BizNorthBlog

A Big Mac by another name?

biznorthblog — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:44:38 +0000

This fun WSJ video explores the new baguette-based burger launched by McDonald’s in French markets. It makes perfect business sense to us here at BusinessNorth that if you just slap a Big Mac on a bagette, Parisians will immediately recognize it as food. On the upside, it’s probably not going to be as costly as that other great American/French venture – Euro Disney.

http://online.wsj.com/video/mcdonald-adopts-a-thicker-french-accent/6BDD8BB1-4C1A-4554-916F-640D2A99A012.html?mod=e2tw

Crystal Sugar saga continues

biznorthblog — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:35:26 +0000

This story is just a bit out of our region, but has interesting implications nonetheless. Moorhead-based American Crystal Sugar Company and its 1,300 unionized workers have been at war for more than six months now, with workers locked out over failed contract negotiations.

In its February edition, Twin Cities Business, summed up the story with this: “The situation epitomizes perhaps better than any other nationwide both the issue of the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, with middle-class workers kicked out by a CEO who made $2.4 million last year; and the issue of union obsolescence, where tradition and stubbornness led workers to reject a contract offer many Americans would gladly accept.”

Here’s a link to a story from TCB about a 1,000 mile tour now planned by the locked out workers: http://tcbmag.blogs.com/daily_developments/2012/02/-locked-out-american-crystal-workers-plan-1000-mile-tour.html This link also contains another link to the TCB February edition story on the matter.

Minnesota’s gaming future

biznorthblog — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:09:47 +0000

The Star Tribune posted this story on the future of Minnesota gaming this week: http://www.startribune.com/politics/statelocal/139333448.html

At issue, says reporter Jennifer Brooks, is whether the state will continue to seek gambling partnerships with Minnesota tribes, or look to compete against them. Fond-du-Luth’s legal battles weigh into this analysis.

Wisconsin Senate version of mining bill

biznorthblog — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 20:59:29 +0000

The controversial bill to streamline mining permits has been introduced into the Wisconsin Senate. It has subtle differences from the Assembly version. Click on the link below to read the entire bill.

Mining Bill-Senate version

A tale of two views (on unemployment figures)

biznorthblog — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:00:42 +0000

Bloomberg is reporting today that we can expect to see a drop in the number of Americans receiving food stamps this year. The Obama Administration says that as employment figures rise, the number of food stamp recipients will drop correspondingly – although delayed slightly from employment figures. Read more here: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-02-13/food-stamp-spending-seen-dropping-in-2013-on-u-s-jobs-outlook.html

But not everyone’s rejoicing. The Forbes column, published late last week, takes a far different view. This columnist asserts that employment numbers aren’t as rosy as the administration would have us believe: http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterferrara/2012/02/09/dont-be-fooled-the-obama-unemployment-rate-is-11/

Statistics, it would seem, are in the eye of the beholder.

Facebook or Twitter?

biznorthblog — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:59:15 +0000

The Wall Street Journal posted this short overview on the difference between Facebook and Twitter users: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204369404577211313936222798.html?mod=e2tw

The research cited suggests that Facebook users tend to be there to socialize, while Twitter users seek to distribute information. The differences in the two platform’s users might be worth keeping in mind when developing a long-term social media strategy.

Markets surge on jobs data

biznorthblog — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:30:00 +0000

January’s unemployment report beat all expectations. The stock market surged as did markets in Europe, according to this Associated Press report. http://www.startribune.com/business/138636889.html

It’s been interesting to watch the economic news these first few weeks of 2012. In December, all forecasts seem to point in the same direction – great uncertainty and thus, volatility, in the first half of the year. The reality has been quite different. Let’s hope the trend holds!

McDonalds to beef up its burgers

biznorthblog — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:24:46 +0000

McDonalds has announced it will discontinue the use of boneless lean beef trimmings (dubbed “pink slime” by celeb chef Jamie Oliver) in its hamburgers. It’s a food product banned for human consumption in the United Kingdom but here it’s perfectly legal – although not particularly appetizing.

ABC news reports that these beef trimmings are treated with ammonium hydroxide to kill bacteria thereby making them safe for human consumption – YUM!

More here on this business brief from ABC http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/02/01/mcdonalds-announces-end-to-pink-slime-in-burgers/

Facebook frenzy

biznorthblog — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:06:46 +0000

Market speculation about Facebook’s initial public offering continued today. Reuters reports the IPO at $5 billion. The speculation is buoying other social media stocks. Only time will tell if we’re headed into a new investment era or another dot.com bust. Read more about Facebook’s IPO here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/31/us-facebook-ipo-idUSTRE80U29V20120131

Magnetation eyes Superior’s Parkland site

biznorthblog — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:19:25 +0000

UPDATE: Magnetation executives confirmed that Superior, Wis. is high on the list of possibilities for its iron ore pellet processing plant. The company is eying the Parkland site and an announcement about a land deal east of the city of Superior could come as early as this week. Matthew Lehtinen, Magnetation’s president and chief operations officer, said the company is impressed by Wisconsin’s “open business climate.” CEO Larry Lehtinen indicated to BusinessNorth via email that fast permitting may put Superior as well as Indiana and Illinois at a distinct advantage over a possible Iron Range site in Itasca County, Minn. Company executives plan to start permitting more than one site within the next three months. Magnetation currently has headquarters in Grand Rapids and mining operations in western Itasca County.

But, a final deal has not yet been inked. Larry Lehtinen said: ” (We) want to reiterate and emphasize that we have not selected a site, Parkland is but one of four sites we are considering. (The) Itasca (County, Minn.) site is still very much under consideration and we remain in dialogue with State of MN leaders on the matter.”

Looks like the ball is in Minnesota’s court.