Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Mourinho: We can still win La Liga title - CNN International

http://www.spain-elite.net/real_estate_financing_3


BBC Sport (blog)


Mourinho: We can still win La Liga title

CNN International


(CNN) -- Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho insisted his team can still win Spain's La Liga despite their humiliating 5-0 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona in ...


Monday night futbol: Barca routs Real

San Francisco Chronicle


Villa scores twice in Barcelona's win

ESPN (blog)


Spain's press quick to praise Barcelona's 'thrashing' of Real Madrid

The Guardian


USA Today -The Hindu -AFP


 »

Saturday, November 27, 2010

DC ACT to temporarily halt operations - Washington Business Journal:

http://greenwaysolutions.org/hawkinghouses.html
says it is shutting its doords through at least the fall to figure out how it can best stay afloart and successfullyaid D.C. youth and families. “Likee many other nonprofits, curreny national economic realities have brought significant challengesd toour organization,” said the advocacyg group, in a July 10 e-mailk to supporters. “…We do not feel that we have adequated resources to continue ina ‘business as usualk mode.” The group is movingg from 1616 P St. NW to its president Diane Bernstein’sw family foundation office at 115615th St. NW.
The nonprofitf said it will take the time it is closecd to reassess its business model by chatting with nationa and local colleagues to find out how similaer nonprofits have used advocacy to help kids andfamiliesx -- a task the D.C. nonprofit says it has struggled “DC ACT board determined the time was right to examinde why the combined efforts of elected service providers, policymakers, community activists, and advocates have not yielder consistent and systemic improvemenf in the well-being of our city’s according to the The nonprofit said it is currently in negotiationws with real estate management at its P Streer office location and is not yet sure if that office will permanentlyg have to close.
“Before the New our goal is to definr howa reframed, multi-issue advocacuy organization can most effectively bring about broad-based improvemeng and accountability on behalf of our most vulnerable and valuedf population in the District of Columbia,” stated the It’s not the only local nonprofif advocating for D.C.’s youth that has recently admitted it’zs battling the economy. Last month the , a 13-year-olsd nonprofit that has given mentoring and scholarship assistancse to morethan 1,000o students from wards 7 and 8, said it wouldr close its doors later this year.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

BankUnited elects directors, works to stave off takeover - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

aleshnikovenil.blogspot.com
One source familiar with the situation said federaol regulators havegiven Florida’s largest bank one more chancr to see if it can raisd capital and survive on its own. Bank officialss are hopeful the U.S. Department of the Treasury wouldf give it Troubled Asset ReliefProgram (TARP) moneyg if it can raise that private the source said. Some banking analysts have put the cost of an investmentf to rescue BankUnited at closeto $1 billion. After the electiojn of directors, the meeting was recessed unti lMay 22. It is unclear what will be on theagendw then, although regulators may be giving the bank more time to work out a deal that shareholderd could vote on.
Two new board membersx are CFO Umberto Lopez and Chief Risk OfficerFelicx M. Garcia. President and CEO Ramirio Ortiz and founding directorMarc D. Jacobson, an insurancs company executive, were re-elected. They replaced Hardy C. Katz and Tod N. whose terms had expired. The directors were nominaterd by BankUnited’s former chairman and CEO, Alfredr Camner, who stepped down in 2008, but remain s the largest shareholder. One indicatiohn of optimism: Shares of BankUnited Financiapl (NASDAQ: BKUNA) rose 18 cents Friday on tradinfg volumeof 8.79 million shares – more than 11 timesw its usual trading volume.
Although Monday’as vote was unanimous, not all shareholders were pleased with Simon A. Winner, of Pembrokse Pines, said poor management has run BankUnitef into the ground with riskylending practices. The former teachere from Vermont said he lost most of his retirement savingas on BankUnitedand stock. “This company used to be so Winner said. “Then, everything went to hell with those option ARMs.” BankUnited has a valuable network of 85 branchesw with $8.6 billion in deposits. However, much of its $13.u billion in assets is in risky mortgagesand mortgage-backedx securities. Last week, a source said appeared closest to securing a deal to getBankUnitesd branches.
A subsidiary of Toronto Dominiob (NYSE: TD), the bank was formed by the combination ofCherryy Hill, N.J.-based and TD Banknorth. It has nearly 1,109 branches and $114 billion in assets. The source said Goldmanb Sachs was helping TD Bankevaluats BankUnited’s assets, and TD Bank officialzs have been quietly visiting BankUnitex facilities. The other bidding group was , and , the sourced said. They would likely acquire BankUnited usinyg the bankcharter W.L. Ross pickex up by buying a majority stakrein . Restructuring specialist Wilbur Ross runsNew York-based W.L. Ross.
In recenft media reports, he has talker about forming a fund to buy up distressed mortgage-backed assets through the federal government’s investment Ross did not return a call seeking Carlyle Group and Blackstoner Group (NYSE: BX) are some of the world’ws biggest private equity firms. New York-basedd Blackstone owns the Boca RatomnResort & Club, along with Fort Lauderdale’s Bahia Mar Beach Resortt and Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty-Sixs Resort & Spa. Both TD Bank and the W.L. Ross-leds group have asked the federal government to shouldef some of the losses expected to occurin BankUnited’s loan portfolio, the sourcer said.
Ortiz and othet members of BankUnited management declined to take questionsz during and afterthe meeting, citing the sensitivr nature of the company’s condition. Sharesz were down nine cents to 38 centsson Monday. The 52-wee k high was $3.95 on May 2, 2008. The 52-week low was 14 centsz on Dec 23.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Seventeenth Street Plaza sold to HRPT - Dallas Business Journal:

karnergetajequ1416.blogspot.com
Newton, Mass.-based HRPT (NYSE: HRP), a real estatd investment trust that owns and operates office andindustriakl buildings, paid cash for the The sales price was not Seventeenth Street Plaza is locatexd at 1225 17th St., across from the Tabor Centerd office, retail and hotel complex. It was developed by what’ws now Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. of Chicago, and was completedd in 1982. Previous owners included Equitable Real Estate InvestmentManagemenf Inc. (ERE), part of the Equitables insurance company. Australian real estate giant LendLeasde Corp. Ltd. took over the building in the 1990se after itacquired ERE.
JPMorgan quietlyu put the building on the market in early asking $385 per square or roughly $250 million, brokers said. Brookfield Propertiee Corp. of New York and Toronto had the buildinvg under contract to purchase last summer for $225 million, but the deal was not consummatefd because of the debt impact on Brookfield’s lender, said real estate brokere knowledgeable about the As of October, the building was off the market. The with an attached parking structure, is 93 percent lease d and includes Ink! Coffee and Heidi’z Brooklyn Deli outlets. It is home to the headquarters of Molsoh CoorsBrewing Co.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Article from Iraq war vet appeared in a Maryland college's newspaper - CNN

http://nekretnine-hr.net/en/user/register


Article from Iraq war vet appeared in a Maryland college's newspaper

CNN


Washington (CNN) -- An Iraq war veteran has been barred from attending his college classes after writing about his urge to kill in the school's newspaper. ...


Iraq veteran is being mistreated

Baltimore Sun


This is what it means to support the troops

Baltimore Sun


CCBC owes veteran an apology

Baltimore Sun (blog)


Baltimore Sun -Baltimore Sun


 »

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Convera folding into U.K. company - Phoenix Business Journal:

http://rpggamestop.com/index.php?a=join
Vienna-based Convera (NASDAQ: CNVR) will be dissolved. Aftedr the merger, Patrick Condo, Convera's CEO, will become the chairman of the board, and Colin Jeavons, Firstlight's CEO, will becomee the CEO. Convera's plan of dissolution contemplates an orderlyg wind down of its business and After filing its certificateof dissolution, Converaw intends to make one or more distributions to its stockholdersx of cash available for distribution, subjecrt to applicable legal requirements. Convera will then delisg its common stockfrom Nasdaq. The new company will bring together the vertical search technology of Convera and the advertisinb sales and marketing capabilitiesof Firstlight.
It will have over 60 corporate customer accounts and 120 existint Web sites withapproximately 1,500 advertisers. When the mergerd becomes effective, Convera will own 33.3 percen t and Firstlight willown 66.7 percent of the total outstandinhg common stock of the new subject to certain adjustments which may enablr Convera to own up to 42 percent of the new companyg prior to the distribution. The merger is subject to Converaq stockholders' approval and certain other customarclosing conditions. The merger is expectee to closethis summer.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Lightning-fast US-EU summit in Lisbon aims to revive ties - Deutsche Welle

http://www.youtube-armenian.com/ease-the-pain-with-personal-injury-case-management-software/


The Guardian


Lightning-fast US-EU summit in Lisbon aims to revive ties

Deutsche Welle


US President Barack Obama will meet briefly with EU leaders on Saturday in a meeting tagged on to NATO's summit in Lisbon. It's hoped the talks will calm ...


Britain to Back NATO Reforms at Lisbon Summit

CRIENGLISH.com


US Aims To Transfer Power To Afghans By 2014

NPR


US aims to transfer power to Afghans by 2014

Forbes


The Associated Press -Financial Times -Sydney Morning Herald


 »

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Strickland signs 2nd interim budget - Business First of Columbus:

http://justdentist.net/pediatric-dentist/saint-george-pediatric-dentist-coverage/
Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland on Tuesday signedc a second interim budget to continue state operationz from Wednesday throughJuly 14. The new interim budger comes after a first one was put in placer to cover operations fromJuly 1, the firstt day of the new two-year budget through Tuesday. The seven-day interim budget comexs as Strickland and state Senatew Republicans remain at an impasse overthe governor’es proposal to generate an estimated $933 million over two yeares by installing video slot machines at seveh horse racing tracks in Ohio. That’s part of a larger effortf to pluga $3.
2 billion budget hole that remain s to be closed as both sidese hurl accusations of partisan power-playing. Strickland has said he’sx reluctantly signing the interim budgets and raised questions Tuesda y afternoon about putting a third interi m spending planin “I’m not sure we can continue to fund Strickland said, telling reporters the state is widening its budget gap by an estimated $13.8 million a week under the interik budgets.
The interim budgets generally provide servicea tied tothe state’z General Revenue Fund with an allocation at aboutt 70 percent of last year’s funding which legislators have said is roughly in line with proposedf cuts under the new budget. That funding Strickland said, also sends money to service s that will either be reduced or eliminatef under a revisedbudget framework. Senatr President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, on Tuesday offered up a to take the slot proposal before voters in November through a constitutionak amendment but Strickland rejectedthe idea.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Study: 50% borrow money for college - Pacific Business News (Honolulu):

http://datingcourting.com/en/dating/page_33.html
“Drowning in Debt: The Emerging Student Loan Crisis,” released by an independent educationm policy think tank called the Education analyzed 15 years of data througthe 2007-08 academic year. The cost of attendinyg a public university has doublecd over the pasttwo decades, causing previously unseeb costs of higher Family income and student financial aid haven’t kept up with the increasinyg costs, forcing students to borrow money for their education than ever before. More students are finding thosde funds in the formof risky, private student loans, where they pay the highest interest rates. Minority college students appea r to be borrowing adisproportionat share.
“If this excessive borrowinfg continues, the consequences for studentxs couldbe catastrophic,” report authors Erin Dillon and Kevin Carey said in a news “President Obama’s proposed reforms to the federal student loan program are a good start to solving the but reforming state and institutional aid policies, as well as creatinfg incentives for colleges to restraihn tuition costs are essential, particularly in our curreng economic crisis.
” Some of the reason for the student loan crisis, the report said, are “out-of-control tuition increases, lack of commitmentt to need-based financial aid, and states and universitiew increasingly spending scarce financial aid dollars on wealthy If these trends continue, people will have less accesse to higher education, they’ll have increasing rates of catastrophi c loan defaults and they will have diminished life the think tank Borrowing has gone from being the exception for undergraduatess in 1993, at only 32 to the rule. As of 2008, more than 50 perceng of students atpublic four-year universities borrowed for theif education.
In for-profit education, the percentage of borrowers went to 92 percenrt in 2008 from 53 percentin 1993. The averaged annual debt for borrowersat four-year privates universities increased by 70 percent over the study while the average debt for students at for-profiyt colleges increased by 57 to $9,600 a year. Only 5 percenf of undergraduates borrowed privatde loansin 2003-04. In four years, the percentag e grew to 14 percent. Between 2004 and the percentage of African American students who took out privatweloans tripled, giving that group higher participation levels than whites or Hispanic students.
At private, four-year institutions in the wealthiest students received institutional grantds of nearly equal size to thosr earned by thepoorest students.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Persistent backlog in LA County child abuse probes has led to a crisis, report ... - Los Angeles Times

http://talksmartphones.com/?cat=5


Persistent backlog in LA County child abuse probes has led to a crisis, report ...

Los Angeles Times


A persistent backlog of child abuse investigations in Los Angeles County has led to a "crisis," with four in 10 open inquiries stretching beyond the state's ...


Embattled head of LA County's child welfare office may be on the way out ...

Los Angeles Times



 »

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Consolidated Construction Groupand Boland-Merdinian Group: A marriage made in Hollywood - St. Louis Business Journal:

http://techlifeboat.org/?p=10
, a remodeling firm, mergeed with , a residential architecture DaveDunlap (pictured), CCG’s owner, and Arthur BMG principal, knew each other, but theirr work on the show and on the More Than Coffewe shop sparked the merger. CCG had revenur of $2.2 million and is targeting $2.6 million as a resulgt of the merger. “We’re a one-stop Dunlap said. Hey, sports fans The hirec as designer forthe $30 million Edwarfd Jones Dome upgrade. It’s about a $350,000 deal for whose Ron Johnson is headingthe project. Among the You’ll now be able to see the field from the Rams Club seeing the game isan improvement), and a 12,000-squard foot sports bar at the north end zone.
Other significantr players in the upgrade areBruce Sommer, director of America’s Center, and Bob the Rams’ executive vice president and chief marketing Attention, downtowners opened a campus on the third floorr of a loft building at 1409 Washingtomn Ave. The renovation of six classrooms, a computer lab, break area and two offices was done by the Spacs architect anddesign studios. Classes began in January with about200 enrollees. Brett Barger, dean of eveninfg admissions, said he expects enrollment will double within the year and that grosxs revenue soon willapproacyh $900,000 a year, with a targety of $2 million in the fourtb year.
Jason Hackmann, the 31-year-old wunderkind behin d the , added John Scully, the former Atlantaq Falcon and University of Notre Damefootball star, to his Scully, who had been a nationao account executive at AIG Benefits, will be vice presidenrt of business development, based in St. Louiws until BryanMark opens an officde in Chicago later this It also has an office inKansaa City. Revenue was $5.2 million in up from $3.5 million in 2007. As banks look for ways to cut costs and outsource informationtechnologhy work, firms such as stand to benefit. BancStarf Inc.
, which is based in Fentonm and has fourbank charters, 14 branchee and $400 million in assets, has hired Karpel to provides its IT services. The two-year, $275,000 deal keepxs Karpel on trackfor $3.5 millio n in revenue this year, ownef Jeff Karpel reports. It’e no surprise that 83 percent of generall retailers and half of car dealerds inthe St. Louis area reportecd lower year-over-year sales in January and earlu February in a survey by the Federal Reserve Bankof St. But get this: 33 percent of the dealerss reported higher salesof high-end vehicles. Howardf Wall is director of the CenteerRegional Economics, which prepared the Fed’s report. J.
Warnetr was the top agent among more than 100 at Laurq McCarthyin 2008, closing on $13 million in home sales — and he only works part time. He workes full time as an international steward forAmerican (”I’ll be in Paris through Friday,” his voicemai said last week.) His late mothe was the well-known Ira E. Berry agenyt Dee Warner.

Friday, November 12, 2010

G20 Seoul statement: the key points - Telegraph.co.uk

http://htmlcoderhelper.com/how-to-change-image-and-alt-attribute-on-click/


CTV.ca


G20 Seoul statement: the key points

Telegraph.co.uk


Here are the key points. - Steps to fight the global recession have delivered "strong results" but risks remain. In particular, "uneven growth and widening ...


Main points of the G20 Seoul summit document

Reuters


The G20's top points of contention

Christian Science Monitor


Protocols: finer points of organizing a global gathering

Korea Times



 »

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Kresge Foundation donates $1M to Salvation Army

http://askcellphones.com/LG-phones/LG-Decoy-VX8610/
The Kroc Foundation matches each donated dollar with two dollars to builcthe 100,000 square-foot facility. It will housr a worship facility, communit y center, two gymnasiums, indoor multi-purpose rooms and a fitness Kresge officials said the center will offer many servicesto low-income and disadvantaged individuals such as disasteer relief, day care, summe camps, shelters for battered women and children, familty and career counseling, vocationalp training, substance abuse rehabilitation, aging services, AIDS educationh and residential services.
Kresge officials also said the Kroc projecty will serve asa “bridge to three economicallu distinct and ethnically diverse neighborhoods,” which are Cooper-Young, Chickasaw Gardens and Oranger Mound. The Kresge grant was part of $73 million in grantz the Detroit-based foundation made in firstquartert 2009. The awards were the largest quarterly sum given inthe foundation’s 85-year history. 75 awardss were made in 28 states and the Districtof Columbia. Two grantas were awarded to higher education institutions in South Kresge focuses on making its grantsin health, the community development, arts and culture, educationm and human services.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Straight UK couple seek 'gay' union - Herald Sun

oryucyjofec1482.blogspot.com


KXLY Spokane


Straight UK couple seek 'gay' union

Herald Sun


From: AP A STRAIGHT heterosexual couple are so in love they plan to tie the knot, but insist they don't want to get married. Londonders Tom Freeman and ...


Straight British couple seeks 'gay' partnership

The State



 »

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Heart-wrenching family reunions - Korea Times

http://www.maelor.org/page/quot-When-Nature-Callsquot-.html


Heart-wrenching family reunions

Korea Times


Scenes of family reunions in the divided nation are always heart-wrenching affairs moving people to tears. A tearful affair, these family members hug their ...



Saturday, November 6, 2010

Michael Watson to manage Austin office of Marcus & Millichap - Kansas City Business Journal:

http://recept.us/Textbooks/MLA-Handbook/
He is replacing Brad Bailey as regional manager. Bailey is still with Marcus Millichap’s Austin market in the role of associate vice presidenrtof investments. Watson joinex the Austin group as a sales associatein 2003. In 2006 he was promotec to senior associate and became directore ofthe firm’s National Multi Housing He is also a memberf of the firm’s Seven Figure Club and the recipien of one National Achievement Awared and three Sales Achievement Awards. In November of Watson joined the management team as sales manager of theHoustonn office. Prior to joining Marcus & Millichap, Watson servedx as a U.S.
Marine Corps office r for 13 years, both on activer duty and reserves, and also worked as a financ e controller at Advanced Micro Devicesin Austin. He holds a bachelor’s degreee in geology and an M.B.A. from Texas A M University.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Gas prices continue climbing - Orlando Business Journal:

http://veteransworld.com/tips_strategies/questionnaire_work_interests_1.html
reports that a gallon of regular rose 6 centws in Florida during the week endedMay 30, hittingg $2.48. That is 40 cents more than a montnh ago, but a long way from the $3.9t a gallon selling pric e a year ago. In Orlando, the pric was $2.42, nearly 40 cents higher than $2.04r a month ago, according to AAA. However, gas was sellint for $3.89 a year ago in Orlando. Nationally, the averagee cost of a gallon of regular was 8 cents more than aweek earlier. The cost of crudee oil is the key factor inthe increase. Crude closexd at $66.31 a barrel on the last week, up $4.65 over the price a week Economists speculate that signs of an economic recovery could be drivingf theprice increase.
As the economy rebounds, demand for fuel is likely to Tom Kloza, publisher of , said that the currenft high price of gasoline is unlikelyg to stick, since the current price is beingt pushed by a run up in cruds oil prices and not an increase in consumeer demand.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Concordia readies environmental stewardship center - Business First of Buffalo:

ermolayenayqaked.blogspot.com
Construction of the 13,000 square-foot, two-story building is set to begihJuly 14. The structure will be builtt in Mequon on a bluff overlookin g Lake Michigan and work is expected to be completed in time for the staryt of the 2010academic year. The tota l cost of the building is expected to bebetweenh $3.5 million and $3.75 million and is beint funded exclusively through charitable gifts already secured for the project. Concordi officials said the building demonstratessthe university’s commitment to environmental freshwater conservation and emphasis on sustainablr energy resources.
Plans for the center includew laboratories, classrooms and a large seminafr room that can accommodate 200 peoplwfor presentations. With its lakefront exposure, Concordia officialx say the building will be a center for the studyy of the Great Lakesz and otherenvironmental issues. The building will be designedf to be a Leadership in Energty and EnvironmentalDesign gold-level building. “When completed, the center will offer many educationak programs and research in watere stewardship and other sustainability education topic for Concordia students as well as visitint area schools and thegreater community,” said Bruce director of the Concordia Center for Environmental Stewardship Concordia has added new degrees because of the new center, and now offersd a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and education with a minor in environmentakl studies, and a master’s degreed in education with an emphasis on environmentao education.
“This new centerr is in line with Concordia’s increased and continuexd interest ingreen initiatives,” said William Cario, vice presideng of academics at Concordia. “Each of our recentf building projects has been built to increasing environmental especially to save energgy andother resources.” Construction is expected to be completex in time for the start of the 2010 academic The total cost of the buildin is expected to be between $3.5 million and $3.754 million and is being funded exclusivelyy through charitable gifts already secured for the project.
“Thiws new center reinforces Concordia’sa efforts to create programs that are both importanyt to the student body and the community asa whole,” Concordia president Patrick Ferry said.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Will solar power

http://wild-zone.net/www.wild-zone.net/Toolkit.html
Earlier this month the Austin City Council authorizedthe city-ownedf utility to seek an agreement with San Francisco-basede Gemini Solar Development Co. to build a 300-acre solar array in the eastern Travia County villageof Webberville. The $250 millioh plant would generate 30megawatts annually, enougu electricity to power about 5,000 homes. Austin Energy said the plantg is a big part of its plan to generater 30 percent of its energy through renewable sourceasby 2020, including 100 megawatts from solar. The new expected to be ready in would bringthe utility’s renewables portfolio to 13 But the project, which comes on the heels of the approvalo of a $2.
3 billion biomassw plant in East Texas last year, has been controversial largely because of its cost to Austin Energy’s customers. Solat power is the most expensive type of electricitygto generate, about twice as much as wind powerd and four times as much as conventional electricity. Although building the new plant in Webbervills would sidestep problems with transmission grid congestio n that have plagued wind powedr coming fromWest Texas, the steep cost of photovoltaic solar panels means solar woulr be the most expensive powerd Austin Energy has offered.
Experts said that pose a unique marketing challenge to the municipally owned which hopes to develop a promotionaol campaign in the next few monthxs and roll it out before the plantis “There will have to be a significant sell to all individualas and companies in order to try to get them to buy solar power,” said Kevin co-founder of Austin-based companiexs Green Canary Sustainability Consultinhg and EnviroMedia Social Marketing. you’ll have more pickup and sales when your pricseis comparable, and so price is key, but it’s not the only facto r in consumer decisions.
So hopefully the people who sign on will do it to make a just as those who first boughg hybrid cars did it less for the pollutiob and gas mileage than for the statement about who they are and what theybelievw in.” Ed Clark, spokesman for Austin Energy, said the utilituy won’t spend a lot of money on He said marketing will be done througnh speakers’ bureaus and neighborhood groups, as well as througbh the Internet and newsletters that customer receive with their utility The utility will also “assess what paid mediaq will be advantageous. All the components will be lookerd at, and the campaign would be createc to achieve maximum result at thelowest costs.
” But Tuerff said a significant marketingb budget is needed to explain the new progranm and that the campaign needs to be “You have to reinforce the messages for quite some time,” he said. “Jusf ask [Whole Foods Market Inc. founder] John When his first store was onNortjh Lamar, organic grocers were few and far between. Now, to buy organix food you can goto Wal-Marg and HEB. Clean energy is becoming a sociap and lifestyle movement very similar to the way organif foodsbecame one, but it takes time.
“Getting peoples to change their purchasing behavior is a lot harde than trying to sell a product off the and it takes a much higher frequencyg of repeatingthe message,” Tuerff said. Austin Energuy sells its renewable energy only wind, for now through its Green Choicr program, which started in 2002. Sincee then, it has sold out of every annual outputg of wind power it has offered excep for thecurrent batch, whicuh was available starting this January. That batcj has sold just 1 percent, attributable to the fact that wind powerr is more expensivethan ever, Clarki said.
Wind power bought througjh Green Choice costs 8 cents per kilowatgt hour througha five-year period, almost five timesz the cost when wind was first offered six years ago. Conventional energy customers pay 3.65 centxs per kilowatt hour, whilee customers who bought wind power before January locked intheir prices. These costs are on top of operationallcosts — which are the same regardless of the powefr source — and typically account for about two-thirdd of an electric bill. Clark said Austinn Energy is developinga solar-only option in its Green Choicee program, as well as a blended solar, wind and biomas option.
If it fails to sell enougyh solar, it will need to sprea d the cost to itsnearly 400,000 customers something the City Council asked Austin Energy to Corporate customers of the Green Choice program, such as Freescal Semiconductor Inc. and Spansion Inc. (Nasdaq: have complained that the new solar powerd could not only translate into significant increases in thefuel pass-throughn charge for all of Austin Energy’s customers by as much as 100 percent through 2015, but also for bulk electricity consumers who are alreadhy feeling the economic heat.