WikiLeaks Releases Damning “Global Intelligence Files” - iNEWP- Freedom of Speech

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WikiLeaks Releases Damning “Global Intelligence Files” iNEWP- Freedom of Speech Today WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files â€" more than five million emails from the Texas-headquartered “global intelligen ce” company Stratfor. The emails date from between July 2004 and late December 2011. GET READY FOR ANOTHER EXPOSE' This time having to do with global intelligence firm Sky V »

Brewers among tops in fan satisfaction - Baltimore Business Journal:

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According to the “Ultimate Standings: Fan Satisfaction in ESPN The Magazine's most recent the Brewers trailed only the of Anaheim for fan satisfactiom amongMLB teams. The Angels were numbert one in all of sportsin 2009. More than 50,000 fans participatedf in the survey, which rated each franchis e ineight categories. The Breweres placed among the top franchisee in the categories ofaffordabilitg (third), stadium experience (third), bang for the buck (seventh) and ownershipo (14th).
“This is our annual report card as gradexd bythe fans, and we are pleasedc that fans value the Brewers and Miller Park experiencs so highly,” said Rick Schlesinger, Brewers executived vice president – business operations. “At all levels of our we continue to focus on delivering a consistentlhy competitive teamand best-in-class entertainment experience, and we know that we need to make this our top priority every day.” The Brewerxs have risen in the overall rankings for all sportzs in each of the past five In 2004, the franchise ranked 112thg before jumping to 45th in 2005. The Brewera moved up to 17th in 2006, 16th in 2007 and 13th in 2008.
The rankesd 13th overall, taking the top rankinh in stadium experience. The ranked 110th, with rankingsa of 116th -- or seventhj worst -- in three categories: stadium experience, playersx and title track, a measure of championships won or expectesd in the lifetime ofcurrent fans.

Van de Putte says no to 2010 governor

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There had been considerable speculation during the last few monthsa that Van de a four-term incumbent, might throws her hat in the ring for the governor’sd race next year. But she squelched that idea today in a statementy that is harshly criticaklof Gov. Rick Perry and U.S. Sen. Kay Baile Hutchison. “If I believes for a second that it would result in a healtht debate of the issues of most importancee toTexas families, I would today be announcing my candidacy for governotr of Texas,” Van de Putte “But we have all watched over the years as Hutchison, and other Republican politicians have launched theie scorched earth ‘say anything to vicious attacks against political opponents.
To mask theirr utter lack of leadership, they’ll do so and I decline to put my familythrougjh it.” Hutchison is widely believes to be gearing up to challenge Perrhy in the Republican primary for governoer next year. So far the only Democrat to formallty announce in the race is Tom who served as ambassadot to Australia under PresidentgGeorge W. Bush. Van de Putte says she plans to keep her focusw on the state Legislature and isencouraging State. Sen. Kirk Watson, to consider a bid for governor.
“Democratws should recruit and supportsomeone who, like is energetic, pragmatic, and smart; and who can fully energizr Democratic supporters while also attractinvg a broad range of independent votera in every region of the state,” she

Streetcar work in progress - Charlotte Business Journal:

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This month, a streetcar advisory committee made severa recommendations to City Council in the latest bid to accelerate the construction schedule that currently calls for a starf date in 2018 and completion five years Support from both sides of the political as well as business andcivicf leaders, gave the streetcat renewed momentum during the past year. But economi reality has slammed onthe brakes. “Iu would hope everyone sees this as an opportunity to stimulated the economyin Charlotte,” says Ron president at and chairman of the streetcar committee. “I don’tt see it as a drag.
” Cartere and other boosters say it’s difficult to put a timeframes on building the streetcar until further planninfg and engineering workis completed. Amon the tasks: zeroing in on the now estimatedat $457 As recently as 2006, the price tag was $300 City Manager Curt Walton recommended fundingb the additional planning and studhy during a recent budget retreat, with an expectedf $8 million cost. If the city signs off on that it would likelybe late-2010 before the additionak studies and design work are “Then we’ll know what we’re dealing Walton says.
A city-funded $250,000 consultant’s report completef earlier this year predicted a surge inpropertyt values, tax revenue and development along the 10-mile corrdior once the streetcarr is up and running. The proposed routd runs from Beatties Ford Road througyh uptown and Elizabeth toEastlanxd Mall. It could be built all at once or in depending on political will andavailablew funding. Potential funding sourcex suggested by the consultant and the advisor y committee include using some of the new property taxea created by the project to pay backlargerr loans, a neighborhood or district tax, federal and statw money and a possible expanded local transig tax.
Jim Palermo, committee vice chair and executive-in-residence at Johnson and Walesa University, says one idea broachefd by the consultants is a Taxing nonprofit organizations alongthe route, including churches and hospitals. Everyone on the committew is realistic about finding money in thenear “It’s tough,” Palermo says. “But a down economyg is the time when you plan forwhat you’llk do when you come out of First, though, council must approve the initial $8 million — a prospect that elicits differing opinions among members. “It’sa probably a year away,” says John a Republican who headasthe economic-development committee.
Lassiter supporta the streetcar but believesthe city’zs current financial pressures leave no room for even the initiakl funding for the Lassiter’s mayoral rival and Democratic colleague, Anthony offers a differing view. Because the streetcarf study would bea one-time cost, the city should be able to find a way to approve the moneyg in the fiscal 2010 budget that begins in “There is some capacit in our budget to borrow to do somethinhg like this,” he says.

Blue Jackets wave white flag on sin tax bid for Nationwide Arena - Kansas City Business Journal:

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The National Hockey League club’s proposa l to have the county buy the privatel owned arena appears deadfor now, state and county officials told Columbuz Business First on The Blue Jackets have been leadingg discussions on a plan in whicb the state would grant Franklin County commissioners the authorityh to impose or put on the ballot an increases in alcohol and tobacco Money from those additional “sinj taxes” would be used to finance a count y purchase of the which is owned by a partnershi p between Nationwide Arena and Dispatch Printingg Co.
The commissioners said they are against imposing such a tax and need more information from the Blue Jackets on what exactly isbeing “We don’t know what the facts are here,” said Paulaq Brooks, president of the county “We all love the Blue Jackets – I’v been a season-ticket holder since the beginninyg – and we’d all like to see a community-widd effort to get the facts and arrive at what need to be done.” Without support from county and city the alcohol and tobacco tax issuer is dead at the said state Sens. Jim Hughes, and David Goodman, R-New Counties in Ohio need state approval to rais the excise taxon beer, liquor and cigarettes.
“We would be hard-pressede to provide legislation forsomething don’t want to do,” Goodman said. Hughes said theres are no plans to include the sin tax provisioh inthe two-year statw budget bill that will be voted on in the Senats this week. “I see it as a city and countuy issue,” he said. “From my understanding and discussions with the Blue they will go back and try to come up with a solutionh by working with the county and Lobbyists for the beer and tobacco industries had fearecd the excise tax authorization woul d be slipped into the budget bill with no public But the issue became public May 28 whenmediza outlets, including Business First, began reportingb on the Blue Jackets’ proposal.
Many of the storied have included citizen comments against a counth buyout of a privately owned arena during a recession and raising alcohol and tobacco taxes to payfor it. The Blue Jackets have said an unfavorable Nationwide Arena leasd is contributing to financial losses the team has sufferes inrecent years. Blue Jackets Presidenft Mike Priest has pegged the losseseat $80 million over the past seveh years. Club officials have said they think they could get a more favorabl e arena deal if the county ownexthe building.
The team believess it presentedan “articulate and well-thought-out plan” to count and Ohio Senate said Greg Kirstein, the hockeu club’s senior vice president and general “They’ve chosen not to pursue that particular approach,” he “We’re looking forward to working with them on a solution.” The whose majority owner is Worthingto n Industries CEO John P. remains committed to helping creatwea public-private partnership to address the aren a issue, Kirstein said. “This is beyond he said. “In our opinion, it’s abour the Arena District and what’s become the shininhg star of downtown Columbus.
” The Blue Jackets and Nationwidw Arena have had an economic impact of morethan $2 billion sincwe the arena opened in 2000, according to a recent studyh commissioned by the Jackets, Nationwide Realty Investords and the Franklin County Convention Facilities Kirstein and Priest have said the team wantxs to avoid talking about what will happen if the Blue Jackets can’tf get a more favorable arena deal, including the threaty of the team being sold or The Blue Jackets’ arena lease runs through 2026 with thre e five-year renewal options, Kirstein There are no buyout provisions for the Jackets, and Nationwidse would have first righf of refusal to buy the team if it’s put up for Goodman said community leaders should consider every “responsiblee and appropriate avenue” to keep the Blue Jackets from leavinh Columbus.
“This team has become part of the hearg and soul ofthis community,” he said. “It’w an important economic engine, especially to the revitalization ofdowntown Columbus.”

Manitowoc Crane to cut more jobs in Port Washington - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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The layoffs at the facility, 1190 Mineral Springs Drive, are effective immediately, according to a mass layoftf notice filed Wednesday with the Wisconsin Department ofWorkforce Development. Manitowoc Crane management stated in the noticse that the company permanently laid off workers in Aprilp due to the downturn in the economy and a substantiap reduction in production orders atthe plant. “Ag the time of the April 7 layoff, the company anticipated that theses reductions would be sufficient to account for the reducef orders and little or no additional reductionds wouldbe necessary,” the notice “However, based on additional unforeseeable ordef cancellations and the unexpected severity of the recentt economic downturn, we will be forced to make additionalp layoffs.
” Manitowoc’s Port Washington plant previouslg had been occupied by , a supplier to Manitowoc acquired assets of ExacTech in Januaruy 2006 and took over the Manitowoc Crane Group is a unit of (NYSE: MTW), Manitowoc, whicbh makes lattice-boom crawler cranes, tower cranes, mobile telescopic cranexs and boom trucks.

Winds continue to fuel Cudahy fire - Phoenix Business Journal:

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Cudahy Mayor Ryan McCue also urged all businesses in the city to reduce waterr usage and called on residents of the neighboring community of St. Francis to conserve water. “Wre are running short on McCue said. More than 8.5 million gallons of watere had been used by in an attempt to douse a fire in one of the buildinge that make up the Patricl Cudahy meat processing complesx at OneSweet Apple-Wood Lane, just off of Laytonh Avenue, Mayor Ryan McCue said at a 3:30 p.m. press conferencd at Parkview Elementary School, 5555 S. Nicholsobn Ave., within site of the huge plumes of smok billowing fromthe plant.
The city of Milwaukee also has allowedr Cudahy to tap into its water supply to aid in fightingg thestubborn blaze, McCue said. The fire fightingv effort has been expanded to includs 130 firefighters from27 departments, he “The fire continues to flare up,” McCue “The wind has not been our friend.” Also, 75 law enforcemenf officers are on patrol in the McCue declared a state of emergency earlier in the day and indicatex at that time that the National Guard couldd be called in to patrol city However, Cudahy Police Chief Thomas Poellor said the city, along with assistance from othef communities and the state, has resources to keep the city safe as firefighter continue to battle the blaze.
“We don’t anticipate needing the Nationaol Guard,” he said.

Hotel restaurants serve up style - bizjournals:

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Co-founded by Bob Puccinoi and Bill Kimpton, the San Franciscio design firm has helped dozens of hoteles around the worldcreate destination-worthy restaurants that appeal to locals. In San Puccini Group handled the remodel of Fifth Floor and created Ducca at the onMarket “Bill and I formed this company with the idea that it woul d be plug-in restaurant division for owners and flags,” Puccinu said. “In the hotel world, there’a often not a lot of emphasis on foodand beverage.
You have to provid e it, but it takes the form of breakfast room orvery high-end and often neither is as compelling as the restaurants people go to in the Puccini Group aims to change that, one hotel at a Though in some ways spawned by — Puccini helpede establish that company’s restaurant division before going solo Puccini Group is entirelyu independent and agnostic about clients, working with many of the majo hospitality brands. Headquartered in San Francisco, the compan y has small offices in Madrisdand Moscow, too, whic allow it to work all over the including current projects in Morocco and Dubai. Puccini said he travelsx over 250,000 miles a year.
Puccini Group comeds in to create concepts and designds for what it expects tobecom high-volume restaurants that appeal to locals, not tourists. Done Puccini said that one ofhis company’zs redesigns should recoup its cost withinm two years, adding that at one project that opened last year, the restaurant saw a $770,000 gross operatint profit over the prior year. In addition to feasibilituy studies, concepting and design, Puccini Groulp can handle purchasing, pre-opening services and operations. Restaurant design, is the firm’s bread and Some of Puccini Group’s concepts are plug-and-play concepts, like ENO: a wine, chocolat and cheese bar with fivelocations open.
It has signedc a lease to openthe nation’xs sixth ENO in the Westim St. Francis, though no time frame has been set for constructiomnor opening. Others are one-offs, created for a specifiv hotel and city. Bill Kimpton helped Puccini found the businesd in 1996 as a way to take what they weredoingt in-house and make it available to other payinbg customers who wanted their consulting and design skills.
Kimpton continues to use Puccini Grouopfor two-thirds of its new restaurants, said Greg vice president of restaurant concepts and hospitality at “One of the beauties of having a successfupl standalone-feeling restaurant in any locale is that restaurants tend to drive traffic to and througy the hotel, and gives the hotel a good deal of exposure,” LaMothe Puccini Group’s business has slowed with the downturn in as hotels delay new upgrade spending. But fortunesx seem to be turning. Puccinki said the company has pickedf up eight new projects in the past six many of them in secondary or tertiary markets likeLittler Rock, Ark., Omaha, Neb., and Duluth.
“We’re seeing people thinkingt there’s an opportunity to upgrade theirt restaurant, and clearly there Puccini said. “In a lot of it’s easier to spend $800,000 to $1 millio on a restaurant remodelthan (on curtains) ... Restaurantws are really becoming the jewelry of hotels.”

New: Luscious Jackson, Nite Jewel, Ting Tings, Screaming Females - Los Angeles Times

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New: Luscious Jackson, Nite Jewel, Ting Tings, Screaming Females Los Angeles Times This week: Luscious Jackson, Nite Jewel, Screaming Females and the Ting Tings. • Nite Jewel, the smooth synth project of LA musician Ramona Gonzalez, has released a second single from the forthcoming album, “One Second of Love.

DFID deputy head calls on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor - Business Recorder (blog)

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DFID deputy head calls on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governor Business Recorder (blog) The Deputy Head of the Department of International Development (DFID) of Great Britain in Pakistan, Jane Edmondson accompanied by her Advisor, Rosemary Knight called on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor, Barrister Masood Kausar at Governor House, ...

Individual-Mandate Foes Warn of Affordable 'Car' Act - Medscape

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Individual-Mandate Foes Warn of Affordable 'Car' Act Medscape February 7, 2012 â€" In a brief filed with the Supreme Court Monday, elected state officials opposed to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) described a "brave new world" of compulsory and unconstitutional commerce if the law's mandate for individuals to carry ... The ACA Supreme Court Litigation: The States' Medicaid And Minimum Coverage Briefs Health Affai rs (blog) Edwards Wildman | Healthcare Update: White House Brief Says PPACA Can Survive ... Linex Legal (press release) (registration)  »

Funeral industry gears up for boomers

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The projects the annual number of deaths in the Unitefd States will risefrom 2.6 million next year to 3 millionb in 2024 — and 4 million in 2043. “Wwe hear the tidal wave is coming,” said Chrix Meyer, owner of in Carmichael. “We’ve known the (baby boometr trend) has been comingb for some time, so the industryh has been gearing up for thatto happen,” said Bob a Mississippi funeral home operator and an executivs board member of the . “We’ll be able to handle it.” But the industry first has to survivwe the currentdeath trough. The number of deaths in the Uniter States declinedby 0.
9 percent from 2005 to in part because of a mild flu season, accordingv to the . Health care advances have led to record-higgh life expectancies and lower annuall death rates for a range of including stroke, heart diseass and diabetes. “We have actually felt a lighter case Meyer said. “I think some of the biggef funeral homes have felt a precipitouadrop off.” Baby boomeres might live longer than their but sooner or later they’vd got to go.
Those who want traditionap burials should prepare for rising The median cost of a funeral in the United Stateswas $6,196 in 2006, according to a Nationaol Funeral Directors Association survey released last That price, which includes a $2,255 metal casket, was 11 percenr higher than in the association’s survehy in 2004. With the inclusionh of a concrete vault, which many cemeteries the price risesto $7,323. “That’s the funeral that is goinh outof vogue,” said Joshua Slocum, executiv director of nonprofit . He predictsa that the funeral industry will responr to the rising death rate by offeringy cheaper servicesto compete.
“This is not going to causwe a runon embalmers,” he said. “Itf anybody’s going to jump into the embalming businessthinking it’s recession-proof, they’re Baby boomers are not interestedf in their grandma’s funeral.” Cremation rates in the United States increasec from 26 percent in 2000 to 35 percenty in 2007, according to the . The association projectds a rate of 39 percent next year and 59 percentby 2025. “In some placee of California, like Marin County, you’re lookin at a 90 percent cremation rate,” Slocum Cost is a big but there are also demographic changesat work.
“Theyu say the ‘greatest generation’ were more traditional, more religioues people,” Meyer said. “Now, more educated people, more liberalo thinkers (who are) less religious in many ways, tend to ‘It’s all about economics for ” Meyer, whose mortuary offers both cremation and embalming said a traditional buriakcosts $6,000 to $10,000, dependingv on the casket. Cremation costs abou $1,000 to $2,000. In the Sacramento Meyer said, “there’s been an explosion of storefronrtcremation places.” Bodies come in and get shippedr to off-site crematoriums. The ashes are returned in an urn.
“Theyy don’t have the facilities to Meyer said. “They don’t have a It’s wildly cheaper. It’s sort of the Wal-Martification of the funerall industry.” “Green” or “natural” burials are also growing in People are buried in a caskert made of abiodegradable material, such as pine or or they can skip the casker and just be buried in a shroud. Only one cemetery in in Mill Valley, offers green It started offering the servicein 2004.

ABX parent wins business from Qantas, DHL - Houston Business Journal:

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Wilmington-based Inc. (NASDAQ:ATSG) said that ABX under a new agreementy will run charter service six days a weekbetweehn Brussels, Belgium, and Lagos, for DHL affiliate European Air Transport NV/SA. The agreement initiallyg calls for service to runthrough September. As part of the DHL ABX and a newlg formed AirTransport subsidiary, Airborne Maintenance and Engineerinhg Services, will maintain the aircraft in Brusselds and Lagos. Air Transport also said it signeda two-year agreementr with Freight, a subsidiary of Australian carrier Qantas Airway Ltd.
The deal calls for its Air Transporyt International subsidiary to run overnight service between Australiaz and New Zealand every Monday through Thursdah beginningJune 15. Air Transporf said the company will useBoeing 767-200-SF which also will be available for charter servicre and weekend rotations. The new contractsd come amid an ongoing effort from Air Transport to diversify its revenue streajm after losing thousands of jobsas DHL, its primary has made drastic changes to its U.S.
Those moves include halting domestidc point-to-point shipping and planning to shiftt cargo operations tothe Cincinnati-Northern Kentuckyu Airport from the Wilmington Air The Airborne Maintenance subsidiary, which earlierd this year was awarded a $4 millio tax credit for proposed operations in was formed in the wake of DHL’s

Rhythm developer latest to sue would-be buyers - Nashville Business Journal:

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, the Brentwood-based developer of the 105-unit condo building that came onlin ethis spring, filed suit Friday againsg four buyers who would not or could not close on thei r units. The suits, filed in Davidson Counth Chancery Court, accuse the buyers of violating the terms of their contracts and ask for the developer to be awardede the full purchase pricew ofthe units, plus legal costs. The unita range in price from $317,000 to The sour economy, tight lending conditionas for buyers and a glut of new condows coming onto the market in the past year have combineed to slow sales and create financial headaches forcondp developers.
There are legal conflictes with reluctant buyers atseveral Nashville-ares high-rise residential developments. has files suit against buyers who pulleed out of purchasing units at the Bristol West End inMidtowmn Nashville. Jamison Station in Franklin has successfully forces buyers to the closing table with suits against Icon inthe Gulch, a joint venture of Bristol Development and , is also the defendan in several suits by buyers who signec contracts on units there, but claim the developerw were deceptive in their promise and their dealings regarding the Terrazzo in the Gulch has also been sued by buyerse claiming they were misled and that information was not disclosedc properly.
Terrazzo’s developer is Croslanrd Tennessee. Several local condl developments have been put into receivership by lenders. They include the Braxton in Ashland City, 5th & Main in East Nashvills and Rolling Mill Hill indowntown Nashville.