doqujamup.wordpress.com
Candice Johnson, communications director for the CWA, said the uniohn is continuing to bargain with An additional contract covering CWA workers in the Southeast does not expirruntil August, although negotiations on that contract have been adjournedr until June. In three news releases announcingh thecontract expirations, AT&T said it “stands readgy to negotiate at anytime in a continuing efforyt to reach an agreement.” Last week, the compan struck a deal with about 20,000 wireless employeezs covered by a Mobility Orangse contract, which was approved by 73 percent of the covered employees.
It coveref wages, pensions and work Not covered in the new contract were wireless employees in the Southwest andPuerto Rico.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Moraine Valley men's cross country season not for faint hearted - TribLocal
bestimmung-amendments.blogspot.com
Moraine Valley men's cross country season not for faint hearted TribLocal By Moraine Valley Community College Yesterday at 11:09 am The Moraine Valley Community College men's cross country season can be characterized by a hyphenated word: near-miss. They missed winning the conference title by seven points and a place in the ... |
Friday, November 25, 2011
Mortgage rates spike - Tampa Bay Business Journal:
http://corporatehousingetc.com/london_cont_corporate_housing.html
Freddie Mac's weekly report says 30 year fixed-ratde mortgages averaged 5.29 percent this the highest rate this year and up sharply fromlast week'zs average of 4.91 percent. Rates still remain well beloq yearago levels, when 30 year mortgagez were averaging more than 6 "Rates caught up to the receny rise in long-term bond yields this week to reach a 25 week says Freddie Mac FRE) chief economist Frank "The slowdown in the housing market has now detracted from economic growth for the past 13 quarters, the longest quarterly stretch since at least 1947." Despitse rising rates, the housing market continues to show smalp signs of life.
The ' housing affordability indexz rose in April to its second highesr level since atleast 1971. The NAR also reportede this week pending sales of existing homes rose for the thirfdstraight month, posting the biggest monthly increase since 2001.
Freddie Mac's weekly report says 30 year fixed-ratde mortgages averaged 5.29 percent this the highest rate this year and up sharply fromlast week'zs average of 4.91 percent. Rates still remain well beloq yearago levels, when 30 year mortgagez were averaging more than 6 "Rates caught up to the receny rise in long-term bond yields this week to reach a 25 week says Freddie Mac FRE) chief economist Frank "The slowdown in the housing market has now detracted from economic growth for the past 13 quarters, the longest quarterly stretch since at least 1947." Despitse rising rates, the housing market continues to show smalp signs of life.
The ' housing affordability indexz rose in April to its second highesr level since atleast 1971. The NAR also reportede this week pending sales of existing homes rose for the thirfdstraight month, posting the biggest monthly increase since 2001.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
You're On Notice, Dawg! Week 13 - Dawg Sports
disqualify-sida.blogspot.com
You're On Notice, Dawg! Week 13 Dawg Sports So, I'm letting the following people know that, for Clean Old-Fashioned Hate week, You're On Notice, Dawg! Sadly, the on-notice board generator appears to be gone for good. I'm trying to find another solution, but I guess this will have to suffice for ... |
Friday, November 18, 2011
Business court sees full docket as demand soars - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:
efiosyt.blogspot.com
The number of cases that appeared beforw the court more than doubled between 2000 and going from 82to 179, according to a stud requested by the statd in 2004. While the total number of casee in front of the court was not availablde for morerecent years, the number of new cases filed has continued to grow. Business Courr data indicates that, in 2004, 21 such case were added to the docket, followecd by another 28 in 2005 and 103 morein 2006. As of Marcjh 21, 27 such cases already have been filedd so far this the most readilyavailable data.
Even though more receny numbers arenot available, Judger Ben Tennille, the chief special superior court judgre for complex business said he is certain the number of cases filed in the businessa court has continued to grow. "The caseloadx was building up so that it was difficuly for me to handle everything on my before the new judgeswere added, said who said his workloafd is as heavy as it was a year ago, even with the extrs help. Cases can be sent to the courtg intwo ways. Historically, the partied involved in what they feel wasa "compledx business case" could request the case be moved from countyt superior court into the specialized cour t system.
Under legislative changes approvein 2005, some cases -- such as those involving antitrustf or intellectual property issues -- are now automatically referred to the businessz court. While the court has locationes inthe state's three largest metropolitan areas, judgeds frequently travel to other parts of the state to oversewe trials, especially jury trials. Tennille and local attorneyz say that despite the increase in the number of caseas being heard by thebusinessa court, they don't think the overall amount of business litigatiomn in the state has risen dramatically.
Instead, they say, attorneys are more frequentlyg filing cases on a state rather than a federalp level to speed up thejudiciapl process. They also are becoming more comfortable askingb for those cases to be heard by the business court as they become more familiarwith it. One of the biggesft reasons for a boostin N.C. Business Courtg cases in recent years may be the hesitancy of some attorneyss to file cases infederal court. Whilse some types of litigation must be either federal or state in many instances the parties involved can decide under what jurisdiction they wantto file. The U.S.
Middl e District of North Carolina has two vacant judgeships out of four seatsw inthe district, and there are four open federa l judgeships statewide, according to the Department of Justice. The vacancies have increasec the workload of the sitting judges and lengthened the time it takeds for a case to be Since criminal cases are given priority overcivil cases, attorneyds say it can be two or three yearsw before a business case actually is heard. However, even with the growtb in the numberof cases, attorneys say a case generallu can be resolved in the N.C. Business Courtf in about a year.
Since delay often mean more cost, and uncertainty, for the parties attorneys say they are finding it makes more and more sense to file inthe N.C. Businessx Court instead of federallywhen possible. "Clients want not to be tied up in saidErik Albright, a litigatiohn attorney with Smith Moore in Greensboro. "They don' want to be bogged down in the courtf system and spending money on trialsand attorneys. They want to be able to devotd those resources totheir businesses.
" While attorneyse say it's too early to tell if the additional judges are having a significanft impact on the time it take to have a case heard, the expectatiojn is the two additional judges will help alleviate any potential slowdowns at leasty for a few years, even as the numberf of cases continues to grow. Another reason for the increase in business court lawyers say, is that members of the bar are becomingh more comfortable with the businesa court. When the N.C. Business Court openef in 1996 it was one of the first in the and many attorneys were hesitant for their clients to be the guine a pigs in thenew system.
But over time, more attorneye have found they enjoy the advantagesw of a case being hear d inbusiness court, from knowing one judg will hear the case from start to finishj (regular Superior Court judges are rotated, so a handful of judgess may be involved in one to working with a judgs who specializes in business law. One of the big advantagea to the N.C. Business Court is the increasing predictability that comes with a decade of decisions and growingcase law, said Bob Elster, a partnert in the commercial litigation practice at Kilpatrick Stocktoh in Winston-Salem.
Judges in the business court are required to writee an opinion on every nonjury Elster said that means attorneys can see how a judges has ruled in similart cases to know the likelihood of a verdict being rendered in theier favor or to better establishtheif arguments, which can help ease a lot of the uncertaint about taking a matter to court.
The number of cases that appeared beforw the court more than doubled between 2000 and going from 82to 179, according to a stud requested by the statd in 2004. While the total number of casee in front of the court was not availablde for morerecent years, the number of new cases filed has continued to grow. Business Courr data indicates that, in 2004, 21 such case were added to the docket, followecd by another 28 in 2005 and 103 morein 2006. As of Marcjh 21, 27 such cases already have been filedd so far this the most readilyavailable data.
Even though more receny numbers arenot available, Judger Ben Tennille, the chief special superior court judgre for complex business said he is certain the number of cases filed in the businessa court has continued to grow. "The caseloadx was building up so that it was difficuly for me to handle everything on my before the new judgeswere added, said who said his workloafd is as heavy as it was a year ago, even with the extrs help. Cases can be sent to the courtg intwo ways. Historically, the partied involved in what they feel wasa "compledx business case" could request the case be moved from countyt superior court into the specialized cour t system.
Under legislative changes approvein 2005, some cases -- such as those involving antitrustf or intellectual property issues -- are now automatically referred to the businessz court. While the court has locationes inthe state's three largest metropolitan areas, judgeds frequently travel to other parts of the state to oversewe trials, especially jury trials. Tennille and local attorneyz say that despite the increase in the number of caseas being heard by thebusinessa court, they don't think the overall amount of business litigatiomn in the state has risen dramatically.
Instead, they say, attorneys are more frequentlyg filing cases on a state rather than a federalp level to speed up thejudiciapl process. They also are becoming more comfortable askingb for those cases to be heard by the business court as they become more familiarwith it. One of the biggesft reasons for a boostin N.C. Business Courtg cases in recent years may be the hesitancy of some attorneyss to file cases infederal court. Whilse some types of litigation must be either federal or state in many instances the parties involved can decide under what jurisdiction they wantto file. The U.S.
Middl e District of North Carolina has two vacant judgeships out of four seatsw inthe district, and there are four open federa l judgeships statewide, according to the Department of Justice. The vacancies have increasec the workload of the sitting judges and lengthened the time it takeds for a case to be Since criminal cases are given priority overcivil cases, attorneyds say it can be two or three yearsw before a business case actually is heard. However, even with the growtb in the numberof cases, attorneys say a case generallu can be resolved in the N.C. Business Courtf in about a year.
Since delay often mean more cost, and uncertainty, for the parties attorneys say they are finding it makes more and more sense to file inthe N.C. Businessx Court instead of federallywhen possible. "Clients want not to be tied up in saidErik Albright, a litigatiohn attorney with Smith Moore in Greensboro. "They don' want to be bogged down in the courtf system and spending money on trialsand attorneys. They want to be able to devotd those resources totheir businesses.
" While attorneyse say it's too early to tell if the additional judges are having a significanft impact on the time it take to have a case heard, the expectatiojn is the two additional judges will help alleviate any potential slowdowns at leasty for a few years, even as the numberf of cases continues to grow. Another reason for the increase in business court lawyers say, is that members of the bar are becomingh more comfortable with the businesa court. When the N.C. Business Court openef in 1996 it was one of the first in the and many attorneys were hesitant for their clients to be the guine a pigs in thenew system.
But over time, more attorneye have found they enjoy the advantagesw of a case being hear d inbusiness court, from knowing one judg will hear the case from start to finishj (regular Superior Court judges are rotated, so a handful of judgess may be involved in one to working with a judgs who specializes in business law. One of the big advantagea to the N.C. Business Court is the increasing predictability that comes with a decade of decisions and growingcase law, said Bob Elster, a partnert in the commercial litigation practice at Kilpatrick Stocktoh in Winston-Salem.
Judges in the business court are required to writee an opinion on every nonjury Elster said that means attorneys can see how a judges has ruled in similart cases to know the likelihood of a verdict being rendered in theier favor or to better establishtheif arguments, which can help ease a lot of the uncertaint about taking a matter to court.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Counties scramble for stimulus funds for water projects - Washington Business Journal:
tenamup.wordpress.com
The money, announced by the last includes $30.8 million for wastewater projectsand $19.7 million for drinkingt water upgrades. Although not as large as the highwau projects being funded by the stimulus the work still will create dozens of construction jobs The money is being channeled through the Clean for the wastewate projects and the Drinking Water StateRevolvingt Fund. The money, which is being administerex by thestate , must be spent by Februargy 2010 or it will be redistributedr to other states. Ordinarily, thosd two funds provide low-interest loans to the counties for municipa lwater projects.
But, because the fundw are part of the federalstimulus package, theres will be zero interest and the principaol will be forgiven, which means the moneu will be free. The Big Island plands to go out to bid in the next four to eighty weeks for its two wastewater projects the replacementof large-capacity cesspools in Honokaa and Komohana The stimulus will fund $6.2 million for the Honokaa with the balance of $6 millionn coming from the stat revolving fund. Stimulus money will covedr the entire cost ofthe $1.3t5 million Komohana Heights project, said Lono Tyson, directorf of the Hawaii County Department of Environmentaol Management.
The two projects will generate approximately two dozen depending on how many people thecontractors hire, he There may be other jobs generatefd by people choosing to hook up to the countgy sewer system after the cesspools are Fifteen to 20 contractors attended a recent pre-bid meeting for the Tyson said. “There’s a lot of a lot of interest,” he said. “Thesed people also know that, becauswe it’s stimulus-driven, these projects are going to Kauai Countyofficials haven’t gottem that far for the expansiom of the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plan.
“We’re scrambling to get our RFP packagw put together for saidEd Tschupp, chief of the county’ss wastewater division. The stimulus will fund $7.5 million of the totalp $12 million cost of the design-build project, and probably will generates about 40 jobs overthe two-yeaer construction period, he said. “It’s a significangt project for the Tschupp said. “It’s probably the largest projectg that the wastewater managemenf division has managed ina while.” Other wastewater projects receiving stimulus funds are the firstr phase of the Waimalu sewer rehabilitation on Oahu, which will receive $7.
85 million toward its $50 million and countywide pump station renovations for Maui which will get $7.5 millionj toward the $9.5 million cost. Drinking water which will receivebetween $1.6 milliojn and $4.9 million, includer replacement of water mains in Pacifid Heights and Kapahulu on Oahu and in Waimea Canyomn on Kauai; water line replacements in Lihue on Kauaj and in Wailuku and Kihei on a water tank replacement in West Olinda on and the development of a well in South Kohala on the Big
The money, announced by the last includes $30.8 million for wastewater projectsand $19.7 million for drinkingt water upgrades. Although not as large as the highwau projects being funded by the stimulus the work still will create dozens of construction jobs The money is being channeled through the Clean for the wastewate projects and the Drinking Water StateRevolvingt Fund. The money, which is being administerex by thestate , must be spent by Februargy 2010 or it will be redistributedr to other states. Ordinarily, thosd two funds provide low-interest loans to the counties for municipa lwater projects.
But, because the fundw are part of the federalstimulus package, theres will be zero interest and the principaol will be forgiven, which means the moneu will be free. The Big Island plands to go out to bid in the next four to eighty weeks for its two wastewater projects the replacementof large-capacity cesspools in Honokaa and Komohana The stimulus will fund $6.2 million for the Honokaa with the balance of $6 millionn coming from the stat revolving fund. Stimulus money will covedr the entire cost ofthe $1.3t5 million Komohana Heights project, said Lono Tyson, directorf of the Hawaii County Department of Environmentaol Management.
The two projects will generate approximately two dozen depending on how many people thecontractors hire, he There may be other jobs generatefd by people choosing to hook up to the countgy sewer system after the cesspools are Fifteen to 20 contractors attended a recent pre-bid meeting for the Tyson said. “There’s a lot of a lot of interest,” he said. “Thesed people also know that, becauswe it’s stimulus-driven, these projects are going to Kauai Countyofficials haven’t gottem that far for the expansiom of the Waimea Wastewater Treatment Plan.
“We’re scrambling to get our RFP packagw put together for saidEd Tschupp, chief of the county’ss wastewater division. The stimulus will fund $7.5 million of the totalp $12 million cost of the design-build project, and probably will generates about 40 jobs overthe two-yeaer construction period, he said. “It’s a significangt project for the Tschupp said. “It’s probably the largest projectg that the wastewater managemenf division has managed ina while.” Other wastewater projects receiving stimulus funds are the firstr phase of the Waimalu sewer rehabilitation on Oahu, which will receive $7.
85 million toward its $50 million and countywide pump station renovations for Maui which will get $7.5 millionj toward the $9.5 million cost. Drinking water which will receivebetween $1.6 milliojn and $4.9 million, includer replacement of water mains in Pacifid Heights and Kapahulu on Oahu and in Waimea Canyomn on Kauai; water line replacements in Lihue on Kauaj and in Wailuku and Kihei on a water tank replacement in West Olinda on and the development of a well in South Kohala on the Big
Monday, November 14, 2011
People to know in energy - Denver Business Journal:
iwibacibem.wordpress.com
Subsidiary of 370 17th St., Suite Denver, CO 80202 www.encana.com Jeff Wojahm is an executive vice president ofEnCana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) baserd in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and in 2006 was named presideny of EnCana Oil Gas (USA) Inc., the company’s U.S. division that’s basexd in Denver. EnCana announced plans in May 2008 to splift intotwo companies, an oil compangy and a natural gas company, and Wojahj has been designated president of the U.S. divisionj of the new natural gas He leads one of the largestt natural gas producersin Colorado, with 800 employees in the company’ws downtown Denver headquarters.
Wojahn is responsible for all of EnCana’a exploration and production activities in the United which includes fourof EnCana’s key natural gas resource Colorado and Wyoming in the Rockies, and Fort Worth and the East Texasw basins of Texas. 4041 Hanover Ave., Suitre 200, Boulder, CO 80305 www.renewablechoice.com Quaylse Hodek, CEO of Boulder-basex Renewable Choice Energy, six yearxs ago founded the company that’s at the forefrony of a nationwide surge in renewableenergy credits. The private companhy sells credits representing suppor t forrenewable energy. Clients include , the largest purchasedr of renewable energy credits in the and .
The ski compant in August 2006bought 152,000 megawatt-hours of wind credits a year each year to power its five mountainm resorts, lodging properties and retaikl outlets, as well as Vail Resorts’ corporater headquarters in Broomfield. Both deals are ranked among the top 25 biggesft purchases of renewable energyh creditsever announced. Hodekk also helped create the “Green-e Certification Program,” an industr check on whether sold creditsx match up with windenergy produced. Renewablre Choice was one of the first companies to be andin 2007, started offering carbon offsets for 2639 Spruce St. , Boulder, CO 80302 www.namastesolar.
com In Blake Jones, president of Namaste Solafr Electric Inc., was in Nepal, installintg solar power systems when Colorado votere approved an effort to use more wind and solar powe r inthe state. He came home to start Namastde withtwo others. The Boulder-based designer and installer of solafr power generating systems for homes and businessed employed 28 people as ofearlyy 2008, and planned to add another 12 in 2008. The company’e revenue has doubled every year, and the company has workefd on some ofthe highest-profile solar systemas in the state.
In 2007 the company installedr photovoltaic panels to generate electricity at thehistoric Governor’s Mansion in Denver and at the 4-year-old . In 2008, the company opener a new office in Denvedr and installed panels on top ofthe . A subsidiaryg of 1225 17th St., Denver, CO 80202 www.xcelenergy.comk Tim Taylor is president and CEO of Public Service Company of a subsidiary of XcelEnergy Inc. (NYSE: Xcel is based in Minneapolis and serveas morethan 3.3 million electricity customerzs and 1.8 million natural gas customerws in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. is the largest powerd and natural gas utilityin Colorado, serving abou t 1.
3 million customers, roughlty 70 percent of the state’s Its territory is centered on the Denvere metro area and along the Interstate 70 Xcel has been ranked the No. 1 utilith in the nation three years in a row by the for its use of wind The companyruns Solar*Rewards, offeringg rebates on solar power and is investing $100 million, with its in the nation’s first “Smart Grid in Boulder.
Subsidiary of 370 17th St., Suite Denver, CO 80202 www.encana.com Jeff Wojahm is an executive vice president ofEnCana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) baserd in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and in 2006 was named presideny of EnCana Oil Gas (USA) Inc., the company’s U.S. division that’s basexd in Denver. EnCana announced plans in May 2008 to splift intotwo companies, an oil compangy and a natural gas company, and Wojahj has been designated president of the U.S. divisionj of the new natural gas He leads one of the largestt natural gas producersin Colorado, with 800 employees in the company’ws downtown Denver headquarters.
Wojahn is responsible for all of EnCana’a exploration and production activities in the United which includes fourof EnCana’s key natural gas resource Colorado and Wyoming in the Rockies, and Fort Worth and the East Texasw basins of Texas. 4041 Hanover Ave., Suitre 200, Boulder, CO 80305 www.renewablechoice.com Quaylse Hodek, CEO of Boulder-basex Renewable Choice Energy, six yearxs ago founded the company that’s at the forefrony of a nationwide surge in renewableenergy credits. The private companhy sells credits representing suppor t forrenewable energy. Clients include , the largest purchasedr of renewable energy credits in the and .
The ski compant in August 2006bought 152,000 megawatt-hours of wind credits a year each year to power its five mountainm resorts, lodging properties and retaikl outlets, as well as Vail Resorts’ corporater headquarters in Broomfield. Both deals are ranked among the top 25 biggesft purchases of renewable energyh creditsever announced. Hodekk also helped create the “Green-e Certification Program,” an industr check on whether sold creditsx match up with windenergy produced. Renewablre Choice was one of the first companies to be andin 2007, started offering carbon offsets for 2639 Spruce St. , Boulder, CO 80302 www.namastesolar.
com In Blake Jones, president of Namaste Solafr Electric Inc., was in Nepal, installintg solar power systems when Colorado votere approved an effort to use more wind and solar powe r inthe state. He came home to start Namastde withtwo others. The Boulder-based designer and installer of solafr power generating systems for homes and businessed employed 28 people as ofearlyy 2008, and planned to add another 12 in 2008. The company’e revenue has doubled every year, and the company has workefd on some ofthe highest-profile solar systemas in the state.
In 2007 the company installedr photovoltaic panels to generate electricity at thehistoric Governor’s Mansion in Denver and at the 4-year-old . In 2008, the company opener a new office in Denvedr and installed panels on top ofthe . A subsidiaryg of 1225 17th St., Denver, CO 80202 www.xcelenergy.comk Tim Taylor is president and CEO of Public Service Company of a subsidiary of XcelEnergy Inc. (NYSE: Xcel is based in Minneapolis and serveas morethan 3.3 million electricity customerzs and 1.8 million natural gas customerws in Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin. is the largest powerd and natural gas utilityin Colorado, serving abou t 1.
3 million customers, roughlty 70 percent of the state’s Its territory is centered on the Denvere metro area and along the Interstate 70 Xcel has been ranked the No. 1 utilith in the nation three years in a row by the for its use of wind The companyruns Solar*Rewards, offeringg rebates on solar power and is investing $100 million, with its in the nation’s first “Smart Grid in Boulder.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Afternoon Fix: Perry makes $1 million Fox News buy - Washington Post (blog)
xysecurakihir.blogspot.com
Afternoon Fix: Perry makes $1 million Fox News buy Washington Post (blog) Make sure to sign up to get “Afternoon Fix†in your e-mail inbox every day by 5 (ish) pm EARLIER ON THE FIX: Senate recruits Mack, Heitkamp and Carmona have a lot to prove Rick Perry: Is he the worst presidential debater ever? ... |
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Credit card processing company grows business by evolving strategy - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
ymekovo.wordpress.com
Henry Helgeson and Scott Zdanis establishec the company in 1998 as a reseller of credit card processing terminals overthe Internet. To a smallee extent the company provided processing of credigcard transactions. But as margin compressio made equipment salesless profitable, the partnera responded by ramping up processing Today, its processing services constitute 90 percent of its totalk gross revenue, while equipment and software sales are 10 Business has been so brisj — it signed up 2,300 new customer s in April alone — that the company is planningf to increase its sales forcee by 30 percent or 40 percentt within the next 60 days.
“We basicallu are getting more businesses trying to signup (for our services) than we have the capacity for, and we’re trying to staff up for that as quickl as possible,” says Helgeson, 34, who servews as president and co-CEO. Co-founderf Zdanis has since moved to Miami and plays a less activee role inthe company. Merchant Warehoused acts as a third-party facilitating payment transactions between merchants and creditfcard issuers, essentially by getting money off of the consumer’xs credit card and into the business’z bank account.
Its residual-based business modelk makes money by charging for that service on each Sinceits inception, the 150-employee compangy estimates serving a cumulative tota l of more than 87,000 customers nationwide primarily small and medium-size businesses; about 56,000 are active accounts rightr now, with most of the attritioh due to companies going out of Helgeson notes. Today, Merchant Warehouse is processing morethan 3.5 millionj payment transactions per month. After hitting $27.3 million in revenue in 2008, the companyt is shooting for $32 million to $34 million this Helgeson says Merchant Warehouss has also benefited by becoming more ofa technology-drivejn company.
“When we started to hire our own softwared developers and build ourown infrastructure, as far as compute r systems and technology to run this that really put us into a hyper-growth mode,” he Five years ago, the company hired its firsy software developer. It subsequently built its own sophisticatedc customer relationship managementsystem in-house that has enabledc the company to better measure the performance of its accountes and staff. And 18 months ago, it completeds the development of the necessary infrastructur e to begin processing some transactions through its own electronif gateway herein Boston.
It continuess to utilize three large outside firms to assisgt in processing the bulk ofthe transactions. The companhy also works with a pool of abouyt100 point-of-sale system resellers, who often referd business to Merchant Warehouse. The companty has also used technology to innovate its services in an industry where Helgesonm says the competitionis fierce. “Our industry has been pretty much plain, vanilla creditg and debit processing,” Helgeson says. “We had to look at it and say, ‘Whag can we do here to differentiatwe ourselves?
’ ” For instance, it offers wireleszs credit card processing services to iPhone and BlackBerry users who have installerd its software applications ontheif PDAs. Those mobile merchants now represent 10 perceny to 15 percent ofthe company’s new accounts. It has also partneredc with another company, , to developl a card reader that encryptd the credit card number as it is beint swiped to help preventsecuritt breaches.
“They’re a very impressive group,” says Steve vice president of , an Atlanta-based firm that Merchan t Warehouse has engaged for some of its processing services for many He attributesthe firm’s growth to “some very shrewd investments in technology and being ahead of the curves in terms of technology and how to use it to drive traffic (to their and training their sales reps to capitalizr on that traffic.
”
Henry Helgeson and Scott Zdanis establishec the company in 1998 as a reseller of credit card processing terminals overthe Internet. To a smallee extent the company provided processing of credigcard transactions. But as margin compressio made equipment salesless profitable, the partnera responded by ramping up processing Today, its processing services constitute 90 percent of its totalk gross revenue, while equipment and software sales are 10 Business has been so brisj — it signed up 2,300 new customer s in April alone — that the company is planningf to increase its sales forcee by 30 percent or 40 percentt within the next 60 days.
“We basicallu are getting more businesses trying to signup (for our services) than we have the capacity for, and we’re trying to staff up for that as quickl as possible,” says Helgeson, 34, who servews as president and co-CEO. Co-founderf Zdanis has since moved to Miami and plays a less activee role inthe company. Merchant Warehoused acts as a third-party facilitating payment transactions between merchants and creditfcard issuers, essentially by getting money off of the consumer’xs credit card and into the business’z bank account.
Its residual-based business modelk makes money by charging for that service on each Sinceits inception, the 150-employee compangy estimates serving a cumulative tota l of more than 87,000 customers nationwide primarily small and medium-size businesses; about 56,000 are active accounts rightr now, with most of the attritioh due to companies going out of Helgeson notes. Today, Merchant Warehouse is processing morethan 3.5 millionj payment transactions per month. After hitting $27.3 million in revenue in 2008, the companyt is shooting for $32 million to $34 million this Helgeson says Merchant Warehouss has also benefited by becoming more ofa technology-drivejn company.
“When we started to hire our own softwared developers and build ourown infrastructure, as far as compute r systems and technology to run this that really put us into a hyper-growth mode,” he Five years ago, the company hired its firsy software developer. It subsequently built its own sophisticatedc customer relationship managementsystem in-house that has enabledc the company to better measure the performance of its accountes and staff. And 18 months ago, it completeds the development of the necessary infrastructur e to begin processing some transactions through its own electronif gateway herein Boston.
It continuess to utilize three large outside firms to assisgt in processing the bulk ofthe transactions. The companhy also works with a pool of abouyt100 point-of-sale system resellers, who often referd business to Merchant Warehouse. The companty has also used technology to innovate its services in an industry where Helgesonm says the competitionis fierce. “Our industry has been pretty much plain, vanilla creditg and debit processing,” Helgeson says. “We had to look at it and say, ‘Whag can we do here to differentiatwe ourselves?
’ ” For instance, it offers wireleszs credit card processing services to iPhone and BlackBerry users who have installerd its software applications ontheif PDAs. Those mobile merchants now represent 10 perceny to 15 percent ofthe company’s new accounts. It has also partneredc with another company, , to developl a card reader that encryptd the credit card number as it is beint swiped to help preventsecuritt breaches.
“They’re a very impressive group,” says Steve vice president of , an Atlanta-based firm that Merchan t Warehouse has engaged for some of its processing services for many He attributesthe firm’s growth to “some very shrewd investments in technology and being ahead of the curves in terms of technology and how to use it to drive traffic (to their and training their sales reps to capitalizr on that traffic.
”
Monday, November 7, 2011
Un superbe Challenge de lutte à Nègrepelisse - LaDépêche.fr
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LaDépêche.fr | Un superbe Challenge de lutte à Nègrepelisse LaDépêche.fr Metty Greneron (Mancon); 58 kg, 1. Eva Lanfroidnaz (Cenon); 63 kg, 1. Pauline Lecarpentier (Cote d'Opale). Cadets. 42 kg, 1. Alex Audin (US Métro); 46 kg, 1. Luca Memma (Comité Nord); 50 kg, 1. Jérome Douay (Bagnolet); 54 kg, 1. ... |
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Columbus Landmarks names new chief - Business First of Columbus:
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The organization, formed in the wake of Union Station'zs 1977 demolition, has hit 30 years protecting city building s of the past and promoting qualityfuturee construction. One of the foundation's major continuing projects isCity Hop, an annual tour of Columbus' burgeoning downtown residential marketf that just wrapped its eighth year. Columbus Landmarks also has filledx its vacanttop post, naming Clintonville resident Kathu Mast Kane its new executive director. Former directoe Kate Matheny left the foundation in January to take a job as communituy partnerships and grant coordinator with the Frankli County Office of Managementand Budget.
Matheny had been the executivwe director forseven years, making a $45,000 salary before she resigned. Kane's salary was Kane has been involved with localk preservation efforts for more than 25 yeares throughthe , the , the and several otherf organizations. The Columbus Landmarks Foundationj counts more than 400 individuals and corporations in its The foundation reported funding morethan $168,000 in grants and allocationsz for city preservation in its fiscak year ended June 30, 2006. That year it took in more than $190,00 in revenue.
The organization, formed in the wake of Union Station'zs 1977 demolition, has hit 30 years protecting city building s of the past and promoting qualityfuturee construction. One of the foundation's major continuing projects isCity Hop, an annual tour of Columbus' burgeoning downtown residential marketf that just wrapped its eighth year. Columbus Landmarks also has filledx its vacanttop post, naming Clintonville resident Kathu Mast Kane its new executive director. Former directoe Kate Matheny left the foundation in January to take a job as communituy partnerships and grant coordinator with the Frankli County Office of Managementand Budget.
Matheny had been the executivwe director forseven years, making a $45,000 salary before she resigned. Kane's salary was Kane has been involved with localk preservation efforts for more than 25 yeares throughthe , the , the and several otherf organizations. The Columbus Landmarks Foundationj counts more than 400 individuals and corporations in its The foundation reported funding morethan $168,000 in grants and allocationsz for city preservation in its fiscak year ended June 30, 2006. That year it took in more than $190,00 in revenue.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Speculators steering clear of Seattle's condo market - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):
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What they're not: speculators who want to flip thepropertty quickly, said Leslie Williams, president of Seattle-based . Only 5 perceng of 274 buyers surveyed at Olivde 8 and 5th and Madisoncondo high-risea said they were purchasinbg the property only as an investment, accordingb to Williams Marketing. The figurer has changed as the housing market has slowe d and the potential to flip quickltyhas evaporated, said Williams, whose company marketsd Olive 8, 5th and Madison and Mosler In the late 10 percent to 12 percen of condo buyers were typically investors, a figurse that really started to shift in 2005. "There's no flipper market," said Williams.
"That investo r market has really, really gone way The face of condo buyeres in downtown Seattle has shifted over the past several Buyers now represent a wide range ofincome ages, marital status and job More Eastsiders are buying downtown to avoid the and more baby boomers are looking at downtown condox than was the case a few years ago. Employmengt trends point to further shifts in the Job growth predictions suggest newhires won'gt be condo buyers, since many of the new jobs are expectec in industries that pay less than $50,000 a While demographics vary in different more than 25 percent of buyerss surveyed at Williams' three projects are between 50 and 75 yearsa old, a shift away from the 30-somethinfg buyer that was typical downtown.
Many older buyers are lookinhg for alifestyle change. That'sw why Kathie and John Truax, in theirt 60s, plan to sell their 3,700-square-footg home in Richland and move into a condko half that size indowntown high-risw Escala. The 275-unit building, developed by , is schedule d for completion in 2009. The Truaxes' condo has a pricew tag of morethan $1 million. The couple wantecd to live closerto stores, restaurantsd and city life. "We just you know, this is a great life, but let' s go do something crazy," said Kathie Truax. In contrast to the Truaxes, younge buyers have fewer options, and they choosed carefully, paying close attentiob to price.
When Ming Li, 26, went shoppin g for a condo downtown, the Amazon software developerf looked at several projects before buyinga $415,0090 loft at The Klee Lofts and Suites in Belltown. Li, who closefd on his loft earlierdthis week, said he chose the projec because it fit his price range and was different from othersx he had looked at. Despite a wide-ranginvg supply of condos, Li said he didn't see many pric breaks or move-in incentives. "I think a lot of especially newer places, are still overpricedf given the market," he said. firm doesn't extensively track buyers' income, but said it ranged dramatically.
In Olive 8, for example, totao household income is as lowas $60,000 and as high as $250,000. Olive 8'se 231 units range in price from $350,000 to $4.4 The project has been selling since Februart 2006 and has 50units left, ranging from $635,00p and $4.4 million. Williams estimatews that the average downtown condo buyer has a total householx income ofabout $150,000. Otherf condo buyers have chosen to buy in downtown Seattlde to avoid the hassleof commuting. Forty-seven perceny of 357 downtown condo buyers surveyed who commuted said they trave five miles or lessto work. Twenty-three percent commute within one mile, according to Williamd Marketing.
Seth Sonenthal, 47, sold his home in Bellevue last year and boughtf a condo inMosler Lofts, a 152-unitg building with prices that ranged from $185,009 to $2.2 million. Sonenthal'ds daughter was grown, and he wanted to live closer to his job as an IT manageer at anoffice downtown. His 650-square-foot loft cost about "I went from a commutwe that would sometimes be up to an hour or more to now walkingh or ridingmy bike." Such convenience may not be as and buyers less plentiful, in the King County job growth is expected to with an average annual growth rate of 1.
2 percent predicted for the county betweemn 2009 and 2014, according to the Washington Statwe Employment Security Department. Betweeh 2006 and 2007, the rate of job growth droppedfrom 2.9 percen a year to 1.8 percent as the economy entered a Most of the job growth over the next six yearx will be in middle wage-paying industries such as administrativs services and health care, jobs that typically pay $30,00p to $45,000 a year.
What they're not: speculators who want to flip thepropertty quickly, said Leslie Williams, president of Seattle-based . Only 5 perceng of 274 buyers surveyed at Olivde 8 and 5th and Madisoncondo high-risea said they were purchasinbg the property only as an investment, accordingb to Williams Marketing. The figurer has changed as the housing market has slowe d and the potential to flip quickltyhas evaporated, said Williams, whose company marketsd Olive 8, 5th and Madison and Mosler In the late 10 percent to 12 percen of condo buyers were typically investors, a figurse that really started to shift in 2005. "There's no flipper market," said Williams.
"That investo r market has really, really gone way The face of condo buyeres in downtown Seattle has shifted over the past several Buyers now represent a wide range ofincome ages, marital status and job More Eastsiders are buying downtown to avoid the and more baby boomers are looking at downtown condox than was the case a few years ago. Employmengt trends point to further shifts in the Job growth predictions suggest newhires won'gt be condo buyers, since many of the new jobs are expectec in industries that pay less than $50,000 a While demographics vary in different more than 25 percent of buyerss surveyed at Williams' three projects are between 50 and 75 yearsa old, a shift away from the 30-somethinfg buyer that was typical downtown.
Many older buyers are lookinhg for alifestyle change. That'sw why Kathie and John Truax, in theirt 60s, plan to sell their 3,700-square-footg home in Richland and move into a condko half that size indowntown high-risw Escala. The 275-unit building, developed by , is schedule d for completion in 2009. The Truaxes' condo has a pricew tag of morethan $1 million. The couple wantecd to live closerto stores, restaurantsd and city life. "We just you know, this is a great life, but let' s go do something crazy," said Kathie Truax. In contrast to the Truaxes, younge buyers have fewer options, and they choosed carefully, paying close attentiob to price.
When Ming Li, 26, went shoppin g for a condo downtown, the Amazon software developerf looked at several projects before buyinga $415,0090 loft at The Klee Lofts and Suites in Belltown. Li, who closefd on his loft earlierdthis week, said he chose the projec because it fit his price range and was different from othersx he had looked at. Despite a wide-ranginvg supply of condos, Li said he didn't see many pric breaks or move-in incentives. "I think a lot of especially newer places, are still overpricedf given the market," he said. firm doesn't extensively track buyers' income, but said it ranged dramatically.
In Olive 8, for example, totao household income is as lowas $60,000 and as high as $250,000. Olive 8'se 231 units range in price from $350,000 to $4.4 The project has been selling since Februart 2006 and has 50units left, ranging from $635,00p and $4.4 million. Williams estimatews that the average downtown condo buyer has a total householx income ofabout $150,000. Otherf condo buyers have chosen to buy in downtown Seattlde to avoid the hassleof commuting. Forty-seven perceny of 357 downtown condo buyers surveyed who commuted said they trave five miles or lessto work. Twenty-three percent commute within one mile, according to Williamd Marketing.
Seth Sonenthal, 47, sold his home in Bellevue last year and boughtf a condo inMosler Lofts, a 152-unitg building with prices that ranged from $185,009 to $2.2 million. Sonenthal'ds daughter was grown, and he wanted to live closer to his job as an IT manageer at anoffice downtown. His 650-square-foot loft cost about "I went from a commutwe that would sometimes be up to an hour or more to now walkingh or ridingmy bike." Such convenience may not be as and buyers less plentiful, in the King County job growth is expected to with an average annual growth rate of 1.
2 percent predicted for the county betweemn 2009 and 2014, according to the Washington Statwe Employment Security Department. Betweeh 2006 and 2007, the rate of job growth droppedfrom 2.9 percen a year to 1.8 percent as the economy entered a Most of the job growth over the next six yearx will be in middle wage-paying industries such as administrativs services and health care, jobs that typically pay $30,00p to $45,000 a year.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Amazon.com kills N.C. affiliate program - The Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area:
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In an e-mail message to associatezs – businesses that get a commissionj because they link their Web sitesto Amazon.com, generating sales for the onlinr retail giant – Amazon.com said the associates’ accountes have been closed as a “directy result of the unconstitutional tax collection scheme” expectedr to be passed by lawmakers and signedc by Gov. Bev Perdue. “We were forced to take this unfortunatee action in anticipation of actual enactmentr because of uncertainties surroundingthe legislation’s effective the message continued. Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) collectr sales tax in only a few states.
But Nortb Carolina is trying to bridge a budget gap of morethan $4 A provision in the budget would allow a “click-through allowing the state to tax retailers that do not have a physicap presence in North Carolina but that use affiliates that do have a physicaol presence in the state. Amazon has challenge d a similar provision in NewYork state. Amazomn added in its message that if North Carolinsa rescindsthe tax, the company would reope the associates program in North Carolina.
In an e-mail message to associatezs – businesses that get a commissionj because they link their Web sitesto Amazon.com, generating sales for the onlinr retail giant – Amazon.com said the associates’ accountes have been closed as a “directy result of the unconstitutional tax collection scheme” expectedr to be passed by lawmakers and signedc by Gov. Bev Perdue. “We were forced to take this unfortunatee action in anticipation of actual enactmentr because of uncertainties surroundingthe legislation’s effective the message continued. Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN) collectr sales tax in only a few states.
But Nortb Carolina is trying to bridge a budget gap of morethan $4 A provision in the budget would allow a “click-through allowing the state to tax retailers that do not have a physicap presence in North Carolina but that use affiliates that do have a physicaol presence in the state. Amazon has challenge d a similar provision in NewYork state. Amazomn added in its message that if North Carolinsa rescindsthe tax, the company would reope the associates program in North Carolina.
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