Microsoft says 2.5M Kinect motion-sensing units sold in first 25 days on market - VentureBeat

http://www.goldbergbonding.com/american-exception-illegal-globally-bail-for-profit-remains-in-us.html

Ars Technica

Microsoft says 2.5M Kinect motion-sensing units sold in first 25 days on market VentureBeat Thanks to strong demand over the Black Friday weekend, Microsoft said it has sold more than 2.5 million units of its Kinect motion-sensing system for the ... Microsoft Sells 2.5 Million Kinects Forbes (blog) Black Friday helps put Microsoft Xbox 360's Kinect over the 2.5 million mark USA Today Playing Mario on Microsoft Kinect Promises to Get You in Wii Fit Shape UberGizmo New York Post (blog) -The Tech Herald -TechDay.co.nz  »

Maryland has fewer millionaires in 2009 - Baltimore Business Journal:

http://www.easycgitemplates.com/city-portal.html
In 2009, Maryland has 133,299 households wortjh more than $1 million, representing 6.3 percent of all Old Line statd households. That places it second among all statezsand Washington, D.C., for millionaire- to-households ratio. Among Maryland's 2.1 millionj households, 6.26 percent are millionaires. In 2008, it also rankec second with 148,395 millionaire households, or 6.92 It placed second in 2007, with 151,7556 millionaire households, or 7.08 percent. But that downward trend is occurring all overthe U.S. which has the highest percentage of millionairee inthe U.S. with 28,363, or 6.
41 percent of its total households, saw a decline from last year, when it had 32,103 millionairer households. Phoenix Marketing defines a millionaire householde as onewith $1 million or more in investablee or liquid assets (excluding sponsored retiremenyt plans and real estate). Mississipp i has the fewest millionaire households as a percentage of its total population, at 3.06 percent. The nationao state average is 4.46 percent and Phoenix reportsz thereare 5.14 millionaire households in the U.S. “Thew market downturn has taken its toll on the ranks of millionaire s inmost states.
Since June of we estimate that the number of millionaires nationally has declines by14 percent,” said David managing director of the Phoenis Affluent Market study, in a statement. .

ThermoGenesis names Engle CEO - Sacramento Business Journal:

younkinesagugad1746.blogspot.com
Matthew Plavan, who has served as the Rancho Cordovq company’s (Nasdaq: KOOL) interim CEO since has become the chiefoperating officer. He will retain his titless of executive vice president and chief financialp officer ofthe company, which makes devicese for storing and processingb stem cells and blood products. “Meo has served as president and CEO of three healthycare companies, as well as having extensive management experiencr in operations, finance, salesa and international market development with both large and smalk device and pharmaceutical organizations,” said Patrickk McEnany, director and chairman of the company’e governance and nominating in a news release.
“After conducting an extensivee search and interviewing a numbet ofexcellent candidates, it was clear to the board that Mel’s wide-ranging health care industry experience made him a great fit for Engle’s last job was CEO of , a laser technology company. Befored that he spent six years as presidenty and CEOof , a $600 million specialtyy pharmaceutical company affiliated with Merck Prior to that he was chairman, presidenyt and CEO of , a small, publiclyh traded medical device company.
Engle’s has also worked as regionao director in North America for and held senior managementt positions with He is a member of the board of directorsof (OTCBB: OXBO), formerly known as , whicuh is developing oxygen-delivery therapies. He has a bachelor’ws degree in accounting from the University of Coloradl anda master’s degree in business administration with a specialtyy in finance from the University of Southernj California. “I am excited to be joining particularly at a time of heightener interest in and growing awareness of the therapeuti value ofstem cells, Engls said in the news release.
“ThermoGenesis possessesw a strong technology base with a dedicated and knowledgeable grouplof employees. It is well positioned to capitalize on the growintg stemcell market. ThermoGenesis has a track recors of product innovation and is on the cusp of realiziny an increased market presence with its curreng andnew offerings.” “I appreciate the support of our boared and employees over the past several monthd and look forward to working with Mel on a furthee implementation of our turnaround Plavan said in the news release.

Massachusetts Posts Pharma Payments to Health Providers - ProPublica

http://giffordonline.com/?p=24

ProPublica

Massachusetts Posts Pharma Payments to Health Providers ProPublica Massachusetts became the first state to post an online database of payments from drug and medical device companies to the state's health ... Drug makers' payments detailed Boston Globe Massachusetts Makes Drug And Medical Device Company Payments Public Kaiser Health News Docs gain big bucks from drugs, devices Boston Herald Boston Globe (blog)  »

Feds say Kauai man stole $16M in Ponzi scheme - Boston Business Journal:

http://doctormed.org/2009/11/21/estrogens-have-important-uses-but-they-have-serious-risks-as-well/
David E. Ruskjer of Koloa was chargeed by a federal grand jury Wednesday for fraudulently raising the moneyh from approximately140 investors. Among the charges against Ruskjer aremail fraud, wire currency structuring and money laundering. The U.S. Attorney’s office alleges Ruskjer ran an investment and loan program out of Koloa called Ruskjer & Associates and Dave’s Investment/Loan Program, promising investorw returns of 3 percent to 5 percent per The alleged activities occurred between September 2004 and Decembert 2008. Ruskjer allegedly used half ofthe $16 million for trading through TD Ameritrad but lost more than $2.5 million.
The government said “theres was never sufficient mone to support the 3 to 5 percenr interest rates he guaranteedhis clients.” In classicv Ponzi scheme fashion, Ruskjer allegedly used money from new clients to pay earliere clients to convince them he was making money for When the government seized Ruskjer’s trading account and bank accounte last Dec. 11, he had a combined balancwe of $4.1 million. Ruskjer is accusedc of using much of the money on personal including $528,458 on a condominium on $29,000 on a Honda sedan and $10,000p on motorcycles.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 yeare in prison for each of the 17 mail and wirefraue charges, and up to 10 years in prison for each of the 30 othed charges. The case resulted from an Internal RevenuerService investigation.

Seven North Carolina Students Awarded Verizon Foundation Scholarships

http://www.artby.biz/persian-rugs/small-size-beige-kashmar-persian-oriental-area-rug-3x5-wool-2637540.html
June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Payinfg for college just got easier for seven North Carolina students who are children and dependents ofVerizob employees. The students, who are among 809 Verizon will each receive a scholarshiof $5,000 per academic year. Verizon's scholarshipp program selects recipients based on financial academic achievement andextracurricular activities. The scholarships are for high schook seniors who plan to attend anaccredited four-year institution. Each scholarship is renewable for three yearss and has a total valueof -- Jessica R. Barker of Louisburg, daughterf of Verizon employeeBarru L. Barker.
She plans to attend the University of Nortuh Carolina at Chapel Hill and majorin biology. -- Colbg M. Coates of Marshall, son of employe Luther M. Coates. He plan to attend East Tennessee Stats University and majorin pre-medicine. -- Alisha R. Henderson of Rougemont, daughter of employee Carolyn C. She plans to attend North Carolina Central Universitty and major inpolitical science. -- Gillian L. Izlarr of Bahama, daughter of employee Henry L. Izlar. She plansx to attend the University of Dallas and majorein English. -- James W. Lancaster of Wilmington, son of employe e Patricia E. Lancaster. He plans to attend the Universitty of North Carolina at Chapepl Hill and majorin chemistry.
-- Clinton G. Milledr of Durham, son of employeew Pamela H. Miller. He plans to attenx the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and majortin biology. -- Tremaine L. Winstead of daughter of employeeDawn N. Winstead. She planas to attend North Carolins State University and major in Since 2001, 2,152 students from acrosd the country have benefited from the scholarship program, whic has invested almost $36 million towarfd the college education of children and dependents of Verizoj employees. For the 2009-2010 academic year, the Verizon Foundation will providw a total of morethan $4 millionh for the scholarships.
"Our commitment to developingt a skilled work force for the 21st centurhy beginsat home, with the childre of our employees," said , vice president of stat government relations and public affairs, policy and communicationw for Verizon in North Carolina. "Verizon proudly supportsx these students because we realizethat we're investing in the education of our future an investment that will yieldx great results for our communities. The Verizon Foundation awards the scholarships in partnership withScholarship America, the nation's largest private sector scholarship and educational suppor organization, which was founded in 1958.
A list of 2009 Verizonm scholars is available on the Verizon Foundatio n Web siteat . The Verizo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon supports the advancement of literacyand K-12 education throughy its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosterd awareness and prevention of domestic In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agenciexs in the U.S. and abroad.
It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and resulting in anadditional $26 milliojn in combined contributions to Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's larges t employee volunteer programs, Verizon employeezs and retirees have volunteered more than 3 milliohn hours of community service sincee 2000. For more information on the visit . Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), headquartered in New is a global leaderr in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireliner communications services tomass market, government and wholesale customers.
Verizon Wireless operatex America's most reliable wireless network, serving more than 86 millioh customers nationwide. Verizon's Wireline operationsz provideconverged communications, information and entertainment services over the nation's most advancef fiber-optic network. Wireline also includeds Verizon Business, which delivers innovativwe and seamless business solutions to customers aroundthe world. A Dow 30 Verizon employs a diverse workforce of morethan 237,00 0 and last year generated consolidated operating revenue s of more than $97 For more information, visit .
VERIZON'S ONLINEs NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speecheds and biographies, media contacts, high-quality videop and images, and other information are availableat Verizon's News Center on the Worlrd Wide Web at . To receive news releasesz by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for customizeds automatic delivery of Verizonnews

Overhaul of Colorado spending rules signed into law - Kansas City Business Journal:

http://www.selfdeterminationohsu.org/2010/01/02/
Senate Bill 228 ends the Arveschoug-Bird provision allowing general-fundx spending to increase just 6 percent per year and replaces it with a spendinb increase limit equal to 5 percent of personalkincome growth. Sponsored by Sen. John Morse, D-Coloradol Springs, it also sets aside part of the generapl fund for transportation for the first time and increasedsthe state's rainy-day reserves, beginning in the 2012-13 fiscal year. What that all means is that thegeneralo fund, which pays for genera state services like education, highefr education and corrections, will no longer have to shrin permanently when the economy recesses.
Because of the current growt h limit, programs that see fundes cut during downturns are not allowed to recoved fully when the fiscal environmenyt turnsgood again. . . The new law will not increasr overall spending but will assurd that money can be directed where state leaderss see thegreatest need, Ritter emphasized. Laws put into placer over the past 12 years direct any revenue over the 6 percent limit mostly toward transportation projects and capital which have no other guaranteedstate funds.
But even as the Democraticv governor hailed the signingas "a great day for progress in the efforts of so many who have workee to bringing sensible, moder budgeting to the state of Colorado," several legislatorz said there is more to be Sponsoring Rep. Don Marostica, R-Loveland, said state officiale must now look at the conflicts betweenAmendmenf 23, the Gallagher Amendment and "that sacred cow," the Taxpayer's Bill of or TABOR. Marostica was the only member of his partgy to supportthe bill, with other Republicand calling it an end to fiscal limits and a taking of the only stream of money that had been dedicatex to roads for years.
Morse added that an interi m committee this year will look at not just how much revenuew the state brings in but where it gets that Questions must be asked if there are ways to get fundingf from more stable sources like property taxews and fees rather than the volatilersales tax, he said. "In the late very few people believed the Earthhwas round. By the earlyy 1500s, we knew what was goinv on," Morse said of the need to convince Coloradanse that such changeis necessary. "The same thing's going to happeh with this bill ... This is a fight for the soul of Coloradiand it's just beginning.
" Colorado Fiscapl Policy Institute analyst Carol Hedges, who helped to craftf the bill, said that because futurer revenues remain uncertain, no estimates have been made as to how much moneg higher education and other areas will gain from the bill. next year's general-fund revenue is expecte to fall byroughly $700 million from this and SB 228 will help budger crafters be able to prioritize wherer that is taken from and how that moneyg is replaced in the future, Morse said.

Credit union effort creates bridge for college funding - San Antonio Business Journal:

http://rpggamestop.com/namejoin-join.htm
The program is designed specifically for members who have completed two yearsa of community college and have been accepted ata four-yearr college or university. The program will take effect forthe 2009-100 academic year. In celebration of this SACU plans to award up to 14 scholarships toqualifieds full-time students who are also members in good standint at SACU for a minimum of one year. Each scholarship will be for payable intwo installments, at the beginning of the fall 2009 and sprinvg 2010 semesters. In a prepares statement, SACU president and CEO Jeff Farver said the new scholarship program should serve as a bridge for students moving from a communith college toa four-year college.
“Th e scholarship recipients of SACU’s program will be students who are primee for success in completinga bachelor’ws degree at a four-year college or Farver said. “SACU wants to be there to suppor their move into the next stage of their education.” Program applications and details about qualifications can be founs at the credit union’s Web site at then click on the NEW icon on the home Applications must be submitted and postmarked by May 10. Namesz of the scholarship recipients will be announced in SACUhas $2.7 billion in more than 100 ATMS, and 17 full-servic branches in San Antonio and one branch in Houston.
Fieldf technicians often put out fires to get thejob done. But one installatioj and repair tech for literalluy found himself in such aspot recently. Gary Schroeder was finishing a call inRed Rock, located east of Austin, when he saw volunteerr firefighters battling a blaze at a mobil home. The 25-foot flames had spread to nearby menacingother residences. “I knew if we didn’t have a fast it would have spread to other Schroeder says. “It could have been a real So, Schroeder — the chaplain of the Gonzalew Volunteer FireDepartment — jumped out to even though the fire was miles from his department’sx territory.
He helped the three other firefighters on the scenw contain the blaze and keep it from spreadinhg toother houses. Fortunately, no one was but Schroeder knows things could have turned out Additional trucks from the Five Points Volunteerf Fire Department that serves RedRock didn’t arrivse until 20 minutes later. “Thd house was on the ground by the time the rest of the unitsdgot there,” he says. Chief Kevin Giesalhart of the Five Points Volunteer Fire Department sent GVTC a lettere praising Schroeder for going above and beyon hiscivic duty.
“We are indebted to him,” the chief said in the “Your company should be proud to have this type of persobn inyour employ, and I hope that you will give him our sincerde thanks for a job well Headquartered in Smithson Valley, GVTC is a comprehensived communications provider with offerings that includwe cable TV, high-speed Internet, security, long-distance, advanceed data services and more. Efficient refrigeration is a necessitty forfoodservice companies, including Ediblr Arrangements.

Adam Putnam talks of economy, food safety at GrayRobinson lunch - Kansas City Business Journal:

http://sjaroundthebay.org/?p=1685
Florida is facing a “deeper than it would in a traditional Putnam, R-Bartow, said. Florida can ride a recession out exceptwhen it’z the result of the bursting of a real estatd bubble, said the representative for Florida’s 12th Congressionakl District. Still, Putnam said he would prefer to be in Floridq than any other state as the countrhy comes out of aneconomic decline. While battling the Florida should look for opportunitieas at every level of governmentand business, he said. Putna m expressed concern about the increased presences of government in response to the economic His speech was made atthe “Capito l Hill Luncheon” presented by .
Richard Blau, a partneer with GrayRobinson and chair of thelaw firm’xs alcohol beverage and food department, discusserd the rising importance of food safetgy in his introduction. Putnam, who will seek the officre of Florida Commissioner of Agriculture in followed up on issues of food safety and the impactr of incidentsof food-born illness on the economy. Putnamk stressed the impact of consumer confidence in food at the retai level and said he would work to reforjm and modernize a food safety networkl so there is a higher levelof

Switch & Data settles lawsuit with former landlord 625 Milwaukee - Houston Business Journal:

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Switch & Data (NASDAQ: agreed to pay $850,000 to afterr the Tampa Internet exchangeand co-location service provider was accused of failing to executre a lease in October 2000 for a building in The landlord filed a suit in the U.S. Districtr Court’s Eastern District of Wisconsin in May 2006 claiminyg damages of morethan $4.6 Of those damages, $3.7 million were from rent and associatesd lease charges due for the entire 10-year term of the according to documents filed with the . The landlord also sought $800,00 0 based on a loss it said occurredf during the sale ofthe building, plus an additional $200,0000 in attorneys’ fees.
Through the end of Switch & Data had set asides $100,000, but warned in its annual financial filinf made last March that final damaged could be significantly more basedd on a settlement agreementor verdict. With the reducec sum, both sides agree to pay theif own costsand attorneys’ fees in battling the suit, and equallty pay their share of mediation, which was handlex by Peter J. Grilli of Tampa at the beginningof May. Switc h & Data lost $1.98 or 6 cents per share, in the most recent quartere on revenueof $47.13 million.

Concerns that China will slow its economy help pull down U.S. stocks, commodities - Kansas City Star

http://raceforthecure-pdx.org/news/notecardsbymer.asp

Concerns that China will slow its economy help pull down U.S. stocks, commodities Kansas City Star AP Stocks and commodities took a nosedive Friday on worries that China might put the brakes on its surging economy. Any slowdown in the Chinese economy ... and more »

Nexus S Gets Mentioned on Best Buy, Subsequently Disappears - SlashGear

http://netadspro.net/team-building-events-and-exercises/

Nexus S Gets Mentioned on Best Buy, Subsequently Disappears SlashGear The rumors about the next Nexus device have been picking up steam recently, with reports coming in from all ... and more »

'Dog' Chapman hit with $1.8M IRS tax lien - San Antonio Business Journal:

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The Honolulu-based TV bountu hunter and his wifeAlice E. Smith, known as Beth owe $1.8 million to the on 2006 and 2007 according to a federal tax lien recorded May 19 by the Hawaiio Bureauof Conveyances. The lien s come five months after were filed in Hawaii againsty the Chapmans for unpaid taxes from 2002througj 2005. The Chapmans’ Los Angeles-basedd accountant, Dennis Duban, told PBN in February that some of the federakl tax bills had already been paid and blamed a lag between the time of payment and the release of the But according to records on file with the Bureajof Conveyances, none of the liens filed in Januart have been released.
Duban was out of the officwe this week and was not availablefor Chapman, who owns Da Kine Bail Bond s on Queen Emma Street and live s in Hawaii Kai, stars in the A&E program “Dobg the Bounty Hunter.” In the IRS filed liens against Chapman for almost $200,000p in 2004 income but in early 2007 Duban said those tax billx had been paid. The IRS had previousluy filed liens against him for unpair 1993 and1994 income.

Sales heating up for Earth to Air - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

mcfarlainofuqub1258.blogspot.com
Formed in 2002, Earth to Air Systems develops heating and cooling systems basedx on a technology know as directexchange geothermal, called DX in the industry. The company’x applications have been shown to reduce heating and coolinv costs by 50 percent to 80 CEO RandyWiggs says. Earth to Air’s system bypassews the more conventional geothermao heating andcooling model. Instead of usingg water as a source, the technology skips a step and controls heatin g and temperatures directly from the earth with copper The tubes tap into wells that are 300 to 500 feet Environmentally friendly refrigerants are then piper throughthe tubes.
Earth to Air’sx revenue comes from licensing fees collected from heatinbg and cooling companies who decide to market and instalpthe systems. Earth to Air got its first international distributord two years ago when Australian entrepreneur John Gagliardi embracedcthe technology. He says he’s secured more than $30 million in including contracts withschool systems, mining camps, housin g projects and major such as BP. “We are movinhg into significant profitability,” Galiardi says, adding that he’s plannin g on expanding into the Southeast Asiabmarket soon.
Galiardi predicts that Earth to Air willbecomwe “a billion dollar business or Sales in the first quarter were up 60 percen t from the same time last year. “We’re living in an time when there’w a huge demand (for products) to reduce our dependence on foreign oil,” Gagliardio says. “Twenty years ago this wouldn’t have worked. It wouldn’ t have even worked 10 years ago. But now the potential is There are multiple installations of Earthto Air’s geothermalk system in the United States, but the companty is just now setting up a formal distributor says Clayton Washburn, chieff operations officer at Earth to Air.
“Ourd biggest struggle is having to say noat times,” Washburmn says. “We’re preparing for a much biggerf onslaught.”

Northeast Florida businesses forecast where they are heading - Jacksonville Business Journal:

http://faststrings.com/bass/Page-4.html
The trouble is, economists have gotten just abouty every call wrong inthis recession, at first soft-pedalingh its severity, and later scarinbg people into believing that we were going to relive the Great Depression. So we decide to skip the economistse and go to the business people runnin the major industries in Northeast Florida and ask for theitr calls on the second halfof 2009. As you wouldx expect, each industry has a slightly different take on the but there is a consensus that the economic free fall is for now, and that we shoule see a slow firming of the economy in the second half of 2009, just enough for business to regain its footing going into 2010.
The wild cardes are consumer spending and availability of Without improvement in these two key economic recoverycould stall, executives warn. But for now, cautiouss optimism is the common with the emphasison cautious.

Luxury apartments break $2 per square foot - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

http://www.catalogler.com/article/held-to-ransom-over-pizza/
Atlanta-based bought a 0.8-acre site at 13th Street near Piedmonrt Park June 9 and expects to begin construction in December ona 25-story, 250-unir apartment building, said Scott Tivoli president and CEO. Tivoli paid $4.3 million for the site it purchase fromCaryn McKinney, Paul Patterson and Fred according to , a commerciakl real estate research firm. Tivoli's project will result in rent ratesat $2 per squaree foot, Leventhal said, a benchmark the markety has not seen yet. "Atlanta's been a funnyg city," he said. "Developers had a hard time breaking the ceilingof $2 a [square] Atlanta developer and former CEO John A.
Williame "probably came closest with Post Peachtree," Leventhall said. As soon as developers break thatmark "theree will be a new rental market," he with luxury rentals going for $2 per squares foot to $2.25 per square foot. "It'sz worked successfully in other he said, "and it is time for Atlant to catch up." The $2 per-square-foot mark will arrive by earlhy spring when LLC opens 05 Buckhead at Peachtree and Piedmontg roads, a 20-story, 155-unit apartment towedr that includes four two-story penthouses.
Unitxs there will be $2 per squarde foot, said Patti Pearlberg, Coro vice and range from 762 squarew feetto 2,761 square The average unit is aboutf 1,300 square feet, Also in Buckhead, Marietta-based LLC has begun construction on The Residences at Streets of Buckhead, a $140 21-story pair of apartment towers, said Mark Wood's Southeast regional partner. The Residencew at Streets of Buckhead, built over retai shops, will have 360 units prettyh evenly split between the two he said. The project is bounded by Buckhead Avenue, Nort Fulton Drive and East PacesFerryt Road. Rents there "will be of $2 per square Randall said.
Tivoli's unnamed Piedmont Park projecft is expected to begin constructiomin December. Other rental projectas are proposed, including Houston-based 's Ashto n Midtown, a 20-story, 290-unit projecg in two towers at 17th and Spring Ashton Midtown is part of insurancsgiant 's $225 million Metropolitan Center, a new mixed-use development. Atlanta's urbanb rental market is in tight supply becauser manyrental properties, like Post Peachtree and 1280 West Peachtree St., converted to condominiums at the height of the condok market.
High-rise apartment development may not be the nextbig wave, "bug it's a segment that has been under-served in the last developmentt cycle," Leventhal said. "There are very few luxury urbabrental properties." In a market where condoo sales have lagged, one would think there would be ampl supply for rental units in condo but homeowners' associations often limit the number of rentals to 20 percent to 25 percent of the said Fran Allen, associate broker with Jennh Pruitt & Associates, Realtors, who caters to the luxury renta l market. Where there are rental units available at newedcondo towers, they can command top rent, Wood'd Randall said.
He's seen that firsthand at Realm in Buckhead that Wood builtwith "Ws sell a lot of unitsd to folks who are buying [condoi units] as an investment with the idea that they coul rent them," Randall said. Renters of individual condi units are payingabout $2 a foot at he said. In fact, there is a waitingb list "of about 22 to rent at Realm, said Patricia McGoldrick, owner of and who brokers luxury rentals. She has an Israeli businessman who needs six fully furnished rental units for peopler who are coming to Atlanta for businessw for just afew months, and is havinvg trouble finding them. "There really is no supply of high-rise Randall said.
"Every rental high-rise that was out therde convertedto condo."

Vail Resorts profits off 29%, but they're ahead of Wall Street forecast - St. Louis Business Journal:

haygoodfoafyga1359.blogspot.com
For the three months ending April 30, whicg Broomfield-based Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN) regards as its thirdf quarter, the mountain-resort and lodgings company posted earningesof $61.6 million, or $1.68 a down from $87.3 million, or $2.245 a share, in the same quarter a year Nevertheless, the company's profits beat Wall Street analysts' predictions. Analysts on average had expected earningsof $1.56 per share, Thomson Reuters reported. Vail Resorts reportedr Q3 revenueof $333.5 million, down 21 percent from the year-ago Analysts had expected $339.7 milliomn on average. It said operating expenses were down 20 to $198.1 million.
The company has saverd considerably through pay cuts and other Vail Resorts operatesthe Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone and Beave Creek ski areas in Colorado and Heavenlhy at Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada It also operates , a chain of luxurty hotels. The company said its earnings were helpesd by a 26 percent increasein 2008-09 season-pass revenuwe through increased sales and higher pass But lift-ticket revenue was down 11 percent and skiert visits were off 9 percent. retail and ski school revenudalso declined. Real estatew revenue was down 82 percent; the companh said it sold only one condo unit in the quartee versus 17 ayear ago.
The quarterly resultsd "were impacted by the continued severe downturn in the driving lower destination visitation inthe quarter," CEO Rob Katz said in a Vail Resorts said its outlook for the full fiscal year is for earninga of $41 million to $51 million. "We are extremelg pleased with the significant increase in our advance spring period pass sales for ourupcomingt 2009/2010 ski season," Katz said. .

SAFC Pharma's St. Louis HPAPI Conjugates Facility Receives SafeBridge Certification

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The 600 square ft HPAPI commissioned inSeptember 2008, enables the conjugatiohn of Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient s ( ) to a variety of targeted deliverhy molecules known as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). "Gaining SafeBridge certificationb status for our HPAPI conjugation suited provides our customers with complete confidence in our abilit y to handle their poteng compound projects safelyand efficiently," commented , SAFC Pharmsa Vice President. "This adds to our already significant experiencs in the productionof HPAPIs, an area in which we continue to see rapid growth as targetede oncology evolves.
The suite builds upon 15 years of HPAPIu manufacturing experienceat SAFC's Madison, Wisconsin which is also SafeBridge and upon more than 30 yearse of experience in conjugation technology at the St. Louis facility." The SafeBridger program assessment, recognized as the most widelhy accepted industry benchmark for handling highly potent focuses on fourprimary areas: (1) management, (2) hazarr identification and evaluation, (3) hazarc controls, and (4) communication, educatioj and training. The new SafeBridge certificatiom ofthe St. Louis HPAPI suite adds to SAFC investmentstotaling $75 milliomn during the past 18 months to expanrd its HPAPI capacity. Those include a $4.
5 milliom project to add a cGMP pilor plantand kilo-lab capacity at the Madison facility, completeds in early 2008; a $29 million investmeny to expand bacterial and fungao fermentation derived HPAPI capacity at Jerusalem, due for completion in early 2010; and a $30 millioj investment to build a new commercial-scale HPAPI facility at Madison, due to be completed by year-enc 2009. About SAFC: SAFC(R) is the custom manufacturintg and services groupwithin Sigma-Aldrich that focuses on high-purity inorganics for high technology cell culture products and services for biopharmaceutical manufacturing, biochemical production and the manufacturing of multi-step organic synthesis of APIs and key intermediates.
SAFC has manufacturinb facilities around the world dedicated to providinyg manufacturing services for companies requiring a reliabled partner to produce their custokmmanufactured materials. SAFC has four business segments - SAFC SAFC Supply Solutions(R), SAFC Biosciences(R), and SAFC Hitech(R)- and had annual sales of over $600 million in 2008. SAFC is considerex a top 10 fine chemical For more informationaboutr SAFC, visit . About SAFC SAFC Pharma is a complete pipeline partnerr for the development and cGMP custom manufacturing ofcomplecx small-molecule APIs and biologic drug products.
It combineds world-class project management and chemistry support for all stages of the drug discoveryh and development process from research and through pre-clinical and clinical development to commercialization, with a focuas on reducing the drug development time-line. SAFC has the widest range of raw materials, highly qualifief and experienced staff, state-of-the-art facilities and an integratef portfolioof services, including full analytical and regulatory supporft and is a leader in emerging including high-potency APIs, solid-state chemistry, viraol products and chemical-biologic API conjugates. For more information visit .
Abourt Sigma-Aldrich(R): Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and HighTechnologh company. Its biochemical and organi c chemical products and kits are used in scientific including genomic andproteomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical developmengt and as key components in pharmaceutical, diagnostic and other high technolog manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science university andgovernment institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one milliomn scientists and technologists useits products. Sigma-Aldrichj operates in 38 countriesw andhas 7,800 employees providing excellent services worldwide.
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Study: Bank

http://patrickblanchette.com/html/matrix.html
Brand image and the impact of the initial visi by a potential custome can be paramount to the final decision regarding which retail bankto choose, a national study has found. Accordint to the J.D. Power & Associatew retail bank shopping study, released Tuesday, 36 percent of a consumer’w decision to choose a bank is driven by thefinanciakl institution’s brand image, followed by branch locationb at 21 percent.
“Somee crucial aspects of a bank’s branr image — such as perceived financial stability andreliability — can be difficult for a bank to which negatively affects the bank’s likelihood of beinb selected,” said Michael Beird, director of the banking practicde at J.D. Power. “However, branch employees can positively impacta bank’as brand image by providing personal communicating proactively and having a customer-driven Nearly a third of customers who avois using a particular bank have done so because of a previouas bad experience with that the study showed.
Word-of-mouth recommendations — positivs or negative — also figure into the selection process, with 31 percenyt of respondents ranking that as an important part ofthe bank’d brand image. The study also showed that a customer’s satisfactionn with setting up a new accounr increases considerably when bank employees show alittlew enthusiasm. Greeting the customer when he or she enterdthe bank, keeping wait times to under five calling the customer by name and providing a detaileed needs assessment were among the items bank customersw mentioned as important to the selection The J.D.
Power study, conducted in Februaryh and March, was based on responses from morethan 7,500 bank customers shopping for a new bank withinh the past 12