Christie to visit Israel, Jordan for trade opportunities, will meet leaders - NorthJersey.com

In a trip billed as a "Jersey to Jerusalem Trade Mission", Gov. Chris Christie will travel to Israel during Holy Week to expand business opportunities, experience the culture and meet with world leaders. He will also spend time in Jordan with King Abdullah II.

A delegation of business and religious leaders will join Christie, his family and staff, the administration announced this afternoon. The Republican governor will be in Israel from Sunday through Thursday and Jordan until Easter Sunday.

“I think it’s important for me to continue to get a greater awareness of the world around me as a leader and someone who now has a bit of a national voice,” Christie said in an interview in Washington in late February. “I think it’s important for me to continue to open up my mind and my experience to things that are outside of the state of New Jersey.”

While travel to Israel has been a tradition for New Jersey governors since Gov. Tom Kean, Christie’s growing national profile makes a trip to the Middle East all the more significant. He first announced plans to visit Israel back in October.

The Republican Jewish Coalition is co-sponsoring the trip, along with Choose New Jersey, a nonprofit formed by business executives in 2010 to expand the state’s economy. The RJC has also sponsored similar trips for former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former President George W. Bush when he was governor of Texas.
The RJC will pay for the Christies' flight, other transportation and lodging. Members of the traveling delegation will pay for their own travel and hotel costs, but Choose NJ and the RJC will cover the cost of on-site activities, transportation and meals in Israel.  Taxpayers will pick up the tab for Christie's security detail.   
Lt. Kim Guadagno will serve as acting governor while Christie is out of the country.

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Why a Home Based Business Makes Dollars and Sense

Sandy Botkin, CPA, Esq. says you would be brain dead not to have a home based business.

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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A window of opportunity for Microsoft with tablets - Los Angeles Times

A screenshot of Windows 8 consumer preview. (Microsoft Corp. / March 20, 2012)

Some may wonder whether there's room for Microsoft to carve a niche for itself with a behemoth like Apple's iPad dominating the tablet market. 

According to a Bloomberg report, Microsoft is said to be preparing Windows 8, a touch-friendly operating system, for a fall launch. Although the iPad is a dominant critical and commercial success by most accounts, there's a sizable gap between it and the nearest comparable Android tablet, presenting Microsoft with a window of opportunity.

To say that Microsoft has a lot riding on Windows 8 for its foray into the tablet market is simply stating the obvious. The company has all but conceded a whole popular segment by its absence in the tablet market.

Analyst Michael Cherry of Directions on Microsoft has doubts that Microsoft will be able to deliver on the aggressive schedule detailed by Bloomberg. He said that of the three important facets of a new product -- quality, features and time -- to be long on two means you'll be short on one. "Picking all three is really hard."

However, Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg says it's too early to count Microsoft out, despite its late arrival to the tablet market.

"The question is, can Microsoft make a dent in the Android market," he said. "The marketplace is moving with such a rate of change, unexpected things can happen.... Microsoft is hoping that the [first-place] runner does stumble," so that the company might gain some ground.

The only official words coming out of Microsoft these days about the advent and execution of Windows 8 seem to be no comment, but there's lots of discussion about expectations and what's at stake.

Here are a few things Microsoft has to do to avoid being relegated forever to the distinction of an also-ran or, really, a never-had-a-chance.

Build it: First and foremost, Microsoft cannot let Apple have one more holiday season without a Windows tablet on the market. It needs to bring something to market -- and that something has to be ready for prime time in terms of hardware, software and ecosystem.

"The longer it happens, the more difficult it is for a developer to break into that market," Gartenberg said. "You get into a cycle that becomes very, very difficult to break."

It's not just the Windows 8 software that has to be on point.  Although Microsoft is building the operating system, it might be wise to be intimately involved in development of some hardware -- to help ensure positive user experience.

On the tablet hardware side, Microsoft will need to meet or beat what's already on the market. To that end, the company has said that Windows 8 will support multiple display resolutions, possibly even beyond that of Retina display.

With iPad in its third iteration and Android-based tablets past their infancy, consumers have an expectation of a mature, seamless and reliable computing experience, not one that is glitchy or experimental. Windows-based tablets will be compared to what's already on the market.

"Everybody seems to want to measure the numbers, but it's more about the experience," Cherry said.

One potential advantage is that Windows 8 is nothing like Apple's iOS or Android 4.0, or Ice Cream Sandwich. The Metro-style updating tiles will be a fresh approach to mobile computing, if executed properly.

Populate it: Now that much of the buying public is familiar with at least the concept of tablet computing, Microsoft will have to deliver more than just a tablet and a stellar OS. 

“Ecosystems are driving purchases these days.” Gartenberg said.

In other words, it's all about the apps. 

Windows Phone, essentially a precursor to a possible upcoming Windows-based tablet, now has 70,000 apps, or less than 5% of the market. That compares with half a million each for iOS and Android.

They aren't ignoring app development. Microsoft just released the developer's kit for Windows Phone 7.1.1, which can also run on the Windows 8 Consumer Preview release. In addition, this week Microsoft and Nokia announced an investment of about $12 million in AppCampus, a mobile app development program at Aalto University in Finland, to develop new apps for the Windows Phone platform.

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Market Opportunities and Business Strategies in Private Label Branding in India - PRLog (free press release)

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar 29, 2012 -
The report provides top-level market analysis, information and insights into the Indian private label products market, including:
• Current, historic and forecast values for the Indian private label market
• Comprehensive, country-specific analysis of market attractiveness covering key macroeconomic trends plus benchmarking with other key global and Asian private label markets
• Detailed analysis of the key drivers for private label in India
• Detailed analysis of the challenges affecting the private label market in India
• Detailed analysis of retailer strategies by product categories and by retail format
• Case studies of the top private label retailers in India

Summary
The market for private label products in India is still in its nascent stages and accounted for just XX% of the overall retail market in 2011. The Indian retail market is highly fragmented and primarily consists of unorganized outlets such as ‘kirana’ stores. It is expected that organized retail is going to undergo a period of growth over the forecast period. Retailers entered the Indian private labels market by providing staples such as food and beverage products. The positive growth potential of these categories convinced many retailers to enter the personal care market in 2009. The main growth strategy of Indian retailers is to provide consumers with national brands as a trust exercise; as such brands provide a level of quality and assurance to consumers, who are then offered private labels as a discounted alternative. The Future Group recruited national sports icon, Sachin Tendulkar, to create a sub-brand named ‘Sach’. In this way, the Group expects to attain national recognition with some consumers and an emotional connection with others. This is the first instance of private label product endorsement in the Indian market. Growth in private labels has resulted in several conflicts between retailers and national brands, owing to issues such as margins, displays and shelf space. Retailers are more inclined to push the sales of private label products as they offer greater profit margins. Market Analysis

Scope
• This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the private label market within the consumer packaged goods industry in India
• It provides an overview of key global markets for private label
• It provides comparison of private label market share in India with Asian countries and with the key global markets
• It provides historical shares for the Indian private label market for the report’s 2007–2011 review period and forecast figures for the 2012–2016 forecast period
• It highlights the consumer, business and economic factors driving the private label market in India
• It covers a summary on the key challenges facing the private label market in India
• It details the business strategies of private label brands by retail store formats
• It discusses the key emerging product strategies in the Indian private label market
• It compares the pricing strategy adopted for private label products in key categories
• It outlines the future outlook for the Indian private label market
• It profiles the major retailers in the private label market in India

Reasons To Buy
• Make strategic business decisions using top-level historic and forecast market data related to the Indian private label market
• Understand the key consumer, business and economic trends within the Indian private label market
• Gain insights into the strategies adopted by retailers in different product categories and also across different retail formats
• Gain insights into the challenges facing the Indian private label market
• Gain insights into the upcoming trends in the Indian private label market

For more information kindly visit :
Market Opportunities and Business Strategies in Private Label Branding in India

Or

Bharat Book Bureau
Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773
Fax: + 91 22 27812290
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Bharat Book Bureau is the leading business information aggregator providing market research reports and online databases. Bharatbook is also into the business of marketing conferences worldwide and undertakes custom research.

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Christie to visit Israel , Jordan for trade opportunities, will meet leaders

In a trip billed as a "Jersey to Jerusalem Trade Mission", Gov. Chris Christie will travel to Israel during Holy Week to expand business opportunities, experience the culture and meet with world leaders. He will also spend time in Jordan with King Abdullah II.

A delegation of business and religious leaders will join Christie, his family and staff, the administration announced this afternoon. The Republican governor will be in Israel from Sunday through Thursday and Jordan until Easter Sunday.

“I think it’s important for me to continue to get a greater awareness of the world around me as a leader and someone who now has a bit of a national voice,” Christie said in an interview in Washington in late February. “I think it’s important for me to continue to open up my mind and my experience to things that are outside of the state of New Jersey.”

While travel to Israel has been a tradition for New Jersey governors since Gov. Tom Kean, Christie’s growing national profile makes a trip to the Middle East all the more significant. He first announced plans to visit Israel back in October.

The Republican Jewish Coalition is co-sponsoring the trip, along with Choose New Jersey, a nonprofit formed by business executives in 2010 to expand the state’s economy. The RJC has also sponsored similar trips for former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former President George W. Bush when he was governor of Texas.
The RJC will pay for the Christies' flight, other transportation and lodging. Members of the traveling delegation will pay for their own travel and hotel costs, but Choose NJ and the RJC will cover the cost of on-site activities, transportation and meals in Israel.  Taxpayers will pick up the tab for Christie's security detail.   
Lt. Kim Guadagno will serve as acting governor while Christie is out of the country.

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Gold Solutions introduce a whole new range of gold plating kit packages to their business opportunity website - YAHOO!

They now have a selection of gold plating kits that include a 'live' bespoke website designed specifically for customers seeking a complete business start-up package

(PRWEB UK) 29 March 2012

After establishing themselves as the no.1 supplier of basic DIY home plating kits for people to start small businesses in Europe, Gold Solutions have now moved in to the market of supplying more serious minded business opportunity seekers a complete start-up package.

Terry George of Gold Solutions said "We have been aware that other suppliers in this field have been selling 'complete' packages for some time, but that they were vastly overpriced. I have seen them selling for between £2000 and £3000, which for a franchise is OK but this is a business that is just not franchise-able.

We have put together a combination of our top of the range kit, a custom designed 'live' website with the clients own choice of domain name, full Founder Member status to our exclusive Gold Plating Guild website, and topped this off with a special 2 day in-house training course (including overnight accommodation) for just £899. This will ensure that every area of the business is well covered for the benefit of the client - and has saved them at least £1000"

This is just the latest phase in Gold Solutions strategy of both bringing gold plated everyday items to the high street (iphones/ipods etc), and giving thousands of ordinary people the opportunity to generate a good full or part time income without having to spend a fortune.

Their recent campaign of offering reduced cost training courses for anyone who is thinking about entering this lucrative business has been so successful that they have continued it for yet another month. Terry George again "it is very satisfying to have so many people wanting to know more about gold plating before they buy, and rewarding when so many do buy"

They have also re-launched their unique Gold Plating Guild website, which is the first one of it's kind in the world, allowing any member of the public or company seeking a gold plating service/product to contact ALL of the Guild members - at the touch of a button. Anyone seeking an electroplating service - anywhere in the world - can now, instead of selecting a 'random' supplier from the internet, let EVERY member of the Guild know what they are looking for and receive several replies from just one message.

Terry George
Gold Solutions Limited
0207 871 3017
Email Information

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Internet Based MLM Home Business Opportunities ** Network Marketing Opportunity **

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Maple Grove Days boasts business opportunities

The festival offers three opportunities for businesses, churches and organization to join the festivities, the Business Expo, silent auction or sidewalk sales around Maple Grove.

The Business Expo is the perfect setting to meet the citizens of Maple Grove and surrounding communities as well as share information, flyers, samples all promoting your business. The Expo has a wide variety of vendors promoting themselves; store front, health, banking, building, home-based, church, political, community organizations and more. The Business Expo is Saturday, July 14, at the Maple Grove Community Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last year over 8,000 patrons visited more than 130 booths. Each vendor is requested to provide freebies for the children. Music echoes through the halls as the "Medicine Show" entertains both visitors and vendors.

MGCO would like to promote the community by adding the participation of local businesses to the festival with a Citywide Maple Grove Days Sidewalk Sales Friday, July 13. There is not fee to participate in the Maple Grove Days Sidewalk Sales and people do not need to let MGCO know if they decide to participate. However, if participating, a business would need to abide by all guidelines established by any individual management companies; state and local health permits and Maple Grove City Code.

The "Showcase" silent auction offers one more way to join the community festival. The auction offers an inexpensive and relatively simple way for a business to support Maple Grove Days as well as promoting a business. Donors and items will be listed on the "Showcase" page of the website as well as at the community center prior to the festival. Auction booth will be available for bids July 14. To become a donor of the auction or for more information contact Todd at toddb@jurrens.com

Auction and other events will be promoted in the Maple Grove Days guide (30,000 copies distributed) as well as all other publications promoting the festival, encouraging patrons to visit the website (maplegrovedays.org) for more information.

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of pressnews.com.

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Practical Law Company & LegalBizDev to Present Free Webinar Addressing Law Firm Business Development Strategies - msnbc.com

NEW YORK, NY — To help attorneys and law firm business development professionals increase new business opportunities, Practical Law Company (PLC), a provider of practical legal know-how to law firms, law departments and law schools, and LegalBizDev, a project management and business development consultancy, will present a free webinar, "How to Develop New Business in an Uncertain Economy," on April 19, 2012 at 1:00PM ET (10:00AM PT). The 60-minute webinar will provide participants with practical and proven strategies to gain repeat business and attract new clients. An interactive Q&A session will follow.

During the presentation, Ian Nelson, PLC's Vice President of Business Development and Marketing, and Jim Hassett, founder of LegalBizDev and author of the Legal Business Development Quick Reference Guide, will cover how to assess which clients are the best candidates for repeat business, the ten key steps to finding new clients and how firms can distinguish themselves from competitors when pursuing new opportunities.

"Increased competition for business within the legal industry is forcing attorneys to rethink their business development strategies," explained Nelson. "A key element to effective business development is being able to demonstrate to clients the steps a firm has taken to improve efficiency and workflow. During this webinar, attorneys will gain useful knowledge they can immediately incorporate into business development opportunities."

Hassett further noted, "Developing new business is difficult in every profession, but attorneys face special challenges due to the many demands on their time. This presentation will focus on the top ten ways lawyers can increase results from their limited marketing time, including special steps lawyers must take in today's uncertain economy."

Register for the free #PLCWebinar: http://bit.ly/FRJFAE. Press invited to attend.

About Practical Law Company: Formed in the UK in 1990 and in the US in 2009, Practical Law Company provides practical legal know-how to law firms, law departments and law schools. Through its team of expert attorney editors, PLC provides practical, up-to-date resources across major practice areas to help lawyers get up to speed quickly, expand their expertise and spend more time on business development. Learn more at www.practicallaw.com or via Twitter http://twitter.com/practicallawUS.

About LegalBizDev: With over 25 years of success developing award winning training and coaching programs, LegalBizDev helps law firms to increase profitability by improving business development and project management. LegalBizDev's proprietary processes help lawyers to identify the action items that are most likely to produce immediate and practical results for their practices. Visit LegalBizDev online: http://www.legalbizdev.com.

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© Marketwire 2012

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START A GYM, OPEN A 24-7 FITNESS CENTER FRANCHISE BUSINESS CALL DYNAMIC AT 517-902-6701 DETAILS!

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Perfect Franchises Debuts Innovative Website for Better Franchise Business Opportunities Search - Times Union

Perfect Franchises LLC invites investors and first time entrepreneurs to visit their new website for their next franchise business opportunities search. It features a more graphic, interactive design than most in the category and provides detailed information, including financial requirements for their portfolio partners.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) March 28, 2012

Perfect Franchises is debuting its new website to help new and experienced investors find the perfect franchise business opportunity. The new design provides a rich franchise shopping experience for people looking to buy a franchise. It has more specific information than many franchise websites offer, including franchise backgrounds, financials and even training info that prospects can easily scroll to learn more about.

“Our new website design makes it easier for prospects to find the perfect franchise today,” says Caleb Hanson, Lead Web Designer for the project. “We’ve also included a new Facebook Fan Page featuring videos and podcasts. It’s a launching pad to the main site. In the works as well is a blog which will break in a couple of weeks.”

“We’re very excited by the response the new site is receiving,” states Terry Yormark CEO of Perfect Franchises. Our partners really like it too".

“It’s more alive than many sites I’ve seen. Lots of personality.”, according to Lynn Patrick SVP of Franchise Sales at American Business Opportunities Inc.

Rather than sell the concept of franchising itself, Perfect Franchises prefers to focus on select franchise business opportunities that respect its high standards. With more and more business concepts entering the marketplace today it can be overwhelming and intimidating for investors.

Perfect Franchises is a national and global franchise brokerage and representation firm. It’s a one-stop resource for investors interested in buying a single or multi-unit franchise.

“We’ve had clients come back in as short a time as six months and add another unit to their investment package.” says Yormark.

Perfect Franchises LLC is riding the wave of increased demand for entrepreneurship in an economy that is bringing forth more people who want the stability and security of business ownership with a proven business model. Plans for the remainder of 2012 call for the addition of a social marketing division to help its franchise partners branding efforts and an expansion of their International Division.

About Perfect Franchises

Perfect Franchises is a US based franchise brokerage and consultation group focusing on solid franchise business opportunities across the US and select global locations. Representing a wide variety of categories, Perfect Franchises strives to deliver the perfect franchise for entrepreneurship including financial assistance.

Investors interested in learning more about the many franchises offered at Perfect Franchises LLC, can visit http://www.perfectfranchises.com or contact Terry Yormark at 1-888-328-8279 for more information.

Media Contact:
Terry Yormark
1-888-328-8279
770-881-8242
terry(at)perfectfranchises(dot)com

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2012/3/prweb9269780.htm

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Home Based Business Money Inspiration

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oven cleaning franchise business blog

http://www.theovencleaningbusiness.co.uk/ Graham Rogers introduces his blog TheOvenCleaningBusiness.co.uk site. His oven cleaning blog of four years. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eguJS52TrH4

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Why We're Still Talking About Small Business - Huffington Post

President and CEO, ACCION U.S. Network

Taking a look at some of my past articles on this site, I am struck by how much has changed and how much has stayed the same: the importance of entrepreneurship, the impact small businesses can have on nationwide job creation and the slow but steady economic recovery in the U.S.

Today, I want to come back to entrepreneurship and small business growth.

Last week, the NYSE Big StartUp was announced and, through this initiative, three nonprofit partners are collectively forming an eco-system to support small business growth and job creation: Accion, Start-Up America and Entrepreneurs' Organization.

The theme: it's time for big business to help small businesses generate jobs. Through a fund called the Accion-NYSE Job Growth Fund, corporate donations can be transformed into business loans. In addition, those who have an idea strong enough to start a business and those whose businesses are poised to make a significant leap forward will find events, networking opportunities and mentorship to help them succeed, along with a platform for businesses both large and small to provide opportunities to volunteer, offer in kind services and join hands.

Why are we still talking about small businesses? Of the 27.8 million businesses in the U.S., 91 percent have fewer than five employees. These businesses have been the largest net contributor of new jobs to the U.S. economy in the past 15 years and collectively employ 50 percent of all private sector employees. Unfortunately, small business job growth was essentially flat in 2011. The demand for loan capital for small businesses is at an all-time high but access to credit remains seriously challenged, particularly for businesses of this size.

Now is precisely the time for us to accelerate our pace of job creation through more action. And we must focus on the smallest of businesses to make the largest impact. Microenterprise is key to generating employment opportunity for hundreds of thousands across the United States, and providing access to capital and key technical support to these entrepreneurs is vital to economic recovery.

Partnering with leading companies and identifying unique and powerful ways to impact change can be a dynamic path for a sustainable impact -- both across the country and directly on the local level. There are roles we can all play in this effort and we must leverage our collective expertise to be efficient, innovative and successful in creating the right partnerships around the country.

As the Big StartUp starts up, we can move words to action and support small businesses as they seek to grow with capital and meaningful networking and learning opportunities.

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Postal Service Cuts Provide New Revenue Opportunities For US Banks - Huffington Post

* Banks see an opening in calls to end Saturday deliveries

* Chance of slower mail argues for electronic payments

* Banks peddle check collection centers to clients

By David Henry and Rick Rothacker

March 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. bank industry, struggling to make the profits it used to, is using the struggles of another industry for its marketing: The U.S. Postal Service.

JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bank of America Corp, Citigroup Inc and Wells Fargo & Co are all using the looming threat of postal service cuts to sell bank services such as electronic payments and remittance pickups that can speed payments likely to be slowed by diminished mail service.

"It is a conversation starter," said Daniel Peltz, head of Wells Fargo's Treasury Management division.

For banks, electronic transactions save as much as one-third of the cost of processing checks, according to industry estimates. The potential savings are greatest for bigger banks, which reap additional economies of scale by running more transactions through the computer systems they have built.

Banks are looking for any chance to save money these days, as tough markets and a weak economy hit their profits, and traditional revenue streams dry up due to stricter regulations.

For bank customers, the new electronic payments and other services offer savings, too.

Greg Kerwick, a managing director in JPMorgan's Treasury Services unit, said his team is telling customers they might have to wait one to four days longer for invoices to reach customers and payments to return by mail, if Saturday postal delivery is eliminated.

His division, which helps 25,000 businesses with cash management, estimates that waiting an extra two days for payment would require a company that receives $5 billion of mail payments a year to come up with an extra $27 million of working capital.

To save that money, of course, customers must pay. For example, using lockbox services - where the bank picks up checks for businesses from postal plants seven days a week - can mean as much as $2 per check for the bank, which also can earn interest income during the maximum of three to four days they hold a payer's money before some checks are cleared, said Nancy Atkinson, a senior analyst with consulting firm Aite Group.

This "float period" could become even more valuable as interest rates rise in the future, she said.

Banks, however, may find it challenging to win more payment business because a delay in mail service is advantageous to bill payers who want to hold onto their funds as long as possible, Atkinson said. Payers typically drive the decision making around how they pay a supplier, surveys by Aite Group have found.

If more business turns to electronic payments, that could further hurt the Postal Service, which lost $5.1 billion in fiscal year 2011 and could see annual losses upward of $21 billion by 2016 if major changes are not made, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has said.

President Obama, in his budget proposal in February, called for an end to Saturday mail delivery and other cost-cutting by the Postal Service. The Senate is to consider a bill this week that would allow the Postal Service to consider ending Saturday mail after two years.

The service also has plans to close more than 200 mail processing plants, which would end next-day delivery of First Class Mail.

"Everybody has a desire to get away from checks and move more electronic," JPMorgan's Kerwick said. "This is placing greater urgency around making that happen."

"The mail will take longer to cycle through," Kerwick said.

To be sure, many mid-sized businesses use check-writing software and are in no rush to install new systems, said Lex Litton, a consultant with Phoenix-Hecht, which specializes in collecting paper checks at third-party processing centers.

A little more than half of payments received by larger companies still arrive by check, said Litton. For smaller companies about three-quarters are on paper.

Overall, paper payments to businesses are decreasing by a couple of percentage points a year, Litton said, citing surveys by his firm.

One reason for slow adoption is convenience. Sending checks in envelopes can allow businesses to easily add information that clarifies what they are paying and what discounts they might be applying.

"I'm an advocate of both" paper and electronic payments, said Ron Tauscher, a senior product manager in Citigroup's Global Transaction Services business.

Tauscher said he is discussing the Postal Service issues with Citigroup's customers. "It is clearly an opportunity to talk about their receivables," he said.

For payments still sent by check, some banks offer lockbox processing centers across the United States. Citigroup, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo together account for 35 of them. Crews from the centers go to nearby Postal Service sorting facilities around the clock to pick up envelopes with checks to be deposited quickly.

Known as remittance mail, the envelopes would get special treatment under the Postal Service's plans to cut costs, noted Litton. Banks would be able to continue to pick up those envelopes seven days a week even as first-class deliveries to businesses would become less frequent.

As a result, businesses may sign up for the lockbox services, Wells Fargo's Peltz said.

Litton said remittance mail would still likely move more slowly than today, though that is not certain. Regardless, the threat of delays is useful to the banks. "This looks like an opportunity to say there is one more advantage to electronic payments," said Litton.

At Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Paul Simpson, head of global transaction services, said the bank is talking to clients about electronic payment options as well as looking at new ways to enhance and speed up deposit and lockbox services. Depending on the postal service's consolidation plans, the bank could look at partnership opportunities at post office locations, where the bank could process checks and immediately capture electronic images of these payments.

A partnership with the U.S. Postal Service could help "create revenue streams that benefit both parties," Simpson said.

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Purcellville Eyes Creation Of Tourism Zone To Land Downtown Hotel

For several years, the visions of a hotel in Purcellville’s downtown and accompanying boost to business opportunities have been touted by Purcellville elected and business leaders.

This month the Purcellville Town Council took a step toward that goal, holding a public hearing on a proposal to amend the town’s Zoning Ordinance to create a tourism zone in the C-4 district.

The project was first publicly broached by Mayor Bob Lazaro during his State of the Town address earlier this year, noting the state code allows the creation of such a district. A key focus of the zone would be to increase economic development opportunities by attracting investors in the hospitality industry, he said.

What the mayor has in mind specifically is the downtown, the “North 21st Street corridor,” he said recently, noting that is an under-utilized area. The town would identify properties within the C-4 zoning district that would be suitable for hotel use and could use financial incentives, such as tax breaks, to help attract investors.

“We want a hotel downtown,” Lazaro said. He noted that a conference center has already been suggested for the area near the Rt. 7 Bypass/Rt. 287 interchange. The town could support a downtown hotel, he maintained. Not only would it boost economic opportunities in the historic downtown core, but there also would be opportunities as Patrick Henry College expands. With its current 600-student enrollment, parents and visitors to college events have nowhere to stay in town and are forced to either travel to Leesburg or farther west toward Winchester, he said.

The rub is finding hotel operatives who feel the town can provide a customer base, particular during weekday nights. So far, builder John Chapman and attorney Mark Nelis, who plan a major revitalization of the downtown area, including a hotel, have not been able to satisfy hotel investors on that score.

“We’re not there yet, but what I hope is that through these incentives we can make it worth their while to get in and phase it as business builds. Maybe that could work,” the mayor said, noting there isn’t much more space available in the downtown, and the time to get in is now.

“We’ve got the college. We’ve got the industrial park. We’re the hub of western Loudoun [and] its farms and wineries. We’ve got more people coming here now,” Lazaro said.

Chapman said the move to create a tourism zone is a helpful first step. “These kinds of actions are needed to open up doors and attract investors. We applaud you,” he told the council during its March 13 public hearing.

Chapman noted that, with considerable redevelopment and new construction forging ahead in the eastern sector of town, the core downtown area faces stiff competition. Redevelopment in the downtown doesn’t have the advantage of taking an empty lot, cutting down the trees and putting up new buildings, which is the cheapest way to do it, Chapman said. “You can’t do that in an old town.”

Fortunately, he said, the town is working hard to help on downtown revitalization. “The new businesses on the street and surrounding area are doing well—really creating something—but we need a hotel to anchor it, to bring the weekend traveler from DC, Baltimore and go out and visit what’s available in Loudoun County. That’s key: we have to create the critical mass,” Chapman insisted.

He and Nelis envision a 20-30 room hotel at the corner of O and 21st streets. Parking would be at the back. On the lower level of the hotel, the partners plan a ballroom suitable for small receptions, parties and weddings. “We’d have eight to 10 wine showcases, and each winery could hold wine tastings.” Ultimately, if the town is able to acquire the necessary easements O Street, currently a deadend, could connect with Hatcher Avenue, which would ease traffic and provide another west-east link.

The town’s action will help the partners “see if we can make this thing work,” Chapman said, hoping the financial incentives would “ignite the fire and interest and maybe open a few doors.”

Town Community Development Director Patrick Sullivan is working on the details of the proposed district and how to establish the financial incentive framework as well as the amounts that could be offered.

“That’s the next step—to determine the amount of incentives, based on the amount of the capital investment and the number of jobs. That would be the basis for what we’d eventually decide, and do it over five or more years.”

Whatever structure the town comes up with has to be consistent and equitable, Sullivan said. “It has to be the same for everyone. Each business must have the same shot,” he said.

The proposal will next head to the April 2 meeting of the Town Council’s Ways and Means Committee.

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Tata Capital to help woo India firms

By Reico Wong

MORE companies from India are likely to set up bases and pursue business opportunities here, thanks to a memorandum of understanding signed yesterday by financial-services provider Tata Capital and the Economic Development Board (EDB).

Under the agreement, Tata Capital will leverage on its strong corporate-customer base and its core capabilities in areas such as commercial finance, investment banking and private equity to offer strategic advice and financial solutions to Indian companies planning to expand overseas.

It will also facilitate collaboration and information exchange between the Indian companies and EDB.

Tata Capital established operations here in September 2007 and upgraded its Singapore division into its international headquarters last year.

Its loan book stands at about $4.2 billion.

Mr Praveen Kadle, managing director and chief executive of Tata Capital, said the company aims to draw small and medium-sized Indian firms to Singapore to explore opportunities.

Companies it hopes to woo include those in the information- technology sector, pharmaceutical and drug-research companies, and those involved in trading and supply-chain-related activities.

"More and more Indian companies are looking for growth opportunities in Asia," said Mr Kadle. "Even if India's economy grows at a rate of 7 per cent over the next 10 or 20 years, we should still see very strong economic, trading and financial- services exchange between India and Singapore."

Singapore's strong human-resource capabilities and its double-taxation treaties with many countries will also serve as pull factors, encouraging Indian firms to set up headquarters here, he added.

Mr Kadle said that by working with EDB, Tata Capital will be in the best position to help Indian companies leverage on Singapore's regional and international influence, while also contributing to the city-state's long-term prosperity.

To date, some 5,000 Indian companies have established a presence here. They form the largest foreign business community in Singapore.

Mr Lee Eng Keat, director of Singapore Welcome Centre for Corporates at EDB, said there is an increasing awareness of the opportunities Singapore, as a strategic business hub, can offer to Indian companies.

There are more than 7,000 multinational companies here, he said, adding: "As Indian companies get to know the large international community here, they can explore and understand the opportunities even in resource-rich countries.

"We can serve as an excellent springboard for them to go into the rest of the Asia-Pacific."

Tata Capital also seeks to become a major player in the private-banking sector here.

reicow@sph.com.sg

For more my paper stories click here.

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India is a profitable business opportunity, PM tells South Korean CEOs - Economic Times

India is a profitable business opportunity, PM tells South Korean CEOs - Economic Times You are here: Home>Collections>Manmohan SinghIndia is a profitable business opportunity, PM tells South Korean CEOsIANS Mar 26, 2012, 10.39AM ISTTags:South Korea|Samsung|resolution|POSCO|Manmohan Singh|Hyundai

Investment from South Korea is a "priority" for India, visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday, adding that the government was taking "proactive" steps to improve the business climate and move forward with the Posco mega steel plant project in Orissa that has been plagued by farmer protests.

"Investment from Korea is a priority for India. We will take pro-active steps to address investor grievances and improve the business climate in the country. Many states of our Union have been actively encouraging foreign investment and we will support these efforts. I urge Korean industry to have faith in India," Manmohan Singh said in his address to South Korean CEOs during his two-day official visit to this country.

"I recognize that sometimes our processes can be slow but there are effective mechanisms for resolution of problems and differences and a strong rule of law. The government is keen to move forward with the Posco project and there is some progress in this regard. I believe that India is a stable and profitable long-term investment opportunity," he told the 20 CEOs, including those of Hyundai and Samsung, who attended the meeting.

The Posco steel project, India's largest foreign investment project estimated at $12 billion, has been hobbled for years by local protests against land acquisition of over 4,000 acres in Paradip in the eastern coastal state.

The POSCO issue had figured in the joint statement issued after the Summit talks Sunday between Manmohan Singh and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, which noted that there had been progress forward on issues like land acquisition.

This is the third time in two days that Manmohan Singh has spoken of how much India values South Korean investments.

Noting that many South Korean companies have become a household name in India, Manmohan Singh said Sunday he hoped to see many more, particularly from the medium and small sectors, setting up shop there.

"I invited Korean firms to invest in India in a big way. Companies such as LG, Hyundai and Samsung are already household names in India. We would like to see small and medium sized Korean companies also making India a base for their manufacturing," the prime minister said at a joint media interaction with President Lee after their Summit.

"I informed President Lee that India is making a huge effort in upgrading our physical infrastructure. We want Korean companies to help us realize this objective and benefit from the opportunities provided by this," Manmohan Singh added.

He again referred to the Korean companies during his speech at a lunch hosted by President Lee.

At the CEO's meeting, to illustrate why India was such an attractive investment destination, Manmohan Singh noted that the country had managed to maintain a 7 percent growth rate in the last few years and listed six fundamentals that would enable it to return to 8-10 percent growth in the coming years:

* A domestic savings rate of 33-35 percent of GDP and growing,

* A very young population, with half of the working population in its twenties,

* Heavy investments in education, health and agriculture to give a new deal to rural India. Rural markets are booming and the middle class is growing rapidly.

* Huge expansion in higher education and skills and development of ports, airports, railways, energy and roads. India is poised to continue to be a frontline player in the global knowledge economy.

* Ambitious plans for the development of physical infrastructure. Planning to secure investment of almost $1 trillion in the next five years in new projects in highways, power plants, mass transport systems, ports and airports. This will be achieved through both public and private investment and Public-Private Partnerships.

* Determined to pursue a strategy of green growth. Committed to increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewables, including solar and nuclear power, in the energy mix. There will be large business opportunities and I am aware of Korean capabilities in environmentally friendly technologies.

"Korean companies have always recognized these strengths and competitive advantages of the Indian economy. They were among the early investors to look at India as a strategic investment destination," Manmohan Singh said, adding that Hyundai has a 25 percent market share in India's domestic passenger car industry.

Noting that after the implementation of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on January 1, 2010, bilateral trade has surged by roughly 65 percent in two years and reached $20.6 billion in 2011, the prime minister said: "However, it is still below its huge untapped potential."

"Therefore, President Lee and I decided yesterday to revise the bilateral trade target to $40 billion by 2015. This is a challenge as well as an opportunity that we must both seize together," Manmohan Singh added.

Budget 2012 at ET: Budget 2012 | Union Budget | Rail Budget 2012 | Budget News FEATURED ARTICLESMahindra XUV 500 launched at a starting price of Rs 10.8 lakhApple's iPad 3: What to expect on March 7How to choose the best infrastructure bonds this tax-saving seasonMore:ONGC disinvestment process successful and satisfactory: S S PalanimanickamCorporation Bank to hire 1,000 people by SeptemberWishTel to bid for Aakash 2; launches tablet at Rs 4,000 - Rs 5,500LIC launches Jeevan VriddhiHow to choose the best infrastructure bonds this tax-saving seasonJeevan Saral vs recurring deposit: what's good, what's badRELATED ARTICLESPosco awarded a contract of Rs 128 cr
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October 30, 2010IN-DEPTH COVERAGEManmohan SinghPosco© 2012 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reservedIndex by Keyword|Index by Datewww.economictimes.comFeedback|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use|Advertise with us document.write(unescape("%3Cscript src='" + (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? "https://sb" : "http://b") + ".scorecardresearch.com/beacon.js' %3E%3C/script%3E")); COMSCORE.beacon({ c1:2, c2:6036484, c3:"", c4:"", c5:"", c6:"", c15:"" });

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FileMaker Appoints New Business Development Manager for Canada

Wed, Mar 28, 2012, 10:14 AM EDT - U.S. Markets close in 5 hrs 46 mins

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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India is a profitable business opportunity, PM tells Korean CEOs - Daily Pioneer

Investment from South Korea is a "priority" for India, visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Monday, adding that the government was taking "proactive" steps to improve the business climate and move forward with the Posco mega steel plant project in Orissa that has been plagued by farmer protests.

"Investment from Korea is a priority for India. We will take pro-active steps to address investor grievances and improve the business climate in the country. Many states of our Union have been actively encouraging foreign investment and we will support these efforts. I urge Korean industry to have faith in India," Manmohan Singh said in his address to South Korean CEOs during his two-day official visit to this country.

"I recognize that sometimes our processes can be slow but there are effective mechanisms for resolution of problems and differences and a strong rule of law. The government is keen to move forward with the Posco project and there is some progress in this regard. I believe that India is a stable and profitable long-term investment opportunity," he told the 20 CEOs, including those of Hyundai and Samsung, who attended the meeting.

The Posco steel project, India's largest foreign investment project estimated at $12 billion, has been hobbled for years by local protests against land acquisition of over 4,000 acres in Paradip in the eastern coastal state.

The POSCO issue had figured in the joint statement issued after the Summit talks Sunday between Manmohan Singh and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, which noted that there had been progress forward on issues like land acquisition.

This is the third time in two days that Manmohan Singh has spoken of how much India values South Korean investments.

Noting that many South Korean companies have become a household name in India, Manmohan Singh said Sunday he hoped to see many more, particularly from the medium and small sectors, setting up shop there.

"I invited Korean firms to invest in India in a big way. Companies such as LG, Hyundai and Samsung are already household names in India. We would like to see small and medium sized Korean companies also making India a base for their manufacturing," the prime minister said at a joint media interaction with President Lee after their Summit.

"I informed President Lee that India is making a huge effort in upgrading our physical infrastructure. We want Korean companies to help us realize this objective and benefit from the opportunities provided by this," Manmohan Singh added.

He again referred to the Korean companies during his speech at a lunch hosted by President Lee.

At the CEO's meeting, to illustrate why India was such an attractive investment destination, Manmohan Singh noted that the country had managed to maintain a 7 percent growth rate in the last few years and listed six fundamentals that would enable it to return to 8-10 percent growth in the coming years:

* A domestic savings rate of 33-35 percent of GDP and growing,

* A very young population, with half of the working population in its twenties,

* Heavy investments in education, health and agriculture to give a new deal to rural India. Rural markets are booming and the middle class is growing rapidly.

* Huge expansion in higher education and skills and development of ports, airports, railways, energy and roads. India is poised to continue to be a frontline player in the global knowledge economy.

* Ambitious plans for the development of physical infrastructure. Planning to secure investment of almost $1 trillion in the next five years in new projects in highways, power plants, mass transport systems, ports and airports. This will be achieved through both public and private investment and Public-Private Partnerships.

* Determined to pursue a strategy of green growth. Committed to increasing energy efficiency and the share of renewables, including solar and nuclear power, in the energy mix. There will be large business opportunities and I am aware of Korean capabilities in environmentally friendly technologies.

"Korean companies have always recognized these strengths and competitive advantages of the Indian economy. They were among the early investors to look at India as a strategic investment destination," Manmohan Singh said, adding that Hyundai has a 25 percent market share in India's domestic passenger car industry.

Noting that after the implementation of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on January 1, 2010, bilateral trade has surged by roughly 65 percent in two years and reached $20.6 billion in 2011, the prime minister said: "However, it is still below its huge untapped potential."

"Therefore, President Lee and I decided yesterday to revise the bilateral trade target to $40 billion by 2015. This is a challenge as well as an opportunity that we must both seize together," Manmohan Singh added.

View the original article here

Business and Investment Opportunity in the Brazilian Health Insurance Industry - PRLog (free press release)

PRLog (Press Release) - Mar 28, 2012 -
The report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the Brazilian health insurance industry, including:
• The Brazilian health insurance industry’s growth prospects with focus on key trends, drivers and challenges faced by the industry
• The future outlook of various distribution channels in the Brazilian health insurance industry
• The current competitive landscape in the Brazilian health insurance industry and the future outlook
• The customer targeting strategies and the product innovation strategies followed in the industry
• The profiles of the major companies in the industry
http://www.bharatbook.com/market-research-reports/insura ...

Summary
The Brazilian health insurance category increased from BRL9.8 billion in 2007 to BRL15.1 billion in 2011, recording a CAGR of 11.27% over the review period. Over the same period, the number of new policies sold in the Brazilian health insurance category increased from 69.14 million to 88.42 million. Overall, the category is expected to record a CAGR of 6.32% over the forecast period to reach a projected value of BRL16.2 billion in 2016. Over the same period, the number of new policies sold in the Brazilian health insurance category is expected to increase from 95.66 million in 2012 to 116.34 million in 2016. Industry Report

Scope
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the health insurance market in Brazil:
• It provides historical values for Brazil’s health insurance industry for the 2007–2011 review period and forecast figures for the 2012–2016 forecast period
• It offers a detailed analysis of the key sub-segments in Brazil’s health insurance industry, along with market forecasts until 2016
• It covers an exhaustive list of parameters, including premium per capita, incurred loss, loss ratio and paid claims
• It entails the competitive landscape in the Brazilian health insurance industry along with the product innovation and customer targeting strategies followed
• It analyses the various distribution channels for health insurance products in Brazil
• It profiles the top health insurance companies in Brazil along with snapshots of their major products and services

Reasons To Buy
• Assess the overall healthcare sector in Brazil with focus on key trends such as medical tourism and online retail insurance
• Make strategic business decisions using top-level historic and forecast market data related to the Brazilian health insurance industry
• Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities within the Brazilian health insurance industry
• Assess the competitive dynamics in the health insurance industry and the future outlook
• Gain insights into the key regulations governing the Brazilian insurance industry
• Understand the product innovation strategies and the customer targeting strategies followed in the industry

Key Highlights
• The Brazilian health insurance category increased from BRL9.8 billion in 2007 to BRL15.1 billion in 2011, recording a CAGR of 11.27% over the review period. Over the same new period, the number of new policies sold in the Brazilian health insurance category increased from 69.14 million to 88.42 million.
• During the review period, the penetration of Brazilian health insurance products increased from 0.34% in 2007 to 0.54% in 2011, as many new policies were sold across the country.
• The health insurance market is concentrated, with the leading eight companies accounting for a 69% share of the total retained premium in 2011.
• One of the key challenges for the health insurance market is financing insurance claims due to the increasing cost of healthcare services which is fuelled by rising medical inflation and a growth in the cost of medical equipment and technology.

Table of Contents
1 Executive Summary
2 Brazilian Health Insurance Category Attractiveness
2.1 The Healthcare Industry in Brazil
2.2 Market Size and Growth Potential
2.3 Health Insurance Category – Benchmarking with BRIC Countries
3 Brazil Health Insurance Market Trends and Drivers
3.1 Macroeconomic Fundamentals
3.1.1 Brazil – GDP at constant prices
3.1.2 Brazil – number of households
3.1.3 Brazil – inflation
3.1.4 Brazil – urban and rural population
3.1.5 Brazil – annual disposable income
3.1.6 Brazil – unemployment rate
3.2 Business Trends and Drivers
3.3 Consumer Drivers
3.4 Regulatory Framework
4 Competitive Landscape and Key Market Indicators

For more information kindly visit :
Business and Investment Opportunity in the Brazilian Health Insurance Industry: Analyses and Forecasts to 2016

Or

Bharat Book Bureau
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Bharat Book Bureau is the leading business information aggregator providing market research reports and online databases. Bharatbook is also into the business of marketing conferences worldwide and undertakes custom research.

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Legg Mason BW Global Income Opportunities Fund Raises $459 Million, Starts Trading on the NYSE - MSN Money

NEW YORK, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Legg Mason BW Global Income Opportunities Fund Inc. (the "Fund") announced today that pricing has been completed for its initial public offering.  The Fund raised approximately $459 million in its common stock offering, assuming full exercise of the underwriters' overallotment option, which may or may not occur.  Its shares began trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "BWG".

The Fund's primary investment objective is to provide current income.  As a secondary investment objective, the Fund will seek capital appreciation.  There can be no assurance the Fund will achieve its investment objectives.

The Fund is a global, flexible portfolio that uses a macro-value oriented approach to invest across countries, currencies and credits. The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objectives by investing, under normal market conditions, at least 80% of its Managed Assets in global fixed-income securities. These may include, but are not limited to, sovereign debt of developed and emerging market countries, U.S. and non-U.S. corporate debt, mortgage-backed securities ("MBS") and currency exposure. The Fund may manage its currency exposure through the use of futures, forwards and other derivative instruments, for hedging and investment purposes. "Managed Assets" means the net assets of the Fund plus the principal amount of any borrowings by the Fund and assets attributable to any preferred stock issued by the Fund that may be outstanding. The Fund's specific investments will shift as the Fund rotates among countries, credits and currencies to find the most attractive values over time. Under normal market conditions, no more than 35% of the Fund's Managed Assets may be rated below investment grade (commonly known as "high yield" or "junk") by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization or determined to be of comparable quality; provided however, that the quality of a security will be based on the highest rating it receives.

"Given the low yields that continue to be found in U.S. fixed income, we are excited to introduce a strategy that can search broadly for the best yield opportunities across the global fixed income universe. Utilizing the specialized expertise of Brandywine Global Investment Management, the Legg Mason BW Global Income Opportunities Fund provides investors with a global fixed-income portfolio  that has the flexibility to capitalize on changing investment opportunities around the globe," stated Matt Schiffman, Head of Global Marketing for Legg Mason.

Legg Mason BW Global Income Opportunities Fund Inc. is a newly organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company which is advised by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC ("LMPFA") and subadvised by Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC ("Brandywine Global"). LMPFA and Brandywine Global are wholly owned subsidiaries of Legg Mason, Inc. ("Legg Mason").

The underwriting syndicate was led by BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup Global Markets, Inc., Morgan Stanley, Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.and UBS Investment Bank.

For more information, please contact the Fund at 1-888-777-0102 or visit the Fund's web site at www.leggmason.com/cef.

About Legg Mason

Legg Mason is a global asset management firm with $638 billion in assets under management as of February 29, 2012. The Company provides active asset management in many major investment centers throughout the world. Legg Mason is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, and its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: LM).

About Brandywine Global:

Founded in 1986, Brandywine Global Investment Management, LLC ("Brandywine Global"), offers an array of equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios that invest in U.S., international, and global markets. The firm was recently named "Global Bond Manager of the Year" by Institutional Investor magazine.[1]  As of 12/31/2011 Brandywine Global manages $33 billion in assets. The firm is a wholly owned, independently operated subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc. LM, and is headquartered in Philadelphia with an office in San Francisco. Brandywine Global also operates two affiliated companies with offices inSingapore and London. 

Investors should consider the investment objective, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund carefully before investing. This press release and the prospectus, which contains this and other information about the Fund, should be read carefully before investing. A copy of the final prospectus relating to these securities may be obtained by contacting your financial advisor.

Data and commentary provided in this press release are for informational purposes only. Legg Mason and its affiliates do not engage in selling shares of the Fund. The Fund's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Similar to stocks, the Fund's share price will fluctuate with market conditions and, at the time of sale, may be worth more or less than the original investment. Shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount to their net asset value. All investments are subject to risk, including the risk of loss. Fixed income securities are subject to various risks, including but not limited to, credit, inflation, income, prepayment and interest rates risks. As interest rates increase, the value of fixed income securities decrease. High yield ("junk bonds") are subject to additional credit risk and a greater risk of default. International investments are subject to additional risks due to currency fluctuations, changes in interest rates and other factors. These risks are greater for emerging markets securities. The Fund's investments in mortgage-backed securities involve additional risks. The Fund may invest in foreign currencies or currency derivatives which may increase the risk and volatility of the Fund. The Fund may invest in illiquid securities and securities/investments that have a leveraging effect on the portfolio which will increase the risks of the Fund. The Fund may make significant investments in derivative instruments. Derivative instruments can be illiquid, may disproportionately increase losses and have a potentially large impact on Fund performance.

 This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined under the U.S. federal securities laws. Generally, the words "believe," "expect," "intend," "estimate," "anticipate," "project," "will," and similar expressions identify forwardlooking statements, which generally are not historical in nature. Forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual future results to differ significantly from the Fund's present expectations or projections indicated in any forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, changes in economic and political conditions; regulatory and legal changes; leverage risk; valuation risk; interest rate risk; tax risk; the volume of sales and purchase of shares; the continuation of investment advisory, administration and other service arrangements; and other risks discussed in the Fund's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. The Fund undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements made herein. There is no assurance that the Fund's investment objective will be attained.

[1]  Brandywine Global Investment was named Global Fixed Income Manager of the Year as part of Institutional Investor's third annual 2012 U.S. Investment Management Awards. The awards recognize U.S. money managers across asset classes, strategies and product types that stood out in the eyes of the investor community for their exceptional performance, risk management and customer service. In selecting the winners, Institutional Investor began by analyzing data; looking at 2011 returns, asset size and other valuation criteria. From that review, the magazine surveyed 1,000 institutions; and used the results of that survey to tabulate the winners. The Manager of the Year award was not issued for any particular strategy or fund.

SOURCE Legg Mason, Inc.

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From Obstacle to Opportunity - Patch

Effectively challenge yourself by setting measurable, specific, substantial goals. Intangible praise, saying rather than doing, quotes and dreams are inspirational when you are in the moment. However, it is only by setting specific and purposeful intentions for yourself, whether related to business or personal achievement, that you allow yourself space to grow, develop, act and incrementally observe each step toward desired outcomes.

Personal and business management systems based on core values, with quantifiable goals and specific tasks, are more effective than broad encouragement and general company-wide reinforcements and mission statements.

Learn the difference between a solvable problem and a constraint. When you accept negative circumstances as reality to be handled rather than dwelling on something you could actually be working toward changing, you begin to tackle obstacles and problems becomes opportunities to improve your life.

People are often quick to judge another’s situation, offering advice on the proper action and reactions. However, it is easy to ‘do as I say, not as I do.‘ It is not until recognize your own circumstances that you discover there may be areas where you, yourself, sit back without action, hoping rather than planning for something more…eventually…when you make x more dollars, next year, after I just get through one more week,’ whatever it is that is holding you back.

Wishing and waiting for the right time does not create better conditions. There is no magic wand and opportunity seldom comes knocking at your door. To give yourself the best chance at your desired outcome, it is absolutely necessary to organize your thoughts, come up with plans, make decisions, rise above self-doubt and fear and take calculated risks.

There are specific times in each of our lives; moments of choice, when our personal and business lives change course and conclusive actions are needed. Look back at your life, which is actually full of brilliant lessons learned through each disappointment and success. Learn from each feat as well as each mistake, and then work and practice to create your desired circumstances.

Success requires honestly assessing your situation, and then making necessary changes. This often requires being prepared and able to make sacrifices in the form of time, money, and personal situations; relinquishing a thing you know for the benefit of something greater but unfamiliar. Change can be scary and bold goals require effort.

At times you will need to assert yourself by asking for what you need, which can be an uncomfortable situation even for assured individuals. Look at those people and situations you admire and be aware that leadership and living with integrity requires being aligned with your core values.

When facing life experiences that require change you must often step well beyond your comfort zone and stand up for what you believe in and values you are committed to - for yourself and for those around you – whether work, family or community. Embrace obstacles and you find that adversity creates inspiration, appreciation and opportunity.

Read more about our team and our business and customer service philosophy at www.jeffpalermo.com

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A Low-Tech Business That Can Prevent Hospital Readmissions - Forbes

Lily Sarafan, president of Home Care Assistance

One of the provisions in the Affordable Care Act that is likely to remain untouched by the Supreme Court is linking Medicare payments to hospitals to a patient’s outcome. According to a 2009 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Medicare’s fee-for-service program, nearly 20% of Medicare patients discharged from a hospital were readmitted within thirty days, and 34% were rehospitalized within 90 days. Hospitals are now scrambling to comply with the new rules that go into effect this year, and that includes making sure older patients are looked after following discharge.

Lily Sarafan sees an opportunity—and it’s at the opposite spectrum of the smart home as envisioned by Intel’s Eric Dishman. “We’re positioning for post-hospitalization,” says Sarafan. The 30-year-old is the president of Palo Alto, Ca.-based Home Care Assistance, which is in the very low-tech business of providing expert caregivers by the hour or as live-ins. Their non-medical tasks include assisting with walking, making sure patients takes medications on time, driving them to doctor appointments, and cooking healthy meals. (Home Care Assistance posts on its site a testimonial from famed MIT linguist Noam Chomsky who praised it in helping his late wife).

The help is not cheap. Home Care charges between $20 and $30 an hour, and up to $300 a day for live-ins. The company generated $50 million in revenues last year, and Sarafan says it is profitable. Anthos Capital, a private equity firm founded by former Goldman Sachs partners invested an undisclosed amount.

Across the U.S., the non-medical home care business is typically run by mom-and-pop shops, which have grown through the cheaper franchising route. They were often founded after a family member became ill, and help was inadequate or unreliable. Companies include Home Instead, Visiting Angels, and Comfort Keepers which is owned by French multinational Sodexo Group.

In 2003, Kathy and Jim Johnson founded Home Care Assistance, after Kathy’s parents became sick. She lived far away, and couldn’t find reliable help. (The Johnsons who are both psychologists marketed a series of psychological/personality tests in the 1980s, including the best-selling Mind Prober). In 2005, Sarafan saw an ad on Craigslist for a home care company looking for “experienced team members.” Sarafan was 23, and had graduated from Stanford University with a masters in management science and engineering. A native of Iran, she’d also written a dissertation on the role of the internet in that country, and was invited to talk about it at a Hoover Institution symposium.

Half of Sarafan’s graduating class had accepted job offers at Google, but put off by the booms and busts of Silicon Valley, she went for what is after all a stodgy business. “It seemed more fad-proof,” says Sarafan, who also saw it as an opportunity to build a brand in a fragmented industry.

Home Care Assistance has grown through franchises, but Sarafan wants to add more company-owned agencies. Home Care has 54 franchises and 14 agencies it owns directly across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. This year, it plans to add 10 more agencies, and is looking into possible joint ventures in Australia, Japan, and China.

Last December, Sarafan launched a program called Hospital to Homecare, to promote itself at hospitals as the preferred service for older patients who have been discharged following a stroke or a fracture. It works, for example, with care managers at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, to prepare patients and their family members for home care.

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Postal Service Cuts Provide New Revenue Opportunities For US Banks - Huffington Post

* Banks see an opening in calls to end Saturday deliveries

* Chance of slower mail argues for electronic payments

* Banks peddle check collection centers to clients

By David Henry and Rick Rothacker

March 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. bank industry, struggling to make the profits it used to, is using the struggles of another industry for its marketing: The U.S. Postal Service.

JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bank of America Corp, Citigroup Inc and Wells Fargo & Co are all using the looming threat of postal service cuts to sell bank services such as electronic payments and remittance pickups that can speed payments likely to be slowed by diminished mail service.

"It is a conversation starter," said Daniel Peltz, head of Wells Fargo's Treasury Management division.

For banks, electronic transactions save as much as one-third of the cost of processing checks, according to industry estimates. The potential savings are greatest for bigger banks, which reap additional economies of scale by running more transactions through the computer systems they have built.

Banks are looking for any chance to save money these days, as tough markets and a weak economy hit their profits, and traditional revenue streams dry up due to stricter regulations.

For bank customers, the new electronic payments and other services offer savings, too.

Greg Kerwick, a managing director in JPMorgan's Treasury Services unit, said his team is telling customers they might have to wait one to four days longer for invoices to reach customers and payments to return by mail, if Saturday postal delivery is eliminated.

His division, which helps 25,000 businesses with cash management, estimates that waiting an extra two days for payment would require a company that receives $5 billion of mail payments a year to come up with an extra $27 million of working capital.

To save that money, of course, customers must pay. For example, using lockbox services - where the bank picks up checks for businesses from postal plants seven days a week - can mean as much as $2 per check for the bank, which also can earn interest income during the maximum of three to four days they hold a payer's money before some checks are cleared, said Nancy Atkinson, a senior analyst with consulting firm Aite Group.

This "float period" could become even more valuable as interest rates rise in the future, she said.

Banks, however, may find it challenging to win more payment business because a delay in mail service is advantageous to bill payers who want to hold onto their funds as long as possible, Atkinson said. Payers typically drive the decision making around how they pay a supplier, surveys by Aite Group have found.

If more business turns to electronic payments, that could further hurt the Postal Service, which lost $5.1 billion in fiscal year 2011 and could see annual losses upward of $21 billion by 2016 if major changes are not made, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has said.

President Obama, in his budget proposal in February, called for an end to Saturday mail delivery and other cost-cutting by the Postal Service. The Senate is to consider a bill this week that would allow the Postal Service to consider ending Saturday mail after two years.

The service also has plans to close more than 200 mail processing plants, which would end next-day delivery of First Class Mail.

"Everybody has a desire to get away from checks and move more electronic," JPMorgan's Kerwick said. "This is placing greater urgency around making that happen."

"The mail will take longer to cycle through," Kerwick said.

To be sure, many mid-sized businesses use check-writing software and are in no rush to install new systems, said Lex Litton, a consultant with Phoenix-Hecht, which specializes in collecting paper checks at third-party processing centers.

A little more than half of payments received by larger companies still arrive by check, said Litton. For smaller companies about three-quarters are on paper.

Overall, paper payments to businesses are decreasing by a couple of percentage points a year, Litton said, citing surveys by his firm.

One reason for slow adoption is convenience. Sending checks in envelopes can allow businesses to easily add information that clarifies what they are paying and what discounts they might be applying.

"I'm an advocate of both" paper and electronic payments, said Ron Tauscher, a senior product manager in Citigroup's Global Transaction Services business.

Tauscher said he is discussing the Postal Service issues with Citigroup's customers. "It is clearly an opportunity to talk about their receivables," he said.

For payments still sent by check, some banks offer lockbox processing centers across the United States. Citigroup, JPMorgan and Wells Fargo together account for 35 of them. Crews from the centers go to nearby Postal Service sorting facilities around the clock to pick up envelopes with checks to be deposited quickly.

Known as remittance mail, the envelopes would get special treatment under the Postal Service's plans to cut costs, noted Litton. Banks would be able to continue to pick up those envelopes seven days a week even as first-class deliveries to businesses would become less frequent.

As a result, businesses may sign up for the lockbox services, Wells Fargo's Peltz said.

Litton said remittance mail would still likely move more slowly than today, though that is not certain. Regardless, the threat of delays is useful to the banks. "This looks like an opportunity to say there is one more advantage to electronic payments," said Litton.

At Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Paul Simpson, head of global transaction services, said the bank is talking to clients about electronic payment options as well as looking at new ways to enhance and speed up deposit and lockbox services. Depending on the postal service's consolidation plans, the bank could look at partnership opportunities at post office locations, where the bank could process checks and immediately capture electronic images of these payments.

A partnership with the U.S. Postal Service could help "create revenue streams that benefit both parties," Simpson said.

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Most Profitable Internet Home Based Business Opportunities Of All Time

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Online Business Opportunities ** New Home Business Idea **

Uploaded by AlwaysBeingPaid on Nov 13, 2011

http://tamba.textcashnetwork.com/
Online Business Opportunities ** New Home Business Idea **
Simple, easy and totally free online business opportunities! This is proving an awesome thing for new home business ideas.
With this new home business you'll be able to start earning yourself a regular residual income and if you teach others just how easy it is to implement, they too will see the true potential with this online business opportunity.

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Player or an HTML5 supported browser is required for video playback. \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/get.adobe.com\/flashplayer\/\"\u003eGet the latest Flash Player\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/html5\"\u003eLearn more about upgrading to an HTML5 browser\u003c\/a\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e"); yt.setMsg('QUICKTIME_FALLBACK', "\u003cdiv class=\"yt-alert yt-alert-default yt-alert-error yt-alert-player\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"yt-alert-icon\"\u003e\u003cimg s\u0072c=\"\/\/s.ytimg.com\/yt\/img\/pixel-vfl3z5WfW.gif\" class=\"icon master-sprite\" alt=\"Alert icon\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"yt-alert-content\"\u003e \u003cspan class=\"yt-alert-vertical-trick\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"yt-alert-message\"\u003e\n The Adobe Flash Player or QuickTime is required for video playback. \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/get.adobe.com\/flashplayer\/\"\u003eGet the latest Flash Player\u003c\/a\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.apple.com\/quicktime\/download\/\"\u003eGet the latest version of QuickTime\u003c\/a\u003e\n \u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_SPEED_NORMAL', "Normal"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_QUALITY_SETTING', "quality"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_SPEED_SETTING', "speed"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_VOLUME_SETTING', "volume"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_VOLUME_MUTED', "muted"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_VOLUME_MUTE', "mute"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_VOLUME_UNMUTE', "unmute"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_CONTROL_TOGGLE', "toggle"); yt.setMsg('HTML5_SUBS_TRANSCRIBED', "transcribed"); (function() { var forceUpdate = yt.www.watch.player.updateConfig(yt.playerConfig); var youTubePlayer = yt.player.update('watch-player', yt.playerConfig, forceUpdate, gYouTubePlayerReady); yt.setConfig({'PLAYER_REFERENCE': youTubePlayer}); })(); yt.setConfig({ 'BLOCK_USER_XSRF': "", 'SUBSCRIBE_AXC': "", 'IS_OWNER_VIEWING': null, 'IS_WIDESCREEN': false, 'IS_HD_AVAILABLE': false, 'PREFER_LOW_QUALITY': false, 'WIDE_PLAYER_STYLES': ["watch-wide-mode"], 'COMMENT_SHARE_URL': "http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/comment?lc=_COMMENT_ID_", 'ALLOW_EMBED': true, 'ALLOW_RATINGS': true, 'LIST_AUTO_PLAY_ON': false, 'LIST_AUTO_PLAY_VALUE': 1, 'SHUFFLE_VALUE': 0, 'SHUFFLE_ENABLED': false, 'YPC_CAN_RATE_VIDEO': true, 'YPC_SHOW_VPPA_CONFIRM_RATING': false, 'TTS_URL': "http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/api\/timedtext?sparams=asr_langs%2Ccaps%2Cv%2Cexpire\u0026asr_langs=en%2Cko%2Cja\u0026v=lOVb4kxIXnM\u0026caps=asr\u0026expire=1332969309\u0026key=yttt1\u0026signature=64F3C140DDAEBFA3C8BA0F4BA68F66FEEE0FD40F.DD680E98701BC904827F06E8772322DFACDA2579\u0026hl=en_US", 'CONVERSION_CONFIG_DICT': {}, 'PLAYBACK_ID': "AAS8Tjwo1xo9tSFI", 'PLAY_ALL_MAX': 480 }); yt.setMsg({ 'LOADING': "Loading...", 'WATCH_ERROR_MESSAGE': "This feature is not available right now. Please try again later." }); yt.setMsg({ 'UNBLOCK_USER': "Are you sure you want to unblock this user?", 'BLOCK_USER': "Are you sure you want to block this user?" }); yt.setConfig('BLOCK_USER_XSRF', ''); yt.setConfig('BLOCK_USER_AJAX_XSRF', ''); yt.setConfig({ 'COMMENT_SHARE_URL': "http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/comment?lc=_COMMENT_ID_", 'COMMENTS_SIGNIN_URL': "https:\/\/accounts.google.com\/ServiceLogin?uilel=3\u0026service=youtube\u0026passive=true\u0026continue=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fsignin%3Faction_handle_signin%3Dtrue%26feature%3Dwatch_comments%26nomobiletemp%3D1%26hl%3Den_US%26next%3D%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DlOVb4kxIXnM%2526feature%253Dyoutube_gdata\u0026hl=en_US\u0026ltmpl=sso", 'COMMENTS_THRESHHOLD': -5, 'COMMENTS_PAGE_SIZE': 10, 'COMMENTS_COUNT': 95, 'COMMENTS_YPC_CAN_POST_OR_REACT_TO_COMMENT': true, 'COMMENT_VOTE_XSRF' : '', 'COMMENT_ACTIONS_XSRF' : '', 'COMMENT_SOURCE': "w", 'ENABLE_LIVE_COMMENTS': false }); yt.net.ajax.setToken('link_servlet', ""); yt.net.ajax.setToken('link_ajax', ""); yt.net.ajax.setToken('comment_servlet', ""); yt.net.ajax.setToken('comment_voting', ""); yt.setMsg({ 'COMMENT_OK': "OK", 'COMMENT_BLOCKED': "You have been blocked by the owner of this video.", 'COMMENT_CAPTCHAFAIL': "The response to the letters on the image was not correct, please try again.", 'COMMENT_PENDING': "Comment Pending Approval!", 'COMMENT_ERROR_EMAIL': "Error, account unverified (see email)", 'COMMENT_ERROR': "Error, try again" }); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', yt.www.comments.init); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', yt.www.watch.activity.init); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', yt.www.watch.player.init); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', yt.www.watch.actions.init); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', function() { var description = _gel('watch-description'); if (!_hasclass(description, 'yt-uix-expander-collapsed')) { yt.www.watch.watch5.handleToggleDescription(description); } }); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', function() { var iframeContents = "\n \u003cscript\u003e\n var google_max_num_ads = '1';\n var google_ad_output = 'js';\n var google_ad_type = 'text';\n var google_only_pyv_ads = true;\n var google_video_doc_id = \"yt_lOVb4kxIXnM\";\n var google_ad_request_done = parent.yt.www.ads.pyv.pyvWatchAfcCallback;\n var google_ad_client = 'ca-pub-6219811747049371';\n var google_ad_block = '3';\n var google_page_url = \"http:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/video\\\/lOVb4kxIXnM\";\n var google_ad_channel = \"PyvWatchInRelated+PyvYTWatch+PyvWatchNoAdX+lpw+afv_ugc+yt_mpvid_AAS8TjwpPe0cDABx+Vertical_Banner_12+Vertical_Banner_551+Vertical_Banner_552+Vertical_Banner_727+VidVert12+VidVert551+VidVert552+VidVert727+Vertical_12+Vertical_551+Vertical_552+Vertical_727\";\n var google_language = \"en\";\n \u003c\/script\u003e\n\n \u003cscript s\u0072c=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n"; yt.www.ads.pyv.loadPyvIframe(iframeContents); }); yt.setConfig('TIMING_ACTION', 'watch5'); yt.setMsg({ 'LIST_CLEARED': "List cleared", 'PLAYLIST_VIDEO_DELETED': "Video deleted.", 'ERROR_OCCURRED': "Sorry, an error occurred.", 'NEXT_VIDEO_TOOLTIP': "Next video:\u003cbr\u003e \u0026#8220;${next_video_title}\u0026#8221;", 'NEXT_VIDEO_NOTHUMB_TOOLTIP': "Next video", 'SHOW_PLAYLIST_TOOLTIP': "Show playlist", 'HIDE_PLAYLIST_TOOLTIP': "Hide playlist", 'AUTOPLAY_ON_TOOLTIP': "Turn autoplay off", 'AUTOPLAY_OFF_TOOLTIP': "Turn autoplay on", 'SHUFFLE_ON_TOOLTIP': "Turn shuffle off", 'SHUFFLE_OFF_TOOLTIP': "Turn shuffle on", 'PLAYLIST_BAR_PLAYLIST_SAVED': "Playlist saved!", 'PLAYLIST_BAR_ADDED_TO_FAVORITES': "Added to favorites", 'PLAYLIST_BAR_ADDED_TO_PLAYLIST': "Added to playlist", 'PLAYLIST_BAR_ADDED_TO_QUEUE': "Added to queue", 'AUTOPLAY_WARNING1': "Next video starts in 1 second...", 'AUTOPLAY_WARNING2': "Next video starts in 2 seconds...", 'AUTOPLAY_WARNING3': "Next video starts in 3 seconds...", 'AUTOPLAY_WARNING4': "Next video starts in 4 seconds...", 'AUTOPLAY_WARNING5': "Next video starts in 5 seconds...", 'UNDO_LINK': "Undo" }); yt.setConfig({ 'DRAGDROP_BINARY_URL': "\/\/s.ytimg.com\/yt\/jsbin\/www-dragdrop-vflA_LUzX.js", 'PLAYLIST_BAR_PLAYING_INDEX': -1, 'LIST_COPY_ON_EDIT_ENABLED': false }); yt.net.ajax.setToken('addto_ajax_logged_out', "pAr-0P26XP-Az5NSg8SPnB-q9pN8MEAxMzMyOTQ0MTA5"); yt.www.lists.init(); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', function() { yt.www.thumbnaildelayload.init(); }); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', function() { yt.net.scriptloader.load("\/\/s.ytimg.com\/yt\/jsbin\/www-searchbox-vflzkup1H.js", function() { if (_gel('masthead-search')) { yt.setTimeout(function() { searchbox.yt.install(_gel('masthead-search'), _gel('masthead-search')["search_query"], "en", "us", "close", false, '', '', null, "Suggestion dismissed", "Dismiss", -1, null); }, 100); } }); }); yt.pubsub.subscribe('init', yt.www.lists.addtowatchlater.init);

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