Nestle SA, one of the worlds biggest food companies, has said a price hike of products is imminent due to volatile raw material prices. However, the company believes that if a price revision is done in a holistic and well-spaced manner along with value creation, it will build consumer confidence.

I do believe you have to increase prices country by country. We dont produce prices. We produce enjoyment, nutrition and value. But if you have to do a price hike, you will have to do it holistically. In each country, the portfolio is different, inflation is different and raw materials are prices different. So it has to be done in a timely and spaced manner, Mr Paul Bulcke, Nestles global CEO, on an India visit, told Business Line.

Mr Bulckes statement comes a week after Nestle Indias last analyst meet which cited rising raw material prices as a major cause for concern in the coming quarters.

The Belgian-born head honcho of the Swiss group said rising food prices are a global phenomenon. The whole basket is going up this time. The volatility and nervousness of the markets are showing up. The world is eating better and more. It creates tension in agriculture as there is an accelerating demand.there is an increased need for raw materials, he said.

Innovation

Stating that innovation was a core focus of Nestles internal philosophies, Mr Bulcke said the thrust was on creating value. If we can maintain our company on creating value, people are going to value it and pay for it. We have been inventing value products so that the proportion of raw material used is less. Value creation now is more than what it was ten years ago. Innovation is another aspect and each innovation is adding value to use less of raw materials.

On criticism about companies increasing prices of their products and reducing grammage simultaneously, he said, It is being smart. I dont want you to eat so many calories but enjoy the same benefit with lesser quantity. What we do, though, is lighten the packaging materials. It is to give the same enjoyment at a lesser cost. In that direction, we have smaller packs. Our idea is not to cheat the customer. You have to rewire your products. We have technologies and look for alternative ways to have the same nutritional blend with a lesser amount of raw materials.

NestlÃ, Switzerlands biggest industrial company, has 283,000 employees and 460 factories worldwide, which produces baby formula, breakfast cereals, coffee, chocolate, mineral water, pet foods, ready meals and dessert ingredients among others.

Desserts

Asked if it was planning to introduce its desserts and frozen range, Mr Bulcke said, We are looking at it. There are dimensions which we are looking to scale up. However, we cannot do it due to lack of certain essential infrastructure, like cold chains.

article source

By Rodger Mullen
Staff writer

Growing up, artist Kadir Nelson was not a big baseball fan.

Considering that he has devoted much of his career to the sport, its a little ironic.

Im still not a huge fan in that I dont follow any particular team, although I do enjoy going to games, said Nelson, 36. Im more of a fan of the history of the game.

A big chunk of that history will be on display in We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, an exhibit chronicling the leagues that flourished in the years before Jackie Robinson integrated the game in 1947.

The display features 33 original paintings and 13 sketches that were featured in Nelsons book of the same name. The exhibit opens Friday at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and continues through April 16.

Nelsons oil paintings, some of them 8 feet in size, capture the grandeur and grit of the leagues that produced such legendary players as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell. The artist – a two-time Caldecott Honor Award winner – shows both the on-field heroics the players accomplished and the off-field discrimination they had to endure.

Some of Nelsons images were used on stamps issued by the Post Office last year to commemorate the Negro Leagues. The award-winning book, which can be found in local libraries, was named one of the best illustrated childrens books of 2008 by The New York Times.

The exhibit is currently on tour throughout the country. After it closes in Fayetteville, it will move to Chicago.

Calvin Mims, art services director at the Arts Council, said the exhibit is the third in an annual series the council has presented in collaboration with The Friends of African and African-American Art.

We had no idea when we planned the exhibit that the US Postal Service had selected him to do a commemorative stamp on the Negro Leagues, Mims said. That sort of really kicked the excitement up into high gear because we figured we had picked a winner. It was just a home run, no pun intended.

The Arts Council has scheduled a series of events in connection with the exhibit. Nelson will appear at a grand opening Friday from 7 to 9 pm to talk about the exhibit and sign copies of his book.

The Observer recently spoke to Nelson by phone from his Los Angeles studio. Here are some excerpts from that conversation:

Observer: How did you come up with the idea for We Are the Ship?

Nelson: When I was in college, I was asked to do a painting on the Negro Leagues. It was something I knew relatively nothing about. In my research, I came across the Ken Burns documentary Baseball. In that documentary, there was an African-American man named Buck ONeil who told the story in such a charming and compelling way that I became hooked on the subject. That painting grew into several paintings. Over 12 years, it grew into almost 50 paintings.

Observer: Where does the title come from?

Nelson: When the leagues were formed in 1920 by Rube Foster, he made a very bold declaration that the Negro Leagues are the ship, all else are the sea. I like to explain that as the Declaration of Independence from the Major Leagues.

Observer: How has the exhibit tour been going? Have you been getting good response?

Nelson: The tour has been really popular at every stop. I attended the opening in Muskegon, Mich., the beginning of February, and it was really well received. Almost 1,000 people visited opening day, and we had 500 at the reception. They gave me a standing ovation when I got up to talk.

Observer: What did you try to convey in your paintings?

Nelson: My intention was to show the strength and integrity and dignity of the players. To use the mantra of independence in each of the paintings, in the stature of the players. Its an epic piece of history, even though a lot of people dont know about it. The players and owners formed their own league, a very successful league, out of sheer will and their love of the game of baseball.

Observer: What interests you about the Negro Leagues?

Nelson: I was interested, I think, by the story. Its a really great story of African-Americans who were barred from playing in the Major Leagues but didnt give up. Out of their love for the game and their talent for baseball, they basically created something from nothing. I think it was an inspiring story. They created the league with the intention of integrating the Major Leagues, and they were able to do that in a bold and successful way. The Negro Leagues became one of the most successful African-American business ventures up to that time.

Observer: Do you have a favorite Negro League player?

Nelson: I dont have a favorite player, I like many of them for many different reasons. They all made their invaluable contributions to the game. If I have a favorite picture in the portraits, its probably Josh Gibson. Josh Gibson is the embodiment of the triumph and the tragedy of the Negro Leagues. He looks very confident, but if you look into his eyes, you also see sadness. Josh was one of the greatest Negro League players, but he wasnt able to play in the majors. He died just before the majors were integrated. The triumph is that he helped form and sustain a successful Negro League that made it possible for African-Americans to play in the majors.

Observer: Do you think baseball has dropped in popularity among African-Americans?

Nelson: Baseball has dropped in popularity across the board. Certainly, African-Americans have not played the game in the number they did in previous decades. There has been speculation about why that is that we dont have time to go into here. My intention is really to share this great history with people of all ages, particularly young people. To share a great history and spark an interest in the great game of baseball.

We Are The Ship

Where: The Arts Council, 301 Hay St.

When: Friday through April 16. Kadir Nelson will speak and sign copies of his book Friday from 7 to 9 pm

Admission: Free

Information: 323-1776 or theartscouncil.com

Related activities: Meet players from the Negro Baseball League March 26 at JP Riddle Stadium from noon to 2 pm Go to the Arts Council website for more on lectures and events.

article source

Little Rock, Ark. (KTHV) — Creating stories and playing make-believe are popular kid pastimes, along withcartoons. Thats why animated shows and comic books are popular.

Marvel Comicshas created a way to bring those comic books to life for kids. Comic books open the door to a childs creative world.

Marvel Comicsis helping kids tap into that creativity with a exciting feature on their website — a comic book creator.

You get high-quality pre-made art to play with. It lets you choose pre-made layouts or create your own. You can make a comic strip using individual panels. Or, you cango all outand make an entire bookup to22 pages long.

There are plenty ofbackgrounds and characters to choose from and theyre all from the Marvel Universe. No worries parents, these characters are created in a kid-friendly style.

If you want to know more about these characters, head over to The Squad. You can learn about the heroes and villains of the official super hero squad. You can even watch episodes of the super hero squad show right from this site.

And if you like online games, check out the video games section. There are three fun games to choose from, all of which are kid appropriate of course.

So get those creative juices flowing and create your comic book today!

article source

25. 03. 11. – 19:00

Watching TV one of Croatia´s favourite weekend pastimes

Croatian Times

Croatian?s favourite weekend pastime is watching TV on their computer screens, reading books and newspapers, a new poll shows.

Some 42 per cent of 3,071 people surveyed named the above activities as their favourite weekend time killers, while 41 per cent said they prefer going out into the nature in their spare time.

The third favourite activity is drinking coffee with friends (29 per cent).

The survey conducted by market research agency GfK tried to gage the countrys free time-spending habits, including travel tendencies. Women were the majority of the survey?s respondents, and the average age was between 23 and 34.

On average, Croatians go on day trips outside of their home city 10 times a year, while they splash out on an overnight stay around six times.

On average, most can spend between 200 and 600 kunas (between 27 and 81 Euros) on such an outing (55 per cent), while some 26 per cent are able to invest more. Some 41 per cent spend their holidays with family and children, 23 per cent with friends, while only one per cent stay alone.

Out of those surveyed, 57 per cent said they would spend their summer in Croatia, the majority of them (75 per cent) on the Adriatic coast, the daily Vecernji List writes.

article source

By Hugh Fisher

hfisher@salisburypost.com

SPENCER In a combined meeting, the Spencer Board of Aldermen and Spencer Planning Board discussed how to get businesses to locate there.

Officials cant control every one of the factors involved.

But there is one factor the two boards agreed to consider: multiple business uses under the same roof.

Right now, each structure is allowed one principal use, and a permit can be issued for a business there in a matter of days.

But adding an additional use at the same site for instance, a bookstore that also wants to act as a coffee shop would require the Planning Boards approval.

And that can potentially add months to the process.

Alderman Jeff Morris said there was no real reason for that to be the case.

If someone wants to have a bait, tackle and religious novelty shop, all of which are permitted uses, they should be able to do that, Morris said.

Jim Gobble of the Planning Board said that the current regulations wouldnt automatically prevent that.

But in the discussion that unfolded afterward, members of both boards came to a consensus that getting rid of principal uses might be positive.

Morris said that, in a market driven by supply and demand, a demand for a business should be easier to meet.

If theres something that doesnt harm public health, safety and welfare, it should be permitted, Morris said.

Similar changes to that effect are already being made.

Earlier Tuesday at their own meeting, members of the Planning Board voted unanimously to allow pawn shops as a permitted use in the central business district.

Mayor Jody Everhart said there have been pawn shops downtown before, but not since the current zoning ordinances were adopted.

Land Management Director Dustin Wilson said the decision was a response to a request by a potential business owner.

Alderman Tracy Aitken expressed some concern over the potential combinations of businesses.

Others said the market would sort that out that businesses would only open if there was demand.

Gobble said caution ought to be exercised. Zoning is a system of checks and balances, he said.

What Gobble said has been a problem is the towns sign ordinance.

The Spencer Historic Preservation Commission places strict requirements on business signage.

Several aldermen mentioned hearing from business owners about problems meeting those criteria, including cases where signs theyd paid for were not permitted.

It was Robert Nance of the Planning Board who brought up the issue of public perception.

Real commercial businesses … are looking at rooftops, theyre looking at income.

He said that, within Rowan County, there was a perception that the North Rowan districts schools arent as good.

As a result, that was keeping more families from moving to the area.

I dont know why, Nance said. I dont know anything about the North schools.

But a lack of residents would, in turn, would keep big-box stores and national chains away.

On the plus side, Nance said, a concerted marketing effort could help spread the word about Spencers opportunities.

Aitken also said that a marketing approach for small towns, similar to what Downtown Salisbury Inc. does in the city, could help attract business investment.

Other changes that were discussed include minor adjustments to reduce costs for businesses.

One example: not requiring a full gutter and curb in asphalt parking lots if an engineer says theres little chance of erosion.

Members of both boards agreed theres no easy solution to bring more businesses downtown.

But they left with a consensus that they should keep the lines of communication open.

Everhart invited the Planning Board to meet with them again, especially during the upcoming meeting with Robert Van Geons of the Salisbury-Rowan Economic Development Corp.

Contact Hugh Fisher via the editors desk at 704-797-4244.

article source

Simon Kolawole Live!: Email: simonkolawole@thisdayonline.com

One of my favourite pastimes, if you care, is listening to Nigerians discuss their leaders. It is always interesting. It has become more interesting with the advent of internet blogsites where people say whatever they wantwhether or not it is true, whether or not it makes sense. Just write whatever you like. Its a free world. Abuse anybody. Insult a whole ethnic group and call them a bunch of parasites or scammers or cowards. Have fun. All is fair. Some blogsites are so negative you can never read any positive comments there. If you try to make reasonable contributions, the way others would swoop on you would make you realise you dont belong to that community.

As Dr. Wale Adebanwi wrote many years ago, it is treasonable to be reasonable in an unreasonable society. Those bloggers want blood and it is only blood that can satisfy them. If you live outside Nigeria and rely on this platform to make up your mind, you will conclude that there is no hope for this country. Everybody in Nigeria is a thief. Everybody is incompetent. Everybody is hopeless. No governor is doing well. No minister is doing well. No commissioner is doing well. Everybody is a rogue from head to toe. Nothing is working in Nigeria. It is Armageddon everywhere. Nothing good can ever come out of this country. These would be your conclusions.
As we get closer to the presidential electionwhich is considered to be the most criticalI have taken time to observe the comments being passed on the candidates by the various segments of the society, both on internet and non-internet platforms. I find those comments quite amusing. At the end of the day, nobody is fit to be president of Nigeria! Maybe we would have to go and plead for the Pope to take overthat is if the Pope himself is good enough! Nigerians take the candidates one after the other and tear them to pieces. What exactly do we want?

President Goodluck Jonathan, they say, is too soft, too humble. I heard people criticise him for allowing governors in his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to hold him to ransom in the days before the presidential primary. He should have insisted on having his way on the order of primaries! He should have used the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to deal with them! This was the same reason President Olusegun Obasanjo was vilifiedfor using the EFCC against his political opponents. So what exactly do we want? Jonathan is also accused of not solving all of Nigerias problems since he became president last year. We expect him to, in one year, build all the roads that were not built in 50 years, magically turn around the education sector that collapsed systematically for decades, provide uninterrupted power supply that has been our headache for decades and so on and so forth. Because he has not done these, then he is not qualified to be president. Dont vote for him!

On the other hand, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), is guilty of being too straightforward! He is not a politician! He is too rigid! He is a dictator! He belongs to the past! His ideas are archaic! So dont vote for Buhari! Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has not achieved anything in his life! He is a religious extremist! He is just a smooth talker because of his teaching background! Dont vote for Shekarau! What exactly do we want?
Malam Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is too inexperienced to rule Nigeria! He has never contested for any political office before so he has no chance! He was Obasanjos attack dog with which the former president whipped his political opponents! Hes an associate of corrupt politicians! Dont vote for Ribadu! We also dismiss Professor Pat Utomi, the candidate of Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), with a wave of the hand. Let him go and contest as a senator first! He is wasting his time! He can only speak good English! He has nothing more to offer! Nigerians, what exactly do we want?

To be honest, I myself also say some of these things once in a while, but at the back of my mind, I always recognise the absolute reality of life that we can never get a perfect person to rule Nigeria. We can never have a designer president. There is no perfect candidate anywhere. But I also accept that some of these questions and issues being raised are legitimate and should actually be raised in a democratic setting, for the sake of getting quality leaders to pilot our affairs. However, I believe we are so negative that we hardly see anything good in others. We must accept the undeniable fact that whoever emerges president will have one weakness or the other, one fault or the other.

My resolve, which I would love to recommend to Nigerians, is that we have to constructively engage whoever wins the presidential election. We have to devise ways, in our various corners, to help in the governance process, so that our dear country can progress. If our real interest is the development of Nigeria, it shouldnt matter to us if our preferred candidate wins or not. Somebody must win and somebody must lose. Rather, we should be concerned with how we can make sure good governance is delivered to Nigerians within the realities we find ourselves. We must pursue our aspirations for Nigeria within this natural fact: that we would never produce a perfect president. Such is life.

Thumbs up for MM Foundation

Amid the hullabaloo on presidential debates, a landmark event took place in Abuja early this month which might have escaped the attention of many Nigerians. It was the Policy Dialogue with Presidential Candidates organised by the Murtala Muhammed Foundation at the Musa YarAdua Centre, Abuja. The chief executive of the foundation, Mrs Aisha Oyebode (Muhammeds daughter, in case youve forgotten), explained her dream thus: the objective was to get the presidential candidates and Nigerians to address issues rather than personalities in the run-up to the 2011 presidential poll. She said the Foundation believes it is time Nigerians paid more attention to critical national issues bordering on infrastructure, education, health and poor quality of governance rather than the perennial resort to primordial and personality politics. Well said.

In a country where the people lack the basic things of life, we seem to have concluded that the tribal marks of the president should take precedent over anything else. The direct implication is that the serious issues to be debated are often relegated to the background. It was therefore refreshing and encouraging to see that the non-governmental sector has taken it upon itself to engage the politicians in a dialogue rather than diatribe, asking them questions one by one on critical areas. Delegates to the two-day event included members of the diplomatic corps, academics, representatives of civil society organisations, government officials and civil servants, politicians, members of the National Youth Service Corps, undergraduates, serving and retired military personnel, international organisations, campaign organisations and the media.

Three presidential candidates participated: Malam Ibrahim Shekarau of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Malam Nuhu Ribadu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Professor Pat Utomi of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP). President Jonathan (PDP) and Buhari (CPC) were absent. One by one the candidates were taken to task by the panel. The key issues discussed were Economic Growth, Infrastructure amp; Homeland Security; Governance; Education amp; Health; Food Security amp; Environment; and International Relations. I have gone through the report again and I can confidently say their contributions were mainly impressive. Since nobody has monopoly of ideas, I suggest that the report be made available to whoever is going to form the next government. The most important thing is for Nigeria to be greatit doesnt matter whose ideas are adopted!

Once again, congratulations to the Murtala Muhammed Foundation. Its a good beginning. Hopefully, by the next election, politicians in particular and Nigerians in general would have got used to the idea of multiple platforms for candidates to ventilate their views and market their ideas to the various communities in Nigeriayouth, NGO, organised private sector and the popular media.

And Four Other Things…

Tit for Tat
Not surprisingly, three presidential candidates have pulled out of Tuesdays TV debate with President Goodluck Jonathan in what you can describe as tit-for-tat. Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Malam Nuhu Ribadu and Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, who all participated in the NN24 debate, were miffed that Jonathan stayed away on the excuse that his campaign schedule was too tight. The three presidential candidates said two things that you cannot fault: one, they too had a tight schedule but had to create the time to attend the debate; two, the president did not as much as offer a word of apology for not attending. Its a shame that for the fourth general election in a row, Nigerians will not be privileged to watch their top presidential candidates debate. In 1999, Chief Olu Falae did it alone. In 2003, President Olusegun Obasanjo boycotted again. In 2007, Alhaji Umaru Musa YarAdua also boycotted. Shame, really.

Shekarau and Kano
Space constraint meant I had to skip certain aspects of the presidential debate in my overview last week. The most unpardonable omission was Malam Ibrahim Shekaraus take on the disappearance of ethno-religious riots in Kano State since 2003 when he became governor. Kano used to be the hotbed. Any little riot in any state was always replied in kind in Kano. Isnt it amazing then that all the Jos killings of the last two years have not had any ripple effect on Kano? The secret, Shekarau said, is that he runs an all-inclusive government where you will find people from other parts of the country, including a Christian, in his cabinet. So everyone has a sense of belonging. This creates room for integration and understanding. As someone who is really interested in national integration, I find Shekaraus explanation very encouraging. I have always believed that we can live in peace and unity in Nigeria if we find the right formula. Nigerians dont hate one another despite our obvious differences. This I know very well. It is the wrong application of politics that revs up tension all the time.

Gaffe Galore
In an attempt to point out the gaffes during the NN24 TV debate, I committed my own in more than equal measure. One, I misquoted Ribadu as saying the North-west had not produced a president. He actually said North-east. But the other fact is correct: Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewafrom the North-eastwas the first chief executive of Nigeria (1960 to 1966). Two, the minimum age for governors is 35, not 40 as I claimed. Finally, as a matter of clarification, when Ribadu said he was not a one-state person, he was referring to Shekarau, who is believed to be limited to only Kano State, and not Buhari, who, at least in my own calculation, has large following in quite an impressive number of states. Thank God Im not a presidential candidatemy own gaffes would be uncountable! (Dont laugh).

NFF Again
Is anybody surprised that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) almost got Nigeria involved in another mess with FIFA this weekend? NFF invited Victor Moses, a gifted footballer who has dual British-Nigerian nationality, to play for the Super Eagles against Ethiopia today, without going through the due process. Minus the fact that the application for Moses to switch football nationality was late (he has already represented England in age-group competitions), FIFA needs a letter from the English FA confirming that Moses never played for them at senior level as well as a consent letter from Moses himself. NFF provided none of these. We would have been docked three points if we had gone ahead to field him. And nobody seemed to know this at NFF! Incredible.

article source

Lacie Lowry, News On 6

Stillwater, Oklahoma — Japanese students at Oklahoma State University are doing what they can to help earthquake and tsunami victims back home.

Despite the chilly temperatures, the students hosted a fundraiser on Sunday to warm the hearts of donors.

The Japanese community in Stillwater knows how to have fun. They brought out their traditional games from the common to the unusual– martial art demonstrations and cultural pastimes like calligraphy and origami and delicious Japanese food.

But their fundraiser is for a very serious cause — helping earthquake victims.

OSU alumna Soreiyu Umezu is from Sendai, the epicenter of the March 11 earthquake. She and the other Japanese students said theyall lived in fear after the tragedy, not knowing if their loved ones had survived.

I couldnt sleep for three days because I couldnt talk to my parents, and I couldnt keep in touch with my friends over there, Umezu said.

Stillwater resident Mary Ritcheys mother also lived in Sendai and she died last year.

Its been really difficult and then with the earthquake and tsunami in Sendai, its brought back a lot of good memories and some sad memories, Ritchey said.

The Japanese student association and graduates organized the fundraiser to help the relief effort.

They dont even have water. Its just crazy. We must do something as soon as possible to help those people out, said fundraiser organizer Takehiro Ryu.

All the money they collect will go to the American Red Cross.

Im just hoping everybody in the world can help just a little bit, donate a couple of bucks or do something like this. Just help out, Ryu said.

With more than 10,000 dead and 17,000 still missing, help cant come soon enough.

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By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — From the smallest hamlet all the way to Washington, D.C., elected officials are facing up to the grim reality that budgets must be balanced. They are firing workers left and right, or cutting the pay and benefits of those lucky enough to keep their jobs. Public services — such as libraries, parks, schools, public safety and health care — are being severely reduced.

The government will be downsized, no matter how painful it might be.

Talks
fail; govt. shutdown looms

WSJ’s Carol Lee reports talks to avert an April 8 U.S. government shutdown have all but broken down.

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But there’s one area of government that isn’t sharing in the necessary sacrifices: Taxpayer giveaways to our most profitable corporations, who are showered each year with hundreds of billions of our hard-earned dollars.

These gifts don’t help the economy, or create any jobs. But someone benefits: The executives and shareholders of the companies who get the goodies. There are even a few industries — such as professional sports — where taxpayer subsidies account for 100% of profits, according to tax columnist David Cay Johnston. Read more on Johnston’s Tax.com blog.

The money is supposed to boost economic development but most of it is wasted. In many cases, the subsidies from the taxpayers far exceed any possible benefit to the public. Most of the subsidies don’t add to the national economy at all, but merely shift jobs and spending from one town to another.

For instance, Google Inc.
/quotes/comstock/15*!goog/quotes/nls/goog
(GOOG
580.50,
+5.14,
+0.89%)
, Yahoo Inc.
/quotes/comstock/15*!yhoo/quotes/nls/yhoo
(YHOO
16.70,
+0.12,
+0.72%)
, Microsoft Corp.
/quotes/comstock/15*!msft/quotes/nls/msft
(MSFT
25.47,
+0.06,
+0.23%)
, Dell Inc.
/quotes/comstock/15*!dell/quotes/nls/dell
(DELL
14.73,
-0.06,
-0.41%)
Verizon Communications Inc.
/quotes/comstock/13*!vz/quotes/nls/vz
(VZ
38.33,
+0.58,
+1.54%)
, and other high-tech companies would have to build server farms someplace, even if they weren’t subsidized by local governments. But these powerful and profitable companies have pitted communities against each other, extracting billions of dollars in subsidies to locate their operations in such towns as Quincy, Wash., Lockport, N.Y., or Lenoir, N.C. Search for more corporate subsidies at GoodJobsFirst.org.

As one Washington state legislator told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in arguing for a $1 billion subsidy to Microsoft and other companies that would create just a few hundred jobs: “Those jobs are going to go somewhere — better they should come to us.”

States, cities and towns all over America are engaged in a mad race to the bottom, competing with each other to see who can give the biggest bribe to a company to locate here instead of there. In hopes of beating out their neighbor, state and local governments seize private property through their power of eminent domain, give tax breaks, offer cheap taxpayer-guaranteed financing, and even train the workers at taxpayer expense.

And yet, study after study show that these subsidies create few, if any, net jobs. For instance, California’s Enterprise Zone program — which is supposed to boost business in 42 economically distressed communities — has cost the taxpayers $3.6 billion over 27 years, but to no avail. A legislative analyst report in 2005 found that “EZs have little if any impact on the creation of new economic activity or employment.” Read more from the legislative analyst report.

California Gov. Jerry Brown has proposed to kill the EZ program and the even-more expensive redevelopment agency program, but he faces an uphill fight in the Legislature. Such subsidies are popular with the legislators who receive boatloads of campaign contributions from businesses lucky enough to find a government teat to latch on to.

Nationwide, such giveaways from state and municipal governments amounted to more than $70 billion in 2010, according to Kenneth Thomas, a political scientist at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, who has specialized in studying these subsidies. That’s more than the states collect in corporate income taxes in a good year. Read about Thomas’s book: “Investment Incentives and the Global Competition for Capital”

And that $70 billion is twice as much money as would be required to fully fund the pensions owed to state and local government workers, the very same pensions that budget-cutting politicians across the country claim are responsible for the fiscal hole we’re in.

Aside from the direct costs, these subsidies also pose a hidden danger to state finances. In some cases, states or municipalities issue revenue bonds that support private ventures. These sorts of bonds have a default rate of about 15%, compared with less than 0.5% for general obligation bonds, according to Fitch Ratings. If there is a looming crisis in muni bonds, it isn’t because we’re borrowing too much for schools or highways; it’s because we’re borrowing too much to subsidize corporations that feel no compunction about walking away if another town or state or country offers more.

At the federal level, subsidies to corporations and investors total a staggering $365 billion, according to the Treasury Department. That’s a huge share of the structural budget deficit. Federal tax policy is so favorable to large, multinational corporations that many of the largest and most profitable companies pay no federal tax at all. For instance, Boeing
/quotes/comstock/13*!ba/quotes/nls/ba
(BA
73.67,
+0.37,
+0.50%)
  reported nearly $10 billion in profits over the past three years yet paid no taxes at all. Read testimony from the director of the Center for Tax Justice.

For the most part, we are bribing these businesses to do what they would do anyway: build manufacturing plants, open stores, expand their operations.

As Gov. Brown said: “The private development that occurs in redevelopment project areas often would have occurred even if the RDAs were never established. There is little evidence that redevelopment projects attract business to the state.”

Almost all the benefits of these subsidies go to large corporations, not to the small businesses that we celebrate in our national myths. Companies such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
/quotes/comstock/13*!wmt/quotes/nls/wmt
(WMT
52.19,
+0.0025,
+0.0048%)
 and Home Depot Inc.
/quotes/comstock/13*!hd/quotes/nls/hd
(HD
37.70,
+1.05,
+2.86%)
 get taxpayer subsidies that doom smaller, existing businesses to extinction. How can a small retailer compete against a big-box store that’s heavily subsidized with her tax dollars?

Some states are waking up to the huge costs and meager benefits of these subsidies. New York, California, Colorado, Oklahoma and Hawaii have curtailed or are considering curtailing some of these goodies.

But other states are doubling down on the fiscally ruinous corporate giveaways. Even as he slashed public workers’ compensation and benefits, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker persuaded the Legislature to expand the state’s economic development tax credit.

The state motto shouldn’t be “Open for Business,” it should be “Open for Looting.”

Instead of cutting spending on things that would actually help the economy grow (such as education and infrastructure), states and cities should carefully analyze their corporate subsidies and eliminate any that aren’t effective.

There’s nothing wrong with government trying to support economic growth, but handing out billions of dollars in wasteful giveaways isn’t helping anyone, except the big corporations that don’t need the breaks.

Rex Nutting is Washington bureau chief of MarketWatch.

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[Fringe - Bloodline]

The adventures of Ghost William Bell were put on hold (as was our enjoyment of Anna Torvs Leonard Nimoy impression) as Fringe yanked us back Over There, where airships dot the sky, Opus is a peahen, and Coppola directed Taxi Driver.

Our investment in the Alters (thats what Im calling Walternate, Fauxlivia and their pals) was integral to the success of this weeks excellent episode, aptly titled Bloodline.

The Alters, who could have easily been presented as thinly drawn villains or caricatures this season, have become some of the most compelling characters on the show. Thanks to some great writing, solid character development and a few outstanding performances, Ive come to care about these alt-folks almost as much as I care about Our Fringe Team (and Im guessing that most of you feel the same way). So it wasnt hard for me to become extremely emotionally invested in this weeks story and to root for Fauxlivia and her unborn baby. Saying that I got there emotionally during that intense delivery scene would be a huge understatement.

Fringe has a way of humanizing its monsters and villains. Last weeks undead soul vampire was only trying to find a way to reunite with her family in the afterlife. The week before that, an obsessed father was killing off medical test subjects in an attempt to heal his paralyzed son. And for most of Season 3, the show has even offered glimpses at the softer side of Walternate, aka the evil genius who wants to destroy Our World.

Walternate is a dark and manipulative soul, but he does have a heart. Hes obviously committed to protecting his worlds children, and thats why he rejected Alt Brandons idea to dose kiddos with cortexiphan. Ill admit that, at first, I didnt suspect that Walternate was the architect of this weeks Fauxlivia-nabbing, pregnancy-inducing madness, mostly because of his decision not to experiment on children. But, yeah, I was wrong. It turns out that his moral compass is even more askew than we once thought.

Walternates plan to speed up Fauxlivias pregnancy was cold and brutal, and it led to the most unsettling visual effect of the night a full grown baby seemingly trying to claw its way out of her belly. (Super creepy, even by Fringe standards.) But the scheme saved Fauxlivia and her baby by outrunning the VPE. Hooray!

So did Walternate hatch this plan in order to save Fauxlivia and the baby? No, probably not. The confirmation about Fauxlivia having VPE came well after the kidnapping, and theres no way Walternate could have known that she was a carrier. Walternate obviously ordered Alt Brandon and crew to speed up the delivery with more sinister purposes in mind like using the baby to learn how to cross over to Our World and/or lure Peter back Over There. Or, even more unsettling, attempting to use the baby or his blood to power the machine. He is Peters offspring, so its likely that Baby Boy Dunham could end up being the new battery Walternate needs to power up his potentially world-shattering toy.

And what are we to make of the appearance of The Observer and his sole line, It is happening? Strange things are in motion, and with Peter now father to Fauxlivias child, things dont look good for his relationship with Olivia or for the future of Our World.

It was great to see Henry the Cabdriver (guest star Andre Royo) return. It was double great to learn that he still worries about Olivia and likes to keep an eye out for her. The delivery scene, with Henry leading the way and Lincoln holding Fauxlivia close, will easily go down as one of the most memorable scenes of the season. The intensity of it all made me kinda love Henry, Lincoln and Fauxlivia even more than I already did.

One of the most intriguing scenes came at the end, with Lincoln and Alt Charlie discussing everything Walternate had revealed to them. They dont trust him anymore, and it seems like its only a matter of time before they abandon his war in favor of the better way Peter and Olivia have spoken of previously.

Other thoughts:

- Earlier in the ep, Charlie said Lincoln had a thing for Liv, and Lincoln later admitted that he loved her. He also seemed jealous that he wasnt the guy she cheated with. Kinda makes you wonder if Lincoln and Peter will eventually come to blows over their mutual feelings for Fauxlivia.

- Fauxlivias scenes with her mother Marilyn were extremely well written and executed here, even though they didnt really have to be to keep the plot moving. Amy Madigan is a great addition to the series.

- I wonder if the cute Bug Girl will help Charlie get rid of his Blood Spiders.

- Oh, and for those who havent heard, Fringe was renewed for a fourth season! And were only a few episodes away from the end of Season 3. Got any thoughts on how the current arc will end, in light of the renewal, or what Season 4 might look like? Lets hear em in the comments.

- One more thing … William Bell himself, Leonard Nimoy, turned 80 this weekend! Happy b-day, Not Spock!

Fringe airs Fridays at 9PM ET on Fox.

[Follow @mikemoody on Twitter]

Watch the full episode here:

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By
Dr. Elinor Garely, eTN |
Mar 27, 2011

Except for an occasional volcano, Iceland is perhaps one of the best places on the planet to live, work, climb mountains, scale glaciers, ride bikes, and get rid of pesky acne (in the geothermal baths). National pastimes include swimming in one of the 130-heated pools after an 8-mile hike up and down mountains to experience awesome waterfalls, cooling volcanic lava, and endless pollution-free blue sky.

Affluence
Iceland is wealthy and ranked among the top 10 countries in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. One notable measure used to determine a country’s quality of life is the Human Development Index (HDI) compiled by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The HDI combines several indicators which measure a country’s achievements in three main areas of human development: Longevity, knowledge, education and the economic standard of living. In a recent ranking of 177 countries, the HDI placed Iceland in first place. With a 300,000 population that is extremely homogeneous (mostly descendents of Norwegian and Celtic settlers), residents speak English, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, making it an excellent destination for a combination of leisure and business adventures.

Financial Wobbles Then Back to Stability
Iceland maintained its high standard of living until the financial collapse in 2008, when external debt reached 550 percent of GDP leaving the country vulnerable to the global financial crises. The miscalculations of bankers and investors precipitated the collapse of Iceland’s three main banks, or 85 percent of the banking system. During this period key asset prices sank, the onshore foreign exchange market dried up and the krona depreciated more than 70 percent in the offshore market.

The government quickly stepped in to restore confidence and stabilized the economy while the IMF (International Monetary Fund) approved a two-year Stand-by-Arrangement (SBA) for US$2.1 billion to support the government’s program. The intervention focused on: preventing further krona depreciation, developing a strategy for bank restructuring, and ensuring medium term fiscal sustainability. The quick resolve of the Iceland government and global financial partners made the recession less severe than expected, and the financial sector has stabilized while fiscal policies have helped to hold up consumption.

Iceland is considered an ideal place to invest because of highly skilled workers, an open and transparent democracy and endless supplies of renewable energy. Geothermal sources are used to drive turbines and create electricity. While many things in Iceland are considered “expensive” (the prices are comparable with major US cities such as New York and Chicago), energy is cheap and over the past 10 years, the price of electricity, compared with a broad measure of inflation, has fallen 75 percent. As a result, the Icelanders use an abundance of energy for their SUVs, electricity to power de-icing systems for driveways and city streets and to heat swimming pools. In 2004 per capita electricity use in Iceland was nearly twice the amount of the US; however, the extravagance does not tax the economy or the environment because of its geothermal sources.

Iceland is Different
Encouraging people to visit Iceland must be one of the easiest jobs ever. With limited crime, a positive business environment, an abundance of geothermal steam to power factories, homes, hotels, and busses, an educated and employed workforce and excellent medical services, Sif Gustavsson, the Area Manager, North America, has a position that other tourism executives must envy.

Educated in New York (Long Island University, Brookville, NY) and the University of Iceland (Reykjavik), Gustavsson brings years of marketing and sales expertise to her new position. Although Iceland has terrific hotels, a reliable public transportation system, and an airline (Icelandair) that encourages travelers to Europe to see Iceland first, Gustavsson does not believe that the cuisine of the destination has received its fair share of applause and is currently working with TV stations and tour operators to promote Tastesational Iceland for visitors who would rather explore the country with a fork and knife rather than a new pair of hiking boots and a walking stick.

Back to Life
In Iceland, nature is the most important segment of the tourist industry. Combine volcanoes, landscapes formed during the Ice Age, and limited industrialization, the landscape is unique to most of the foreign visitors who come from Scandinavia (25.7 percent), Great Britain (16.9 percent), the USA (14.0 percent), and Germany (9.7 percent). In 2006 visitors totaled approximately 400,000, well over the total population of 300,000.

Getting In
Visitors to Iceland planning to spend less than 90 days do not need a visa; however, a passport with at least three months available prior to departure is required. At immigration, travelers may be asked to show sufficient funds for their holiday and a return airline ticket.

According to the US State Advisories, petty crimes against Americans have been recorded, and travelers are encouraged to keep a watchful eye on luggage, cameras, and electronics. Valuables should not be left in unattended cars, even if they are locked.

Signage Void
The good news is there is an abundance of natural attractions including glaciers, volcanic craters, ice caves, hot springs, boiling mud pots, geysers, waterfalls and glacial rivers to explore. The bad news: there are very few warning signs or barriers providing a heads-up for potential harm.

According to the US State Department, many tourists are scalded each year because they strolled too close to an erupting geyser or stepped too eagerly into a hot spring or boiling mud pot. High winds and icy conditions increase the opportunity for accidents to occur. Because weather conditions change very quickly, backpackers/hikers should stick to established paths, travel with a buddy, and leave a copy of the itinerary with a local friend or relative. To insure safety, travelers are encouraged to work with local guides as they explore the more remote areas of the country.

Accessibility
Icelandic law prohibits discrimination of people based on disabilities so public accommodations, buildings and elevators are accessible. Most museums, and shopping centers located in the capital of Reykjavik are barrier – free and the public bus system and taxis have transport available for people with disabilities. As open as the country is, there are still areas that are not accessible – so it is best to check in advance of travel to determine the current situation.

While the health care system is very modern, nonresidents are expected to pay their own medical costs and to close the bill in full before leaving the hospital or clinic. Travelers should never assume that their home/office based insurance will cover emergencies that occur outside their own country. It is advisable to check with personal insurance carriers to determine limitations on current policies and supplement the plan based on activities and current medical conditions.

Less than one-third of Iceland roads are paved and many roads outside the capital are gravel or dirt tracks. Even paved roads can be narrow and lack a shoulder or margin. Bridges may be only one lane wide, requiring drivers to be alert to oncoming traffic. Because of snow melt and other weather-related conditions, there may be times when roads are impassable. Before driving outside the capital, an itinerary should be left with hotel security or friends, and the Public Roads Administration contacted for updated information (1777).

Go-to Information
Iceland is an interesting destination that is best experienced from the top – down. Go out and buy a pair of hiking boots and walking sticks, check out the latest fashions for outdoor adventures, stow your all-weather gear in a back-pack, contact a local hiking / adventure tour operator, and put the destination at the top of the “to do” list for a spring/summer holiday.

For additional information on Iceland: www.visiticeland.com .

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