Chrysler offers revival plan but skeptics remain | Reuters

turnaround plan hinges on a range of upbeat assumptions: Chrysler will have to recover market share lost as it slid toward bankruptcy, the U.S. market needs to stage a gradual recovery and Fiat will need to find new overseas markets for Chrysler models led by its Jeep brand.

Chrysler would break even on an operating basis in 2010 and on a net basis by 2011. He said the automaker had built up its cash since it emerged from a fast-track bankruptcy

Marchionne also steered clear of a key question for Chrysler's workers: he did not say where it will build the new models now on the drawing board,

By 2014, he said half of Chrysler's cars would be built on platforms developed by Fiat and 40 percent would have engines supplied by the Italian automaker.

Click on the following for more details:  Chrysler offers revival plan but skeptics remain | Reuters

Kraft faces tougher Cadbury pitch, bid seen Monday

With fall in Kraft stock price a higher offer may be necessary to gain approval.

Kraft made a cash-and-shares offer in early September that was rejected by Cadbury.

Kraft faces tougher Cadbury pitch, bid seen Monday | Deals | Reuters

Marginal success for 'Clunker' program

There are many figures here—something for lovers and haters of the plan.

new data, obtained by the AP under the Freedom of Information Act, include details of 677,081 clunker trade-ins processed by the government through Oct. 16

The data show the average fuel economy was 15.8 mpg for the old vehicles and 24.9 for the new ones. But plenty of consumers bought relatively low-mileage trucks and SUVs with the help of government checks.

Northwest Herald | AP analysis: Marginal success for 'Clunker' program

Kane County Sheriff's union begins negotiating to avoid layoffs

 

Faced with a layoff of up to 10 deputies, Kane County Sheriff's union employees spent much of Wednesday in meetings with county board members to negotiate a compromise that will allow Sheriff Pat Perez to make his budget in 2010.

if we accept the raise that was negotiated and alleviate our own personal budget crisis we have to watch 8-10 of our friends and co-workers at the lower ranks get sent home at Christmas time without jobs

Click on the following for the rest of the details:  Daily Herald | Kane County Sheriff's union begins negotiating to avoid layoffs

Window tint rule change good news for shops

new state law that lets Illinois motorists drive a car with more tinted windows than ever.  But the new law also specifies that rear windows may not be as darkly tinted as they have been in the past,

Dave Harris, an installer at Wizard Window Tint in Peoria, isn't sure if police officers have been updated yet about the new law on window tinting. As a precaution, he said, he plans to give customers a copy of the new law so they can show it to police in case they get pulled over. The cost of tinting windows on a car ranges from about $150 to $300,

 

Window tint rule change good news for shops - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register

China’s rise to superpower status

The graphs below says so much about the rise of an economic giant—China. 

Go to the Reuters Blog to see comments and comment:  http://blogs.reuters.com/from-reuterscom/2009/11/03/chinas-rise-to-superpower-status/

Illinois data on stimulus-related jobs saved, created don't add up

 

More than $4.7 million in federal stimulus aid so far has been funneled to schools in North Chicago, and state and federal officials say that money has saved the jobs of 473 teachers. Problem is, the district employs only 290 teachers.

compiled initially by the Illinois State Board of Education, appear riddled with anomalies that raise questions about their validity, according to a Tribune analysis

state treasury -- not students or school districts -- was the prime beneficiary of the education stimulus jackpot in Illinois. In great measure, funds simply were used to replace general aid payments already owed to local districts by the state.

Click on the following for the rest of the story:  Illinois data on stimulus-related jobs saved, created don't add up -- chicagotribune.com

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