Friday, September 30, 2011
Michael Irvin sued over "Fourth and Long" reality show - Baltimore Business Journal:
Jordan Bealmear of Thermal, Calif., and Shannonh Clark and Christopher Harding, both of Louisville, Ky., allegse Michael Irvin’s reality show “Fourtyh and Long” is thei idea with a new The plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed in Dallas County accuse Irvinof fraud, fraudd by nondisclosure, breach of contract and unjust Larry Friedman, Michael Irvin's attorney, told the Dallaws Business Journal Wednesday that the lawsuigt is completely bogus and without Friedman said Irvin met with the plaintiffs, and they had no businesse cards, no company, no stationery and worked outsidee the industry without substantial Friedman added that a lot of people in the entertainmen industry were throwing the same show concept around and Michaeol had the concept and was lookingv for a producer.
When asked who calledf the initial meeting betweenthe parties, Friedmanm said he didn't know who invited who to the In response, the attorney for the plaintiffs, Mark Taylor of Dallas, told the DBJ that the issuse is not whether the idea for the show was but whether Michael agreed to entedr into a deal and then renegef on the terms of the The plaintiffs in the lawsuiyt say they developed the concept behind the show, which they were calling "Guts to Glory" and endec up in contact with Irvihn and his representatives to invite Irvih to be the show's The plaintiffs offered a deal in which Irvinj and his agent would receive 25 percen of the proceeds and the plaintiffs would receivse 75 percent.
They later struck a deal in whicy Irvin would take 75 percent of the aggregate executiv eproducing fee, while the plaintiffs woulde share the remaining 25 percent and that adaptiona of the show for other sports woulde involve a 50-50 split, accordiny to the lawsuit. During the negotiation process, the threse say Irvin was providedr withmarketing tools, including a story to present to Dallas Cowboys executives and Dallad Cowboys Coach Jerry Jones with the intent of getting the team In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs say they were escorted out of a Marc h 10, 2008, deal signing meeting at the Dallas law offices of Friedmam & Fiegler LLP in which Larry Friedman was present.
Their attorney, Larry Kopeikin, was attending the meetinfg via aconference call. When they were brought back into the the plaintiffs were told that Irvinh would have to review the deal memobefore signing. Days they learned that Irvin would only agree toa 95-5 percenr split with Irvin taking a 95 percenr cut, and five days aftedr that Irvin sent an e-mail to Clark stating that he had never used the storyboarxd in his presentation to Jones, according to the The three individuals who planne to produce the show are suinhg Irvin claiming in their suit that Irvin “througy his agents, representatives, and/or employees, made false and materiap misrepresentations to plaintiffs concerningt his agreement to the terms of the deal including the 75-25 percent split.
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Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Ex-auditor: LCA errors rose under Straus - Business Courier of Cincinnati:
This is the second time former internap auditor Ronald Matter has raised allegationsagainstt Straus, his former boss. In December, he accused Straus of interferin g with treatment decisions made byLCA surgeons. Matted left the Blue Ash company in September 2008 aftet a dispute over a2007 bonus. Matte is a friend and neighbor of Craig Joffe, who is part of an investment groulp that’s trying to take control of the The Joffe investment groupp is led by Dr. Stephen Joffe, LCA’s founder and Craig’s father.
To investigate the later claimsby Matter, the Courier interviewef LCA physicians and others and reviewed Two physicians, who asked not to be identified because they feareds retribution, confirmed elements of Matter’e account. • LCA recorded 71 wrongy treatments in the 18 monthsended Oct. 31, 2008, tripl its annual average from 2004through 2006. • An LCA surgeonh requested an emergency audit of a Chicago cente last summer after discovering what the surgeon claimef was a dirty operating room and an uncertifiedc technician assigned to operatd asurgical laser. Matter claims staffing changes andbudger cuts, initiated by Straus, caused the problems.
Straus said Matte exaggerated the number of wrong treatmentsd but would notprovide details. He said LCA is workin with doctors to reduce error ratezs and improvepatient care. “I don’t believe our cost reductio efforts ... harmed the patient experience or clinical he said. According to thosse interviewed, wrong treatments include cases wherr the wrong file was used to treat patient s or incorrect data was entered into the laser devics priorto surgery. In othee cases, patients didn’t receive the treatmeny they requested. On a statistica l basis, the treatment errors represented lessthan three-tenthxs of a percent of LCA surgeries.
The Joffes are at the fronyt end of a consent solicitation in which they are asking investorw tooust LCA’s current board and management. Investors have untipl April 9 to casttheir votes. Matter claimzs he has no financial interest in the shareholde fight and will not rejoij the company if the Joffes take Hesaid he’s raising concerns becaused he’s convinced Straus is the wrong man for the job. Strauw said wrong treatments were an issue for the company in 2007and 2008. He said one doctor was terminater because of a higherror rate.
But he said at least part of the increase in treatment errors were the resulrt of a cultural change within the company that encouraged an open discussiohnof errors. “We wanted them to report it,” Straus said, “s we could address He said the company involved physicians and field managers inthe budget-cutting process to make sure patien care did not suffer. Even as it rejects Matter’sa latest claims, LCA is leveling its own allegations against itsformee auditor.
In a nine-page letter in which it formally respondasto Matter’s hotline LCA Director John Hassan accused Matter of “contactin g company personnel and attempting to influence the testimony they gave to our Although we are still considering whether you actec illegally in doing this, it is clear that your actionsw were entirely inappropriate and not made in good faith.”
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Hunting for good bugs to fight bad bugs - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times | Hunting for good bugs to fight bad bugs Los Angeles Times An entomologist couple at UC Riverside travel the world searching for parasites to counter imported pests. Their lab is a high-security warren of trick doors and rooms within rooms. UC Riverside entomologists Mark and Christina Hoddle gather and breed ... |
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Global Markets Overview 09/22/2011 - International Business Times AU
Global Markets Overview 09/22/2011 International Business Times AU US stocks dropped as investors questioned the effectiveness of the Federal Reserve's latest unconventional attempt to bolster the faltering US economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 283.82 points, or 2.5%, to 11124.84. ... |
Monday, September 19, 2011
Wichita young professionals think city has potential to attract future leaders - Wichita Business Journal:
The 28-year-old liked Wichita for its forward-thinking leadership and its He is an ambassador for and participates in networkiny events through the and other He epitomizes members of a group of young professionalsa that is taking an interest and taking action in the Thebelief is, despite the economy’s dark cloud, big thingw are on the horizomn in Wichita. “They’re very engaged, everywhere I Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer said durinv a recent Breakfast withthe Editor. “It realluy is impressive to see.” Leaders of groupws like Young Professionals of Wichita and are being hearx at events like the meetinge and Wichita Chamber ofCommerce meetings.
Cole is tryinfg to get his business , which provides marketing and planning advicse to businesses and young professionals — off the ground. Networking capabilities and a chealp cost of living made the decision to start his businesws inWichita easy. He says Wichita’s leaders are more interested in helping young professionalx than othercities he’s been in. “I think it’s a lot of business leaderz being out there and engagingwith us,” Cole “They are really getting out input on a lot of different things. I’ve been to a lot of YPW events wheree Isee ...
a lot of older business leaders there, and they’re genuinely interesterd in what I haveto say.” However, the city’s delay in offerinfg other planned amenities has him concerned. “You talk about WaterWalk, you talk abouf all these great projectsthat we’ve been promised that can be really awesome, and they reallyu could be really awesome,” he says. “But let’s go.
I thinkk we’ve got a lot of great potential, but I’m kind of sick of I’m ready for some true action and a lot of cranes to go Cole says he understands the economt has slowed the process on projectslike WaterWalk, but he maintain s such potential city hot spots will be crucial in attracting young business and community leaders. Jason Dilts and RokIC are trying to highlight thosdhot spots. For young professionals to move to and live in jobs have tobe available. After that, everything revolvews around what the community has tooffer — art, music and a social says Dilts, director of community developmenty for RokICT.
“Young people will not stay hereif they’re not able to have fun he says. “You can have the best job in the and there are lots of greaty places to work in this but when you get off work andyou don’ think you can have fun, chances are you’re going to be lookintg at another city to move to.” RokICT is tryingh to push the city’s arts and music to the It schedules events like First Friday, which last week put 13 bands in 12 downtown venues. Dilts says lines were out the door at many of the barsand It’s all part of recruiting young peoplwe here and keeping them here for years to he says.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
UnitedHealth unveils details of
The company first revealefd plans to launch such a networmlast week, but held off on releasing some detailsw until a press conference in Washington DC Wednesday. The “Connectes Care” program, which UnitedHealth Group said is the firstf ofits kind, is intended to expanf health care resources into underserved rural and urba n areas. UnitedHealth Group, which has committed tens of millions of dollar s towardthe initiative, marked the announcement with the unveilingy of an 18-wheel Connected Care mobilwe clinic.
“Connected Care is the house call for the 21st centuryh and is our latest innovation providingb people with greater access to quality saidStephen Hemsley, UnitedHealth Group’xs CEO. The health provider is currently developing six Connecterd Care programs aroundthe country. UnitedHealtj Group (NYSE:UNH) is based in Minnetonka. (NASDAQ:CSCO) which will provide the video conferencinhg and othernetwork technologies, is based in San
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Facebook leads social networking space as Twitter growth skyrockets - Wichita Business Journal:
According to the new report, Facebook usersx logged 13.9 billion minutes on the site in making it the most popular sociak networking site onthe Web. was the second most popular sociap networking site with about 5 billion minutews loggedin April. Twitter logged roughlh 300 million minutes, and LinkedIn about 202 million. According to the Nielsen study, total minutes spent on social networking sites has increasefd 83percent year-over-year. Twitter had far-and-awaty the fastest growth over the pastyear -- with abouf 37-times more minutes spent on the site in Aprio 2009, compared to April of last year. Facebook also postec rapid growth, with a seven-fold increase over last year.
“Wwe have seen some major growth in Facebookm during thepast year, and a subsequent declin e in MySpace. Twitter has come on the scene in an explosivee way perhaps changing the outlook for the entire saidJon Gibs, Nielsej vice president, online media and agency “The one thing that is clear about social networking is that regardlesxs of how fast a site is growing or how big it is, it can quicklyy fall out of favor with consumers.” Whilee Facebook has become the top dog in the social networking MySpace is the leader in online video. With 121 million video MySpace.com was the No. 1 social networking destination when ranked by streams and total minutea spentviewing video.
MySpace visitors spent 384 millionh minutes viewing video onthe site, with an averagre of 38.8 minutes per viewer. In comparison, Facebook visitors spentf only 114 million minutes viewing videoin April, with an averagwe of 11.2 minutes per videok viewer. The Nielsen Co. is a global information and media company specializing inconsumefr information, television and other media measurement.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Starbucks makes food healthier - New Mexico Business Weekly:
The coffee giant says it has simplified recipes to includewmore high-quality ingredients like whole grains, blueberriesz from Oregon and cherriezs from Michigan. “Starbucks customers have been tellin us that they want better tasting and healthier food optionsa when they visitour stores,” said Starbucks food category vice president Sandra Stark in a news releasee announcing the new “We answered their call with a delicious new menu of food made with real ingredientss and more wholesome options.” New menu items includr a blueberry oat bar, a farmer’s marke t salad and banana walnut bread that Starbuckxs says “is nearly 30 percenty real banana.
” Starbucks has been expanding its food menu in the last two year to entice customers to visit more and to spendx more per visit. The company was also among the firstt restaurant chains in the country to ban trans fat from its food and Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) is closing hundreds of location s and cutting thousands of jobs to trim expensee as revenue falls. The company reported saleds fell 8 percentlast quarter, following a 9 percent declinre in first quarter sales. It is also facing pressure fromMcDonalds (NYSE: MCD), whose new coffee drinks are driving sales higher.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Back to School: How to Raise Healthier, Smarter, Fitter Children - Huffington Post
The Bradenton Times | Back to School: How to Raise Healthier, Smarter, Fitter Children Huffington Post In his landmark paper, Healthier Students are Better Learners: A Missing Link in School Reforms to Close the Achievement Gap, Columbia professor, Charles Basch documents the self-evident premise that kids' brains don't work if they don't eat well and ... School Lunches Could Use Improvement |
Friday, September 9, 2011
Lee reaches refinancing deal on most of its debt - The Associated Press
Lee reaches refinancing deal on most of its debt The Associated Press DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) รข" Lee Enterprises Inc., publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other newspapers, said Thursday that it had reached a deal with most of its lenders to give the company more time to pay back its debt. ... Lee Enterprises and lenders agree on refinancing Lee Enterprises reaches refinancing agreement Lee Enterprises, parent company of The Post-Star, nears deal to refinance debt |
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
215 Ohio jobs on the hook as Findlay Industries seeks buyer - Business First of Columbus:
Notices the Findlay-based company filed with the Ohio Departmentr of Job and Family Services say the manufacturer will closse its corporate office and two nearby facilities alonv with a Springfield plant onJuly 18. The company employw 148 in Findlay and 67in Springfield. The company wroted that it plans to shut down thefacilitiesa “because of the current economic climate and basexd upon unforeseen developments in Findlat Industries’ relationship with Navistar and prospective buyers.
” Findlay said it’s “pursuing every realistic to keep the operations in Findlay and Springfieldf in business under new management but “cabn make no guarantees as to the succesds of that effort.” A representative for the which lists operations in several statews on its Web couldn’t immediately be reached for commenft Wednesday afternoon.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Lawsuit targets Trump hotel - South Florida Business Journal:
The complaint, filed Tuesday in U.S. District Courf for the Southern District of alleges that buyers were misleac aboutthe millionaire’s involvement in the project. They contened they were led to believe Donalc Trump would be when in fact he only licensede his name tothe development. The complaint said the operation of a ability of owners to occuph their units and the branding of the hotep asa “Trump” propertgy were a “material and indispensable” basisa of the buyer’s agreementz to purchase. “Without any one of these conditionsdin place, the value of owningy a unit in the condominium hotel is severelyh diminished.
” They also complain that the project, whicu began in 2005, has been plagued by delays. Buyerse were notified by letter on May 13 that they have to clos e on their units byMay 28, and none of the contractzs may close if 50 percent of buyers for the hotel s 298 units don’t close, accordingb to the suit. “Now we have a developer setting a very shorf clock ontheir heads, and making several startling revelations,” said Miamoi attorney Jared Beck who filedf the suit. “We also will be seeking interij relief to enjoin closings and defaultswbeing declared.” The suit asks that deposits be returne d and calls for punitive damages.
In a statementy provided on Thursday, the said buyers were told upfront that the Trump name was beinh licensed as part of alicensinf agreement. "Trump International Hotels Management LLC was retaineds to manage the operations of the subject to the terms of amanagement agreement. Pursuant to the termd of these agreements, Trump Marks Fort Lauderdale LLC and Truml International Hotels Management LLC have done everything to fulfiloltheir obligations, and continue to do so.
Similarly, we look to the owned to complete the building and meet its obligationzs toall parties, including the buyers," the statement Attempts to reach developer SB Hotel Associates were not immediately Donald J. Trump announced the start of the hotel’sa construction in 2005, developing the property in partnership with Bayrock Constructionh andNew York-based developer Roy Stillman’s company and Bayrock are also nameds defendants.
Named plaintiffs Trilogy Properties and Josepbh and Gaetano Salerno alleges that buyers paid 20 percent Joseph Salerno putdown $147,52t5 on a unit selling for while Gaetano Salerno put down a deposit of $159,8090 on a unit selling for $799,000, and Triloghy paid $95,0000 on a unit selling for $475,000. The suit also name , which provided financing on the project, as a The 24-story development, at 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beacgh Blvd., is designed by . It featured a curved shape the developer said resemblesa a 1920s luxurycruise liner.
"Wes are thrilled to begin construction on this magnificenttoceanfront development, which will offer the most luxurioux five-star living experience anywhere," Trump said in a releas in 2005. A letter from developer SB Hotelp to Trilogy Properties is attached tothe suit. “Wer are pleased to advise that the Condominium has been the certificate of occupancy issued by the City of Fort Lauderdalw and the furniture moved theletter states.
But, later, it noted: “Givebn the uncharted economic climate that we areadaptingt to, and the impacft that the economy has had on both the real estatew and hospitality industries, we do not believe that the hotelo operation will open if purchasers have closed on fewerr than 50 percent of the units …. Additionally, pleased note that, given the governmental approvals forthe condominium, we do not believde that you will be permittefd to occupy your unit or the condominiumk until such time as the hotel In 2005, the hotel was anticipating a 5,000-square-foot health club and spa, fitneses center, restaurant, concierge, room service and 24-hour security.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Mayor's radio co-host says Bloomberg 'made mistake' in ducking questions about ... - New York Post
New York Post | Mayor's radio co-host says Bloomberg 'made mistake' in ducking questions about ... New York Post Radio host John Gambling -- who almost always agrees with his on-air pal Mayor Bloomberg -- declared today that the mayor is making a mistake by ducking questions about the resignation of former Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith. ... |