tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41172659430062862722024-02-08T07:10:34.184-08:00cwiney10cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-82074632957615597482011-08-05T23:38:00.000-07:002011-08-05T23:38:00.910-07:00Mizuho Profit Climbs on Lower Credit Costs <div><div class="article story" readability="26"><h3 class="byline">BY ATSUKO FUKASE </h3><p> TOKYO—Mizuho Financial Group Inc. said Friday its net profit jumped 73% in the fiscal year ended March thanks to lower credit costs. ...</p><p></p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576320642010711486.html?mod=rss_Earnings" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-66614351728924527392011-08-05T23:22:00.000-07:002011-08-05T23:22:00.948-07:00The Mets' Unlikely Pitching Savior <div><div class="articlePage" readability="66"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=BRIAN+COSTA&bylinesearch=true">BRIAN COSTA</a> </h3><p>ATLANTA—On the day that would determine whether professional baseball was in his future, Dillon Gee went swimming.</p><a name="U502459694952C3H" id="U502459694952C3H"></a><p>It was the final day of the 2007 draft and Gee, then a junior at the University of Texas at Arlington, hadn't been picked. But rather than follow the draft online, as most players do, Gee spent the day wading in the pool and flipping burgers on the grill in his buddy's backyard.</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="2"> <cite>Getty Images</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Dillon Gee pitches against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on June 10. Gee has emerged as a potential All-Star, going 7-0 with a 3.05 ERA so far.</p> </div></div></div><p>"I figured well, if I get picked, I get picked," Gee said. "If I don't, I don't. I'm not going to sit here and fret over it."</p><a name="U502459694952PBI" id="U502459694952PBI"></a><p>If Gee frets over anything, the Mets have yet to discover it. On the mound and in the clubhouse, he seems perpetually at ease, a man seemingly without a care in the world. It is his most distinctive trait, and it is part of what has made him an All-Star candidate in his rookie season.</p><p>Through nine starts and three relief appearances this season, Gee is 7-0 with a 3.05 ERA, and the Mets are undefeated when he starts. He will look to remain unbeaten Wednesday when he starts against the Atlanta Braves. But even if he fails, he has already vastly exceeded expectations.</p><p>Since 2000, only one other rookie has opened the season with a winning streak or seven or more games, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Jered Weaver started 9-0 for the Los Angeles Angels in 2006. But Weaver was a top prospect, a former first-round draft pick.</p><p>Gee (pronounced JEE) was the 663rd overall pick. He signed with the Mets for just $20,000. His career was nearly cut short by a torn labrum in his shoulder in 2009. And as recently as 2010, he was installing air conditioners in the offseason to earn extra money.</p><p>Yet here he is, the Mets' best pitcher at the moment, looking as relaxed as he did that day by the pool.</p><p>"It's not so much the way he pitches," teammate R.A. Dickey said. "For me, it's much more his state of mind when he's out there. He just looks very unflappable and very consistent mentally. He doesn't get shaken or rattled easily. It's a real mature way to be, and I think it's going to help facilitate him being up here for a while."</p><a name="U502459694952OZH" id="U502459694952OZH"></a><p>Gee's style of pitching mirrors his state of mind. It's nothing to get overly excited about. He throws his fastball at a pedestrian speed of 89.5 mph, on average, according to the baseball statistics site Fangraphs.com. His strikeout rate (6.4 strikeouts per nine innings this year) is good but not exceptional.</p><p>So how is he plowing through the National League? Luck is part of it. Only 24.4% of batted balls against him have fallen in for hits this year, the fourth-lowest rate among N.L. pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched. But there are other factors that are more sustainable.</p><p>For one thing, Gee, a 25-year-old right-hander, has a deep enough repertoire to keep hitters guessing. He throws mostly fastballs, changeups and curveballs. And he recently learned how to throw a cutter, which has replaced his slider as his fourth pitch.</p><p>"You pick a pitch in any count, and he believes he can throw it," manager Terry Collins said.</p><p>Staying out of unfavorable situations hasn't hurt, either. According to the scouting service Inside Edge, Gee has fallen into three-ball counts only 16% of the time, 4% below the major-league average. He has retired the first batter of an inning 74% of the time, 7% above average.</p><p>"That's just always what I've been taught growing up," Gee said. "Just work fast, hit your spots and let the game go from there."</p><p>With that, Gee shrugged, leaned back in the chair by his locker and resumed scanning his iPad. He had another start to prepare for, another chance to show, yet again, that he belongs. He has come too far, against all odds, to let all this slip away.</p><p>But he's not about to get all worked up about it.</p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303714704576386151254226300.html?mod=rss_newyork_sports" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-64906336728750854322011-08-05T23:00:00.000-07:002011-08-05T23:00:06.047-07:00Payroll Tax Cut Idea Joins Debt Talks <div><div class="article story" readability="30"><h3 class="byline">BY DAMIAN PALETTA AND CAROL E. LEE </h3><p> President Barack Obama is considering how strongly to push for extending a payroll-tax break for workers and creating a new tax break for employers to jump-start the economy, reflecting White House concerns about joblessness but also complicating efforts to rein in the federal deficit.</p><p> White House officials brought up the ideas during closed-door debt talks Tuesday with a bipartisan group of lawmakers, people familiar with the meeting said. They told the lawmakers that the White House would be open to payroll tax breaks for employers and employees, sending a clear signal that fresh concerns over slowing job growth have spilled ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304665904576386070371527638.html?mod=rss_economy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-82788715078443790422011-08-05T22:43:00.000-07:002011-08-05T22:43:00.291-07:00Building Bridges Between U.S., France <div><div class="articlePage" readability="37"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=MELANIE+GRAYCE+WEST&bylinesearch=true">MELANIE GRAYCE WEST</a> </h3><p>In honoring her husband's legacy, Dening Wu Lohez is hoping to build cultural understanding between French and American college students.</p><p>Ms. Lohez's husband, Jérôme, worked in the North tower of the World Trade Center and died in the September 11 attacks.</p> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-BV"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit" readability="1"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AY266_NYDONO_BV_20110512220102.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[NYDONOR_Hedcut]" height="199" width="124" /><p class="targetCaption">Dening Wu Lohez</p> </div></div></div><p>The couple met while graduate students at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J. She is a lifelong Francophile and an immigrant from Shanghai and he was an exchange student from Paris.</p><p>"Eventually one day he talked to me and so then that was it," she says. "That's destiny."</p><a name="U402310112224BEF" id="U402310112224BEF"></a><p>After her husband's death, Ms. Lohez sought a meaningful way to carry forward his name. One of the things that most struck and angered her after the attacks was the rift between France and the U.S. and the divergent views in foreign policy. </p><p>This was around the time in the U.S. when French fries were called "freedom fries," there was a boycott on French wines and when a salesman in France told her that, because of American foreign policy, that the 9/11 attacks were deserved, she recalls. The "misunderstanding between our great democracies," she says, gave the foundation its focus.</p><a name="U40231011222425B" id="U40231011222425B"></a><p>So, with the help of then French Consul General François Delattre—who now serves as France's ambassador to the U.S.—Ms. Lohez launched a foundation that seeks to create mutual understanding in politics and culture between the two countries.</p><p>"I want people to remember my husband on a grander level," says Ms. Lohez, 41 years old and a lecturer in economics at the City University of New York. "So I hope that by funding an exchange … we can promote a mutual understanding."</p><p>Another hope is to foster the value that, "entrepreneurship and religious tolerance are the core of our American culture," she says. "I am an immigrant. Jérôme was an immigrant. We felt that we owe this country a lot."</p><p>Since its founding in 2005, the Jérôme Lohez Foundation has awarded $37,500 in scholarships to 17 French and American graduate students. </p><p>On Thursday night, the foundation awarded $3,000 scholarships to three students studying law and journalism at Columbia University and another who is a student at Stevens Institute.</p><p>Previous winners include engineers, scientists and a U.S. Army captain who will teach at West Point.</p><p>The foundation is supported mostly by American donors, but the French consulate has supported the foundation's annual gala. </p><p> <strong>Write to </strong> Melanie Grayce West at <a class="" href="mailto:melanie.west@wsj.com">melanie.west@wsj.com</a> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576319403262098260.html?mod=rss_newyork_culture" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-84445238576881521922011-08-05T22:17:00.000-07:002011-08-05T22:17:00.512-07:00German Economic Growth Accelerates <div><div class="article story" readability="37"><h3 class="byline">BY TODD BUELL </h3><p> FRANKFURT—Economic growth in Germany, Europe's largest economy, accelerated in the first quarter of this year, surpassing the pre-crisis level of early 2008, and beating expectations, data from the Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, showed Friday. </p> <p> German gross domestic product rose 1.5% in the first quarter of this year from the fourth quarter of last year, according to inflation-adjusted, seasonally-adjusted and calendar-adjusted figures. On a yearly basis, GDP grew by 4.9% in ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576320411499475844.html?mod=rss_economy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-73834114878623353932011-08-05T21:52:00.000-07:002011-08-05T21:52:00.739-07:00A Mad Scientist of Musical Machinery <div><div class="articlePage" readability="77"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=STEVE+DOLLAR&bylinesearch=true">STEVE DOLLAR</a> </h3> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-G"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit" readability="1"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AY325_SXIP2_G_20110512190426.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[SXIP2]" height="369" width="553" /><cite>Benjamin Norman for The Wall Street Journal</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Sxip Shirey played some of his self-created musical instruments this week at the La Mama Theater. He'll celebrate his birthday Saturday at Joe's Pub.</p> </div></div></div><a name="U402310968627OJF" id="U402310968627OJF"></a><p>Most musicians cherish the classic tools of their trade: Rockers may fawn over a 1950s Gibson Les Paul guitar, violinists over a Stradivarius. </p><a name="U402310968627ZNH" id="U402310968627ZNH"></a><p>Sxip Shirey delights in other treasures. "I go into yuppie toy stores," he said, describing the sort of place where he finds unlikely objects and transforms them into unique instruments. The multifaceted New York-based musician is renowned for his kaleidoscopic array of gewgaws and gadgets repurposed for performances by a one-man gonzo orchestra (with occasional guests and audience participation). On one such excursion to a shop in Grand Central Station, Mr. Shirey came across a batch of canister music boxes, each tuned slightly differently. He bought 35. "You never know when they're not going to make them anymore," he said, noting that the store subsequently went out of business. He has composed several songs with the music boxes grouped in chord progression clusters. "But I have to record before they break, and I might not make it."</p><a name="U402310968627V2B" id="U402310968627V2B"></a><p>Such are the creative issues that inspire Mr. Shirey, who will celebrate his 44th birthday onstage Saturday at Joe's Pub, demonstrating the inherent lyrical allure of such items as the "industrial flute," the enigmatic "Sxipenspiel," a stack of "mutant harmonicas" fed into a pitch-shifting device that makes a "fat, greasy, lumbering pipe-organ sound," a guitar doctored with paper clips and a microphone, and a set of desktop handbells.</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Benjamin Norman for The Wall Street Journal</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Some of Sxip Shirey's instruments.</p> </div></div></div><a name="U4023109686279AI" id="U4023109686279AI"></a><p>"I mute the bells, and you get this thing that sounds like giant crickets singing in a giant cricket chorus," said Mr. Shirey, whose first name is pronounced "Skip." "I compose with bells a lot. Bells and breath. Both things you react to without thinking about it. Bells traditionally give us orders: come to the desk, the truck is backing up, the ice cream is here, it's time to go to church. They're sounds our brains are already associated with."</p><a name="U402310968627Y1" id="U402310968627Y1"></a><p>Should one be inclined to trivialize what Mr. Shirey does as a kind of neo-Vaudevillian shtick, his résumé doubles as a passport of imposing sophistication and variety. He has accompanied clowns and acrobats at the Sydney Opera House and on Broadway, toured as a member of the gypsy-punk string quartet Luminescent Orchestrii, and composed for the Boston Pops as well as the screenwriter and novelist Neil Gaiman, who enlisted Mr. Shirey to write the soundtrack for his 2009 short film, "Statuesque."</p><a name="U402310968627VIE" id="U402310968627VIE"></a><p>At one time, Mr. Shirey, a native of Athens, Ohio, who first came to New York in the late-1980s, was a folk-steeped guitarist with a background in physics. A bout with tendonitis sent him on a detour into puppetry and performance art. Then an eight-year adventure performing in Times Square, and on the road, with the punk-inspired Bindlestiff Family Cirkus pushed him further into uncharted territory. "I was composing for fire-eaters and giant blue bunnies."</p><a name="U402310968627B9C" id="U402310968627B9C"></a><p>The singer-songwriter Amanda Palmer, a fan of Mr. Shirey who sometimes enlists him for her tours, introduced Mr. Gaiman, her husband, to his music when the couple was still dating. "Sxip fascinates me. His music sounds like stories," Mr. Gaiman said via e-mail, "because he works in the places where noise becomes music and does things that make you realize there are no boundaries between noise and music—or not like you imagine."</p><a name="U402310968627MMH" id="U402310968627MMH"></a><p>Last year, for Mr. Shirey's birthday, Mr. Gaiman and Ms. Palmer bought some bicycle bells at a Berlin flea market, attached them to a copper pipe, and christened the result the "Sxipenspiel." When last they met, Mr. Shirey demonstrated his mastery of the instrument with "amazing, glorious, magical bell-music," Mr. Gaiman said. "He nearly got us thrown out of a restaurant, because once he started playing it, he wanted to make music/noise with it some more."</p><a name="U402310968627ZAD" id="U402310968627ZAD"></a><p>Mr. Shirey, who demonstrates many of his contraptions on his YouTube channel, calls what he does "overly serious novelty music." Chatting over a drink at a Union Square brew pub recently, his conversation tumbled at a brisk clip as he explained the ideas behind it. "I'm the anti indie-rocker," he said. "My stuff isn't ironic." His method of amplifying small acoustic instruments to create gigantic bursts of sound isn't only a neat trick, it's philosophical. "Everyone's intimate experience is epic to them."</p><a name="U402310968627NYD" id="U402310968627NYD"></a><p>The performer's unusually expansive range has won a fan in Bill Bragin, director of Lincoln Center's public programming, who often has taken Mr. Shirey's advice when seeking new acts to book. "He's able to traverse so many of these different scenes," said Mr. Bragin, who hired the musician as part of the opening act for Laurie Anderson's Aug. 10 concert at Lincoln Center Out of Doors. "Even with the sense of experimentation that's part of his music, he's got a really sweet heart."</p><a name="U402310968627DN" id="U402310968627DN"></a><p>He's also informed by an impish sense of humor. Mr. Shirey's parents, for instance, did not name him Sxip. One year when he was living in Denver, Mr. Shirey discovered that clubs wouldn't book him unless he was in a band. "So I put the 'x' in the name and dropped my last name so I wouldn't sound like a solo act," he said. "Someone said to me, 'You can't do that. I just had a five-minute discussion on how to pronounce your name!' I immediately thought, you spent five minutes discussing my name? Good marketing!"</p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576319581299261402.html?mod=rss_newyork_main" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-21520464315175194382011-08-05T21:34:00.000-07:002011-08-05T21:34:00.225-07:00Planned Parenthood Workers Yanked <div><div class="article story" readability="33"><h3 class="byline">BY SOPHIA HOLLANDER </h3><p> Two participants in NYC Civic Corps, which is part of the national service program AmeriCorps, were yanked from their assigned jobs at Planned Parenthood of New York City after federal officials determined their work violated guidelines. </p> <p> The women—who were one month away from completing a 10-month stint—were told not to return on Tuesday and are deciding whether to accept placement at another site or leave the AmeriCorps program, officials said.</p> <p> "We disagree with the opinion because all applicable regulations were followed," said mayoral spokesman Marc LaVorgna. "But out of an abundance of caution, the Civic Corps members were relocated."</p><p> New ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576349563029940464.html?mod=rss_newyork_main" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-10502401233647791252011-08-05T21:14:00.000-07:002011-08-05T21:14:00.524-07:00Royal Bank of Canada's Profit Rises 13% <div><div class="article story" readability="36"><h3 class="byline">BY CAROLINE VAN HASSELT </h3><p> TORONTO—Royal Bank of Canada boosted its dividend for the first time in almost four years after the largest Canadian lender's fiscal second-quarter profit jumped 13%, reflecting its home-market dominance in retail banking, wealth management and insurance. </p> <p> But lower-than-expected trading revenue meant it missed analysts' expectations. </p> <p> Royal Bank raised its quarterly dividend by 8% to 54 Canadian cents a share, the first increase since the third quarter of fiscal 2007. </p><p> Net income rose to C$1.51 billion (US$1.54 billion), or C$1.00 a share, in the three months ended April 30 from C$1.33 billion, or 88 Canadian cents, a year earlier. Cash earnings ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304520804576348952654338160.html?mod=rss_Earnings" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-60189583319935715262011-08-05T20:59:00.000-07:002011-08-05T20:59:00.777-07:00CBD Chairman Diniz Contacts Carrefour to Explore 'Growth' <div><div class="article story" readability="36"><h3 class="byline">BY ANUPREETA DAS AND CHRISTINA PASSARIELLO </h3><p> Abilio Diniz, the chairman and part-owner of Brazil's largest retailer, Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao, has reached out to French retail giant Carrefour SA to explore "growth" opportunities, people familiar with the matter said, a move that could threaten a long-standing deal CBD has with Carrefour rival Groupe Casino. </p><p> Mr. Diniz, the 74-year-old Brazilian billionaire whose family founded the Pao de Acucar chain of supermarkets, contacted Carrefour some weeks ago to discuss various options for combining Carrefour's Brazilian stores with CBD, including through a stock-for-stock exchange, these people said. But these discussions are very preliminary and although the cost savings make ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576352101947277830.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us_business" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-29528663660859924592011-08-05T20:43:00.000-07:002011-08-05T20:43:00.610-07:00Índia ensina GE a ser mais local em países emergentes <div><div class="articlePage" readability="59"><p> <em>Megha Bahree</em> <br /><strong>The Wall Street Journal</strong>, <em>de Bangalore, Índia</em> </p><p>Ao avaliar o impacto da crise financeira global, a General Electric Co. verificou que alguns mercados emergentes — especialmente a Índia — haviam suportado o trauma melhor do que o mundo desenvolvido.</p><p>O conglomerado americano já está na Índia há mais de um século, mas reformulou suas operações lá apenas há poucos anos para aproveitar o grande mercado consumidor interno e o crescimento econômico local, que foi de 8,5% no ano fiscal encerrado em 31 de março .</p><p>Agora, seus esforços começam a dar frutos. A GE produz um aparelho de tomografia e um aquecedor de berço na Índia que vende no mercado local e em outros. As vendas no setor de saúde aumentaram em 20% na Índia no ano passado, para US$ 300 milhões. A GE espera que atinjam US$ 400 milhões este ano e US$ 1 bilhão nos próximos cinco anos.</p> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-DV"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit" readability="1"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/MK-BL597_GEINDI_DV_20110425183216.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[GE]" height="394" width="262" /><cite>Reuters</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Linha de montagem para equipamentos de saúde da GE em Bangalore</p> </div></div></div><p>A chave para a GE foi colocar o foco não somente nas vendas e no marketing, mas também no uso da Índia como base para criar produtos de baixo custo voltados ao mercado local, outros mercados emergentes e, finalmente, o mundo desenvolvido.</p><p>"Comercialmente, não estávamos nos saindo tão bem quanto gostaríamos na Índia", disse John Flannery, diretor-presidente da GE no país, ao Wall Street Journal. Para uma empresa que obtém mais de 60% da receita total fora dos EUA, a contribuição da Índia, de US$ 1,8 bilhão, correspondia a uma fração minúscula do faturamento do ano passado, que foi de US$ 150 bilhões.</p><p>Jeffrey Immelt, o presidente da GE, "chegou à conclusão de que parte do problema era o fato de não termos muito foco local", disse Flannery, que foi enviado ao país em 2010.</p><p>A ideia era investigar quais os produtos que os indianos queriam e quanto eles estariam dispostos a pagar por eles.</p><p>A unidade de saúde da GE identificou as causas de mortalidade mais frequentes no país e se concentrou em doenças cardíacas e problemas de maternidade. Identificou também oportunidades entre a população rural de cerca de 700 milhões que não podiam arcar com a maioria das despesas médicas relacionadas com serviços cardíacos e maternais.</p><p>Entre os obstáculos identificados pelos pesquisadores havia flutuações da voltagem e falta de eletricidade; falta de recursos e de espaço para equipamentos caros, de grande porte; alto nível de poeira e poluição; uso intenso do equipamento; e a burocracia que particularmente dificultava a substituição das peças. A GE também teve que lidar com escassez de mão de obra capacitada para cargos de gerência e diretoria.</p><p>A linha Lullaby é um bom exemplo de como a empresa está fazendo as coisas de modo diferente na Índia. Os cuidados com a saúde na área maternal apresentam um potencial imenso nesse país de 1,2 bilhão de habitantes e uma taxa de mortalidade infantil de 55 para cada 1.000 crianças.</p><p>O aquecedor de berço da GE, também conhecido como Lullaby, projetado e fabricado na Índia, foi criado para esse mercado. Oitenta por cento dos hospitais do país usam aquecedores específicos para bebês, direcionando o calor para os berços abertos com a finalidade de ajudar os recém-nascidos a se ajustarem à temperatura ambiente (o uso de incubadoras, quase sempre para bebês prematuros, é menos comum).</p><p>A estratégia de vendas do Lullaby enfatiza o fato de o produto não apresentar campainhas ou apitos que possam intimidar as pessoas sem o costume de usar equipamentos mais sofisticados. Exceto pelos logotipos da GE e do Lullaby, o painel de controle faz uso apenas de desenhos indicando as funções.</p><p>"Nosso alvo é a base da pirâmide", diz Ravi Kaushik, diretor de marketing da GE para cuidados maternais.</p><p>O aquecedor, que custa US$ 3.000, foi lançado em maio de 2009 e está sendo vendido em 62 países, entre eles Brasil, Rússia, Egito, Dubai e Itália. O aquecedor padrão da GE nos EUA — que inclui software para monitorar o pulso do bebê , balança digital, monitores LCD e um colchão com um difusor de pressão que se ajusta ao peso do bebê — tem preços a partir de US$ 12.000. </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB130506906324714845.html?mod=rss_americas_portugues" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-90868011760275383292011-08-05T20:28:00.000-07:002011-08-05T20:28:00.570-07:00Rajaratnam Defense Strategy Questioned <div><div class="articlePage" readability="86"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=MICHAEL+ROTHFELD&bylinesearch=true">MICHAEL ROTHFELD</a> And <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=CHAD+BRAY&bylinesearch=true">CHAD BRAY</a> </h3><p>Summing up his defense of Galleon Group founder <a href="http://topics.wsj.com/person/r/raj-rajaratnam/5453" class="topicLink">Raj Rajaratnam</a>, attorney John Dowd tried to channel the late Johnnie Cochran, telling jurors: "If it's public, you must acquit."</p><p>The rhyme didn't work; the defense didn't either. While Mr. Cochran helped O.J. Simpson beat murder charges with the famous line, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit," jurors convicted Mr. Rajaratnam on all 14 counts of securities fraud and conspiracy in one of the biggest insider-trading trials ever.</p><p>Mr. Dowd's closing argument was one of many components of Mr. Rajaratnam's ultimately failed defense strategy. Many moves by the defense team and Mr. Rajaratnam are now likely to be evaluated, including the selection of a largely working-class jury in a case involving a billionaire, his choice not to take the stand, Mr. Dowd's often-combative style, and the overarching attempt to convince jurors that the hedge-fund titan only relied on publicly available information in the face of recordings to the contrary.</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-video"><div class="insetTree" id="articlevideo_1" readability="1"> <!-- lib_json_commons.ftl --><p class="targetCaption">WSJ's Kelly Evans and David Weidner discuss former hedge fund titan Raj Rajaratnam and his upcoming sentencing following his conviction on all insider trading and fraud charges. (Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images)</p> </div></div><p>Though a defendant in any trial has the final say on major strategy questions, he or she normally defers to counsel. "He has always taken my advice," Mr. Dowd told the judge after Wednesday's verdict, speaking of Mr. Rajaratnam. Mr. Dowd declined to comment for this article.</p><p>Both Mr. Dowd and Mr. Rajaratnam, 53 years old, are known for a willingness to fight, but the odds were stacked against them when a federal judge decided months before the trial to allow wiretaps of Mr. Rajaratnam's phone conversations into evidence. Mr. Dowd said after the verdict on Wednesday that he will appeal U.S. District Judge Richard Holwell's ruling on the wiretaps in hopes of overturning the verdict.</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_2" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="5"> <cite>Reuters</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Lead defense attorney John Dowd, left, with defendant Raj Rajaratnam, center, and defense attorney Terence Lynam after Wednesday's verdict.</p> </div></div></div><p>But from the start of the trial to its last days, the defense gave up certain alternatives in charting its strategy. Mr. Rajaratnam rejected outreach by the government about the possibility of negotiating a plea two months before proceedings began, according to people familiar with the matter. Often, defendants can reduce their sentences by pleading guilty before trial to fewer counts or lesser charges. It isn't known what prosecutors might have offered Mr. Rajaratnam or how Mr. Dowd advised him.</p><p>While jurors haven't publicly discussed their feelings about Mr. Rajaratnam, defense lawyers are often concerned a panel may not relate to a defendant. In this case, the eight women and four men judging him included educators, a nurse and a customer-service representative, even though the jury pool contained candidates whose backgrounds put them closer to the world Mr. Rajaratnam inhabited.</p><p>Another factor in the defense was the style of Mr. Dowd, a 69-year-old former military lawyer who aggressively questioned<strong></strong>government witnesses in front of the jury and accused prosecutors of using threats to coerce false testimony. Mr. Dowd tried to discredit Anil Kumar—a former McKinsey & Co. consultant who testified that he gave Mr. Rajaratnam inside information—by labeling him, in his closing argument, "the worst liar ever to take the stand in any courtroom in this building."</p><p> Kenneth Herzinger, a securities lawyer at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, said lawyers have to avoid offending the jury by being "overly aggressive" with a witness. "If they're a very sympathetic witness, you might end up hurting the case more than you help," Mr. Herzinger said. "Juries are people, too."</p><p>At least one attorney praised the defense's approach. "It was a very difficult case for the defense, and I think they did a fine job," said Steve Tyrrell, a white-collar-crime lawyer at Weil, Gotshal & Manges. "They went after the government witnesses hard.…They did a good job of calling the credibility of the witnesses into question."</p><p>One setback for the defense came after prosecutors questioned defense witness Rick Schutte, Galleon's former president for U.S. operations, about $25 million Mr. Rajaratnam invested before the trial in Mr. Schutte's hedge fund. The financial relationship wasn't disclosed by the defense.</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-video"><div class="insetTree" id="articlevideo_3" readability="2"> <!-- lib_json_commons.ftl --><p class="targetCaption">Will Raj Rajaratnam's guilty verdict affect the hedge fund managers? In an interview with WSJ's Shira Ovide, White & Case partner Greg Little weighs in on the legal implications of the ruling in the Galleon insider trading case and what it could mean for the hedge fund industry.</p> </div></div><p>"His credibility suffers significantly when that type of testimony comes out. One option for the defense is to raise that as a preemptive strike," said Michael Weinstein, chairman of the white-collar practice at Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard PA. Mr. Dowd said as part of his closing arguments that prosecutors were trying to "smear an honest witness."</p><p>Perhaps the most momentous decision was Mr. Rajaratnam's choice not to testify, after having told associates before his trial that he wanted to take the stand. Lawyers say it is very risky for a defendant to testify, because he might slip up or alienate the jury—but that it can sometimes be necessary as a last resort. Mr. Dowd, speaking privately during the trial, said it was the most difficult of decisions.</p><p> Amy J. Greer, a lawyer at Reed Smith, said juries want to hear from defendants, particularly in a case such as Mr. Rajaratnam's, where they had heard him repeatedly on secretly recorded wiretaps. "I have to think it could have made a difference here," she said.</p><p>The overriding defense strategy of trying to convince jurors that Mr. Rajaratnam relied on "a mosaic" of publicly available stock research, not inside tips, was what Mr. Dowd meant to impart with his catch phrase during closing arguments. But that couldn't overcome what jurors heard: recorded telephone conversations in which Mr. Rajaratnam received confidential information from corporate insiders, lawyers said.</p><p>"The wiretaps suggest and make it appear that he obtained information no one else had," said Mr. Weinstein. "It seems to undermine the theory that the information was in the public domain."</p><p>Mr. Rajaratnam is estimated to have paid as much as $40 million for his defense, according to people familiar with the matter and some lawyers not affiliated with the case, about two-thirds of the amount prosecutors said Galleon made from the insider trading addressed in the charges. </p><p>By comparison, Conrad Black, the newspaper magnate, has spent about $30 million battling fraud charges at trial, in appeals that have overturned some of his convictions, and in related civil suits, according to one of his lawyers, Marc D. Powers, of Baker & Hostetler LLP. "It's an expensive thing to get in the cross hairs of the government," said Mr. Powers. </p><p> <strong>Write to </strong> Michael Rothfeld at <a class="" href="mailto:michael.rothfeld@wsj.com">michael.rothfeld@wsj.com</a> and Chad Bray at <a class="" href="mailto:chad.bray@dowjones.com">chad.bray@dowjones.com</a> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576319673566636108.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us_business" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-91176003609341090152011-08-05T20:04:00.000-07:002011-08-05T20:04:00.463-07:00Precocious Charity <div><div class="articlePage" readability="41"><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Patrick McMullan</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Cameron Payne and Spike Lee</p> </div></div></div><p>The youth division of the Points of Life Institute, generationOn, on Thursday honored Laurie M. Tisch, <a href="http://topics.wsj.com/person/l/spike-lee/5873" class="topicLink">Spike Lee</a> and his wife, Tonya Lewis Lee, Hasbro CEO Brian Goldner and six young philanthropists ranging in ages between 7 and 17, who were dubbed Community Action Heroes. The evening raised more than $900,000. </p><p> Silda Wall Spitzer founded generationOn, which promotes volunteerism in children, 15 years ago. </p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_2" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Owen Hoffman/Patrick Mcmullan</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Margi and Kevin Arquit</p> </div></div></div><p>Mrs. Spitzer, in a figure-snugging white dress, admired her husband's blue, iridescent tie. When Eliot Spitzer was asked if he'd had any philanthropic impulses as a child, he said, "I don't want to pretend that I did. I was a typical kid." </p><a name="U502380724790MIF" id="U502380724790MIF"></a><p>The kids at this event were not typical at all. Max Wallack, 15, from Natick, Mass., is the founder of PuzzlesToRemember, which has collected more than 7,000 puzzles and distributed them to elderly patients with Alzheimer's. </p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_3" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Owen Hoffman/Patrick Mcmullan</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Barbara and Brian Goldner</p> </div></div></div><p>In the past two years, Riley Hebbard, from Mechanicsburg, Pa., has shipped 18,000 toys to Lethoso, Zambia and Zimbabwe. She's 7 years old. </p><p>But these children aren't just kind-hearted. They're pint-size power brokers, each with his or her own website, business card and polished pitch. </p><p>"I don't even have a card," said Sigourney Weaver. </p><p>Perhaps the inimitable Mr. Lee had displayed comparable philanthropic impulses. </p><p>"No," he said, "as a kid in Brooklyn, I was just trying to get another piece of candy."</p><cite class="tagline">—Lizzie Simon</cite><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304520804576349473983786328.html?mod=rss_newyork_culture" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-73964626313330603572011-08-05T19:47:00.000-07:002011-08-05T19:47:00.303-07:00Consumer Spending Slows <div><div class="article story" readability="33"><h3 class="byline">BY JEFF BATER AND LUCA DI LEO </h3><p> Spending by Americans slowed in April, a sign that rising prices for gasoline and groceries squeezed the economic recovery going into spring. </p> <p> Another disappointing report Friday on the struggling recovery showed the National Association of Realtors trimmed its forecast for home sales in 2011. </p> <p> Consumer spending in the U.S. last month gained 0.4%, less than March's downwardly revised 0.5% increase. And when adjusted for inflation, spending went up only 0.1% for a second month in a row. </p><p> The Commerce Department report said Americans' incomes grew modestly and that they saved at a rate of 4.9%, the lowest level since October ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576349080279317732.html?mod=rss_economy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-69187358075291955202011-08-05T19:34:00.000-07:002011-08-05T19:34:01.309-07:00Gol lidera ranking de milhagem <div><div class="articlePage" readability="32"><p> <em>The Wall Street Journal</em> </p><p>Participar de um programa de milhagem pode ser frustrante, já que não é raro que a passagem desejada esteja indisponível. Mas os brasileiros podem se reconfortar com o fato de que a Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes SA ficou no topo de um ranking internacional sobre resgate de milhas.</p><p>A companhia aérea paulista foi a única entre 24 avaliadas num estudo da consultoria americana IdeaWorks Co. a oferecer assentos para todos os pedidos feitos, no caso 280. Ela foi seguida por outras duas empresas de baixo custo, a americana Southwest e a alemã Air Berlin. A chilena LAN, que está se fundindo com a TAM, ficou em nono lugar.</p><p>Ficaram no pé da lista as americanas US Airways e Delta e a Emirates, dos Emirados Árabes. As três têm voos para o Brasil.</p> <p>O estudo de disponibilidade foi patrocinado pela ezRez Software Inc., que fornece ferramentas para vendas de viagens on-line a companhias aéreas, hotéis e agências de viagem. Ela verificou a disponibilidade fazendo 6.720 pedidos de reserva com pagamento em milhas. Os pedidos, nos sites das empresas, foram por um par de passagens aos níveis padrões de resgate das milhas. A IdeaWorks, que presta consultoria às aéreas para programas de fidelidade e projetos secundários de receita, escolheu 20 das rotas mais concorridas de cada empresa, tanto internacionais quanto domésticas. Durante março e no início de abril, foram verificadas 14 datas de viagem entre junho e outubro para cada rota. A Gol foi a única aérea brasileira na pesquisa.</p><p>No total, 68,6% dos pedidos renderam assentos disponíveis, não muito melhor que os 66,1% de 2010.</p><p>As aéreas afirmam que têm tentado melhorar a disponibilidade porque as milhas vêm perdendo parte do apelo e há um acúmulo de milhas no passivo de seus balanços patrimoniais. As milhas rendem bilhões de dólares em receita para as companhias aéreas quando elas as vendem a empresas de cartão de crédito que oferecem prêmios em programas de fidelidade, e as aéreas reconheceram que precisam reduzir as restrições ou correm o risco de perder clientes.</p><p>Os gerentes de inventário das aéreas normalmente alocam os assentos que podem ser resgatados com a menor quantidade de milhas quando as tarifas mais baixas ainda estão disponíveis. A partir daí, só deixam assentos de milha disponíveis a prêmios maiores. Alguns voos populares podem nunca ter assentos de milha mais baratos disponíveis.</p><p>"Acho que as aéreas estão entendendo que a disponibilidade é importante", diz Jay Sorensen, presidente da IdeaWorks. "Já chegaram ao nível em que precisam estar? Acho que não. Mas o quadro geral é positivo."</p><p> <em>(Reportagem de Scott McCartney)</em> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB130645204640119629.html?mod=rss_americas_portugues" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-9516339927916741862011-08-05T19:23:00.000-07:002011-08-05T19:23:00.321-07:00Council Has Little Faith in Fee Idea <div><div class="article story" readability="32"><h3 class="byline">BY MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL </h3><p> Mayor Michael Bloomberg's proposal to charge religious institutions and nonprofit organizations a fee for garbage pickup beginning in July 2012 drew stiff opposition at a City Council hearing Thursday.</p> <p> Council Member Fernando Cabrera, a Bronx Democrat who is also a church pastor, denounced the proposal as an unfair burden. He estimated that the fee, if imposed, could cause 10% of religious institutions citywide to close, though he acknowledged the ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576319501516670370.html?mod=rss_newyork_news" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-28448711159813182011-08-05T19:03:00.000-07:002011-08-05T19:03:00.414-07:00Greek Woes Spur Tough Options <div><div class="article story" readability="29"><h3 class="byline">BY CHARLES FORELLE </h3><p> A senior International Monetary Fund official said Thursday that debt restructuring would provide no miracle cure for Greece's debt crisis, as a delegation of European and IMF officials continued to pore over the Greek government's finances in Athens.</p> <p> The delegation is in the Greek capital to examine whether the country's tough economic program is still on track and whether its financing plan is sustainable. Their agreement is needed before they release another slice of funds next month from a €110 billion ($157.8 billion) rescue package agreed upon a year ago. </p><p> But public- and private-sector analysts agree that the €110 billion ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704681904576319332030443232.html?mod=rss_economy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-38721720727708610312011-08-05T18:34:00.000-07:002011-08-05T18:34:00.509-07:00Fabricante da Neosaldina faz compra na Suíça de olho no Brasil <div><div class="articlePage" readability="75"><p> <em>Atsuko Fukase e Dana Cimilluca</em> <br /><strong>The Wall Street Journal</strong>, <em>de Tóquio</em> </p><p>A oferta da Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. para comprar a concorrente suíça Nycomed, uma jogada ousada que pode custar até US$ 14 bilhões, mostra como as grandes empresas japonesas estão dispostas a ir ao exterior em sua busca de crescimento num momento em que enfrentam uma fraca economia interna, sacudida pelo terremoto.</p><p>Se tudo der certo, o acordo, estimado entre US$ 12 bilhões e US$ 14 bilhões, pode ser anunciado na semana que vem, disse uma pessoa a par da questão.</p><p>O terremoto forçou o empresariado japonês a enfrentar uma crise na cadeia de suprimento e apagões causados por danos a usinas nucleares no noroeste do Japão, o que paralisou a incipience recuperação econômica do país.</p><p>As grandes farmacêuticas japonesas são algumas das empresas do país que mais fizeram aquisições nos últimos anos.</p><p>Mas as negociações, divulgadas primeiro na manhã de quinta-feira, em Tóquio, pela Bloomberg News, suscitam questionamentos de banqueiros e analistas sobre a possibilidade de a maior farmacêutica do Japão em faturamento estar prestes a cometer um erro caro.</p> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit" readability="2"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-NW296_0512ta_D_20110512033325.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[Takeda]" height="174" width="262" /><cite>Bloomberg News</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Yasuchika Hasegawa, presidente de Takeda Pharmaceutical Co.</p> </div></div></div><p>Stephen Barker, analista da MF Global FXA Securities Ltd., disse que pagar US$ 10 bilhões pela Nycomed "não seria barato mas também não é um valor absurdo".</p><p>A Takeda provavelmente usará recursos em caixa para custear a aquisição — ela tinha um total de 872,7 bilhões de ienes (US$ 10,8 bilhões) em dinheiro e equivalentes de caixa no fim de março — e, para financiar o restante, provavelmente pedirá a seus principais bancos que concedam empréstimos e também deve emitir títulos, segundo uma pessoa a par da questão.</p><p>A aquisição seria a segunda maior já feita por uma empresa japonesa no exterior, segundo a firma de dados financeiros Dealogic, e ocorreria num momento em que comprar empresas no exterior ficou realmente barato para o Japão, com o iene a uma cotação de 80 frente ao dólar e 114,50 em relação ao euro. O maior acordo do tipo até agora foi a compra em 2006 da britânica Gallaher Group PLC pela Japan Tobacco Inc., um negócio de US$ 14,7 bilhões.</p><p>Para a Takeda, a aquisição da Nycomed é impulsionada principalmente por sua antiga ambição de ganhar mais presença em mercados emergentes de rápido crescimento como China e Brasil. A Nycomed possui fábrica em Jaguariúna, SP, e produz marcas como Neosaldina e Reparil.</p><p>O fim iminente da patente de remédios tem assolado o setor inteiro e é visto como o principal fator por trás de aquisições recentes.</p><p>"Seria melhor se [a Takeda] tivesse mais exposição aos mercados em desenvolvimento. E não é só eles. A maioria das farmacêuticas japonesas ficou para trás do resto da indústria farmacêutica mundial em termos de mercados em desenvolvimento fora dos Estados Unidos, Europa e Japão", disse Barker.</p><p>Analistas em Zurich dizem que o preço provavelmente reflete o potencial de crescimento da Nycomed nos mercados emergentes e o valor agregado da plataforma de distribuição da empresa, que propicia uma maneira de a Takeda disseminar seus remédios.</p><p>O presidente da Takeda, Yasuchika Hasegawa, disse ontem que a empresa vai incrementar a presença na China e outros mercados emergentes para compensar os efeitos da perda de suas patentes. "Queremos conquistar os benefícios do crescimento nos mercados emergentes. A questão mais urgente é a expansão no médio e longo prazo de nossa presença na China", disse Hasegawa.</p><p>A Nycomed é controlada por vários investidores de private equity, como a Nordic Capital e a DLJ Merchant Banking. Ela conseguiu aumentar sua presença em mercados emergentes como Ásia, Rússia e América Latina, que geram quase 40% do faturamento anual, de 3,17 bilhões de euros (US$ 4,5 bilhões).</p><p>As vendas em mercados como Rússia e Brasil subiram cerca de 30% ano passado, à medida que a farmacêutica suíça incrementava sua presença na região com novos acordos de distribuição. Embora ela já tenha alertado que suas iniciativas atuais para crescer vão aumentar seus custos em 2011 — a empresa está promovendo seu remédio respiratório via oral Daxas, entre outras coisas —, analistas dizem que a trajetória de crescimento da Nycomed permanecerá intacta mesmo com a perda da patente nos EUA do remédio contra azia Protonix.</p><p>Há muito tempo que a Nycomed é considerada uma ótima candidata para uma abertura de capital na Bolsa de Zurich e ela chegou a cogitar fazer isso antes de o diretor-presidente, Hakan Björklund, dizer no fim de 2010 que não haveria oferta pública no curto prazo. Os analistas disseram na época que a baixa das bolsas pode ter forçado a Nycomed a abandonar os planos. O possível acordo com a Takeda, dizem analistas, surge também num momento em que os mercados financeiros ainda estão sob pressão e as ofertas iniciais de ações do setor farmacêutico andam escassas.</p><p>As tentativas da Takeda de aumentar o número de remédios em desenvolvimento é um dos principais motivos para ela tentar a aquisição. A Nycomed registrou recentemente com as autoridades dois compostos experimentais e também conta com vários produtos nos estágios intermediários e finais de desenvolvimento.</p><p>Para a Takeda, expandir-se fora do Japão e desenvolver novos produtos é algo crucial: a patente de seu importante remédio contra úlcera Prevacid já venceu nos EUA, bem como a do popular tratamento contra diabetes Actos. As grandes fabricantes de genéricos planejam lançar suas versões do remédio em agosto do ano que vem.</p><p>A empresa prevê que seu lucro líquido no ano fiscal iniciado em abril de 2013 vai cair 35% em relação ao ano fiscal de 2010, para 160 bilhões de ienes, com faturamento de 1,26 trilhão de ienes, 11% menor que o do período citado.</p><p> <em>(Colaboraram Kana Inagaki e Goran Mijuk)</em> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB130523690301515603.html?mod=rss_americas_portugues" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-61392057003701739392011-08-05T18:18:00.000-07:002011-08-05T18:18:01.619-07:00Bristol Doesn't Go by the Book <div><div class="articlePage" readability="75"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=SCOTT+CACCIOLA&bylinesearch=true">SCOTT CACCIOLA</a> </h3> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-G"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit" readability="5"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AZ039_SPRTS__G_20110527185737.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[SPRTS_FEATURE3]" height="369" width="553" /><cite>Mike Orazzi/The Bristol Press</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Main Street in downtown Bristol, Conn., a town of more than 60,000 people and the home of ESPN, on Friday afternoon. </p> </div></div></div><p>BRISTOL, Conn.—Outside the gates of ESPN's sprawling 116-acre campus here in the rolling hills of central Connecticut, the residents of Bristol got word late last week that there were some unflattering things said about their blue-collar city in "These Guys Have All the Fun," the new 763-page oral history of the sports-media behemoth.</p><p>The headline in Monday's edition of the Bristol Press said it all: "Book About ESPN Bashes Bristol." The city was being described as "remote" by authors James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales, as "unkempt" before ESPN planted roots here in 1979. One former executive assessed the city as a dump—but in less-flattering terms.</p><p>"Sour grapes!" said Allison Moreau, a 47-year-old respiratory therapist, who spent Thursday afternoon watching a softball game at Bristol Central High School.</p><p>The book has cast a spotlight on the residents of Bristol, who are accustomed to dwelling in the shadows cast by ESPN. But for some, enough is enough.</p><p>"It does bother you," Mayor Art Ward said in an interview this week, "because this is your home, this is where you raise your family. And you've got people casting aspersions, which are ill-founded at best. It has a tendency to raise your ire a bit."</p><p>Bristol is, by most obvious measures, a prototypical working-class city—a community largely indistinguishable from hundreds of others across the Northeast. There are leafy parks and strip malls, dilapidated blocks and upscale neighborhoods. The American Clock and Watch Museum on Maple Street has pieces in its collection from the 17th century. The Bedding Barn over on Farmington Avenue offers 0% financing. "It's like any city," said Matt Pirog, 37. "There are good spots and bad spots."</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="4"> <cite>Associated Press</cite> <p class="targetCaption">According to ESPN, only 800 of its 4,000 Bristol, Conn.-based employees actually live in Bristol.</p> </div></div></div><p>What makes Bristol unique is the presence of ESPN, which is the city's largest taxpayer and employer. The dynamic between the two is nuanced. Many residents said ESPN is not a significant part of the community's social fabric. In fact, only 800 of ESPN's 4,000 Bristol-based employees actually live in Bristol, according to ESPN.</p><p>Ward said he first read the book's Bristol-related excerpts late last week and got what he considered a conciliatory call that night from an ESPN representative. That meant a lot to him, he said, because he found parts of the book distasteful. In one excerpt, former ESPN Chairman Steve Bornstein told the authors that he felt some of the company's problems with sexual harassment were the result of Bristol being "100 miles from real civilization." In other words, employees were bored.</p><p>"I had a real hard time coming to grips with that gentleman who tried to legitimize those atrocious sexual activities," Ward said.</p><p>With the exception of a stint in the Marine Corps, Ward has spent his entire life in Bristol. He said the city's relationship with ESPN has long been strong and remains so. He emphasized "our history together" and cited some of the under-the-radar charitable work ESPN has done for Bristol, such as fixing up abandoned baseball diamonds in low-income neighborhoods. He also pointed out that the folks who made negative comments about Bristol in the book are no longer employed by ESPN.</p><p>"ESPN has looked at our presence in Bristol as a strength and a reason for our growth," said ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys. "The negative comments were made by people that are no longer here. We've got thousands of employees who enjoy living in central Connecticut."</p><p>Mike Sassu, a 46-year-old insurance manager, is a lifelong resident. He has six brothers who also live in the city. Two are police officers, one is a fireman and one is the head pro at Chippanee Golf Club. Sassu has little patience for people who are dismissive of Bristol. "Didn't Olbermann badmouth us when he left, too?" he asked.</p><p>Sassu was referring to former SportsCenter anchor Keith Olbermann, who actually assessed Bristol as a "godforsaken place" during a television interview—in 1997, while he was still employed by the network. (His comments ignited a feud with ESPN, and he joined Fox Sports Net the following year.)</p><p>D.J. Sanderson, a senior at Bristol Central, said ESPN is an unobtrusive presence—unless you count "ESPN Day" at Lake Compounce, a family theme park on the southern edge of town where Sanderson has a summer job. "ESPN rents out the entire park for their employees and stuff," he said.</p><p>Sanderson said there had been some buzz about the book at school, where classmates found excerpts online. He has a hard time understanding how anyone could dump on Bristol for being "out in the boondocks," he said. With a population of more than 60,000, Bristol is one of the 15 largest towns or cities in the state. "It's not like Terryville," said Sanderson, referring to Bristol's quiet neighbor to the west. "I mean, we're not trying to badmouth Terryville. But that would be the middle of nowhere."</p><p>On Thursday night, the ballfields at the Giamatti Little League Center were bustling as Jim McGinley, a 44-year-old information technology specialist, gathered his team's bats and balls.</p><p>Like most of the other residents who were interviewed, McGinley said he was upset with what he described as the book's characterization of Bristol as a "podunk town where there's nothing to do." Just look around, he said. Besides, Bristol is hardly in the middle of nowhere.</p><p>The Little League complex is a source of pride, McGinley said. A tournament is held here each summer to determine which team will represent New England at the Little League World Series. The event is even televised. "This is the one they play," McGinley said, "when ESPN comes to town."</p><p> <strong>Write to </strong> Scott Cacciola at <a class="" href="mailto:scott.cacciola@wsj.com">scott.cacciola@wsj.com</a> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576349690482708836.html?mod=rss_newyork_sports" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-88131433186353757702011-08-05T18:06:00.000-07:002011-08-05T18:06:00.681-07:00Lloyd's of London Puts Disaster Bill at $3.8 Billion <div><div class="article story" readability="28"><h3 class="byline">BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU </h3><p> LONDON—Insurance-market operator Lloyd's of London said Friday that losses from disasters in Japan, New Zealand and Australia this year will cost its insurers some $3.8 billion.</p> <p> But the operator doesn't expect to draw on its ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576320622584338788.html?mod=rss_whats_news_us_business" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-46617402473106118972011-08-05T17:40:00.000-07:002011-08-05T17:40:00.119-07:00Telefónica Battles Rising Costs <div><div class="article story" readability="31"><h3 class="byline">BY DAVID ROMAN </h3><p> MADRID—Telefónica SA said Friday its first-quarter net profit dropped 1.9% due to lower margins and surging operating expenses, in a sign that troubles in its Spanish home market remain a headache for the company. </p> <p> Madrid-based Telefónica, Europe's second-largest telecommunications company by market value after U.K.-based Vodafone Group PLC, said net profit fell to €1.62 billion ($2.31 billion) from €1.66 billion in the same period last year. Operating expenses rose 13% to €10.18 billion, with personnel expenses ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576320520304369128.html?mod=rss_Earnings" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-88547262883842393862011-08-05T17:16:00.000-07:002011-08-05T17:16:00.226-07:00A Reliever Reborn in the Bronx <div><div class="articlePage" readability="72"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=DANIEL+BARBARISI&bylinesearch=true">DANIEL BARBARISI</a> </h3><p>Rafael Soriano is gone, for the moment, shut down until the All-Star break to let his $35 million elbow rest up and heal. </p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="3"> <cite>Getty Images</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Luis Ayala, above, against the Orioles on May 18. </p> </div></div></div><p>Joba Chamberlain will move into Soriano's eighth-inning setup role, with David Robertson behind him. Big enough names, both. Then there is the man taking Robertson's job, a name that only meant something to fans of the defunct Montreal Expos—and hasn't been heard much at all since 2006. </p><p>Luis Ayala thinks it's time to change that. </p><p>"I feel like Ayala is back," he said with a grin.</p><p>From 2003 to 2005, Ayala was the crack setup man for the Montreal Expos and then the Washington Nationals. He posted sub-3.00 ERAs every year. </p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_2" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Reuters</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Ayala celebrates a win over Venezuela in the 2011 Caribbean Series.</p> </div></div></div><p>Then, national pride did him in. He joined up with Mexico's team in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 and became the first of many cautionary tales about pitchers hurting their arms in the international exhibition.</p><p>"There was a time when he was an eighth-inning guy, and then he hurt his [elbow] in the WBC," Yankee manager Joe Girardi said. </p><p>Throwing a sinker to his now-teammate Alex Rodriguez, Ayala felt the ligament in his pitching elbow snap. He knew right away it was bad, and he was right. He needed Tommy John ligament replacement surgery and was never the same pitcher. </p><p>Ayala struggled through three ugly seasons post-surgery, as his velocity and stuff failed to return to pre-surgery levels. He closed some games for the Mets, and even returned to pitch for Mexico in the 2009 WBC, but his ERAs were nearly double his glory years. </p><p>He took all of 2010 off, to rehab and strengthen his arm and shoulder in Arizona, then pitched in Mexico in winter ball. There, he realized his pitches had improved, with the old bite and break returning to his sinker. The years struggling without his old pitches also taught him to use them better, he said. </p><p>"I think now I've got more spin," Ayala said. "The velocity is the same, but I've learned a lot more things about pitching."</p><p>Now 33, Ayala came to camp as a flier, a nobody, an extra guy. But he impressed enough that when injuries struck the Yankee bullpen, he was named the final addition to the major league squad. </p><p>"I felt really good about this, because it's not easy to come back to the big leagues," Ayala said. "I just came here, worked hard and tried to open some eyes. I finally opened the Yankees' eyes."</p><p>Used initially in mop-up duty, Ayala has gained more responsibility as he has proven himself, and Soriano has been absent. Ayala now has a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings with New York and is part of a bullpen that has the best ERA in the American League despite getting nothing from Soriano. </p><p>He's an extra part, but has become a valuable one. </p><p>"I've got confidence in the guys we have," General Manager Brian Cashman said. "I think Robertson, Chamberlain, and [Boone] Logan are very well- equipped to handle the load leading in. We were trying to give Girardi some other choices with the Ayalas of the world—anybody we can find."</p><p>The jovial Ayala knows his place in the grand scheme. On a given day, he can be found sitting among the plus-sized jeans in Bartolo Colon's locker, joking in Spanish or chatting in English with Boone Logan, a Texan. </p><p>"He's been great. I think he brings a lot to the table, and I'm not just talking baseball-wise. His personality's tremendous," Chamberlain said.</p><p>He's a journeyman, yes, but the fact that he was once a premier pitcher gives him a certain cache, Chamberlain said. </p><p>"He's been in the league for seven years, he's pitched, closed games for the Mets. He's been able to do a lot of roles. He's got a great arm and a great attitude about pitching, attacking hitters," Chamberlain said. </p><p>Ayala has no illusions. He's not going to be Soriano, nor is he going to be himself, circa 2004. He plans and hopes to be a contributor, and for the moment, that's enough. </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576349462639796914.html?mod=rss_newyork_sports" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-32685177676291594812011-08-05T16:58:00.000-07:002011-08-05T16:58:00.210-07:00Upping the Ante in Central Park Race <div><div class="articlePage" readability="58"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=CHRIS+HERRING&bylinesearch=true">CHRIS HERRING</a> </h3> <div class="insetContent embedType-image imageFormat-G"><div class="insetTree"><div class="insettipUnit" readability="1"><img src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AY288A_SPRTS_G_20110512191547.jpg" vspace="0" hspace="0" border="0" alt="[SPRTS_FEATURE1]" height="369" width="553" /><cite>Getty Images</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Micah Kogo of Kenya will be out to set the course record in Saturday's UAE Healthy Kidney 10-kilometer race in Central Park.</p> </div></div></div><p>Looking to boost the city's profile as a running mecca, the New York Road Runners organization is dangling a bigger-than-normal carrot in front of the participants in this weekend's 10-kilometer race in Central Park.</p><p>Hungry for bigger crowds, the organization—which holds weekly races but is best known for handling the New York City Marathon—recruited the world's two fastest 10K road runners, Kenyan professionals Micah Kogo and Leonard Patrick Komon, to take part.</p><p>The pair will headline the group of 8,000-plus participants and vie for up to $45,000 in winnings. That, as Komon will tell you, is no small incentive. "It's much bigger than the races I've done before," he said of the purse during a Thursday afternoon sitdown. "My only objective is to run good. But if I win, it would be so nice to explore this beautiful city with that money."</p><p>Komon, who holds the world's 10-kilometer road record (26 minutes, 44 seconds), had never been to New York.</p><p>Specifically, the first-place finisher of Saturday's Seventh Annual UAE Healthy Kidney 10K run is guaranteed $25,000 for winning the race, making it the highest grand prize of any such race. The award is a steep boost from 2010, when the award was worth $7,500.</p><p>Additionally, if the winner breaks the course record of 27:42—which seems probable, since both Kogo, a 2008 Olympic medalist in Beijing, and Komon have run much faster times— he'll take home an additional $20,000.</p><p>Both the boost in prize money and the move to invite the world's best for a 10K race signals a shift for the organization, as it continues to brand itself, nationally and beyond, as more than the iconic race people identify it with.</p><p>"The Marathon will always be our crown jewel and shining beacon, but there's a real magic to these other events, too," said Mary Wittenberg, head of the New York Road Runners.</p><p>She said the organization wanted to place an "added emphasis on having the fastest guys" this year, and that the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, D.C., which sponsors the run, was in complete agreement.</p><p>"No one at all is cringing when they're running faster races [and winning the purse for breaking the record]," said Wittenberg, adding that the UAE pays for the bonus when runners set a new course record. "They've been as excited as we have when people do it."</p><p>Indeed, organizers seem to want the course record, which has been re-set in each of the past two runs, to fall again this year.</p><p> Aside from inviting the two favorites, Saturday's run will feature at least three other participants—including fellow Kenyan Joseph Ebuya, who won the 2010 World Cross Country Championship—who have 10K times that are faster than the Central Park record.</p><p>Both Kogo and Komon, who have split the 10 races they've run against each other, believe one of them will come out victorious. Neither would make a prediction beyond that, other than to say that their tight friendship would be on a hiatus for at least Saturday morning.</p><p> <strong>Write to </strong> Chris Herring at <a class="" href="mailto:chris.herring@wsj.com">chris.herring@wsj.com</a> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576319691016701446.html?mod=rss_newyork_sports" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-17720644394624629432011-08-05T16:30:00.000-07:002011-08-05T16:30:00.920-07:00Euro-Zone Economy Springs to Life <div><div class="article story" readability="32"><h3 class="byline">BY NICHOLAS WINNING </h3><p> LONDON—The euro zone's economy grew at the strongest annual rate for three and a half years in the first quarter, led by a powerful surge in Germany and France, official data showed Friday. </p> <p> The stronger-than-expected growth rate is likely to fuel expectations the European Central Bank will raise interest rates again soon, even though the figures also showed Italy and Spain lagged and Portugal fell back into recession. </p><p> The combined gross domestic product of the euro zone's 17 member states grew 0.8% from the fourth quarter of 2010 and 2.5% compared with the first quarter of last year, marking the ...</p></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703864204576320650448030890.html?mod=rss_economy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-18315593403983983392011-08-05T16:06:00.000-07:002011-08-05T16:06:02.872-07:00After Price Swings, Co-op Sells <div><div class="articlePage" readability="52"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=JOSH+BARBANEL&bylinesearch=true">JOSH BARBANEL</a> </h3><p> Kevin Wendle, a high-tech investor and former television producer, had big dreams when bought a two-bedroom apartment at 812 Fifth Ave. for $6.4 million, and spent millions more renovating it.</p><p>A few years ago, when a sleek, modern renovation was being completed, he quietly offered it for sale for about $17 million. But the ups and downs of the market have played havoc with many would-be flippers across the country, and Mr. Wendle was caught in a downdraft.</p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Core</cite> <p class="targetCaption">French architect Joseph Dirand gave a two-bedroom apartment at 812 Fifth Ave. a contemporary look.</p> </div></div></div><p>At one point amid the downturn, he cut the asking price to under $10 million, before taking it off the market entirely when no one showed up to see it. </p><p>Now, after relisting the apartment, he has sold the five-room co-op on the 17th floor at Fifth Avenue and East 63rd Street for $10.6 million </p><p>The buyer is Marc Lasry, a billionaire hedge-fund manager, according to property records. Mr. Lasry is a founder of Avenue Capital, a $13.7 billion fund that specializes in distressed debt and undervalued securities. </p><p>Mr. Lasry said he was attracted to the space by the price and the detailed finishes. He and his wife, Cathy, also own a townhouse on East 74th Street just off Fifth Avenue and plan to keep both spaces for the time being.</p><p>"It was a great price for all the work somebody had done on it," Mr. Lasry said. "It was really nice. Sooner or later when all our kids go to college, we may not need the townhouse."</p><a name="U502381472902KJD" id="U502381472902KJD"></a><p>Mr. Wendle bought the apartment for "its potential investment value" in 2006 a time when he said "the market was exploding." </p><p>Mr. Wendle was part of the management team that created Fox Broadcasting Co. in the 1980s. Fox and The Wall Street Journal are units of News Corp.</p><p> He also was a co-founder of technology news and reviews provider CNET, now part of CBS Corp., and has been involved in other tech startups. He lives mostly in Paris, and also has homes in Los Angeles and Miami. </p><a name="U502381472902CD" id="U502381472902CD"></a><p>The 2,250-square-foot apartment at 812 Fifth had challenges. Mr. Wendle said the outdated apartment had dropped ceilings and subdivided rooms in a white-brick co-op built in 1963 when he acquired the unit as part of an estate sale. But it had potential: large windows and about 150 linear feet of terraces facing in all directions, including a panoramic view of Central Park.</p><p>Mr. Wendle brought in a business partner, French architect and interior designer Joseph Dirand, who created a contemporary look for the space, including what turned out to be many expensive details.</p><a name="U502381472902BCG" id="U502381472902BCG"></a><p>After offering it for about $17 million without success in what is called a "whisper listing," he officially listed the apartment for $14.85 million in January 2009. </p><p>Interest was scant. "The market crashed and the buyers wouldn't come to see it," he said. "The only showings I had were other brokers coming to look."</p><p>But as the market picked it up, it was put back on the market with Emily Beare of CORE, at $12 million in November. There was a rush of interest, including, a broker party filmed for real-estate reality television, HGTV's "Selling New York," and it sold within about three months, Ms. Beare said. </p><p>Mr. Wendle said he just about broke even on the transaction. </p><p> <strong>Write to </strong> Josh Barbanel at <a class="" href="mailto:josh.barbanel@wsj.com">josh.barbanel@wsj.com</a> </p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304066504576349760824909994.html?mod=rss_newyork_real_estate" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4117265943006286272.post-27406698372959086212011-08-05T15:41:00.000-07:002011-08-05T15:41:00.766-07:00Opening Up Broadway to All the Senses <div><div class="articlePage" readability="58"><h3 class="byline">By <a href="/search/term.html?KEYWORDS=PIA+CATTON&bylinesearch=true">PIA CATTON</a> </h3><p>Four new Broadway productions, including the Tony-nominated musical "Catch Me If You Can," will be outfitted with technology that allows blind and deaf theatergoers to more fully experience live theater. </p><p>The services will be available at "Catch Me" in early June (the production opened in April). The speed of the effort is unusual: Producers typically wait until a show is financially secure before investing in the services, which cost about $35,000. </p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_1" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="2"> <cite>Natalie Keyssar for The Wall Street Journal</cite> <p class="targetCaption">Carl Anthony Tramon of Sound Associates, at a rehearsal for 'Catch Me If You Can.' He watches a show several times with a microphone in hand to record an audio transcription of what is happening and what the set looks like.</p> </div></div></div><p>"The concern I hear is, 'We don't know how long we're going to last,'" said Carl Anthony Tramon, managing partner of Sound Associates, a sound design and systems provider that created the technology.</p><p>The not-for-profit Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is jumpstarting the process.</p><p>The "philosophical goal" of the initiative "is that the person who has a disability should have the same experience as the person who does not," said Sharon Jensen, executive director at the Alliance, which was founded (originally as the Non-Traditional Casting Project) in 1986 to promote racial and cultural diversity, but has expanded to include people with disabilities in casting and audience-building.</p><p>For the tools to reach that goal, the Alliance partnered with G-PASS, which implements Sound Associates' systems, including D-Scriptive, a handheld device with one ear-piece through which the listener hears a pre-recorded audio script describing everything onstage as the show is taking place, and I-Caption, which delivers the text of the script—including character names—in tight synchronization with the show on a polarized handheld screen.</p><p>Both evolved out of infrared technology originally used for ShowTrans, a device that Sound Associates developed in the late 1990s to interpret shows in several languages. D-Scriptive and I-Caption have been on the market for about a decade.</p><p>The Alliance's effort will allow the technology to be placed early in the runs of the four shows—at no cost to the producers. (The other three shows have not been finalized.) The funding comes from a grant the Alliance received from the Theater Subdistrict Council, a not-for-profit within the city's Department of City Planning. The council administers a fund dedicated to giving grants to organizations with one of three goals: expanding audiences, encouraging new theatrical work or showcasing Broadway's history. </p><div class="insetContent insetCol3wide embedType-image imageFormat-D"><div class="insetTree"> <div id="articleThumbnail_2" class="insettipUnit insetZoomTarget" readability="1"> <cite>Natalie Keyssar for The Wall Street Journal</cite> <p class="targetCaption">The I-Caption device.</p> </div></div></div><p>According to the Alliance, 1.1 million New Yorkers identify themselves as having a disability. And even if only a portion of that number are addressed with this particular technology, it said the impact can be significant. "It's not going to happen overnight because this audience has not been reached out to," said Ms. Jensen. </p><p>"It's a new way of thinking," said theater producer Margo Lion, who worked with Ms. Jensen to bring the services to "Catch Me." "The most important thing is that it becomes common practice." </p><p>The process of developing the data for the devices takes about two months, but it can only begin after all changes to a show and script have been finalized. At that point, Mr. Tramon watches the show several times with a microphone in hand to record an audio transcription of what is happening and what the set looks like. That recording becomes the basis of the spoken-word audio for D-Scriptive, but only after the company's "accessibility consultants" weigh in.</p><a name="U502380724455KGC" id="U502380724455KGC"></a><p> Christopher G. Roberts, an actor, playwright and artistic director of Steppingstone Theatre Company, consults from his perspective as a blind audience member. </p><p>His aim is to fine-tune the running description so that it is as helpful as possible for users. As an example, he recalled a tweak he made on "The Miracle Worker," which also used D-Scriptive. The script called for a mention of sconces, but Mr. Roberts objected. </p><p>"What is a sconce?" he said. "There is no conception of it for a blind or low-vision person." He added that the edit went on to describe the zigzag fabric surrounding the stage and other graphic observations.</p><p>Alexandria Wailes, a dancer and actress who is deaf and consults on I-Caption, says her feedback is related to issues such as illumination and font size. In her view, the technology's greatest asset is the freedom it provides. "The patron who uses the I-Caption device [can] sit wherever they wish in the house," she wrote.</p><a name="U502380724455BSB" id="U502380724455BSB"></a><p>On a larger scale, the asset that the Alliance focuses on is the message sent by making the technology available. Says Ms. Jensen: "This is to say, 'Yes, we want you as part of the audience.'"</p><!-- article end --></div></div><br><br><center><a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Powered By WizardRSS.com</a> | <a href="http://www.wizardrss.com">Full Text RSS Feed</a> | <a href="http://www.wpzonbuilder.com">Amazon Plugin</a> | <a href="http://www.hud-1.info">Settlement Statement</a> | <a href="http://www.wptip.net">WordPress Tutorials</a></center><br /><p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304520804576349472692133628.html?mod=rss_newyork_culture" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View the original article here</a></p>cwineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04818984825386417725noreply@blogger.com0