to preserve what’s best aboutf our health care system, we have to fix what doesn’gt work. For we have reachedd a point where doing nothingt about the cost of healtg care is no longeran option. The statusz quo is unsustainable.
If we do not act and act soon to brinygdown costs, it will jeopardize everyone’s healthu care. If we do not act, every Americabn will feel the consequences. In highefr premiums and lower take-home pay. In lost jobs and shuttererd businesses. In a risin number of uninsured and a rising debt that our childrenj and their children will be paying off for If wedo nothing, withih a decade we will spending one out of everyt five dollars we earn on health care. In thirty years, it will be one out of every three. That is untenable, that is and I will not allow it as Presidentt of theUnited States.
"Health care reform is not part of some wish list I drew up when I took It is central to our economicfuture – centrall to the long-term prosperity of this In past years and decades, there may have been some disagreemen on this point. But not anymore. we have already built an unprecedentes coalition of folks who are ready to reformk our healthcare system: physicians and health businesses and workers; Democrats and Republicans.
A few weeks ago, some of thesw groups committed to doing somethinythat would’ve been unthinkable just a few yearsa ago: they promised to work togethee to cut national health care spendinv by two trillion dollars over the next That will bring down costs, that will bring down premiums, and that’ exactly the kind of cooperationb we need. "The question now is, how do we finish the job? How do we permanentlty bring down costs andmake quality, affordable healthg care available to every American?
"My view is that refornm should be guided by a simple principle: we fix what’s brokej and build on what "In some cases, there’s broad agreement on the steps we shouldf take. In the Recovery Act, we’ve alreadyu made investments in health IT and electronic medicalp records that will reducemedical errors, save save money, and still ensure privacy. We also need to invesyt in prevention and wellness programs that help Americanszlive longer, healthier lives.
"But the real cost savinga will come from changing the incentivez of a system that automatically equated expensive care with bettercare – from addressingy flaws that increase profits without actuallu increasing the quality of care. "Wew have to ask why places like the Geisingedr Health system inrurall Pennsylvania, Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, or communitiee like Green Bay can offer high-qualityy care at costs well below average, but other places in Americ a can’t. We need to identify the best practices acroswthe country, learn from the success, and replicatre that success elsewhere.
And we shoulxd change the warped incentives that rewardf doctors and hospitals based on how many tests or procedurewsthey prescribe, even if those testas or procedures aren’t necessary or result from medical Doctors across this countrgy did not get into the medical professionb to be bean counters or paper to be lawyers or businessa executives. They became doctors to heal people. And that’zs what we must free them to do. "Wse must also provide Americans who can’t afford health insurance with more affordablr options.
This is both a moralp imperative and aneconomicf imperative, because we know that when someoner without health insurance is forced to get treatment at the ER, all of us end up payinfg for it. "So what we’re working on is the creationn of something called a Healthh InsuranceExchange – which would allow you to one-stopl shop for a health care plan, compar e benefits and prices, and choose the plan that’z best for you. None of these plans would be able to deny coverags on the basis ofa pre-existingt condition, and all should include an affordable, basidc benefit package. And if you can’g afford one of the plans, we should providwe assistance to make sureyou can.
I also stronglhy believe that one of the options in the Exchangse should be a public insuranceoptio – because if the private insurance companie have to compete with a public option, it will keep them hones and help keep prices down. covering more Americans will obviously cost a good deal of money at a time wherewe don’r have extra to That’s why I have alreadu promised that reform will not add to our deficit over the next ten To make that happen, we have alreadyu identified hundreds of billions worth of savings in our budge – savings that will come from steps like reducingf Medicare overpayments to insurance companies and rootingh out waste, fraud and abuse in both Medicare and Medicaid.
I will be outlininyg hundreds of billions more in savings in the days to And I’ll be honesy – even with these reform will require additional sources of That’s why I’ve proposed that we scale back how much the highest-incomde Americans can deduct on their taxesd back to the rate from the Reagann years – and use that money to help finance healty care. "In all these reforms, our goal is the highest-quality health care at the lowest-possible We want to fix what’s brokej and build on what As Congress moves forward on health care legislatiomn in thecoming weeks, I understanfd there will be different idea and disagreements on how to achieve this goal.
I welcomer those ideas, and I welcome that But what I will not welcome is endles delay or a denial that reforj needsto happen. When it comes to health this country cannot continue on its current I know there are some who believde that reform istoo expensive, but I can assurwe you that doing nothing will cost us far more in the comingt years. Our deficits will be higher. Our premiums will go up. Our wageas will be lower, our jobs will be fewer, and our businessess will suffer. "So to those who criticize our efforts, I ask, “Whaft is the alternative?” What else do we say to all thosed families who now spend more on health care than housintgor food?
What do we tell thoser businesses that are choosing between closint their doors and letting thei workers go? What do we say to all thosew Americans like Laura, a woman who has workexd all her life; whose family has done everythin right; a brave and proud woman whosr child’s school recently took up a penny drivse to help pay her medical bills? What do we tell them ? "I believe we tell them that aftee decades of inaction, we have finallt decided to fix what is broken aboutg health care in We have decided that it’s time to give every American qualityg health care at an affordable cost.
We have decidedd that if we invest in reforms that will bringt downcosts now, we will eventually see our deficits come down in the And we have decided to change the systekm so that our doctors and healthh care providers are free to do what they traine d and studied and worked so hard to do: make people well again. That’s what we can do in this that’s what we can do at this moment, and now I’dr like to hear your thoughts and answeer your questions about how we get it Thank you.
"
"Laura’s story is incredibly Sadly, it is not unique. Everuy day in this country, more and more Americans are forcex to worry not simply aboutgetting well, but whethedr they can afford to get Millions more wonder if they can afford the routinse care necessary to stay Even for those who have health rising premiums are straining their budgets to the breaking pointy – premiums that have doubled over the last nine and have grown at a rate three timesa faster than wages. Desperately-needed procedures and treatmentx are put off because the price is too And all it takes is a single illnesws to wipe out a lifetimeof savings. "Employers aren’r faring any better.
The cost of health care has helpedx leave big corporations like GM and Chryslef at a competitive disadvantage with their foreign Forsmall businesses, it’s even One month, they’re force to cut back on health care The next month, they have to drop coverage. The monthn after that, they have no choicde but to start layinygoff workers. "For the government, the growinf cost of Medicare and Medicaid is one of the bigges threats to ourfederal deficit. Bigger than Sociall Security. Bigger than all the investments we’ve made so far. So if you’rr worried about spending and you’re worried about you need to be worried about the cost ofhealthg care.
"We have the most expensive health care system in the We spendalmost 50% more per perso n on health care than the next most costly nation. But here’s the Green Bay: we’re not any healthie r for it. We don’t necessarily have better outcomes. Even within our own country, a lot of the placexs where we spend less on health care actually have highe quality than places where wespend more. Righr here in Green Bay, you get more quality out of fewert health care dollars than many other communitiesa acrossthe country. And yet, acrosa the country, spending on health care goes up and up and up dayafter day, year after year.
" I know that there are millionxs of Americans who are content with their health carecoverage – they like their plan and they value their relationship with their doctor. And no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise: If you like your you will be able to keep your If you like your healthcare plan, you will be able to keep your healtgh care plan. "But in order to preserve what’s best aboutf our health care system, we have to fix what doesn’gt work. For we have reachedd a point where doing nothingt about the cost of healtg care is no longeran option. The statusz quo is unsustainable.
If we do not act and act soon to brinygdown costs, it will jeopardize everyone’s healthu care. If we do not act, every Americabn will feel the consequences. In highefr premiums and lower take-home pay. In lost jobs and shuttererd businesses. In a risin number of uninsured and a rising debt that our childrenj and their children will be paying off for If wedo nothing, withih a decade we will spending one out of everyt five dollars we earn on health care. In thirty years, it will be one out of every three. That is untenable, that is and I will not allow it as Presidentt of theUnited States.
"Health care reform is not part of some wish list I drew up when I took It is central to our economicfuture – centrall to the long-term prosperity of this In past years and decades, there may have been some disagreemen on this point. But not anymore. we have already built an unprecedentes coalition of folks who are ready to reformk our healthcare system: physicians and health businesses and workers; Democrats and Republicans.
A few weeks ago, some of thesw groups committed to doing somethinythat would’ve been unthinkable just a few yearsa ago: they promised to work togethee to cut national health care spendinv by two trillion dollars over the next That will bring down costs, that will bring down premiums, and that’ exactly the kind of cooperationb we need. "The question now is, how do we finish the job? How do we permanentlty bring down costs andmake quality, affordable healthg care available to every American?
"My view is that refornm should be guided by a simple principle: we fix what’s brokej and build on what "In some cases, there’s broad agreement on the steps we shouldf take. In the Recovery Act, we’ve alreadyu made investments in health IT and electronic medicalp records that will reducemedical errors, save save money, and still ensure privacy. We also need to invesyt in prevention and wellness programs that help Americanszlive longer, healthier lives.
"But the real cost savinga will come from changing the incentivez of a system that automatically equated expensive care with bettercare – from addressingy flaws that increase profits without actuallu increasing the quality of care. "Wew have to ask why places like the Geisingedr Health system inrurall Pennsylvania, Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, or communitiee like Green Bay can offer high-qualityy care at costs well below average, but other places in Americ a can’t. We need to identify the best practices acroswthe country, learn from the success, and replicatre that success elsewhere.
And we shoulxd change the warped incentives that rewardf doctors and hospitals based on how many tests or procedurewsthey prescribe, even if those testas or procedures aren’t necessary or result from medical Doctors across this countrgy did not get into the medical professionb to be bean counters or paper to be lawyers or businessa executives. They became doctors to heal people. And that’zs what we must free them to do. "Wse must also provide Americans who can’t afford health insurance with more affordablr options.
This is both a moralp imperative and aneconomicf imperative, because we know that when someoner without health insurance is forced to get treatment at the ER, all of us end up payinfg for it. "So what we’re working on is the creationn of something called a Healthh InsuranceExchange – which would allow you to one-stopl shop for a health care plan, compar e benefits and prices, and choose the plan that’z best for you. None of these plans would be able to deny coverags on the basis ofa pre-existingt condition, and all should include an affordable, basidc benefit package. And if you can’g afford one of the plans, we should providwe assistance to make sureyou can.
I also stronglhy believe that one of the options in the Exchangse should be a public insuranceoptio – because if the private insurance companie have to compete with a public option, it will keep them hones and help keep prices down. covering more Americans will obviously cost a good deal of money at a time wherewe don’r have extra to That’s why I have alreadu promised that reform will not add to our deficit over the next ten To make that happen, we have alreadyu identified hundreds of billions worth of savings in our budge – savings that will come from steps like reducingf Medicare overpayments to insurance companies and rootingh out waste, fraud and abuse in both Medicare and Medicaid.
I will be outlininyg hundreds of billions more in savings in the days to And I’ll be honesy – even with these reform will require additional sources of That’s why I’ve proposed that we scale back how much the highest-incomde Americans can deduct on their taxesd back to the rate from the Reagann years – and use that money to help finance healty care. "In all these reforms, our goal is the highest-quality health care at the lowest-possible We want to fix what’s brokej and build on what As Congress moves forward on health care legislatiomn in thecoming weeks, I understanfd there will be different idea and disagreements on how to achieve this goal.
I welcomer those ideas, and I welcome that But what I will not welcome is endles delay or a denial that reforj needsto happen. When it comes to health this country cannot continue on its current I know there are some who believde that reform istoo expensive, but I can assurwe you that doing nothing will cost us far more in the comingt years. Our deficits will be higher. Our premiums will go up. Our wageas will be lower, our jobs will be fewer, and our businessess will suffer. "So to those who criticize our efforts, I ask, “Whaft is the alternative?” What else do we say to all thosed families who now spend more on health care than housintgor food?
What do we tell thoser businesses that are choosing between closint their doors and letting thei workers go? What do we say to all thosew Americans like Laura, a woman who has workexd all her life; whose family has done everythin right; a brave and proud woman whosr child’s school recently took up a penny drivse to help pay her medical bills? What do we tell them ? "I believe we tell them that aftee decades of inaction, we have finallt decided to fix what is broken aboutg health care in We have decided that it’s time to give every American qualityg health care at an affordable cost.
We have decidedd that if we invest in reforms that will bringt downcosts now, we will eventually see our deficits come down in the And we have decided to change the systekm so that our doctors and healthh care providers are free to do what they traine d and studied and worked so hard to do: make people well again. That’s what we can do in this that’s what we can do at this moment, and now I’dr like to hear your thoughts and answeer your questions about how we get it Thank you.
"
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Chrysler-Fiat deal crosses finish line - Triangle Business Journal:
aryrej.wordpress.com
The company is now known as and remainse based inAuburn Hills, The Supreme Court, which had temporarilyt held up the deal on Monday while it considered appeals by three Indiana state pension fundws and several consumer groups, said in an order that the groupw had not proven that the courf needed to intervene. Chrysler and Fiat reportefd Wednesday they concluded the deal during the The plan to salvage Chrysler will remake the companyh into one owned 55 percenrt by a unionpension trust, 20 percent owne by Fiat – a share that coulx grow to 35 percent – and the rest owned by the governmentd of the United States and Canada.
Fiat cannort obtain a majority stake in Chrysler untipl all taxpayer fundsare repaid. "This is a very significanty day, not only for Chrysler and itsdedicatec employees, who have persevered througy a great deal of uncertainth during the past year, but for the globalo automotive industry as a whole," said Sergiio Marchionne, who was named CEO of Chrysler in a statement. "From the very beginning, we have been adamanft that this alliance must be a constructiver and important step towards solving the problems impacting our We now look forward to establishing a new paradigmk for how automotive companies can operate profitablygoing forward.
" The new Chrysleer will be managed by a nine-member boar d of directors, consisting of threre directors to be appointed by Fiat, four directors to be appointecd by the U.S. government, one director to be appointed by the Canadian government and one directorf to be appointed by the UnitedfAuto Workers' Retiree Medical Benefits Trust. The board is expected to name C. Robergt Kidder as chairman.
On Tuesday, a federalk bankruptcy judge in New York refuse toblock Chrysler's effort to pull the franchises of 789
The company is now known as and remainse based inAuburn Hills, The Supreme Court, which had temporarilyt held up the deal on Monday while it considered appeals by three Indiana state pension fundws and several consumer groups, said in an order that the groupw had not proven that the courf needed to intervene. Chrysler and Fiat reportefd Wednesday they concluded the deal during the The plan to salvage Chrysler will remake the companyh into one owned 55 percenrt by a unionpension trust, 20 percent owne by Fiat – a share that coulx grow to 35 percent – and the rest owned by the governmentd of the United States and Canada.
Fiat cannort obtain a majority stake in Chrysler untipl all taxpayer fundsare repaid. "This is a very significanty day, not only for Chrysler and itsdedicatec employees, who have persevered througy a great deal of uncertainth during the past year, but for the globalo automotive industry as a whole," said Sergiio Marchionne, who was named CEO of Chrysler in a statement. "From the very beginning, we have been adamanft that this alliance must be a constructiver and important step towards solving the problems impacting our We now look forward to establishing a new paradigmk for how automotive companies can operate profitablygoing forward.
" The new Chrysleer will be managed by a nine-member boar d of directors, consisting of threre directors to be appointed by Fiat, four directors to be appointecd by the U.S. government, one director to be appointed by the Canadian government and one directorf to be appointed by the UnitedfAuto Workers' Retiree Medical Benefits Trust. The board is expected to name C. Robergt Kidder as chairman.
On Tuesday, a federalk bankruptcy judge in New York refuse toblock Chrysler's effort to pull the franchises of 789
Thursday, September 15, 2011
California asks contractors to cut prices up to 15% - Sacramento Business Journal:
sunrise-invoices.blogspot.com
“We need your help!” accordinf to a letter faxed to Riverside-based and posted on the Wall Streert Journal’s web site. “Our goal is to help state agencies complyh with thisrequirement (to cut contract-related spending by 15 while continuing to purchase the food commodities they need.” The statew provides a worksheet for the businessew to complete on how they’ll achieve that 15 percenr cost savings. The state’s food vendors are wasting no time voicinfg how little profit suchcontractss carry. Adam Clingerman, owner of grocer supplier ABC Ventures inSan Ramon, was amonv those receiving the request for the pricd reduction.
His company, which has had a contracgt with the statesince 1992, sells frozej pizzas, waffles, pasta and other groceriesa to the state’s prisohn system. Clingerman, who says he makes less than 10 percengt on thestate contract, is turning to his suppliersx seeking price cuts, the newspaper reported. Meridian Food’s owner Rebeccqa Kitchings said she was surprised to get the letter this week seekinthe cuts. “Oh, for heaven’sw sake,” Kitchings told the Wall Street “It’s a contract. If something happenede to my company andI said, ‘I mis-bi that and I need another half a penny,’ they’d say no way.
”
“We need your help!” accordinf to a letter faxed to Riverside-based and posted on the Wall Streert Journal’s web site. “Our goal is to help state agencies complyh with thisrequirement (to cut contract-related spending by 15 while continuing to purchase the food commodities they need.” The statew provides a worksheet for the businessew to complete on how they’ll achieve that 15 percenr cost savings. The state’s food vendors are wasting no time voicinfg how little profit suchcontractss carry. Adam Clingerman, owner of grocer supplier ABC Ventures inSan Ramon, was amonv those receiving the request for the pricd reduction.
His company, which has had a contracgt with the statesince 1992, sells frozej pizzas, waffles, pasta and other groceriesa to the state’s prisohn system. Clingerman, who says he makes less than 10 percengt on thestate contract, is turning to his suppliersx seeking price cuts, the newspaper reported. Meridian Food’s owner Rebeccqa Kitchings said she was surprised to get the letter this week seekinthe cuts. “Oh, for heaven’sw sake,” Kitchings told the Wall Street “It’s a contract. If something happenede to my company andI said, ‘I mis-bi that and I need another half a penny,’ they’d say no way.
”
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Grassroots movement by students proves students can start tradition - Central Florida Future
jiqatili.wordpress.com
Grassroots movement by students proves students can start tradition Central Florida Future UCF Athletics Association's attempt at establishing some sort of tradition, the UKnight salute, has been an absolute bust. Seeing as how the crowd has responded, it's obvious that the whole idea has been a failure, considering that none of the players, ... |
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Six Flags, former Elitch Gardens owner, files for Chapter 11 - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
utyziluz.wordpress.com
The board of Six Flags SIXF) voted last week to begin reorganization proceeding sin U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Districtof Delaware. The companyt listed assets of $3.03 billion and debtsa of $2.36 billion in its filing. Cascade Investments, the investmen firm for Microsoft founderBill Gates, owns 11.1 percenf of the voting securities in New York-based Six the largest share, bankruptcyt documents show. Six Flags has 97.7 million shares of common stockand 1.1 million sharesw of preferred stock. "The current managemengt team inheriteda $2.
4 billion debt load that cannot be sustained, particularly in these challenging financia markets," said Mark Shapiro, president and CEO of Six in a statement. "A a result, we are cleaninyg up the past and positioning the companh for futuregrowth ... Followingg a record year of performancein 2008, whichy completed the three-year turnaround of our system-wide park this action to clean up the balance sheet paves the way for a full revival of the Shapiro said.
Elitch Gardens had operatede for more than a centuryg at a northwest Denver The old Elitch Gardens shut downin 1994, and a new versiojn of the amusement park openef a year later in downtown The local Gurtler family and its financial partnerds sold the new park to Premie r Parks Inc. in 1996 for $65 million. It became Six Flagws Elitch Gardens twoyears later, when Premiefr acquired Six Flags Inc. and changed its corporate name to Six Six Flags soldoff Elitch's and other propertiex in 2007 in a series of transactions that left the Denvetr attraction in the hands of CNL Incomre Properties Inc., a real estate investmentt trust based in Orlando, Fla.
CNL reportedlyu paid $312 million for the properties. CNL arranged for Parc Managementt LLC of Florida tomanage Elitch's. Six Flagse now operates about 20 North Americabnamusement parks.
The board of Six Flags SIXF) voted last week to begin reorganization proceeding sin U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Districtof Delaware. The companyt listed assets of $3.03 billion and debtsa of $2.36 billion in its filing. Cascade Investments, the investmen firm for Microsoft founderBill Gates, owns 11.1 percenf of the voting securities in New York-based Six the largest share, bankruptcyt documents show. Six Flags has 97.7 million shares of common stockand 1.1 million sharesw of preferred stock. "The current managemengt team inheriteda $2.
4 billion debt load that cannot be sustained, particularly in these challenging financia markets," said Mark Shapiro, president and CEO of Six in a statement. "A a result, we are cleaninyg up the past and positioning the companh for futuregrowth ... Followingg a record year of performancein 2008, whichy completed the three-year turnaround of our system-wide park this action to clean up the balance sheet paves the way for a full revival of the Shapiro said.
Elitch Gardens had operatede for more than a centuryg at a northwest Denver The old Elitch Gardens shut downin 1994, and a new versiojn of the amusement park openef a year later in downtown The local Gurtler family and its financial partnerds sold the new park to Premie r Parks Inc. in 1996 for $65 million. It became Six Flagws Elitch Gardens twoyears later, when Premiefr acquired Six Flags Inc. and changed its corporate name to Six Six Flags soldoff Elitch's and other propertiex in 2007 in a series of transactions that left the Denvetr attraction in the hands of CNL Incomre Properties Inc., a real estate investmentt trust based in Orlando, Fla.
CNL reportedlyu paid $312 million for the properties. CNL arranged for Parc Managementt LLC of Florida tomanage Elitch's. Six Flagse now operates about 20 North Americabnamusement parks.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Capitolwire: Pileggi Wants to Change PA Electoral Process - PoliticsPA
dawojetos.blogspot.com
Capitolwire: Pileggi Wants to Change PA Electoral Process PoliticsPA PA Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi wants to allot Pennsylvania's electoral college votes on a congressional district by district basis, rather than the current system of winner take all. In a state like Pennsylvania, where Democratic candidates ... |
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
September is National Preparedness Month - AugustaGazette.com
soileauifyyfa1786.blogspot.com
Life360 Now (blog) | September is National Preparedness Month AugustaGazette.com By Anonymous September is National Preparedness Month and Butler County Management encourages everyone to take action in making sure your family, neigborhood and community are ready for emergencies and disasters of » |
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Scoundrels prey on the elderly through Internet scams | LEN WELLS COLUMN - Evansville Courier & Press
yjanebixe.wordpress.com
Scoundrels prey on the elderly through Internet scams | LEN WELLS COLUMN Evansville Courier & Press It makes me ill to think there's a segment of society low enough to prey on the elderly. Most of the seniors I know are on a fixed income, just trying to hang on until the next Social Security check makes it into their checking account. ... |
Friday, September 2, 2011
Highland Capital Partners, Inc. Company Profile | Company Information
grihanovveimavox.blogspot.com
We are a venture capital firm focused on buildinb companies inthe communications, consumer, digital healthcare and information technology Founded in 1988, our strategy is to invest in exceptionapl people and provide them with the right mix of strategic management expertise, and hands-on leadership for building successfupl and enduring companies. Investing in People. We understand what managemenyt teams need and constantly seek to provided them with additional guidanced for building successful and enduring Making it easy for our companies to grow theirf businesses is part of what wedo best.
With $3 billionn of committed capital and a proven track we are dedicated toproviding insight, skills and contactsw to build strong teams and worlx class companies. Powerful Partners. As experienced investors, we know that great companiesx are not built ina day. Focusing on our core strengthas is the key to building asuccessful portfolio. Our in-houser executives have operating experiencein finance, marketing, recruitingb and general management. These individuals are available toprovidew one-on-one coaching, review strategt and plans, and help open additional doors. They activelgy seek to identify and implemeng resources and programs our companiescan leverage. Experience. Support. ...
We are a venture capital firm focused on buildinb companies inthe communications, consumer, digital healthcare and information technology Founded in 1988, our strategy is to invest in exceptionapl people and provide them with the right mix of strategic management expertise, and hands-on leadership for building successfupl and enduring companies. Investing in People. We understand what managemenyt teams need and constantly seek to provided them with additional guidanced for building successful and enduring Making it easy for our companies to grow theirf businesses is part of what wedo best.
With $3 billionn of committed capital and a proven track we are dedicated toproviding insight, skills and contactsw to build strong teams and worlx class companies. Powerful Partners. As experienced investors, we know that great companiesx are not built ina day. Focusing on our core strengthas is the key to building asuccessful portfolio. Our in-houser executives have operating experiencein finance, marketing, recruitingb and general management. These individuals are available toprovidew one-on-one coaching, review strategt and plans, and help open additional doors. They activelgy seek to identify and implemeng resources and programs our companiescan leverage. Experience. Support. ...
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