Old Town is a fine dining choice for a business lunch unless you’re running late to an appointment as I was today.
There are a couple of tricks for scoring rock star parking, though. I hesitate to share these, of course, because they are guaranteed spaces that work pretty well for me several times a week. But consider this a little thank you for being an early blog devotee.
First, if you’re heading to Caffe Moderne or Oeno, turn in the alley just to the right of the Courtyard by Marriott. There are several legal parking spaces just north of Moderne in the alley. (However, a word to the ladies: If you’re wearing heels, the cobblestone is no fun to walk on. Still, it’s a shorter route than the parking garage.)
The other tip is the supposed “5-minute parking” in front of the former Best Cleaners space (Between Uptown Bistro and Sabor). Best is gone, but the reserved parking isn’t. So you might take advantage of it while you can. Unless, that is, I beat you to it.
Many low and middle incomes have been stagnant for a decade and now prices are rising, but there’s another reason why people are anxious these days: family incomes are more volatile than a generation ago, although down from the early 90s, according to a new report by the Economic Policy Institute. That means average families often see their savings stripped away during bad times. This is the flip side of this country’s much-praised labor “flexibility” where companies are able to shed workers whenever they feel their costs have climbed too high.
The news Tuesday that Airbus is expected to receive $18.2 billion from European governments to help develop the A350 should bring another round of protests from those opposed to Airbus winning the tanker contract. Government subsidies were one of the arguments used by Boeing supporters when EADS, the parent of Airbus, and Northrop-Grumman were awarded the tanker contract. They argued that Boeing is at a disadvantage because Airbus is subsidized by European governments. EADS CEO Louis Gallois (a name that just rolls off the tongue) argues, of course, that Boeing also is subsidized, mentioning specifically money the company receives from the state of Kansas.
By the way, the GAO is expected to release its decision on Boeing’s protest over the contract by the middle of June. No matter how the GAO rules, this issue is a long way from over.
The propaganda battle continues over gasoline prices, this time on the worldwide level.
An interesting piece by Sky News reveals something we hear very little about in America: OPEC’s discomfort with the current price of a barrel of oil. It’s a report that only oil speculators would find objectionable.
From the other side of the fence comes this Slate piece by Robert Bryce which offers up the uncomfortable notion that $4 a gallon isn’t enough for gasoline. In the spirit of full disclosure, though, it should be noted that Bryce is the managing editor of Energy Tribune, which includes helping “you make money in the energy business” among its stated missions on its Web site.
It’s no doubt accurate to assume that since the industry’s got its hands wrist-deep in our pockets, it’s not going to be easy to get those hands out – back to those fond days when gas was, say, $2.50 a gallon.
But for the short term, is Sky or Bryce correct?
After an extended layoff, Coffee Break is back in business. Here’s today’s dose of business stories from across the land.
- Bombardier is hiring 500 engineers in Montreal for three projects, including the Learjet 85.
- Anyone wanna go to DineEquity for lunch? OK, it’s not the name of a restaurant; it’s the new corporate name for the company that owns IHOP and Overland Park-based Applebee’s. Let’s hope the food is better than the name.
- Continuing with the restaurant theme, it’s always intrigued me, for some odd reason, that White Castle was founded in Wichita. In honor of its 87th year in business, White Castle rolled back prices to 27 cents for 87 minutes yesterday. When the first White Castle opened here in 1921, they cost a nickel. If you’re dying for a White Castle, it looks like the closest one is in the St. Louis area.