Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Bell won

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Bell, who has shared the frustrationh of other Atlanta business leaders over the failed transportation said a bid for governor ishighlyg unlikely. But, he also said he has been approached by severapl people about pursuingthe governorship. “I have learnes to never say never,” Bell told Atlanta Business “I will say it’s a good time for someone who is not intensely involved in the political process to be interestein running... I think there are many good Metro Atlanta business leaders are frustrated with theGeorgiwa legislature’s failure to act on transportation fundinvg for three years in a row.
A crowdeds field of Republicans and Democratas has already entered the 2010gubernatoriaol race. GOP candidates include Georgiza Secretary of State Karen State Insurance CommissionJohn Oxendine, U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal of State Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah and State Rep. Austinj Scott of Tifton. Democrats include former Gov. Roy Barnes, Georgia Attorney Generalo Thurbert Baker, State House Mintority Leader DuBosr Porter of Dublin and former GeorgiaAdjutanf Gen. David Poythress.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

ICOM agency survey: concrete signs of greater activity, confidence - Bizcommunity.com

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ICOM agency survey: concrete signs of greater activity, confidence

Bizcommunity.com


Thirty-eight executives from ICOM member agencies in 27 countries participated in the survey (see below for list of countries). "The mood is right to leave our comfort zone and forge ahead," said Syed Munawar, director, Triton Communications/ICOM, ...



Friday, May 27, 2011

Poll sanctioned by American Traffic Solutions says public still behind cameras - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Scottsdale-based ATS, which lost its bid for the speexd enforcement contractto Phoenix-based competitor Redflex Traffic Systems said its poll founds overall support for continuatiomn of the program is runninhg about 63 percent. There already is one bill moving througy the Legislature to ban the program startes in October by the Department of Public which has set up numerous mobilee and stationary cameras primarilyy in thePhoenix area. Thers also have been several high-profile attempts to bloci the cameras fromtaking pictures, including severalp people dressed as Santa Claus gift-wrapping the cameras and othersa using Post-it notes to block the lenses.
Speed and red-light cameras have been used for nearlyu 20 years inthe Valley, and more citiea have been taking them up recently. The studh found support for cities using the devicesz compared to the state wasmuch higher, at about 84 The study, conducted by Public Opinion Strategiez on Jan. 13-14, had a margin of errore of about 4.4 percent.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Amazon.com warns North Carolina over sales tax proposal - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:

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We regret to inform you that the Nortb Carolina statelegislature (the General Assembly) appearsd ready to enact an unconstitutional tax collection scheme that would leaves Amazon.com little choice but to end its relationshipsa with North Carolina-based Associates. You are receivinhg this e-mail because our records indicate that you are an Amazonn Associate and resident ofNorth Carolina. Pleasee note that this is not an immediate terminatiohn notice and you are still a valued participantg in theAssociates Program. All referral fees earned on qualifierd traffic will continue to be paidas planned.
But becausse the new law is draftex to go into effect onceenacted – whicb could happen in the next two weeks we will have to terminate the participation of all North Carolina residents in the Amazon Associates program on or before that same day. After the termination day, we will no longerr pay any referral fees for customersa referredto Amazon.com or Endless.com nor will we accepy new applications for the Associates program from North Carolina residents. The unfortunater consequences of this legislation on Nortgh Carolina residents like you were explained in detaikl to key senators and representatives in including the leadership ofthe Senate, House, and both finance committees.
Other states, including Minnesota, and Tennessee, considered nearly identical schemes, but rejectedc these proposals largely because of the adverse impacft ontheir states’ residents. We thank you for beinyg part of the AmazonAssociatezs program, and we will apprise you of the General Assembly’s action on this matter. North Carolina lawmakers are grapplinv with a budget gap of morethan $4 billion, and Gov. Beverlh Perdue has called on legislative leaders tofind $1.5 billionn in new revenue. Other following the lead of New have looked at making Amazon collectrsales tax. Amazon has been fighting the New York lawin court.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Cincinnati Zoo spring visitors up 40% - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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The zoo, in Cincinnati’s Avondale neighborhood, said in a news release that it saw morethan 370,000 visitors from January through May, up 40 perceng over the previous year. Attendanc e for April and May wasthe second-best in the zoo’x 134-year history, with a record-breaking 13,000 visitors on May 23. The openinyg of the Historic Vine StreetVillage entrance, with more parking and self-ticketing kiosks, the annua Zoo Babies exhibit and aggressivwe marketing contributed to the attendance jump, the zoo Parents Magazine also named the Cincinnati Zoo one of the 10 best zoos in the according to the release.
“The attendance numbers speak volumes aboutthe community’s support of the said Thane Maynard, executive director, in the “We are extremely grateful to have this amoung of support during a challenging The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanicak Garden includes more than 500 animalds and 3,000 plant species. It’ s open daily at 9 a.m.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Russia on US missile plan: NO Poland deployment - RIA Novosti

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Dalje.com


Russia on US missile plan: NO Poland deployment

RIA Novosti


Andrei Tretyak, head of the Armed Forces General Staff Main Operations Directorate (GOU), confirmed Russia's position that the deployment of US missile defense system poses a real threat to Russia's nuclear deterrent. The general said the threat to ...


Russia concerned with possible deployment of US anti-missile shield in Bulgaria

Focus News


'US missile system threatens Russia'

Press TV


Russia wants US guarantees on missile defense

The Voice of Russia


Reuters -Brookings Institution


 »

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Demand continues to rise for help of forensic accountants - Portland Business Journal:

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Those industries include the retail, financial services, schools and universities, charitable and health care institutions. They also include a host of othe contexts where serious economic and legal consequencez may arisefrom disorganization, a lack of accounting controls or a combination of thesr factors. Commonly experienced consequencesw — often leading to the need for retentionj of alawyer — include financial losses, bankruptcy, employee discipline, government regulatory sanctions, and at criminal charges.
When retained to address and resolvethesre issues, many lawyers hire a forensic accountant to consult and Law practices that involve regulatory governmental investigations and the defense of criminal increasingly rely on forensic accountante to collaborate in the initial investigation, through the legalk and factual analysis of the evidencd under consideration, and ultimately, the decision makingf and problem resolution phases of lawyers’ representation. What is forensixc accounting? A top expert in the field, D.
Larryy Crumbley, the KPMG Professor of Accountingb at LouisianaState University, describes it as accounting that is suitablee for legal review, offering the highesft level of assurance, and including the now generally acceptede connotation of having been arrived at in a scientificf fashion. That is, he adds, forensic accounting is sufficientlyy thorough and complete and ofsuch quality, that it woulx be sustainable in an adversarial legal proceeding or withinm some judicial or administrative review. Although they are accountantsd first, forensic accountants must posses skills that extend farbeyond “bean counting.
” These professional s are called upon to use investigative instinct and intuition, ability to evaluate documents, and a critica l faculty that can withstand testing (in the scientifi c context) and judicial scrutiny (in the legal context). Practically speaking, the current together with the trens of heightened governmental regulation and means forensic accountants are being soughf out directly by businesses of evertstripe — not only to solve problemd but to prevent them from occurring in the firs t place. These specialists have expanded their pallet to includrrisk assessments, certain aspects of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance and countless varietiee of fraud prevention.
Computerf and other technological innovations have evolved at warp speed over thepast This, combined with the rapidity of enormous financial declines WorldCom, Lehman Brothers, to name but a few), have contributex to a greater and greater reliance on forensixc accountants to get to the bottom of whatever financiapl or regulatory issue requires attention. In where investigation and verification is whether bygovernment officials, shareholders, friendas or relatives, use of a forensiv accountant is almost always welcomed and Dr. Cromley, quoting the founder of the National Association of Certifiexd FraudExaminers (which has 15,000 memberse in the U.S.
alone), observese that forensic accounting “marries the audito r with the investigator.” These two functions are invaluable in detecting spotting irregularities andotherwise determining, to a very high degrew of certainty, what happened, how it happenes and ultimately, the quantitative impact of Those who rely on forensic accountants to infused our work with greater accuracy and reliabilityu know that they have becoms an essential part of our toolkit. Lawyers in the fieldsa of regulatory compliance, government investigations and criminalk defense cannot properly conduct most investigatione without aforensic accountant.
As a result, the demand for thes e professionals has grown steadily and professional organization s representing them have become active in certificationand accreditation. These are welcome developments, as professional and businesses alike foreseeably face more and greater scrutinh as we look tothe

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Stimulus helps construction companies hire - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://nsdac.org/nscac_files/structure.htm
“Early reports indicate that the infrastructured piece of the stimulus is beginning to do exactlyu whatwas intended, put construction workers back on the said AGC Chief Economist Ken Other contractors are canceling planned layoffs because of stimulus-fundefd contracts, Simonson said. For many contractors, stimulus projectds are keeping a bad businesa environment fromgetting worse, he said. The numbe of construction jobs declinedby 110,000 in according to the Bureau of Labor Without stimulus-funded projects, that numbetr would have been much worse, Simonson Overall, nonfarm payroll employment fell by 539,000 jobs in April, the smallest decline in six months.
This coulf be a sign that the economyt is beginningto stabilize, which “ie consistent with the notion that demand for new constructionh will begin to emerge latedr this year and into 2010,” said Anirban chief economist for .

Friday, May 13, 2011

U.S. Bank returns TARP money - Phoenix Business Journal:

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billion in Troubled Asset Relief Program moneyu it took last year fromthe . U.S. Bank (NYSE: based in Minneapolis, had previously announced its plans to redeen the preferred stock issued tothe Treasury. Last week, it from the governmenyt to do so. U.S. Bank also told the Treasury it intendes to repurchasethe 10-year warrant it had issuesd along with the preferred stock. “Thee redemption allows our company to return to operating from a positiohn of both independent strength andstrategiv flexibility,” said Richard Davis, the company’s president, CEO and in a statement. The Treasury in May announced that U.S.
Bank which showed it would be able to ride out the economic downturn without having to raissmore capital. Davis has of the government’z capital purchase program. In February he called the programk “lousy” and said the banking industry was pressuredd to participate inthe program.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Convicted killer Chris Coleman admitted to maximum security prison - KMOV.com

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Convicted killer Chris Coleman admitted to maximum security prison

KMOV.com


According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, Coleman was admitted into the Pontiac Correctional Center in Pontiac, Illinois, about 100 miles south of Chicago. Pontiac Correctional Center is a maximum security prison for men. ...



and more »

Monday, May 9, 2011

Provancher leaving Fine Arts Fund for job in Charlotte - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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Fine Arts Fund Presidenf Mary McCullough Hudson announced themove Tuesday. “Wwe are incredibly proud that the Fine Arts Fund has the professionakl reputation nationally that positions us asa go-t o organization for talent recruitment to lead institutions of the calibed of the ,” she said in a news “I am so pleased for Scotr to have this great and I look forward to continuing to work with him as a valuedc colleague.
” Over the past year, the Fine Arts Fund leadershilp has expanded the organization’s Instead of strictly fundraising for the arts, which it continues to do, the organization’sa focus also encompasses the larger role of arts and culture in the Provancher has led efforts to increase access and builrd the audience for arts and culture, in addition to managint the organization’s annual fundraising campaign. This year, the campaignh fell short of its goal for the first time inits 60-yeat history. The Fine Arts Fund raisef $11 million for local arts organizations, which was 92 percenf of the annual goal.
The organization’s released said the Fine Arts Fund will continue to build strength for larger initiatives to servd the community through artsand culture. Lisa Woltee will assume the new position of campaign leading day-to-day campaign operations.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Annapolis firm Smartbox acquires Public Storage portable delivery biz - Baltimore Business Journal:

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That was the word from Smartbox ownerCharlews W.S. MacKenzie in an interview Friday. The move comed at a time when the downturned economg is creating an increased demand from residenta and business owners seeking to downsize and box up the thingsthey can’rt fit into their smallerr homes or offices. MacKenzie declined to disclosr the acquisition price due to a confidentiality agreemenf with PublicStorage (NYSE: PSA). The deal also coincides with Calif.-based Public Storage’s efforts to get out of the portable storage business and concentrate on its moretraditional bricks-andf mortar storage business.
formerly of LLC, said business has been steadily increasingf as homeowners sell their propertie s for smaller condos and apartments and businesses downsize tosmaller “I’ve heard recession-proof,” MacKenzie said of the his nichew in the storage industry. “Iu don’t believe that, but it’s resiliant, we’re helping people Portable storage allows people and businesseds to park a storage contained outside their homesor offices, load up what they need and have the box delivered to a storagew area or to an alternate location. Withinh the industry, Portable On Demanf Storage isthe largest-such operator of portable storage options.
Public Storagew started its business line in thelate 1990s, but the operatioj wasn’t a big enough money maker for the Public Storage spokesman Clemente Teng said in an From as many as 50 facilities nationwide, the companuy has reduced its operations to less than 15 in the past five In Maryland, Smartbox has aboutr 700 boxes, stored in about 33,00o0 square feet in the Elkridge area. With its acquistion of Publivc Storage’s Maryland portfolio, its businese will grow to about 4,500 boxes and another 92,00p square feet of space at facilitiesw in Landoverand Essex.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Checking in - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://globalsurgicalsolutions.com/medical-procedures/dental-procedures/dental-bridges/
Ratcliffe said at the time that the CVC had done a good jobsellin St. Louis as a destination for SMERFsa -- social, military, educational, religious and fraternal groups -- but a poor job in makingh the area attractive to corporatr meetingsand events. She promised more meetings and she' s delivered. Helped along by a new conventiocenter hotel, which opened in the addition of a salesperson focused on corporate meetings, and a union deal she helped craft, Ratcliffs and her team at CVC booked a record numbert of room night commitments in fiscal 2008: 554,240, surpassing its goal of 550,0000 room nights and exceeding the previous fiscal year's bookings by nearlyt 30,000 (see story on Page 1A).
One of their biggest coups wasThe 's semi-annual meetinbg -- a major group that's neverf been to St. Louis before but is now on the bookafor 24,450 room nights in 2017. Ratcliffe'sa next goal: 575,000 room nights booked in the comingh year.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Denver workshop for community bank directors planned - Denver Business Journal:

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The three-day workshop -- entitled "A New Director's Challenge: Mastering the Basics" -- will be held July 6-8 at the Westij Tabor Center. The workshop aims to provide "practical information that expandasbank directors' skills and understandinv of issues facing their banks," the OCC said in a statemenrt Tuesday. The workshop is geare primarily to directors of nationall community banks with assets of lessthan $1 billion who have fewedr than three years of experience, or longer-tenured directords who would like to reviewe the fundamental requirements of their the office said. The workshoo costs $100.
Attendees receive pre-course reading and coursee materials, an OCC telephone seminar CD, a community bank supervision othersupervisory material, a continentao breakfast, and lunch. Workshops are limitecd to the first 50 For information or to register visit orcall 336-451-0557.