Monday, October 27, 2008

In this issue……………….

 

TOMORROW !!!

In Deep Water- October 28, Register now for panel sessions, keynote luncheon and one-on-one meetings with procurement officers.

To register online click here or for questions please contact Marina Foglia at 305-577-5464 | mfoglia@miamichamber.com.

November Trustee Luncheon

To register online click here. 72-hour cancellation notice is required in writing for refund.

Contact: Special Events 305-577-5421 | spevents@miamichamber.com

Setting Southeast Florida's Workforce Housing Agenda -- the Business Community's Perspective

For more information contact Marina Foglia at 305-577-5464 or mfoglia@miamichamber.com.

Register Online

 

LOCAL______________________________________________________________

At the Blue Man Group's exhibit, go ahead, make noise!

A Blue Man Group interactive exhibit at the Miami Children's Museum provides a subliminal experience about sound. In other words kids, go and make a racket.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/742801.html

5 questions with Richard Rosan

The head of the Urban Land Institute talks about global warming, sprawl and traffic. Plus: the silver lining of Miami's condo glut.

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/740707.html

Royal Caribbean to eliminate fuel surcharge

The Miami-based cruise company said Friday that the supplement will no longer apply to new Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara Cruises bookings made on or after Nov. 10, for cruises that leave on or after Jan. 1, 2010.

http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/10/20/daily53.html?surround=lfn&brthrs=1

Alleged Fort Lauderdale ticket and arrest quotas probed

A veteran Fort Lauderale patrolman says he was penalized for not issuing enough tickets and marking enough arrests.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/742837.html

Hindus celebrate the past, pray for the future

Suresh Sheth, who runs an Indian grocery store in Kendall, has experienced lower-than-usual sales these days like any other business. But this week, he's ready for an onslaught of customers.

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/story/741840.html

 

NATURAL RESOURCES_____________________________________________________

Top 10 Ways to Green Your Halloween

What's scarier than a toddler with a sugar high? How about the amount of waste that is produced during the holiday season? According to the National Retail Federation's Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more consumers plan to celebrate the holiday this year than last (64.5% vs. 58.7%). But celebrating Halloween doesn't have to break the bank or trash the planet.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/green/sns-green-halloween-ny,0,7383128.story

Green, tech investors have a lot in common

Some of the biggest backers of today's green entrepreneurs are also some of the biggest backers of yesterday's and today's high-tech firms. That fact doesn't mean every cleantech play will be successful. In fact, plenty will fail. But it does mean the people involved in green business know plenty about creating world-changing companies.

http://sustainable.bizjournals.com/green/Green_tech_investors_have_a_lot_in_common.html

Europe Forcing Airlines to Buy Emissions Permits

European Union governments gave formal approval Friday to a potentially costly system of capping greenhouse gases from any airline flying into or out of the trade bloc — just as the airline industry reported new evidence of the impact of a worsening economy. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/business/worldbusiness/25emissions.html?_r=1&ref=earth&oref=slogin

STATE__________________________________________________________________

Florida's 109 specialty license plates raise money, awareness

For Beverly Kohn, the specialty Florida license tag showing a pink ribbon and the message "End Breast Cancer" on the back of her Honda Accord is a way for her to help raise awareness about a disease that has attacked her body three times since 1985.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flhlpspecialty27xsboct27,0,7447404.story

Florida counties split over voter verification

Though Florida's ID screening process targets a small percentage of voters, it has triggered a major political dispute and has divided counties.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/741884.html

 

HOUSING_________________________________________________________________

Affordable loans still vital part of recovery

While the federal government is making gigantic efforts to keep credit flowing to Wall Street, we'd better make sure we don't shut off access to mortgage money for those who live on Main Street.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/sfl-flzcolor1027sboct27,0,7842660.story

Victims of fraud pursue contractors

Few things anger homeowners more than contractors who take them for thousands of dollars and mess up the work.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/article873124.ece

Prices Decline but New-Home Sales Rose Last Month

Sales of new homes recorded an unexpected increase in September as median home prices dropped to the lowest level in four years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/28/business/economy/28econ.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin

 

ELECTIONS__________________________________________________________________

Tough transition for new president

President-elect will have to assemble economic team quickly to tackle weakening economy and bank bailout on Jan. 20

http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/24/news/economy/transition/index.htm

Biden to campaign in Florida through Wednesday

With Florida gleaming as the grand prize of the 2008 campaign, Democratic vice presidential contender Joe Biden will hunker down in the state for three of the last nine days of the race, beginning Monday.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/743077.html

In Florida, Palin draws cheers bashing critics

GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin rallied supporters with a well-known talk show host at her side in Central Florida.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/742836.html

Florida Republicans expected to keep hold on state Legislature

Democrats have been out of power in the Florida Legislature for more than a decade.

But despite a widely anticipated banner year for Democrats across the nation, don't expect their back-row status in the state capital to change any time soon.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/legislature/sfl flfrepublicans1027pnoct27,0,3104735.story

FEDERAL__________________________________________________________________

DHS to Take Over Airline-Passenger ID Screening

The Department of Homeland Security will take over responsibility for checking airline passenger names against government watch lists beginning in January, and will require travelers to provide their full name, birth date and gender. Security officials say the procedures will dramatically cut down on cases in which people with names similar to those on watch lists are wrongly barred or delayed from flights.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102202646.html

Bush administration has housed many homeless

The "housing first" strategy gets much of the credit for a 30 percent decline in U.S. chronic homelessness from 2005 to 2007. The number fell from 176,000 to 124,000 people, according to the best available census of street people.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/244/story/54475.html

Justice Department to probe possible foreclosure scams

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is gearing up to probe potential scams targeting distressed San Joaquin Valley homeowners.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/washington/

14 Additional Banks Plan to Seek U.S. Aid

Fourteen more banks have signed up for the government’s offer of a cash injection, in addition to the nine that joined the program initially. The injections are a bid to revive the sector, which has suffered since lending has dried up and many loans have gone bad.

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/valley-national-bancorp/index.html?inline=nyt-org

Citadel Projects Calm; Call to Merge the Regulators

Citadel, the hedge fund in Chicago run by the wunderkind Kenneth C. Griffin, has found just how hard it is to calm investors during these troubled times.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/business/27views_ready.html?ref=business

Women outpace men in education

Deep into 2008, women still earn far less than men, only 16 of 100 U.S. senators are women, and a mere 13 Fortune 500 CEOs are women. On the surface, it's still a man's world, baby.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/article873217.ece

 

TRADE__________________________________________________________________

Worlds apart on global trade

'Stark distinction' on accords

No economic issue presents a sharper contrast between the two U.S. presidential candidates than international trade.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/oct/26/worlds-apart-on-global-trade/

Poorest countries must improve trade capacity: WTO

GENEVA (Reuters) - The world's poorest countries need to get more competitive at producing and exporting goods in order to take advantage of preferential access offered by rich countries, an internal WTO report says.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE49N71220081024

COMMENTARY______________________________________________________________

Don't Close The Door On Free Trade

In the midst of the financial crisis, another threat is nipping at the global economy's heels: the re-emergence of protectionism.

http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/23/ups-trade-globalization-oped-cx_db_1024brutto.html

IMMIGRATION________________________________________________________________

Chertoff to pursue changes in hiring rules

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday he'll try again to overcome a judge's objections to a proposal to force employers to get rid of workers whose Social Security numbers don't match their names.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hzL-ASFxjR20pWf0gOFzAskH0bCgD940DUTG0

Illegal Immigration Costs Georgia $1.6 Billion Annually, Finds New Report by FAIR

A new report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) demonstrates why Georgia has taken a lead in adopting state-based policies to control the costs of illegal immigration.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/illegal-immigration-costs-georgia-16/story.aspx?guid=%7B7BE91685-08C8-4040-8CF3-AA842589D49F%7D&dist=hppr

As US economy sours, some migrants return south

After struggling just to pay his $300 monthly rent and send money to his wife and two children back in Honduras, Dionisio Urbina has given up. The day laborer is saving for a one-way plane ticket home.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ipay5sO8p65XMvl2tGJ1gGDDVklwD941216G3

BUSINESS___________________________________________________________________________

Nine banks in Miami-Dade and Broward counties earn top ratings

Those three South Florida banks and six others in Broward and Miami-Dade have garnered BauerFinancial's most recent quarterly five-star -- or superior -- rating.

http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/740741.html

Stocks can't shake the blues

Wall Street gives up comeback attempt as global slowdown woes dominate, capping a dismal week.

http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/24/markets/markets_newyork/index.htm

Stocks head for sharply lower open as yen surges

U.S. stocks headed for yet another sharply lower open Monday as stock markets tumbled further around the world on worries about the health of the global economy. U.S. stock futures fell but came well off their worst levels. Dow Jones industrial average futures fell 145, or 1.8 percent, to 8,116, after being down more than 200.

http://www.miamiherald.com/135/story/743055.html

Labor shortage cresting on the high seas

Around the globe there are not enough qualified workers to man superyachts, which are generally defined as those longer than 100 feet. A labor shortage already exists, and megaships continue to be built faster than they can be staffed. International Yacht Training, which charges $3,300 for a two-week course, is one of several schools in Fort Lauderdale trying to meet the labor need.

http://www.miamiherald.com/602/story/740708.html

 

INTERNATIONAL_______________________________________________________________________

Americas Linkage Conference

The Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce will host its second annual Americas Linkage Conference November 20-21. The conference will provide opportunities for businesses to share best practices in international business and provide the opportunity to meet Latin American and Caribbean businesses interested in doing business in Florida. Network with business leaders from around the globe; take part in seminars and events, and attend the International Business Leadership Awards, one of the most prestigious events for the international community of South Florida. Contact: Liane Ventura, 305-577-5445 | lventura@miamichamber.com

Second Annual International Business Leadership Awards

November 20, at noon at the Hilton Miami Downtown awards will be presented to companies that engage in international business or activities that support international business development in Florida. Cost to attend the luncheon for Chamber members is $55 before October 31. Tables of 10 are also available for purchase. A mojito networking reception precedes the luncheon. Contact Juan P. Gonzalez, 305-577-5477 | jgonzalez@miamichamber.com.

Global Financial Troubles Reaching Into Gulf States

The global financial crisis extended its reach into the Persian Gulf states on Sunday, as Kuwait suspended trading in shares of a major bank and the Saudi authorities announced a plan to help citizens receive credit.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/business/economy/27gulf.html?ref=business

Summit leaders: Global teamwork needed to fight crunch

The ASEM meeting brought together the leaders of 43 Asian and European nations, along with the heads of the European Commission and ASEAN, a group of southeastern Asian nations.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/10/25/asia.europe/index.html

Palestinian-Iraqi refugees find hope, home in Chile

Almost two dozen Palestinians, who lived in Iraq until Saddam Hussein was, toppled are adjusting to a new life in Chile.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/743155.html

9/11 kin to watch trial at Guantánamo

Five relatives of Sept. 11 victims will be able to attend a hearing for an alleged al Qaeda kingpin in December.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/742841.html

 

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The content of this publication, including links, news, quotes, data and other information, is provided by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Advocacy Group for informational purposes only. Neither the Chamber nor its staff is responsible for any errors or omissions. Although all efforts to obtain reliable content from third parties have been taken, the Chamber does not guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.

 

For more information, please contact:

Alice Ancona–Vice President, Advocacy

aancona@miamichamber.com

Tel. 305.577.5471

Marina Foglia - Manager, Advocacy

mfoglia@miamichamber.com

Tel: 305-577-5464

Barbara Pierra – Manager, Advocacy

bpierra@miamichamber.com

Tel. 305-577-5466

 

GREATER MIAMI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

1601 Biscayne Boulevard • Miami, FL 33132-1260 • (305) 350-7700 • Fax (305) 374-6902

www.miamichamber.com