| In its first five years, Fox Cities PAC plays starring role
On a cool autumn night two weeks ago, the loading dock at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center buzzed with activity. Workers unloaded tractor-trailers filled with Christmas trees, brightly wrapped presents, backdrops and other props. By Tuesday morning, the PAC was undergoing a transformation. Just in time for an opening night production of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," the center became a winter wonderland. "It's beautiful, really, really beautiful," said Brian D. Frey, general manager of the Atlanta-based Theater of the Stars, the producer of "White Christmas," as he surveyed the theater for the first time. By all accounts, the dramatic way in which the PAC has changed Appleton and the Fox Cities since opening five years ago this weekend with a performance by Tony Bennett has itself been an unlikely and swift transformation.
Business events calendar
Thursday ORMOND BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ribbon-cutting ceremony, 4:30 p.m., Tradewinds Grille, 1425 Hand Ave., suite N., Ormond Beach. Information: (386) 677-3454. Friday PORT ORANGE/SOUTH DAYTONA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ribbon-cutting ceremony, 9 a.m., Beville Dental Care, 911 Beville Road, suite 1, South Daytona. Information: (386) 761-1601. Daily SCORE 87 -- COUNSELORS TO AMERICA'S SMALL BUSINESS, free startup business counseling by appointment on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Continuing counseling for existing businesses on Tuesdays. Two hour free workshops on Fridays in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Orange City, and Palm Coast. Spanish available. For more information or appointment call (386) 255-6889 or email score87@earthlink.net or visit the Web site at score87.org.
Software watchdog zeroes in on "little guys"
Michael Gaertner worried he could lose his company. A group called the Business Software Alliance was claiming that his 10-person architectural firm was using unlicensed software. The alliance demanded $67,000 — most of one year's profit — or else it would seek more in court. "It just scared the hell out of me," Gaertner said. An analysis by The Associated Press reveals that targeting small businesses is lucrative for the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the main copyright-enforcement watchdog for such companies as Microsoft, Adobe Systems and Symantec. Of the $13 million that the BSA reaped in software-violation settlements with North American companies last year, almost 90 percent came from small businesses, The AP found.
Asterisk steals a march in open IP
OPEN source is gaining traction in the voice over internet protocol arena. Even though industry researchers such as The Yankee Group say VoIP is too early in its development cycle to be properly open-sourced, vendors are launching products. Already there are a number of open source VoIP applications, such as FreeSwitch, OpenSER and YATE, that turn a computer into an IP PABX. However, the most widely deployed is Asterisk, which was developed as far back as 1999. Just one month after its acquisition of Switchvox, a provider of IP PBX phone systems for small and medium businesses, Digium announced the availability of Switchvox Free Edition. The new product is based on Asterisk, open-source telephone software created and owned by Digium.
Virgin takes lead in Northern Rock bids
Northern Rock PLC will hold accelerated takeover discussions with a consortium led by Virgin Group, the battered mortgage lender said Monday. Virgin, which wants to re-brand Northern Rock as part of Virgin Money business, says its consortium would repay 11 billion pounds ($22.7 billion) of the 25 billion pounds ($50 billion) the Bank of England has loaned to Northern Rock on the completion of the transaction. The remainder of the money would be paid "in due course," Northern Rock said in an announcement to the London Stock Exchange. The Virgin Consortium also promised additional funding facilities to support the business. After falling 11.5 percent in early trading Monday on the London Stock Exchange, buyers bid shares up to close at 110.1 pence ($2.06), or 28 percent.
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