DISNEYLAND - The Happiest Place on Earth?

A MICKEY MOUSE BATTLE

An aerial map shows Disneyland and the resort district - GRAY AREA: Possible residential development. Anaheim, CA is home to one of the fastest-growning Latino populations in the U.S.

Not in Mickey's Backyard

HOW A ZONING DISPUTE ESCALATED INTO A BATTLE FOR THE FUTURE OF DISNEYLAND

FANTASYLAND: Sleeping Beauty's castle, July 1955. Disney kept Anaheim officials friendly with parties and free tickets to its theme park.

This year Disney sued the city for the first time in the park's 50-year history, and both sides are now in the thick of a municipal ballot fight that could rank as the most expensive in California history. COMMENT: This is going to get ugly. A lot of taxpayers monies will get spent. The old aerospace industry suburb is now in demand for affordable housing that's not being met. I believe the city of Anaheim, Ca will prevail.

DETROIT AUTOMAKERS STRUGGLE

General Motors and the Ford Motor Company said that they would cut production in the first quarter because of slowing sales. At G.M., sales dropped 10.9 percent in November; Ford eked out a 1.3 percent gain, after 12 consecutive monthly sales declines.

HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS

Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. said he hoped to reach agreement this week with lenders and institutional investors on a plan to temporarily freeze the teaser rates for certain qualified mortgage borrowers. But industry analysts said the effort could help only a small number of those who took out such loans.

Portfolio Magazine - Business Intelligence

December 2007

2007 Writers Guild of America strike

The strike is against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade organization that represents the interests of American film and television producers. Over 12,000 writers are affected by the strike. The current strike has so far lasted 5 weeks. The last such strike in 1988 lasted 22 weeks. There are several key issues of contention including DVD residuals, union jurisdiction over animation and reality program writers; and, perhaps most importantly, compensation for new media - emerging digital technology such as the Internet.

COMMENT: Let's not short change this guys. I believe new media will eventually supplant both DVD in the home video market and television in the broadcasting market as the primary means for distribution.

U.S. Route 66

Right after Route 66 was commissioned, it was known as The Great Diagonal Way because a large section of the highway (Chicago to Oklahoma City) ran diagonally, unlike the other highways. It originally ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California, before ending at Los Angeles for a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km)

Chrysler Imperial

The Chrysler Imperial, introduced in 1926, was the company's top of the range vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, and again from 1990 to 1993.

STARTING OVER - SOUTHWEST AIRLINES

Time flies when you're having fun!

More than 36 years ago, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher got together and decided to start a different kind of airline. They began with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations when they want to get there, on time, at the lowest possible fares, and make darn sure they have a good time doing it, people will fly your airline. What began as a small Texas airline has grown to become one of the largest airlines in America. Today, Southwest Airlines flies almost 100 million passengers a year to 63 great cities all across the country, and do it more than 3,300 times a day.

COMMENT: Where they right? I will find out if there marketing efforts were customer driven OR NOT!!

WORLD'S FINEST CAR: THE INSIDER'S GUIDE

The annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance car show is where the world’s millionaires and billionaires show off some of the most exotic cars on the planet. Winning this competition can add hundreds of thousands to a cars’ value, but any of these collectors will tell you- it’s not about the money – it’s about bragging rights.

COMMENT: I found this exclusive look into this festival as a way billionaires and millionaires battle it out, savage competition, the ultimate aculade. There are three types of collectors, the Hunter, the Enthusias and the crazy man BOB LEE WHOM IT TOOK 20 YEARS TO FINALLY WIN. This holy grail of car awards is even placed in their resumes.

What seperates them from the rest - Video: http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1155838635?bclid=452299732&bctid=1155105462

Gulf Currency Peg Under Pressure

The UAE dirham has appreciated to a 17-year high as currency investors pile pressure on Gulf Arab dollar pegs, encouraged by a report that a revaluation could come as early next week. Central banks are trying to deter bets on appreciation. Kuwait, the only Gulf oil producer that tracks a currency basket, let its dinar fall in twice in one day and the UAE pushed down interest rates at an auction that guides inter-bank lending. Lower interest rates risk stoking inflation, which is at decade highs across the Gulf.

COMMENT: Although central banks are cutting interest rates to defend their pegs, I think markets will eventually give up and follow Kuwait's lead in unshackling their currencies from the dollar. This is an excellent preview for US might be in store for....focus should be on fighting inflation.

Businesses urge climate action

Business leaders from 150 global companies have called for a comprehensive, legally binding United Nations framework to tackle climate change.

The initiative, led by the Prince of Wales and EU Corporate Leaders Groups on Climate Change (CLGCC), includes some of the biggest global companies from the US, Europe, Australia and China. It comes before UN climate talks in Bali, Indonesia, from December 3-14. Companies in support of the UN call include Coca-Cola, Gap, Nike, Sun Microsystems, Westpac, Anglo-American, F&C Asset Management, British Airways, Nestle, Nokia, Shell, Tesco, Virgin and Volkswagen.

COMMENT: The shift to a low carbon economy is not only an environmental need but also an unprecedented economic and social opportunity that will likely fold. You must spend moving to make money. Innovative means are imperative.

Chiquita sued for Colombia killings

Reiter showed journalists stories of alleged killings by Colombian paramilitaries on Chiquita's payroll

Leading banana producer, Chiquita Brands International, has been sued for funding and arming a Colombian paramilitary organisation accused of killing banana growers.The civil lawsuit seeks a total of $7.86bn on behalf of 393 victims and their relatives. Chiquita is accused of conspiring with the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), to control Colombia's banana growing regions.Jonathan Reiter, the plaintiffs' lawyer in New York, said: "It was about acquiring every aspect of banana distribution and sale through a reign of terror."

COMMENT: Now this is was you call supporting terrorism, war crimes, wrongful death and torture. I hope these families get their money.

BIGGEST Deal In Civil Aviation History

Prince Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud is the first private buyer of the A380

Airbus Seals $50bn Aircraft Deals
Airbus, the European aircraft manufacturer, has secured an order worth up to $50bn from Middle Eastern carriers at the Dubai Aerospace Air Show.The company is said to have scored a major victory over Boeing, its US rival, winning an order worth $31bn from Emirates, the Dubai-owned airline, for 70 Airbus A350 aeroplanes. Rolls-Royce is also a major beneficiary of the move, which may be worth as much as $8.4bn, as Rolls-Royce offers the only engine available on the Airbus airplane.

COMMENT: Gulf appetite - Walid, whose interests span from hotels and financial institutions, has ordered a VIP version of the A380, dubbed the "Flying Palace". He already owns a Boeing 747-400, the newest type of the original jumbo jet currently in service.

Yahoo Settles Lawsuit with Jailed Scribes

Yahoo settles China lawsuit:

Yahoo has come to a settlement with the families of two Chinese journalists who accused it of supplying the Chinese government with information (E-mails containing pro-democracy literature) that led to them being imprisoned and tortured. Shi Tao, a business journalist, and Wang Xiaoning, a pro-democracy blogger, are serving jail sentences of 10 year each.

COMMENT: PR nightmare. I sense there will be a strong backlash against yahoo from human rights groups. Yahoo's subsidiaries should set up legal funds for other dissidents and their families.

Chevron in Oil-For-Food Settlement

Chevron Corp. has agreed to pay $30 million to resolve criminal and civil liabilities related to procurement of oil under the UN oil-for-food program. Chevron obtained Iraqi oil under the programme from third parties that paid secret, illegal surcharges to the former government of Iraq, the prosecutors said today.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said Chevron agreed to the settlement brought under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act without admitting or denying the allegations. Chevron will not be prosecuted and will continue to co-operate with investigators, prosecutors said. The deal will see Chevron, the second biggest oil company in the US, pay $25 million in profits and a $3 million civil penalty. The company also will pay the treasury department's Office of Foreign Asset Controls $2 million.

COMMENT: Basically it called Kickbacks.... it was found be corrupt after 2,200 companies in 66 countries paid $1.8 billion in kickbacks to Iraqi officials to win supply deals. The program was established to help Saddam Hussein's Iraq sell oil to buy humanitarian supplies while it was under UN sanctions due to its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Shirley Chisholm - 1st Black Woman for President

First African American candidate for President of the United States. She won 162 delegates. Born in Brooklyn, New York, of a Barbadian mother and a Guyanese father, she was a Congresswoman, representing New York's 12th District for seven terms from 1968 to 1983.

Korea Farmers Riot oover US Trade Pact

A South Korean Protester throws a plastic water container at police during a rally in Seoul yesterday. Police estimated there were 20k demonstrators (farmers) at a rally yesterday against a free-trade agreemnet with the US. Police fired water cannons and fire extinguishers at them.

Comment: The passsage of the FTA will deepen the polarization of their society. I am sure there will be other kinds of agricultural produce that will pour into the country.

SmartPhone - Social Networking

Palm, Inc. and Sprint are introducing the Palm Centro smart device, claiming it is designed for individuals and traditional mobile phone users looking for a better way to manage their professional and social lives. The Palm Centro enters the market at US$99.99 but only after rebates and a two year contract. As the newest member of the Palm family, Centro is expected to attract new users to the smartphone category.

COMMENT: With voice, text, IM, email, web, contact and calendar capabilities, a full-color touch screen and full keyboard, Centro brings Palm simplicity and organization to customers who want to SOCIALIZE. I believe it will be a big hit since it's priced at $99, but only after rebates and a two year contract. - That's how they get you.

Recommendations tha FAILED - NY's former police commissioner

The 52-year-old former detective is awaiting trial at a New York federal court house Friday. Kerik had 14 charges leveled against him ranging from accepting bribes and blocking an FBI investigation to withholding information from the federal government. The bribery charges against the ex-police officer, who had also been business partners with Giuliani, include him allegedly taking USD 160,000 in kickbacks from a reportedly mafia-related construction firm.

Comment: Prime example of how individuals are recommend (by Rudy) to move to the top but failed. In 2004 Rudy promoted Kerik as the best man to run the newly created Office of Homeland Security.

Strategic Decisions - Celebrity Spokesman

Accounting Firm Hires Celebrity Spokesman

J.H. Cohn accounting firm hired New York Yankees manager Joe Torre to be their celebrity spokesman in 2006. Torre is part of a $6 million advertising campaign that will be spread over three years. The Roseland, N.J.-based firm has annual revenues of $143.4 million, 96 partners, 722 total staff and eight offices.

COMMENT: This marketing efforts are designed to raise long-term brand awareness, not sales.

Customer Satisfaction Approach

"There is no I in team team"

Northside: Back to Life

Chris Murphy (reginal manager) and UrbanAmerica have transformed Miami-Dades Northside Centre, show the potential of projects in working class neighborhoods.

Comment: UA's gamble at Northside now bustling with commerce pays off; more than four years and $14 million in renovation. The objective is to fix up, lease and resell the centers without changing their targeted low to moderate income shoppers

Review of CHAPTER 1

1. Business: 2006 and Beyond

~ The four basic FACTOR OF PRODUCTION are natural resources, capital, human resources & entreprenuership.

~ BUSINESS consists of all profit seeking activities that provide goods and services necessary to an economic system.

~ ENTREPRENUERS are the risk takers in the PRIVATE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM.

~ The 6 historical ERAS are the coloniall period, the Industrial Revolution, the age of the industrial entrepreneur, the production era, the marketing era and the relationship era.

~ TECHNOLOGY allows businesses to provide new goods and services for consumers, improve customer service, lower prices and enhance working conditions.

~ The relationship between the # of units produced, humans & other production inputs needed to produce is called PRODUCTIVITY.

~CAPITALISM basic rights are private property, profits, competition and freedom of choice.

Review of CHAPTER 2

2. Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

Business ETHICS are the standards of conduct and moral values involving right and wrong actions in the workplace. Businesss that set high ethical standards avoid public image problems, costly lawsuits, customer mistrust, and other expensive problems. They can also offer CODE OF ETHICS and guidlines for (ex. executives and employees. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY is a management philosophy that highlights the social and economic effects of business decisions and actions. Social responsible firms give back to their communities, customers, and employees.

Oil Prices Soar to $97 a Barrel

Traders work in the crude oil futures pit at the New York Mercantile Exchange on today. Futures jumped to a new record above $97 a barrel after bombings in Afghanistan and an attack on a Yemeni oil pipeline.

Oil futures jumped to a new record above $97 a barrel today after bombings in Afghanistan and an attack on a Yemeni oil pipeline compounded the supply concerns that have driven crude prices higher in recent weeks.

COMMENT: My oil bill is going to put a hurt on me. Last winter along I paid over $2k.

Read More: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/business/AP-Oil-Prices.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

Industrywide Cash Compensation

These are the average of salaries across funds and firms of all sizes.

SOURCE: 2008 PRIVATE EQUITY COMPENSATION REPORT