VOL. 37 | NO. 10 | Friday, March 8, 2013
REALTY CHECK
The spring market has hit and is in full swing, or maybe half swing as many are awaiting the daffodils to come forth.
NEWSMAKERS
The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors has named Lucy Smith of Fridrich & Clark Realty the 2012 Realtor of the Year.
BUSINESS BOOK REVIEW
Your goals are just out of reach – as they should be.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
Countless studies have proven that it’s generally six to eight times more expensive to attract a new customer than to sell more product or service to an existing customer. Why, then, do so many view sales as a linear process, which ends when the sale is closed?
THE WORLDLY INVESTOR
The worldwide adoption of competition and capitalistic principles has unlocked tremendous prosperity growth. At the core of this prosperity movement are the unique advantages created by urbanizing the world’s population.
SMART STUFF 4 WORK
So you have tried all the subtle ways to get a subordinate to start doing something that needs to be done to make things better in your business, or stop doing something that is causing problems. What do you do now?
I SWEAR
The due date was Feb. 7. First child. The expectant couple declined all invitations, exhortations and overt begging from friends and relatives to disclose, or even hint at, the name they planned to give their daughter.
KAY'S COOKING CORNER
I guess I’m on an Italian cooking spree. Last week, I told you about Modena balsamic vinegar. This week, I have olives on my mind.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey says he wants to a supermarket wine bill to clear his chamber's committees even though the House version failed this week.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Legislation that would allow student identification from the state's higher education institutions to be used for voting has passed the Senate.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Senate has approved legislation that would protect student counselors at public higher education institutions who withhold their services because of religious beliefs.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The state's attorney general has raised constitutional concerns over an effort to strip Vanderbilt University of its police force because of a nondiscrimination policy for student groups.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Rep. Curtis Johnson is presiding over the Tennesee House while Speaker Beth Harwell is away to attend to her mother's funeral.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Republican sponsor of a measure competing with Gov. Bill Haslam's to create a school voucher program in Tennessee says she's convinced the initiative should be broader than what the governor is proposing.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to tighten enrollment requirements at privately run online schools has passed the Senate.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A measure that would create a special panel to authorize charter school applications is advancing in the state Legislature.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Kirkland's CEO Robert Alderson plans to retire next February after almost three decades with the home decor company.
NASHVILLE (AP) — HGTV will be filming the unveiling of a kitchen renovation and a cutting garden at the mansion of Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam.
MIDSTATE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Over the next couple of weeks, notifications of planned furloughs are expected to be sent out to federal employees who work on Kentucky military installations as unions negotiate the impact of automatic spending cuts.
AUTO INDUSTRY
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German automaker BMW says net profit increased 4.4 percent to €5.1 billion ($6.6 billion) in 2012 — hailing it as its "most successful year" — thanks to a big sales jump in Asia and a better market in the United States.
TOKYO (AP) — Honda is recalling nearly 250,000 vehicles worldwide for brakes that can suddenly kick in even when the driver isn't braking.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — A measure of U.S. wholesale prices rose in February by the most in five months, pushed higher by more expensive gas and pharmaceuticals. But outside those increases, inflation was mild.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fewer Americans sought unemployment aid last week, reducing the average number of weekly applications last month to a five-year low. The drop shows that fewer layoffs are strengthening the job market.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — While the nation's foreclosure woes persist, new data show they're easing amid a resurgent housing market, rising home prices and efforts by some states to buy homeowners more time to avoid losing their homes.
NEW YORK (AP) — Encouraging news from the job market sent the stock market toward two milestones Wednesday: A record high close for the Standard & Poor's 500 index and the longest winning streak for the Dow Jones industrial average in more than 16 years.
NEW YORK (AP) — Natural gas rose 3 percent, to the highest level since November, as the government said supplies of the fuel are nearly 20 percent below year-ago levels.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Working mothers increasingly want full-time jobs, and tough economic times might be a big reason, according to a national survey.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A record number of U.S. counties — more than 1 in 3 — are now dying off, hit by an aging population and weakened local economies that are spurring young adults to seek jobs and build families elsewhere.
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities are investigating whether Coca-Cola Co. employees improperly used location-finding technology in violation of restrictions on map-making.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said he had "a great conversation" with Senate Republicans on Thursday, the third stop in his ice-breaking tour of the Capitol this week on the budget and other topics.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting on the Senate's first budget since President Barack Obama took office, a Democratic-led panel is moving toward party-line approval of a fiscal blueprint that would only modestly trim the budget deficit while protecting safety net programs from slashing cuts proposed by Republicans.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - As Tennessee lawmakers consider a proposal to crack down on ticket scalping, a Nashville lawyer who opposes the bill alleges that a manager of The Black Keys tried to persuade him to change his position in exchange for tickets to a performance by the band.
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal to do away with the state's motorcycle helmet law passed a Senate panel on Wednesday despite Gov. Bill Haslam's opposition.
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal that would increase the fine for not wearing a seat belt by $40 is advancing in the Senate.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Sara Kyle has resigned from the board of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, citing the panel's diminished role under a restructuring of the agency by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Thousands of women involved in the aviation industry, including the head of the National Transportation Safety Board and female pilots from World War II, will be in Nashville for a three-day conference.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Nissan is recalling five of its 2013 models in the U.S. because a faulty sensor can permanently turn off the front-seat passenger air bag.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones industrial average has notched its ninth gain in a row, giving the index its longest winning streak in 16 years.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil was little changed Wednesday as rising U.S. supplies offset a strong report on U.S. consumer spending that pointed to growing demand for oil and gas in a strengthening economy.
BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion Ltd., says it has received an order for one million of its new smartphones, marking the largest ever single purchase in the company's history.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is changing its schedule for issuing policy statements, a shift that will give Chairman Ben Bernanke an opportunity to better control the message it sends to financial markets.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. federal budget deficit jumped in February from January, though it is still running well below last year's pace. Higher taxes and an improving economy are expected to hold the deficit below $1 trillion for the first time since President Barack Obama took office.
Some Americans could see their insurance bills double next year as the health care overhaul law expands coverage to millions of people.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief executives at the largest U.S. companies are much more optimistic about their sales prospects than they were three months ago, though many remain cautious about hiring.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. companies increased their restocking in January from December, an encouraging signal that they expect consumers will spend more this year and help the economy grow faster.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans spent at the fastest pace in five months in February, boosting retail spending 1.1 percent compared with January. About half the jump reflected higher gas prices, but even excluding gas purchases, retail sales rose 0.6 percent.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Boeing plan to redesign the 787 Dreamliner's fire-plagued lithium-ion batteries won approval Tuesday from the Federal Aviation Administration, moving the cutting-edge planes a step closer to flying passengers again.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hedge fund manager William Ackman is applauding a consumer group's push for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether Herbalife is a pyramid scheme.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Applying for benefits under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul could be as daunting as doing your taxes.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans are sending mixed signals in agreeing to meet with President Barack Obama for talks over the budget impasse, while Obama is conceding that a political accommodation may be impossible.
WASHINGTON (AP) — For all the talk of a presidential "charm offensive" and possible thaw in partisanship, ample signs show that Congress is far from reaching a "grand bargain" to shrink the deficit.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is taking up a politically charged bill that would block the Obama administration from waiving any work requirements in the 1996 welfare reform law.
TUESDAY, MARCH 12
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to create a school voucher program in Tennessee is advancing in the House.
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal to loosen wine sale laws in Tennessee failed by a single vote in a House committee on Tuesday, though supporters hope they can revive it.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The beer industry has swung its support behind a bill to allow Tennessee supermarkets and convenience stores to sell wine — provided the measure also allows them to sell strong beer.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A proposal to eliminate hotel allowances for some Tennessee lawmakers passed the House on Monday despite concerns that it might hurt those who use the excess to defray other unreimbursed expenses.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The House has passed a bill that would seal most handgun carry permit records in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam's proposal to tighten enrollment requirements at privately run online schools in Tennessee has been delayed in the Senate.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The state House has approved a proposed constitutional amendment to give lawmakers the power to refuse the governor's appointments to appeals courts in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — The city of Nashville along with the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville will open the city's new Financial Empowerment Center to help low-income residents reduce debt and build assets.
MIDSTATE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A Washington-based logistics company has decided to open its first facility in Robertson County and create nearly two dozen new jobs in White House.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators are investigating whether to add more than a million General Motors midsize cars to a recall for brake light problems.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers advertised more job openings in January, suggesting that hiring will remain healthy in coming months.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones industrial average logged its longest winning streak in two years — barely.
The price of oil rose for a fourth straight day Tuesday as traders awaited the latest reports on U.S. oil supplies and retail sales.
NEW YORK (AP) — Eateries from corner delis to movie concession stands have gotten a last-minute reprieve from the nation's first ban on big sugary drinks. But Mayor Michael Bloomberg is urging them to shrink their cups and bottles, anyway.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Despite constant budget wrangling and finger-pointing by the nation's policy-makers, the government's short-term fiscal outlook isn't all that bad. It's actually getting better — at least for now.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mary Jo White vowed Tuesday to make "bold and unrelenting" enforcement of Wall Street a high priority if she is confirmed chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are ready to muscle expanded background checks and other gun curbs through a Senate committee, giving President Barack Obama an initial if temporary victory on one of his top priorities.
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled their latest budget outline on Tuesday, sticking to their plans to try to repeal so-called Obamacare, cut domestic programs ranging from Medicaid to college grants and require future Medicare patients to bear more of the program's cost.
MONDAY, MARCH 11
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - A businessman formerly from Franklin has been convicted of defrauding investors of $30 million worth of assets.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey on Monday gave his proposal for redrawing Tennessee's judicial districts for the first time since 1984.
NASHVILLE (AP) — A proposal to tighten enrollment requirements at online-only schools in Tennessee is expected to be up on the Senate floor Monday evening.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The state Attorney General says a measure pending in the General Assembly could cause bills from for-profit utility companies to climb significantly without much government oversight.
AUTO INDUSTRY
BEIJING (AP) — China's auto sales accelerated in the first two months of this year, rising 19.5 percent over the same period of 2012 in a possible positive sign for an economic recovery.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge struck down New York City's groundbreaking limit on the size of sugar-laden drinks Monday shortly before it was set to take effect, agreeing with the beverage industry and other opponents that the rule is arbitrary in applying to only some sweet beverages and some places that sell them.
TORONTO (AP) — BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion will launch its new touchscreen smartphone in the U.S. with AT&T on March 22. The release will come several weeks after RIM launched the much-delayed devices elsewhere.
NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market crept higher Monday, pushing the Dow Jones industrial average to its seventh straight day of gains.
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil reversed an early decline Monday and finished above $92 for the first time this month.
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who is fighting Dell Inc. founder Michael Dell's plan to take the struggling company private, is entering into a confidentiality agreement that would give him access to the computer maker's financial records.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican lawmakers said Sunday they welcome President Barack Obama's courtship and suggested the fresh engagement between the White House and Congress might help yield solutions to the stubborn budget battle that puts Americans' jobs at risk.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration has embarked on an aggressive trade agenda that could lower barriers and increase U.S. exports to many of the economic giants of Asia and Europe. To make that a reality, though, it may first have to negotiate future trade policy a little closer to home — with Congress.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Three goals will dominate President Barack Obama's coming visit to Israel, his first as president: Convincing Israel and its leadership he means what he says about stopping Iran from building a nuclear weapon, mending a deeply troubled relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, in return, enticing Israel back to negotiations with the Palestinians.
FRIDAY, MARCH 8
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee Finance Commissioner Mark Emkes says the state's total tax collections for February mark the seventh consecutive month of positive growth this year.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The state Labor and Workforce Development Department says more than 30,000 Tennesseans receiving federal unemployment benefits will see their payments reduced because of automatic federal budget cuts that took effect this month.
NASHVILLE (AP) - TennCare officials have announced the open enrollment date for a program that helps with high unpaid medical bills for lower-income, elderly or disabled people.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee's unemployment rate for January was 7.7 percent, a slight increase from the previous month.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - A renewed push is under way to get Tennessee lawmakers to allow local official to hold more closed-door meetings.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey has received 14 proposals for how to redraw Tennessee's judicial districts.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The House has unanimously approved a bill to do away with a leash law for dogs and cats while being transported in Tennessee.
NASHVILLE (AP) - The Senate has approved legislation that seeks to lift Tennessee's ban on switchblades.
NASHVILLE (AP) - A proposal that would allow student identification from the state's higher education institutions to be used for voting was delayed Thursday in the Senate amid questions about the validity of such IDs.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesalers boosted their stockpiles in January by the largest amount in 13 months even though their sales dropped sharply.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A burst of hiring last month added 236,000 U.S. jobs and reduced the unemployment rate to 7.7 percent from 7.9 percent in January. The robust gains suggested that the economy can strengthen further despite higher taxes and government spending cuts.
NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market is logging its sixth straight gain after the U.S. government reported a surge in hiring in February.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil was up slightly Friday, as a strong U.S. jobs report was tempered by gains in the dollar.
WASHINGTON (AP) — All but one of the nation's 18 largest banks are more prepared to withstand a severe U.S. recession and a global downturn than at any time since the 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Reserve says.
NEW YORK (AP) — Google says it's cutting an additional 1,200 jobs in its Motorola division as the unprofitable cellphone maker struggles to compete.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Flight attendants, pilots, federal air marshals and even insurance companies are part of a growing backlash to the Transportation Security Administration's new policy allowing passengers to carry small knives and sports equipment like souvenir baseball bats and golf clubs onto planes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans stepped up borrowing in January to buy cars and attend school, while staying cautious about using their credit cards.
WASHINGTON (AP) — It took 5½ years.
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans cut back on spending in February as cold weather and economic challenges chilled their appetite for spring merchandise.
MENLO PARK, Calif. (AP) — Facebook doesn't want to be dismissed as an Internet has-been before its social network even enters its adolescence.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. stock exchanges could be subject to tighter oversight of automated trading under a federal proposal that advanced Thursday.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama pressed on with his Republican charm offensive Thursday, holding a White House lunch with House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan in an effort to soften the ground for potential talks on a long-term deficit reduction deal.
COURTS
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has blocked North Carolina from trying to take more than $900,000 from a legal settlement won by the family of a 13-year-old girl who suffered devastating injuries during her birth.