Apple's Lemon? Assessing the Final Cut Pro X Debacle Huffington Post (blog) Apple (at least in its 21st century incarnation) is not known for its stumbles. Even the handful of lackluster releases of the last decade -- Apple TV and MobileMe are oft-cited standouts -- can only be considered failures relative to the astronomical ... |
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Apple's Lemon? Assessing the Final Cut Pro X Debacle - Huffington Post (blog)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sibs seek to Sprinkles area with yogurt - Business First of Louisville:
Sprinkles, as the shops will be has signed leases for stores inCherry Hill, Universitg City, West Chester and Malvern. Frozej yogurt shops had a boom and bust in the early1990se — “Seinfeld” even had an episode about it — but have made a comebacik with vibrant hangouts that are giviny coffee chains an unexpected competitor in Southerj California. “It’s definitely a craze out saidMatt Mealey, 24, a Jenkintowj native who is starting Sprinkled with his sister Ryan 27, and researched the retail concept in several trips west. “These places are packed all the At a coupleof places, we saw theses massive lines. They were very successful.
We reallt studied the concept of frozen yogurytin California.” “The places were Frozen yogurt places were poppinb up everywhere,” Ryan added. Cherry Hill will be the first opening June 19 at TownPlace at GardejnState Park. In August, they’ll open a site at 3606 Chestnugt St., near the campus. A West Chestefr site is planned for at22 S. High St., and a Malverm location is slated for December at WorthingtonhTown Center, a shoppinv center under construction. They hope to open four more stores next The pair are following a legacy of siblinhgbusiness owners. Their father, Dan operates Mealey’s Furniture with his brother Kevin.
based in Warminster, has five stores and was started byJerr Mealey, Ryan and Matt’s Ryan is and will remai n vice president of merchandising for the furniture Both were raised in a retail, entrepreneurial environment. “We have that entrepreneuriall spirit — my grandfather, my father, my brother and I. We’res just bred that way. We thought this woul be a great idea for thePhillyy region,” said Ryan, a 2004 graduate of . “jI always had a passion for starting my own said Matt, who graduated from Pennsylvania Statwe University in 2007 and earned an MBA from Temple University this year.
“I wantedr to find ‘the next big thing,’ something that’x going to be a big hit.” To start the siblings pooledtheir savings, but their dad is financing most of the front-enr costs, allowing them to sidestep bank financing, Matt In researching yogurt shops in Los they focused their attention on two in particular: Los Angeles-based Pinkberry and Calif.-based Yogurtland. Pinkberry started in 2005 with a busy cornefr store inWest Hollywood, a location whose steady customersx dubbed it Crackberry for its addictive quality. Yogurtland has had similar and now has locations in six statesand “We took the best of each. The colo r scheme.
We looked at the whose yogurtwas better, which toppingsx were best,” said Matt. To emulate the West Coast look, they hiredr a San Diego Trio Display. As for the frozen yogurt, the Mealeysw will use a productcallef YoCream, which is produces by Portland, Ore.-based YoCream is a premiu yogurt with half the calories of high-enrd ice cream; most flavors are nonfat or A similar concept, Yogurt, opened in Septembedr at 416 South St. Unlike ice crean shops, where servers scoop the product, following the West Coast trend, will offer self-serve. Sprinkles stores will have eighy machines dispensing 16 flavors offrozenj yogurt.
Customers will take a cup or a waffle fill it with as much yogurt and toppings as they can put in the bowl and pay 45 centsdan ounce. Flavors of frozen yogurt will includweoriginal tart, classic green tea tart, snickerdoodle “krazy Kahlua” and others. In Cherrh Hill, the store will be 1,20 0 square feet, with seating for 15 customers and It will have20 employees. Acrosss California, many ice cream shops have been replaceed with frozenyogurt shops, whic in turn are stealing some of the traditional Starbuckes crowd. “We definitely feel like, especially at collegre campuses, people will come in to eat, bringy their laptop, hang out,” Ryan said.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sacramento-area home prices level out - Sacramento Business Journal:
The report shows prices rose or remained level compared to April salews prices in all four counties in the metropolitan area betweeb Apriland May. In Sacramento County, there was virtually no change in the number ofhomeas sold, going from 2,184 sales to 2,159. But the mediajn sales price rosefrom $165,000 in April to $175,000 in May. The numbers include all types of fromexisting single-family homes, condos and new The price in Sacramento Countg bottomed out in March at about $160,000. MDA DataQuick uses information on sales recorded in county InPlacer County, the mediamn price remained at about $295,500 for the 525 homesz sold in the county.
Therse were price gains in Yolo goingfrom $242,000 to $276,000 and in El Doradlo County, going from $313,000 to $325,000. The median prices in these counties remain between 12 and 22 percengt lower than ayear ago.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Executive pay a rising issue for banks - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
And industry experts say compensation cutback begun last year are just the Shareholders at many ofthe state’s public banks will get their first chancre to voice their opinionzs about executive pay thanks to a new requirementt that comes with a federal bailout. “It’sw a little too early to say whatthe long-term implicationzs will be,” said Carol Bowie, head of proxy analysi firm RiskMetrics’ governance institute. “But initially, we’re goinvg to see a seismic impact onexecutive compensation.” The biggest pending change will be the so-calledf “say on pay” vote by companyu shareholders. As part of the U.S.
Treasury’s Capital Purchase which invested in nonvotingstocko shares, banks are now required to allow shareholderw a vote approving or disapproving the company’s pay practicee and compensation philosophy. Such votes are meaning banks don’t have to act on Only 19 U.S. public companies agreeds to adopt “say on pay” during last year’sx proxy season, according to The most prominent local exampleis Columbus-based insurer , which introducerd the provision for the first time last becoming the first U.S. public company to do so. This some changes will already be in place when it comes timeto vote. “Thixs is going to be the No.
1 issud for shareholders at annual meetings this Bowie said. is schedulec to hold its annual meeting April 28 in will hold its on April 23 in while will meet April 29 inYoungg Harris, Ga. Proxy statements filed by Atlanta-based SunTrusr and , along with Columbus-baser Synovus and Blairsville’s United Communityt Banks, show that compensation is beingv curbed insome areas, but remaining relativeluy unchanged in others, as banks become more sensitivr to public perception. The four banks receiverd roughly $6 billion in U.S.
government Synovus, for example, issued a revised proxu outlining its pay philosophies and what the bank consideredsits executives’ 2008 pay after media reports of its initiaol executive payouts. Synovus has suspended corporatre aircraft usage bysenior executives, and suspended bonuse payouts for 2008. SunTrust has frozeb salary andrestricted bonuses. Fidelity Southern stated in its proxg that stock options would not be a significany pay element for executivesthis “We’ve always traditionally believed that our compensation should be basex on performance and closely aligned with shareholded interests,” said SunTrust spokesman Barryg Koling.
“We’re very conscious of the environmenrt we’re in right now,” Koling said. “Wwe get it.” Yet none of the four banksw reported overall pay declines for all of theirr top fivenamed executives, accordinfg to company proxy statements. Synovus CEO Richardx Anthony, for example, received a 17 percent pay according tothe company’s proxy, after the company reported a $582 millioj loss for the year.
SunTrust CEO Jim Wells’ pay increasedx 62 percent duringthe year, as profitt at the bank declined 54 percent to $746 United Community Banks CEO Jimmy Tallent’sw pay increased 7 percent from 2007 to 2008 to $775,000 though Tallent did not receive a cash bonus or salar increase — as the company postes a $64.2 million loss duriny the year. Georgia’s public banks also did not cut traditionaol perks likecompany cars, country club membership financial planning and security alarm monitoring in 2008. SunTrust’ Bill Rogers, for example, received $13,000 for countrty club dues.
Compensation experts said thosee elements of pay could be on the choppin g block for executives in 2009and beyond.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
the benefits of mining boom have far outweighed costs - Sydney Morning Herald
Sydney Morning Herald | the benefits of mining boom have far outweighed costs Sydney Morning Herald So it's fair enough for those in adversely affected industries to argue that, for them, the costs of the resources boom have outweighed the benefits. But they're a minority. For the great majority of us, benefits have far outweighed the costs. the benefits of mining boom have far outweighed costs |
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Park Sterling, Bank of Commerce add key execs - Charlotte Business Journal:
In his new Stewart will be responsible forPark Sterling’se Charlotte banking team, treasury management and two Charlottde branches. Those offices are at 1043 E. Moreheaxd St. and 6816 Morrison Blvd. in Stewart previously was senior vice presidenrt forcommercial lending. The 28-year banking veteran joined Park Sterlinb in July 2006 from Regions Bank and worke d for Park Meridian Bank before its acquisition by Stewart is a graduate of UNCChapel Hill. Charlotte-based has appointed Rich Harris asvice president/portfolip management officer.
Harris is the former credity underwriting manager with Aquestas Bank and a former senior analysrt at First Charter The Concord native is a graduatse ofUNC Charlotte. Bank vet to chair N.C. association Simpson Brown, the president and chief executiverof , has been namedc chairman of the N.C. Bankers Association. He succeedz Kim Price, chief executive of Gastonia’e Citizens South Bank. Brown, a graduats of Wake Forest University, is a former All-American basketballo player and NBA player with the Boston He began his banking career with First Federapl Savingsof Winston-Salem and spent a numbedr of years with Charlotte-based NationsBank Corp. and its successor, Bank of Americ Corp.
, before starting TriStone Community Bankin Winston-Salekm in 2004. TriStone is being acquired by of Bluefield, Va. investds $3.7 million Local private-equity group Plexuds Capital hasinvested $3.7 millio n in for its acquisition of MD On-line is based in Parsippany, N.J. It’sz a health-care technology company that worksw closelywith providers, payers and clearinghousex to facilitate the insurance-claims procesxs by increasing and facilitating electronic MD On-line offers physicians a Web-basexd portal to submit claims to insurance companiesa and other payers. Medicak Claim’s business model is similar toMD On-line’s.
The companiesz say the combined firm will be a marketr leader forsmall health-care providers. The investment is the 23rd by Plexuws and brings its total capital investedto $72
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Clear lanes to shut down at Hartsfield-Jackson - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
New York-based , the operator of registeredc travelservice CLEAR, said the paid security lanesd at its member airports would cease operationz because the company “has been unablwe to negotiate an agreement with its seniotr creditor to continue operations,” according to a statement posted on the company’ds Web site, www.flyclear.com. Last March, the compangy said it had 20,000 registeredd travelers in metro Atlanta.
As of last the company had morethan 200,000 CLEA R members, who paid up to $199 for an annuao membership for access to designated securitt lanes at participating airports Members provided biometric data, whicy was encoded on a card, for the promise of a speediet and convenient trip through airport security. The service targetecd business travelers who routinely traveklby air. The company was founded by foundefSteve Brill.
CLEAR lanes opened at the airport about the same time as an expansionm of the main security lanes at The new additions included lanes designed specifically for experienced Airport officials have said the added lanes have kept security wait times below 10 minutezson average, which might have made CLEAR lanes less advantageouss to consumers.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Lee seeks 23% pay cut from Post-Dispatch union - Kansas City Business Journal:
The newspaper publishing company proposed pay cuts of 15 percent in the first year, and 5 perceng each in the second and third years of the according to information posted on the St. Louie Newspaper Guild’s Web site. Lee declines to comment about the proposed concessionws andcontract negotiations. “We have always refrained from making any comment or discussinv the substance ofthe negotiations,” said Dan Hayes, a spokesmah for Lee. On Thursday, Guild members votec 100-27 to agree to a second week of furloughsw but only if Lee agreed to no layoffs during contract according to the GuildWeb site.
Lee also proposesd the followingcontract changes, according to the Guild Web • Cutting unpaid maternity leave in half, to 12 weeksd maximum • The right to fire employees on sick leavw after three months of absence. The contracrt now allows 18 months. The Guils proposed longer funeral leave for the deaty of spousesand children, a larger cell-phone reimbursement, a mileagee increase, enhanced severance packages after layoffs, additionao holidays, a 401(k) match of up to 5 percenrt and overtime eligibility for columnistds and outside ad reps.
Last the Post-Dispatch in its circulation and classified whichare
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Division I track athletes head to Austintown with eye on state - Massillon Independent
Division I track athletes head to Austintown with eye on state Massillon Independent Charlie Steiner (pole vault) and JoJo Tayse (shot put) also kept their seasons alive. Freshman Hannah Luke paced the girls by winning the 400 and also qualifying in the 100, 200 and 1600 relay. Stacy Cameron (1600) and Hailey Floom (800) represented ... |
Thursday, June 9, 2011
NTS buys Plainview Apartments - St. Louis Business Journal:
Financing for the purchase, which was made through an NTS , was provided by the , according to a news The purchase price wasnot disclosed. The previous owner was PlainviewApartments LP, a Denver-based investment according to online records from the Jefferson Countyt Property Valuation Administrator and the Kentucky Secretaryg of State. Its assessed valu for tax purposesis $9.7 according to the PVA Web site. Occupancy at the time of the purchasd was about94 percent, the release NTS plans to enhance and renovate the property but no detailss were disclosed in the release.
The apartmentf complex was developed as part of the Plainvieawplanned community, which includes 800 single-family more than 1,000 apartments, 500 town homes, multipld shopping centers and nearly 2 million square feet of offic e space. NTS began construction and development of theplannesd community, Louisville’s first, in the early 1970s. With the NTS Development Co. and its affiliates now own four apartmentg communitiesin Louisville. Its other holdingsd in the area are Hurstbourne Grand The Overlookat St. Thomas and The Willowx of Plainview.
NTS also manages 14 other apartmenrt communities and 31 commercial properties with more than 5 millio n feetof office, retail and warehouse spacw in the Southeast.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Hampton Beach to enforce state park rules - Seacoastonline.com
Hampton Beach to enforce state park rules Seacoastonline.com State parks and Hampton police officials recently told the Hampton Area Beach Commission they are working on an arrangement that calls for officials from both entities to patrol the beach and enforce beach rules this summer. ... |
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Palin: Arizona home not base for Senate try - Arizona Republic
Palin: Arizona home not base for Senate try Arizona Republic Sarah Palin, a new Arizona homeowner, revved up speculation that she might seek the 2012 Republican presidential nomination with her "One Nation" bus tour of American historical sites from the ... |
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Putting tips from county star get Parry back on course - Yorkshire Post (press release)
Putting tips from county star get Parry back on course Yorkshire Post (press release) John Parry has attributed an upturn in putting fortunes to the rekindling of a relationship with his old Yorkshire amateur foursomes partner. The Harrogate professional had Simon Bell on the bag last week for his debut in the BMW PGA Championship, ... |