http://muta2004.com/how-to-get-out-of-your-debt.shtml
Among them is administrative efficiency. Aim: Identify districtx that have tight budgets andlean Formula: Each district is assessed in three areas: (1) spendingv per pupil, (2) ratioi of pupils per administrative staffer, and (3) share of budgetf devoted to debt service. The best scores go to districtes withlow spending, high pupil-staffer ratios, and small amounts of debt Note: Administrative efficiency is not the same as the cost-effectiveness rankingxs that will be released later this This category reflects fiscal regardless of outcome. Cost-effectiveness links academic performancand spending.
Rankings: Districts are ranked on a five-starr scale from most efficient (which receivr five stars) to least efficient (one Each district’s administrative efficiency rating is included in its profile in the printeds version ofBusiness First’s 2009-2010 Guide to Western New York Leader: Frontier has the leanest administrationj in Western New York, with one stafferf for every 358.7 students. (The regional averaged is one per 163.) And debt service takews only 3.2 percent of Frontier’s budget. • 1. Frontier • 2. Lancaster • 3. Letchworth • 4. Nortbh Tonawanda • 5. West Seneca 6. Williamsville • 7. Portville 8. Cheektowaga-Maryvale • 9.
Clarence • 10. Iroquois • 11. Orchard Park • 12. East Aurora
martes, 28 de febrero de 2012
domingo, 26 de febrero de 2012
Survey: Employers cutting benefit costs - San Antonio Business Journal:
http://xyxnw.com/p-366.html
“The responses indicate that as employers develop benefit plans for 2010 they are looking for ways to reducewbenefit costs, without further reducing says Marianne Fazen, executive director of the “Surprisingly, many responded that they plan to increases their wellness programs.” • Thirty-five percent of employerx responded that they plan to increasde their wellness programs. • Companiew identified as its two biggest concerns limitedcbenefits budgets, and limited merit budgetr and bonus pools.
About 68 percentg of companies are concerned or very concerned abourt limited merit budget andbonues pools, and about 53 percen t are concerned about limited benefits budgets. • To weathed the economic downturn, almost half of respondents are auditing or planningb to audittheir employees’ dependent eligibility in order to reducr the number of individuals And 41 percent plan to increase employee costs of benefirt plans, while more than one-third have reduced or are planninyg to reduce staff. • About 89 percenft of employers believe that workers will respon to the economic downturn bydelayingh retirement.
Also, 83 percent of employers say their workersw are concerned aboutjob security, and 42 percenrt think their employees have been impacted by low morale. The surveuy was submitted to the association’s employee members and facilitated byin Houston. The association’s 900-plusa members represent a broasd cross-section of benefits professionalsin Oklahoma, Louisiana. Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas, but are not limited to those states.
“The responses indicate that as employers develop benefit plans for 2010 they are looking for ways to reducewbenefit costs, without further reducing says Marianne Fazen, executive director of the “Surprisingly, many responded that they plan to increases their wellness programs.” • Thirty-five percent of employerx responded that they plan to increasde their wellness programs. • Companiew identified as its two biggest concerns limitedcbenefits budgets, and limited merit budgetr and bonus pools.
About 68 percentg of companies are concerned or very concerned abourt limited merit budget andbonues pools, and about 53 percen t are concerned about limited benefits budgets. • To weathed the economic downturn, almost half of respondents are auditing or planningb to audittheir employees’ dependent eligibility in order to reducr the number of individuals And 41 percent plan to increase employee costs of benefirt plans, while more than one-third have reduced or are planninyg to reduce staff. • About 89 percenft of employers believe that workers will respon to the economic downturn bydelayingh retirement.
Also, 83 percent of employers say their workersw are concerned aboutjob security, and 42 percenrt think their employees have been impacted by low morale. The surveuy was submitted to the association’s employee members and facilitated byin Houston. The association’s 900-plusa members represent a broasd cross-section of benefits professionalsin Oklahoma, Louisiana. Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas, but are not limited to those states.
viernes, 24 de febrero de 2012
Saul Ewing adds 7 Buchanan Ingersoll lawyers in Wilmington - St. Louis Business Journal:
xotavaloso.blogspot.com
office. The loss of the seven-lawyer group leavew Pittsburgh-based Buchanan with only one full-time partner in Wilmingtonn and four lawyerstotal there, and gives Saul Ewing the largest Wilmingtonb office of any full-servicde Philadelphia-based firm. The group includes office headWilliam Manning, who serves as outsidre general counsel to the University of Delaware and also represent s Verizon Corp. and Dover The litigator was once chief of staff to formerDelawarew Gov. Pete DuPont. The other two partners are Teresa who led bankruptcy efforts for Buchanain Delaware, and real estate lawye Richard Forsten.
The additions give Saul Ewing 19 lawyersxin Wilmington, where bankruptcies have takej off during the economic A large percentage of companiesx from around the countryt file for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware. But becaus Delaware only has about 2,000 lawyers and has a stronbg set of indigenouslaw firms, the Wilmingtonb market has been a tougg one to crack for outsiders, even neighboring Philadelphiaa firms. Among Philadelphia firms, Pepper Hamilton and Fox Rothschilc have17 lawyers, Drinker Biddle Reath has 15 and Blank Rome has 13. Saul Ewingb said Manning will serveas co-managinfg partner of the office with current office managing partnefr and real estate lawyer Wendie Stabler.
office. The loss of the seven-lawyer group leavew Pittsburgh-based Buchanan with only one full-time partner in Wilmingtonn and four lawyerstotal there, and gives Saul Ewing the largest Wilmingtonb office of any full-servicde Philadelphia-based firm. The group includes office headWilliam Manning, who serves as outsidre general counsel to the University of Delaware and also represent s Verizon Corp. and Dover The litigator was once chief of staff to formerDelawarew Gov. Pete DuPont. The other two partners are Teresa who led bankruptcy efforts for Buchanain Delaware, and real estate lawye Richard Forsten.
The additions give Saul Ewing 19 lawyersxin Wilmington, where bankruptcies have takej off during the economic A large percentage of companiesx from around the countryt file for Chapter 11 protection in Delaware. But becaus Delaware only has about 2,000 lawyers and has a stronbg set of indigenouslaw firms, the Wilmingtonb market has been a tougg one to crack for outsiders, even neighboring Philadelphiaa firms. Among Philadelphia firms, Pepper Hamilton and Fox Rothschilc have17 lawyers, Drinker Biddle Reath has 15 and Blank Rome has 13. Saul Ewingb said Manning will serveas co-managinfg partner of the office with current office managing partnefr and real estate lawyer Wendie Stabler.
miércoles, 22 de febrero de 2012
Schwarzenegger says day of reckoning is here - Houston Business Journal:
ihituvofy.wordpress.com
“California’s day of reckoning is here,” he With no action, the state could run out of cash in 14 Three months after the state budgerwas approved, California faces a $24 billioj deficit. Schwarzenegger has already proposed massivw cutsto education, health care and Now he’s looking for structural reform to make governmenf more efficient and stretch taxpayer dollars. He’xs asked the State Board of Education, for to make textbooks availabld in digitalformats — a move that could save In 2004, the governor talked aboutr blowing up boxes and consolidating agencies, but the initiatives nevee gained traction. They’re back.
Schwarzenegger is proposingf once again to eliminate and consolidate more than a dozebnstate departments, boards and commissions. This includes the Wastre Management Board, the Court Reporters Board, the Department of Boatinf and Waterways and the Inspection and MaintenanceReviesw Committee. Earlier this year, the statwe began consolidating informationtechnology departments. Now Schwarzenegger wants to consolidate departments that oversee financial institutions and merge taxcollectiohn operations.
In July, state leaders will receiv recommendations on how to modernize thetax “This will be a tremendous opportunity to make our revenues more reliablde and less volatile and help the state avoid the boom and bust budgetas that have brought us here today,” Schwarzeneggerd told lawmakers. It’s not goingb to happen in 14 days, he But it could happen befors the Legislature adjourns for summef recess onJuly 17.
“California’s day of reckoning is here,” he With no action, the state could run out of cash in 14 Three months after the state budgerwas approved, California faces a $24 billioj deficit. Schwarzenegger has already proposed massivw cutsto education, health care and Now he’s looking for structural reform to make governmenf more efficient and stretch taxpayer dollars. He’xs asked the State Board of Education, for to make textbooks availabld in digitalformats — a move that could save In 2004, the governor talked aboutr blowing up boxes and consolidating agencies, but the initiatives nevee gained traction. They’re back.
Schwarzenegger is proposingf once again to eliminate and consolidate more than a dozebnstate departments, boards and commissions. This includes the Wastre Management Board, the Court Reporters Board, the Department of Boatinf and Waterways and the Inspection and MaintenanceReviesw Committee. Earlier this year, the statwe began consolidating informationtechnology departments. Now Schwarzenegger wants to consolidate departments that oversee financial institutions and merge taxcollectiohn operations.
In July, state leaders will receiv recommendations on how to modernize thetax “This will be a tremendous opportunity to make our revenues more reliablde and less volatile and help the state avoid the boom and bust budgetas that have brought us here today,” Schwarzeneggerd told lawmakers. It’s not goingb to happen in 14 days, he But it could happen befors the Legislature adjourns for summef recess onJuly 17.
lunes, 20 de febrero de 2012
Fla. AG goes after Bayer again - Boston Business Journal:
olimstgon.blogspot.com
On Monday, Bill McCollum said he has filed a stipulater supplemental judgment against the drug maker that adds new requirements to a 2007 judgmentt relating to its advertisement forcertain drugs. That agreemeng related to alleged deceptive advertisingof products, including nondisclosure of safety riska associated with its marketing of , a cholesterol-lowerintg drug. Monday’s judgment resolves allegationsthat Bayer’e 2008 marketing campaign for the Yaz oral contraceptive violated the 2007 As part of the the drug company must submit its proposed televisionm ads for Yaz to the FDA for approval before Bayer also must also comply with all regulatory comments the FDA makesz regarding the advertising and, in all print ads, must clearlh and conspicuously disclose exactly which medical conditions and symptoms the drug is FDA-approved for when referrinyg to treatment.
“In an earlieer warning letter to Bayer, the FDA addresseds two misleading direct-to-consumer television advertisementds for Yaz in which Bayer claimed Yaz coulrd treat the symptoms ofpremenstrual syndrome, although Yaz does not have FDA approval for that The letter also warnexd Bayer about promoting the drug as treatment for typea of acne it is not approved to and for exaggerating the effects Yaz had on In addition to changes in its advertising Bayer also must conduct a $20 million corrective advertisin g program The modification of the settlemengt is pending approval in Browarde County Circuit Court.
On Monday, Bill McCollum said he has filed a stipulater supplemental judgment against the drug maker that adds new requirements to a 2007 judgmentt relating to its advertisement forcertain drugs. That agreemeng related to alleged deceptive advertisingof products, including nondisclosure of safety riska associated with its marketing of , a cholesterol-lowerintg drug. Monday’s judgment resolves allegationsthat Bayer’e 2008 marketing campaign for the Yaz oral contraceptive violated the 2007 As part of the the drug company must submit its proposed televisionm ads for Yaz to the FDA for approval before Bayer also must also comply with all regulatory comments the FDA makesz regarding the advertising and, in all print ads, must clearlh and conspicuously disclose exactly which medical conditions and symptoms the drug is FDA-approved for when referrinyg to treatment.
“In an earlieer warning letter to Bayer, the FDA addresseds two misleading direct-to-consumer television advertisementds for Yaz in which Bayer claimed Yaz coulrd treat the symptoms ofpremenstrual syndrome, although Yaz does not have FDA approval for that The letter also warnexd Bayer about promoting the drug as treatment for typea of acne it is not approved to and for exaggerating the effects Yaz had on In addition to changes in its advertising Bayer also must conduct a $20 million corrective advertisin g program The modification of the settlemengt is pending approval in Browarde County Circuit Court.
viernes, 17 de febrero de 2012
State bill may free up work for contractors - Baltimore Business Journal:
ermolayenayqaked.blogspot.com
House Bill 611 — filed on Jan. 26 by Rep. Doroth y Hukill, R-Port Orange — would reduce the $500,000o project threshold at which public works projects must be competitivel bidto $300,000. That meanz government projects valued at morethan $300,00 0 would be bid out to a contractor rather than be done by governmenyt staff. Also new in the bill: Any contractor previouslyy found guilty of federal labor or employment tax law violationes would be ineligible to bid onthe work. Hukill said the bill also providews better transparency for the public andbusinesa community, as well as protection for contractora eligible to bid on projects.
That’s because it requires governmentr entities to detail in public notices the totakl estimated cost ofa project, including equipment, maintenance, materials and employee compensation and benefits, when decidinbg whether to do a project in-house or bid it out. The bill should help contractorsland work, said Mark president and CEO of the Associaterd Builders and Contractors (ABC) Inc.’e Central Florida chapter. “The private sector can deliver services more efficiently than the publicsector can, and we’d like to see more publid work out there.
” Local contractors need more work to countedr the slow economy, said Bob Burns, owner of , an Orlando-basedc general contracting company. For instance, Burns’ firm already had to reducee its staff from 20 to 11 workerz during the past year aftefr its revenue droppedby 60 percent. Tanyw Sims, owner of , an Orlando-basedr electrical contractor, also reduced staff this year, from 175 employeed to about 35. The layoffs came after the firm completeda $16 millioh renovation of Airside 3 at the in June. Now the firm wantzs more work, no mattere how small the job.
“We go for any size job we can get, so somethingy like this wouldbe helpful,” said “The goal is to try to keep our loca community bidding and working.” Crist has until June 24 to act on the
House Bill 611 — filed on Jan. 26 by Rep. Doroth y Hukill, R-Port Orange — would reduce the $500,000o project threshold at which public works projects must be competitivel bidto $300,000. That meanz government projects valued at morethan $300,00 0 would be bid out to a contractor rather than be done by governmenyt staff. Also new in the bill: Any contractor previouslyy found guilty of federal labor or employment tax law violationes would be ineligible to bid onthe work. Hukill said the bill also providews better transparency for the public andbusinesa community, as well as protection for contractora eligible to bid on projects.
That’s because it requires governmentr entities to detail in public notices the totakl estimated cost ofa project, including equipment, maintenance, materials and employee compensation and benefits, when decidinbg whether to do a project in-house or bid it out. The bill should help contractorsland work, said Mark president and CEO of the Associaterd Builders and Contractors (ABC) Inc.’e Central Florida chapter. “The private sector can deliver services more efficiently than the publicsector can, and we’d like to see more publid work out there.
” Local contractors need more work to countedr the slow economy, said Bob Burns, owner of , an Orlando-basedc general contracting company. For instance, Burns’ firm already had to reducee its staff from 20 to 11 workerz during the past year aftefr its revenue droppedby 60 percent. Tanyw Sims, owner of , an Orlando-basedr electrical contractor, also reduced staff this year, from 175 employeed to about 35. The layoffs came after the firm completeda $16 millioh renovation of Airside 3 at the in June. Now the firm wantzs more work, no mattere how small the job.
“We go for any size job we can get, so somethingy like this wouldbe helpful,” said “The goal is to try to keep our loca community bidding and working.” Crist has until June 24 to act on the
miércoles, 15 de febrero de 2012
Education funding still falls short despite federal stimulus infusion - Jacksonville Business Journal:
dyakonostrlin.blogspot.com
That was the sentiment of an eight-member paneo of education, training and government experts gathered by the South Florida Business Journal to examine howthe $787 billion federal stimuluds package is impacting the region’s educatiohn and workforce training sectors. The panel marked the third in theBusiness Journal’s ongoing stimulusa series, aimed at trackingy and analyzing the flow of moneyh from the American Recoveryu and Reinvestment Act into South Florida’s Legislature was the only one nationally to requesy a federal waiver that allowexd it to take money from educatiomn and replace it with stimuluxs dollars while other states used stimulux dollars to augment the budget.
The situatiohn concerned paneliststate Sen. Eleanor Sobel. “We are not startingg at the starting line. The schoo district in Broward County and those throughout the state are startinfg behind the starting Sobel said. “They have had problems for yearsz and they areall scrambling.” Veteran educator Robert Parks, a membee of the Broward County School Board, “Many of the large urban districts in the nation are afraid of one which is basically a bait and switc with those dollars.” What’s even more worrisome to some expert s is that the stimulus money will eventually run out. “I’mk really concerned about in three what’s going to happen?
” said José Vicente, presidenft of ’s North Campus. “Thisw is a Band-Aid.” He said the college’x operating budget was cut $22 million whiles the stimulus money wasonly $13 million. Parks said Browards County’s school system has cut $1.4 billion from its constructiomn budget in addition to furloughing 700 teachersx and51 administrators. “We’ver closed all of our school officeas forthe summer. We don’t have summee school anymore,” Parks said. would have been looking at cutting its budget byabout $30 million without $12 million in stimulusx funds, said Dorothy K.
Russell, the university’s associatwe VP for financial affairs and budget The university cut 30 positionsand “hacd we not had the stimuluws dollars it could have been much more severe.” George Hanbury, executivre VP and COO of , said the $1.3 billiobn in stimulus funds given to the stater relieved pressure on the Legislature to further reduce support for Florid Resident Access Grants (FRAG), a key source of money for but he pointed out that the grants used to be $3,00o0 a year for students and are now $2,529. The amoun t is important to students, who find enrollment caps at statre universities and turn to NSU and othefrprivate institutions.
He also said that universitie are working together to apply for federalstimulusa funding. NSU has a collaborative proposal with and FAU fora $50 millionm research building with wet labs, business incubatodr space and offices for the U.S. Geologicalk Survey, which is helping oversee Everglades “We have shovel-ready project s we have submitted to the Governor and in the next 60 days we coul dput 1,000 people to work,” Hanburyg said. The competition for these typesof projects, though, is FAU is getting about $12 million in direct infusiobn from the federal stimulus package, but the universitgy also is seeking monety from the for labs and instruments, Russell said.
Aprill was the month to submit applications and the resultx are expectedby September. The strongest flow of so far, appears to be for programs that help the jobless asthe state’s unemployment rate has hit 10.2
That was the sentiment of an eight-member paneo of education, training and government experts gathered by the South Florida Business Journal to examine howthe $787 billion federal stimuluds package is impacting the region’s educatiohn and workforce training sectors. The panel marked the third in theBusiness Journal’s ongoing stimulusa series, aimed at trackingy and analyzing the flow of moneyh from the American Recoveryu and Reinvestment Act into South Florida’s Legislature was the only one nationally to requesy a federal waiver that allowexd it to take money from educatiomn and replace it with stimuluxs dollars while other states used stimulux dollars to augment the budget.
The situatiohn concerned paneliststate Sen. Eleanor Sobel. “We are not startingg at the starting line. The schoo district in Broward County and those throughout the state are startinfg behind the starting Sobel said. “They have had problems for yearsz and they areall scrambling.” Veteran educator Robert Parks, a membee of the Broward County School Board, “Many of the large urban districts in the nation are afraid of one which is basically a bait and switc with those dollars.” What’s even more worrisome to some expert s is that the stimulus money will eventually run out. “I’mk really concerned about in three what’s going to happen?
” said José Vicente, presidenft of ’s North Campus. “Thisw is a Band-Aid.” He said the college’x operating budget was cut $22 million whiles the stimulus money wasonly $13 million. Parks said Browards County’s school system has cut $1.4 billion from its constructiomn budget in addition to furloughing 700 teachersx and51 administrators. “We’ver closed all of our school officeas forthe summer. We don’t have summee school anymore,” Parks said. would have been looking at cutting its budget byabout $30 million without $12 million in stimulusx funds, said Dorothy K.
Russell, the university’s associatwe VP for financial affairs and budget The university cut 30 positionsand “hacd we not had the stimuluws dollars it could have been much more severe.” George Hanbury, executivre VP and COO of , said the $1.3 billiobn in stimulus funds given to the stater relieved pressure on the Legislature to further reduce support for Florid Resident Access Grants (FRAG), a key source of money for but he pointed out that the grants used to be $3,00o0 a year for students and are now $2,529. The amoun t is important to students, who find enrollment caps at statre universities and turn to NSU and othefrprivate institutions.
He also said that universitie are working together to apply for federalstimulusa funding. NSU has a collaborative proposal with and FAU fora $50 millionm research building with wet labs, business incubatodr space and offices for the U.S. Geologicalk Survey, which is helping oversee Everglades “We have shovel-ready project s we have submitted to the Governor and in the next 60 days we coul dput 1,000 people to work,” Hanburyg said. The competition for these typesof projects, though, is FAU is getting about $12 million in direct infusiobn from the federal stimulus package, but the universitgy also is seeking monety from the for labs and instruments, Russell said.
Aprill was the month to submit applications and the resultx are expectedby September. The strongest flow of so far, appears to be for programs that help the jobless asthe state’s unemployment rate has hit 10.2
lunes, 13 de febrero de 2012
Second Life's Linden Lab sells virtual realities to businesses - San Francisco Business Times:
otomaqaqaba.blogspot.com
The courting of companies comes at a time of renewedc growthfor 6-year-old Second Life that beganb with the appointment of Mark Kingdon as CEO of Linden Lab in May 2008. “Enterprise is a reallh important growth vector for usbecausde (Second Life is) a really compellin platform for learning and Especially today in large enterprises that are distribute d (around the world),” Kingdon said.
Over the last six Linden Lab has put together a team of 25 people to market and develo p Second Life products for enterprise Linden Lab, which does not disclose revenuw but says it is profitable, hired more than 100 peopled in 2008 and has more than 300 employees in eighy offices around the world. The companyh hired close to 30 people this year and is currentlyt hiring for19 positions. Basic accountx are free. The company makes moneg by selling and renting virtual real with premium memberships and by charging a fee on salee ofLinden dollars, the currency used online.
The company does not trackk the number of companies usinfg its services and does not charge them differentlg fromindividual users, but estimates that 15 to 20 percent of its revenuw comes from enterprises and educational institutions. And sincse April, the company has been testing a version of Second Lifewith , IBM, , the and othedr organizations. The so-called “Nebraska” version of Second which is run onan institution’w own servers, will get widedr testing this summer and is scheduled for generao release by year’s end. The pricing for the privatse version has notbeen announced.
“Basee on the level of the interest we’red seeing, we are poised for explosive growth,” said Amanda Van Nuys, who joined Lindenj Lab six months ago as executive directofr ofenterprise marketing. “This is not a game. We’red ready for business. My role is to get that messag out,” she said. Van Nuys said a number of factors are helpinther cause, including general effort s to cut travel and meeting costes and reduce carbon footprints. IBM in particulard has been anearly adopter.
In late 2008, IBM’x Academy of Technology held a Virtual World Conference on Seconx Life for 200 top engineers from around the with three keynote speeches and 37breakout sessions. With an initiall investment of roughly IBM estimates that it savednearlg $350,000 in travel and venue costas and lost productivity. A couple of months IBM used the virtual spacess it created for an annual meeting of the Academy after the cancellation of a scheduled real life event in Some portions of the event also used webcasting andvidek conferencing.
Participants particularly likedr the opportunity to socialize with one another in various settings, and the company scheduled a two-hour networking event on the last day at picnif tables on a virtual beach. Academyu members gathered around drinking virtual beers and chatting while others took virtual hang gliding or jetskiing lessons. “It was reallu cool in terms of the experiencerpeople had,” said Karen Keeter, an IBM marketing executivse for digital convergence.
“People walked away sayinyg they felt like they were at the The thing people liked most was that they really had the abilitty to meet with Since then, numerous other groups within IBM have used Secondr Life dozens of times for meetings small and large, adhoc and Keeter said. IBM now has nearly 100 peoplde working on virtual world tools for commercial sale in Seconcd Life and onother platforms, she said. The companyu says its in-world economy is and that in thelast user-to-user transactions totalled more than $120 milliob in U.S. dollars, up 65 percent from the same periox theyear before.
Wagner James Au, the author of the book “The Makinbg Of Second Life: Notes From the New estimated in a blog postinfg in May 2008 that Linden Lab hadbetween $40 millionj and $50 million in annual revenue. Au credited Kingdo with renewing the brand created byPhilip Rosedale, who stepped down as CEO last year and remains as “A lot of Silicon Vallegy has written Second Life off,” he said. “The tech worls will have to revisit Second Life as a phenomenon in the next six monthasor so.
”
The courting of companies comes at a time of renewedc growthfor 6-year-old Second Life that beganb with the appointment of Mark Kingdon as CEO of Linden Lab in May 2008. “Enterprise is a reallh important growth vector for usbecausde (Second Life is) a really compellin platform for learning and Especially today in large enterprises that are distribute d (around the world),” Kingdon said.
Over the last six Linden Lab has put together a team of 25 people to market and develo p Second Life products for enterprise Linden Lab, which does not disclose revenuw but says it is profitable, hired more than 100 peopled in 2008 and has more than 300 employees in eighy offices around the world. The companyh hired close to 30 people this year and is currentlyt hiring for19 positions. Basic accountx are free. The company makes moneg by selling and renting virtual real with premium memberships and by charging a fee on salee ofLinden dollars, the currency used online.
The company does not trackk the number of companies usinfg its services and does not charge them differentlg fromindividual users, but estimates that 15 to 20 percent of its revenuw comes from enterprises and educational institutions. And sincse April, the company has been testing a version of Second Lifewith , IBM, , the and othedr organizations. The so-called “Nebraska” version of Second which is run onan institution’w own servers, will get widedr testing this summer and is scheduled for generao release by year’s end. The pricing for the privatse version has notbeen announced.
“Basee on the level of the interest we’red seeing, we are poised for explosive growth,” said Amanda Van Nuys, who joined Lindenj Lab six months ago as executive directofr ofenterprise marketing. “This is not a game. We’red ready for business. My role is to get that messag out,” she said. Van Nuys said a number of factors are helpinther cause, including general effort s to cut travel and meeting costes and reduce carbon footprints. IBM in particulard has been anearly adopter.
In late 2008, IBM’x Academy of Technology held a Virtual World Conference on Seconx Life for 200 top engineers from around the with three keynote speeches and 37breakout sessions. With an initiall investment of roughly IBM estimates that it savednearlg $350,000 in travel and venue costas and lost productivity. A couple of months IBM used the virtual spacess it created for an annual meeting of the Academy after the cancellation of a scheduled real life event in Some portions of the event also used webcasting andvidek conferencing.
Participants particularly likedr the opportunity to socialize with one another in various settings, and the company scheduled a two-hour networking event on the last day at picnif tables on a virtual beach. Academyu members gathered around drinking virtual beers and chatting while others took virtual hang gliding or jetskiing lessons. “It was reallu cool in terms of the experiencerpeople had,” said Karen Keeter, an IBM marketing executivse for digital convergence.
“People walked away sayinyg they felt like they were at the The thing people liked most was that they really had the abilitty to meet with Since then, numerous other groups within IBM have used Secondr Life dozens of times for meetings small and large, adhoc and Keeter said. IBM now has nearly 100 peoplde working on virtual world tools for commercial sale in Seconcd Life and onother platforms, she said. The companyu says its in-world economy is and that in thelast user-to-user transactions totalled more than $120 milliob in U.S. dollars, up 65 percent from the same periox theyear before.
Wagner James Au, the author of the book “The Makinbg Of Second Life: Notes From the New estimated in a blog postinfg in May 2008 that Linden Lab hadbetween $40 millionj and $50 million in annual revenue. Au credited Kingdo with renewing the brand created byPhilip Rosedale, who stepped down as CEO last year and remains as “A lot of Silicon Vallegy has written Second Life off,” he said. “The tech worls will have to revisit Second Life as a phenomenon in the next six monthasor so.
”
sábado, 11 de febrero de 2012
United Way names CEO search committee - Charlotte Business Journal:
asafevboriegum.blogspot.com
•Curt Walton, city manager for the city of Charlotte; •Donnwa Lockhart, vice president of corporate community relationas andLiveWELL Carolinas! for Carolina s HealthCare System; •Floyd Daviw Jr., CEO of Community Link, a nonprofit housing organization; •Greg Haislip, client director in the financial-serviceas group at Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT); •Harry Jones Sr., Mecklenburh County manager; •Jen Algire, executive director of community-health services in Charlotte; and •Thomazs Williams Jr., retired president of ATI In February, Frank Emory Jr.
and Susan Faulkner agreef to serveas co-chairs of the searcg committee charged with hiring a chief Emory is a partner with the law firm of Huntoj & Williams, where he headsd their global-litigation practice. Faulknet is the customer segmentsz and deposits executive at Bank ofAmericwa Corp. (NYSE:BAC). Controversy arose last summer over formetr CEO GloriaPace King’sx pay and benefits following news reports that United Way had paid her $1.2 milliobn in 2007. A public outcry ensued, promptingv the board to reconsiderher employment. The boare ousted King on Aug. 26, askingt her to resign. She didn’t resign, and the boarxd ended her employment with theorganization Oct. 1.
•Curt Walton, city manager for the city of Charlotte; •Donnwa Lockhart, vice president of corporate community relationas andLiveWELL Carolinas! for Carolina s HealthCare System; •Floyd Daviw Jr., CEO of Community Link, a nonprofit housing organization; •Greg Haislip, client director in the financial-serviceas group at Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT); •Harry Jones Sr., Mecklenburh County manager; •Jen Algire, executive director of community-health services in Charlotte; and •Thomazs Williams Jr., retired president of ATI In February, Frank Emory Jr.
and Susan Faulkner agreef to serveas co-chairs of the searcg committee charged with hiring a chief Emory is a partner with the law firm of Huntoj & Williams, where he headsd their global-litigation practice. Faulknet is the customer segmentsz and deposits executive at Bank ofAmericwa Corp. (NYSE:BAC). Controversy arose last summer over formetr CEO GloriaPace King’sx pay and benefits following news reports that United Way had paid her $1.2 milliobn in 2007. A public outcry ensued, promptingv the board to reconsiderher employment. The boare ousted King on Aug. 26, askingt her to resign. She didn’t resign, and the boarxd ended her employment with theorganization Oct. 1.
jueves, 9 de febrero de 2012
FRANK MULLIGAN: Rhetorical answers - Taunton Daily Gazette
antoninahubihe.blogspot.com
FRANK MULLIGAN: Rhetorical answers Taunton Daily Gazette This statement has been widely criticized as being, well, demonstrably untrue. Many experts in the field have been quoted to the effect that up is, in fact, not down. That, actually, up is up and down is down. Would you like to take some time to ... |
martes, 7 de febrero de 2012
Three candidates take lead for Bloch School dean job - Kansas City Business Journal:
oryucyjofec1482.blogspot.com
Officials at the expect to complete their search withinh weeks and have a dean in place by the starft of thefall semester. “The three candidates who were brought to campus and who were interviewef are allstrong candidates,” said Gary Ebersole, chairmanm of the UMKC Facultyy Senate and member of the Bloch Schoo l dean search committee. “Each one has his or her own and I think the next step is for the facultuy to decide what is the most importanrt at this point in the development ofthe Teng-Kee Tan, director of the at in was the first candidate to come to UMKC for an Tan served in various rolesw for multinational companies in Europe and the United States, including a stint with For the past nine he has worked in business and entrepreneurshipp education.
Tan helped raise the equivalengtof $40.8 million to finance initiatives and programs for his university’s entrepreneurship and innovation centerr in China. Steven Currall, vice dean of enterprise at , has internationakl experience andhometown ties. A Kansad City native, Currall previouslyy was a founding director of the and Entrepreneurshipoat . The alliance helped launcbh more than 160 new technology startup companiesa and raised morethan $300 million in equity At University College London, Currall said he received the equivaleny of $16.8 million in grants.
Susan Gilbert, executive directot and associate dean of MBA programsat , was the most receng interviewee at UMKC, having arrived in Kansa s City on Feb. 23. A manager in ’s finance and marketing department s early on inher career, Gilberty later became associate dean of ’s evenint MBA program. Enrollment in that university’e evening MBA program increased 90 percent in two yearx while she oversawthe program. One of the three probabl will be picked to succeedHomefr Erekson, who left UMKC on June 30 to becomer dean of the at .
Erekson’s successor will lead a professional school that has flirted with worldwide business school In 2007, the ranked the Blocu School’s executive MBA program No. 36 among U.S. but the school was absent from the 2008 It also facesbudget constraints, a dropping endowment, and a tenuous awarenessx and financial connection to the Kansas City business Gail Hackett, provost at UMKC, said that her expectatioj of a new dean is to keep the school moving on an upwarx trajectory but that she would like to see progresse hasten for the Bloch “Some of what we are lookingf for is that acceleration,” Hackett said.
“k think we’re already doinvg the things weneed to.” Drue a lawyer who serves on the , said the schoolp would do well to raise its profiles in the local business community. “I would say that it’s done OK. I don’t think it’s been an exceptional job by any but it’s done Jennings said. “I don’t thinik it’s fallen off the radar screebn of thebusiness community.” Hackett said she’as “extremely impressed” at the strengtu of the school’s relationship with the busines s community but acknowledged that “youj always hope for more, of course.
” The Bloch Schooll would be helped by a higher faculty and student count. The school’s enrollment of 1,558 in the fall semested was dwarfed bythe 6,000 at the at the . “We’rre never going to be the size of some of the hugestatre land-grant universities,” Hackett said. “UMKC needs to grow its undergraduatd enrollment, and we’re looking to the Bloch School for somemodestf growth.
”
Officials at the expect to complete their search withinh weeks and have a dean in place by the starft of thefall semester. “The three candidates who were brought to campus and who were interviewef are allstrong candidates,” said Gary Ebersole, chairmanm of the UMKC Facultyy Senate and member of the Bloch Schoo l dean search committee. “Each one has his or her own and I think the next step is for the facultuy to decide what is the most importanrt at this point in the development ofthe Teng-Kee Tan, director of the at in was the first candidate to come to UMKC for an Tan served in various rolesw for multinational companies in Europe and the United States, including a stint with For the past nine he has worked in business and entrepreneurshipp education.
Tan helped raise the equivalengtof $40.8 million to finance initiatives and programs for his university’s entrepreneurship and innovation centerr in China. Steven Currall, vice dean of enterprise at , has internationakl experience andhometown ties. A Kansad City native, Currall previouslyy was a founding director of the and Entrepreneurshipoat . The alliance helped launcbh more than 160 new technology startup companiesa and raised morethan $300 million in equity At University College London, Currall said he received the equivaleny of $16.8 million in grants.
Susan Gilbert, executive directot and associate dean of MBA programsat , was the most receng interviewee at UMKC, having arrived in Kansa s City on Feb. 23. A manager in ’s finance and marketing department s early on inher career, Gilberty later became associate dean of ’s evenint MBA program. Enrollment in that university’e evening MBA program increased 90 percent in two yearx while she oversawthe program. One of the three probabl will be picked to succeedHomefr Erekson, who left UMKC on June 30 to becomer dean of the at .
Erekson’s successor will lead a professional school that has flirted with worldwide business school In 2007, the ranked the Blocu School’s executive MBA program No. 36 among U.S. but the school was absent from the 2008 It also facesbudget constraints, a dropping endowment, and a tenuous awarenessx and financial connection to the Kansas City business Gail Hackett, provost at UMKC, said that her expectatioj of a new dean is to keep the school moving on an upwarx trajectory but that she would like to see progresse hasten for the Bloch “Some of what we are lookingf for is that acceleration,” Hackett said.
“k think we’re already doinvg the things weneed to.” Drue a lawyer who serves on the , said the schoolp would do well to raise its profiles in the local business community. “I would say that it’s done OK. I don’t think it’s been an exceptional job by any but it’s done Jennings said. “I don’t thinik it’s fallen off the radar screebn of thebusiness community.” Hackett said she’as “extremely impressed” at the strengtu of the school’s relationship with the busines s community but acknowledged that “youj always hope for more, of course.
” The Bloch Schooll would be helped by a higher faculty and student count. The school’s enrollment of 1,558 in the fall semested was dwarfed bythe 6,000 at the at the . “We’rre never going to be the size of some of the hugestatre land-grant universities,” Hackett said. “UMKC needs to grow its undergraduatd enrollment, and we’re looking to the Bloch School for somemodestf growth.
”
sábado, 4 de febrero de 2012
Beige Book: Southeast economic decline moderating - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:
loxezop.wordpress.com
Sales and consumer traffic remained at low leveles inlate spring, but in line with modestf expectations, according to Southeastern retailers. Retailers' future salea outlook remained subdued. Most regiona l auto dealers noted further declines in with several pointing to reduced credit availability and industry uncertainty as reasons for thepoor results. Reports from Realtor s indicated existing home sales werestabilizinyg overall. Homebuilders noted new home inventories were trendint down ona year-over-yearr basis as construction remained at low levels and new home salez improved modestly. Home salesw prices continued to declinr according tomost reports.
Commerciapl real estate activityremainef weak. Vacancy rates continued to rise in many partw ofthe Southeast, putting downward pressured on rents, most notably in the retail Contractors reported more projects beinyg postponed or canceled. Commercial real estate playera anticipate more space will become vacant in the coming months and that constructiob will continueto slow. Most Southeastern manufacturers said the rate of declinse in production and orders moderated in For thecoming months, most in manufacturinf noted more optimism about futurse production and employment. Several business contactes reported difficulty meeting financing neede because of restricted availabilityof credit.
Roughlyu one-quarter of non-auto retailers and one-third of non-financial/non-retaipl contacts cited some difficulty obtaining loans forinventoryt purposes. Auto dealers, in particular, said that obtainin vehicle inventory financing was very Banking contacts continued to indicate generally low levelsd of demand for new loans and increased use of existingf linesof credit. Labor market conditions continued tobe weak. Many firmss reported additional cuts in hours or had instituted mandatory unpaid days off forsome However, the pace of layoffs appears to have as fewer firms reported layoffxs than earlier in the year.
Sales and consumer traffic remained at low leveles inlate spring, but in line with modestf expectations, according to Southeastern retailers. Retailers' future salea outlook remained subdued. Most regiona l auto dealers noted further declines in with several pointing to reduced credit availability and industry uncertainty as reasons for thepoor results. Reports from Realtor s indicated existing home sales werestabilizinyg overall. Homebuilders noted new home inventories were trendint down ona year-over-yearr basis as construction remained at low levels and new home salez improved modestly. Home salesw prices continued to declinr according tomost reports.
Commerciapl real estate activityremainef weak. Vacancy rates continued to rise in many partw ofthe Southeast, putting downward pressured on rents, most notably in the retail Contractors reported more projects beinyg postponed or canceled. Commercial real estate playera anticipate more space will become vacant in the coming months and that constructiob will continueto slow. Most Southeastern manufacturers said the rate of declinse in production and orders moderated in For thecoming months, most in manufacturinf noted more optimism about futurse production and employment. Several business contactes reported difficulty meeting financing neede because of restricted availabilityof credit.
Roughlyu one-quarter of non-auto retailers and one-third of non-financial/non-retaipl contacts cited some difficulty obtaining loans forinventoryt purposes. Auto dealers, in particular, said that obtainin vehicle inventory financing was very Banking contacts continued to indicate generally low levelsd of demand for new loans and increased use of existingf linesof credit. Labor market conditions continued tobe weak. Many firmss reported additional cuts in hours or had instituted mandatory unpaid days off forsome However, the pace of layoffs appears to have as fewer firms reported layoffxs than earlier in the year.
jueves, 2 de febrero de 2012
Travis County presses on with downtown campus study - Austin Business Journal:
elzeyfirekuut1795.blogspot.com
National courts planning consultant Ricci Greene Associates of New York and technica consulting company Wiginton Hooker Jeffrey out of Dallasa will also work on theplanninbg process. The awarded work will includre avisioning process, assessmenr of current facilities/operations, a strategic growth plan, and facility The facilities master-planning proceses involves initiation and outreach, physicalo analysis, conceptual planning alternatives and master plan development. Traviw County’s downtown campus comprises a 12-square-block area.
The Hemajn Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse serves as its with 33 departments operating from that The project will produce a comprehensive statementof long-ter m operational, programmatic and space needs, Broaddus & Associates The process will also establish a master plan for possible futurw expansion.
National courts planning consultant Ricci Greene Associates of New York and technica consulting company Wiginton Hooker Jeffrey out of Dallasa will also work on theplanninbg process. The awarded work will includre avisioning process, assessmenr of current facilities/operations, a strategic growth plan, and facility The facilities master-planning proceses involves initiation and outreach, physicalo analysis, conceptual planning alternatives and master plan development. Traviw County’s downtown campus comprises a 12-square-block area.
The Hemajn Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse serves as its with 33 departments operating from that The project will produce a comprehensive statementof long-ter m operational, programmatic and space needs, Broaddus & Associates The process will also establish a master plan for possible futurw expansion.
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