| Community Notebook: Wollam may sing way into Wrigley
When the Chicago Cubs play baseball at home, the singing of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" is a huge tradition during the seventh-inning stretch. Well, Bradford's Eric Wollam is close to getting a chance to lead the song at Wrigley Field. .
ALL BUSINESS: Silence on Nardelli's pay doesn't help reputation
NEW YORK -- Opportunity knocked, and Robert Nardelli missed it. If he really wanted to begin rehabilitating his tarnished reputation, he could have started his CEO job at Chrysler by publicly promising he wouldn't accept a penny in pay. Instead, the former Home Depot CEO _ who left the home improvement retail chain in January with a controversial $210 million severance package _ stayed mum on what he would be making while trying to lead struggling Chrysler out of its funk. Chrysler officials fed the media tidbits about his $1 a year salary. But they refused to provide details about any performance-based bonus Nardelli could collect should he manage to help reverse the automaker's slide. Technically, Chrysler and Nardelli had no obligation to talk about his pay.
Chrysler chief's reputation still in rags
NEW YORK–Opportunity knocked, and Robert Nardelli missed it. If he had really wanted to begin rehabilitating his tarnished reputation, he could have started his CEO job at Chrysler by publicly promising he wouldn't accept a penny in pay. Instead, the former Home Depot chief executive officer, who left the home-improvement retail chain in January with a controversial $210 million (U.S.) severance package, stayed mum on what he would be making while he tries to lead struggling Chrysler out of its funk. Chrysler officials fed the media tidbits about his $1 a year salary. But none would provide details about any performance-based bonus Nardelli could collect if he managed to help reverse the automaker's slide. Technically, Chrysler and Nardelli had no obligation to talk about his pay at all.
WARREN PIECE: Warren County starts Quest for leaders
Vince Lombardi once said, "Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."Over the next eight months, a group of people will take time out of their workday every two weeks to help make leaders in Warren County."The whole idea is developing community-based leadership," said Shelley Rowe, community development specialist with the Warren County University of Missouri Extension Office."They can take those skills back and benefit their employer, but it's also to develop a group of people who will look at changes in the community and what changes do we want to take place in our communities," Rowe said.The program, called Quest, is sponsored by the Warrenton Area and Wright City Area chambers of commerce.
Gavinski a winner in sports, business; Portage grad entering High School Hall of Fame
Marty Gavinski can detect potential in an underdog. And when he throws his support behind them, it is in time, heart and money."After I got successful I didn't have the feeling of accomplishment. All wealth is a different level of poverty," said Gavinski, 61. "Where did you come from? Who helped you get there? There is a certain amount to give back."The Portage native has given back. Gavinski will be inducted into the Portage High School Hall of Fame this year for his philanthropy, coaching and civic endeavors. He graduated in 1964 near the top of his class, and earned nine letters in basketball, football and baseball."I joked with coach (Tom) Davis that they must be lowering their standards," Gavinski said. "I feel uncomfortable because I don't know if I stack up with their successes."Gavinski considers Davis, who coached him in PHS basketball and in life lessons, as his mentor.
Open auditions for Notorious film
Open auditions will be held to cast the lead role in a film about murdered US rap star Notorious BIG. Producer Wayne Barrow said the casting was being thrown open because no-one in Hollywood seemed suitable for the role. "No-one came to mind outside of Forest Whitaker," he said. Whitaker was later discounted because he is 46, whereas Notorious BIG was only 24 when he died. Budding actors can submit their audition videos to Fox Searchlight Pictures from Sunday, 12 August. Notorious BIG, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, is acknowledged as one of the most influential musicians in hip-hop. He was killed in his vehicle in March 1997, following an appearance at the Soul Train Awards in Los Angeles. 'American dream' "We thought it would be best to open it up to the world and give somebody the opportunity to step into his shoes and fulfil their own American dream," said Barrow, who was previously the rapper's manager.
The Hindu Business Line : IT sector cautious on Govt move to curb funds flow
Chennai/Mumbai/Bangalore/New Delhi, Aug. 12 The IT industry is guarded in its reaction on steps taken by the Government to fight rising rupee. Last week, the Government modified the external commercial borrowing (ECB) policy to modulate capital inflows. ECBs above $20 million would be permitted only for foreign currency expenditure borrowers raising ECB more than $20 million would have to park the proceeds overseas. The aim is to curb the demand for rupee in exchange for dollar. The Nasscom President, MrKiran Karnik, said: "We think that the move would have a positive impact on the industry. Keeping in view the sharp appreciation in the rupee, we feel such steps are justified." . However, some companies are sceptical about the new ECB norms. According to Mr Shiva Ramani, Co-Founder and CEO, Cybernet-SlashSupport (CSS), "While the move could lead to a reduction in inflows, inflows through FIIs and FDI will continue and this step will not lead to the arrest of rupee appreciation." He said the move could help reduce the volume of purchases made by the RBI to keep the rupee rising to a level above 40.3 and consequently keep inflation under check.
County by county, Hispanics take lead
Hispanics for the first time outnumber non-Hispanic whites in Dallas County by a slim margin, U.S. Census Bureau numbers scheduled for release today show, as the rest of the state and the nation continue one of the biggest demographic shifts in the nation's history. Texas was officially deemed a majority-minority state two years ago. But county by county, the state is becoming increasingly Hispanic, the Census Bureau reported in its 2006 update. Nationwide, nearly one in 10 counties is now more than 50 percent minority. In Dallas County, minorities made up nearly 64 percent of residents in 2006, with Hispanics making up 37.7 percent of the population, compared with 36.1 for non-Hispanic whites. "We are in the middle of the fourth decade of an ongoing demographic transformation the likes of which the country hasn't seen in 100 years," said Rubén Rumbaut, a sociologist at the University of California at Irvine.
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