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Franchises gone, some Chrysler dealers move on

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:11:51 -0400

Franchises gone, some Chrysler dealers move on: Charlotte Business Journal talks to two Charlotte area Chrysler dealers who were severed from the manufacturer as a result of the company’s bankruptcy.

Stuck in a crappy job - tough

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 08:55:20 -0400

Stuck in a crappy job - tough:

With few new jobs openings, those who haven’t been laid off are staying put.

44% of workers are waiting for the economy to turn around before finding a new job, 71% for the 18-29 crowd. Not surprising given the cutbacks in benefits and compensation, especially not surprising given that younger workers often start in lower paying, entry level jobs and quickly try to job hop and work their way into better positions.

Dropping home values crunch credit lines

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 07:44:06 -0400

Dropping home values crunch credit lines :

As home values fall, home equity credit lines — a favorite cash source for entrepreneurs — are vanishing.

According to the report many small business owners have tapped home equity to fund business expansion. Now banks are freezing those avenues of finance as home prices drop leading, inevitably to another small business credit crunch.

The 10 dumbest mistakes network managers make

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:24:12 -0400

The 10 dumbest mistakes network managers make: Common sense measures that aren’t always followed which can lead to serious problems for IT departments and CIOs.

Triad growth lags among N.C. cities

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:29:34 -0400

Triad growth lags among N.C. cities:

..projections indicate that trend could continue for at least the next two decades, which would increase the likelihood Greensboro will lose its position as the state’s third-largest city.

The shift away from tobacco and manufacturing has obviously hurt Greensboro, Winston Salem and High Point. The good news is that those areas are still growing, albeit more slowly than Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham.

N.C. Should Avoid Pursuit of Stimulus Dollars for High-Speed Rail

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:56:25 -0400

N.C. Should Avoid Pursuit of Stimulus Dollars for High-Speed Rail:

“The average North Carolinian will take a round trip on a high-speed train only once every 27 years”

Great idea for Europe but at the speeds promised for North Carolina it would be a tough sell for most motorists assuming gasoline stays under $4.00 per gallon.

“Traffic congestion wastes nearly 3 billion gallons of fuel each year, and simple techniques to reduce congestion — such as traffic signal coordination and congestion pricing of roads — are far more cost-effective than building expensive rail lines that few people will use.”

Unemployment in NC’s metro areas outpacing peers

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:05:58 -0400

Unemployment in NC’s metro areas outpacing peers : the Hickory area lost 14.9 percent of its manufacturing jobs in the past year.. the Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord area had the 3rd highest unemployment rate at 12%. While that area has also lost manufacturing jobs (9.3% decrease), the steepest jobs losses were in Natural Resources, Mining and Construction (19.7% decrease) and Professional and Business Services (10.4% decrease).

Home builder Dan Moser Co. files Chapter 11

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:07:15 -0400

Home builder Dan Moser Co. files Chapter 11:

..owes more than $9.6 million to fewer than 199 creditors

I looked at the development in Locust a few years back, not that impressed especially for so far out in the country.

Charlotte's home prices dropped 10%. Still 4th lowest drop in US Metro Markets.

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:05:48 -0400

Charlotte's home prices dropped 10%. Still 4th lowest drop in US Metro Markets. : The 10 percent price decline for the past 12 months was the fourth-smallest among the 20 markets tracked by the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller Home Price Index.

10 Signs Facebook Is Turning Itself Into Twitter

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:49:39 -0400

10 Signs Facebook Is Turning Itself Into Twitter: Following the model set by his tech business hero, fellow Harvard dropout and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg has set out to make Facebook more like Twitter.

Identifying a turn in the economy is tricky business

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:41:15 -0400

Identifying a turn in the economy is tricky business: [Kiplinger has] identified six key economic indicators. All have posted some dramatic tumbles, but all are also showing signs that they may be bottoming, several are recovering, and interest rate spreads have returned to health. When at least three of the six indicators go fully positive — with a check mark from us — it’s more than likely that the recession has ended.

Rating attractiveness: study finds consensus among men, not women

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:56:05 -0400

Rating attractiveness: study finds consensus among men, not women: Men, as a group, prefer thin and seductive, women are less predictable. Researcher’s advice? “Men may need to invest more time and energy in attracting and then guarding their mates from other potential suitors, given that the mates they judge attractive are likely to be found attractive by many other men.”

Fixing the least efficient, most expensive healthcare system in the world

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:07:58 -0400

Fixing the least efficient, most expensive healthcare system in the world:

Health-care reform in America - This is going to hurt :: Barack Obama was elected in part to fix America’s health-care system. Now is the time for him to keep his word

The Economist takes a look at health-care reform in America, a subject that might decide the success of Barack Obama’s presidency. The editors set out their suggestions for how to fix the most expensive and least efficient system in the rich world.

Everyone wants to call it over, but it isn't over.. yet.

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 10:39:35 -0400

Everyone wants to call it over, but it isn't over.. yet.:

While Business Isn’t Better, The Worsening Has Slowed

Everyone is anxious to call an end to the recession. The unfortunate thing about cheerleading is that it’s encouraging some to ignore changes that need to be made to personal finance and spending habits.

Bad News Economy

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:48:41 -0400

Bad News Economy:

Real GDP.. fell at a 5.5% annual rate in the quarter after plunging at a 6.3% pace in the fourth quarter of 2008

A huge contraction followed by increasing jobless claims seems defuse the idea that the economy is recovery mode. Two things to keep in mind: First manufacturing is seeing an increase in unsold inventory which will delay new hiring. Second the prolonged downturn will adversely affect consumer’s mindset to a point where the recovery in spending will be slow and steady. Recovery will come but not in roaring fashion as in recessions past.

New version of Secunia PSI, version 1.5 available

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:21:00 -0400

New version of Secunia PSI, version 1.5 available:

The Secunia PSI 1.5 is a major release, which includes many new features, improvements, and changes that significantly improve the Secunia PSI. We recommend all Secunia PSI users to upgrade. Please read the full changelog for all new features and improvements in Secunia PSI 1.5.

Essential security starts with keeping your programs updated and plugging the holes used by criminals and malware, for years the best security offered to private users has been anti-virus programs and personal firewalls.

Secunia Personal Software Inspector is a great tool for verifying that all 3rd party software is up to date on security patches. The application is free for personal use and frequently updated.

Mid-term Musings. Taking stock in the auto industry

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:23:01 -0400

Mid-term Musings. Taking stock in the auto industry:

Developing countries are just ramping up to their age of consumerism, and I don’t think there’s enough guilt in the developed world that will quell that. I’ve often said that by the time America is fully engaged in its “Shiny Happy Smiley Car” environmentalism-driven era - with neutered green automobiles being the norm - China and India will be fully immersed in their own version of the muscle car era.

The global financial doom and gloom that we’ve all been experiencing won’t last, it’s just that simple. New technologies will be developed, and with new technologies come new solutions, and with new solutions come new opportunities, ultimately leading to economic expansion.

To save farms, you must save the farmers

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:10:52 -0400

To save farms, you must save the farmers:

For a $100 yearly fee, would-be farmers can use a half-acre, a tractor and other equipment, and see if they truly want to farm. The idea is a bit like student teaching: a real-world experience so you can decide if you’re really cut out for this.

An interesting concept especially in light of the recent movement toward locally grown produce. While not the most glamorous lifestyle, agriculture still plays an important role in the local economy.

virtualephemera: The Onion News Network: US to Trade Gold...

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:20:16 -0400

virtualephemera:

The Onion News Network: US to Trade Gold Reserves for Cash through Cash4Gold.com

Hacker cracks TinyURL rival, redirects millions of Twitter users

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:04:03 -0400

Hacker cracks TinyURL rival, redirects millions of Twitter users: Cligs and bit.ly shortening services attacked Sunday, redirected to innocent bystander’s website.