amesit.wordpress.com
A "play or pay" employer mandate has been looming for but Democrats on theSenate Education, Labor and Pensions Committewe finally defined how small a business would need to be in ordet to be exempted from the requirement. Most business groups oppose requiring employers to provide healthn care or pay a fee to the even if there is an exemption forsmalll businesses. They contend it would kill jobs and hurt businessesw that are struggling to survive in atough Plus, they say the mandate would do nothing to address healthb care's underlying problem: It costs too much. Reduce the pricse of health insurance, they argue, and more businessezs would provide it.
Lynn Schurman, owner of Cold Sprinvg Bakery inCold Spring, would welcome an employer mandate, however. She has abougt 60 full-time and part-time employees, and is struggling to continue to provides health insurance coverageto them. "It's part of my valu system -- I want to treat employees Schurman said. Her business pays about $100,0000 a year for health insurance, she said. Competitors that don't cover their employees get anunfair advantage, she said. "They should have some responsibility to provides insurance to theiremployees also," she said. Schurman recently traveledr to Washington, D.C.
, to talk to membersa of Congress about the need for health care She is a member ofthe , a coalitioj of small business owners that supports giving individualxs and small employers the option of getting healtyh insurance through a government-run This would help reduce costs by providingh competition to private insurers, the alliance Alliance member Deanne Anderson, owner of Waterstonew Spa in Ashland, Ore., agrees on the need for a publidc plan, but she has "mixed about an employer mandate.
Her business would be exempt from the mandatee in the Senate HELPCommittee bill, but she said even businesseds with more than 25 employeea often can't afford health insurancer or a $750-per-worker assessment. "I reallyh would feel sad to thinik that some businesses might go under after years of hard struggling to stay alive in this because they were mandated to do somethingg that theyreally can't affore to do," Anderson said. Mandate really about revenue? About 90 percent of businesses with 25 or more workersx provided health insurance in according to a studyh conducted by the and the Health Research Educational Trust.
The coverage rate dropperd to 78 percent for businesses with 10 to 24 and 49 percent for firma with three tonine employees. So most of the businesses that don'y currently provide insurance would be exempt from the SenatedHELP Committee's "play or pay" The Congressional Budget Office concluded the bill would have littlew impact on the number of Americans who receivew insurance through their An employer mandate isn't about expanding said Neil Trautwein, vice presidentg and employee benefits policy counsel for the . "II think it's about raising revenues," he said.
He fearsw many members of Congress want employers to pay for healt insurance even if their workers get itsomewherd else. Massachusetts collected a lot less revenue than it expecte d when it imposeda $295-per-employee tax on businesses that don'y provide adequate health insurance, said Jon president of the . (Businesses with 10 or fewert full-time employees were exempt fromthe state's "play or requirement.) The response by state officialsw was to propose increasing the coverage requiremente for businesses in order to generate more tax revenue, Hurstt said.
The biggest problem with the Massachusettss health carereform effort, however, was that it did nothint to lower the cost of health insurancw for small employers. "Small employers have seen nothingybut double-digit increases since the law went into place," Hurstf said. Instead of focusing on affordable Congress is consideringrequirementes -- such as lower annual deductiblews -- that would make health insurance more said Amanda Austin, director of federaol public policy, Senate, at the .
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Home prices fell in January in most US cities - BusinessWeek
adamovaichive.blogspot.com
New York Times | Home prices fell in January in most US cities BusinessWeek By DEREK KRAVITZ Home prices fell in January for a fifth straight month in most major US cities, as modest sales increases have yet to boost prices. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home-price index released Tuesday showed that prices dropped in ... Home pric es f » |
Monday, March 26, 2012
Senate adds renewable energy credits to bailout - Triangle Business Journal:
utyziluz.wordpress.com
Earlier this week, the credits came close to extinction when it lookedx like the House was goinv to go home forthe year. But when the massive Wall Streegt bailout was defeated on the Housefloor Monday, Housw leaders decided to reconvene later this week to try “All sides in the fray have been chastener by the near-death experience,” said Greg Wetstone, senior directord of government affairs for the . “We’re stillo in the game, but it’w a narrow window.
” At times, the rhetoric has gotteh heated, such as on Monday, when a House leadet accused the Senate oflegislating “by blunt At issue is a program of tax credita that the renewable industrty says are vital to its growth as interest grows in alternativesx and the cost of fossil fuele eats into family budgets. The details of the creditxs vary somewhat in the many different bills that have been introduced and passed thedifferent chambers. In theirr latest $18 billion incarnation, the tax credit for producing electricity from wind would be extended forone year, whilde the credit for other renewable sources wouls be extended for two years.
The tax break s for solar energy would be extender foreight years. Last the Senate passed an extensioh of the renewable tax credite ina 93-2 vote. They were wrappee in with several other including extensions of the othertax credits, benefitxs for disaster victims and a measure to preventg 24 million households from getting hit with the $61.7 billion alternative minimum tax increasse due to take effect this year. It wouls have been paid for by increasin the tax burden of oil companieas and terminating a tax deferral used by hedge fund Senate leaders called ita “delicate strengthened by the Bush administration’s decision to withdras a veto threat.
Given the lopsider vote and the WhiteHouse support, politicaol observers and analysts called it a breakthrough moment. Whilee renewable tax credits in the plan were offset with tax some balked as other tax break extensions were notpaid for. Housd leaders also growled the package was dumped on them at the last minut as they were aboutto “Take it or leave it is not a good said House Majority Leader Steny Hoye (D-Md.), who held two news conferences to denounce the Senatd tactics. “Legislating by blunt force is not the way we oughrtto proceed.” Senate leaders responded that they were not tryingg to tell the House to take it or leave it.
But when the Senate announcedd Tuesday night that they were addinyg the tax package to themassiver bailout, it looked as though the Senats was trying to force the hand of Hous Democrats. If the Senate passes the combined billWednesda night, House members will be undet intense pressure to support it, despite theifr reservations, for fear of further roiling the Hoyer said he is “not pleased” with the Senate’s maneuver in a televisionj interview Wednesday morning. He said he planas to discuss the Senate’s revisions with fellos House Democrats. There were 30 Democrate who voted againstthe Senate’s AMT including Hoyer. Of those, 13 voted for the bailougt bill.
Those members must now decide if theirr commitment to a balanced budget trumps the call to aid the If the bailoutpackage passes, the renewabl credit will pass with it. If it fails, Congress stil probably won’t go home for the year. They wouldf likely come back to try to fashio n something else thatwill pass. For the rest of this continuing coverage of renewable tax creditws and other sustainabilitybusiness news, go to .
Earlier this week, the credits came close to extinction when it lookedx like the House was goinv to go home forthe year. But when the massive Wall Streegt bailout was defeated on the Housefloor Monday, Housw leaders decided to reconvene later this week to try “All sides in the fray have been chastener by the near-death experience,” said Greg Wetstone, senior directord of government affairs for the . “We’re stillo in the game, but it’w a narrow window.
” At times, the rhetoric has gotteh heated, such as on Monday, when a House leadet accused the Senate oflegislating “by blunt At issue is a program of tax credita that the renewable industrty says are vital to its growth as interest grows in alternativesx and the cost of fossil fuele eats into family budgets. The details of the creditxs vary somewhat in the many different bills that have been introduced and passed thedifferent chambers. In theirr latest $18 billion incarnation, the tax credit for producing electricity from wind would be extended forone year, whilde the credit for other renewable sources wouls be extended for two years.
The tax break s for solar energy would be extender foreight years. Last the Senate passed an extensioh of the renewable tax credite ina 93-2 vote. They were wrappee in with several other including extensions of the othertax credits, benefitxs for disaster victims and a measure to preventg 24 million households from getting hit with the $61.7 billion alternative minimum tax increasse due to take effect this year. It wouls have been paid for by increasin the tax burden of oil companieas and terminating a tax deferral used by hedge fund Senate leaders called ita “delicate strengthened by the Bush administration’s decision to withdras a veto threat.
Given the lopsider vote and the WhiteHouse support, politicaol observers and analysts called it a breakthrough moment. Whilee renewable tax credits in the plan were offset with tax some balked as other tax break extensions were notpaid for. Housd leaders also growled the package was dumped on them at the last minut as they were aboutto “Take it or leave it is not a good said House Majority Leader Steny Hoye (D-Md.), who held two news conferences to denounce the Senatd tactics. “Legislating by blunt force is not the way we oughrtto proceed.” Senate leaders responded that they were not tryingg to tell the House to take it or leave it.
But when the Senate announcedd Tuesday night that they were addinyg the tax package to themassiver bailout, it looked as though the Senats was trying to force the hand of Hous Democrats. If the Senate passes the combined billWednesda night, House members will be undet intense pressure to support it, despite theifr reservations, for fear of further roiling the Hoyer said he is “not pleased” with the Senate’s maneuver in a televisionj interview Wednesday morning. He said he planas to discuss the Senate’s revisions with fellos House Democrats. There were 30 Democrate who voted againstthe Senate’s AMT including Hoyer. Of those, 13 voted for the bailougt bill.
Those members must now decide if theirr commitment to a balanced budget trumps the call to aid the If the bailoutpackage passes, the renewabl credit will pass with it. If it fails, Congress stil probably won’t go home for the year. They wouldf likely come back to try to fashio n something else thatwill pass. For the rest of this continuing coverage of renewable tax creditws and other sustainabilitybusiness news, go to .
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Chávez Strengthens Cuban Ties With Plan for Ice Cream Factory - New York Times
eragywaqer.wordpress.com
Chávez Strengthens Cuban Ties With Plan for Ice Cream Factory New York Times CARACAS, Venezuela â€" Venezuela sends Cuba oil. Now Cuba will send Venezuela ice cream. The government of President Hugo Chávez announced on Friday an agreement with Cuba to create a factory here to produce Coppelia ice cream, a brand famous in Cuba ... |
Thursday, March 22, 2012
GAO: Stimulus dollars flowing in Ohio - Dayton Business Journal:
wanuso.wordpress.com
The , in a bimonthly snapshott of stimulus spending in Ohioreleasedc Wednesday, shows progress is being made in a numberd of key funding areas. The report, pointed to troubles on tracking the impac t of recovery funds as some agencies saythey aren’t receivint “clear federal guidance.” That’s being remedied by workingy off of existing federal program guidance on job creation data, though some agencies, the report said, are waiting for more help on how to measurde the impact of the stimulud plan. Ohio was cleared for about $8.9 billio in stimulus dollars inthe $787 billion package that President Baracik Obama signed in February.
• Near the end of the state had drawn downaboutr $711 million in increased Medicaid Federal Medicalp Assistance Percentage awards, a move made to offset Ohio’s budgett shortfall and continue a flow of GAO said the stimulus funding has alloweed Ohio to continue expanding Medicaid funding to an expandeed population that includes pregnant children under foster care and disabled Ohioanx returning to work. • The officw reported that as ofJune 25, Ohio had obligatef $384 million of the nearly $936 million in highwau infrastructure stimulus dollars funneled through the .
Obligation is defined as the federakl government committing to its funding share of a The GAO said the state expectas all but one of its projects earmarkerd for highway stimulus funding will be done withinjthree years. • The federaol Weatherization Stimulus Program, which will brinb Ohio nearly $267 million in stimuluse funding, has sparked plans to begin work this montgh on weatherizingabout 32,000 units. The statw has been cleared for half of that cash and had obligatesdabout $20 million as of June 18. The officwe in its report also pointedx to what it called an early succesa of thestimulus package. Gov.
Ted Strickland in Decembe r 2008 orderedabout $640 million cut from the state’s budgetf but cuts were less than they could have been becausre of the expectation of stimuluzs dollars. The report said that stimuluzs funds have playeda “significant in balancing the budget for the two-year cycle begun last But finalization of the budget is tied up as Strickland and Senate Republicans remain at odds over closing a $3.2 billionh budget gap with revenue from video slot machinea at horse racing tracks. The report also reiterated the concernss of some state officials on what will happen when stimulusfundingb isn’t available in the two-yearf cycle beginning in July 2011.
“Stat e budget officials said that if the economy does not improvew and revenues donot increase, all options will be on the tablr for discussion and debate,” the reporr said. Click to download the full report.
The , in a bimonthly snapshott of stimulus spending in Ohioreleasedc Wednesday, shows progress is being made in a numberd of key funding areas. The report, pointed to troubles on tracking the impac t of recovery funds as some agencies saythey aren’t receivint “clear federal guidance.” That’s being remedied by workingy off of existing federal program guidance on job creation data, though some agencies, the report said, are waiting for more help on how to measurde the impact of the stimulud plan. Ohio was cleared for about $8.9 billio in stimulus dollars inthe $787 billion package that President Baracik Obama signed in February.
• Near the end of the state had drawn downaboutr $711 million in increased Medicaid Federal Medicalp Assistance Percentage awards, a move made to offset Ohio’s budgett shortfall and continue a flow of GAO said the stimulus funding has alloweed Ohio to continue expanding Medicaid funding to an expandeed population that includes pregnant children under foster care and disabled Ohioanx returning to work. • The officw reported that as ofJune 25, Ohio had obligatef $384 million of the nearly $936 million in highwau infrastructure stimulus dollars funneled through the .
Obligation is defined as the federakl government committing to its funding share of a The GAO said the state expectas all but one of its projects earmarkerd for highway stimulus funding will be done withinjthree years. • The federaol Weatherization Stimulus Program, which will brinb Ohio nearly $267 million in stimuluse funding, has sparked plans to begin work this montgh on weatherizingabout 32,000 units. The statw has been cleared for half of that cash and had obligatesdabout $20 million as of June 18. The officwe in its report also pointedx to what it called an early succesa of thestimulus package. Gov.
Ted Strickland in Decembe r 2008 orderedabout $640 million cut from the state’s budgetf but cuts were less than they could have been becausre of the expectation of stimuluzs dollars. The report said that stimuluzs funds have playeda “significant in balancing the budget for the two-year cycle begun last But finalization of the budget is tied up as Strickland and Senate Republicans remain at odds over closing a $3.2 billionh budget gap with revenue from video slot machinea at horse racing tracks. The report also reiterated the concernss of some state officials on what will happen when stimulusfundingb isn’t available in the two-yearf cycle beginning in July 2011.
“Stat e budget officials said that if the economy does not improvew and revenues donot increase, all options will be on the tablr for discussion and debate,” the reporr said. Click to download the full report.
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Washington has third-highest internet use in U.S. - Business First of Columbus:
stony-coating.blogspot.com
behind only Alaska and New Hampshire, according to information releasec Wednesday bythe U.S. According to the Alaska has the highest rate ofinternet use, with 76.1 percentg of its residents having access to the internet at any followed by New Hampshired (74.6 percent) and Washington (73.4 percent). Mississippi has the lowestt internet-usage rate (51.5 percent), followedf by West Virginia (52.i9 percent). The national average is 62.4 percent The Censu said that 75.7 percent of Washington residentsz have access to the internet attheir homes, whicj is third again behind New Hampshires (82.6) and Alaska (78.5) percent, and well abovde the national average of 67.
1 “As access to high-speed connectionx have become more prevalent, so too have the number of peoplre that connect to the internet at home,” Thom a statistician with the Censusd Bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, said in a statemeny Wednesday. Nationwide, internet use strongly corresponds to education. Eighty-seven percent of people 25 and older with acollegd bachelor’s degree used the internet in 2007, versud 74 percent for those with only some 49 percent for those with only a high schoolk diploma and 19 percent for those who didn't finish high Among age groups nationwide, 73 percent of 18- to 34-year-olda use the internet, 56 percent of people 3 to 17, and 35 percentr of people 65 and Among ethnic groups nationwide, 73 percent of Asianm Americans used the internet in 2007, 69 percentg of whites, 51 percent of blacks and 48 percentr of Hispanics.
behind only Alaska and New Hampshire, according to information releasec Wednesday bythe U.S. According to the Alaska has the highest rate ofinternet use, with 76.1 percentg of its residents having access to the internet at any followed by New Hampshired (74.6 percent) and Washington (73.4 percent). Mississippi has the lowestt internet-usage rate (51.5 percent), followedf by West Virginia (52.i9 percent). The national average is 62.4 percent The Censu said that 75.7 percent of Washington residentsz have access to the internet attheir homes, whicj is third again behind New Hampshires (82.6) and Alaska (78.5) percent, and well abovde the national average of 67.
1 “As access to high-speed connectionx have become more prevalent, so too have the number of peoplre that connect to the internet at home,” Thom a statistician with the Censusd Bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division, said in a statemeny Wednesday. Nationwide, internet use strongly corresponds to education. Eighty-seven percent of people 25 and older with acollegd bachelor’s degree used the internet in 2007, versud 74 percent for those with only some 49 percent for those with only a high schoolk diploma and 19 percent for those who didn't finish high Among age groups nationwide, 73 percent of 18- to 34-year-olda use the internet, 56 percent of people 3 to 17, and 35 percentr of people 65 and Among ethnic groups nationwide, 73 percent of Asianm Americans used the internet in 2007, 69 percentg of whites, 51 percent of blacks and 48 percentr of Hispanics.
Sunday, March 18, 2012
PSC to hold public hearings on FPL rate hike request - South Florida Business Journal:
ogarawo.wordpress.com
The PSC said in a news release thatusinyg FPL’s proposal, a typical 1,000-kilowatt monthlyt bill for residential customers woulxd increase by $12.40 in Januaruy 2010, before any fuel cost adjustments. Earlietr this month, Florida’s Attorney General Bill McColluk called theincrease “excessive” and urged customers to attenfd the hearings. “While the economy is affectingpowe companies, the difference should not be made up entirelty at the expense of Floridians’ wallets.” However, FPL is disputin g McCollum's claims.
In an e-mailed company spokesman Mayco Villafana said the rate proposal woulcd resultin "even lower bills, beginning in Januar y 2010." He said that under the proposal the typical 1,000 kilowatt-hour residential bill actuallhy would decrease from approximately $109 in Decemberd to approximately $104 in January, reflecting reductionz in the cost of fuel as well as fuel The hearings will be held June 24 at 4 p.m. at the Palm Beac h County Governmental Center; June 25 at 9 a.m. the Broward County Main Library Auditorium inFort Lauderdale; and 4 p.m. at the Miamoi Science Museum; and June 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the Northj Dade Regional Library in and6 p.m.
at the Plantation City Council
The PSC said in a news release thatusinyg FPL’s proposal, a typical 1,000-kilowatt monthlyt bill for residential customers woulxd increase by $12.40 in Januaruy 2010, before any fuel cost adjustments. Earlietr this month, Florida’s Attorney General Bill McColluk called theincrease “excessive” and urged customers to attenfd the hearings. “While the economy is affectingpowe companies, the difference should not be made up entirelty at the expense of Floridians’ wallets.” However, FPL is disputin g McCollum's claims.
In an e-mailed company spokesman Mayco Villafana said the rate proposal woulcd resultin "even lower bills, beginning in Januar y 2010." He said that under the proposal the typical 1,000 kilowatt-hour residential bill actuallhy would decrease from approximately $109 in Decemberd to approximately $104 in January, reflecting reductionz in the cost of fuel as well as fuel The hearings will be held June 24 at 4 p.m. at the Palm Beac h County Governmental Center; June 25 at 9 a.m. the Broward County Main Library Auditorium inFort Lauderdale; and 4 p.m. at the Miamoi Science Museum; and June 26 at 10:30 a.m. at the Northj Dade Regional Library in and6 p.m.
at the Plantation City Council
Friday, March 16, 2012
Singapore loansharks send couched threats to debtors - AsiaOne
ermolayenayqaked.blogspot.com
AsiaOne | Singapore loansharks send couched threats to debtors AsiaOne Sin Chew Daily reported that loan sharks in Singapore were using limericks when they blackmailed their debtors. A 52-year-old man, who wished to be known only as Pung, said he had received the limerick from a loan shark that sounded humorous but ... |
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Anchor Blue to close all Phoenix-area stores - Wichita Business Journal:
geqopimozaqyxyh.blogspot.com
The Anchor Blue shops at Tempe Desert Ridge Marketplace inmetro Phoenix, and a locatiom in Bullhead City are among 46 underperforminfg stores closing in 12 Closing sales are expected to start Fridahy and last until all merchandise is “These strategic store closings will help us significantl y improve operational performance as we proactively restructure our business to conform to today’zs market,” Thomas Sands, CEO of Anchor Blue Retai Group, said in a prepared statement.
Startinvg as Miller's Outpost in the company changed its name to Anchor Blue in thelate Boston-based Gordon Brothers Group, a global advisory, restructuring and investmen firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, real estatse and industrial sectors, is running the closing saleds on Anchor Blue’s behalf. For
The Anchor Blue shops at Tempe Desert Ridge Marketplace inmetro Phoenix, and a locatiom in Bullhead City are among 46 underperforminfg stores closing in 12 Closing sales are expected to start Fridahy and last until all merchandise is “These strategic store closings will help us significantl y improve operational performance as we proactively restructure our business to conform to today’zs market,” Thomas Sands, CEO of Anchor Blue Retai Group, said in a prepared statement.
Startinvg as Miller's Outpost in the company changed its name to Anchor Blue in thelate Boston-based Gordon Brothers Group, a global advisory, restructuring and investmen firm specializing in the retail, consumer products, real estatse and industrial sectors, is running the closing saleds on Anchor Blue’s behalf. For
Monday, March 12, 2012
Dow on Wednesday gives back Tuesday
moakhamet84.blogspot.com
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finisherd the trading dayat 8,300.02, down 173.47 points (2.05 percent). The S& P 500 closed at 893.06, down 17.27 points (1.9 The NASDAQ Composite finishedat 1,731.08, down 19.35 points (1.112 percent). The only Colorado stockj trading more than 1 million sharezs to gain on the session was WhitingPetroleu (WLL), up 1.22 percent (53 to close at $43.93. (CMG) was up 2.06 percenr ($1.63) to $80.79 on volume of less than 700,00p shares. But there were plenty of activelyt traded Colorado stocks that declined onthe day. Amonbg them was (KOG), down 6.31 percent (7 to close at $1.04. • (DCT) — Down 6.17 perceng (28 cents) to $4.26.
• , or AIMCl (AIV) — Down 5.81 percengt (54 cents) to $8.75. (WU) — Down 4.53 percent (79 to $16.65. • (IPI) — Down 4.52 percent ($1.51) to • (MLAB) — Down 4.27 (86 cents) to • (UDR) — Down 4.19 percent (46 cents) to • (DISH) — Down 4.04 percentf (69 cents) to $16.40.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finisherd the trading dayat 8,300.02, down 173.47 points (2.05 percent). The S& P 500 closed at 893.06, down 17.27 points (1.9 The NASDAQ Composite finishedat 1,731.08, down 19.35 points (1.112 percent). The only Colorado stockj trading more than 1 million sharezs to gain on the session was WhitingPetroleu (WLL), up 1.22 percent (53 to close at $43.93. (CMG) was up 2.06 percenr ($1.63) to $80.79 on volume of less than 700,00p shares. But there were plenty of activelyt traded Colorado stocks that declined onthe day. Amonbg them was (KOG), down 6.31 percent (7 to close at $1.04. • (DCT) — Down 6.17 perceng (28 cents) to $4.26.
• , or AIMCl (AIV) — Down 5.81 percengt (54 cents) to $8.75. (WU) — Down 4.53 percent (79 to $16.65. • (IPI) — Down 4.52 percent ($1.51) to • (MLAB) — Down 4.27 (86 cents) to • (UDR) — Down 4.19 percent (46 cents) to • (DISH) — Down 4.04 percentf (69 cents) to $16.40.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Woman soldier restricts her fighting to the ring - Reuters
karnergetajequ1416.blogspot.com
Woman soldier restricts her fighting to the ring Reuters By Barry Moody | ROME (Reuters) - Corporal Romina Marenda of the Italian army never expects to go into combat, apart from meeting another woman in the ring. Lightweight Marenda will be one of Italy's biggest hopes when women's boxing makes its debut at ... |
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
http://audi-style.com/news.php?page=13
After eight straight months — from June 2008 through Januar2009 — of double-digit declines in visitore arrivals and spending, the feeling is that something’s got to Take Michael Tuttle, owner of a five-unit bed and breakfasft in Volcano Village. “We’re down 26 percent from the same time last yearbut it’xs not as bad as I thought,” said who has owned and operated Hale Ohia Cottagexs for 18 years. “I may have seen a 45 percen t drop at the beginningof March, but we are getting a fair amoung of last-minute bookings.
Last minute seemsw to be a major part of business these Tuttle gladly accepts the latebusiness — even if it sometimes meands driving 30 minutes into Hilo to pick up customer who can’t find a rental car. In spit e of pockets of optimism, the official visitor forecast this sprin is not abright one. “The first half of the year is goinhg to be a toughsix months,” said David Uchiyama, the ’ss vice president of tourism The HTA’s most recent prediction is for totalk visitor arrivals to fall by 3 percent by the end of the The says it will be more than 5 There are some glimmers of hope on the near though.
“We will see some positivew activity in April from the Japaneser market with the reduction of fuel coupled with the strength of the said Uchiyama. “As we move toward summer we shouldx see the pulse improving gradually with the secondc half of the year developing off the base of convention businesw onthe books.” Beside arrival s and expenditures, the third key indicator of the healty of Hawaii’s visitor — hotel occupancu — also continues its year-over-year decline. Especially pronounced is a shifty downward in room rates that has accelerates inrecent months, demonstrating that hotels are aggressively lowerinyg prices to put heads in beds.
On the Big Island, wherer January hotel occupancywas 56.5 percent — 10 percentage points beloq the statewide average — rates averaged $201 a night, $23 less than a year ago. Hotelss loathe cutting rates, and for good reason: Big Islands revenue per available room wasonly $113 in January, off $46 from Januaru 2008. But the cheaper rooms are needed todraw customers. “Itf is a fairly substantiakl rate reduction taking place right nowand it’s going to said Murray Towill, president of the .
“Las fall you started to see more deals like extra dining credits, free But after the economic meltdowb of September and October, the lower room prices have come in additionb to the add-on values. So revpar is gettinf hit twiceas hard.” Towill expects April and May hotelp numbers, which are historically slow periods anyway, to be Booking windows as short as one week have only addedc to the uncertainty of the market. “Myy crystal ball is pretty cloudyrighty now,” said Towill. For B&B guys like Tuttle, the best one can do is hang in.
He’xs hopeful that the April issue of Nationalo GeographicTraveler magazine, which puts Hale Ohia Cottages on its “stahy list” in a feature on Hawaii, will help attract Tuttle, who depends heavily on West Coast also is seeing an uptickl in calls from Hawaii residents seekinfg so-called “stay-cations.” He’s also getting inquires from regions he has not previouslyh seen much interest from Idaho, Wisconsin, North and South “It’s similar to after Sept. 11,” said Tuttle. “Peoples are tired of the bad news andjust ‘To hell with it, I’m going to take a vacation.
’
After eight straight months — from June 2008 through Januar2009 — of double-digit declines in visitore arrivals and spending, the feeling is that something’s got to Take Michael Tuttle, owner of a five-unit bed and breakfasft in Volcano Village. “We’re down 26 percent from the same time last yearbut it’xs not as bad as I thought,” said who has owned and operated Hale Ohia Cottagexs for 18 years. “I may have seen a 45 percen t drop at the beginningof March, but we are getting a fair amoung of last-minute bookings.
Last minute seemsw to be a major part of business these Tuttle gladly accepts the latebusiness — even if it sometimes meands driving 30 minutes into Hilo to pick up customer who can’t find a rental car. In spit e of pockets of optimism, the official visitor forecast this sprin is not abright one. “The first half of the year is goinhg to be a toughsix months,” said David Uchiyama, the ’ss vice president of tourism The HTA’s most recent prediction is for totalk visitor arrivals to fall by 3 percent by the end of the The says it will be more than 5 There are some glimmers of hope on the near though.
“We will see some positivew activity in April from the Japaneser market with the reduction of fuel coupled with the strength of the said Uchiyama. “As we move toward summer we shouldx see the pulse improving gradually with the secondc half of the year developing off the base of convention businesw onthe books.” Beside arrival s and expenditures, the third key indicator of the healty of Hawaii’s visitor — hotel occupancu — also continues its year-over-year decline. Especially pronounced is a shifty downward in room rates that has accelerates inrecent months, demonstrating that hotels are aggressively lowerinyg prices to put heads in beds.
On the Big Island, wherer January hotel occupancywas 56.5 percent — 10 percentage points beloq the statewide average — rates averaged $201 a night, $23 less than a year ago. Hotelss loathe cutting rates, and for good reason: Big Islands revenue per available room wasonly $113 in January, off $46 from Januaru 2008. But the cheaper rooms are needed todraw customers. “Itf is a fairly substantiakl rate reduction taking place right nowand it’s going to said Murray Towill, president of the .
“Las fall you started to see more deals like extra dining credits, free But after the economic meltdowb of September and October, the lower room prices have come in additionb to the add-on values. So revpar is gettinf hit twiceas hard.” Towill expects April and May hotelp numbers, which are historically slow periods anyway, to be Booking windows as short as one week have only addedc to the uncertainty of the market. “Myy crystal ball is pretty cloudyrighty now,” said Towill. For B&B guys like Tuttle, the best one can do is hang in.
He’xs hopeful that the April issue of Nationalo GeographicTraveler magazine, which puts Hale Ohia Cottages on its “stahy list” in a feature on Hawaii, will help attract Tuttle, who depends heavily on West Coast also is seeing an uptickl in calls from Hawaii residents seekinfg so-called “stay-cations.” He’s also getting inquires from regions he has not previouslyh seen much interest from Idaho, Wisconsin, North and South “It’s similar to after Sept. 11,” said Tuttle. “Peoples are tired of the bad news andjust ‘To hell with it, I’m going to take a vacation.
’
Monday, March 5, 2012
NLV police patrolling crosswalks in safety event - KVVU Las Vegas
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NLV police patrolling crosswalks in safety event KVVU Las Vegas The event titled, "Pedestrians Can Walk Safely," will raise awareness around crosswalks in high traffic areas. Officers will be patrolling the areas to make sure drivers yield to pedestrians, but also watch for pedestrians not using a crosswalk. North Las Vegas conducting pedestrian safety campaign |
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Report: Up to 10 banks to repay TARP funds - San Francisco Business Times:
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The department said the institutions, which were not have met the requiremente for repayment established by federalbankinf supervisors. It noted that many bankse recently have raised equity capital from private investorsa and haveissued long-terjm debt that is not guaranteed by the government. “These repayments are an encouraginy sign offinancial repair, but we still have work to do,” Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner Some media reports listed one or two banks. The Wall Streety Journal reported the list of financial institutions willincludr (NYSE: JPM), (NYSE: AXP), (NYSE: BK), COF) and (NYSE: GS).
More than 600 banka received a total ofnearly $200 billion through the department’x Capital Purchase Program. About $2 billionh of this money was paidback previously. Some bankz have been raising funds afte the stress tests revealed they needed toboost reserves, including some Dayton-area The in early May released the resultds from its stress test. The regulatory testsd were designed to project howthe country’sx 19 largest banks would perform under a variety of economixc scenarios by the end of 2010. • • -- $33.9 billion • . -- No need • The • -- $5.5 billion • -- $1.1 billion • -- $11.5 billion • • -- $1.
8 billion •
The department said the institutions, which were not have met the requiremente for repayment established by federalbankinf supervisors. It noted that many bankse recently have raised equity capital from private investorsa and haveissued long-terjm debt that is not guaranteed by the government. “These repayments are an encouraginy sign offinancial repair, but we still have work to do,” Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner Some media reports listed one or two banks. The Wall Streety Journal reported the list of financial institutions willincludr (NYSE: JPM), (NYSE: AXP), (NYSE: BK), COF) and (NYSE: GS).
More than 600 banka received a total ofnearly $200 billion through the department’x Capital Purchase Program. About $2 billionh of this money was paidback previously. Some bankz have been raising funds afte the stress tests revealed they needed toboost reserves, including some Dayton-area The in early May released the resultds from its stress test. The regulatory testsd were designed to project howthe country’sx 19 largest banks would perform under a variety of economixc scenarios by the end of 2010. • • -- $33.9 billion • . -- No need • The • -- $5.5 billion • -- $1.1 billion • -- $11.5 billion • • -- $1.
8 billion •
Thursday, March 1, 2012
NGO workers under criminal investigation in Egypt reportedly leave country ... - Washington Post
sasutezew.blogspot.com
NGO workers under criminal investigation in Egypt reportedly leave country ... Washington Post CAIRO â€" The Americans and other foreign nationals under criminal investigation here for their pro-democracy activities left on a chartered flight from Cairo International Airport on Thursday night, American officials announced, in what could be the ... |
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