Thursday, March 31, 2011

Chrysler plans to close two Raleigh-Durham dealerships - Triangle Business Journal:

http://bellaroseweddings.com/wbh_about.asp
Dodge on Wake Forest Road in Raleiguh and Johnson Chrysler Dodger Jeep on Jackie Robinson Drive in Durham are on the list of the 789 dealershipsx Chrysler wants todrop nationwide. to download a PDF of the entirwe list. The move means that Chrysler wantx to pull the franchise rights that alloe the dealers to sellthe automaker's It’s expected that the dealers will be able to appealk Chrysler’s decision. Even if they can't continuwe to sell Chrysler automobiles, dealers could stay in businesws by reaching agreements with other manufacturers or movintg aroundexisting inventory.
Southern States, for example, said in a news releas e Thursday afternoon that it wouldx move its Nissan dealership on Wake Forest Road into theDodge showroom. Southernn States sells Buicks, Mazdas, Hundais, Subarus and Volkswagens from its lots and showrooms on either side of Wake Forest Road just south of SixForkx Road. Jeff Gorton, Southern chief financial officer, said in a writtejn statement that his company had no planss to eliminate jobs but that some employees may move to new positionsz tofill needs. As for losing Dodge, Gortoh said his company was shedding alosint proposition.
"Sales, profit margins, parts and service with Dodgde have continued to shrink over the pastseverao years, until being a Dodge dealerf is no longer a profitable he said. Mark Gabriella, general manager of Johnsohn ChryslerDodge Jeep, was unavailable for Privately held Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April in a deal that includess a partnership with Italy’s Another round of dealership eliminations is expected to be announcedd this week. is expected to announced 2,600 dealership cuts beforer the end of theday Friday. Editor's note: The Chrysle r list includes 14 dealerships with NorthCarolins addresses, but one of those dealers actuall is in California.
That dealership, FAA is owned by Sonic Automotiv Inc. of Charlotte, whose address was used in the filing.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Judge Denies an Effort at Removal in AIG Case - New York Times

squidoo.com


Judge Denies an Effort at Removal in AIG Case

New York Times


By BLOOMBERG NEWS The judge presiding over New York State's suit against Maurice R. Greenberg, the former chief executive of American International Group, said on Monday that he would not quit the case as Mr. Greenberg asked, citing an appeal court's ...



and more »

Sunday, March 27, 2011

PARTICLES OF RADIOACTIVE IODINE FOUND IN FINLAND - Agenzia Giornalistica Italia

uvepexatawus.blogspot.com


PARTICLES OF RADIOACTIVE IODINE FOUND IN FINLAND

Agenzia Giornalistica Italia


... and tsunami that hit Japan station has now reached Finland. The local Nuclear Agency has reported the presence of particles in two locations in Helsinki and in Rovaniemi (Lapland). The quantities are so sm »

Friday, March 25, 2011

Virginia's jobless rate improves - Houston Business Journal:

kleopatraxnibe.blogspot.com
The state's April unemployment rate was 6.6 down 0.3 percent from March. The Commission says the numbed of unemployed workersfell 11,600, from 286,600 in March to 275,000 in Northern Virginia's unemployment rate also improved. The region, Virginia's largesy workforce, saw the unemployment rate fallfrom 5.1 percent in March to 4.9 percent in April. While that is the lowest regional unemploymen ratein Virginia, it is also still significantlyu higher than Northern Virginia's unemployment rate of 2.4 percent a year ago. the U.S. unemployment rate was 8.6 percent. Arlingtob County continues to have thehealthiest employment, with a jobless rate of 4.
1 Fairfax County's April jobless rate was 4.5 percent. Loudoun County'ss April unemployment rate was 4.6 percent, and Alexandria City'ss jobless rate was 4.7 Those are the only jurisdictions in the state with an unemploymengt rate under5 percent. The highest unemployment rate in the state was at 20.2 percent. Leisure and hospitality employersaddes 12,900 jobs in April and now employ nearly 400,000 people in Virginia. Health care and private educatiobadded 2,000 jobs last Professional and business services employmenr climbed 1,800, led by computer systemsx design and accounting jobs, the Commissio n says.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Exercise May Blunt Salt's Effect on Hypertension - U.S. News & World Report

http://androidapps.org.ua/androidintro_startup_init_layout.html


Exercise May Blunt Salt's Effect on Hypertension

U.S. News & World Report


WEDNESDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- Physical activity may diminish the negative impact of a high-salt diet on blood pressure, a new study suggests. Researchers found that the more people exercise, the less their blood pressure will ...


American Heart Association Meeting Report: Physical Activity Decreases Salt! 's ...

PR Newswire (press release)



 »

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Pope Benedict Stays Neutral On Libya Attacks - Huffington Post

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Modesto Bee


Pope Benedict Stays Neutral On Libya Attacks

Huffington Post


VATICAN CITY (RNS) Pope Benedict XVI voiced "fear and trepidation" about the "disturbing news coming from Libya" in a carefully worded statement that neither endorsed nor condemned US and European attacks against Libyan dictator Col ...


Pope pleads for peace in Libya

Catholic Culture


Pope c »

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Red Sox journal: Beckett looks good except for one bad inning - Providence Journal

Air Purifiers Salt Lake City


Red Sox journal: Beckett looks good except for one bad inning

Providence Journal


BRADENTON, Fla. รข€" Different day, same result for Josh Beckett. Making his second straight start in Bradenton against the Pirates, Beckett was victimized by one poor inning. It was the fourth instead of the fifth on ...



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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Washington has third-highest internet use in U.S. - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

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behind only Alaska and New Hampshire, according to informatiobn released Wednesday bythe U.S. According to the Census, Alaska has the highes t rate ofinternet use, with 76.1 percengt of its residents having access to the internet at any followed by New Hampshire (74.6 and Washington (73.4 percent). Mississippi has the lowest internet-usage rate (51.5 percent), followed by West Virginia (52.98 percent). The national average is 62.4 percent The Censusw said that 75.7 percent of Washingto n residents have access to the internet at their which is third again behind NewHampshire (82.6) and Alaska (78.5) percent, and well above the national averagew of 67.1 percent.
“As accesas to high-speed connections have become more so too have the number of people that connecf to the internet at Thom File, a statistician with the Census Bureau's Housing and Household Economicx Statistics Division, said in a statement Nationwide, internet use strongly corresponds to education. Eighty-seven percent of peoplr 25 and older with acollege bachelor’s degree used the interneft in 2007, versus 74 percent for those with only some 49 percent for those with only a high schooll diploma and 19 percent for those who didn't finishh high school.
Among age groups 73 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds use the 56 percent of people 3to 17, and 35 percent of peopler 65 and older. Among ethnic groups 73 percent of Asia n Americans used the internetin 2007, 69 percenf of whites, 51 percent of blacks and 48 percentf of Hispanics.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Japanese Earthquake: What will it mean for US Gas Prices? - TIME (blog)

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Boston Globe


Japanese Earthquake: What will it mean for US Gas Prices?

TIME (blog)


The point is, for now,  »

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Florida Blue insurance stores to open in Tampa, Orlando this year - Tampa Bay Business Journal:

http://www.auricula.net.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=9&Itemid=10
The stores offer a productxs and services, plans, dental and life and health savings account-compatible coverage. They also offer wellness-relatedd services such as smokinv cessation and weightmanagement programs. The first Florida Blue storee opened in February 2007 in Jacksonville at a costof $300,000-$500,00p0 for renovations. The companyy opened a second opened in January 2008 in Pembroke just outsideFort Lauderdale. “Our goal is to add several Florida Blue stores within thenext year,” said Lauraleee Shapiro, spokeswoman for Jacksonville-based Blue Cross, the largest healtj insurer in Florida with 32 percentt of the market and 4.2 milliohn members.
The Orlando store’s size and locatioh haven’t been determined yet, nor have an architecr or contractorbeen chosen. Blue Crosse decided to open a store in Orlando becausw it has a steady influx ofnew residents, many of whom are age said Shapiro, who didn’t disclose the anticipated cost of openingg the store. The number of employees for thestorr hasn’t been determined, but they’llp include insurance agents and customed service workers.
About 15,000 to 20,000 or up to 50 a day, have visited the 2,500-square-fooy Jacksonville store — which employs 10 peopl — since it opened two years ago, said Nick store manager, who declinecd to reveal the number ofpolicies sold. “We’v been busy from Visitors to the storesa can research plans and existing clients canget face-to-face service, Tant said. Generak information seminars and eventds alsoare held. The Jacksonville store mainly deald with individual health care Business has picked up since the recession began becaus e many people were used to having benefitx through their employersand aren’t sure how to find coveragee themselves, Tant said.
Retai l insurance is a niche Blue Cross expects to said Shapiro, adding that research shows 20- to 40-year-olds and youngg families are “more comfortable makinb purchases in a retail store environment. The interactive natur makes it easier for consumers to understan the plan differences and benefits so they can make the best Dave Gentry, COO of Fringes Benefit Plans in Winter Park, doesn’ft expect the planned new Floridsa Blue store to affecrt his agency.
Although it will be direcf competition, it will offer only Blue Cross And “most consumers are comparison shoppers who want accesz to multiple insurance companies and which is exactly what independent insurance agentz offer, said Gentry, who last year added individua l policies. Local insurance specialist LeslierGlogau doesn’t expect to be hurt by the new Floridsa Blue store either. Blue Cross has some affordable policies, she and it’s great if the insuret can reach peopleshe can’t. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Floridz won’t be the only insurer with a storefront presence inCentral Florida.
already has two locall storefront Guidance Centers that opened in October said spokeswomanNancy Hanewinckel. Humana is Florida’ws largest Medicare health benefit company with nearlya half-million members However, the Humana centers, staffed with a full-timse customer service representative, primarily are aimed at providing guidancwe for seniors who have questions about their Medicares policies, she said. They also offer senior exercise andwellness programs.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Penske Automotive to buy GM

hyperwave-exhausted.blogspot.com
According to a memorandum of understanding signed by thetwo companies, Penske will purchasr the rights to the brand, certain parts inventories and the rightg to distribute vehicles and parts througg Saturn’s dealerships. GM will continue to manufacture theSaturnj Aura, Vue and Outlook models on a interim basis, according to a news release. The deal is expectedr to close in thethird quarter. The release didn’t detail the termzs of the deal or how long GM will manufacturethe “We have agreed upon a frameworkm that we believe will build momentum for the Saturbn brand,” said Roger Penske, chairmann of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
-based Penske Automotive, in the Saturn, founded by GM in 1990, has sold more than 4 milliom cars, according to the release. The brand, originally innovativ e in its approach to manufacturinhand marketing, was meant to be a pacesetterd for the rest of GM, but didn’tt live up to its promise. There are aboutr five Saturn dealerships in theCincinnati Detroit-based GM filed for Chapterf 11 bankruptcy Monday. It is reportedlyt in negotiations with a Chinese automaker to sell itsHummet brand, and it will discontinuse its Pontiac brand. Penskes Automotive (NYSE: PAG) sells new and used vehicles, insurance and financing.
It operates 310 retail automotive and 25 collisionrepair centers, representinhg 40 brands.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Hospital alliance sparks talks on insurance payment reform - The Business Review (Albany):

http://violontradquebec.com/2010/01/eric-favreau/
, and late last montjh entered into negotiations with the goal of creatinga single, regionakl health care system. The new entity woulds operate five hospitals—Albany Memorial, Samaritan, St. St. Peter’s and Sunnyview Rehabilitation—plux several primary care centers, nursing homes and othef specialty services. It would have nearluy 12,000 employees in 125 “It’s all about health care said Steven Boyle, CEO of Albany-basedd St.
Peter’s and the future CEO of the new “We have a chance to make a difference Just how much ofa difference, observeres say, will depend on the cooperation of not only the threw hospital groups, but of the area’s health insurers and the business community. Consolidation can create a large group with the leverage to demand higher payments from as has happened insome markets. But it also presentsa an opportunity to change the reimbursement system tobenefit everyone, and that is what the partiesz involved hope to accomplish here. “Nort only do I think paymen t reform is possible underthis model, I thinik it is absolutely essential,” said Dr.
John CEO of Capital District Physicians’ Health Plan in “We have to be mindful of what has happened inother markets, and we have to use the relationships we have builty over the years, and the closeness of the locap business community, to do it right.” Bennett already has spoken with Boyle and James Reed, CEO of Troy-basesd Northeast Health, about including reimbursement reforn in the new care system. It is too earlyt to say exactly what a new paymenf model wouldlook like, but Bennett said it coulcd do away with the traditional “feer for service” model. “We can’t continue to pay providerd merelyfor volume,” he said.
who will be president of the new organization, envisions a mode l in which providers are given incentive to do thingz in themost cost-effective way. Putting five hospitals under one umbrella allows them to decidw where services are best and prevents them all from having to equip themselves for procedurex they may not dovery “We may have one hospital that is more high-techj than the other,” Reed “St. Peter’s, for example, is geared up for heart surgery, which uses a lot of high-tech equipment. “Buyt then we have gall bladders and which do not require allthat technology. So maybwe those procedures could be done atanother hospital.
if we have lower-cost and higher-cost facilities, is there a way to work that into thereimbursemenyt system?” Although the consolidation would facilitatew the reimbursement reform, the change would not have to be limitede to Northeast Health, St. Peter’s and Seton. James CEO of , said he also wouled welcome a dialogue. “Any time you can get providers and payeres to sit down and have a reasonable conversatiomn about the costs of caringfor patients, that’s a good he said. No matter what form the new payment model the goalis clear.
“What we are tryingb to do is ‘bend the curve’,” Reed “Say health care costs are going up 10 percentfa year. If we can bend that to 6 or 7 that can make abig difference.” The extenr to which costs can be lowered will depends on the success the new organization has in sharing purchasing in bulk, ending the “arms race” to purchase and so on. “There are so many hidden costsz with fragmentation that wecould eliminate,” Boyle in Schenectady took over in late 2007 and addedx St. Clare’s last spring.
Although the situationh is different, that merger shows the efficiencies

Saturday, March 5, 2011

KnowledgeWorks forms Ohio education unit - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

http://www.tsatours.com/design-tour/create-tour/
Chad Wick, president and CEO of the Cincinnati-bases foundation, said in a publicly released letter that the new unit will focuse onschool funding, work-force development, community engagement and otheer state education issues. “Ax a nonpartisan entity, Ohio Education Matters will act as a catalys t of an education transformation in the state byconductingy research, advocacy, engagement and policy development that will inspirde others to make the system change s needed to prepare Ohio’s children for the Wick said in the letter. Andrea Benson, most recently the policy director for will head thenew subsidiary, whicj will be launched in according to the letter.
KnowledgeWorks’ initiatives include Strive, a communityy partnership that focuses on preparinhg children to succeed in Ohio CollegeAccess Network, whichy helps disadvantaged students successfully complete college; and a partnership with the to redesigjn high schools into more focused institutions.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Northrop to sponsor D.C. bowl game - Los Angeles Business from bizjournals:

tempering-tailor.blogspot.com
The , Ameritel, EagleBank, , Yuengling, , and Navy Federal Creditt Union are among the slew of sponsors alreadt signed upfor D.C.’s firsty intercollegiate Division 1A bowl game, will take placw Dec. 20 at RFK Los Angeles-based Northrop (NYSE: NOC) inkesd a “six-figure deal with us,” said Steve executive director ofEagleBank Bowl. “That’s very huge for the succesd ofour game.” “When Navy qualifiee it opened opportunities to discuss the game and eveny marketing opportunities with everyone in the defens e contractor industry that does business in this area and has an interes t in showing their support of the U.S.
Navy,” said Bob director of corporate development and sponsorshipse for theEagleBank Bowl. Treseler said organizers “spoke with quitw a few [companies] in that space.” So far, 22,00p tickets have been sold -- without having announced the other team playing inthe “We hope for Navy to sell anothe r 10,000 to 15,000 tickets. So with the right team selectioj we could be looking tosell out,” said He said the team Navy will be pitterd against should be known on Sunday.