Monthly Archives: May 2008

Coloring Pages of Ohio (free) at Homeschooling:about.com

Posted on May 24, 2008 by | Leave a comment

I just came across this family friendly post at Homeschooling @ about.com. Actually, it is a Ohio State Bird and Flower Coloring page created by Beverly Hernandez. This 8-1/2 x 11 coloring page can be downloaded to your computer and printed out. I did but I couldn’t find my crayons– bummer. Your kids will love it (maybe) and you will love the peace and quite at for a few minutes. Many more coloring pages are also available for downloading (free).

Looking over the materials available at Homeschooling @ about.com, I’m compelled to think Beverly Hernandez is simply a educational and l Continue reading →

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Ohio pharmacist patient care plan in light of national health care costs and-benefits

Posted on May 20, 2008 by | Leave a comment

In recent commentary on health care, Dr. Joseph Mercola provides some evaluative data on the bigger picture on health care benefits. For example, he quotes the Centers of Medicate & Medicaid Services (CMS) reports on the national health expenditure (NHE) as having increase 6.7% in 2006 to a total of $2.1 trillion dollars. That figure represents 16% of GDP and an average of $7,026 spent on health care is for each and every American. Out of pocket expenses paid by individuals amounted to $1.1 trillion or 54% of the total NHE. Prescription drug expenditures increased by 5.8% in the same year.

Based of CMS historical data, NHE was just $253.4 billion in 1980 or $1,100 per person, and accounted for 9.1% of GDP. Since 1960, Continue reading →

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Ohio pharmacists planning to increase cost-cutting patient care services and profits

Posted on May 19, 2008 by | Leave a comment

The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently reported on the plans of Ohio pharmacists to expand their role in patient health care. This was revealed at the May 9 Health Care Summit on Pharmacist Provided Patient Care held in Columbus. One of the speakers was Debra Parker, an assistant professor at the University of Findlay School of Pharmacy. She believes pharmacists can improve patient health care while lowering costs to insurers. During her presentation, Parker said, Continue reading →

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Ohio Before 1850 According to Morgan

Posted on May 12, 2008 by | Leave a comment

An interesting article by the above title was posted on Harold Henderson’s genealogical blog Midwestern Microhistory. This particular Harold Henderson is probably not the same one who previously pastored the First Church of the Nazarene. The author of Midwestern Microhistory was a professional journalist turned genealogist . Although pastors could also be journalists, the liberal leaning environment of journalistic sphere would discourage most men and women of the cloth. I should have wrote most ministers of a traditional theological bent would find the modern media establishment frightfully alien.

Henderson’s posting, Ohio Before 1850 According to Morgan, is about a unique database of more than 10,000 “books, pamphlets, and broadsides printed in Ohio, from the earliest in 1796 through 1850. The creative genius of this historical collection was non-other than Richard P. Morgan of Willoughby, Ohio. The index is known as the Morgan Bibliography of Ohio Imprints, which is hosted on line by the Ohio Consortium of College Libraries and the State Library of Ohio” known as OhioLINK. Continue reading →

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Amish-run reclaimed retail and expired goods stores are thriving

Posted on May 12, 2008 by | Leave a comment

The subject of a hot story put out by The Associated Press is the growing popularity of the Amish version of Family Dollar and Dollar General stores. This story was so hot it was published by newspapers, prime time news stations across the nation, by foreign news, and even by the even Forbes and Business Week.

I guess when we are all suffering an economic period of stagflation any news of cheap goods for a consuming public is a huge event indeed. A stagflation is when the paycheck remains the same while prices of goods and service continually increase. That is providing you are not among the unfortunate whose paycheck was laid off. The importance of the good news can be compared to gas prices being cut by over 50 percent. Yes, it’s true; it’s the day dream of every commuter and believer in the promise of political campaigners.

Amish-run salvage stores are a thriving discount industry tucked away in America’s farmlands. They sell all kinds of goods including food and medicine dirt-cheap. This developing rural economy is drawing a steady stream of non-Amish customers seeking relief from the effects of the current economic recession.

One question that comes to mind is whether it is legal to sell expired goods like food and medicine? Continue reading →

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Hometown Mother’s Day Weekend

Posted on May 8, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Mom — She’s there to support us, sacrifice for us, give us unconditional love and a big hug – no matter how bad we are!!! The Xenia Merchants and Midtown Merchants Associations join the Greene Co. Dailies in hosting a Hometown Mother’s Day to show our MOMS how much they mean to us on May 8, 9, and 10th. Sidewalk sales will be held by the merchants Thursday through Saturday (weather permitting). Continue reading →

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Ohio School Board Assoc Endorses Emergency Messaging System For Notifying Staff and Parents

Posted on May 8, 2008 by | 1 comment

The Ohio School Boards Association announced today its endorsement of Leader Alert, a health and safety alerting product, for the more than 700 Ohio public school districts that comprise its membership.

Leader Alert, the creation of Leader Technologies of Columbus, Ohio, makes it possible for a school to quickly and simultaneously alert thousands of parents and staff by telephone, texting, and email in case of emergencies ranging from lurking predators to snow days.

According to OSBA Deputy Executive Director Rob Delane: Continue reading →

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Gas prices expected to reach $4 by summer

Posted on May 8, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Gasoline prices could spike at $4 per gallon before summer, a top fuel market analyst says. And that may just be the beginning of super-higher prices.

If the price of oil goes above $130 per barrel, “it puts the $4 gallon apocalyptic national average squarely in the cross hairs as less of a rogue price and more of a routine number,” said Tom Kloza, senior analyst with the New Jersey-based Oil Price Information Service.

After weeks of predicting that national average prices would peak in the $3.75 range, Kloza on Wednesday conceded the $4 possibility after the benchmark price of crude oil set a record, $123.53 per barrel, on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

A year ago, oil was $61.47 per barrel, Kloza noted, meaning its price has more than doubled.

The OPIS/AAA average price in Greater Cleveland and Akron Wednesday was $3.56 to $3.59. The national average price was $3.62. Connecticut was at $3.88; California and Alaska were more than $3.90.

The jump in crude prices Wednesday occurred despite the weekly U.S. Department of Energy report showing an increase both in gasoline and oil stockpiles.

To see the whole story written by John Funk, go to The Plain Dealer Business Blog.

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Barco Sales & Profit Growth for 1st Quarter 2008

Posted on May 6, 2008 by | Leave a comment

Barco’s quarterly financial report shows growth in sales and gross profits for the first quarter in 2008 while orders, net profit, and per share earnings were down slightly. Highlights of first quarter operations in 2008 are as follows:

  • The order book at the end of March 2008 amounted to $504.2 million compared to $523 million the previous year. Order intake totaled $308.2 million, down 10.3% compared to the same period in 2007 but up 6.4% versus 4Q07.
  • Sales amounted to $257.5 million, an increase of 5.9%. At constant currencies growth was 14%.
  • Gross profit rose by 3.1% to $98.5 million from $95.6 million the previous year.
  • Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) remained flat at $10.1. The EBIT margin was 3.9% compared to 4.2% in 1Q07. Currency evolution cost Barco $5.7 million in EBIT. At constant currencies EBIT would have grown 57%.
  • Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) was $32.3 million, a margin of 12.6%. In 1Q07 EBITDA was $39.3million, a margin of 12.1%.
  • Net income was $10.3 million, down 12.8% from $11.7 million in 1Q07.
  • Net earnings per share were $0.85 compared to $0.96 for the same period the previous year.

The simulation market had a higher order intake but lower sales in 1Q08. The presentation market saw a decline in order intake but a good growth in sales. The avionics market had a very good growth in order intake and in sales. Total orders totaled $149 million.

EBIT margin was (8.2%), down from (2.5%) in 1Q07, as the gross profit was unable to offset major investments in product development for the simulation and avionics markets.

The above figures were converted from euros to current dollars.

Source: Barco Corporate Press Release, April 23,2008.

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