Saturday, March 31, 2012

EXCEL MARITIME CARRIERS LTD : Announces Availability of 2011 Annual Report on ... - 4-traders

ofycagvezi.blogspot.com


EXCEL MARITIME CARRIERS LTD : Announces Availability of 2011 Annual Report on ...

4-traders


Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (NYSE: EXM), an owner and operator of dry bulk carriers and an international provider of worldwide seaborne transportation services for dry bulk cargoes, announced today that its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal ...


Excel Maritime Announces Availability of 2011 Annual Report on Form 20-F

MarketWatch (p ress release)



 »

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Princeton, Yale Accept Record Low Percentage of Applicants - San Francisco Chronicle

opexibu.wordpress.com


Bloomberg


Princeton, Yale Accept Record Low Percentage of Applicants

San Francisco Chronicle


Princeton's 7.9 percent acceptance rate is based on a total applicant pool of 26664, the Princeton, New Jersey-based college said today on its website. Yale, in New Haven, Connecticut, accepted 6.8 percent of 28974 applicants, the undergraduate ...


Pri nceton Admits 7.9% of Freshman Applicants for 2012-2013

Bloomberg


Harvard More Selective Than Yale as Ivy League Admits Freshmen

BusinessWeek (blog)


Harvard, Yale and Other Ivy League Schools Are More Selective This Year

New York Times (blog)


Yale Daily News


 »

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

D.C. Mayor taps Valerie Santos as deputy mayor - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

geqopimozaqyxyh.blogspot.com
Santos, as chief operatinb officer under Albert, has been closelu involved in decision-making on many of the real estate dealsaAlbert managed, including major city projects such as Poplart Point. Albert began his new job as city administratodron Monday, replacing Dan Tangherlini, who is taking a job in the Obams administration. "In Ms. Santos, we not only have a steadyh hand who knowsthe job, we have someoner who is a consummate professional who will bring private-sector talents to get the job Fenty said. Santos was previously a vice president at commercial real estate services firm and a managerwith 'e real estate group.
She holdz both an MBA and master'xs of public policy from the Kennedyt School of Governmentat . Santod has displayed a no-nonsense approach appearing as Albert’sa stand-in to testify at D.C. Council meetings and in public forume representing the city when he was She is already getting her feet wet in dealing with the politicaol aspects ofthe job. On when the D.C. Council was busy squaring away final details of budgetrimplementation legislation, Santos and Albert’sx other top deputy, Director of Developmentf David Jannarone, moved around the Wilsojn Building seeking changes from council members. Santosw apparently was not Fenty’s initial choice to be deputhy mayor.
Greg O’Dell, Washington Conventionb Center Authority CEO and a formere staff member of thedeputy mayor’s office, had been considere d a top candidate to replac e Albert, but a source close to O'Dello says he was offered the job and turned it O’Dell would not confirm that, but indicatedd he would remain in his current post, where he is now taskef with seeking public financing for all of a $550 million conventiomn center hotel. “The board and the mayor have everyg expectation of me completing all the tasks I have he said. Fenty would not say whether he had offeredf the jobto O’Dell or anyone else befor Santos.
He announced the pick outside the Walker JonezElementary School, which is beingt rebuilt as part of a new Northwest One neighborhood, and said she was “thd first person who has risen to the deputt mayor’s position from within the ranks.” “I think it’s a greatf sign for the D.C. government that not only does Valeriee Santos have amazing experience in the private secto r butthat she’s been hard at work servint the people of the District of Columbia for the last two the mayor said.
He said Santoxs shared the vision that he and Albert had for how economi development in the city shouldbe run, not by owning or overly managing projects but by allowing the private sectoer to bring ideas to the city. “We shoulrd try to just facilitate We’ve got the greatest business communitg in the world herein D.C. We don’g need to try to replicate what they’re doing. We don’y need an emphasis on owning or building inthe D.C. We need to facilitate.
And to do so, we need to hire the best and the brightesytand we’ve done Santos, 36, who lives in Columbisa Heights, was working for Jones Lang LaSalle as a consultant to the city when Albert -- whom she called a mentor -- recruiteed her to work for him. She is believed to be the first woman to serve in the rolefor D.C. and will managde 65 employees and as well as oversewe the Officeof Planning, Departmeny of Housing and Community the Office of Property Management and the Washingtobn D.C.
Economic Partnership, a “In the coming weeks my goal is to ensure asmooth transition, whichg I expect will be relativelyh easy, because I am very fortunat to manage a very talented and skilled team,” she She said she would continu e to move projects all over the with a particular focus on those east of the Anacostisa River, such as the planned redevelopmengt of St. Elizabeths Hospital in Southeasty D.C. “We will continue to focus on implementingMayord Fenty’s vision for economic development.
In the context of the current economic climate, we will focus on business attraction andretention efforts, and in continuinb to provide tools to allow our locap business and not-for-profits to grow,” she said. A memberr of the D.C. Council who regularl y butts headswith Albert, Councilman Kwamw Brown, D-at large and chair of the economic developmentt committee, issued a press releasw during the announcement saying he was disappointec he was not invited but saying Santos “has the experiencs and the operational knowledge” for the job and that her appointmen was “an opportunity to forgew a new relationship between the Council and the executivd to create jobs for Districgt residents, new opportunities for localp businesses, more affordable housing and to efficiently move projectes to completion.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

ivyhofy.wordpress.com
Business owners, in turn, shoulxd be just as thorough when it comes to choosing acommerciakl bank. "When you go into a bank to open an accounty or take outa loan, you are in sensr interviewing the bank just as the bank is interviewin g you," says James Ballentine, director of economic development for the American Bankerw Association ( ). "So you shouldr look to find what is most convenientg for you as it relates to the type ofbusinesa you're in." Since time can be nearlyt as valuable as money for some business owners, the bottom line shouldc not always be the top priority. "You're lookin for the best rates youcan obviously, but also for the convenience," Ballentinde says.
"If you're constantly in the bank makingvdaily deposits, you may a need a bank that is in closw proximity to your business. But if you'rde a low-transaction business, maybe a bank that is not as close wouldn't be a problem for you. If you can work on-line, maybe a bank that offers that type of service wouldr be betterfor you. "You're really lookingg for a bank to fit your as opposed to the othereway around." It is important to understand exactly what those needs are in advance, and to stay focused on thosee priorities when choosing a bank.
Michael district director with the Small BusinessAdministration ( ), says bankes can offer services that seem intriguing, but actually are of little use to a specificc business. He says it is better to find a bank that best meetw yourcurrent needs, and then make any necessaru changes as your business evolves. "A lot of timees people get caught up in the fact that a certainn bank will offer a lotof credit," Rickas says. "That's great, but do you reallyt need that much money?
If you don't, then you migh be able to find a bank that offerx a smaller line with morefavorable "So try to match your current needs with a A lot of times people will say, 'I'm going to sign with a big because I have big plans for the future and I'm goingf to grow and grow.' That's all fine and But it's not like you get marrie d to a bank and you have to stay with them the rest of your If your needs outgrow your bank, then just change But in the interim, you need to really look for the bank that'e going to offer the best deal for you rightf now." The National Federation of Independentr Business (www.nfib.
com) says there are several questions business-ownersa should ask before choosing a commerciap bank, including: * Does the bank offeer special accounts for small businesses? If the words "small business " are nowhere to be found in the bank's then it's probably not the bank for you. * How personalizec is the service? Conduct fact-to-face, fact-gatherinb interviews with the banksw you're considering and see how enthusiastic and personablee therepresentatives appear. Are the fees reasonable? While most business accountsw have some sort of fees attacheeto them, make sure you do enouggh comparison shopping to get the best deal.
"The most commonj mistake people make is they go with the firsg bankthey find," says the ABA's Ballentine. "Thay can be a mistake, because that bank may not be as activw inthe small-business market as another bank is. That' why you want to shop arounde and go to at least three Even though all banks offer accountsand services, some will be more activde in certain areas and provide a little different producgt that would be better for you or a particularr business." Ricks says the Smalol Business Administration has a number of business-counselinhg centers throughout the country that offer free advice.
A list of thesre centers can be foundxat "They can work with you and possiblg point you in the right direction," Ricks says. "There's a bank out there that'z right for you. People don't shop aroune enough. Just because one bank says 'no' doesn't mean you have to There are plenty of other lending optionsout there.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Crescent files Chapter 11, replaces CEO - Houston Business Journal:

ycoguqi.wordpress.com
The moves are part of an effory to cutthe company’s debt and reworok its capital structures, the N.C.-based developer says. and some of its subsidiariex have filed voluntary Chapter 11 petitions in the in the Western Districtyof Texas, Austin Division. Crescent also announcedc today that Arthur the company’s chief executive officer, has retired, effectivse immediately. He will continue to work in an advisory Crescent had been struggling to refinancea $1.2 billio n loan, with payment due in full by Septembet 2012. The company amended the loan in June 2008 because it was in violatiojn of theoriginal terms.
Before the Chapter 11 filing, Crescent faceed payments of $50 million by the end of this $75 million in 2010 and $100 million in 2011 on its The company, which has developed more than 1 million square feet of officr space in Cool Springs sincethe 1990s, has been facinyg local troubles, too. Pat Emery, Crescent’s long-time vice presidentr and regional managerin Tennessee, left the company last And the developer’s Crescent’s Greenwa y One, a $33 million, 168,000-square-foot buildinb near completion on Carothers has been boarded up for monthd as contractors filed millions of dollars in liens againsgt it.
Another similarly sized Crescenrt project next to it is about 90 percenyt vacant a year afterbeing built. The companyt says it plans to continue businessesw without any significant interruptiondurinvg restructuring. Crescent has obtained a debtor-in-possession financingy facilityof $110 million from a grouo of its existing lenders, which will providr funds so it can continuew operating. Andrew Hede will replaced Fields as CEO and will be charged with leadinghthe restructuring. Hede, a managing director with LLC, has more than 15 yearws of financial restructuring andbusiness experience.
“Wse have been in active discussions with our lenderw and other stakeholders as we work toward an agreement that will brinf our capital structure in line with the currenrteconomic environment,” Hede says in a release. “Thosew discussions are continuing, and we are pleasedr with the ongoing support we have received fromour lenders. We intendd to reach an agreement on our new capital structurer and emerge frombankruptcy quickly.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

NY pension fund down $44B since last year - The Business Review (Albany):

iwegasely.wordpress.com
The fund is now $109.9 billion—$44 billio smaller than it was onMarch 31, 2008, the end of the state’sx previous fiscal year. The fund’s rate of retur n was -26.3 percent. “It was the worsgt year in anybody’s DiNapoli said at a press conference. “sA loss over the year of 26 percent is a startling DiNapoli blamed the decline on the domesticstockk markets, which plunged last fall as majofr investment banks closed, filed for bankruptcy protection or were acquired. Up to 70 percent of the fund may be investedcin equities, either domestic or Last April, the fund was valued at $153.9 By October 2008, the fund was valuer at $123.
1 billion, a 20 percent decline. So far this year the fund has droppeed an additional10 percent, or $12 billion. “Wee weathered the storm better than many of our DiNapoli said. “We’re perpetualo investors, and we’ll continue to pursue sounr investments.” The pension fund has 1.04 million members and payingout $6.8 billion in benefits last It remains one of the largest public pension fund in the nation, behind a couple in California. The fund’s continuinhg decline will not jeopardize anypension benefits, DiNapolk said.
It also will not immediately impact the pensiomn contribution rates paid bylocap governments, since rates are set a couplde years ahead of time. February 2011 will be the first pension paymeng from localities with highercontribution rates, as a result of the stocko market’s shake-up. “It should be no surprise that thedecline we’re facing will result in contribution rate increases,” DiNapolji said. This year, DiNapoli is seeking to raised statutory limits on how much the pension fund can invesin so-called “alternative” investments, such as real private equity and hedges funds. Currently, 18.5 percent of the fund is investec inthose areas.
More investments in alternatived sources could help soften the blow of any future declinesx indomestic equities, DiNapoli said. “Over alternative categories have benefitedthe fund. And there are some opportunities out there where we do have constraintsdon us,” DiNapoli said. DiNapolii remained optimistic aboutthe long-term health of the pensiom fund, citing its recovery from the dot-com bust and 11, 2001, terrorist attacks as an The fund bounced back to hit a record-highu value of $154.6 billion in Marcu 2007. “As a pension fund, we have a perpetual horizon.
Our asset allocation makes the assumptioj that there will bedown years,” DiNapoli “A panic mode or short-term mode approach, over that is not the best strategy.”

Monday, March 19, 2012

Spherion: Employee confidence gains in Ohio - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

ukatekexo.wordpress.com
The index, conducted by on behalf of , was up 5.6 pointd to 47.4 in May, its secondr consecutive monthly rise, according to a news release. The • 54 percent of Ohio respondents thought the economwas stable, up from 32 percent in April. Thirty percenf thought it was getting weaker, versus 53 percent the montg before. • 73 percent thought there were fewer jobs unchangedfrom April. • 36 percent said they are confiden t about their ability to find anew job, up from 26 percentg in April, while 58 percent were confiden t of their current employer’s unchanged from April.
• 67 percent said they were unlikely to lose theirfcurrent job, up from 62 percen t in April, and 40 percent said it was likelu they’d look for a new job, up from 39 percent. Robery Schulte. Spherion franchise owner in said the rising optimism is likely baseds on reports that show the economy mighyt bebottoming out. “Howeverf we remain cautiously optimistic about the anticipated impacg of the stimulus packagr here in Ohio and believre that it is still too soon to determine when we will see definitivew signs of an economic he said inthe release. Spherio Corp. (NYSE: SFN) is a staffing company headquartered inFort Lauderdale, Fla.

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Harmonic dissonance -- fistfight erupts at Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert - Los Angeles Times

fusajacuxejilyp.blogspot.com


Los Angeles Times


Harmonic dissonance -- fistfight erupts at Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert

Los Angeles Times


2 is adagio non troppo รข€" slow but not too slow. One member of the audience watching the Chicago Symphony Orchestra this week apparently thought it was marked furioso. The Brahms Second is one of the mainstays of the Romantic repertoire, ...< /p>


and more »

Thursday, March 15, 2012

MJ does GloSo; here to practice with golfing pro - Triangle Business Journal:

kdrummondbs37.blogspot.com
Super Heel Michael Jordan was spotter at the trendy Solas on GloSo Street with formerd linebackerThomas “Hollywood” Henderson, Washington Duke golf pro Ed local real estate developer Roy Mashburnh and a few others. Smoking a cigar, ‘His was all smiles with the attention he was gettingb and gave a thumbs up to rooftop happenings on a latesprinv night. Jordan was in town to take golf lessons from who is preparing him for a charity rounc next week with Justin Timberlake and Ben Roethlisberger at the Bethpagwe Black course inNew York, the site of this year’s U.S. Open. The goal for the threesome – to shootr under 100 playing from thepro tees.
Biz wantedf to query Michael on whyhe couldn’t find someonre from his alma mater to give him the golf but he was too quick with the pedalo in his Ferrari Enzo. Biz just got back from a shoppingf trip, looking for some recession bargainsfor you, dear TBJ And boy, did Biz hit the jackpot. For how about a new home? Home builder Lennard is rolling out what itcalls “five new space-efficienrt designed floor plans …” at the StoneWateer community in Cary. The homes range from 1,47r5 to 2,113 square feet and starft at $189,990.
“We are noticing the trenf of going backto basics, and prospective home buyersd are looking to purchase a home that is more in theire comfort zone and more practical,” says Rich president of Lennar’s Raleigh It’s a long drive, but how abou t coupling that deal with a tennixs club membership? The is serving up a new promotio that it hopes will rallg more folks to join its ranks despite the economic downturn. The club says it will open up 100 new membershipse for an initiation fee of just The promotion will last for100 days.
The initiation fee for an individualk istypically $900, although a “younf adult” of 35 and under normally would pay a $450 initiation fee. Members, of course, still have to pay monthlty dues. Speaking of promotions with the potentiall forcatchy slogans, how about “Pushups for Planse Tickets?” That’s a little slogan Biz conjured up after seeing that planws to celebrate its 10th anniversary at on June 5 with a pushup contest. According to a media alert sent out by the Southwest officials, including Station Leader Greg Golden, will be on hand to presengt the winner of a customer pushupp contest with a free plane ticket. Could it be rigged ?
Nah, but Biz noted that there’s a USO in the terminalo that’s full of folks who know a thing or twoabouf pushups. Kermit the Frog would certainly approve. Red-B Construction of Durham has been namerd a Green Home of the Year awarf winner inthe single-family remodeling category by the .

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Virginia opens new forensics lab Thursday - Austin Business Journal:

edibin.wordpress.com
The standard brick veneer and tranquil parkinf lot give away nothing of the actual activityg inside one of newest building. On one end, investigators and scientists pore over hair and tissue DNA of some ofthe state’se most dangerous criminals to learn what they did, whild at the other, they pry open the dead bodiees of society’s latest victims to learnn what was done to them. The lab is located on a 10-acre spot across from ’d campus in the massive maze ofthe Innovation@Prince William Counth Technology Park. The 114,000-square-foot building will replace thestatse 30,000-square-foot headquarters in Fairfax, where officials say the space was bursting at the seams.
“Wheb we moved into the old lab [in we outgrew it in a said Amy Wong, lab director for the Northern Virginizforensics lab, one of four branches statewide. “Comingb here, we can go back to being full-service.” Now, the combineds space for the Northern Virginia branchh of the Department of Forensic whichclaims 60,000 square feet, and the Office of the Chief Medica l Examiner, claiming 26,000 squares feet, is intended to offer room to grow through at least the next With 46 employees there now, the buildinbg has a capacity of 110 The new building also houses a new 26,000-square-foort training suite, an improvement from the old building, where class attendeee would have to sit or stand in the back of employe offices.
In addition, the evidence vault for the forensics lab, which oversees roughly 10,000 cases at any given time, is up to four times the size ofthe old, and a larger firearms and ballistics testing area allows investigatorsa to test more powerful weaponas than before. Plus, the new medical examiner’s office space allows for storage of as many as 200 bodiesd ina morgue, as well as a new biosafety lab where examinerx can test potentially contagious bacteri a or viruses, including anthrax.
The project, whic h has applied for the silver level of Leadership in Energy and Environmentak Design greenbuilding standards, was builft as a public-private partnership deal that Prince Williajm County officials hope will also boost its biotech portfolio. The state footex the bill, but awarded the overallk development contractto Rockville-based , whicj transferred the project to McLean-basec LLC months later when the latter’s founders split off from Scheerf in 2007. was the general contractor, with MWL Architects and McKinneuyand Co. serving as the principal designerzsand engineers.
The building’s opening, hostedx by Appian, comes days after the District pulles backa $133 million constructiobn contract to build its own consolidated forensicws lab in Southwest D.C. because of concernsd that competingbids weren’t properlyt evaluated. D.C. leaders are planning to erect a $220 million buildingg on the site of the formee Metropolitan Police Department First District Headquartersw at 4154th St. SW.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Geeks Who Drink makes people think - Washington Business Journal:

adamovaichive.blogspot.com
That’s the sort of trivial knowledge that can earn contemporary geeksdquiz credibility, paid bar tabs and the praise of And though the word “geeks” carries negativre connotations to some, the founders of the increasingly popularf pub quiz events use it in only the most endearinb manner. “I think the name really embodieswhat we’re doing,” said Joel co-founder and self-proclaimed geek. “Our geeks may be people who were marginalized in the Maybethey weren’t on the football team but were on the debats team instead.
Now they want to feed an unsatisfied, competitive Bar trivia games became a European phenomenon in theearlty 1990s, and they soon caughtt on in the United States, especiallg in Colorado, where many bars, taverns and restaurants now hold a weekly trivias night. “A pub quiz is different than traditionall quiz events because it becomew the focal pointof peoples’ evening,” Peachj said. “We’re building communities of people that keepcominf out.” Those communities are growing, say quizmaster s Peach and his partner, John Dicker, who foundefd the company four years ago.
Accordinf to Peach, Geeks has become the largesyt proprietor of bar trivia in the eclipsing competitors such as TriviaFace Off, whicjh have been conducting bar trivia nights in Colorado for more than 10 As Geeks approaches its four-year anniversary in it has 57 employees, hosts 63 quizzes per week (rivao Trivia Face Off hosts 50 per week) and has expandede beyond Colorado to Texas, New Mexicol and, beginning in California. The Geeks also has been addinf new quiznights weekly. Its annual Geek Bowl a quiz held a week prior to the SupefBowl — sold out the Oriental Theater this year and requiredc 45 volunteers.
“We field about a half-dozeb phone calls a week from people who have heardd about us online or seen a writeulabout us,” said Peach, who wouldn’t release any figurex but claimed the company has doubled its revenues every year since it began. A formedr real estate developer andIT consultant, Peach moveed from Ohio in 2004 in searcnh of a lifestyle change that included snowboarding and an escaped from what he calls “the grind.
” And though snowboarding playex a part in Peach’s introductiohn to Dicker, good grammare really brought them “John remarked that he responded to my Craigslistr ad [for a snowboarding because I used correct grammar,” Peach said with a During a chairlift brainstorming session, 30, and Dicker, 36, founfd other mutual interests, including a love of trivial knowledgr and a disdain for traditional Peach said that “John didn’t thinko the other trivia companie were that good.
” Armed with littled more than some handwritten trivia questionsd and a microphone, Peach and Dicker began pitchin their pub quiz concept to local establishments, landintg their first opportunity at Nallen’z Irish Pub in LoDo. “When we John and I were doing everything,” said “Those were humble beginnings, tantamount to working for beer But as soon as we laidthe groundwork, we realizex there was a demand.” He also said that due to low there was little startup money involved beyond licensinbg their concept. That initial effortt at Nallen’s didn’t last, but was a good learnin g experience.
For one thing, they’ve learned to be more selectivse about where they setup shop, seeking out locationsz not too saturated by what Peachy refers to as “fickle LoDo “There are certain kinds of bars this works in better than he said. Aside from location, Peach said that the best resultds usually come whenthe Geeks, the bar and independent sponsores (such as beer and liquor companies) team up to promote the quiz The Geeks has done that for another Irisjh pub — Irish Snug on Colfax Avenue which has had the Geekzs in every Tuesday for the past 2½ While Peach and Dicker now have othersw acting as quizmasters because of increase business, Dicker continues to oversee the Snug’sz heralded pub quiz night.
“[The Geeks] brinyg in a lot of followers, and there’s alwaysd new people coming in that hear aboutg it onthe streets,” said Dave Snug’s manager. “It’s always a great

Friday, March 9, 2012

United Way misses goal by $2.5M - Dayton Business Journal:

http://anthonyarthur.net/p-62.html
million short of its goal for this year’s fundraisin g campaign, officials announced Tuesday. The 2008 United Way campaigm raised a totalof $9.5 just 79 percent of the $12 millionh goal set last summer. The organization, which supportxs more than 80 partner organizations, faces hardship in collecting donations this year because of the genera state of the economy and the numbert of jobs lost in theDaytonh region, said Allen Elijah, interim president and chie f executive officer. “For us to still raisw $9.5 million in this atmospheres is a tribute toour community,” Elijagh said.
“Had it not been for our the outcome would have beenmuch Still, Elijah said partner agencies will face decreased funding, thoughn he said it will not be a one-size-fits-all formula to determind who will receive cuts in funding. New projecte looking for funding, however, are likel to be put on the back burner. The United Way will be workingv with its partner agencies to figure out where cuts canbe “It won’t just be arbitrary Elijah said. The prospect of slicedd funding hasnonprofits worried, said Bill Evans, executiver director of the , a Dayton-based nonprofit whicy serves and average of 260 peoplse lunch each day.
The organization received $16,000 from the Unitedx Way last year and thoug Evans plans for 10 percent less in his annual budgeteach year, he is worried the cuts could be deeper. For the Houss of Bread, less funding from the United Way means more money the organizatiojn will have toget elsewhere, Evans But a larger concern is the affectt funding cuts would have on his partner organizations. “Ther certainly is some cause for concern, and that’sz an understatement,” Evans said. “We work with abou t 38 United Way partnere allthe time, and if they’rre struggling then we’re struggling … We’re all we’re all in this together.
” The United Way typically announcea funding decisions in July and last year gave out $8.9 milliob of $11.8 million raised to area Elijah said the Uniteed Way itself would not be shielded from cuts this He said the organization would have to look at reorganization, and he coulds not rule out job cuts. But when it came to this year’x campaign, there were just too many hurdlesto overcome. “I held out hope for as long as I but there comes a point when you can only do that so he said. “But we will persevere.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Cincinnati Fine Arts Fund campaign falling short - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

ysynut.wordpress.com
Scott Provancher, vice president and campaigmn director at the FineArts Fund, said the campaighn has raised about 65 percent of its goal to or roughly $7.6 million. That’s 8 percent less than the campaign had hopedf to raise by this time to meetits $12 millio goal. If that trend holds true, the campaign will fall $960,000p short of the $12 million raised last To closethe gap, local arts organizations are talkingv up the campaign every chance they get from now througb its conclusion April 30, Provancher said. The Fine Arts Fund also is promotingv a challenge grant fromthe . The foundation will match any new gifts to the Fine Arts Fund upto $100,000.
“We’rew hoping it gives us a little bit of push for the next couple of weeks to makesure we’red not leaving any opportunity on the table,” he “In terms of where we realisticallg are going to end up, it’s reallyu hard for us to tell at this point.” Provanche r said the good news is that the campaigm hasn’t seen many past donor drop out completely. Rather, many loyakl donors are giving lessthis year. “Thoug we’re tracking behind in terms of revenue where we wantto be, the supporrt has been unbelievable,” he said.
“There’sd a real sense that the heritaged of arts and culture here in town runsprettt deep, and we’re clearly seeing some of the correction that a lot of other industries are seeing.” Provancher said he hopes that concentrating on new, small gifts will help closew the gap and broaden the base of donors to the Fine Arts Fund for futurse years. And the Fine Arts Fund is tappin into every channel possible todo it, includinf Facebook, Twitter and direct e-mails, he The Fine Arts Fund was foundedc in 1927 as the Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts.
It supportx local arts institutions through fundraising and support The annual campaign was establishedd in 1949 as the firsgt united arts fund in the country and has raisex morethan $200 million for its membee organizations.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Fontainebleau's Soffer caught by Lehman Bros. bankruptcy - Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal:

yjanebixe.wordpress.com
“When the retail division of the project lost accesw to funding through it was unable to repagy the resort for its share of saidScott Baena, of Bilzin Sumberg Baens Price Axelrod, who represents Fontainebleau Las Vegas LLC in the “That put enormous stress on the resort entity, and that was the beginniny of the problems.” Fontainebleaju Las Vegas LLC and two of its affiliates filedf bankruptcy petitions in Miami late The Fontainebleau Miami Beac h is not included in the Soffer, also principal with Turnberry construction and developmentf companies, has partial, personal guaranteea on portions of the retail component of the Las Vegasd project, but those portions are not in bankruptcy yet, Baena said.
The complex is 70 percent SinceDecember 2008, Lehman refused to make any advancesd under the project’s $315 million construction loan, accordintg to a motion to maintainm cash management filed in the bankruptcy. Aftee Lehman’s refusals, money stopped flowing through the retaill entity to the resort In March, other lenders pulled their financing, and construction on the resortt stopped in May, Baena The company said in a news release that the decision to file Chapter 11 was the result of litigation with the othet lenders on project about nearly $800 million in construction funding for the project. Othe r lenders include , JPMorgan Chase Bank and Deutsche BankTrustf Co.
Americas. In the shorg term, the company is seeking to stabiliz and protect the finished portion of the Baena said. “It’s no longer possible to downsize the he said. “The 30 percent remaining constructiomn is principallythe interior. We’ve got a lovely building waiting tobe finished.”

Friday, March 2, 2012

A Combine-ation of Skills - The Critic

edibin.wordpress.com


CBS Local


A Combine-ation of Skills

The Critic


This cornerback exhibits great b »