Sunday, October 31, 2010

Companies linking up to insure themselves - San Francisco Business Times:

http://tamparelocationinfo.com/page/Camping-Equipment---Your-Survival-Could-Depend-On-.html
Under this model, groups of similar businesses joinforcez -- under the auspices of a risk-management company -- to pool resourcews and self-insure against comp-related in effect forming the equivalent of a mutuaol insurance company. This allows medium-sized businesses to cover themselvesx the way giant enterprises have long donein California. More than 25 such groupsa have formed in California sinceJanuargy 2002, after the approach won regulatoryg approval.
One of the largest is Compensation Risk Managersof California, a unit of Bermuda-based It manages six industry programs in the Golden for auto dealers, bankers, health-care companies such as skilled nursinf facilities and hospitals, plastic manufacturers and Thousands of companies are members, including nearly 700 in one restauranty industry group alone, but exact numbers aren't available. The CRM-managed wineru group got off the ground inAugustg 2005, with four core including Sonoma's and Healdsburg's , according to David Ferrari-Carano's controller. It's now up to 23 wineriesx with roughly $2 million in annuao workers' comp premiums. "It has exceedeed expectations.
The group is performing very saidPeggy Phelan, Cline Cellars' directord of operations and a foundinvg board member of the winery Among the biggest benefits are rate stabilization, which takeas participants outside of the workers' comp industry's notorious boom-bust cycle, and having an equity interest in the group' performance. "That's been a real Phelan said, since any surplus premiums not used to pay claimes belong to theparticipating companies. That provides a stronvg incentive to implementsafety programs, she said, since all members see regular reports on the group's performance and any laggards soon becomew obvious.
The winery group's board reviews any comp clainmover $10,000, to make sure that all participants are maintainingh strong safety standards. The model only worksz if all members of the group meet high underwritingbstandards -- a weak link can create losses for the entire group since memberz can be held liable for others' That's why professional risk-management services are needefd to safely embark on such a project and why currenrt group board members can accept or rejecg any potential new participants.
Losing steam As of early December, CRM had operationzs in three states, California, New York and Texas, includingb managing self-insured groups that include an estimated 425 individua companies in the six Californi aindustry niches. Its services are sold througj independent brokers, and must followq guidelines from the state Department ofIndustrial Relations, which regulatess self-insured groups and individual self-insured companies throug its Self Insurance Planw unit. CRM Holdings, which operates the California recentlypurchased , a San Francisco-based workers' comp carrier, giving it another finger in the local workers'' comp pie.
Overall, after that acquisition, publicly tradedf CRM Holdings has250 employees, said Chet its COO, including 80 full-time employees employed by For the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, CRM managed $72.4 million in aggregate premium revenuein California, up from $64 millionm the prior year, but just a drop in the bucket in the state's $21.4 billion comp market, as of year-encd 2005. The company expects to have manageds premium totals ofabout $200 milliomn for California and New York in 2006, but isn't breaking out the California But it gained 130 new employet members last fiscal year, and saw its Californi a premium revenue under management jump 55 Other management companies in this niche includee , , CHSI and , according to Mark Johnson, who heada the DIR's self insurance program.
Othet industry niches served by self-insured groups include beverage distributors, farmers, privated schools, truckers, credit unions, golf clubs, nonprofirt organizations and independent bankers. Still, group self-insurancd is becoming a harder sell for some potentialp BayArea participants. Several local brokers contacted by the Busines s Times said interest in this approachis waning, given perceivedr liability risks and the dramatic receny rate drops offered by traditional workers' comp insurers. "There's interest, but not as much as ther was" a year or two ago, said Pete vice president at the Fremont-based brokerage.
Even so, Alexandef said he represents 20 auto dealed clients ina self-insured groul and all of them have elected to "It's still the most competitive productg out there," he "It gives business owners control over and also the potential to receivde dividends" from premiums that aren't paid out in James Carter, area president and partner at Burlingame's brokerage, said the modell works best for organizations whoses annual comp premiums are more than $50,000 but less than abouft $1.2 million. Those with larger exposures are typically bettefr off seekingindividual self-insurance options.
But group self-insurance can be a grear way for well-managed employers in that rangse to control their risks and reap the hesaid -- so much so that companies that exit the traditionap workers' comp "roller coaster" in this way rarel return.

Friday, October 29, 2010

bizjournals: Brainpower rankings of 100 top metros

http://excursionsin.com/en/exotic-excursions/page_42.html
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Thursday, October 28, 2010

Companies seek relief from product-safety regulations - bizjournals:

hustenuejib1630.blogspot.com
Congress passed the Consumer Producta Safety Improvement Act in August 2008 in respons e to the discovery of high lead content in toys importedefrom China. But U.S. businessesw contend the law has made it impossiblee for them to sell producte that pose no health threatto children. Manufacturersd complain the law’s requirements to test and certifyg children’s products for lead and phthalates — and attach permaneng tracking labels on them are unreasonable and too costly for many small Supporters of the legislation contenrd the has done a poor job of providing guidance to businessea on how to comply with the They also maintain the commission has the authority to exclude certain classes of productsd fromthe law’s requirements if they don’t pose a health But Nancy Nord, acting chairmanm of the Consumer Product Safety testified at a House hearing May 14 that the agencyy is “hamstrung by the law’s sweeping reach and The commission has “not yet been able to identifhy any products that would meet the law’s requirementsx for exclusions,” Nord On Jan.
30, the commission issued a one-year stay of enforcementt for the law’s testing and certification “It was very clear peoplee were not ready to meet the Nord said. But that stay of enforcemengt did not relieve manufacturers or retailers of the underlyinfg legal liability for selling products that fail to meetthe law’as lower lead and phthalate levels, whicbh went into effect Feb. 10. “According to the retailing the staychanges nothing,” said David McCubbin, a partnerr in , an Oklahoma City, Okla.
, “Retailers continue to ask us to Even though there is no evidence that his company’s hosieruy contains lead, the company will be forcesd to pay more than $500,000 on lead testinbg over the next year, McCubbin said. Hosiery isn’t likel y to be ingested or inhaled, so lead wouldn’t pose a health hazard even if itwere present, he added. Textilexs should be exempted from the leadtesting requirement, he The law could cost creators of handmade itemx their businesses, two home-based crafters testified. Laurel Schreiber, ownerr of in Allison Pa., makes and sells monogrammed gifts for such ashair bows, and an appliqueds bib and bloomer set.
Even though most of the materialsz she uses in her products have been tested for lead or thelaw — as written — woulxd require her to test each individual item. That would cost her $300 to $1,275t for products that sell for $5 to $20, Schreiberd said. Suzanne Lang, owner of in Pa., created 36 patterns of giraffeelast year. To test each of thos e items for lead and phthalates would cost up to she said. She grossede only $4,500 last year. Rep. Jason Altmire who chaired the House Small Business Committee pane that heldthe hearing, pledged to work on a solution to the law’s problems.
“This is just the first step,” he But Altmire blamed “ineffective leadership” at the Consumef Product Safety Commissionand “thse vagueness of important CPSC guidelines” for most of the He hopes new leadership and a bigger budget for the agencuy “will lead to a smoother transition to these new What: Effective dates: • Feb. 10, 2009: Productds for children 12 or younger cannot be sold if they containj more than 600 partsz per millionof lead. • Aug. 14, 2009: The lead limirt is reduced to 300 partsper • Aug.
10, The lead limit is reduced to 100 parts per unless the Consumer Producty Safety Commission determines that is nottechnologically feasible. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Nightclub shuttered after disturbance - NorthJersey.com

vickreyafolori1839.blogspot.com


Nightclub shuttered after disturbance

NorthJersey.com


Prana Lounge was closed by police early Sunday morning after a disturbance allegedly occurred inside the dance club. ...



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Monday, October 25, 2010

Americans Struggling to Afford Medications Find Financial Relief in Canadian ... - San Francisco Chronicle

http://www.credit-fix-secrets.com/the-complete-credit-repair-book-page16.html


PR Web (press release)


Americans Struggling to Afford Medications Find Financial Relief in Canadian ...

San Francisco Chronicle


The Canadian International Pharmacy Association, also known as CIPA, is another regulatory body that registers legitimate Canadian online pharmacies. ...


American Drug Costs Continue to Climb and Americans Turn to Canadian Online ...

San Francisco Chronicle


Prescriptions Drug Savings - Americans Turning to Canadian and Online Pharmacies

PrescriptionDrugs.com



 »

Saturday, October 23, 2010

It

http://www.alldentistry.info/page/2
GE Consumer & Industrial, a divisiomn of Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric Co., said it will inves about $69 million and add abougt 400 jobs for theproduct line. The watee heaters will meet the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2009 Energy Star standards for heat-pumlp water heaters. Jim Campbell, president and CEO of GE Consumert & Industrial, said the company’s planned investment in the water-heate r line “clearly demonstrates GE’ws confidence in Appliance Park.” He addecd that the company likely will begin hirinf to fill the new positionsby mid-2011 and productiojn will begin that fall.
If the water-heate r line is successful, GE might briny the production of other energy-efficient appliances to Louisville, Campbell said. “To me, this showe that the company is willing to invest in the appliance business and give us the kind of fundinfg we need to compete inthe marketplace,” Campbelp said during a news conference Monday at Appliancse Park. “When (GE CEO) Jeff Immel t was here speaking to the employees last he made it clearthat we’re goinbg to operate the business like we’re goint to be in it forever.” A year ago, the companty sought to spin off, sell or seek a jointg venture partner of the appliances unit.
The company decided last fall that it woulx hold on tothe business, at least through the economic downturn. On Thursday, May 28, the grantedx GE preliminary approvalfor $10 million in tax incentives over 10 yeards for the company to invest $69.32 million to develop a hybri d water heater production line, a dishwasher and refrigerator componenr line and a data center. On Thursday the Louisville Metro Councilvoted 25-0 to approve $2.5 million in occupational tax refunds over 10 yearsx for the project. “When we saw the opportunity to get a new product andexpand jobs, we knew we had to hit the grounsd running,” Kentucky Gov.
Steve Beshear said following thenews “I think GE made the righty decision. It’s one that provides a lot of potential for the Another factor in the decisio to add the jobs at the struggling companyofficials said, was the decision by International Union of Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers-Communications Workers of America Locao 761 members to accept various cost-cuttingh measures proposed by GE Consumer and Union members voted Wednesday to approve the GE which GE officials said would be key in bringingt a new product to the Among the concessions are pay freezesd for union workers until June 2011.
newly hired skilled-trades professionals will be hirec at a pay rateof $23 per hour and advance to $25 per hour over a two-yeat period. Newly hired hourly production workerxs will hired at a pay rateof $13 per hour and received annual wage increases after the current contract expires in 2011. The currentt starting wage for skilled workersis $31.22 per The current starting wage for hourly productiom workers is $15.01 per hour. GE also agreed to add 100 positionz and bring anew low-cost dishwasher line to Appliance Park by Dec. 31.
And it will continuew making 18-cubic-foot, top-mount refrigerators, home dishwashers and 27-inch top-loadr washing machines at Appliance Park through at leastJune 17, unless the company decides to exit the product “With the competitive wage structure we agreed to, the union has showjn a willingness to work with the company to brinv jobs to Appliance Park,” IUE-CWA Locak 761 president Jerry Carney said.
“Hopefully, this is just the tip of the

Friday, October 22, 2010

EPA approves California greenhouse gas rules - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

http://scholarshiphunter.com/dischargestudentloans.html
The approval is a reversal of a 2005 decisiohn striking downthe state’s Clean Air Act waiver The EPA waiver means the stat e can begin implementing a 2004 law that requirew automakers to increase the fuel efficiency of cars by 40 to 35.5 miles per gallon, over the next seveh years. “This waiver is consistent with the Clean Air Actas it’ws been used for the last 40 yeards and supports the prerogativesa of the 13 states and the Districgt of Columbia who have opted to followa California’s lead,” EPA administrator Lisa Jacksonj said in a news “More importantly, this decision reinforces the historiv agreement on nationwide emissionas standards developed by a broad coalition of industry, government and environmental stakeholders earlier this President Obama in May announced a nationalp policy to improve fuel efficiency in new cars and

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Finding the right Property - Dayton Business Journal:

http://www.redapplepublishing.com/pr03.htm
The professor asked the studentws to come back after a breakk if they wanted to learmn how tobecome Monroe, self-described as "young and dumb," at the returned. His professor told the classd that buying investment properties could makethem rich, if they did it Monroe kept that lecture in the back of his mind for about four years. In 1983, he bought his first rentakl property, a six-unit apartment building on Salem Avenuw in the DaytonView area.
Now a boared member of the and Realtofor , Monroe owns 50 housing unitds at 12 locations throughout Troy and Tipp After 22 years of owningh investment properties -- 13 of which were dedicatedx to full-time rental management -- Monroe emphasizess the importance of having a business plan befors investing. Aside from having a plan, potential landlordw need to realize that owning investment propertiezs likely will take more time and money than they investors say. They also need to choos e properties that fit their schedulesand lifestyles. Plus, landlords advise potentiao investors to approach the endeavor without emotion so they can make goodbusinessw decisions.
"I never fall in love with one of my business saidMarsha Grosmann, president of the and sole proprietor of the , the Dayton-basec company through which she manages her rentapl properties. Grosmann, who teaches real estate investment classes througbh a companycalled , took her time beford she and her husband, John, who is treasurere of the Greater Dayton Real Estatr Investors Association, purchased an investment The couple owns , a company that buys and sellsw homes across the country. John Grosmann, who has managed his rentalsd for decades, has a few tips for newcomerw tothe field. Prepare to lose moneu when an occupantmoves out.
To prepare a unit beforde new tenantsmove in, the landlor d may have painting and otherd maintenance costs. And unless the owner can find a newtenan fast, the unit will be emptyg -- and no rent will be paid -- for a Take the time to find good By law, landlords must dip into their own pocketds to move an occupant's belongings into storaged when they evict and John racked up a $1,000 bill for that very move in a recen t eviction, he said. Stand your ground with tenants. The longef an owner waits to evict atenanty who's not paying rent, the more it's goingv to cost. Always screen tenants.
Criminal bad credit and prior evictions can alertf a landlord to a potentiaklproblem occupant, he said. Write a specifif lease. John learns from past mistakes by addinbg sections to his lease whenever he has problems with he said. When he first his lease was one page; now, it'sx 11. As investors gain experience, they learn what type of propertiee are suitedfor them, Marsha Grosmann said. She sticksx with buying the types of homews that will be the most manageable for her and her For example, she buys one-stories so she doesn'ft need a ladder, and she buys brico homes so she doesn't have to It's hard to sell one-bedroom apartments because single people will want an extrqa room for a computer or television, she said, so she generall y buys units with two bedrooms.
Rentals will be easier to leasdeif they're in low-crime aread and away from busy roads where traffivc could make the home unattractive, Grossman said. Monroe has learned over the yearse how many and what types of properties are best for his In 1991, he bought 100 units in a bulk bringing his total number of investments to 300, but learnee in the next few years that managing all those properties was time-consuming. those properties were older and took more time to He has since consolidated and focuserd his purchases onmore expensive, newe r rentals that take less effort to maintain and less time in rentee management.
Now that he's down to a more manageable numbereof units, Monroe is making less money, but he's content. He now has time to sell too. "I do my real estate activities and my he said. "I'm always looking for other opportunities."

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Abercrombie shutting struggling Ruehl chain - Houston Business Journal:

http://reproductiveaccess.org/mva/counseling_ambiv_pat.htm
The New Albany-based apparekl merchant said Wednesday it willshut Ruehl’s 29 stores and direct-to-consumer operations and will be “substantially complete” with the effort by the end of next The decision comes a month after Abercrombie took a deep strategic look at the chain, whic targets young adults with clothes and Ruehl, whose only Ohio store is at Eastoh Town Center, generated a pretax operatin loss of $58 million last The chain regularly was Abercrombie’s weakesft sales performer at stores open at least a Ruehl’s same-store sales were off 33 percen in May. Abercrombie earnee $272.3 million on $3.54 billionm in revenue last year.
“It has been a difficulf decision toclose Ruehl, a brand we continuwe to believe could have been successfukl in different circumstances,” CEO Michael Jeffries said in a “However, given the current economic environment, we believr it is in the best interestse of the company to focus its efforts and resources on the growthn opportunities afforded by our other brands, particularly internationally.” The companty didn’t disclose the effects on the chain’s work nor did it indicate the number of jobs tied to The review of Ruehl, which opened in 2004, cost the company about $51 million in impairment charges in its firsyt quarter.
Abercrombie expects to book about $65 million in pretax chargeas through the rest of the fiscal year as it windsadown Ruehl. The company Wednesday also said it amended a credir agreement to excludesome Ruehl-related chargee from requirements under its covenant with the lenderd and reduced its availabler credit to $350 million from $450 million. Jeffrie s said the company is confidentf is has sufficient cash on handbut “we believe it is prudent to make these in light of the recession-battered retaiol environment and the one-time Ruehl costs. In addition to the 29 Rueh l stores, Abercrombie runs 350 flagship stores and 733 others underthe Abercrombie, Hollisterr Co.
and Gilly Hicks nameplates.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Opus West scales back - San Francisco Business Times:

glafirarynyxu.blogspot.com
Opus spokeswoman Winston Hewettsaid it's too soon to say what impactr the anticipated Chapter 11 filing will have on Opus'' already downsized Dallas operations. The Dallas office has not starteed a new development in more than a year and has cut its staffv to 12 employees from about 40 ayear ago, Hewetyt said. Phoenix-based Opus West's overall headcount had dropped to 40 as ofJuly 1, compareed to 291 two years ago, she said. "Opus as a wholre took our foot off the gas 18monthes ago," Hewett said, "but it wasn't soon enough." Opus Group on July 1 said it plansa to file a bankruptcy petition for its Opus West subsidiary, which has several projects in North Texas.
Sinces April, dozens of subcontractors have filed liens totalinf morethan $4 millioh against Opus Group and Opus West Corp. tied to Two Addisoh Circle, a $23 million, 198,000-square-foot speculativer office buildingin Addison. The building was developee and is owned by OpusWest Corp. The liensx claim Opus owes the subcontractors for labot or materials provided in the course of The six-story Two Addison Circle building on the west side of the Dallase North Tollway just north of Arapaho Road was recentlgy completed, but has no tenants.
The credit crunch and slowingg demand for office spacee have left Opus unable to get permanent financing to replacethe short-term construction loan on the Addison project, Hewett said. Other Opus West Corp. projectes in North Texas include the 121 Lakepointe an office and industrial development in andBroadstone Parkway, a 5.8-acre mixed-use project at 5005 Gallerisa Drive in North Dallas. Stevwe Golding, president and chief operating officeer in the Dallas office ofdeveloper Jackson-Shaw, said the anticipated bankruptcu filing by Opus West shows North Texas is being impactex by the economic downturb along with the rest of the nation.
"Clearly anytime someone with that kind of name and nationa scopefiles bankruptcy, it has a negative perception on the and it's unfortunate," Goldingg said. , which is basedc in Minnetonka, Minn., is a design-build developmengt firm that specializesin office, retail, multifamily, government and institutional projects. It also controlz Washington-based LLC, which filed for Chapte 7 liquidationlast week. Opus Group said its which is basedin Atlanta, filed for reorganizatioh in bankruptcy court on April 22. Opus Group said the bankruptc y filings are a result of a steep declins in commercial real estate valuess and difficult creditmarket conditions.
The company said Opus West plans to maintain its Phoenix headquarterszand "a modest presence" in Texa s and California that will focus on asser sales. Robert Deptula, principal in the Dallasx office of commercial real estatefirm , said to expecyt more bankruptcy filings by developers. "They're runningt out of negotiation room and the banks are beiny forced to take Deptula said. "They've delayed and postponed foreclosurw in some cases as long andthey can, and they'rwe going to have to realize the valu e dimunition that the economy has brought about.
"

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Across media landscape, recession

guronelogoh.blogspot.com
While that could describe nearlg any industry amidthis recession, it’s particularly apt for the whose advertising-based business model is taking a beating. Those companiew still advertising want toensure they’re getting the most values for their dollars, which makes competition in the splinterinb media landscape even tougher, said Marsh Young, a media buyetr and partner at Columbus-based “More than ever,” she “people are (return-on-investment) Columbus Business First spoke to a sampling of area media companie to see how the recession has affected “What’s affecting us is the automotive and housinfg categories,” said Brian market manager for ’s seven area radiol stations.
Realtors and car dealers are in the top five advertisin g categoriesfor radio, Dytko said, so when those industriex started declining, radio wasn’t far behind. Dytkpo estimated clients have cut their advertising budgets by 30 Clear Channel stations noticed a chang elast year, Dytko said, but the declinwe accelerated this year after the auto industryy hit the skids. The result has been cutbacks. San Antonio-based Clear Channel said in January it wascuttingv 1,850 jobs, or 9 perceny of its work force, as part of a $350 million cost-cuttingb plan.
Dytko declined to say how many jobs were lostin Still, Dytko said it appears busineses is picking up and, if the economh is turning around, he expects radio will “Everybody is down,” he said. “I don’t see radii losing market share to any othersignificant media.” Circulation and advertising revenue at newspapers have been declining for several years. One cause is the Internet, where most newspaperzs are giving away their newsfor free. And the deepeningb recession has hurtas well.
The Columbus Dispatcuh has had a couple rounds ofjob cuts; , a commercia l printer in Carroll owned by shut down in and Addison, Texas-based , parentr of The Other Paper, Columbus Monthly, CEO magazine and the weekl y newspaper chain, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April. At the Columbuz Messenger Co., a Columbus-based owner of suburban weeklies, customers were askef to make a voluntary contributionof $18 so the papert could continue home delivery. “People have been said Fred Schenk, advertising and production manage r for theWestside Messenger.
Schenk said the biggestf impact on his papere has come from a declinwe in realestate “We’ve also seen a decline in small-businesses advertising,” he “They’re going out of business or cutting back.” The papere hasn’t had to cut jobs, Schenk said, but it hasn’t been replacingv people who left either. With more than $1 billion raises during the last presidentialcampaign season, 2008 was good to televisiob stations. This year is a different story, but not as bad as one mighyt think, said Michael Cash, vice president of sales at televisionmaffiliate WCMH.
“We’ve had double-digirt declines, but that’s based on a pretty healthy year (in Cash said. “If we’re down 15 to 20 percenyt overall, it’s because of a 30 percenty national drop and a 5 to10 (percent) local.” The majoritgy of spots offered on broadcast stations are sold by the national networks, while local affiliates sell the WCMH continues to sell its spots, Cash but at lower prices. In the first rates were down 10 percent to 15 Becauseof that, companies that may have advertised only in prinr before have moved to TV, Cash said.
that doesn’t make up for the declind in automotive ads, whicuh Cash said in the past made up 20 percentr to 30 percent ofthe industry’xs business. ColumbusUnderground.com is doing better than most. Operatecd by one man, it’s a Web site that offerzs readers an aggregation of news stories from other medis and someoriginal content. Walker Evans startex the site in 2001 as a source for news on Columbusa nightlifeand entertainment, but it has since evolverd into a general interest “I don’t think people are looking for less They’re just looking for it in different Evans said.
As ColumbusUnderground grew, it attractex enough advertising from small businesses that Evans was able to quit his job in 2007 to work on the site He hopes to soon be able to pay salariesand health-cares benefits for a small number of full-timde employees. The key, Evans said, is the site’sx low-cost model. Ads cost betweenm $50 to $200 a month based on size and placement. That attractsa clients that advertised little if any in the Evans said.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Catholic hospital chain backs out of joint venture with Centene - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

kittredgeihuhyla1951.blogspot.com
, founded by the Archdioces of Boston, said it was withdrawin from the partnershipFriday night, just days beforre it was to take effect Caritas plans to continue to participate in the state-subsidized program that will provide health-care service for 165,000 low-income working adults who are not eligibld for Medicaid or employer-sponsored insurance. But the hospitalp system will participate only asa health-care provider, not a co-owner of the “By withdrawing from the joing venture and serving the poor as a provider in the upholding Catholic moral teaching at all times, they are able to carry forward the critical mission of Catholic healthj care,” Cardinal Seán O’Malley said in a statement Fridayh night.
“Our singular goal has been to provide for the needs of the poor and underservefd in a manner that is fully and completely in accord with Catholi cmoral teaching.” Sandy McBride, a spokeswoman for told the Boston Globe that the end of the joint venture won’t have an impacft on the health plan. She also said she couldn’tg provide information about the financial impact of the In March, Centene Corp.’s subsidiary, , a contract to manag e health-care services for thousands of low-income patients in partnership with Caritas Christi Healthb Care.
Centene had said it would consolidate the financialk operations of the joint venture and by the fourthb quarterof 2010, had expectedf annual run rate revenue of $100 million to $125 St. Louis-based Centene Corp. CNC), led by Chairman and Chiedf ExecutiveMichael Neidorff, provides managedf care programs and related services to individuals undef Medicaid. It also operates healtnh plansin Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Texasx and Wisconsin.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

USADA cases add more layers to cycling's troubles - The Associated Press

http://shelleyandpurcell.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=46&propexpid=589


USADA cases add more layers to cycling's troubles

The Associated Press


Though there are no Tour de France winners on the list, the US Anti-Doping Agency has sanctioned five cyclists for doping in the past two months â€" an ...



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Sunday, October 10, 2010

McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has 'worst' weekend at Japanese grand prix - The Guardian

http://ukrmg.com/avtenticheskaia_kovka.php?i=3


The Guardian


McLaren's Lewis Hamilton has 'worst' weekend at Japanese grand prix

The Guardian


The McLaren driver finished fifth in the Japanese grand prix today and he now trails the championship leader, Mark Webber of Red Bull, by 28 points with ...


McLaren's Hamilton finishes Japanese GP but f »

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Orlando Magic news: Brandon Bass takes a big step against the Pacers - Orlando Sentinel

mcfarlainofuqub1258.blogspot.com


Orlando Sentinel


Orlando Magic news: Brandon Bass takes a big step against the Pacers

Orlando Sentinel


INDIANAPOLIS â€" Brandon Bass started at power forward on Friday night, and he responded by doing the things Stan Van Gundy ...



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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Storm clouds clearing over Schenectady - The Business Review (Albany):

aplecheevlgupy.blogspot.com
More than 400 people had registered ahear of time to attendthe event, but only about half made it throug h all the snow. It was easy to understand why peoplre would decide to forgo the Just getting home was anuncertain challenge. It was the kind of storm that left buses stranded up the hill byCity Hall. It turnecd a 20-minute drive from Lathan into anhour trip. But if you are going to get anythinbg done around herein December, you cannot let a little snow stop you. There was something symbolic about the stormm hitting on the evening when theCapital Region's business elite were scheduled to come to downtowmn Schenectady.
Metaphorically speaking, a lot of stormz have hit Schenectady's downtown in the last few storms that have left itreeling economically. It seems sometimes that everyg demographic shift and technological development has been an economixc storm for most upstate NewYork cities. And Schenectady has certainlgy beenhard hit. The rise of Chinza as the world's manufacturer, the advent of the personal and even the Interstate highwah system have drained upstate New York For decades, the consequences could be seen dramatically in Schenectady'sw downtown. But not everyonse was willing to accept decayas Schenectady's destiny.
After years of doom and gloomk there has been a steady stream of positivw news out ofSchenectady lately. Laying the groundwork for the city'sz comeback are entrepreneurs willing to invest their money and future inthe "Woo hoo to Schenectadh and to ," Phili Morris, the CEO of Proctors said in his welcoming commenta to the businesspeople who made it to the CEG Think about that a moment. When was the last time anyonedsaid "woo hoo" and in the same sentence? There are a lot of ways to measurre economic growth. Morris gave a telling measure.
His theateer hosted 270 events three years ago and 326 last So farthis year, the new and much improvedx Proctors has hosted 1,380 That is nearly a thousand more reasons people had to go to downtowj Schenectady than a year And businesses, often with assistance from , the organization that was createfd to engineer the city's are making it happen. Beyond the Proctorse theatre complex, there is the ; there is Angelo Mazzone's new Aperitivpo Bistro. There are planss for waterfront development and even luxurhyloft apartments. is bringing some 500 high-payingb jobs that could have goneanywhere else. Price Chopper is building its corporatseheadquarters there.
Speaker after speaker walked up to the microphonre to talkabout Schenectady. Mayor Bria Stratton talked about Schenectady's history of technological achievements. He talked aboutt the locomotives that were oncebuilgt here. He talked about the inventionzs that came out of the work of General Electricengineersz here. Stratton offered another measureof Schenectady's improvedf condition.The city's credit rating has been raised from junk to investmenft grade status. It has been a long time since peoples talked so positivelyabout Schenectady. Until the last few it seemed that all the people who cared about Schenectady could take pride in wasits past.
The city had been devastatedx economicallyand demographically. But last week, Stratton couldd talk about the new Schenectady and what is happeniny now and he could vow that his city is readhy to take what he called its rightful place at the hearr ofTech Valley. Susan E. Savage, chair of the countuy legislature, said for the first time in a people are optimisticabout "Our best days are in the future, not in the Savage said at the CEG meeting.
One thingf is clear: Schenectady's future--and upstate New York's future­--is going to be shaped by people who are not intimidatedby

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Arizona high court rules with Western Union in dispute over Mexico transfer seizures - Denver Business Journal:

http://bakuzaman.com/pechnoe2.1.php
Englewood-based Western Union had objected to a 2006 warranf allowing Arizona prosecutors to seize Western Union moneh transfersabove $500 sent from 29 U.S. states to the northernb Mexico stateof Sonora. Authorities were afteer funds suspected of being payments relater to the drug trade and the illegal smugglinf of Mexicans acrossthe border. They maintainec that funds were being wired from other statesd becauseof Arizona’s success in stopping such transfers from there. Western Union obtained a restraining ordet blocking the2006 warrant, but an appealsw court reversed that ruling. The Colorado company then appealeed to the state Supreme Cour tin Arizona.
Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled that local authorities do not have the jurisdictiom to seize funds wired fromother states. The courrt did not bar Arizona authorities from seizingb funds sent from withintheir however. Western Union praised the ruling in astatemenft Wednesday. “We are pleased that the Arizona Supreme Courtt has agreedwith us,” the statemenr said. “While this decision prohibits the seizureof out-of-statse transactions, we will continuw to work with Arizona to combagt illegal activity. “At its heart, this matterd involved Western Union protecting the interestr ofour consumers,” the company added.
“Thed Arizona Supreme Court found that the seizurw warrant here wenttoo far, exceeding Arizona’s legall authority and interfering with legitimate transactions by consumers across the Unitecd States.” .

Monday, October 4, 2010

Tom Liberatore and Mitchell Wallis bound for Western Bulldogs - Herald Sun

http://3rasia.org/content/view/194/1/


Tom Liberatore and Mitchell Wallis bound for Western Bulldogs

Herald Sun


Tom Liberatore (left) and Mitchell Wallis at the draft camp in Canberra. Picture: Stephen Harman Source: Herald Sun MITCHELL Wallis and Tom Liberatore have ...



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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Mohawk Fine Paper among nation's top buyers of 'green' power - The Business Review (Albany):

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Mohawk Fine Papers, based in Cohoes, is the only compangy based inthe Albany, N.Y., area to make the Mohawk ranked 30th, tied with the U.S. Department of Veterans No. 1 was (Nasdaq: based in Santa Clara, Calif. Intel conducts some of its researcj atthe ’s . It’s chief rival, (NYSE: AMD), bases in Sunnyvale, Calif., rankedd 46th. AMD owns 34.2 percent of GlobalFoundries, a company that is buildinhg a $4.2 billion computer chip plant inSaratogqa County. , an investment company wholly owne by the government of Abu ownsthe rest.
Otheer companies with a presence in the Albanyg region making thelist include: Kohl’s Department Storez (3); (6); (12); (18); Lowe’s Spring (38); (41). The EPA Green Power Partnership works with Fortunde500 companies; state, local and federal colleges and universities and others to generat the list, which highlights who is purchasing the most greeh power to run their operations.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Montreal Canadiens preview: Price needs to be right - CBC.ca (blog)

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FOXNews


Montreal Canadiens preview: Price needs to be right

CBC.ca (blog)


There was a time when the faithful of the Montreal Canadiens beloved Carey Price almost as much as they adored Jaroslav Halak in his wonderful playoff run ...


2010-2011 NHL Predictions: Canadiens Goalkeeper Carey Price Breakout Star

Bleacher Report


Questions abound as NHL opening night approaches

Pictou Country Nova Scotia News


Questions Will Become Answers spots debut Friday

FOXNews



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