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Merry Christmas From Cornerstone Systems!
Because the goodwill of those we serve is the foundation of our success, it is a pleasure at this holiday time to say "Thank You" as we wish you a warm and happy holiday season.
Our entire organization joins in wishing you the blessing of hope and peace at Christmas, and every good wish for the New Year! |
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Greetings!
Industry updates are important to all of us. If you would like to receive an update on a topic not listed in this issue or receive more information on Cornerstone Systems, please contact us at 800-278-7677 or visit our website at www.cornerstone-systems.com.
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Holiday Message From Chairman / CEO Rick Rodell
 | | Cornerstone Chairman / CEO Rick Rodell |
Greetings,
It has been a very busy year for Cornerstone, and while the economy still remains in the doldrums, many of our customers are showing good signs of increased sales, plus we have been fortunate in bringing on new customers.
To all of our customers, vendors, and to all of Cornerstone's wonderful employees I want to say thanks for helping us have a great year, but more importantly I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and perhaps now more than at any other time; Peace on Earth.
We are looking forward to what 2012 will bring, and will strive to work even more closely with our customers and our vendors.
Regards,
Rick Rodell
Chairman / CEO
Rick's Corner - What's On My Mind
  
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Cornerstone Proudly Supports Local Charter School
Soulsville Foundation's Charter School Maintains High Level of Success
 | | Rick Rodell (Cornerstone Systems Chairman / CEO) and Kirk Whalum (Grammy Award Winning Artist & Soulsville Foundation CEO) |
Cornerstone Systems is proud to announce a five-year pledge of monetary support to the Soulsville Foundation, specifically targeted to support the efforts of the inner-city/Memphis Soulsville Charter School. The Charter School is one of three programs under the Soulsville Foundation umbrella. The other two are the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Stax Music Academy.
THE SOULSVILLE STORY
Founded in 2005, The Soulsville Charter School (TSCS) is a tuition-free public charter school whose mission is to prepare students for success in college and life in an academically rigorous, music-rich environment. Located in the inner-city Memphis neighborhood of Soulsville, USA, TSCS is adjacent to the site of historic Stax Records, where the Stax Museum of American Soul Music now celebrates and preserves the Stax story. TSCS began with sixty students in sixth grade in 2005 and has since grown to serve 480 students in grades six through twelve with over a third of the students living in the Soulsville community.
Their approach has proven to be successful in that each year through 2010, the school surpassed the expectations outlined by No Child Left Behind federal law, even when the Tennessee standards changed in 2009 for better alignment with college readiness. In addition, on average TSCS students have consistently outperformed their peers in other schools every year. "Every single graduating senior has gone on to college", said Rick Rodell. "If you get into this school you graduate. If you graduate you go to college. Very impressive record."
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The Soulsville Charter School - Memphis |
The Soulsville Charter School
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You Tube Video: Stax Music Academy and The Soulsville Charter School |
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Occupy Protesters Converge on West Coast Ports
Disruptions Largely Limited to Oakland and Portland
 | | Occupy Protesters - Port of Oakland. (AP Photo) |
Cargo operations at West Coast ports returned to normal after Occupy movement protests shut down operations at some terminals in Oakland and Portland Monday but largely fizzled out without disruptions at larger ports.
The Port of Oakland, the site of the largest Occupy actions on Monday, said trucks were already lining up by 5:30 a.m. local time and that cargo handlers were on hand at marine terminals to work the seven vessels at Oakland's docks. "Due to the protests during the last 24 hours, there is a heavy backlog of work to get through," the port said in a statement.
Some of the Port of Portland's terminals, one a container facility and the other a grain terminal, were shut down on Monday and the port said about 325 International Longshore and Warehouse Union workers and 200 truckers were affected, with many not able to report for work. Terminal 6 is the port's container facility, but there were no container ships in port on Monday, a spokesman said.
Although there were marches at other sites including the ports of Long Beach, Seattle, San Diego and Port Metro Vancouver in British Columbia, police dispersed the protesters without many incidents or arrests and terminals saw few if any disruptions. There appeared to be no significant protests at the Port of Los Angeles, North America's largest container port.
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Transportation Industry News
Port Tracker Forecasts 0.3% Increase in Imports, Truckload Driver Turnover Rate Hits 89 Percent, Jaxport Gets $10 Million for Intermodal Rail Facility, CP Aims to Run 11% Longer Trains by 2013, NTSB Wants Ban on All Phone/Text While Driving
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Industry News |
The Global Port Tracker retail shipping industry report forecast a 0.3 percent increase in December container imports through major U.S. ports and raised its outlook for the first three months of 2012. The latest Port Tracker, produced by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates, followed two straight months of reduced forecasts. "The uptick we're expecting for December isn't large at all but it comes after several months where retailers had reduced their imports from last year, so it's a positive sign by comparison," Jonathan Gold, NRF vice president for supply chain and customs policy. "Retailers are placing a cautious bet that consumer demand is increasing."
The driver turnover rate at large truckload carriers rose to 89 percent in the third quarter, as trucking companies struggled to hire and retain experienced drivers.
The driver turnover rate increased from 79 percent in the second quarter, hitting its highest point since early 2008, the American Trucking Associations said Monday. The turnover rate at small truckload carriers jumped 10 points to 57 percent, the highest level for those companies since the third quarter of 2008, the ATA said. The rapid increase in driver turnover and associated driver recruitment costs are considered likely to push up driver pay and truckload rates in 2012. Higher driver turnover forces trucking companies to spend more on hiring and recruiting. Costs reportedly can range from $3,000 to $8,000 per new driver. "Due to the economic recovery, as well as regulatory factors like CSA, we are seeing the market for good, quality drivers tighten," ATA Economist Bob Costello said.
The Jacksonville Port Authority received $10 million of the $25 million in federal funding it requested to build an intermodal rail terminal.
The port needs roughly $45 million to build the intermodal terminal, which would serve a container terminal operated by TraPac, an MOL subsidiary, and support Hanjin's facility, which Jaxport hopes to open by late 2018. The grant is part of the latest round of funding through the Department of Transportation's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery program. CSX Transportation, which helped sponsor the grant application, isn't expected to give its top rival, Norfolk Southern, access to the facility. This may reduce the Asian terminals' attractiveness to shippers, but NS said it would keep its drayage rates competitive.
Canadian Pacific Railway aims to be able to run 11 percent longer trains by 2013 through new and expanded siding in "several key regions", giving shippers more flexibility. The Calgary, Alberta-based railroad said longer trains will reduce fuel consumption, capital maintenance and labor costs, while improving safety and efficiency. CP currently operates intermodal trains up to 12,000 feet, a 40 percent increase since 2008.
U.S. drivers would not be able to send text messages or use mobile phones - even with headsets or speakers - under a recommendation Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board aimed at preventing distracted-driving crashes, Bloomberg reported. "Too many people are texting, talking and driving at the same time," NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman said at a hearing in Washington. "It's time to put a stop to distraction. No call, no text, no update is worth a human life," she said, Bloomberg reported. Systems built into cars, like General Motors Co.'s OnStar, and global positioning systems would not be affected by the ban, an NTSB spokeswoman said.
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Fuel Prices
The Energy Information Administration reports U.S. On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices (dollars per gallon) every week.
12/12/11 Date Released
3.894 Average Retail Price
-0.037 (Down) Change From Week Ago
0.663 (Up) Change From Year Ago
 ** Diesel prices across the U.S. dropped 3.7 cents in the week ending December 12, falling for the third week straight and hitting a six-week low. Prices fell across the country, with the Midwest seeing the sharpest decrease, down 5.9 cents to $3.848 a gallon. Prices in the East Coast's New England and Central Atlantic regions, along with California, saw gas stay at $4 a gallon or above.
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