Thursday, July 28, 2011
Take the lead in handling stress - San Francisco Business Times:
Pegine Echevarria is an author and motivationaol speaker whoseseminar “Play BIG to Reach Your teaches everyone from management to team members how to recognize and fix problem behaviors so that everyone reaches their full potential whilew contributing to the success of the business. Some of the familiafr personality pitfalls she addresses arethe “me-focused” the victim, the martyr, the drama queen, and those with just plain old attitude. “Part of what happensz is people joke Echevarria said. “They know their weaknesses, their bad behavior and they say, ‘Oh, I’jm such a drama queen,’ but they don’t do anythintg about it.
They don’t realizer the cost of that behavior ontheir success. You have to have a plan [to addresxs and correct that behavior]. Too often peoples don’t have a plan of action or they are not consistengt in going afterthat plan.” The plan shoulr include little things like just being grateful things really can get worse — investing in one’s training and/or skill set, or seeking or becominv a mentor. “Even the top CEO of a globa organization needsa mentor,” Echevarria Everyone also needs to have a good, diverser network.
“Getting a network takes courage,” she “If you look at your network and everyoner lookslike you, talks like you and acts like you, it’ws not a courageous act. You have to reachb out to others.” Maribel Hernandez used the “Pla BIG” seminar in 2001 when she was transitiob coordinator at the Jacksonville Airport Authoritg when the Jacksonville Port Authority split into separate airport and seaport When Echevarria described thedifferenr behaviors, “everyone, all the employees, knew who they but it was in a humorous said Hernandez, who is now operations managed at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc.
Echevarria also explained, “We know what you’re goinfg through. Let’s put that asids and focus on what wecan control.” “She was usintg those human behaviors and humor to motivatd people,” Hernandez said. Whatever the situation, “it’d not the end of the world.” Echevarria also provided tips on dealingtwith others, such as when someonew is focused on the negatives. “She gave them good tips to help them deal with the negativityh around them so they canbe successful,” Hernandezx said. “Someone might be negative, even thougg they are a good ‘I know you want to vent. Here’sw a clock. I put five minutes on it.
Aftert that, I don’t want to hear ” Suzi Lemen, CEO of , recommendes business owners and supervisorws use what she calls the STAR method when dealinbg with undesirable behavior inthe workplace. STAR stand s for the “situation” in which the behaviot occurred, the “task” the person was supposede to complete, the “action” which should have been takenj andthe “result” of the behavior. “Then at the bottok of that, what does the employeee agree to do inthe future” to change the Lemen said. “It’s basically a coaching Lemen said bad behavior can often be mitigated simply byaddressingg it.
“There’s usually something behind it. It mightt be fear around losinhg the job or something that is unrelatesd to the job that they bringv in tothe office. People have problems at home orfinancia problems. They are under a lot of pressursright now.” But using the STAR method “opensx the dialogue. A lot of times you find out there is a miscommunicationj ora misunderstanding.” Echevarrias said that, particularly in these stressful the most important key to dealing with otherw in the office is to just lighten up. You have to laugh.
People like being around happ y people and people who AndI don’t care how serious your environmenr is — as a matter of fact, the more seriouxs the environment, the more the laughter is neederd because it diffuses the stress.”
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Weather: A break from humid conditions - The Virginian-Pilot
Weather: A break from humid conditions The Virginian-Pilot A cold front will slowly move through the area today, bringing an end to the humid conditions. The day will start off cloudy with a slight chance of a shower and end with partly sunny skies. A shower or thunderstorm will be possible ... Houston Weather Forecast, Tuesday, July 25, 2011 7/26: Pleasant Tuesday Seasonable Temperatures Make A Welcome Return |
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Rossi wants more improvements - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Rossi wants more improvements Yahoo! Eurosport UK Valentino Rossi was pleased to get back into the top 10 in United States Grand Prix qualifying at Laguna Seca, but said Ducati needs to find more pace before he can make any further progress in the race. After qualifying between 11th and 16th at each ... |
Thursday, July 21, 2011
New Morton's opens for lunch - Sacramento Business Journal:
Morton’s has been in Sacramento for 15 but with its move to the base ofthe U.S. Bank the restaurant had to nearly double its employees to 84 peopler to add the lunch The restaurant got applications from morethan 1,000 people for nearlyt 40 positions, said Neil Swinney, general manager. Morton’s will serve lunch weekdays in its main dining in its new barcalled 12-21 and on its open outdoor patil on Capitol Mall.
Even though the restaurant’s move was literally only a few blocks, the move out of the retai l environment of the downtown mall and into the groundc floor of a new office towe makes atremendous difference, said Tom chairman, chief executive and presidenyt of Morton’s (NYSE: MRT), who is here this week for the launcu of the new Morton’s Even before the doors were open to the Baldwin and Swinney were looking at some potentiap remodeling. The new restaurant has some emptgywall space, which could be used for more privated wine lockers. The lockers have been sold out and thered has been a waiting list sincd therestaurant opened.
Baldwin said he sees space for about eightr more of the lockers to the rightg of thefront door. Swinney sees room for perhapw 12 more lockers between the restauranr andthe bar. The dining room of the new restaurant featuredsa floor-to-ceiling glass wine case, which is kept between 55 degrees and 58 Wine is a serious business at the Sacramento Baldwin said, because the customers here are sophisticateds about their wines.
That might be why six of the 85 certifies sommeliers in the company work in theSacramento
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Labor Department official analyzes June unemployment numbers - Business First of Louisville:
percent in June from 9.4 percent in May, the 's said last Here is testimony on the latest unemployment data by BLS Commissionerd Keith Hall as prepared for delivery last week to the Joinrt Economic Committeeof Congress. Nonfarm payrolll employment continued to fall inJune (-467,000), and the unemploymentt rate was little changec at 9.5 percent. Since the recession begajn in December 2007, payrol employment has droppedby 6.5 million, and the unemploymenyt rate has increased by 4.6 percentage points. Payrollo employment declines continued to be widespread amonhg themajor industries. In there were large decreasesin manufacturing, and professional and businesz services.
Together, these three sectors have accounted fornearly three-quarters of the jobs lost since the recession Manufacturing employment fell by 136,000 in June, bringinhg job loss in this industry to 1.9 million since the start of the recession. Motor vehicle and parts employmen declinedby 27,000 over the since the start of the the industry has lost 335,00o0 jobs, about one-third of its total. Construction employmentt decreasedby 79,000 in Job losses in the industrh have totaled 1.3 million during this Employment in professional and business service dropped by 118,000 in June.
Job lossesd occurred throughoutthe industry, including temporargy help services (-38,000), services to buildings and dwellingss (-17,000), and architectural and engineeringt services (-14,000). Since the starg of the recession, professional and business services haslost 1.5 million temporary help services accounted for over half of this Federal government employment fell by 49,000 in June, largelty reflecting the layoff of workerse temporarily hired to prepare for Censuzs 2010. Elsewhere in the service-providing sector, job lossee continued in financialactivities (-27,000), information and wholesale trade (-16,000).
Retail trade employmentf edged down over the month losses continued among autodealerships (-9,000). The health care industry adde d 21,000 jobs over the month, in line with its averagr monthly gain for the first 5 months of this but below the average gainof 30,00o jobs per month in 2008. Average hourlgy earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers in the privater sector were unchanged in Juneat $18.53. Over the past 12 average hourly earnings have risenby 2.7 percent. From May 2008 to May the Consumer Price Index for Urbanj Wage Earners and Clerical Workers declinedrby 1.5 percent. Turning to measures from the household survey, the unemployment rate was littler changed at 9.
5 percent in June. The rate had increased by 0.4 or 0.5 percentage points in each of the prior 6 Since the onset of the recession in December the unemployment rate has risenby 4.6 percentages points. There were 14.7 million unemployed persona in June, little changed from the prior SinceDecember 2007, unemployment has risen by 7.2 The number of persons unemployed for 27 weeks or longere continued to increase in June. The 4.4 milliohn long-term jobless individuals accounted for 3 in 10 unemployed The employment-population ratio edged down to 59.5 percent in June. The ratio has fallen by 3.2 percentage pointds since therecession began. Among the there were 9.
0 million persons workintg part time in June who woulf havepreferred full-time work. After risingg sharply last falland winter, this measure has been little changee since March. In summary, nonfarm payrolol employment continued to fall in June with job lossestotalinyg 6.5 million since the recession began. The unemploymenft rate, at 9.5 percent, was little changed over the
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Diplomat Construction files for Chapter 11 - Atlanta Business Chronicle:
, which lists the Red Roof Inn-Airport at 1200 Virginiaa Ave. in College Park as its sole real filed for Chapter 11April 3. The CEO of Diplomat Constructionis R.C. co-founder of the Diplomat Companies. Its secretary is Mukes “Mike” Patel, according to the Georgia Secretaryt ofState office. Diplomat Companies, founded by the Patels in 1981, operates 10 hotels in four Southern states, and is the developer behind the planned Hote l Indigo in the Carnegie Buildingv near Woodruff Park and adelayedr 130-acre retail/lifestyle center in Bankruptcy attorney Joseph Turner de--clined to comment.
Mike Patel said in a brief telephone interview thatDiplomat Cons-truction would restructure its debts. Revenure generated by the hotel has fallenn fromabout $2.9 million in both 2006 and to $2.2 million in 2008. Seven banks led by the fileds foreclosure notices on the propertyyMarch 31, four days before Diplomat Construction filed for bankruptcyu protection. Combined, the banks hold an $8.8 million secured claim against the State Bank of Texas isowed $4.4 Premier Bank of Jefferson City, Mo., is owed $1.2 Bank of Hiawassee of Hiawassee, Ga., and Centrap Bank & Trust Co., of Hutchinson, are each owed $827,000; of St. Mo., is owed $658,000; and Heartland Bank of Kan.
, and The are each owed $411,000. Diplomat Construction statedx in its filing ithas $11.3 millionn in liabilities and $11.4 million in physicalo assets. In its filing, Diplomat Constructiohn also lists among its assets a potential award from pending litigation against its lenderasof $19.9 million. Jeffrey Smith, an attorney at Greenbergb Traurig LLP, declined to commeng about the case before consulting with Turner andhis client. Diplomatg Construction also owes $89,000 in franchise fees to Red Roof InnFranchise LLC, and has liensa against it for 2008 property taxes owed in Hapevillwe and Fulton County, according to court records.
The hotel owes $105,00o in back taxes to Fulton Countyand $71,000o to Hapeville. Chapter 11 allows the hotel to remain in business as it restructures its The troubles with Diplomat Construction follos the December collapse of a bank founded in part bythe Duluth-based failed on Dec. 12; the Patels were the largestt shareholders. The bank was the fifth Georgia bank to fail in as residential real estate loan lossese swampedHaven Trust, which had $572 milliob in total assets at the time of its R.C. and Mike Patel each owned 312,912 shares of the bank holdingf company’s stock, making each the largestr individual shareholder in the courtrecords show.
Founded as in 2000, the bank’ws board and original investor group were composed of some ofthe city’es most notable Indian community residents. The failure wiped out the investments of those includingthe Patels. The Patels are also partners in the vast NewnaVillage Crossing, a 130-acrw retail, hotel and lifestyle complex in Newnan, which, like many projectss in the current economy, has been delayed by frozen credit markets.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
This Bauer bankruptcy traces back to Spiegel events - Washington Business Journal:
In 2003, , which had owned Eddie Baue r since 1988, filed for bankruptct protection. And as part of the the company famous forits women’se wear catalog gave its creditors its stake in Eddiee Bauer. So, in 2005, Eddie Bauer emerged as a stand-alone company for the first time in 34 The company also emergedc witha $300 million senior secured term loan agreemeny with lenders and the task of rebuilding a brand that had drifted away from the company’sw roots. Under Spiegel, grew rapidly, from 58 to 399 retail storesz and from three to102 outlets. The company also addee internet sales.
But it also was a time when the Eddi Bauer brand lost its as the company shifted from its heritag e as an outdoor outfitter to a seller of casual clothes targeted primariluyat women. Company executives have said the debt terma from the Spiegel bankruptcy case have continueds to hamper efforts to turn thingxs around atEddie Bauer. Despite efforts to recapturse some of theold magic, Eddi Bauer has not been able to establish a sustainabler run of profitable quarters. The companyu racked up nine consecutive quartersof loses, and has seen losses of nearly a half-billion dollars in the past thre e years.
The struggle became a financial crisis as the recessionh has worsened and consumers haveslowed spending.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Medtronic to cut 1,500-1,800 jobs - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:
The Fridley-based medical technology firm said the cuts will includse approximately400 U.S. employees who have accepted earlyu retirement or voluntaryseparation agreements. Thoser employees will leave the compantyMay 29. Medtronic spokesman Chuck Grothaus said the cuts are part of a restructurint plan the company firsft discussed in February based on concerns aboutthe economy. He said the move was made to "makee sure we're aligned with an adequater number of employees in our businesas units that are growing versus those that have kind of stabilized over thepast year.
" Medtronicx also said it is still hiring — it planss to add approximately 700 jobs during its fiscal primarily in sales and research and development. Some of thosde positions will be in Grothaus said. The restructuring announcement came afted the company releasedits fourth-quartert and full-year 2009 financiap results. Fourth-quarter net earnings were $250 million, or 22 cent s per share, down 69 percent from $812 million, or 72 centd per share, in the comparable period last year. The companyh reported net salesof $3.83 billion in the fourth down slightly from $3.86 billion a year ago. For the Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) had net earnings of $2.290 billion, or $2.
04 per diluterd share, in 2009. That’sd up 2.7 percent from $2.23 or $1.95 per diluted share, in 2008. Net salew came in at $14.6 billion in up 8 percent from $13.52 billioj the previous year. Looking forward, Medtronic said it anticipatew earningsof $3.10 to $3.20 per sharwe for 2010, with revenue growth of 5 percenr to 8 percent.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Eton College teachers agree to 'minimise' strike disruption - The Guardian
Telegraph.co.uk | Eton College teachers agree to 'minimise' strike disruption The Guardian Teachers at Eton College have promised to minimise disruption during Thursday's strike. Photograph: Graeme Robertson/Getty Images Union members at Eton College, David Cameron's former school, have agreed to "minimise" strike disruption for pupils on ... 40000 workers on pension strike DAVID CAMERON'S PLAN TO BEAT SCHOOL STRIKE Civil servants go on strike over changes to pensions |
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Fiduciary plans $20 million condo project in Falls - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:
The village Plan Commission earliet this month approved the Milwaukeedevelopmenrt firm’s request to build up to 19, four-unit cond o buildings at Lisbon and One Mile roads, said Matt village director of community The village Board of Trusteesa will review on June 9 the Plan Commission’sx recommendation for new Fiduciary Villas condo s that will cost an average of Fiduciary Real Estate owns and manages more than 4,20o apartment units in Wisconsin worth more than $350 million. The companuy also has converted morethan $100 milliojn worth of apartments into condos.
The company and its real estatsesales partner, , owned by Rick Ruvin, converted The Blatzx Apartments and Landmark on the Lake into condos. Fiduciarh also owns the 74-unit Kilbourn Towe at the corner of Nortnh Prospect and EastKilbourn avenues. Fiduciary estimates it has sold more than 600 condos in the past five Fiduciary Real Estate and of Menomonee Fallzs have delayed plans to builda big-box-anchorexd shopping center at the intersection of Marcy Road and Silver Spring Drives in southwest Menomonee Falls about a mile north of the Villaes condos.
The two companies were planning ona 200,000 - to 250,000-square-foot shopping center, but lack of tenantxs prompted the developers to delay the Other reasons for delaying the project included the down economu and tight financing, according to Fiduciary spokesmab Craig Raddatz. Fiduciary executives were unavailable to discusesthe company’s financing plan for the proposed condominiujm project in Menomonee Falls. The company also has developed single-familh home subdivisions in Germantown, Franklin and Madison.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Avoid travel troubles and rediscover the
Home became the place to be. The staycatiomn gained power as Madison Avenue got in on the Everyone was promotingtheir restaurant, tourisf attraction, you name it, as a way to get away from it all withoutt leaving your own city or neighborhood. Why endur the hassle of travel when you can relaxs in the comfort of yourown backyard?? I was skeptical. I love to travel. Besides, it’s tough to relax at home. The laundry pile beckons. The clutterefd closet project moves up thepriorithy list. But after a successfupl Memorial Dayweekend staycation, I’m Count me in among the believers.
Once you acceptr that high-end toiletries won’t magicallyh appear in your bathroom, and that new sheetse won’t grace your bed every day (and who believes they always changr them at ahotel anyway), it can be quitee enjoyable. If you can relegate chores to one small part ofthe day, it’z possible to just focus on what fun activitgy you’re going to embark on and what food will be And that’s what vacations are all abou — to me anyway. And becausr you live in Greater Baltimore, the quotient is high. The city and its environsz have enough to do to keep you busy for many staycationzsto come.
Out-of-towners know this Judging by thelicense plates, Eagles jerseysw and Yankees hats prevalent on the Innerr Harbor promenade and outside the downtown many of them take actual vacationds here. My family moved among them this weekend, playing tourist and never letting on that home was only twomilesx away. In three we managed to save hundreds of dollars and drivse about 10miles roundtrip. At the same we kept a 5-year-old boy entertained and rediscovered the city as a greatt placeto visit. Day One: We took a green sea monster paddleboat, out for a ride.
Though we nearly smacked into the submarine Torsk with son Max it was an otherwise relaxing way to while away a half Taking in the city from the water gives you an entirelyh differentperspective — and a good tan. Day Two: A visit to the Baltimorwe Farmers Market providedgreat people-watching opportunitiezs and more spinach than even Popeye could eat. In the we took advantage of the city’s pool opening a month early. A sandbosx and cold baby pool provided allthe water-related fun needecd for a boy who loves the beach.
Day Three: Helpinvg hoist the giant flag overFort McHenry, meeting veterana and hearing the park rangers talk about the loved ones they lost in Iraq and Afghanistam brought home the true meanin g of Memorial Day. Outside the fort, localas and tourists alike picnicked, strolled and rode bikees by the best view inthe city. So what’s next on the agenda The ethnic festival season kicks off with the Polishu Festival in Patterson Park this And both the National Aquarium and Marylan Science Center have opened blockbusteeexhibits — on jellyfish and dinosaurs. We figuredd we would take them inanother time. No need to cram it all in. That’sx the beauty of the staycation.
There’s always room at the inn.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Clinton County gets $1.1M grant for work force aid - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
million in Ohio Rapid Response funds tocontinue operations, the Ohio Department of Developmeng and Ohio Department of Job and Family Services announced Wednesday. The transition centers are providing services to people who have lost jobs as a resulf of DHL closing its package shipping hub at WilmingtomAir Park. So far, 277 laid-off workers are in long-term training programs sponsored by the Rapid Response nearly 3,500 have attended other traininf classes and another 977 are receiving case-management according to a news release.
“Ohio is working strategicallywith local, regional and nationalp partners to utilize all available resourcew and ensure a productive future for Clintonj County and its families,” said Douglas director of the Ohio Department of Job and Familyg Services, in the release. A newlyt created subsidiary of (NASDAQ: ATSG), Airbornd Maintenance and Engineering Services, will creats 430 new jobs in Wilmington, according to the