Mediaboss Marketing

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Newspaper publishers in Missouri could have to pay more to buy paper, ink and other supplies under a measure endorsed Wednesday by a House panel.

On a 7-5 vote, the House Tax Reform Committee backed a proposal to eliminate sales tax exemptions on newspaper equipment in order to help fund state medical subsidies for people who are blind. The measure now goes to the full House.

The House is debating a budget this week that would eliminate a $30 million program that provides medical care to about 2,800 blind people and instead set aside $6 million for a slimmed-down aid program. Some House members want to use the money saved from those program cuts to reduce cuts to the state's public colleges and universities.

A financial estimate included with the legislation approved Wednesday projects that bill could generate up to $4.2 million of additional money for state aid to the blind.

House Budget Committee Chairman Ryan Silvey, who sponsored the measure, said newspapers should give up their tax exemptions because some editorial boards have called on lawmakers to eliminate tax breaks as a way of balancing the budget.

"The fact that they receive this corporate welfare while advocating for the end of it for others is a bit hypocritical," said Silvey, R-Kansas City.

Silvey also said he does not think eliminating the tax exemptions would interfere with a newspaper's right to press freedom.

"To say your medium is so unique that it needs a tax subsidy or it's infringement on First Amendment rights, I think is just illogical," he said. "It's not their right to have a sustainable business model."

To calculate how much tax revenue the legislation could generate for aid to the blind, legislative analysts estimated the total annual revenue of the newspaper industry and estimated how much of the revenue is spent on newspaper supplies. The fiscal estimate projects that revenue for newspapers sold in the state totals between about $120 million $208 million each year. The estimate cites an annual report filed by the New York Times Co. for 2011 that said costs for "raw materials" and "other costs" are equal to 17 percent to 50 percent of the newspaper's revenue.

Missouri lawmakers codified the sales tax exemption for newspaper supplies in 1998, two years after the state Supreme Court ruled that computers used for newspaper pagination could not be taxed because pagination is part of the manufacturing a newspaper.

Read more:
Mo. House panel backs end to newspaper tax breaks

By Mizan Rahman Dhaka Bangladesh is taking steps so that Bangladeshi migrant workers can send up to $500 to the country without any fee, Expatriate Welfare Minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said yesterday. Migration of workers and the flow of remittance are important for the countrys economy. Remittances contribute around 13% to the gross domestic product (GDP), he said at a meeting of officials of Bangladesh Labour Wings abroad. He asked the officials to work sincerely to increase the inflow of remittances and resolve the problems of migrant workers. Mentioning that around 8mn Bangladeshis are now working in different foreign countries, he also asked the officials to be more proactive to explore labour market abroad for more manpower export. The minister said the cost of migration from Bangladesh is much higher than that of other countries. The migration cost shouldnt be the higher than two-three months salary of a worker, he pointed out. Hossain directed the officials to carefully examine the migration costs and the salary of workers before giving approval to their visas. He also asked them to ensure the security of women migrant workers and take steps so that they can communicate with their family members over phone any time without any hassle. Youll have to ensure that the recruiting agencies register their (women workers) names for insurance. Terming the recent killing of Saudi Embassy official Khalaf Al Ali tragic, the minister said it will not affect Bangladeshs labour market abroad. The government is investigating the case and stern action will be taken after the investigation, he added.

Excerpt from:
Govt incentive for Bangladeshi expats

By Belinda Cao - Wed Mar 21 20:51:08 GMT 2012

Chinese stocks listed in the U.S. climbed for the first time in four days, led by Internet companies, as China moves to bolster credit growth and ward off a worsening economic slowdown.

The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (CH55BN) of the most-traded Chinese shares in the U.S. added 1.2 percent to 104.66 yesterday in New York, rebounding from an eight-day low. NetEase.com Inc. (NTES), the nations second largest online games operator, surged to a record after renewing its license for World of WarCraft in China. Online book seller E-Commerce China Dangdang Inc. (DANG) jumped the most in a week, while Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. traded at the highest premium over its Hong Kong stock in four days.

The Peoples Bank of China announced yesterday it will expand a cut to reserve-requirement ratios to more branches of Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. from March 25. A total 23 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) has been freed up for loans by the moves, the central bank said. Data from home prices to retail sales signal that growth in the worlds largest exporter is slowing. Gross domestic product in the last three months of 2011 rose the least in ten quarters amid Europes debt crisis.

China will continue to be in an easing mode because of the slowdown they are having, and they are concerned about a hard landing, Dave Lutz, head of exchange-traded fund trading and strategy at Baltimore-based Stifel Nicolaus & Co., said by phone yesterday. The PBOC is nimble enough to force liquidity all the way through the system to help them mitigate a slowdown. There is an excellent chance for the rally in Chinese stocks so far this year to continue.

Chinas central bank has lowered the amount that must be kept in reserves by lenders twice since December and has kept interest rates on hold since July. The reserve ratio will be cut by 2 percentage points for 379 branches of Agricultural Bank, the nations third-largest lender, expanding a trial that previously lowered requirements for 563 branches in eight provinces, the PBOC said yesterday.

The iShares FTSE China 25 Index Fund, the biggest Chinese exchange-traded fund in the U.S., advanced 0.4 percent to $37.42, snapping a three-day slump. The Standard & Poors 500 Index (SPX) slid for a second day, falling 0.2 percent to 1,402.89.

American depositary deposits of NetEase climbed 3.2 percent to $58.11, the highest price since they started trading in June 2000, data compiled by Bloomberg show. NetEases ADRs have increased 30 percent this year.

Beijing-based NetEase and Blizzard Entertainment Inc., owned by Santa Monica, California-based Activision Blizzard Entertainment Inc., renewed a license for NetEase to operate the World of WarCraft online multiplayer game in mainland China, the two companies said in a joint statement on March 20.

The license renewal for the most popular three-dimensional online game in China removes a key overhang on the stock, Richard Ji, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Morgan Stanley said in a research note yesterday.

See the original post here:
Stocks Rebound in N.Y. on Bank Credit Easing: China Overnight

Mega Partnering, the leading wealth networking conference for entrepreneurs, real estate investors, internet marketers, and small business owners has announced the addition of Steve Wozniak as a featured guest for Mega Partnering 5 in Dallas, Texas, May 3 May 6.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 21, 2012

Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computers and partner of the late Steve Jobs is a pioneer in the computer revolution. Since leaving Apple, he has continued transforming the world of technology as well as pursued interests in education, and philanthropy. His achievements include the National Medal of Technology and induction to the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Regarding the addition of Steve Wozniak to the already impressive Mega Partnering 5 speaker line up, JT Foxx, founder of Mega Partnering said, Steve Wozniak is a visionary. I want my guests at Mega Partnering 5 to learn from someone who helped change the world and shape computers and technology as we know it. All business owners can learn from Mr. Wozniak how to foster a culture of innovation and develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

Mr. Wozniak will share with his audience his time at Apple in the early days, working with Steve Jobs side-by-side, and how business owners can revolutionize their work and lives today. He will also join the events VIP attendees at an exclusive gala and networking banquet.

The purpose of Mega Partnering 5 is to connect business owners with leading experts to increase their circles of influence and create business relationships that last. Your network equals your net worth, stated JT Foxx. I started Mega Partnering to connect my students with my circle of influence and powerful people in my network in hopes of building new valuable relationships for all involved.

All previous four Mega Partnering events have been sold out and seating for this years event in Dallas, Texas, May 3 6 is by invitation only. For more information you on this exclusive event visit http://www.MegaPartnering5.com to request an invitation.

About Mega Partnering

Mega Partnering is an independent international organization started after watching a 60-minute episode about Davos, applying and getting turned down. Not willing to take rejection, JT Foxx decided to start his own opportunities for small businesses and called it Mega Partnering. The conference has since grown to include small entrepreneurs from all over the world, and raises money for charitable initiatives, keeping with the philosophy, Learn, Earn, Return. Mega Partnering attendees have included Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Gene Simmons, Kevin Harrington, Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, George Ross, Wayne Allyn Root, Stedman Graham and Bruce Buffer. Mega Partnering is committed to improving the state of the business world by engaging small businesses, real estate investors, internet marketers and other leaders of society to shape partnerships and life-long relations.

Mega Partnering V

Continue reading here:
Apple Gives Back to Shareholders While Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak Gives Back to Entrepreneurs at Mega Partnering ...

Until the first drops of rain plunk down on your head, its easy to take your trusty umbrella you know, the one you didnt happen to bring with you for granted. Aside from that polka dot number you had as a kid, for the most part, umbrellas are forgettable; ask any caf and theyll tell you that dozens if not more are left behind by absent-minded patrons each year.

But for more than 200 school children from Naples, last week umbrellas became anything but forgettable.

As part of the Umbrellas for Peace project, elementary and middle school students from both private and public schools spent Friday morning painting the foul weather accessories in Cambier Park. In shades of red, yellow, green and blue, students painted visions of peace on what would become their own personal tokens of shelter.

Umbrellas for Peace is an international project started by the late, famous American artist and peace activist Matt Lamb. Its an initiative that, since its inception, has been shared in more than 29 countries with more than 2 million individuals most of them children. But to truly understand what this project is about, you have to understand its history.

In the months following September 11, 2001, as a nation geared up for war, Lamb geared up for peace. Unlike what our military was reaching for, Lambs weapons were simple: paint, paintbrushes, umbrellas and a message of shelter for all. Asked by Congress to create a project that would assuage the pain of children that lost parents in the attack on the Pentagon, Lamb created Umbrellas for Peace.

You can be Christian, Jewish, Muslim or atheist; white, black or purple, the umbrella doesnt care. The umbrella will shelter anyone who stands underneath it, said Lamb from a video broadcast at Fridays event. Sadly, Lamb passed away just a few weeks ago, but his voice from the DVD recording was loud and clear: peace matters, and teaching peace is important.

The event was sponsored by Jo-Gi Gallery, and gallery owner Jo-Gi was thrilled to finally have Lambs project here locally.

Ive been working on bringing the Umbrella project since last June, so Im very excited that its all come together, she said, adding, Its actually the first time its come to Florida!

And while Jo-Gi expressed remorse that Lamb couldnt be there in person to witness the Naples youngsters going to town with their designs, she was glad to have Lambs granddaughter, Rose Gabler, in attendance.

Ive worked with my grandpa on these events since I was 14, and its become my life. I want to continue spreading his message of peace, said Gabler.

Here is the original post:
Give me shelter