| Soros Underwrites Osama's Talking Points
The authors ignore contrary evidence, cherry-pick and manipulate supporting evidence and evade inconvenient questions. They published a sampling methodology that can overestimate deaths by a wide margin but respond to criticism by claiming that they did not actually follow the procedures that they stated. Other responsible experts have questioned whether the team interviewed as many Iraqis as it claimed. In the year following his study, civilian deaths have yet to approach Roberts estimate. FoxNews notes, New research published by The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that 151,000 people less than a quarter of The Lancet estimate have died since the invasion in 2003. (Roberts called the NEJM a very prestigious journal in his Socialist Worker interview.) The Iraq Body Count estimates the toll at roughly one-eighth of Roberts figures, or 80,585-88,004 as of this writing.
HBM BioVentures: CHF150 Million Share Placement If Sufficient Demand
The subscription rights will be booked to shareholders via their custodian bank on 29 January 2008. Subject to any restrictive legal provisions for certain non-Swiss shareholders, these subscription rights may be exercised from 30 January 2008 to noon on 11 February 2008. Each shareholder may place any additional orders to subscribe for shares via their bank. The transaction is being handled by a syndicate led by UBS Investment Bank (UBS), as sole global coordinator and sole bookrunner, and comprises in addition Merrill Lynch International (MER), Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. and Sarasin & Cie. Ltd (BSAN.EB) / Neue Zuercher Bank, as co-lead managers. The transaction is being structured as a public offering in Switzerland, Germany, France and Liechtenstein, and as a private placement to institutional investors in other countries subject to applicable law.
Shanghai subway construction hits "extreme level"
BEIJING, Jan. 28 -- Shanghai mayor Han Zheng has expressed concern over the safety of expanding the city's subway, amid calls for a larger network and following the latest snag on one of its lines. Han said over the weekend that the construction and operation of Shanghai's subway system are reaching "an extreme level", with seven lines, either being started or extended, scheduled to take place this year. A total of 116 subway stations along these lines are also being built, which will affect transportation on more than 1,000 roads, "As a result, the city's traffic will face tough times," Han said. The mayor said he has received numerous requests for a larger subway network, from delegates at the ongoing meetings of the Shanghai municipal people's congress and the Shanghai municipal committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
WaMu to stress retail banking
When it comes to Washington Mutual Inc., most of the attention has been focused on the headache-generating home-loan side of the business. But there's at least one segment of WaMu that is growing: retail banking. As important as retail banking has been in carrying WaMu through the current mortgage-market predicament, even more reliance will be placed upon it in 2008. Not only is Washington Mutual investing more capital in the business -- to the tune of 100 to 150 branches opening this year, ahead of last year's pace of 78 -- but retail banking will get greater emphasis as a channel for generating mortgage business and credit-card accounts. That expansion comes as both the banking industry in general and WaMu in particular rethink the role of the branch in their business and the strategy for designing, locating and building them.
Getting to know your customers
The same way the engineers sort out how much power is required from turbines to keep improbably heavy airplanes in the sky. They take their best shot, using sophisticated models. And then they double it. At least. Just to be sure. Many jet engines are so powerful they could propel a square block off a runway. Imagine you are trying to project demand for your product or service, during your busy season. Would you rather carry some excess inventory or stock out? If you are projecting your cash needs in advance of a fundraising round, would you rather ask for too much or too little? When planning a business trip, do you expect the customs agents and baggage handlers and pilots and meteorologists to stick to your itinerary, or not. The concept of lean has gone too far. Which leads to 3.
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