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US Post Office In Blacksburg, Virginia

U.S. Postal Service Letter Delivery Drops 50 Percent in Past Decade

United States Postal Service First Class mail, long recognized for speed and reliability considering the cost of a stamp, may slow due to cost-saving measures that may be put into place. The postal service has experienced fast decline in First Class mail due to the Internet, as more people use email and online bill pay instead. In the last five years, for example, First Class mail volume has dropped 25 percent, and single piece first class mail -- letters and such sent with a stamp -- has decli....

Startup America Program Moving Too Slowly

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks at the Winning the Future Forum on Small Business at Cleveland State University in Ohio
Last winter, President Barack Obama, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and a small posse of White House officials made a big show as they swept through Northeast Ohio to kick off their Startup America initiative that promised to help seed new ventures and create jobs. Eight months later, Ray Leach is still waiting.
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US Supports Solar Despite Solyndra Bankruptcy -DOE

The Obama Administration has no intention of walking away from investing in renewable energy projects despite the bankruptcy of a high-profile solar panel maker backed by federal loan guarantees, a top U.S. Energy Department official said on Wednesday.
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Sempra Energy Realigns Units, Names Key Officials

Sempra Energy said it will group its power generation, pipelines, storage and LNG businesses into two new operating units, Sempra International and Sempra U.S. Gas & Power to realign operations.
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FACTBOX-Companies with Conditional DOE Loan Guarantee Offers

The U.S. Department of Energy's loan program for innovative technologies was created under the Bush Administration in 2005, but the first loan guarantee wasn't extended until four years later when the loan office received funding under the federal economic stimulus.
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IFR-Redwood Trust Set to Launch US$375m Private RMBS

Redwood Trust, a California-based REIT, is about to launch its second private-label RMBS of the year, a US$375.2m prime-mortgage offering called Sequoia Mortgage Trust 2011-2 (SEMT 2011-2), according to a presale report released on Wednesday by Fitch Ratings.
Apple Dominance Questioned: Microsoft Open New Front in Anti-iPad Campaign

Windows 8 Heralds Era of Microsoft Tablet

Apple opened up what it called the post-PC era with the iPad and iPad 2, pressuring the PC-dependent Microsoft, but industry watchers believe Windows 8 may not only keep the company relevant, but may propel it into a tablet leader.
ABS Rolls Out IT Upgrades, Mulls on Future Tablet Use for Office Tasks

Survey: RIM PlayBook Can't Compete With Apple iPad

The survey conducted by Bloomberg suggests RIM may have shipped just one PlayBook last quarter for ever 19 iPads shipped by Apple. RIM announces earnings on Thursday, and Bloomberg's survey of analysts suggests they don't expect good news from the Canadian-based company.
Flag hangs on the wall of the JP Morgan company stall on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York

Weak Capital Markets Being Felt by JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. expects capital markets activity, both debt and equity, to decline by 30 percent and investment banking fees to decline to $1 billion in third quarter of 2011 from $1.9 billion last quarter.
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Target Missoni Collection: Many Items Available at Target.com

Missoni is a hot Italian designer. Target is a discount retailer. The combination proved powerful Tuesday, as the much-hyped Missoni for Target Collection launched, crashing the company's Web site and selling out merchandise from most stores. But on Wednesday, despite a few fits and starts, target.com is working, and the company has many Missoni for Target items in stock for customers to buy.
Google wins

Google.com/flights Launches

Google watchers knew the company was going to launch its new Google Flights Web site sooner than later, considering the company acquired ITA software last year, and now it is reality, as Internet searchers can search flights based on cost and travel time. Google Flight Search launched Tuesday. Users can find it google.com/flights. The online flight service has similarities to services offered by Priceline, Expedia, and Orbitz, though some experts suggest Google's may be seconds faster in down...
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SEC Examines Rules on Raising Private Capital

The top U.S. securities regulator has formed an advisory panel of fast-growing companies and venture capital funds as it reviews whether it needs to update rules on how private companies can access public investors.
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Oaktree Offers $670 Million for Jakks, Says May Go Hostile

Oaktree Capital Management Funds sent a letter to Jakks Pacific (JAKK.O) on Tuesday, outlining its intention to buy the toymaker and take it private in a $670 million deal, after repeated rebuffs from the company since the offer was made in March.
Col. Belote and Vander Leest walk through array of solar photovoltaic panels at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas

SunPower Looking at Downstream Acquisitions

U.S. solar company SunPower Corp (SPWRA.O) is actively looking at acquisitions that would complement its residential and commercial project businesses, Chief Executive Tom Werner said on Tuesday.
General view of a the logo outside a branch of French bank Societe Generale in Paris

Moody's Cuts French Banks' Ratings as Euro Crisis Deepens

Moody's Investors Service cut the credit ratings of France's Credit Agricole SA and Societe Generale on Wednesday, citing their exposure to Greece's debt, a fresh blow to euro area leaders struggling to restore confidence in the region.

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