VOL. 37 | NO. 36 | Friday, September 6, 2013
REALTY CHECK
With three years of increased real estate sales under its belt, the Nashville area is once again a breeding ground for real estate agents. During the recession, there was a drop from 4,000-plus members to less than 3,000 in the Greater Nashville Area Association of Realtors (GNAR).
TERRY McCORMICK
Throughout the off-season, OTAs and training camp, one of the biggest questions for the Tennessee Titans was who would be the team’s fourth safety.
NEWSMAKERS
Baker Donelson has hired Klint Alexander for the firm’s Global Business Team, which concentrates on global trade and commercial transactions, dispute resolution and general business law, and David Sawrie for its Intellectual Property Group.
GUERRILLA MARKETING
Often, we’re just too close to our businesses to clearly see glaring opportunities for growth. That’s likely why so many sales teams churn through perfectly good prospects, which are not in infinite supply, entirely too fast.
SMART STUFF 4 WORK
Some of my clients tell me they wonder if it’s even possible to get focused nowadays with the constant onslaught of life-distracting things and events. First of all, I think the realistic answer to this question falls in the category of Henry Ford’s famous statement, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
I SWEAR
Susan and I had a crash course in grandparent training a couple of weeks ago, keeping 6-month-old Anna Clary for a weekend. This was an independent-study course, and we gave ourselves passing marks. However, I’m always in search of materials to study for the next phase of grandparenthood.
KAY'S COOKING CORNER
We have been moving this week. And last week. And it seems like the week before that, but that is probably just my exhaustion taking over.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's capital campaign is more than three-quarters of the way to its goal.
STATE LEGISLATURE
NASHVILLE (AP) - State Democrats are criticizing Republican Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey over a Twitter post that said President Barack Obama was trying to become an ally with al-Qaida in Syria.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — More than 60 school superintendents have signed a petition calling on Gov. Bill Haslam and state lawmakers to reevaluate the leadership at the Tennessee Department of Education.
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Ethics Commission has voted to dismiss a complaint filed against Gov. Bill Haslam that said he failed to disclose how much he has paid his former chief campaign strategist for political advice in the years following the 2010 election.
AUTO INDUSTRY
STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — The big SUV keeps rolling along.
DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government has come up with window labels that show the gas mileage and pollution of used cars.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. women have recovered all the jobs they lost to the Great Recession. The same can't be said for men, who remain 2.1 million jobs short.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits plummeted last week 31,000 to a seasonally adjusted 292,000. But the drop was mostly because of technical issues in two states that delayed the processing of applications.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lenders initiated foreclosure action in August against the fewest U.S. homes for any month in nearly eight years, a trend that should help reduce the number of homes lost to foreclosure in the months ahead.
NEW YORK (AP) — Traders are pausing Thursday after the stock market's longest rally since July.
BANGKOK (AP) — The price of crude rose Thursday after the latest data showed slightly declining oil inventories in the United States.
ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) — Dell Inc. will end its quarter-century history as a publicly traded company and try to engineer a turnaround away from the prying eyes of Wall Street following shareholders' approval Thursday of a $24.8 billion buyout offer from the company's founder.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages held steady this week, hovering near two-year highs. But rates could change quickly next week when the Federal Reserve addresses its bond purchase program.
CINCINNATI (AP) — Kroger is reporting its fiscal second-quarter net income climbed 14 percent, helped by lower charges as revenue increased.
NEW YORK (AP) — Lots of retailers come out with "hot toy" lists every holiday season, but this year Wal-Mart decided to try something different: let kids rate their favorite toys.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hotel operator Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc. plans to raise $1.25 billion from an initial public offering of its common stock.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Glenda Baskin Glover, who was named president of Tennessee State University in January, will officially take the oath of office next month at the historically black institution.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam has renewed an expired executive order to cover any loss of salary by state employees called to active duty by the National Guard or the Armed Forces Reserves.
COURTS
NASHVILLE (AP) — A man sentenced to life in prison in his roommate's murder could get a new trial because one of the jurors contacted a witness on Facebook.
HEALTH CARE
WASHINGTON (AP) — Having health insurance used to hinge on where you worked and what your medical history said. Soon that won't matter, with open-access markets for subsidized coverage coming Oct. 1 under President Barack Obama's overhaul.
AUTO INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - A majority of workers at Volkswagen's assembly plant in Tennessee have signed cards favoring the union's representation in creating a German-style works council at the plant, a top United Auto Workers official said.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Judging by the slew of electric and hybrid vehicles being rolled out at the Frankfurt Auto Show, it might seem carmakers are tapping a large and eager market.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 350 economists have a signed a letter to President Barack Obama calling on him to nominate Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen to be the Fed's next chairman. The letter is designed to draw attention back to Yellen amid signs that Obama is leaning toward nominating his former economic adviser Larry Summers.
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — It's still officially summer, yet major electronic companies have already announced a slew of holiday gift ideas: iPhones of different colors, video game players and a new category of wristwatches designed to mimic the functionality of smartphones.
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing mostly higher as the possibility of an immediate U.S. military strike on Syria seemed to fade.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil rose Wednesday as the market waited for the next developments regarding Syria.
ROME (AP) — The U.N. food agency says one-third of all food produced in the world gets wasted, amounting to a loss of $750 billion a year.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. wholesalers increased in their stockpiles only slightly in July after three monthly declines and theirs sales improved at the weakest pace in seven months.
NEW YORK (AP) — Southeastern Asset Management Inc., the investment firm that along with activist investor Carl Icahn opposed the proposed buyout of Dell Inc., disclosed that it has taken a nearly 12 percent stake in News Corp.
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — For the first time since introducing the device that has reshaped technology and culture, Apple will offer two distinct versions of its latest iPhones — a cheaper model made of colorful plastic and another one that aims to be "the gold standard of smartphones" with a faster processor, fancier camera and fingerprint scanner for better security.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - Kacey Musgraves knew the Country Music Association Awards nominations were Tuesday morning, but as a newcomer saw no reason to set her alarm and get up. Then her roommate started shouting.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - The nation's largest caucus of Republican state leaders plans to spend $6 million to recruit 300 women to run for office in the next election cycle, women GOP leaders said Tuesday.
HEALTH CARE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Thousands of Tennesseans have been notified that they will lose health insurance under a TennCare-sponsored program due to the new federal Affordable Care Act.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper has rendered a legal opinion that the state's charter school funding law is constitutional.
NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee State University President Glenda Baskin Glover is awarding $3 million in scholarships to high school seniors in West Tennessee and northern Mississippi.
AUTO INDUSTRY
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (AP) - Nissan Motor Co. says its revamped Rogue SUV will be cheaper and more fuel-efficient than its rivals when it goes on sale in the U.S. in November.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Volkswagen would become a "laughingstock" if it goes through with a deal to have the United Auto Workers represent workers at its Tennessee plant, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker said Tuesday.
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The world's auto manufacturers are moving on from turbulent times — without help from Europe's lagging car markets.
DETROIT (AP) — U.S. safety regulators are investigating brake problems in 90,000 late-model BMW cars.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
Stocks rose and oil prices fell Tuesday as the risk that the U.S. would attack Syria appeared to fade.
NEW YORK (AP) — Oil dropped nearly 2 percent Tuesday as support grew behind a plan for Syria to cede possession of its chemical weapons and avoid a military strike by the U.S.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Attorneys suing Google for enabling its camera-carrying vehicles to collect emails and Internet passwords while photographing neighborhoods for the search giant's popular "Street View" maps look forward to resuming their case now that a federal appeals court has ruled in their favor.
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — For the first time since introducing the device that changed cellphones forever, Apple will offer two distinct versions of the latest iPhones — a cheaper one made of plastic and another that aims to be "the gold standard of smartphones" and reads your fingerprint.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The income gap between the richest 1 percent and the rest of America last year reached the widest point since the Roaring Twenties.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers advertised fewer jobs in July but hired more workers, a mixed sign that suggests only modest improvement in the job market.
The Dow Jones industrial average is swapping Bank of America for Goldman Sachs and also replacing Hewlett-Packard and Alcoa in a six-company shake up of the most widely known barometer of the U.S. stock market.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Twitter says it is buying MoPub, a mobile-focused advertising company, as it works to expand its advertising reach ahead of an expected initial public offering that could come as soon as this year.
CUPERTINO, Calif. (AP) — Apple says its next mobile operating system, iOS 7, will be available as a free download on Sept 18.
BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) — Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is launching a smartphone trade-in program later this month that will help consumers trade up to the newest phones available.
OAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — McDonald's Corp. said Tuesday that a key revenue figure rose 1.9 percent in August, driven by a strong performance in Europe. Its Monopoly promotion in the United States helped lift its performance there.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Agriculture Department is cracking down on dog breeders who sell puppies over the Internet with new regulations that will force them to apply for federal licenses.
NATIONAL POLITICS
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republican leaders struggled Tuesday to win over conservatives for a plan that would keep the government running through mid-December and force the Senate to vote on derailing implementation of President Barack Obama's signature health care law.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States could default on its obligations as early as Oct. 18 if Washington fails to agree on legislation to raise the government's borrowing cap, a new study predicted Tuesday.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
MUSIC INDUSTRY
NASHVILLE (AP) - George Strait will finish off his two-year farewell tour in the biggest house in his home state of Texas - the Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam's lone public event scheduled for this week is a ribbon cutting at the University of Tennessee's Natalie L. Haslam Music Center in Knoxville on Friday.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. employees are gearing up for a week of volunteering across the United States.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
The stock market got a boost on Monday from mergers, homes, and phones.
The price of oil fell retreated from a two-year high Monday as the prospects of a U.S. attack against Syria remained unclear.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans cut back on using their credit cards in July for the second straight month, while taking on more debt to buy cars and attend school. The decline in credit card use suggests consumers remain cautious, a trend that could hold back economic growth.
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn is giving up his bitter takeover fight for Dell Inc. a few days before shareholders are scheduled to consider the latest buyout offer from the struggling computer maker's founder Michael Dell.
Business forecasters maintained their rosy view of the U.S. economy in 2014, predicting 3 percent growth by the second quarter of next year, low inflation and improving employment.
NEW YORK (AP) — Luxury merchant Neiman Marcus is getting a new owner.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Apple is expected to unveil its latest take on the iPhone Tuesday during an annual ritual that will probably cast a spotlight on the gadget maker's drive to regain market share and its sluggish pace of innovation.
Microsoft is making its Xbox Music streaming service available for free on the Web — even to those who don't use Windows 8.
BRUSSELS (AP) — Google has submitted new proposals to address concerns by Europe's antitrust watchdog that the U.S. internet giant is stifling competition, the European Commission said Monday.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
MUSIC INDUSTRY
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Fans of popular artists or sports teams are painfully aware how difficult it is to find good seats to live events at affordable prices. With a new ticket resale system, Ticketmaster is trying to show you what seats are available in one place — both unsold ones and those up for resale — so you can price-shop more easily.
STATEWIDE
NASHVILLE (AP) - Gov. Bill Haslam has created a fellowship program for college graduates.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Fifteen municipalities in Tennessee are receiving funds to encourage elementary and middle school students to walk and bike.
NASHVILLE AREA
NASHVILLE (AP) - The head of the Federal Transit Administration was in Nashville on Friday to announce a $10 million grant for a bus rapid transit project.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Tennessee State University and the Kurdish Cultural Institute are sponsoring the second annual Kurdish Arts Festival this weekend.
AUTO INDUSTRY
DETROIT (AP) — Americans are paying record prices for new cars and trucks, and they have only themselves to blame.
NASHVILLE (AP) - Volkswagen managers have confirmed in a letter to employees that the automaker is in talks with the United Auto Workers about establishing a German-style "works council" at its Tennessee assembly plant.
NATIONAL BUSINESS
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. employers have yet to start hiring aggressively — a trend the Federal Reserve will weigh in deciding this month whether to slow its bond buying and, if so, by how much.
NEW YORK (AP) — The stock market is ending flat after a morning of wild swings.
NEW YORK (AP) — The price of oil closed at a two-year high Friday on a combination of fear of escalating tension in the Middle East and hope for continued stimulus measures from the U.S. Federal Reserve.
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge on Friday ordered Apple to modify contracts with publishers to prevent electronic book price fixing and said she will appoint an external compliance monitor to review the company's antitrust policies and training.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — It's time to make Google, Apple and other multinational companies pay more taxes. That's the message from President Barack Obama and the leaders of the world's leading economies at a summit ending Friday.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Attorneys suing Google say the firm violates privacy and takes personal property by electronically scanning the contents of people's Gmail accounts and then targeting ads to them.
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Russia's finance minister says President Barack Obama assured G-20 leaders that the United States will be scaling back its stimulus policy gradually so as not to impair global economic recovery.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Companies in the U.S. service sector expanded at their fastest pace in nearly 8 years last month as sales and orders grew and employers ramped up hiring.
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans' cautious spending on clothing extended into August, capping a weak back-to-school selling season for retailers.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits dropped 9,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, near the lowest level since June 2008. The figure shows employers are laying off fewer and fewer workers, an encouraging sign one day before the government will issue its August jobs report.