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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Trains Roll On Down The Line

If there is one constant in this current economic downturn, it is the resurgence of rail in regards to supply chain distribution methods. Just today, Kansas City Southern announced that they had hit a 17% increase in quarterly profit but just missed their Wall Street forecast. KCS's net income increased about .52$ a share compared to holding steady at .48$ this time last year.
In addition, Kansas City Southern had expected to do better in regards to their 3rd quarter reports, but due to the lengthy and brutal hurricane season (Gustav and Ike in particular) earnings were slightly reduced. Many analysts are expecting to see shares rise to about .60$ next quarter. 
It is obvious that rail distributors seem to be doing well in stark contrast with other land and air distributors. 

BillQuick

If you are a small business owner and have been looking for a better way to organize your time and money, well BQE Software Inc. has got you covered with their new application BillQuick. Imagine being able to utilize tima and expense tracking, billing and different management needs all from one application. In addition to offering a wide selection of applications within one package, BillQuick works seamlessly with several popular applications such as Paypal, Palm Pilots as well as Intuit products and Quickbooks. If you are still unsure as to whether or not you would like to utilize BillQuick, they are currently offering a 30-Day Free Trial. In fact, BillQuick offers a variety of features for different levels of businesses. Their program offers varying features for each of their products levels; Basic, Pro and Enterprise. In addition to all their exceptional business tools, BillQuick offers an ROI Calculator to help determine if your investments are working for you or your business. With all these great features, don't you think it is time you tried BillQuick?
Sunday, October 26, 2008

Global Recession

With word of a global slowdown rapidly approaching a global recession, many industries are projecting doom and gloom in the upcoming quarter. Other than a few distribution businesses (Union Pacific, UPS, DHL and others), many are feeling the pinch and not only cutting back all non-essential programs, they are beginning to apply job cuts and wage freezes. This is not good for anyone, but appears to be the direction in which things are headed (already there). 
Many of the worlds great economic thinkers are engaged in a debate to determine the best course of action and for the time being that debate appears to have produced a consensus of , "We don't know what the hell is going on or how to fix it." Many businesses are taking the short-term measures that they must to continue to compete in the ailing market, but it is only a matter of time before more drastic measures have to be taken. I oftentimes wonder if the steps will include many of the distribution businesses selling off to the highest bidder much as the retail banks have been the last couple of months. 
It is unclear as to how long this global recession will last, but many are saying that the outlook for 2009 is bleak. I, and many others I assume, are hoping that the passed stimulus package will begin to take hold and help stabilize and reverse our current course (at least in the US). 

Birthday Ideas

Have you ever had to throw a birthday party for a friend, coworker or loved one and had no clue where to start? Well, now it is as easy as copying and pasting http://www.birthday-ideas.com/ into your browser. The Birthday-Ideas site is great, they have an impressive array of birthday themes for all ages and interests as well as a wide assortment of Birthday Cake Ideas. Personally, I like the Hollywood Theme Birthday Cake Ideas the best, especially the wild red carpet colors and textures.
Even if you have simple tastes and don't want to go too extravagant, Birthday-Ideas has many more demure creative palettes to choose from. In addition to offering tons of birthday ideas, they also offer romantic, wedding, anniversary and Valentine ideas. Honestly, this is a great site to visit when trying to plan a party. I mean, have you ever been into a party store without a clue regarding just what you are looking for? If you would like to avoid wandering around a party store for hours on end then visit Birthday-Ideas and create a solid game plan so that you can spend more time enjoying the party rather than wondering what to do.

Union Pacific Doing Well Despite Economy

Union Pacific is doing quite well even though the rest of the economy is in the tank. In fact, Union Pacific announced late last week that they are expecting their 4th Quarter earnings to be well above their expectations. Functioning as the nations largest railroad organization Union Pacific is expecting their long-standing contracts will lift them above the pitfalls of the current economy to the tune of an increase somewhere between $1.22 and $1.35 per share in the 4th Quarter.
Union Pacific also forecast profit above analysts' views for the full year. It anticipates earnings of US$4.50 to US$4.60 per share, compared with the current forecast of US$4.37 per share from analysts polled by Thompson Reuters.
Union Pacific had also mentioned that their overall volume to be down 5% in the 4th Quarter and about 3% for the entire year. It is amazing to see how Union Pacific has been able to utilize their track record of stability in order to shore up additional business while maintaining their mandate and quality for longstanding clients. Although they expect demand to be light next year, Union Pacific CEO Jim Young expects about a 2% drop in 2009.

Photo Blankets

Having moved away from home a while back, I have been looking for interesting gift ideas for family and friends back home and came across VisionBedding.com's photo blankets and photo throws. If you are asking yourself just what a photo throw or blanket is, well the answer is simple. Imagine being able to take a photograph of anything and have that image faithfully reproduced on a blanket or pillow. When I say "faithfully reproduced", I am talking the exact image in the same quality and clarity of a digital photo!
Another great feature of VisionBedding is there wide assortment of quality patterns and high thread count options. If you are like me and have been considering some interesting holiday ideas for loved ones, you may want to give VisionBedding a look. Not only do they offer great ideas, but also responsive customer service as well as affordable prices and reliable shipping. 
Thursday, October 23, 2008

UPS Raises Rates

Unaffected by the growing financial crisis no more, UPS has announced a general rate increase of 5.9% on both air and international express shipments which will go into effect in January of 09'. Apparently the general rate increase will likely be focused more towards businesses than individuals, however individuals who meet the narrow prerequisites will likely pay the increase.
Personally, I'm surprised this increase hasn't come sooner rather than later due to the hit that shipping distributors have been taking. Currently, it is unclear that rates might be increased once more depending upon fiscal issues.
Friday, October 17, 2008

Atlas Air Updates

On Tuesday this week, Atlas Air updated their 2008 Outlook due to tempered results driven by harsh market conditions. Currently, Atlas runs both commercial and charter business to a wide array of clients in both the United States and Canada. Prior to the refreshed update, Atlas had forecast approximate earnings of $85 million, but has reigned in that figure to $65 million due to the aforementioned climate.
“We have updated our outlook for 2008 based on market conditions affecting our Scheduled Service and Commercial Charter business segments, where lower utilization of our 747-200 aircraft and weaker yields are having a negative impact,” said William J Flynn, President and Chief Executive.
Atlas Air expects a rebound in the second quarter of 09' due to an extensive agreement with DHL which will implement an express network as well as solidify their efficiency. The agreement had been blocked as of Oct. 08',  but will be lifted in order to benefit both companies who have been hit hard by the recent economic crunch.

Flight Attendant Education

With the current economic downturn affecting nearly every area of the economy there are a lot of people out of work and even people who have work considering other options in lieu of possible layoffs. Although you may not think it, the flight attendant training industry has seen an increase in registrants due to the scope of services they provide as well as the wide range of work a graduate can perform once their training is complete. 
The International Air and Hospitality Academy in Vancouver, WA offers a wide variety of programs in fields such as Airline Reservations and Services, Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management as well as Flight Attendant School. Just as many other leading educational institutions, the International Air and Hospitality Academy offers a number of solutions for registrants including financial aid and scholarships in addition to other benefits such as housing programs and job placement opportunities. The AHA is also a fully accredited institution that offers registrants a receptive admissions office as well as detailed information regarding admission requirements as well as a detailed guide to getting started.
If you have been thinking about careers that provide job security as well as the ability to learn skills that are in demand across the board, a Culinary Arts, Hospitality Management or Flight Attendant Career through an education with AHA might just be what you are looking for. AHA can be contacted via the web, phone or by mail. 
Friday, October 10, 2008

California and Massachusetts Bailout

Due to current economic woes, both California and Massachusetts have asked for government assistance in the form of a bailout. Both these states have been spending insane amounts of revenue on a wide variety of projects over the last few years and have found their treasuries barren due to the deluge of runaway spending.
Having spent quite a bit of time in Massachusetts over the years, I can say that there have been a massive array of highway and infrastructure projects over the last 20 years on an unparalleled level. If you have spent time inside the 128 Beltway, you understand that the infrastructure is crumbling and the narrow arteries need to be expanded to supplement the flow of services and workers in and out of the Boston Metro Area.
As for California, I haven't spent as much tome there as Massachusetts, but I do understand that the housing industry and the tech industry has suffered and that suffrage has spread into other industries and greater unemployment and runaway "safety net" spending. 
Regardless, both states are seeking a government bailout similar to the package we saw past this last week. It will be interesting to see if other states follow suit and ask for a bailout as well. It is unclear what effect this may have on our nations economy, but it is unprecedented and oftentimes that isn't good.

Jensen K-Rail

Due to the current troubling economic times, many states all around the country are facing budget deficits that are spiraling out of control. In many instances these states have been forced to cut various projects and programs. The cuts have also been a drain on the local economy in regards to loss of jobs, lower wages and decreased revenue. Both Massachusetts and California have been the hardest hit. In fact both states have asked for government assistance in the form of a bailout just this week. 
Fortunately, in both states, public safety and highway work has not been cutback due naturally to safety and transportation concerns. In regards to California, they have been quite fortunate due to increased availability of construction resources due to Jensen Precast. In order to reduce cost, Jensen Precast has been purchasing used k-rail and various types of barrier rail in order to continue their partnership as a supplier of construction resources to the state.
In addition to offering k-rail for highway work, Jensen Precast rents out their k-rail for a number of non-highway uses including security perimeters, sand and rock barriers as well as the formation of a temporary concrete barrier. California is facing a difficult situation due to the current crisis, but motorists, state highway workers and officials at least don't have to worry about any shortage of affordable k-rail. 
Wednesday, October 08, 2008

FedEx Nacional Mexico

Although the global economic meltdown is affecting all nations and companies on the globe in different ways, there are some organizations that are doing quite well and expanding their services and business. FedEx recently announced that they will begin shipping domestic overnight freight to all 32 Mexican States under the banner of FedEx Nacional. 
The service will be supported via two main hubs located in Toluca and San Luis Potosi. The San Luis Potosi center is expected to open fully in March of 2009.
Michael L Ducker, President International, FedEx Express, said: "Mexico continues to be one of the fastest-growing markets in the express industry and a key part of FedEx international growth and profitability."
The advance shipping market in Mexico is expected to grow by leaps and bounds in the next 10 years. In fact, currently the network is valued at about $822 Million whereas in 10 years it is estimated to reach $1.5 Billion. 
FedEx has also announced that with the addition of the two complexes that they are expecting to add a number of new employees during the near future to supplement the facilities as well as for future expansion.
Source: SupplyExec

MS Project Server SAAS

If you have been considering setting up your own network for personal use or your business (or both), you have undoubtedly been confronted with the cost of set-up as well as contracting an I.T. professional for installation and maintenance. There are many options regarding Software as a Service (SAAS) nowadays, that are inexpensive and offer the same great services as your own network as well as the benefit of increased productivity and mobility.
Phase 2 International partnered with Microsoft Project Manager to offer the lowest cost around as well as the back-up and tech support of an industry leader. In addition to the numerous aforementioned benefits, you also receive MS Project Server 2007 with all of the features you have come to expect from the MS software collection. Whether you or your business require enhanced charts and graphics or seamless integration with other MS services and applications, Project Server 2007 offers all those features and an assortment of others. 
There are many great benefits associated with utilizing SAAS applications such as increased productivity, seamless MS integration, low cost as well as industry leading I.T. support and maintenance. MS Project web access also grants users increased mobile productivity. Basically wherever you can get internet access your network will be available leading to increased responsiveness and opportunities. 

Global Markets Deteriorate

If there was ever any conversation that we were not in a global economic meltdown, that conversation should be thrown out the window. Over the last several days the United States economy has been in an incredible free fall, with the Dow Jones dropping below 10K for the first time in nearly 5 years. If the plummet of the Dow is any indicator of the financial ruin we may encounter in the near future, the shifting position of the global markets should be a succinct indicator all in themselves.
In early trading the United Kingdom's "Tootsie" dropped 5% just after the opening bell this morning. In addition, the Asian markets have also been in free fall for several days. 
The man question is what can we as a society do to ensure a future of economic prosperity. It is becoming increasingly clear that throwing hyper-inflated currency at the problem is not the solution. Even though the influx of money may slow down the problem in the short term, the overall issue of inflated currency will likely come around to bite us in weeks or months as it has in the past.
The truth is that the bed is made and we all have to lie in it. Credit is frozen and doesn't look to thaw for anyone in this country deemed unacceptable (-700). The only advice I could recommend is to take care of your homes and vehicles the best you can because it might be difficult to get that loan to replace a furnace or automobile. I'm not too sure what we are in for, but it doesn't look good.

Coffee Bean Industry

Coffee connoisseurs have many choices when it comes to selecting premium coffee beans. Founded in 1995, Intelligentsia has been dedicated to providing their customers with the highest quality coffee beans from the worlds most renowned importers and growers. In fact, Intelligentsia only does business with the most eco-conscious and socially responsible growers and importers, assuring that your purchase doesn't support morally questionable organizations.
In addition to offering a superior product, Intelligentsia is a well respected member of the coffee wholesalers industry due to their numerous awards and commendations for quality and service. Utilizing vintage German roasters, Intelligentsia is able to produce an impeccable gourmet coffee that demonstrates a rich traditional aroma and taste. By integrating cheap bulk coffee beans into their roasters, Intelligentsia is able to maintain their flavorful coffee while offering customers lower prices than many of their gourmet competitors. 
If you are a gourmet coffee aficionado and are interested in learning more about wholesale coffee roasters then you should give Intelligentsia a look. In fact, Intelligentsia's website offers the comprehensive works of Geoff Watts, a well-respected industry leader, University of Vienna graduate as well as buyer and roastmaster for Intelligentsia Coffee. His works include Coffee Buying, Direct Trade and Organic Certification among others.
Thursday, October 02, 2008

Chicago Midway Up For Privatization

With five runways and handling nearly 305,000 flights and 19 million passengers a year, Chicago's Midway Airport has been put up for privatization. In a $2.5 billion dollar deal, a consortium of firms including the Vancouver International Airport Authority, won the development contract of Chicago's Midway.
Being the first airport to be put up for privatization in the United States, sparks the question of whether it will be the last. If we take a look at the other small regional airports across the country who are struggling in this modern economic crisis, you have to wonder how many more may come up for "privatization". 
It is strange to note that the consortium of firms who won the deal to privatize Midway Airport, defeated both Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, two firms at the center of the multi billion dollar Wall St. bailout deal. I find it intriguing that Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley were the leaders in this bid while the rest of the economy is faltering. Hey, isn't Sec. of The Treasury Henry Paulson a former Goldman Sachs guy?
The consortium has joined with John Hancock on a 99 year lease of the Chicago Midway grounds.
Source: SupplyExec

Discount High Def.

High Definition televisions have been available in the market now for quite a while, but oftentimes the cost has tuned consumers out. HighDefBay, an online discounter of high definition televisions from major brands such as Sony, Sharp and Pioneer has brought affordability back to consumers seeking the latest technology at reasonably prices. In addition to offering a wide variety of high definition televisions, HighDefBay offers customers the ability to compare these top brand options side by side shop from the convenience of their home.
Committed to exceptional customer service and satisfaction, HighDefBay offers a number of in-house representatives who are able to assist customers with any questions or concerns. In addition to offering customers great deals on discounted electronics from top manufacturers, HighDefBay also caters to a variety of businesses, charitable organizations, thus passing along great service and electronics to anyone interested in savings. So whether you are a small business looking for an LCD HD TV for your office or waiting room, or you're a sports fan looking to upgrade your "man-cave" to HD, HighDefBay has everything you'll need to upgrade today.

Melamine Poisoned Candy - In US for Halloween

utterli-image Over 2 weeks ago, I started talking about the Melamine baby formula poisoning scandal in China, thinking to myself, that it was a matter of time before this industrial poison was tracked to products in the United States. Unfortunately that time is today. Melamine has been found through tests in candy in Connecticut less than 1 month before Halloween.
" The discovery announced Wednesday involved the White Rabbit Creamy Candy brand, which is sold in 50 countries but has already been recalled from stores in Britain and many Asian countries. Jerry Farrell Jr., Connecticut’s consumer protection commissioner, announced that contaminated candy had been found at two stores in New Haven, one in West Hartford and one in East Haven. In each case, tests found traces of an industrial additive, melamine, in the candy. “We’re concerned, obviously, there may have been bags sold of these before we got to them,” Mr. Farrell said on Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration warned consumers about White Rabbit candy because of concerns over possible melamine contamination. In California, health officials have found traces of melamine after testing samples of White Rabbit candy. The American distributor has ordered a recall, but some of the candy may still be in stores."
http://www.nytimes.com/…2milk.html In 2007 White Rabbit Candy was recalled in the Phillipines when formaldehyde was found in the product. For US consumers this may not be mainstream candy, consumed by everyone. It does represent a weakness in US oversight of food products shipped to the United States from China, and is likely the tip of the ice berg that has already landed on shore. We need to get a better handle on this problem before this problem is discovered everywhere from dry food stuffs on the shelves at grocery stores to ingredients used in Christmas dinner recipes. Mobile post sent by brettbum using Utterli. reply-count Replies.
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