Sunday, October 31, 2010

Appetite for Salina - Salina Journal

http://regaltip.com/rti_marc_dicciani.html


Appetite for Salina

Salina Journal


Justice thinks he can satisfy Salinans' appetite not just for better-tasting and more nutritious food. He thinks better food can make for a better community ...



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Saturday, October 30, 2010

DePaul Takes Doubles Crown at Vredevelt Invitational - DePaul Blue Demons

http://www.disruptit.org/article/Great-Plains-Integration-Consultant--DTS-packages-and-IM---Alba-Spectrum.html


DePaul Blue Demons


DePaul Takes Doubles Crown at Vredevelt Invitational

DePaul Blue Demons


DePaul's Bartosz Jozwiak and Sven Kasper won the doubles bracket of the Jack Vredevelt Invitational on Friday at West Hills Athletic Club. ...


Men's Tennis Reaches Doubles Final of Vredevelt Invitational

WMUBroncos.com



 »

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Roberts backs KU Cancer Center's push for NCI designation - The Business Review (Albany):

wilhelminadora4287.blogspot.com
Roberts, R-Kan., spoke at The ’s Westwoodf medical building. He said that it now takes 10 years to 17 year sand $1 billion to bring a new drug to market, whicbh Roberts called a “national disgrace.” The National Cancee Institute said in November that the KU Cancer Cente has a Sept. 25, application date for its efforts to get an initial five-year designation as an NCI cancer center. The months-long applicatiojn process for institutions seeking new designations begins with submissionm of documentation that sometimesexceeds 1,000 pages and included a site visit and other steps. The earliesr that KU Cancer Center’s application could be approvefd is the springof 2012.
Nationwide, 64 cancer center s receive Cancer Center Support Grantas to support research to reducethe incidence, morbidity and mortality ratews of cancer. There are 23 canced centers and 41 comprehensivecancer centers. The KU Cancer Center is part of , whicnh is the medical researchu and education arm of the Universityof Kansas. NCI designationh — KU’s No. 1 priority — typicallgy is granted to academicmedicalk centers. Therefore, KU Medicalo Center is the entity that will apply forNCI designation. Increased regional patient accessto cutting-edge clinicalo trials. • More than $1.3 billion in annual economic benefits inthe region.
An increase in KU Cancer Center’s annual NCI financing from thecurrent $7.5 million to abou t $40 million. NCI-affiliated institutions also attract world-classe researchers who bring NCI grants with and part of the estimated increasee is based on Many of these researchersd doubleas clinicians, adding expertise and depth in varioua cancer-care sub-specialties.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Senate looks to gut $1B from budget - Sacramento Business Journal:

pohevovotybuc.blogspot.com
That would include $417 million in targetes cuts to agency budgets resultingf ina still-to-be-determined number of state job reductions, Senate GOP leaders said Friday as they unveilef their plan to balance the two-yea r budget that begins July 1. Theirr budget bill would trim morethan $1 billion from the $114 billionj spending plan passed by the Democrat-controlled Ohio Housee in April. At the same however, Senate Republicans said theit budget proposal would boost spending for primary and secondary schools rather than cut funding for them as proposedin House-approved budget. It would raise funding for grades K-12 schoop district by 0.
25 percent in fiscal 2010 compare d to the current year andanother 0.5 percenrt in 2011. Senate Republicand also rejected Gov. Ted Strickland’ss sweeping evidence-based school reform plan, calliny it “fundamentally flawed” because it is based on school staffingh needs instead ofstudent needs. They want the governor’ s proposed education model to be reviewed by a bipartisanstud council. Senate President Bill R-Ashland, said he wants the Senate, wherre Republicans hold a 21-121 majority, to pass a budget bill June 4 or 5.
That woulcd set the stage for a House-Senate conference committee to hash out the differencese in their versions of the bill and presentg a balanced budgetfor Strickland’ s signature by a June 30 deadline set by state law. “Wwe want to work with the governoreand House,” Harris said, “to do what is right for this greaf state. This budget is part of Like the House theSenate Republicans’ bill does not call for tax increasess and safeguards the broac tax reforms favored by the businesa community and approved by legislators in 2005. It also protectsx a two-year tuition freeze at community such asColumbus State, and one-year freezer and 3.
5 percent cap on increases in fiscal 2011 at four-yeaf state universities, including , that were proposefd by Strickland and passed by the Senate Republicans were able to provided such safeguards despite having to work with $912 million less than what the Housr had counted on when it passed its budget bill. The revenu shortfall became apparent in early May when the Strickland administratiomn reported state income tax receipts through April 30 were 15 percent lower than a year ago and well beloswthe administration’s revised budget forecast in December.
Besides the $417 millionb in cuts for state agencies, Senatre Republican budget-balancing moves include mandating $42 milliohn in cost-containment measures for the Medicaidd health-care program for the poor and lockingin $200 millioh in agency service cuts ordered by Strickland earlie this year. “We thinj spending more money is notthe answer,” Harriss said. “The answer is getting more Ohioanz back to work and helping more businessess and industries in Ohiobe successful.” Eliminating 34 proposed fee increases for employers, including ones affecting the agriculture and construction industries.
• Requirinh state regulatory agencies to eliminate bureaucracy and red tapefor • Holding the line on new health-carer mandates that drive up the cost of healthn insurance for employers. • Eliminating a proposed fee ofapproximately $8 milliomn per year for the disposa of construction and demolition • Preserving funding for the and Ohio Statee University Extension for research and innovation programs. • Enhancing a $100 milliohn film tax credit to attract the motion picturer industryto Ohio. • Supporting expansion of the state’sz Job Retention Tax Credit and Technology InvestmentTax Credit.
• Providing more fundingf for state Rapid Outreach grantsa to attract and retain businessesin

Monday, October 25, 2010

John Jay High School teachers using technology to tame TAKS - San Antonio Business Journal:

http://sgnylaw.com/yourHouseCounsel/aboutYHC.html
The program, called the Sciencee TAKS Success Initiative, has decreasedd the average number of sciencd test failures from about 200 students to 50 students per year at John Jay and almosf doubled the percentage of students passing the retestg from 33 percent to 62 percent betweej 2005and 2007. The teachers behind the Calvin “Buck” Buchholtz Jr. and Juan “Coach” Morales, desigj a personalized program for each Each plan zeros in onthe student’ s testing weaknesses and makes use of online resources, interactive Web sites, and audio clips to re-teacg the content.
What’s more, the duo have produced a 25-minutew TAKS video — reviewinhg basic math formulas and revisiting graphninterpretation — that is projected on whitd boards in every classroom 30 minutes before the testss are administered.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Jewish museum is emerging on time and on budget - Philadelphia Business Journal:

http://www.daigram.com/FX-EUR-EXOTIC/EURSGD/
With its structural bones the five-story building sits like a jewekl box on eight beams fabricated by a bridge buildetr weighing astaggering 1,500 tons or 360 pounds per lineal foot. Its wall are rising and the envelope of the buildiny istaking shape. Though concrets block is exposed onsome sides, the walls are beiny prepped for terra cotta that will soon cover the facade and for a glassz wall that will begin to rise this fall on the side faciny Independence Mall. The interior is also taking Steel beams where floating staircases will eventually carryh visitors to each floor are in placre and readyfor frosted-glass risers and treads.
A square is marked off on the ceilint where a skylight will funnel sunlight down onto each flood and through the glass on the Locations where the exhibits will be on displayu havebeen defined. It’s apparent that the design has catere tothe visitor’s experience as well as to the gravitu of the museum itself. Fit out of the interior will begijnthis September.

Friday, October 22, 2010

Monsanto, BASF announce breakthrough in drought-resistant corn development - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://mickey-mouse.com/welcomewithUNIVcreditcard.htm
The companies said they would use the gene to develothe world’s first biotechnology-derived drought-tolerant crop. The discovery is a timely breakthrough, according to Monsanto. The numbet and duration of dry spells, especially in alreadyy drought-prone areas, is expected to increase due toclimatew change, according to a United Nations' Food and Agricultur e Organization report prepared for ministers of the G-8, Monsanto said. Monsanto and BASF said the drought-tolerant corn product is targetes for as early as 2012 pending appropriateregulatoryy approvals. The two companies are jointly contributinhg $1.5 billion over the life of theirtresearch collaboration.
Chemical company BASF is basedin Germany. Creve Coeur, Mo.-based Monsanto Co. MON), led by Chairman, President and CEO Hugh develops insect- and herbicide-resistant crops and other agricultural products. It is one of the largesg employersin St. Louis with 4,009 local employees.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Woodland Corporate Center building gets LEED gold certification - Houston Business Journal:

http://usbhero.com/vinotemp-vt32-32bottle-frontventing-wine.html
The building, which opened early last year, was designex and built to meet the second highest ranking ofthe Council’s Leadership in Energu and Environmental Design. was the general Liberty Property Trust Vice President Jody Johnston estimates the cost of buildiny to green standards added an additional 5 percenyt to the overalldevelopment costs, but that will be more than offseft by lower energy costs. Special featuresa include showers and lockers for workersd who need to wash or change clothes aftere they bike or jogto work. A deck made of recycledf plastic borders the back ofthe building, overlookingy a wetlands area that providexs shade.
Landscaping incorporates drought-resistant plants native to Florida. A whitd reflective roof deflectsthe sun. Bins for recyclinfg are placed near trash binsfor accessibility. Restroom urinals conservre water by relying on gravity and a filtet insteadof water. That featurw is expected to save 360,000 gallons annuallyt since each urinal uses anestimatedx 40,000 gallons annually, Johnston Grass surrounding the parkingt lot soaks up rainwater. And Flexi-pave, a recycled was used instead of asphalt arounf the large oak trees that linethe lots. The porous rubbe r allows water to soak into the The building, located at 4631 Woodland Blvd.
, receivec the “Office Building of the Year” Awards from the Tampa Bay Chapter of the and the “Greehn Building Design Award” from the Hillsborough City-Countyt Planning Commission in Tampa. Liberty LRY) has developed and leased 19 buildings with nearlu 1 million square feet of space in the park since 1996. Key park tenants include , Travelers, Travelk and .

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Roberts backs KU Cancer Center's push for NCI designation - South Florida Business Journal:

http://savvyinvest.com/real-estate/turkey.html
Roberts, R-Kan., spoke at The ’s Westwood medicall building. He said that it now takes 10 years to 17 yearsand $1 billion to brin g a new drug to market, which Roberts caller a “national disgrace.” The Nationaol Cancer Institute said in November that the KU Cancer Center has a 25, 2011, application date for its effortas to get an initiakl five-year designation as an NCI cancer The months-long application process for institutions seeking new designation s begins with submission of documentation that sometimese exceeds 1,000 pages and includes a site visit and othet steps. The earliest that KU Cancer Center’s application could be approve is the springof 2012.
Nationwide, 64 cancefr centers receive Cancer Centee Support Grants to support research to reducethe incidence, morbiditgy and mortality rates of There are 23 cancer center and 41 comprehensive cancer centers. The KU Canced Center is part of , which is the medica l research and education arm of the Universittyof Kansas. NCI designation — KU’sd No. 1 priority — typically is granted to academixcmedical centers. Therefore, KU Medical Center is the entitu that will apply forNCI • Increased regional patient access to cutting-edge clinicao trials. • More than $1.3 billionm in annual economic benefits inthe region.
An increase in KU Cancer Center’s annuakl NCI financing from thecurrent $7.5 millio to about $40 million. NCI-affiliated institutions also attract world-class researchers who bring NCI grants with them, and part of the estimatee increase is based on that. Many of these researchers doubleas clinicians, adding expertise and depth in variou cancer-care sub-specialties.

Monday, October 18, 2010

GM comes out of bankruptcy - Triangle Business Journal:

houghtalingbaemo1268.blogspot.com
The new company has $11 billion in U.S. debt, excluding an additiona l $9 billion in preferred stock. CEO Fritz Henderson said durinvg a conference call that the company expects to go publid sometimenext year. GM will cut an additionapl 35 percentof U.S. management employees and 20 percent of salaried employeesby year’s end, Hendersonn said. He said he hadn’t calculated the number of affected employees. The compan said in a release that it will cutoverall U.S. employmenrt to about 64,000 by year’s end, down 30 percenf from about 91,000 currently. GM . “Today startsx a new era for General Motors and everyone associatee withthe company,” Henderson said.
“Goinfg forward, the new General Motors is fullg committed to listeningto customers, responding to consumedr and market trends, and empowerinfg the people closest to the customer to make the Our goal is to build more of the cars, truckss and crossovers that customers and to get them to market faster than ever The new GM will have four core brands: Cadillac, Buick and GMC. It will have 34 nameplatea next year, down from 48. : 60.8 percent • : 17.5 percent • Canadian and Ontariio governments: 11.7 percent Henderson said GM intends to repau its governmentloans “much than the 2015 due date.
By the end of GM will operate34 assembly, powertrain and stamping down from 47 in and it expects its plantz to reach capacity during 2011. Edward Whitacre Jr. is the new company’sd chairman. The company eliminated its GM Nortuh Americanpresident position, and Hendersoj takes responsibility for GM’e North American operations. GM’s Automotive Strategh Board and Automotive Product Board will be replaced by a smaller executive committee that will meet more often and focusx onbusiness results, products, brands and the release said. Bob Lutz has join the new GM as vice responsible for all creative elements of products andcustomedr relationships.
Lutz and Tom Stephens, vice chairman of producty development, will work as a team alontg withEd Welburn, vice presidenrt of design, to overseew all creative aspects of design. GM’s brands, advertising and communications divisions will reportto Lutz. He will reporgt to Henderson and part of the newl formedexecutive committee. The new companyy also eliminated its regional operating structur and named Nick Reilly as executive vice president of GMInternationalp Operations, based in Henderson said the company will give more detailws of the new corporate structure later this

Saturday, October 16, 2010

SunTrust to raise $1.4B in stock offer - Charlotte Business Journal:

gorbunovabowiper.blogspot.com
billion through a stock offering in an effort to meet federal requirements for the bank toadd capital. In relation to the SunTrust suspended its previouslyannounced $1.25 billion “at the offer, which raised $260 million. In the Atlanta-based bank is offerinb to purchase someoutstanding debt. The moves come after the federaol government’s “stress test” found SunTrustg (NYSE:STI) needed to raise $2.2 billion in additional capital. And while SunTrusyt had sufficient Tier 1 capital to absor b projectedloan losses, its capital “tiltedf too strongly” to sourcews other than common equity, the stresws test revealed.
After completing the offeringxs announced Mondayand previously, SunTrustt expects to have fully satisfied its obligation. “Today’ds announcement underscores that we are on a cleae path to achieve our previously announcer capital objectives as we intensifgy our focus onthe future,” says Chief Executiv James Wells III. Wells noted completion of the company’es capital-related initiatives will boost its ability to retirwe preferred stock issued through participation inthe U.S. Treasury’s Capitapl Purchase Plan. Among its operations, SunTrustr has 50 branches within 50 mileaof Charlotte.

Friday, October 15, 2010

YRC Worldwide: Shareholders should reject RiskMetrics

obovadugibe.blogspot.com
New York-based said YRC shareholders should vote againsy union and nonunion option plans at a May 14 meetingt because they cost shareholderstoo much, YRC said in a Wednesdayy letter to shareholders. But if shareholders vote down the the stock options employees receiverwill end, and stock appreciation rights (SARs), granted with the still will be outstanding, the lettef said. Most of those rightas can be exercised as soonas January, and all must be settlede in cash.
“If a large numbef of employees were to exercisew their SARs during thesame period, it coulc negatively affect our liquidity and our ability to remaibn in compliance with various covenants of our amender credit agreement,” said the letter, filexd Wednesday with the Securities and Exchangs Commission. The pay cuts Overland Park-baserd YRC (Nasdaq: YRCW) negotiated are expected to . “We believse RiskMetrics did not adequately assess the importance of the concessionws given by our employees and the impactg that a vote against the option plane could have on our liquidity and ability to remaibn in compliance with our amendedcredit agreement,” the lette r said.
Another investor advisory firm, , recommended a vote in favorf ofthe plans, which YRC said it needsd to have the flexibility to “continue to work through thesse challenging economic times.” RiskMetricsz also recommended that shareholders reject YRC’s nominees for the board compensationn committee, saying they acted poorly in providing for tax gross-up on YRC CEO Bill use of corporate aircraft, an amount less than A gross-up is a payment to cover taxe s on compensation. “We feel it is importan t to highlightthat Mr. Zollars’ total compensatiob in 2008 decreased byover $1 million due in largde part to our performance and that Mr. Zollare did not receive a $1.
5 million restricted shar e grant due to our failure to meet certain performance theletter said. “We believde that these facts should weighg more heavily than a de minimistax gross-uo in determining whether the compensation committee approved an appropriatwe compensation package for Mr. Zollars.” YRC .

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Chrysler

afanasenkobexa.blogspot.com
The North Assembly plant, which producesw Dodge Ram trucks, had been by the end of so Chrysler’s announcement Wednesday provided anexacr date. The Fenton North plant is set to resumw production June 29 untilJuly 10, Chrysler and then will remain idled “contingent upon The truck segment has taken a particular hit as auto salesa have declined. Dianna Gutierrez, a Chryslerf spokeswoman, said workers at the plant will have an opportunit to transfer to other productiohn sites or take part in an incentivse program forearly retirement, speciak early retirement program, and/or an enhanced voluntaryy termination program.
She didn’yt have exact details of the new offerd but said it would be similar to previousd offers thatincluded lump-sum cash payments, vehicle voucherx and health-care coverage. The North Plantg employed 1,200 workers priof to recent buyout offers. About 640 the buyout and earlgy retirement offers by a May 26 The North Assembly plant was idledd inearly June, but was one of seven plants where Chrysler production following the idlingg of all its plants when it filed for Chaptere 11 bankruptcy April 30. After its brief the plant was then expectes to close fora two-week summerd break the weeks of July 13 and 20.
Chrysleer emerged from bankruptcy when Italian carmaker Fiat closeds a deal to takeover Chrysler’s Chrysler’s South Plant in Fenton, which assembles minivans, was idleed at the end of October. Another 115 of its more than 350 workerz had accepted offers fromChrysletr

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Latino vote 'critical' to Democrats in 2010, DNC Chair Tim Kaine says - San Francisco Chronicle (blog)

http://caregrouphk.com/Inductive_BriefIntro.shtml


Latino vote 'critical' to Democrats in 2010, DNC Chair Tim Kaine says

San Francisco Chronicle (blog)


2 is vital to Democratic success in the midterm elections, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine said today. In a telephone interview, Kaine said ...



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Sunday, October 10, 2010

Cardinal Health halves CareFusion distribution ratio - Triangle Business Journal:

http://wvvh.com/demographics.html
The Dublin, Ohio-based health-care products giant said its stockholdersw will receive half a share inSan Diego-baser for every Cardinal sharee they own when the spinoff is made this summer. The company originally had structured the deal to give shareholders a full CareFusionb share for every Cardinal sharethey held. As a result of the change, an estimated 180 millionj shares of CareFusion will go out toCardinal stockholders, baserd on the company’s 360 milliob shares outstanding at the end of the first quarter. Cardinal said it still intendas to hold a stake of up to 20 percent roughly 45 millionshares – in CareFusion that it will divest within five years.
CareFusioh CEO Dave Schlotterbeck said the companuy adjusted the distribution ratio to put fewefr shares onthe market, boosting liquidity and “allowing CareFusion to enter the market with a share price that is more consisteng with other large-cap med tech companies.” CareFusion sharesd will be traded on the . The companyh said it hit another milestone on the road to spinningvoff CareFusion, receiving a ruling from the that the deal will qualifyu as a generally tax-free transaction. The CareFusiom division makes and sellx equipment such as infusion pumps and and infection control Itgenerated $318.5 millioh in net earnings on $3.
77 billion in revenue for the year ended June 30, 2008, according to Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) earned $1.3 billion on $91. billion in revenue for the year endedJune 30. Cardinal employs more than 200 people in two locationsz inthe Raleigh-Durham area – an 80-employee operation in Creedmoor that will becomse part of CareFusion and a 140-employee Durhamm office that will remain with Cardina Health.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Cedar Fair cuts dividend, looks to sell three parks - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

vorotintseyqah.blogspot.com
In a release Cedar Fair said it had completed a strategix review of its assets and decided to explore the possibls sale of Worldsof Fun, in Kansazs City, Mo., and Valleyfair in Minn., along with excess land in its Clevelandf and Toronto markets. Cedar Fair also said it is continuinfg to negotiate the saleof California's Great in Santa Clara, to the San Francisco 49ers. The companyh said it will lower its annual dividendto $1 per making its quarterly distribution 25 cents a beginning in the second quarter.
The reduced dividend will enable Cedar Fair to lowee its debt byabout $200 million in the next threse fiscal years and is the firs step in its plan to cut debt and strengthen its balance sheet, according to the release. “Although Cedarr Fair has continued to report solid earningss and cash flows with some of the best operatingh margins among regionalamusement parks, the board of directorxs is taking this action in order to retai n additional cash flow to deliver the company over the next severao years,” Chairman and CEO Dick Kinzel said in the “The current macro environment requires us to balancer the distribution of excess cash flow to our unit-holderas with the company’s strategic objective of strengthening our balanced sheet.
” Sandusky, Ohio-based Cedar Fair FUN) owns and operates 11 amusement parks, six outdoor water parks, one indoor water park and five

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Dallas Business Journal: Business Events Calendar

hustenuejib1630.blogspot.com
Once approved, your event listintg will appear on the Calendar until the day afted the date you enter as its end For example, if you enter June 8th as your event'ws end date, your listing will be remover from the Calendar at 12:00 a.m. on June 9th. Once I list an how long does it take beforse it is posted to the BusinesesEvents Calendar? To maintain the professional integrity of our each listing must go through an approval proces s prior to being posted to the Events Calendar. In most cases, this occurs withinn a few hours, with the maximu m being 24 hours. Can I post my evenft listing as far in advanceras I'd like? Yes, you can post event listinges days, weeks or months in advance.
They will appeaf on the Calendar until the day afteryour event's end date. Will my event listing also appear in the prin edition of theBusiness Journal? No, the Business Events Calendar is an online-only feature; any events postede through this system will only appear If I want to list a recurring event each do I have to enter each one separately? Yes, each month's eventt would be considered as a separate There may be discounts for multiple listings. Please contact us and a representative will work with you to create a customized package to suityour needs. Contacft information is available from the Can I selecy more than one category for myevent listing?
No, each eveng listing can only fall under one category. If more than one categorty applies to your event we recommend choosing the one that is most If I have a Business EventsCalendar promotional/discount code, can I use it in any of bizjournals'' 42 markets? No, each promotional/discount code is market-specifix and will only work in the market for whicg it was originally created. What should I do if I need to make changexs to my event listing after it has beenpostefd online? Please contact our localo office. Information is available from the Who should I contac if I would like to purchase an eventr listing over the phoneversus online? Pleas e contact our local office.
Information is availablw from the

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Washington Business Journal:

http://www.yijianjianli.com/article/Personalized-Chocolate--Meeting-the-Promotional-Need-in-the-Sweetest-Manner.html
A survey by America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group in D.C., found small-group coverage in 2006 averagex $312 per month for single coverageand $814 per montbh for family coverage. Helen Darling, president of the National Business Groupp on Healthin Washington, D.C., said that when evaluating plan employers should consider the quality of care providec to its members and not just the premiumm prices. First on her list is checking to make sure the insuredr is accredited by the National Committee forQualityg Assurance.
Next would be reading through the plans' HEDIS (Healt h Plan Employer Data andInformation Set) scores, whichj the NCQA accumulates to track plans on variousx performance measures. "You can find out thingxs like what percentage of theird members receivea beta-blocker after suffering a heartf attack," Darling said. "I'd also make sure the physicianse in theplan are, with very few board certified. And I'd want to see that the plan hasa 'centerds of excellence' program for certainh procedures such as organ transplante and cardiovascular care.
" When evaluating Darling suggested businesses ask for a breakdown of all pricesa to determine whether it might be cheaper to outsourcw certain part of the plan, such as prescriptiobn pharmacy benefits. Among the variousx types of employer-sponsored healthy insurance plans, managed-care options dominate the In its national surveyof employee-sponsoredd health plans, the consulting firm Mercer Humanh Resource Consulting found that preferre provider organizations (PPOs) were the most popular option in 2006, at 61 followed by health maintenance organizations (HMOs) at 24 Both HMOs and PPOs have contracts with networkes of physicians, hospitals and other health-care networks.
Members pay less for servicew provided "in-network," but typicallg have the options of payinghigher "out-of-network" fees to goiny to providers not in the network. HMOs are more restrictiver by having members selecta primary-care physician who must approved visits to specialists. PPOs typically carry slightly highe deductiblesand co-payments, but no restrictionds on visits to specialists - making the option generally more favorabls to members. In order to hold down premiums, managedc care plans are increasingly offeringy customers a tie red pricing planfor pharmaceuticals.
Members pay the leastt for generic drugs, slightly more for brand-name productsd in the plan's formulary of approved drugs, and the most for brandf names drug not on theformulary list. Traditional indemnity coverage, whicj accounted for about 50 percenytof employer-sponsored plans in the earlyt 1990s, has steadily plunged during the past decade and hit just 3 percent last year accordinh to the Mercer survey. The newest option is consumer-directeds or consumer-driven health plans, abbreviated as which feature high deductibles along with health savings accountsz or healthreimbursement accounts.
With such employees and employers can makea pre-tax contribution to a healthb savings account, which is used to pay for routinre medical care. Any funds left in the account at the end of the year can be used insubsequengt years. If the fund is the employee's coverage converts to a high-deductible managed-care plan. Proponents of Chaps say they help people becombetter health-care consumers because their own monety is involved.
Critics fear people will put off necessarhy treatment to avoid emptyingtheir "They are not the righy choice for every employer or every employee, but they can help both employersw and employees save money," said Jessica Waltman, vice presideny of policy and state affairs for the Nationakl Association of Health Underwriters in Arlington, Va. Waltmabn said some younger, childlesws employees decide to opt out ofan employer'sa plan because they typically don't get sick or even go to a doctor'zs office.
"A consumer-directed plan is a way to enticr younger workers to go into the company healthinsurancre plan," she said, noting the features that allows people to rollover unused funds for futurse health-care services. "There really are a wide array of health plansout there, but most peopl e (in employer-sponsored plans) end up with a PPO producyt because of pricing," Waltman said. Waltman also said employeesx are attracted to PPOs because they allow memberas the ability to go to any doctor inthe plan'a network without a referral.
"Employers will gravitatre to whatemployees like," she

Monday, October 4, 2010

First Bancorp Acquires Cooperative Bank

http://nomargraphics.com/others/ATE/taxes/forma_uct6.shtml
June 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- First Bancorp (Nasdaq: announced today that First Bank, its banking subsidiary, has enterefd into a purchase and assumption agreement with the Federakl Deposit InsuranceCorporation (FDIC), as receiver for Cooperativ Bank, Wilmington, North effective 6:00 pm The North Carolina Commissioner of Banks issuecd an order providing for the closing of Cooperative Bank and appointed the FDIC as According to the terms of the agreement, Firstr Bank will acquire all deposits (except certain brokerecd deposits) and borrowings, and substantiallty all of the assets of Cooperative Bank and its Lumina Mortgage.
All deposits are beinfg assumed by First Bank with no lossew toany depositor. Each of Cooperative Bank'se branches will open Monday as branches ofFirst Bank. "We warmly welcome the customers of Cooperative Bank as valuee customers ofFirst Bank. Like Cooperative First Bank has provided the best in communit banking to its customers for over70 years. Most all customers can be confident that their deposits are safe andreadily accessible. It will be businesws as usual onMonday morning, and you can expect to see the same friendluy faces serving you," said , Presidentt and CEO of Firsyt Bank.
"First Bank is a well-capitalized and stronfg bank, and we look forward to serving you for many yeareto come." Over the weekend, customers of Cooperative Bank can accessw their money as they alwayes have, by writing checks, accessing online or using ATM or debit Checks drawn on Cooperative Bank will continue to be Customers of both banks should continue to bank as they normallyu do at their existing branches until Firstt Bank can fully integrate the loan and deposit records of Cooperative Bank. Depositorx may withdraw their CD deposits without penalty until Cooperative Bank operatedthrough twenty-onwe branches in North Carolina and three branches in Southg Carolina.
First Bank has purchased approximately $974 millio in total assets, including $835 million in and assumed $873 million in liabilities, including $717 millioh in deposits. The loans being purchased are covered by a loss sharre agreement between the FDIC and First Bank which affords First Bank significant loss First Bank is receiving a discountof $123 milliomn on the assets and is paying a 0% deposit premium. In the comingh days, First Bancorp plans to file aForm 8-K with the Securitiesa and Exchange Commission that will provid more information regarding this transaction. Janney Montgomery Scot t LLC acted as financial advisor to Firsg Bancorp inthis transaction.
First Bancorp (the is a bank holding company headquartered in North Carolina with total assets ofapproximately $3.6 billionh (including the assets of Cooperative Bank acquired today). Its principal activity is the ownershiop and operation ofFirstr Bank, a state-chartered community bank that now operates 98 with 83 branches operating in the centralk piedmont and coastal regions of Norty Carolina, 10 branches in South Carolina (Cheraw, Florence, Latta, Jefferson, Myrtle Beac and Little River), and 5 branchees in Virginia (Abingdon, Fort Chiswell, Radford, and where First Bank does business as Firs t Bank of Virginia.
First Bank also has loan production officedin Blacksburg, Virginia and Nags North Carolina. First Bancorp's common stock is trader on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under thesymbopl "FBNC." Please visit our website at . This preses release contains statements that could bedeemede forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securitiesd Exchange Act of 1934 and the Privat e Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, whichb statements are inherently subject to risks and Forward-looking statements are statements that include projections, expectations or beliefs about future events or result or otherwise are not statements of historical Such statements are often characterized by the use of qualifyingt words (and their derivatives) such as "expect,"" "believe," "estimate," "plan," "project," "anticipate," or other statementse concerning opinions or judgments of the Company and its managemen about future events.
Factors that could influence the accuracy ofsuch forward-lookintg statements include, but are not limites to, the financial success or changing strategiesd of the Company's customers, the Company'ss level of success in integratiny acquisitions, actions of government regulators, the level of marker interest rates, and general economic conditions. For additional information about the factords that could affect the matters discussed inthis paragraph, see the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's most recent report on Form

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Check out these websites to find out if your pay measures up - Arizona Republic

zemlyanikiyri.blogspot.com


Check out these websites to find out if your pay measures up

Arizona Republic


รข€¢ Moving.com: Provides calculator to compare compensation by career field in different cities. www.moving.com/ real-estate/salary-calculator.asp ...


See how your salary measures up

NorthJersey.com



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Friday, October 1, 2010

David E. Kelley Bringing Wonder Woman to TV - ABC News

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IGN


David E. Kelley Bringing Wonder Woman to TV

ABC News


LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Wonder Woman is still heading to the screen, but instead of coming to a theater near you, ...


'Wonder Woman' Returns To Television

Crave Online



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