Archive for March 30th, 2011
30
Mar
11
oh, nearly forgot….
A new poll out tonight - you probably won’t see it mentioned in the media. 53%? 11 points higher than Quinnipiac! (But close to recent polls by CBS, CNN, Fox (!), ABC, Bloomberg and Reuters). Despite gas prices and worries over Libya?!
Note the ‘strongly disapprove’ figure (29%) - the same as it’s always been for President Obama, even on his first day in office. Funny, it’s close to the ‘strongly approve’ figure the Tea Party usually gets. Just saying’.
;-)
Bloomberg: Optimism among U.S. chief executive officers surpassed the highest level reached before the recession as more business leaders projected increased sales, investment and hiring, a survey showed.
The Business Roundtable’s economic outlook index increased to 113 in the first quarter, the highest point since records began in 2002 … Readings greater than 50 coincide with an economic expansion. The previous peak was 104 in the first three months of 2005.
“Companies have given strong signals about their willingness to expand,” said Ivan Seidenberg, chairman of the Business Roundtable. “As we keep a steady flow of capital investment, we’ll certainly see sales forecasts go up, and as we do that we’ll start to see hiring.”
None of the 142 CEOs surveyed said they expected a decline in sales in the next six months, and 92 percent projected an increase, paving the way for more hiring and investment in equipment. A gain in capital spending plans points to further strength in manufacturing, the industry that’s propelled the economic expansion.
…Fifty-two percent of CEOs said they will add to payrolls, up from 45 percent in the fourth quarter and the largest share on record. Some 62 percent said they plan to spend more on equipment, up from 59 percent.
The business leaders’ forecast supports March employment data. Companies in the U.S. added 201,000 workers this month after a revised 208,000 gain in February…
30
Mar
11
wonderful women
First lady Michelle Obama hosts a mentoring event to celebrate Women’s History Month in the East Room at the White House, March 30
Grammy Award winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari
Actress and comedienne Ali Wentworth
NASA Astronaut Ellen Ochoa, Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes and actress Rashida Jones
Former basketball player Lisa Leslie
Actress Hilary Swank poses for a photo with a student
Kerry Washington
Recording artist Ledisi
Actresses Geena Davis, Hilary Swank and Vanessa Minnillo
Nancy Brinker, founder and chief executive of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and actress Tracee Ellis Ross
Actress Anna Deavere Smith
White House.gov
