PanARMENIAN.Net | Russian Defense Ministry buys MiG-29Ks UPI.com The MiG-29K is a variant of the Russian air force's MiG-29 land-based fighter modified for carrier use, with folding wings, an arrester tail hook, a strengthened airframe and multirole capability. The MiG-29K had only been exported to India for use on ... Russian navy signs for MiG-29K fighters Russia To Acquire Mig-29K And MiG-29KUB |
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Russian Defense Ministry buys MiG-29Ks - UPI.com
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Monday, February 27, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Catholic hospital chain backs out of joint venture with Centene - Business First of Buffalo:
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, founded by the Archdiocese of said it was withdrawing from the partnershilFriday night, just days before it was to take effectt Wednesday. Caritas plans to continue to participate inthe state-subsidized progra that will provide health-care servicesx for 165,000 low-income working adults who are not eligible for Medicaid or employer-sponsorede insurance. But the hospital system will participats only asa health-care provider, not a co-owner of the “By withdrawing from the joint venture and servingt the poor as a provider in the Connector, upholdinb Catholic moral teaching at all they are able to carry forwar d the critical mission of Catholifc health care,” Cardinal Seán O’Malley said in a statemenft Friday night.
“Our singular goal has been to provid for the needs of the poor and underservecd in a manner that is fully and completelyy in accord with Catholicmoralp teaching.” Sandy McBride, a spokeswoman for told the Boston Globe that the end of the joinr venture won’t have an impact on the healthj plan. She also said she couldn’t provide informatioh about the financial impact of the In March, Centene Corp.’es subsidiary, , a contract to manage health-carde services for thousands of low-income patients in partnership with Caritax Christi Health Care.
Centene had said it would consolidate the financial operations of the joint venture and by the fourthj quarterof 2010, had expected annual run rate revenure of $100 million to $125 million. St. Louis-based Centene Corp. (NYSE: CNC), led by Chairman and Chief ExecutiveMichael Neidorff, provides managed care programs and relatesd services to individuals under Medicaid. It also operatesd health plansin Indiana, New Jersey, Texas and Wisconsin.
, founded by the Archdiocese of said it was withdrawing from the partnershilFriday night, just days before it was to take effectt Wednesday. Caritas plans to continue to participate inthe state-subsidized progra that will provide health-care servicesx for 165,000 low-income working adults who are not eligible for Medicaid or employer-sponsorede insurance. But the hospital system will participats only asa health-care provider, not a co-owner of the “By withdrawing from the joint venture and servingt the poor as a provider in the Connector, upholdinb Catholic moral teaching at all they are able to carry forwar d the critical mission of Catholifc health care,” Cardinal Seán O’Malley said in a statemenft Friday night.
“Our singular goal has been to provid for the needs of the poor and underservecd in a manner that is fully and completelyy in accord with Catholicmoralp teaching.” Sandy McBride, a spokeswoman for told the Boston Globe that the end of the joinr venture won’t have an impact on the healthj plan. She also said she couldn’t provide informatioh about the financial impact of the In March, Centene Corp.’es subsidiary, , a contract to manage health-carde services for thousands of low-income patients in partnership with Caritax Christi Health Care.
Centene had said it would consolidate the financial operations of the joint venture and by the fourthj quarterof 2010, had expected annual run rate revenure of $100 million to $125 million. St. Louis-based Centene Corp. (NYSE: CNC), led by Chairman and Chief ExecutiveMichael Neidorff, provides managed care programs and relatesd services to individuals under Medicaid. It also operatesd health plansin Indiana, New Jersey, Texas and Wisconsin.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Hurricane
shelly-polymer.blogspot.com
What many can’t answer is how their businesses willrecovetr afterward. With current economi conditions, this is more crucial than ever. In the aftermatn of Hurricane Ike’s hammering of Houston and Galveston, last year, residents wanted to return to thei damaged property and were extremely frustrated when locapl officials denied them access forsafety reasons. Protests and rumors ensuexd while local civic and economic life ground to astiflinvg halt. Will your companyy survive if Ike’s successor hits Tampa Bay this year? Does it have a hurrican recovery plan? Here are some strategiew for creating one.
To be effective in recovering froma hurricane, communication methodws need to be addressedr first. Knowing how to reach your company associates, active clients and majorr suppliers is critical to your business after a Even more critical is for them to know how toreacn management. Most people plan to use theird e-mail and cell phones to keep in touch. To do so would be a serious error. First responders, medical, law and the may all be relying on cell the Internet and mobilw radio systems that would impede your use of these systems. So, the first part of your hurricand recovery plan requires developing alternative methodsto communicate.
One strategyu is to coordinate with a locakl radio station to pass along importantcontacft information. This needs to be planned early. Call severao station managers to see if they woulde be willing to help in this regard as apublivc service. Stations on which you advertise, or locally ownec independents may be the most Be sure everyone inthe company, current clients and essentialk supply chain links know both the primary and backulp frequencies on which they’s be informed of companyy plans. They’ll appreciate knowing that you’re taking steps to addressa their needs. The second part of your hurricanw recovery plan is evaluating the business site forfeasiblee use.
If your location is unusable due to road power outages or significantstructural damage, you need to have an alternatre location available, if possible. If specializef equipment is involved, a fellow franchiseew or trade association member in an unaffected area nearby may be able to sharequarters temporarily. Consider working out reciprocal arrangementsw in advance to protect both ofyour businesses. If speciapl equipment is not a consideration, a hotel, convention center or office suite rentall facility may be a goodtemporarg location. First, you’ll need to establishn roles, responsibilities and chain of command in the eveng that management is unavailable after a hurricane.
Everyone should be fullgy trained in their potential recovery Schedule the time and make participation mandatory by all Ask key suppliersif they’d send your reps to as well. Roles and responsibilitiesx can be divided intothreee areas. The first area is To mitigateyour liability, you don’t want your employees, clientsx or vendors traveling to the workplace if it is not As part of your training, driv e the routes to your work site and look for potential such as flooding or downed trees. After a two well-trained staff members or even local volunteers trained in damaged assessment should be assigned to determine the safetyh of both your workplace and trave routes inand out.
Use your communication plan to relayu this informationto employees, clients and key supplierx alerted to tune in for it. The second area is While it is hoped that people will keep some emergencyh cashon hand, appreciate that not everyone will be prepared in this regard. Designate primary and backul personnel who can be responsible for handlingfinanciakl hardships, along with petty cash for small repairs, watedr bottles and the like. too, that employees know who they are, and what provisionsa have been made. The final component of your hurricane recoverg planis post-incident management analysis — lessons learned.
Keepinhg a paper trail of the good, the bad, the ugly and the completelyt overlooked elements of how your firm handled the crisis will allow youto re-focus your planning for the next
What many can’t answer is how their businesses willrecovetr afterward. With current economi conditions, this is more crucial than ever. In the aftermatn of Hurricane Ike’s hammering of Houston and Galveston, last year, residents wanted to return to thei damaged property and were extremely frustrated when locapl officials denied them access forsafety reasons. Protests and rumors ensuexd while local civic and economic life ground to astiflinvg halt. Will your companyy survive if Ike’s successor hits Tampa Bay this year? Does it have a hurrican recovery plan? Here are some strategiew for creating one.
To be effective in recovering froma hurricane, communication methodws need to be addressedr first. Knowing how to reach your company associates, active clients and majorr suppliers is critical to your business after a Even more critical is for them to know how toreacn management. Most people plan to use theird e-mail and cell phones to keep in touch. To do so would be a serious error. First responders, medical, law and the may all be relying on cell the Internet and mobilw radio systems that would impede your use of these systems. So, the first part of your hurricand recovery plan requires developing alternative methodsto communicate.
One strategyu is to coordinate with a locakl radio station to pass along importantcontacft information. This needs to be planned early. Call severao station managers to see if they woulde be willing to help in this regard as apublivc service. Stations on which you advertise, or locally ownec independents may be the most Be sure everyone inthe company, current clients and essentialk supply chain links know both the primary and backulp frequencies on which they’s be informed of companyy plans. They’ll appreciate knowing that you’re taking steps to addressa their needs. The second part of your hurricanw recovery plan is evaluating the business site forfeasiblee use.
If your location is unusable due to road power outages or significantstructural damage, you need to have an alternatre location available, if possible. If specializef equipment is involved, a fellow franchiseew or trade association member in an unaffected area nearby may be able to sharequarters temporarily. Consider working out reciprocal arrangementsw in advance to protect both ofyour businesses. If speciapl equipment is not a consideration, a hotel, convention center or office suite rentall facility may be a goodtemporarg location. First, you’ll need to establishn roles, responsibilities and chain of command in the eveng that management is unavailable after a hurricane.
Everyone should be fullgy trained in their potential recovery Schedule the time and make participation mandatory by all Ask key suppliersif they’d send your reps to as well. Roles and responsibilitiesx can be divided intothreee areas. The first area is To mitigateyour liability, you don’t want your employees, clientsx or vendors traveling to the workplace if it is not As part of your training, driv e the routes to your work site and look for potential such as flooding or downed trees. After a two well-trained staff members or even local volunteers trained in damaged assessment should be assigned to determine the safetyh of both your workplace and trave routes inand out.
Use your communication plan to relayu this informationto employees, clients and key supplierx alerted to tune in for it. The second area is While it is hoped that people will keep some emergencyh cashon hand, appreciate that not everyone will be prepared in this regard. Designate primary and backul personnel who can be responsible for handlingfinanciakl hardships, along with petty cash for small repairs, watedr bottles and the like. too, that employees know who they are, and what provisionsa have been made. The final component of your hurricane recoverg planis post-incident management analysis — lessons learned.
Keepinhg a paper trail of the good, the bad, the ugly and the completelyt overlooked elements of how your firm handled the crisis will allow youto re-focus your planning for the next
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Obama gets more realistic about American dream - Himalayan Times
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Obama gets more realistic about American dream Himalayan Times AP President Barack Obama speaks at a production facility of a Boeing plant in Everett, Wash., Friday, Feb. 17, 2012. ASSOCIATED PRESS The goals can seem almost humdrum in comparison with some of the rhetoric from Obama's 2008 White House campaign. |
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Sunscreen, dogs figure in Baltimore newspaper
tenamup.wordpress.com
That’s the advice the Baltimore Sun offers its readera in an online travel piece Mondayoffering “tips for a successfuo Denver family vacation.” “They don’t call it the ‘Milwe High City’ for nothing! If you’re from lowerf altitudes, take it easy your first few and drink lots of water, the newspape advises. The city gets “morre than 300 sunny days a theSun says, so visitors should bring lotion and lip balm.
“Denveritew love their dogs — and your pet will feel righ athome here,” the piece “There are plenty of pet-friendlh hotels and places for Fido to And, “Many Denver attractions offer discount pricing if you purchasd tickets online or at King Soopers, a local grocery chain,” the Sun says. Amongt the Denver attractions mentioned in writertJanna Graber’s piece: , Jeffersobn County Open Space and the “stunning Rocky .
That’s the advice the Baltimore Sun offers its readera in an online travel piece Mondayoffering “tips for a successfuo Denver family vacation.” “They don’t call it the ‘Milwe High City’ for nothing! If you’re from lowerf altitudes, take it easy your first few and drink lots of water, the newspape advises. The city gets “morre than 300 sunny days a theSun says, so visitors should bring lotion and lip balm.
“Denveritew love their dogs — and your pet will feel righ athome here,” the piece “There are plenty of pet-friendlh hotels and places for Fido to And, “Many Denver attractions offer discount pricing if you purchasd tickets online or at King Soopers, a local grocery chain,” the Sun says. Amongt the Denver attractions mentioned in writertJanna Graber’s piece: , Jeffersobn County Open Space and the “stunning Rocky .
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Zeevex signs deal with Beckett Media - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
awipekyhila.blogspot.com
The startup has inked a deal with Dallas-based to providwe a virtual currencymicropaymentr option. In a digital age wherde readers expect their newsfor free, "old-school" mediqa is flirting with the concept of micropayments -- allowing readersw to pay for only the articles they rather than an all-you-can-read subscription. Zeevex was launchedr last year by three videpo game and socialnetwork executives. The startup has raisefd an undisclosed amount of seed financing and is considerin g another roundthis summer. While Zeevec targets gamers with itsvirtual currency, it's not quitr clear if it will get mainstream traction -- eithe from users, or the media.
Zeevex has developed an open virtual currency aimedf at the onlinegametr market. Beckett Media focuses on that same with more than30 publications. Readers of Becketyt publications -- which include sports and specialtgy market collectiblemagazines -- will be able to purchase new and archiverd content using Zeevex's virtual currency. Users can also purchasd articlesfor friends, then requestf Zeevex deliver them across social networkz such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Zeevex providese a payment option for the 30 million gamerswho don'gt have access to credit cardsw or PayPal accounts, marketing chief Dean Geberrt said.
While Zeevex fills a need for thosee 30million under-age and unbanked the game-changer lies in the startup's abilityg to shift from niche to a mass-market. "We are really targetinf gamerswho don't have any option," he Starting July 1, consumers can buy a Zeevex Gift Card in more than 20,00p0 U.S. retailers such as Blockbuster, convenience storews and big-box retailers. Zeevex is in late-stagwe negotiations with Best Buy. The Zeevex card is redeemer for online tokensat Zeevex.com and can be spent like cash at Zeevex’s partnet sites and locations. $1 of Zeevex Gift Card valude gets you 100Zeev tokens.
Credity cards are not cost-effective for small micropayments -- which range from a few centsd to a fewdollars -- because of transactionh and processing fees, Gebert said. Usinbg Zeevex, the content creator pockets aboug 65 percent to 67 percent of the transaction Gebert said. Zeevex, meanwhile, takee a 7 percent to 12 percent ofthe transaction, with the retailedr taking the rest. While Zeevex's virtual currenc gives gamers anotherpayment option, what's not as clear is whether the Zeevex's payment model will find adoptionb among mainstream users and media.
As a mainstream paying for an articlw using a credit cardor Paypal, seeme simpler than having to bother with buyingb the Zeevex card and then redeeming it for Gebert concedes that getting mainstream media to buy-ib will be a challenge and that Zeevex'es gift-card model creates a "point of frictiohn in the process" for some
The startup has inked a deal with Dallas-based to providwe a virtual currencymicropaymentr option. In a digital age wherde readers expect their newsfor free, "old-school" mediqa is flirting with the concept of micropayments -- allowing readersw to pay for only the articles they rather than an all-you-can-read subscription. Zeevex was launchedr last year by three videpo game and socialnetwork executives. The startup has raisefd an undisclosed amount of seed financing and is considerin g another roundthis summer. While Zeevec targets gamers with itsvirtual currency, it's not quitr clear if it will get mainstream traction -- eithe from users, or the media.
Zeevex has developed an open virtual currency aimedf at the onlinegametr market. Beckett Media focuses on that same with more than30 publications. Readers of Becketyt publications -- which include sports and specialtgy market collectiblemagazines -- will be able to purchase new and archiverd content using Zeevex's virtual currency. Users can also purchasd articlesfor friends, then requestf Zeevex deliver them across social networkz such as Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Zeevex providese a payment option for the 30 million gamerswho don'gt have access to credit cardsw or PayPal accounts, marketing chief Dean Geberrt said.
While Zeevex fills a need for thosee 30million under-age and unbanked the game-changer lies in the startup's abilityg to shift from niche to a mass-market. "We are really targetinf gamerswho don't have any option," he Starting July 1, consumers can buy a Zeevex Gift Card in more than 20,00p0 U.S. retailers such as Blockbuster, convenience storews and big-box retailers. Zeevex is in late-stagwe negotiations with Best Buy. The Zeevex card is redeemer for online tokensat Zeevex.com and can be spent like cash at Zeevex’s partnet sites and locations. $1 of Zeevex Gift Card valude gets you 100Zeev tokens.
Credity cards are not cost-effective for small micropayments -- which range from a few centsd to a fewdollars -- because of transactionh and processing fees, Gebert said. Usinbg Zeevex, the content creator pockets aboug 65 percent to 67 percent of the transaction Gebert said. Zeevex, meanwhile, takee a 7 percent to 12 percent ofthe transaction, with the retailedr taking the rest. While Zeevex's virtual currenc gives gamers anotherpayment option, what's not as clear is whether the Zeevex's payment model will find adoptionb among mainstream users and media.
As a mainstream paying for an articlw using a credit cardor Paypal, seeme simpler than having to bother with buyingb the Zeevex card and then redeeming it for Gebert concedes that getting mainstream media to buy-ib will be a challenge and that Zeevex'es gift-card model creates a "point of frictiohn in the process" for some
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Study: Port impacts jobs, economic activity, taxes - Houston Business Journal:
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Of those, 58,142 were direct jobs, generated by marinwe cargo and vessel activity at the public and privatsemarine terminals, and 61,714 more jobs were inducedd by the spending of those directly employed A further 79,127 indirecyt jobs were generated by $5.9 billion of local spending by businessesa related to the Port of Overall, the number of direct, inducex and indirect jobs grew to 198,983 in 2006 from 142,9133 in 2000, an increase of 56,070. Betweeh 2000 and 2006, total cargo handlee at the public and private terminals at the Port of Houstob increasedfrom 191.4 million tons to 240.9 milliojn tons, according to the study.
The titled "The Local and Regional Economicc Impacts of the Portof Houston, prepared by Lancaster, Pa.-based Martinn Associates, also showed the port generated statewidse economic activity worth $117.6 billionh and $3.7 billion of state and localo taxes. The taxes included $1.3 billion of induced and indirect taxes, nearly double the amoun recordedin 2000.
Of those, 58,142 were direct jobs, generated by marinwe cargo and vessel activity at the public and privatsemarine terminals, and 61,714 more jobs were inducedd by the spending of those directly employed A further 79,127 indirecyt jobs were generated by $5.9 billion of local spending by businessesa related to the Port of Overall, the number of direct, inducex and indirect jobs grew to 198,983 in 2006 from 142,9133 in 2000, an increase of 56,070. Betweeh 2000 and 2006, total cargo handlee at the public and private terminals at the Port of Houstob increasedfrom 191.4 million tons to 240.9 milliojn tons, according to the study.
The titled "The Local and Regional Economicc Impacts of the Portof Houston, prepared by Lancaster, Pa.-based Martinn Associates, also showed the port generated statewidse economic activity worth $117.6 billionh and $3.7 billion of state and localo taxes. The taxes included $1.3 billion of induced and indirect taxes, nearly double the amoun recordedin 2000.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Brokers cautious, but still optimistic - Denver Business Journal:
evittiebodum1296.blogspot.com
Commercial insurance carriers and agents in andtheir clients, are feeling the effects of the recession. “Th major drivers of insurance premiumsare revenue, property value, vehicles and All of those have gotten hit,” said Todd senior vice president in the Denver officed of LLC, a commercial insurance and risk management Colorado’s construction industry, which has had a sizeablew drop in payrolls during the downturn, is a particulad area of concern for Rich Rogers, Southwest regional president for property and casualty carrier in Denver, said workers’ compensation and generao liability coverages make up a significany portion of his company’s premiums.
So declining construction payrolls can hurthis business. “W e are still writing new accounts in but opportunities have been slowed down bythe economy,” he Despite the bad economy, carriere and agents in Denver see reasons for One is the stabilizing rate environmenrt for property and casualty (P&C) insurance. According to the Councipl of Insurance Agents andBrokers (CIAB), rates for all typess of P&C insurance have declinedd steeply since 2001, putting pressure on premiumws and commissions. Now that trend is beginning to moderate: Rates declinedr by 5.1 percent in the first quarter of versus a declineof 13.5 percent for the same periosd in 2008.
“If we have hit the bottok of this cycle, all of the insurance agentg communitywill rejoice,” said Ed Harrington, CFO of Denvefr broker and risk management consultancy . But the downturnb also has created new opportunitieas for localinsurance companies, as corporate clientd of all types revisit their looking to control costs. On one hand, this wave of cost-cuttinb poses a challenge to the As one broker noted inthe CIAB’s first-quarter marketr survey on the commercial P&C sector, “The crisiws … has diminished consumer funds available to spend on From another perspective, though, the trenx toward cost control means some insurance firms are seeinh opportunities to capture business that may not have existef previously, since companies looking to maximize valu e from their insurance spending may switch carriersz or agents.
The widely publicized problems at AIG and ratings downgradews of other major providers also have played a as more customers have grown cautious aboutheir carriers’ financial stability. According to Travelers’ “Our new application flows are definitely up, which meane there is some activity being driven by clientse needing to get their coste down and ensurethat they’re with a financiallyg stable company.” The drive to reduce expenses also has generated activitgy on the employee-benefits side.
Colorado insurers have seen increased demandrfor less-expensive options, such as high-deductible health care plans, whichg enable employers to reduce premium costs and potentially decrease employees’ monthly payroll Higher out-of-pocket costs for employees can be partially managecd through tax-shielded health savings “There’s more demand for innovativw approaches that enable organizations to offer comprehensivse benefits programs to employees at a reasonablee price,” said Michael senior vice president with Consulting, an employee benefits and HR programs specialist in Denver.
There’sx also more interest in wellness programs, which aim to reduce long-terjm health costs to employers and theif work forces by identifying and managing employerehealth risks. Voluntary life and disabilityy coverage products have grownas well. Employer cost-cuttingv has helped results for these lines since companie s are looking for ways to offeer enhanced benefits without incurringbadditional costs, according to Gary Keating, regional manageer of the Denver Group benefits office for , a largse seller of group disability insurance.
Voluntary coverages options can be offered to consumers at discounterd rates throughtheir employers, with the employe e paying the cost of the Also helping sales has been the uncertainty surroundinf the potential evolution of the health care-insuranced industry in the next several years. “More insuranced brokers and consultants are payinvg attention to voluntary group life and disability insurancde becausethey don’t know what’sx going to happen on the health insurance side,” Keatiny said.
In the current carriers and agents alike noted that diversification among client industries and products has been Some customers have asked Aon to help determinde appropriate staffing levels during the partially offsetting declinesin premium-based commissionsw from headcount reductions in some Travelers also has benefited from multiplee product offerings. “If payrolls are down, it may impacr premiums to some extent, but a lot of client offset that by buying additional coverage in othe r areas as needed to ensure they areproperlu covered,” Rogers said.
While Denver’s insurance companie absorb the recession’s effects, they’re guardedl optimistic about industry Several local firms have noted plana to hireadditional staff. And according to Bill Paul, principal at benefits-and-insurancd company in Denver, clients will continue to see value in the services he and his colleagueds provide as coverage options growmore “The more complicated the industry the more the insurance brokers are needeed to clarify everything,” Paul said.
Commercial insurance carriers and agents in andtheir clients, are feeling the effects of the recession. “Th major drivers of insurance premiumsare revenue, property value, vehicles and All of those have gotten hit,” said Todd senior vice president in the Denver officed of LLC, a commercial insurance and risk management Colorado’s construction industry, which has had a sizeablew drop in payrolls during the downturn, is a particulad area of concern for Rich Rogers, Southwest regional president for property and casualty carrier in Denver, said workers’ compensation and generao liability coverages make up a significany portion of his company’s premiums.
So declining construction payrolls can hurthis business. “W e are still writing new accounts in but opportunities have been slowed down bythe economy,” he Despite the bad economy, carriere and agents in Denver see reasons for One is the stabilizing rate environmenrt for property and casualty (P&C) insurance. According to the Councipl of Insurance Agents andBrokers (CIAB), rates for all typess of P&C insurance have declinedd steeply since 2001, putting pressure on premiumws and commissions. Now that trend is beginning to moderate: Rates declinedr by 5.1 percent in the first quarter of versus a declineof 13.5 percent for the same periosd in 2008.
“If we have hit the bottok of this cycle, all of the insurance agentg communitywill rejoice,” said Ed Harrington, CFO of Denvefr broker and risk management consultancy . But the downturnb also has created new opportunitieas for localinsurance companies, as corporate clientd of all types revisit their looking to control costs. On one hand, this wave of cost-cuttinb poses a challenge to the As one broker noted inthe CIAB’s first-quarter marketr survey on the commercial P&C sector, “The crisiws … has diminished consumer funds available to spend on From another perspective, though, the trenx toward cost control means some insurance firms are seeinh opportunities to capture business that may not have existef previously, since companies looking to maximize valu e from their insurance spending may switch carriersz or agents.
The widely publicized problems at AIG and ratings downgradews of other major providers also have played a as more customers have grown cautious aboutheir carriers’ financial stability. According to Travelers’ “Our new application flows are definitely up, which meane there is some activity being driven by clientse needing to get their coste down and ensurethat they’re with a financiallyg stable company.” The drive to reduce expenses also has generated activitgy on the employee-benefits side.
Colorado insurers have seen increased demandrfor less-expensive options, such as high-deductible health care plans, whichg enable employers to reduce premium costs and potentially decrease employees’ monthly payroll Higher out-of-pocket costs for employees can be partially managecd through tax-shielded health savings “There’s more demand for innovativw approaches that enable organizations to offer comprehensivse benefits programs to employees at a reasonablee price,” said Michael senior vice president with Consulting, an employee benefits and HR programs specialist in Denver.
There’sx also more interest in wellness programs, which aim to reduce long-terjm health costs to employers and theif work forces by identifying and managing employerehealth risks. Voluntary life and disabilityy coverage products have grownas well. Employer cost-cuttingv has helped results for these lines since companie s are looking for ways to offeer enhanced benefits without incurringbadditional costs, according to Gary Keating, regional manageer of the Denver Group benefits office for , a largse seller of group disability insurance.
Voluntary coverages options can be offered to consumers at discounterd rates throughtheir employers, with the employe e paying the cost of the Also helping sales has been the uncertainty surroundinf the potential evolution of the health care-insuranced industry in the next several years. “More insuranced brokers and consultants are payinvg attention to voluntary group life and disability insurancde becausethey don’t know what’sx going to happen on the health insurance side,” Keatiny said.
In the current carriers and agents alike noted that diversification among client industries and products has been Some customers have asked Aon to help determinde appropriate staffing levels during the partially offsetting declinesin premium-based commissionsw from headcount reductions in some Travelers also has benefited from multiplee product offerings. “If payrolls are down, it may impacr premiums to some extent, but a lot of client offset that by buying additional coverage in othe r areas as needed to ensure they areproperlu covered,” Rogers said.
While Denver’s insurance companie absorb the recession’s effects, they’re guardedl optimistic about industry Several local firms have noted plana to hireadditional staff. And according to Bill Paul, principal at benefits-and-insurancd company in Denver, clients will continue to see value in the services he and his colleagueds provide as coverage options growmore “The more complicated the industry the more the insurance brokers are needeed to clarify everything,” Paul said.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Phoenix home sales rise, foreclosure percentage falls - Phoenix Business Journal:
ycoguqi.wordpress.com
Arizona State University Realty Studiezs departmentreported 9,980 home resales in May, up slightluy from the 9,100 recorded in April. In May of last year, 7,2109 existing homes were sold. Foreclosure activity in May represented 30 percentg ofall transactions, down from a recent high of 51 percent in “Historically, May is one of the strongest months in the resale home season that usually lastes until August,” said Jay Butler, director of Realtyg Studies in the Morrison School of Management and Agribusiness at ASU.
“Durin the resale season, sales and media prices tend to increase, so some improvement in the locaol housing market would not be While mortgage interest has crept higher inrecen weeks, rates still are attractively low. But the ongoing recessio and a weak job markeft could threaten continuedsales growth. “Ther is increasing hope that the housing troublew are beginningto ebb, and the bottom, alonv with a potential recovery, are in said Butler. For the traditional sales market, the medianj price in May was $130,000, down 42 percent from the $224,0090 of a year ago. Foreclosed propertiesz had a median priceof $150,090. That’s down aboutt $25,000 from one year ago.
Arizona State University Realty Studiezs departmentreported 9,980 home resales in May, up slightluy from the 9,100 recorded in April. In May of last year, 7,2109 existing homes were sold. Foreclosure activity in May represented 30 percentg ofall transactions, down from a recent high of 51 percent in “Historically, May is one of the strongest months in the resale home season that usually lastes until August,” said Jay Butler, director of Realtyg Studies in the Morrison School of Management and Agribusiness at ASU.
“Durin the resale season, sales and media prices tend to increase, so some improvement in the locaol housing market would not be While mortgage interest has crept higher inrecen weeks, rates still are attractively low. But the ongoing recessio and a weak job markeft could threaten continuedsales growth. “Ther is increasing hope that the housing troublew are beginningto ebb, and the bottom, alonv with a potential recovery, are in said Butler. For the traditional sales market, the medianj price in May was $130,000, down 42 percent from the $224,0090 of a year ago. Foreclosed propertiesz had a median priceof $150,090. That’s down aboutt $25,000 from one year ago.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Target wins proxy fight with Ackman, Pershing Square - Birmingham Business Journal:
stages-paddocks.blogspot.com
In a preliminary tally of voting, more than 70 percen t of the shares that were cast were votedx in favor ofthe company’s proposefd slate of directors whilre also voting to keep the size of the boardd the same by the same voting margin. Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) urged its shareholders to vote for a proposalp to set the size of the board at 12 and to vote forthe company’es nominees — Mary Dillon, Richard Kovacevich, George Tamkee and Solomon Trujillo. Dillon is executive vice presidenft and global chief marketing officedof McDonald’s Corp.; Kovacevich is chairmaj of Wells Fargo & Co.; Tamke is a partner at private investment firm Claytonb Dubilier & Rice Inc.
, and Trujillo is CEO of Telstrq Corp. Hedge fund manager Williaj Ackman is the founder and managing principalof , New York City. Pershing Square owns 7.8 percent of Target’w common shares, according to the Target proxy Pershing Square proposed alternativedirector nominees, but Targey executives urged shareholders not to return any proxyy card sent by Pershin g Square. Ackman was trying to gain a seat for himseldon Target’s board along with four others: former Winthropo Realty Trust CEO Michael Ashner, former Starbuckss CEO Jim Donald, Juniper Financial co-founder Richard Vague and corporatre finance and governance expert Ronald Ackman, calling his group The Nominee for Shareholder Choice, urged Target shareholders to vote againstt the proposal to reduce the size of the Targert board.
His group said a vote against the proposal woulcd help ensure that at least one of the Nominees for Shareholdeer Choiceis elected. The shareholders meeting was held at a new Targegt Store being completed at 1250 West Sunset Drivsin Waukesha. Target executives said the site allowee the company to showcase its latest generalo merchandisestore design. The storer is scheduled to openin July. Targeft executives said they have met since 2007 with Ackman to discuss hisideas and, said they were disappointef that Pershing Square has decided to pursue what Targert management called a costlgy and disruptive proxy contest.
The in part, followed Ackman’s earlief suggestion to sell Target’s credit card receivables. The company completed a transaction in May withJPMorgan Chase, in whichb Target sold slightly less than half its receivable for cash proceeds of about $3.6 billion Ackman in May 2008 presented the firsrt in a series of proposals involving restructuringf Target’s real estate around the theme of a Target’s board concluded that the REIT proposal “was not in the best interesty of our shareholders” becauses it wouldn’t create much value, Targeyt executives said.
On May 20, Targeg reported net earnings of $522 million, or 69 cents per for the first quarter endedMay 2, 2009, comparex with $602 million , or 74 a year earlier. Retail sales increased 0.4 percenty to $14.4 billion from $14.33 billion in 2008, due to new store expansion that partiallgy offset bya 3.7 percentt decline in comparable-store sales. Target Corp. operates a credit card segmenftand 1,698 Target stores in 49
In a preliminary tally of voting, more than 70 percen t of the shares that were cast were votedx in favor ofthe company’s proposefd slate of directors whilre also voting to keep the size of the boardd the same by the same voting margin. Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) urged its shareholders to vote for a proposalp to set the size of the board at 12 and to vote forthe company’es nominees — Mary Dillon, Richard Kovacevich, George Tamkee and Solomon Trujillo. Dillon is executive vice presidenft and global chief marketing officedof McDonald’s Corp.; Kovacevich is chairmaj of Wells Fargo & Co.; Tamke is a partner at private investment firm Claytonb Dubilier & Rice Inc.
, and Trujillo is CEO of Telstrq Corp. Hedge fund manager Williaj Ackman is the founder and managing principalof , New York City. Pershing Square owns 7.8 percent of Target’w common shares, according to the Target proxy Pershing Square proposed alternativedirector nominees, but Targey executives urged shareholders not to return any proxyy card sent by Pershin g Square. Ackman was trying to gain a seat for himseldon Target’s board along with four others: former Winthropo Realty Trust CEO Michael Ashner, former Starbuckss CEO Jim Donald, Juniper Financial co-founder Richard Vague and corporatre finance and governance expert Ronald Ackman, calling his group The Nominee for Shareholder Choice, urged Target shareholders to vote againstt the proposal to reduce the size of the Targert board.
His group said a vote against the proposal woulcd help ensure that at least one of the Nominees for Shareholdeer Choiceis elected. The shareholders meeting was held at a new Targegt Store being completed at 1250 West Sunset Drivsin Waukesha. Target executives said the site allowee the company to showcase its latest generalo merchandisestore design. The storer is scheduled to openin July. Targeft executives said they have met since 2007 with Ackman to discuss hisideas and, said they were disappointef that Pershing Square has decided to pursue what Targert management called a costlgy and disruptive proxy contest.
The in part, followed Ackman’s earlief suggestion to sell Target’s credit card receivables. The company completed a transaction in May withJPMorgan Chase, in whichb Target sold slightly less than half its receivable for cash proceeds of about $3.6 billion Ackman in May 2008 presented the firsrt in a series of proposals involving restructuringf Target’s real estate around the theme of a Target’s board concluded that the REIT proposal “was not in the best interesty of our shareholders” becauses it wouldn’t create much value, Targeyt executives said.
On May 20, Targeg reported net earnings of $522 million, or 69 cents per for the first quarter endedMay 2, 2009, comparex with $602 million , or 74 a year earlier. Retail sales increased 0.4 percenty to $14.4 billion from $14.33 billion in 2008, due to new store expansion that partiallgy offset bya 3.7 percentt decline in comparable-store sales. Target Corp. operates a credit card segmenftand 1,698 Target stores in 49
Monday, February 6, 2012
Recession continues to weaken air travel - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
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Passenger revenue dropped 18 percengin April, marking the sixth straightf monthly decline. The numbefr of passengers travelingon U.S. airlines in April fell 6.3 percent, whilw the average price to fly one miledropped 12.6 April results partially reflect the shiftt in the Easter holiday from Marchh last year to April this ATA said. U.S. airlinees also saw cargo traffic -- as measured by revenue ton mileas -- dive 21 percenrt in March, matching the decline measurec in January and February and marking the eightbh consecutive month of declining cargo traffic. Notably, cargo traffic in the Pacifivc region fell28 percent. April 2009 carglo data is not yet available.
“Thde latest reports show the scope and depth ofthe recession’x continued toll on commercial said ATA president and CEO James May, in a news “The industry is seeing less demand in the cabin, as well as in the cargi holds -- clear signs of the widespread slowdowm in global economic activity.”
Passenger revenue dropped 18 percengin April, marking the sixth straightf monthly decline. The numbefr of passengers travelingon U.S. airlines in April fell 6.3 percent, whilw the average price to fly one miledropped 12.6 April results partially reflect the shiftt in the Easter holiday from Marchh last year to April this ATA said. U.S. airlinees also saw cargo traffic -- as measured by revenue ton mileas -- dive 21 percenrt in March, matching the decline measurec in January and February and marking the eightbh consecutive month of declining cargo traffic. Notably, cargo traffic in the Pacifivc region fell28 percent. April 2009 carglo data is not yet available.
“Thde latest reports show the scope and depth ofthe recession’x continued toll on commercial said ATA president and CEO James May, in a news “The industry is seeing less demand in the cabin, as well as in the cargi holds -- clear signs of the widespread slowdowm in global economic activity.”
Friday, February 3, 2012
Ky. video-gaming bill dies in Senate committee - San Antonio Business Journal:
authors-morphology.blogspot.com
The Senate Appropriations Revenue onMonday evening, voted 10-5 against the measure, with two memberse abstaining, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The House had previouslu passedthe bill. The legislation would have permitted video-lotteryg terminals at Kentuckyhorss tracks, including Turfway Park in "The limited gaming proposal was designexd to help save a signature industry in peril an industry that means 100,000 jobs and $4 billiohn in investment for our state," said Gov. Stev e Beshear in a Monday evening "It is unfortunate that everu voice on this criticallt important issue was not hearx and every votenot counted.
" At a Frankfortt press conference, Turfway Park President Bob Elliston said Turfwa could close by 2010 if Ohio passezs gaming legislation and Kentucky does not. Ohio Gov. Ted Stricklande recently reversed his stance againsy gamblingat racetracks.
The Senate Appropriations Revenue onMonday evening, voted 10-5 against the measure, with two memberse abstaining, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. The House had previouslu passedthe bill. The legislation would have permitted video-lotteryg terminals at Kentuckyhorss tracks, including Turfway Park in "The limited gaming proposal was designexd to help save a signature industry in peril an industry that means 100,000 jobs and $4 billiohn in investment for our state," said Gov. Stev e Beshear in a Monday evening "It is unfortunate that everu voice on this criticallt important issue was not hearx and every votenot counted.
" At a Frankfortt press conference, Turfway Park President Bob Elliston said Turfwa could close by 2010 if Ohio passezs gaming legislation and Kentucky does not. Ohio Gov. Ted Stricklande recently reversed his stance againsy gamblingat racetracks.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
State Farm will send out $120M in refunds - Orlando Business Journal:
ymekovo.wordpress.com
The refunds or credits will tota $120 million and go to both current andformef policyholders, according to a release from the . Statd Farm also must pay a $1 million penalty to the Regulator yTrust Fund, the release said. The mone y will go to policyholders who did not apply for or who did not received the windstorm loss reduction rating plan discount for makinhg their homes more resistant to wind Steps taken by consumers to reduce storm damagew help to keep property insurancecosts down, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in the The order follows a July notice to State Farm of an investigation by the state officw into whether the company was properly implementinvg the mitigation discount As the result of an internal review, Stat Farm identified nearly 98,000 current or formet policyholders to whom it will providde credits or refunds, the release said.
State Farm policyholders who are entitled to the refunds will receivse a notice fromthe company, the release said. They includew policyholders whocurrently have, or did have, a homeowners, condominium unit owners, apartment or condominium associationb policy. State Farm has 90 days to prepar e the credit or refund procesz and 365 days for all credits or refunds to be therelease said. The state said it would conducra follow-up compliance audit in 12 months.
The refunds or credits will tota $120 million and go to both current andformef policyholders, according to a release from the . Statd Farm also must pay a $1 million penalty to the Regulator yTrust Fund, the release said. The mone y will go to policyholders who did not apply for or who did not received the windstorm loss reduction rating plan discount for makinhg their homes more resistant to wind Steps taken by consumers to reduce storm damagew help to keep property insurancecosts down, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said in the The order follows a July notice to State Farm of an investigation by the state officw into whether the company was properly implementinvg the mitigation discount As the result of an internal review, Stat Farm identified nearly 98,000 current or formet policyholders to whom it will providde credits or refunds, the release said.
State Farm policyholders who are entitled to the refunds will receivse a notice fromthe company, the release said. They includew policyholders whocurrently have, or did have, a homeowners, condominium unit owners, apartment or condominium associationb policy. State Farm has 90 days to prepar e the credit or refund procesz and 365 days for all credits or refunds to be therelease said. The state said it would conducra follow-up compliance audit in 12 months.
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