Archive for November, 2009

« Older Entries

More shoppers spend less this Black Friday

Monday, November 30th, 2009

According to the National Retail Federation, the number of shopper this Black Friday went up, but the amount of spending went down.

The federation said in a release that this trend was expected.

Americans spent $41.2 billion over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. The National Retail Federation conducted a survey with BIGresearch over the weekend confirmed that more people spent less and were looking for bargains.

The report showed that 195 million shippers, up from 172 million last year, visited retail stores and Web sites over the weekend. Average spending dropped from $372.57 a year ago to $343.31.

“Shoppers proved this weekend that they were willing to open their wallets for a bargain, heading out to take advantage of great deals on less expensive items like toys, small appliances and winter clothes,” said Tracy Mullin, NRF President and CEO. “While retailers are encouraged by the number of Americans who shopped over Black Friday weekend, they know they have their work cut out for them to keep people coming back through Christmas. Shoppers can continue to expect retailers to focus on low prices and bargains through the end of December.”

Nearly half of shopper visited department stores, almost a 13 percent increase from last year.

Today is Cyber Monday, during which it is expected that 96.5 million Americans will shop online this year, up from 85 million in 2008.

According to the survey, nearly one-third (32.2 percent) of shoppers purchased toys, an increase of 12.9 percent from last year. Additionally, more people purchased sporting goods (12.6 percent vs. 11.4 percent last year), personal care or beauty items (22.4 percent vs. 19 percent) and gift cards (21.2 percent vs. 18.7 percent). The most popular purchases were of clothing (0.9 percent) and books (40.3 percent).

About one-third of shoppers were at the stores by 5 a.m., compared with 23.3 percent who were at stores by that time last year.

Tags: , ,
Posted in BUSINESS | Comments Off

Microsoft opens retail stores that resemble Apple Stores

Monday, November 30th, 2009

Microsoft has opened another if its retail stores this week in Scottsdale, Ariz. in order to help make its brand and products more accessible and user-friendly.

A report in The Seattle Times notes that the new store resembles that of its rival, Apple.

The Microsoft Store, like the Apple Store, has no words or signs over the entry doorway, just a Windows logo. The walls inside are white and there are Windows mobile phones and Zunes showcased.

There are “Answer Bars” whereas Apple has “Genius Bars” in their shops.

The first two Microsoft Stores were opened in October in Scottsdale and Mission Viejo.

According to the article, the stores are a way to fight the perception Microsoft is uncool and user-hostile; an image that rival Apple used most recently in its television commercials.

PCWorld.com lists the “10 Ways Microsoft’s Retail Stores Will Differ From Apple Stores,” which pokes fun at the store’s similarities to the Apple Store.

Tags: ,
Posted in BUSINESS | Comments Off

Avista Capital Partners-owned MedServe acquired by Stericycle for $185 million

Monday, November 30th, 2009

MedServe, Inc., a private company that is majority owned by Avista Capital Partners, Chrysalis Ventures and Murphree Venture Partners, has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Stericycle, Inc. for $185 million in cash, according to Avista.

“We would like to thank Avista, Chrysalis, Murphree and our other shareholders for their commitment to MedServe over the last three years,” Roger Ramsey, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MedServe, said. “We are grateful for their support of the company’s strategic vision and assistance in achieving this successful event.”

MedServe, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is engaged in the collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of medical waste, hazardous waste, universal waste and other regulated wastes.

Avista Capital Partners has offices in New York City and Houston. It is a leading private equity firm that makes investments primarily in growth-oriented energy, healthcare and media companies.

“MedServe has made significant progress during the period of Avista, Chrysalis and Murphree’s ownership,” Steve Webster, co-managing partner of Avista Capital Partners said. “The company has grown into a great business with an exceptional base of employees. The entire investor group is delighted to have sponsored MedServe and that we were able to partner with the company’s outstanding management team.”

The MedServe transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory reviews, including clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in BUSINESS | Comments Off

The Post to close regional bureaus

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

The Washington Post will shutter its last United States’ bureaus.

The result is three of the three news assistant s will be let go, while six correspondents that work in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago will be offered reassignments in Washington, according to the Washington Post.

The Post has already had four rounds of early-retirement buyouts and has closed and merged several sections. Yet, this downsize is the “clearest sign yet of the newspaper’s shrinking horizons in an era of diminished resources,” the article reads.

“The fact is we can effectively cover the rest of the country from Washington,” Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli said. “We have for years been able to cover issues around the country for our readers with a corps of traveling reporters. It’s more possible than it’s ever been to cover the issues that matter to our readers from a Washington perspective.”

However, much like other major newspapers that have had to shutter or drastically cut back their reporting staff as well as areas of coverage, the loss means less of a connection with local communities in other regions of the country.

Brauchli is under pressure to cut costs because The Post Co.’s newspaper division, which includes several smaller papers, lost $166.7 million in the first three quarters of this year.

This trend is becoming common.

Denver’s 150-year-old Rocky Mountain News published its last paper on Feb. 27, 2009. Its CEO said it was a victim of the bad economy and the “upheaval of the newspaper industry.” It left Denver with one daily newspaper, The Denver Post, like the majority of U.S. cities today.

The print Seattle Post-Intelligencer was also closed after executives could not find a buyer. It has continued on, though with a much smaller staff, in an online format.

Final Edition from Matthew Roberts on Vimeo.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in BUSINESS | Comments Off

National Federation Of The Blind teams with Chevrolet, GM too incorporate ‘safe sound alert’ for electrics, hybrids

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Chevrolet, General Motors and the National Federation of the Blind are partnering to identify a safe level of sound to alert the blind and other pedestrians to the presence of near silent-running electric and hybrid vehicles.

“We are confident electric vehicles can produce a safe and acceptable level of sound to alert blind pedestrians to their presence,” said John Paré, NFB executive director of strategic initiatives. “We look forward to working with Chevrolet and GM to identify an appropriate sound that will alert pedestrians in the most effective and least disruptive way possible.”

Members of the National Federation of the Blind and engineers from GM began meeting earlier this year to understand the safety needs of pedestrians with respect to quiet vehicles, and to work on solutions for the benefit of pedestrians, cyclists, runners, children and other members of the public.

NFB members recently experienced a demo of the pedestrian warning alert on a pre-production Chevrolet Volt electric vehicle driven at various.

“We have significant background in the area of pedestrian alerts dating to our work on our first electric car, the EV1,” said chief engineer Andrew Farah, “The most important thing is to listen to the people who will interact with these vehicles in everyday life.”

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United States.

General Motors, one of the world’s largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. With its global headquarters in Detroit, Mich.

Tags: , ,
Posted in BUSINESS | Comments Off

Constellation Energy appoints environmental policy czar

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

Constellation Energy, a major power company based in Baltimore and headed by Mayo Shattuck, announced the appointment of James Connaughton to serve as executive vice president of corporate affairs, public, and environmental policy.

Connaughton will oversee Constellation Energy’s environmental and energy policy matters. As the person in charge of environmental policy, Connaughton will spearhead a comprehensive public and enivornmental policy to expand its low-emitting merchant fleet, renewable energy portfolio and energy efficiency services, and continue Constellation Energy’s research in emission-free nuclear energy.

“Jim has an extraordinary track record as a visionary environmental and energy policy leader,” said Mayo Shattuck, president and CEO of Constellation Energy. “He brings a well-earned reputation as a bipartisan problem-solver, who can manage the complexities of critical business, economic and policy matters from the strategy phase through implementation. To be an energy leader, our company must be an environmental leader. They are one in the same, and that’s the commitment we make to all of our stakeholders.”

Mayo Shattuck continued to stress the importance of clean and renewable energy. “The issues driving every element of our business strategy, from new nuclear and climate change to renewable energy and energy efficiency, are shaped and influenced by a myriad of policy considerations at every level of government, and by the needs and interests of our customers, shareholders and the communities we serve,” said Shattuck. “Ultimately, our business legacy will be our environmental legacy.”

Connaughton served as chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality from 2001-2009. In this role, he served on President Bush’s senior staff as senior environment, energy and natural resources advisor and as director of the White House Office of Environmental Policy. Connaughton worked to develop and implement climate change, air pollution and energy security policies. His work led to a series of new mandatory programs, incentives, technology initiatives and public-private partnerships that led to bipartisan energy legislation in 2005 and 2007, as well as nearly $90 billion for clean energy technology research and incentives for low-carbon technologies such as plug-in hybrid vehicles, renewable fuels, nuclear, solar, wind, and carbon capture and storage from coal power generation.

Constellation Energy is a leading supplier of energy products and services to wholesale and retail electric and natural gas customers. It owns a diversified fleet of generating units located throughout the United States, totaling approximately 9,000 megawatts of generating capacity. The company delivers electricity and natural gas through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE). Mayo Shattuck has been the CEO of Constellation Energy since 2001.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT | Comments Off

Advanced deep-sea exploration program launched by Waitt Institute

Tuesday, November 24th, 2009

A press release from the Waitt Institute for Discovery titled “Waitt Institute Launches Deep-Sea Exploration Program Featuring Robot Sub Tool Kit” discusses the launching of the CATALYST Program, an expedition involving the technologically advanced survey of “rare and vulnerable” deep coral reefs through a highly flexible and portable deep-sea tool kit and operations team.

Through the collaborative efforts of the Waitt Institute for Discovery and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the project uses Waitt Institute’s two newly-built Hydroid REMUS 6000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), to explore the depths of the ocean. The robots can dive to depths as deep as 6,000 meters (or 3.7 miles).

They also feature multi-sensor platforms that are outfitted with state of the art survey instruments that are able to generate comprehensive sonar maps of the ocean floor, conduct photo-imaging of deep-sea elements, and record significant oceanographic data.

Ted Waitt, founder and chairman of the Waitt Institute for Discovery, has recognized the vehicles to be the most efficient and versatile technologies for ocean exploration. Given this, the Institute has tasked itself to fully utilize these vehicles in order to advance and accelerate sustainable ocean policy, deep-sea exploration, and advanced scientific research. Moreover, the CATALYST Program is set to establish a long-term and advanced knowledge center for interdisciplinary research of the oceans.

Ted Waitt is an American billionaire who, aside from his Waitt Institute for Discovery, has founded the Waitt Institute for Violence Prevention; the Waitt Family Foundation; and the private investment company Avalon Capital Group, Inc.

Prior to forming these groups, Ted Waitt co-founded Gateway, Inc., a computer hardware firm that has now become a subsidiary of Acer. With a net worth of $1.4 billion, it is no wonder that, as of 2008, Forbes ranks Waitt #355 among “The 400 Richest Americans.”

Waitt is also fond of sharing fractions of his fortune through his philanthropic foundation that funds a wide range of projects that are sometimes in partnership with the Waitt Institutes. In fact, Business Week has recognized him as one of America’s 50 most generous philanthropists.

Tags: ,
Posted in SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT | Comments Off

General Electric purchases small navigation tech company

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

General Electric has purchased a Kent, Wash-based firm, Naverus, which spearheaded satellite-based airplane navigation technology for guiding aircraft and streamlining flight patterns around airports.

The amount of the transaction has not been disclosed as of Nov. 23.

Naverus’ technology can steer air traffic on autopilot along a smoothly descending, satellite-guided path, avoiding the stair-step approach and constant interplay with air traffic controllers that are now required to bring in planes.

By linking satellite-based GPS with the plane’s autopilot system, the technology allows closer spacing of airplanes and more fuel-efficient landing approaches, according to experts in the field.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave the company approval two months ago to design and validate flight paths at U.S. airports for a wide array of airlines. The approval enables the company to play a role in accelerating the FAA’s proposed modernization of the U.S. air traffic system, known as NextGen.

Naverus was founded in 2003 and its mission is to “harness emerging navigation technologies to make air transportation operations around the world run better,” according to its Web site.
Naverus will become part of GE Aviation Systems.

Tags: ,
Posted in BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY | Comments Off

Profiles in Business: Martin Eberhard

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Martin Eberhard, a native of California, is a co-founder and former chief executive officer of Tesla Motors.

His fascination for sports cars, which was neutralized by his concern for the environment, has led him to initiate Silicon Valley’s very first automobile company together with Marc Tarpenning. He currently drives the Tesla Motors Founder’s Series Roadsters’ VIN#2, which also happens to be the first series of the Tesla Roadster series.

Growing up in Kensington, Calif., Martin Eberhard was able to attend the Kensington Hilltop Elementary School. He was able to attend junior high school and high school at the El Cerrito until his family moved to Elmhurst, Illinois. Eventually in 1978, he was able to graduate from the York Community High School.

In 1982, Martin was able to complete his undergraduate degree in computer engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Years later, he was able to earn a masters degree in electrical engineering from the same university.

His career as an electrical engineer had started at Wyse Technology, where he was able to design his first product, the WY-30 ASCII computer terminal. After a few years of hard work, Martin Eberhard was able to found Network Computing Devices, Inc. Another start-up company, NuvoMedia, later on followed the X Window-based network terminals producer.

In 2008, Martin Eberhard had transferred from Tesla Motors’ board of directors and executive management to the company’s advisory board. Currently serving as a shareholder of the company, Martin Eberhard has confirmed his plan on starting another company in the green tech field.

For his contributions to the business, Martin Eberhard was included by Fortune Magazine in its top 24 innovators list for 2007. Business 2.0 magazine had also ranked him number 32 in its “50 people who matter now” list for the same year.

Tags: ,
Posted in BUSINESS | Comments Off

Advances in skin re-growth could help more burn victims

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Technologists are developing something straight out of a sci-fi movie: Spray-on skin.

This new advance could make burnt skin heal in days rather than weeks. Avita Medical is expected to start clinical trials for ReCell technology in December.

It uses a piece of skin the size of a postage stamp-sized to heal a page’s-worth of burned skin, according to an article on DiscoveryNews.com.

The technology is exciting because it could save the lives of burn victims by reducing the risk of deadly infections as early as next year.

“We need to get these burn wounds closed quickly,” said John Geisel, a scientist at Avita Medical developing the technology. “Until we do, these wounds lose blood and a patient runs the risk of a life-threatening infection.”

According to Avita’s Web site, ReCell is a stand-alone, rapid, autologous cell harvesting, processing and delivery technology that enables surgeons and clinicians to treat skin defects using the patient’s own cells in a regenerative process, accelerating healing, minimizing scar formation, eliminating tissue rejection and reintroducing pigmentation to the skin.

The procedure is performed on site, utilizes a patented and proprietary ’spray-on’ application technique, takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and does not require laboratory facilities.

It’s been designed for use in a wide variety of wound, plastic, reconstructive, burn and cosmetic procedures.

Part of the funding for the clinical trial comes from a $1.4 million U.S. Army grant to help develop regenerative medicine for wounded soldiers returning from battle.

Tags:
Posted in SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENT | Comments Off

« Older Entries