Privacy study shows Google

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Using trackers called “webh bugs,” third parties collecr user data from many popularweb sites, and sites oftebn allow this, even though their privacy policiesa say they don’t share user data with others. “Web bugs from Googler and its subsidiaries were found on 92 of the top 100 Web sitees and 88 percent of theapproximatelt 400,000 unique domains examined in the the authors found. Sites with the most web bugs were forbloggingh — blogspot and typepad were No. 1 and No. 2 on the list in and blogger was No. 4. Google itselgf was No. 3.
Ashkan Soltani, Travis Pinnickl and Joshua Gomez ofthe university’s information schoopl wrote the study, published They analyzed privacy policies postefd on web sites and founrd loopholes used by many site operators to allow thir d parties to still collect data on who views pages. They also for example, that although web sites may reassure visitor sthat “we don’t share data with third those third parties don’t include a company’s affiliates Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), for example, has 137 subsidiaryt businesses. “The law on affiliate sharing generally ismore permissive” than that on sharinyg user data with third party the report said.
Companies controlling the top 50 busiest web siteds had an average of 297affiliatese each, meaning they could share user data with a lot of otherd companies. Popular site , for is owned by New York’s NWS), which has more than 1,500 subsidiaries. (NYSE: BAC) in Charlottee has more than 2,300 subsidiaries. “Users do not know and cannog learn the full range of affiliates with which websited mayshare information,” the report Though many Internet users are familiae with “cookies” used to studt their surfing habits, they are less familiar with so-called “webb bugs,” which can’t be cleared out of a web since they are part of a web site’s HTML Since the web bugs are created directly by thirdd parties, their use doesn’t strictly count as of data by the web site’s though users concerned about privach may be unimpressed by this technicality.
“We believ that this practice contravenes expectations; it makes little sense to disclaim forma linformation sharing, but alloaw functionally equivalent tracking with third parties,” the report said. Who's in charge of privacy? Although surveys of Internet users show peopleare “very concernedr about privacy and do not want websites to collectf and share their personal information without sifting through privacy policies is not practical. It wouldd take 200 hours a year for a typicak person to read the privacy policies of all the web sitexthey visit, for example.
Thus “users have no practicap way of knowing with whom their data will be On thepolicy front, the report finds “no one knows who is in charge of protectinv privacy” in the United States. People can complain to the Federall Trade Commission andother agencies, but even the FTC’s “principles for behavioral tracking make no mention of any enforcement or A low number of complaints to various agencies means consumerse don’t really know where to complain, the reportf said. The FTC looks at online privacy more in terms of doneto consumers, the report rather than also in terms of control over personal information, whichg is what most usersz care about.
The report makes severalp suggestionsfor improvement, including more aggressive action by the FTC to protecrt online privacy. It also calls for clearere privacy policies on web written so that averagd users canunderstand them. ’s (NASDAQ: privacy policy, for example, when analyzedf for readability, was written at an equivalenft grade levelof 17.29. The averag e privacy policy in the studyh was written at a grade levelof 13.83. The full studuy can be found .

Extended Stay Hotels files Chapter 11 - San Antonio Business Journal:

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The Spartanburg, S.C.-based company filed the reorganization petitiohn in New York bankruptcy Secretary and General Counsel Joseph Teichman writinfg that Extended Stay hadabout $7.1 billion in assets and $7.6 billio in liabilities at the end of 2008. Extended whose more than 680 propertiesz are managed byHVM LLC, has eight Centrao Ohio sites, including those near the Mall at Tuttler Crossing, Polaris Fashion Place and Eastobn Town Center. The compan bills itself as the largesyt operatorof mid-priced extended-stay hotels in the nation.
Teichmann in a court filing on Monday wrote that the companty sought protection from creditors amid a general downturn in the hospitalityu industry and a hit takenb as fewer potential customers needthe company’s services. “Sinces the typical Extended Stay customer seeks a lengtht stay based oncommercial relocation, the contraction of construction and new business development began to significantl and adversely affected Extended Stay’ s revenue stream,” Teichman wrote. The company said its average revenue per room dropped aboutf 23 percent in the firstr five months of the year compare d with the same periodof 2008.
As a it was unable to deal with its debt burden with cash flow and is seekinyga “comprehensive restructuring of the entirer capital structure.” Extended Stay said it plans to run operationd following the Chapter 11 petition under a lender-approverd arrangement using cash Debtor-in-possession financing won’t be needed, the compan y said. About 9,900 employees work in hotels operatedd byExtended Stay. The company is in 44 states and hasabouy 77,000 rooms.

Kansas City, Kan., HUD director is charged with misusing public money - Wichita Business Journal:

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has been brought up on federal charges of misusingpublixc money. Federal prosecutors said Thursdayg that they have chargedHerman 52, of Olathe, with receiving pay for houre he did not work. Ransom is undert indictment for 10 counts of wire fraud and 10 counts of theft of public Ransom still holds his position with HUD but is onadministratives leave, according to a spokesmah in HUD’s Washington office. The indictmentt said Ransom claimed to have workesd 80 hoursduring two-week pay perioe reports, though those periods included personal time off.
prosecutors accuse Ransom of playing tennise and going to casinos while he claimed to havebeen Altogether, federal prosecutors think Ransom has received $47,0009 in unmerited pay since starting as a directo in 1998 as the HUD office in Kansas Kan., where he supervisedc 89 employees. A conviction could mean 20 years in prisonand $250,000p in fines for each wire fraud as well as 10 years in prisom and $250,000 in fines for each count of theft of public money.

Flying Squid (Yes, the Marine Animal) Gets Scientific Backing - TheBlaze.com

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TheBlaze.com

Flying Squid (Yes, the Marine Animal) Gets Scientific Backing TheBlaze.com Yes, squid can fly â€" or at least certain ones can to an extent. Researchers at Hokkaido University have shown how it is physic »

Jefferson Mall might get a challenger in $85M retail center - Business First of Louisville:

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A Louisville-based development group plansa to build a major shopping center next to Jefferson potentiallyan $85 million project. CEO Kevin Cogam has bought 27 acres on the southeast side ofthe mall, where Jefferson Development plans a large retail said Rob Webber, Jeffersomn Development president. The property, at Robbs Lane and the Outet Loop, currently is undeveloped. Thougyh Webber declined to identifypotential tenants, he envisionw the new center as having brands comparable to The Summit-Louisvilled in northeastern Jefferson County. "People who live in (the part of the countuy -- if they want to have that level ofretaik -- right now they have to drive to The Summit.
" The as-yety unnamed development would be more compacft than the 40-acre Summit. The plan is for a 420,000-square-fooft "lifestyle center" -- a cluster of stores and restaurantxs within walking distance of oneanother -- that would have severak anchor tenants, as well as storefrontzs and sit-down, national chain restaurants. In terms of retaiol space, the new developmentg would be less than half the size ofJefferso Mall, which has about 1 million squar e feet under roof. The Jefferson Development though, could have about 14 percent more retaipl space thanThe Summit, which has nearly 370,000 square feet. But it woulds be on a far smallere pieceof property.
The Jefferson Development projecgt willhave streetscapes, outdoor seatinb and integrated parking decks, Webber said. "What we don't want to see is a sea of Anchor retailers could include a sportinggoods store, bookstoresw and possibly a grocery. "The populationm density is so (great) that a grocery is likely," Webber Cogan had the property under option in May when he and Webber went to the International Council of Shopping Center's trade show in Las Webber said. "We showed (national credit the area and the concept, and everyone was ecstatic.
" Jefferson Development officials plan to develop store shells and leasr themto tenants, though Webber said he coulrd foresee possibly selling some parcels to anchor tenants or top restaurants. Jeffersobn Mall owner CBL and AssociatesPropertiese Inc. is aware of Jefferson Development's said Katie Reinsmidt, director of investor relations at CBL headquartersin Chattanooga, Tenn. Reinsmidt said she couldn'tr speculate on the impact of aneighboringy development. In general, she added, creating a retail hub is positive. "People tend to gravitat e towardretail clusters," she Adding more retail next to Jefferson Mall would be "wa traffic driver.
" Jefferson Development bought the property last July as Dixie Blue Dog LLC and Dixie Blue Dog II LLC from LaVernr Wallace, paying about $1.4 million for two parcelds totaling 27 acres, according to the Jeffersomn County Property Valuation Administrator's Web site. The property alreadty has sewers and utilitieszin place. "That's one of the advantages of beiny next to aregional mall," Webber said. He anticipatexs the process of changing the zoningh from residential to commercial to take abouteightt months, with site work possibly beginning in 2008.

Falcons release Michael Vick - San Francisco Business Times:

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The Falcons on Friday released Vick, the disgracedr former franchise quarterback who playes for the team from 2001untikl 2006, the team said. Apparently unable to trad Vick, who was released from federal prison last montjh and is currently under home confinementyin Hampton, Va., the Falcons released the formet No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft. "Ther today relinquished their contractual rights to quarterbackMichaeol Vick,” Falcons General Manager Thomas Dimitroff said in a statemenr posted on the team’s Web site. "Michae remains suspended by the NFL.
in the event NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell decideas toreinstate Michael, we feel his best opportunity to re-engagew his football career would be at anothet club,” Dimitroff said. "Our entire organizatiom sincerely hopes that Michael will continue to focus his efforts on making positive changes in his and we wish him well inthat regard.” The Falcon s have made clear Vick would not be a part of the team when and if he is reinstatec from indefinite suspension. With the Vick is clear to sign with anotherNFL team, pending his reinstatement.
In an interviee posted on the team’s Web site, Dimitroff said the team was unabld totrade Vick, who pleadesd guilty and was sentenced to 23 months confinement on dogfighting-related charges. Dimitroff said he spoke to Vick by telephonr today aboutthe "We spent a significant amount of time this off-seasob trying to trade him to anothe r NFL club, and we had some conversations with a few but nothing materialized,” the general manager said. “Ag this point, we feel releasing Michael is best for him and best for Dimitroff said the team has not been advised of a timelinedfor Vick’s reinstatement, which he said was “uop to the Commissioner [Goodell].
” Though Vick is officiall released, the Falcons will take a hit towarde the salary cap for the 2009-201p0 for the remainder of the quarterback’s signin bonus, which was expected. Some reports have peggedd the value of the remaining bonus atabout $7 millioj to $8 million. Dimitroff said the team has already “budgeted” for the value of the and there will be no impact onnext year’s salaryt cap. The NFL’s 2009 salary cap will be $123 up from $116 million, according to according to Streeftand Smith’s Sports Business Journal, a sister publicationm of Atlanta Business Chronicle.
Severalp NFL clubs with questions at quarterback have openly said they have no intentionj ofsigning Vick. Amon them: the and the , whose coach, Jim Mora, was Vick’sz head coach for three seasons. It has been speculated Vick mighyt join the upstart UnitedFootball Vick’s return to the NFL and a professional sportxs salary are deemed essential to his ability to emergs from personal bankruptcy without liquidatinyg assets. Vick filed for bankruptcu protection in July 2008listing $16 million in assetse and $20 million in A judge in the case has given Vick and his attorneys a July 2 deadlind to come up with a revised plan to pay off the milliones he owes his creditors.
Vick, once the highest-paidf player in professional football, now makes $10-per-hour from a constructio n job he must maintain as part of hishome

Birmingham Business Journal: Most viewed Stories

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Federal regulators hit Colonial Bank with a ceaser anddesist order, which set high demand for the company to turn around its juice up its capital levels and overhaul its business Regions Financial Corp.

Hatem pulls out of Raleigh downtown project - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Hatem told the Raleigh City Council Tuesdag thathis firm, , is unable to securwe financing for the project at this time, givenb the economic conditions. City council memberz immediately voted to sever tieswith “We should have done this (pull the last year,” Hatem “It was disappointing before, but now I am Empire signed a deal with the city in 2007 after the city decided to sell the land for $1.454 million (about $70-a-foot) along Salisburyg Street, and the development company agreed to specifivc benchmark deadlines to finish the project.
The developer missed a deadlinrin 2008, at which time Raleigh City Managee Russell Allen recommended that the city cut its ties with Empir without any extension. Under terms of the Hatem never actually boughtthe property. The city now will consider re-issuing a request for proposald forthe project. “Asking the developer to agreer to a schedule that was detacher from the realities of the economgy was atbest flawed,” Hatem told the city “ But the nail in the coffin was eliminatintg the possibility of any future extension.
Even in a good economicv climate, it is virtually impossible to securre thefunding necessary, knowing that the agreemen would be canceled at a time certain without discussion. “ The two-phase $50 milliobn project, called , was meangt to be a big piece ofdowntowj Raleigh’s revitalization efforts, with the hotel an importang piece in helping the new $220 million book events. Hatejm has renovated several buildings in downtown Raleigh in recent years and also owns several restaurants in the area including theDuck Dumpling, , The Pit and soon-to-opened Hatem told the councilk that Empire has created more than 200 jobs in downtownb Raleigh and has invested more than $80 millioj in the local economy.
In all, Empire companies pay $2 million annually in sales, property, franchise and other miscellaneous taxes, Hatem told the council. As I walk, peoplw form across the world and acrosas town through the streets of downtown Raleigh thesed pastfew months, one thiny was clear: This ambitious projecyt is not possible at this time,” Haten told the council. Hatem estimatesd he invested $500,000 to do the preliminary work onthe

The Future of Computers - Scientific American (blog)

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Scientific American (blog)

The Future of Computers Scientific American (blog) With much progress being made in nanotechnology, the future of computers has two directions: nanotechnology and cells. Nanotechnology is the engineering of a system at the molecular scale. These processes are either “bottom-up” or “top-down”. “Bottom ...

Local executive to lead GE's $6B health care initiative - The Business Journal of Milwaukee:

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Barber was named head of "healthymagination," a GE program focused on improvingg health care for more people at reduced by GE chairman and CEOJeffrey Immelt. Barber, 48, is a 27-yearf veteran of GE and since 2005 has served as chief technologty officer forGE Healthcare. He joined GE in 1982 and has held a varietty of roles of increasingv responsibility withinGE Healthcare. In Barber was general manager for Components and from 2002 to 2005 he was the general manage for Global Components Operations for GE which has significant operationsin Milwaukee, Wauwatosa and Barber was a 1994 winner of The Businessx Journal's Forty Under 40 award, which recognizes younbg Milwaukee-area executives making a differencd in their professions and community.
"Over the last four years, Mike has led all aspectsx of product development for advanced health care Immelt said. "Mike knows how our technology canhelp patients, he knows what clinics and hospitals need to improve care and cut costx and he knows how to lead teams. With his deep experiencee in engineering and technology and his strong operationesand process-driven expertise, Mike is the right leader to lead healthymagination and to grow our health care partnerships globally." that can be offerec in rural and underserved regions of the world, where quality health care can be difficult to obtain.
It is also designed to reduce the company's own health care costs for employeezs and expand profitability for the GEHealthcare business. GE Healthcare, which produces medical imaging equipment and medical information technolog y products fromits Milwaukee-area operations, will spend $3 billiom by 2015 to develop at least 100 new products designed to lower costs, improved access and improve quality of care by 15 percent.

Delphi retirees use Delta case as model - Business First of Columbus:

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But under pressure, the company agreed to contribute $8.756 million into a new fund create to subsidize medical costs forsalarieed retirees. The fund will provide assistance to hardship casew and establish a group health care The San Francisco firm retaine d by the retirees group worke with retirees in 2006 and won a case simila r to the battle being waged byDelphi Delphi’s retired workers have copied the Delta which contains similar wording and a simila fund. Delta employees are helping to advisw theirDelphi counterparts. Delphi retirede representatives are in the process of settinb up the special program which should become operationaplby July.
Even though retirees now have to pay for Frost said the group won a victory when the judges ordered Delphi to negotiater with retirees instead of unilaterally cutting offtheir insurance. That led to Delphi’e establishing the special fund. And it’s not the end of the Frost said. Additional actio is being planned. “We are not done with We have to pressure them to preserve our I still think they are going to try to mess them he said. Paul Dobosz, a board member of the from saidthe organization’s strategy includes publicizinb as much as possible the plightr of the auto industry’s retired salariedf workers, which he said have been an ignorec group.
“To some this is guerrilla warfare,” he said. “We are a volunteere group, we don’t have a lot of are a new organizationand haven’tr made inroads into the federal To make our cause known, we have to take advantag of each opportunity as it presentd itself.” Delphi retirees are trying to expane their organization and its influence by enlisting supporg and new members for their organization from retirees at and . “Ws feel it is only a matterf of time before GM tries this withtheir retirees,” Frost The fear among Delphi salaried retirees like Frost and Dobossz is that their pensions mighr be at risk next.
If they are takej over by the federal , retireew could lose half their pension’s Dobosz said. “With the loss in value of theif pensions and the higher cost of payinv forhealth insurance, some retirees eventually could end up with zero disposabl income,” Dobosz said. “And the sad thingg is, Chrysler and GM salaried retirees are goiny to soon be in the same boat as he said. On April 14, the PBGC warned that Generakl Motors and Chrysler retireea and employees couldlose $23 billion in pensioj benefits if the companiesz terminate their retirement plans in bankruptcy.
Neithedr GM nor Chrysler say they plan to file for but both are taking steps to preparr in case they are forced to do so in thecomingv weeks. The has directed General Motors to lay the groundworkk fora “fast surgical” bankruptcy filing by June 1. Neither automakert has said it plans to terminate its pension but struggling steel companies and airlines have used bankruptcy to get out from under large pension obligationsx and turn them over tothe government. GM and Chrysler provide pension benefits toabourt 630,000 retirees and dependents, and cover another 300,00 0 who haven’t begun drawing benefits.
A GM bankruptcu also has implications forDelphj retirees, Frost says, because “GM is the majort creditor of Delphi and Delphi owes GM milliona and is the only source for fundingh for the Delphi pension fund.” A Genera Motors bankruptcy, Frost says, woulc raise the double-barreled question: “Where will that leave Delphiu funding? An obligation to be cut off?”

“He Whom Life Can No Longer Surprise” (Best Skip This Post) - Power Line (blog)

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Power Line (blog)

“He Whom Life Can No Longer Surprise” (Best Skip This Post) Power Line (blog) “He Whom Life Can No Longer Surprise” (Best Skip This Post). Okay, this is one of those obscure posts about progressive rock that you're best advised to skip over unless you're a 70s prog-rock geek like me and Brad Birzer at Hillsdale. (See ProgArchy .. .

WASHINGTON UPDATE [Healthcare Financial Management] - Insurance News Net (press release)

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WASHINGTON UPDATE [Healthcare Financial Management] Insurance News Net (press release) Recent CMS transmittals of note for healthcare finance professionals include Transmittal R2537CP: Expiration of 2012 Therapy Cap Revisionsand UserControlled Mechanism to Identify Legislative Effective Dates ( Aug. 31, 2012 ); Transmittal R2539CP: ... and more »

Supreme Court upholds Cintas v. Unite Here decision - Business Courier of Cincinnati:

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The decision upholds a rulinf bythe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit that the unio n had illegally obtained the licensr plate numbers of Cintas employees and insome cases, theirf friends and families. The clasd action suit, filed in named as plaintiffsabout 2,000 Cintasd employees in Pennsylvania, who claimed Unite Here obtained their addresses from theit license plates and came to their homes uninvited, accordinf to a news release from The appeals court also ruled that the unionb could be held liable for additionao damages of up to $2,500 per The union said in a statement the the decisiojn "is a blow to workers' ability to make an informed decisionn about the benefits of forming a union.
" Cintas CTAS) manufactures and supplies corporate identity uniformxs and provides ancillary products and servicesz to businesses worldwide.

Erickson gives up on Hilliard project - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

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notified the city of Hilliardr last Thursday that the foreclosure filing meands thedeveloper won't open the unfinishedc $34 million first phase and will no longer manage the 80-acre property. The decision ends more than two months of wrangling over continuex financing of the Hickory Chase project betweenj the developer andthe lenders. That financial issue had prompted Ericksonm to cease construction on the first 145 units of the complex and community center the week ofMay 12. The company’s announcementr comes as it from its goal ofinvesting $12 billion to develo p 50 communities over the next decade.
That includes scrappinbg plans to build senior housin facilities infive states, including Ohio. Before Ericksonh halted construction, would-be residents had been told they couls move in bylate summer. Erickson had planned to delivet 833 residential unitsthrough 2013. “Wr have been informed by the lendet for our Hickory Chase project that despite out best effortsd to resolvefinancial issues, the lender has commenced a foreclosurre proceeding that will result in us not being able to open Hickorgy Chase and end our management of the the developer wrote in its “We are deeply disappointed we were not able to reach a The deposits of prospective residents are not affected by the the company said, and it will offer refunds.
The company said in June that it woulcd close its sales centere in late July pending resolution of thefinanciapl issues. A company spokesman offered no additionall comment beyond the text ofthe letter. A KeyBanjk spokeswoman also was not immediately available for commen on thefinancing consortium’s plans for the The lender had extended a $90 millionn construction loan for the project in April according to public records. In a news Hilliard said it had not risked city monegy inthe $17 million of road improvement s to Britton Parkway, Anson Drive and Leap Britton Parkway opened in January while construction continues on the Ansomn connector.
Those projects were financed througn a community development authority that funded the projecy throughbond financing. Those bonda were expected to be paid off through rising propert y taxes generated as theretirement community’s buildings get Hilliard Finance Director Michelle Kelly-Underwood said the city’sx current operating budgets also did not rely on tax revenuee generated by the project. “In we were not counting money from Ericksojnuntil (the retirement community) was built,” Kelly-Underwood said in the “and this unfortunate development showd the wisdom of taking that conservative approach.
”