Daily Archives: October 26, 2011

Action, Retirement, Union, UPS

Money, Money, Money


UPS 3Q Profit Rises 5 Percent, Keeps Year View





By SAMANTHA BOMKAMP AP Transportation Writer

NEW YORK October 25, 2011 (AP)
     UPS says the global economy is leveling off, as growth in Europe and some U.S. units make up for sluggishness in the once-hot market for Asian imports.
     The world’s largest package delivery company said Tuesday that improvement in its supply chain and freight business in the U.S. helped it report a 5 percent improvement in third-quarter earnings. It also maintained its earnings forecast for the full year, which bakes in an expectation that the U.S. economy will continue to grow at a very slow pace.
     UPS still expects to earn between $4.15 and $4.40 per share this year. Analysts polled by FactSet Research currently predict $4.23 per share.
     In the three months ended Sept. 30, the Atlanta company earned $1.04 billion, or $1.06 per share, compared with $991 million, or 99 cents per share, a year earlier.
     Revenue rose 8 percent to $13.17 billion. Sales in its freight unit — which hauls heavier items like refrigerators and other appliances — rose 5 percent. U.S. domestic package revenue was up 7 percent. Despite a slowdown in shipments of iPods, computers and other expensive gadgets from China, international package revenue still rose 14 percent. Strength in Europe, despite continued debt worries there, held up UPS’ international unit.



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AP


 



     The most dramatic slowdown in UPS’ business from last year was in shipments from China to the U.S. Americans pulled back on spending this summer amid debt talk uncertainty in Washington and growing fears of another recession. UPS said volume fell between Asia and U.S. in the third quarter; a year ago, it leaped by 47 percent.
     To counteract the slowdown there, UPS is using fewer planes to cut costs. But in a conference call with analysts, UPS Chief Financial Officer Kurt Kuehn said the cuts weren’t enough to account for the steep decline in demand. If American consumers pull back further, the company said it will make more adjustments, mostly by redeploying planes to parts of the world where business is better.
     Higher prices and fuel surcharges helped drive results in the third quarter. Operating profit in its international segment fell 2.4 percent. Operating profit also fell at the company’s core U.S. package business, but rose 10 percent for supply chain and freight. The supply chain unit provides a number of services for companies including help with warehouse and shipping efficiency. It’s growing as more companies look for ways to reduce costs.
     United Parcel Service Inc. made more money from its fuel surcharge plan in the quarter as oil prices fell rapidly. In times when prices are falling quickly, UPS — which charges customers a surcharge based on the price of oil — benefits because the charge lags actual prices by about two months.
     UPS shares fell $1.52, or 2.1 percent, to close at $69.35 Tuesday.

Action, Union

Makes Sense to Me


Warren Buffett – How to Fix Congress


Posted on October 16, 2011 by Regis Tremblay


Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best
quotes about the debt ceiling:
     “I could end the deficit in 5 minutes,” he told CNBC. “You just pass a law
that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all
sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election
     The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only
3 months &8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That
was in 1971…before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.
     Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less
to become the law of the land…all because of public pressure.
     Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum
of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do
likewise.
     In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the
message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
     Congressional Reform Act of 2011
     1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when
they are out of office.
     2. Congress (past, present &future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.
     3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.
     4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
     5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.
     6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.
     7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen.
Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress
is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen
legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to
work.
     If each person contacts a minimum of twenty people then it will only take
three days for most people (in the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it
is time.
     THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!