New Years Eve in Philadelphia – 12Midnight at The Crystal Tea Room
		The Crystal Tea Room at The Wanamaker Building – 100 Penn Sq. E., 9th Fl Philadelphia, PA 19144   [map it]Saturday, December 31, 2011  8:00 PMThe Hottest Ticket in Town – For the last NINE YEARS. The area’s largest, well-attended, fun, and successful new years eve parties in the Philadelphia region.  We sell… read more »Sign Up to Win 2 Free VIP Tickets »   Get All The Details »

	Philly’s Hottest New Years Eve DJ Dance Party at Tavern on Broad in The Bellevue Tavern On Broad – 200 South Broad St Philadelphia, PA 19102   [map it]Saturday, December 31, 2011  8:00 PMIf you are tired of the same old boring new years eve parties with long lines for drink and food, watered-down bottom shelf drinks, leaving you feel like you are at a high … read more »Get All The Details »

	NYE 2012 – Manayunk’s Hottest New Years Eve Bash! Manayunk Brewery & Restaurant – 4120 Main St Philadelphia, PA 19127   [map it]Saturday, December 31, 2011  8:00 PMLIMITED TICKETS LEFT!  New Years Eve 2012 at the Manayunk Brewery – this is it.  It’s what you all have been waiting for!  Multiple rooms, DJs, dancing all n… read more »

	New Years Eve 2012: RESOLUTION @ Trust Trust – 249 Arch St Philadelphia, PA 19106   [map it]Saturday, December 31, 2011  8:00 PMFormerly known as the ‘Real World House’, TRUST is absolutely breathtaking. The building itself is unparalleled, but add in special lighting, an incredible DJ, beautiful pe… read more »Get All The Details »

The evening will begin at 5:30pm with cocktails, dinner, and dessert and continue with a speech from our Keynote Speakers. The 2011 Power Shift Honorees, six people who are being honored for their exceptional leadership in their given field, will also be recognized at the event

Tickets are $150.00 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are also available from $1,000-$5,000. For more information on how to purchase tickets, sponsorship opportunities or program book ads, please contact Lauren Werkiser at Cashman and Associates at 215.627.1060 or lauren@cashmanandassociates.com.

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The free event offers business school hopefuls open networking with admissions officers, an admissions panel, a GMAT workshop and a business school admissions seminar presented by professional consultants, mbaMission. Registration opens at 5:30 p.m. with seminars and sessions kicking off at 6:00 p.m. Before the event closes at 9:30 p.m., attendees will even have a chance to kick back with the admissions representatives during a 45-minute “happy hour” sponsored by the University of Minnesota –Carlson School of Management.
In bringing Road to Business School to Philadelphia this August, Kaplan Test Prep is expanding on the event’s outstanding run in seven cities last summer. With Road to Business School, Kaplan, the world leader in GMAT preparation, helps pave the way to success for future business leaders.
For more information call 1-800-KAP-TEST, or go to http://bit.ly/Road2011Philly.

Popchips™

The newly appointed VP will be paid a $50,000 salary, and will work with popchips and Kutcher to carry out defined duties, include creating unique digital content, participating on popchips’ social media channels, serving as popchips’ on-location reporter at three top pop culture events around the U.S.

Through March 2, VP applicants have an open platform to apply for the position by submitting a short candidacy video on the popchips Facebook page, showing their ability to creatively connect social media and pop culture.  Fans will then have the opportunity to vote for the applicant they think will be the best VP.  Ultimately, Kutcher and popchips will be involved in the final hire, and will appoint the VP the week of March 14, 2011.

“We’re excited to find a talented candidate to further support our integration into pop culture,  and to work with our team and Ashton, one of the most creative, trendsetters in Hollywood, and a leader in new media,” said popchips CEO Keith Belling. “One caveat – must love snacking.”

Kutcher has held the president of pop culture position since June 2010, helping oversee social media and creating imaginative content for the pioneers of the popped chip snack.   As the brand’s digital reach and presence in pop culture continues to thrive, Kutcher and the popchips team see the need for a VP to support their efforts, and have teamed up with Monster.com to help find the kind of talent that can take these initiatives to the next level.

“Every day, millions of people rely on Monster to match them with opportunities that inspire and challenge them,” said Monster.com Global CMO Ted Gilvar.  “popchips turned to Monster to help them find the best possible candidate for a really cool job, and we look forward to helping them find a great match.”

Submissions can be entered on Monster.com at the following link http://Monster.com/AshtonsVP or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/popchips

popchips ™ are an all-natural line of popped chips with all the flavor and less than half the fat of fried chips.  popchips, inc. was formed in 2007 to bring new flavor and real innovation to the snack aisle. Thanks to the magic of popping, popchips offers a snack so tasty and crispy that you won’t even notice it’s (we hesitate to say) healthier. For more information about the company and its products, pop over to popchips.com, become a fan on facebook or follow us on twitter.

Written by: Christopher Nutt -

The legalization of pot has been a topic of interest to many States and Municipalities due to the potential of billions in extra tax generating revenues. This shouldn’t be news to anyone who reads a newspaper or watches the news…. But what is the real size of the marijuana market and what could its potential profitably really be?

Measuring Marijuana’s Profitability Nationally

Demand Based Model
In a demand based model, consumption volumes and price estimates must be made.

It is estimated by the US Department of Health & Human Services’ Substance Abuse & Mental Health Administration that:

-10% of the population over 12 years old used pot last year.
-Of the 10% that used pot, 15% use it on a daily basis.

How Does Alcohol & Tobacco Compare:

52% of the population over 12 years old used alcohol last year, 28% for tobacco.

High Times magazine estimates that the national average for a gram of pot cost $5-$20, earmark a joint at .5-1.0 grams, and that makes a $10-$40 billion a year market.

Supply Based Model
Based on seizures, supply based models measure the amount of pot in the system and extrapolates out an
assumption for what percentage the captured marijuana represents.

The supply bases model puts pot use at a growing rate. This could be because the Federal government wants to report increases in pot seizures, showing they’re winning the war on drugs. Based on these estimates, it puts the pot market at $120 billion.

Comparison to Alcohol and Tobacco
Alcohol is a $188 billion a year market.
-$99 billion beer
-$61 billion sprits
-$27 billion wine
Tobacco market reaches $75 billion a year.

Could pot be bigger? Probably not, but a good estimate puts pot at $35-$45 billion a year, take a 40%-50% tax rate and you have total tax revenues of $16-$20 billion a year.

Article Referenced: Ariel Nelson; CNBC

PHILADELPHIA, PA [OnlyInPhiladelphia.com]

Stocks and bonds got you down? Do you think of your golden “nest egg” only in terms of what your stacking away into your IRA or 401k? There’s another type of investment — alternative investments — that you NEED to be thinking about. It’s just what your portfolio is howling for. Alternative investments can provide potential:

• Reductions in downside risk.
• Excellent increases in diversification.
• Outstanding hedge against inflation.
• Increases in your net worth!

Alternative investments make up a diverse and exciting investment space with some hip and genuinely unique investment choices, beside stocks and bonds. Classic alternative investments fit into the categories of real estate, alternative capital and store of value assets, hedge funds, commodities such as oil and gold, futures, private equity, and credit derivatives.

“In other cases, alternative investing borders on collecting (art, stamps, coins, books, musical instruments, antiques). It can also be something of a hobby or an outright business (motorcycles, wines, memorabilia, film,real estate) or dovetail with lifestyle or plain style (antiques, theatre, cars, jewelry and clothing).

In any case, however, it is about putting money to work and taking a risk in the hope of making a profit. And it’s not just for the wealthy, although that certainly helps. There’s usually an entry point for any savvy, bold and passionate investor” says Albert Bozzo, senior editor at CNBC.

“We view art as a very interesting long-term asset class,” says the head of an international investment partnership in London. “There are a lot of opportunities to make significant capital growth if you know how to buy and sell.”

And of course, a good return on your investment is important, but there is also passion (theatre), adventure (shipwreck antiquities) and competition (horses) involved, Boozo continues.

As with any investment, it is important that you do your research and identify and manage risks early and avoid potential fraud, or being overly optimistic and overpaying. You’re looking for a deal, to purchase undervalued, undiscovered niche investments that will gain value over time.

You need to take a longer investment horizon and not panic on the downturns or decreases in value. Yet think of dips in prices a buying opportunities or a “sale”.

Taking a long-term disciplined view on investing in alternative investments will not only provide great downside protect for your portfolio and amazing diversification benefits, but will also pay you dividends in the long run.

“Simply, the additional of alternative investing into a portfolio of stocks and bonds increases of the level of return for a given level of risk, or reduces the level of risk for a given level of return” – a powerful combination says Mark Anson, President and Executive Direct of Investment Services at Nuveen Investments.

Kick off your alternative investment thinking and keep investing!

Good Luck-

Christopher Nutt – Financial Analyst

PHILADELPHIA, PA [OnlyInPhiladelphia.com] – A touch of the glitter and glamour of the Las Vegas strip and the Atlantic City boardwalk is coming to Philadelphia later this month when the SugarHouse Casino finally opens its doors with a grand opening set for Sept. 23.

The $355 million casino is located on the site of what used to be the Jack Frost Refinery on the Delaware River waterfront between Frankford and Shackamaxon Streets in Fishtown.

The project encompasses 45,000 square feet on the 22-acre site, which was scaled back from the original and larger, more elaborate plan. The casino will feature 1,600 slot machines and 40 gaming tables – a much smaller version of the typical Atlantic City casino.

Although opponents claim that the casino will generate crime and help feed gambling addictions, as well as take away from the historic atmosphere of the city, those in favor of the project assert that it has created over 800 jobs. Proponents of the casino also say it will have an upscale feel; there is even a walkway and bike path behind the casino with access to the riverfront.

SugarHouse is one of two casinos that had been planned to open within Philadelphia’s city limits: the other, the Foxwoods casino, has been delayed, as the plan has faced a number of setbacks from the beginning.

In addition to SugarHouse, gambling in Philadelphia can also be found at the Parx Casino in Bensalem and Harrah’s Casino and Racetrack in Chester in suburban Philadelphia.

For more information about SugarHouse Casino, visit www.sugarhousecasino.com.

PHILADELPHIA (April 20, 2010) — In its 2011 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” released April 15, 2010, U.S. News & World Report ranked Saint Joseph’s University’s EMBA program No. 20 in the nation; the University’s part-time MBA program ranked No. 70. For the first time, four of the Erivan K. Haub School of Business’ (HSB) disciplines were also included among the ranking’s Top 25 list for 2011.

According to U.S. News, HSB remains among the country’s top business schools; several specialty areas were nationally ranked:

• Finance: No. 20
• Management: No. 23
• Marketing: No. 23
• Accounting: No. 24

HSB Dean Joseph DiAngelo Jr., Ed.D., attributes the success in the rankings to the school’s faculty. “For faculty in the Haub School of Business, teaching and research go hand-in-hand. This dual commitment keeps them current and engaged in their disciplines and dynamic in the classroom.”

The 2011 “America’s Best Graduate Schools” includes more than 2,000 programs nationwide. In addition to featuring new rankings in five of the largest professional graduate school disciplines (business, law, education, engineering, and medicine), the new edition includes improved and modified rankings of part-time J.D. and MBA programs.

“With today’s turbulent market, there’s an even greater demand for professional development opportunities, and for this year’s Best Graduate Schools, we’ve integrated new and updated rankings to ensure we cover the full range of educational programs,” said Brian Kelly, editor of U.S. News & World Report.

The largest Jesuit undergraduate business school in the country, the Haub School is an international AACSB-accredited institution in business and accounting offering programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and executive master’s levels. Both the undergraduate and graduate programs are included in the U.S.News & World Report “America’s Best Colleges” 2011 edition. The school was recently named one of the nation’s top business schools in the Princeton Review’s “The Best 301 Business Schools” and was recently recognized by Beta Gamma Sigma, the honor society for AACSB-accredited institutions, with the Gold Chapter Award.

For more information on the rankings, visit the U.S. News site.

Background: Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, Saint Joseph’s University advances the professional and personal ambitions of men and women by providing a demanding, yet supportive, educational experience. One of only 139 schools with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter and AACSB business school accreditation, Saint Joseph’s is home to 4,200 full-time undergraduates and 3,100 graduate, part-time and doctoral students. Steeped in the 450-year Jesuit tradition of scholarship and service, Saint Joseph’s was named to the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for General Community Service. The University strives to be recognized as the preeminent Catholic comprehensive university in the Northeast.

-30-

Contact: Carolyn Steigleman, Associate Director of University Communications, 610-660-1355, csteigle@sju.edu

Related Links: Haub School’s Honor Society Awarded Gold | HSB Ranked Among ‘BusinessWeek’ Top 100

(Courtesy of  www.sju.edu)

China’s richest citizens are even wealthier than the statistics suggest, and may hold as much as 9.3 trillion yuan ($1.4 trillion) of hidden assets, according to a Credit Suisse-sponsored study by a top economic think-tank.

Official statistics for 2008 failed to capture income equivalent to about 30 percent of China’s gross domestic product, the “Analysing Chinese Grey Income” report found.

And nearly two thirds of that unreported income goes into the pockets of the richest 10 percent, widening China’s already troubling wealth gap, said Wang Xiaolu, the economist at the China Society of Economic Reform (CSER), who headed the survey.

The findings may explain in part Beijing’s tolerance of recent strikes in manufacturing zones, and official emphasis on ensuring more equitable division of wealth, the report added.

Average per-capital income for the richest 10 percent, at 97,000 yuan, was 65 times of that of the poorest 10 percent, Wang’s survey showed — instead of the 23 times figure given by official National Statistics Bureau’s household income survey.

“It means the wealth gap is widening, and the distribution of national income is becoming more and more unfair,” it concluded.

A fairer income distribution could ease social tensions and support Beijing’s plan to boost domestic consumption.

“One very interesting observation to argue for the highly uneven income distribution in China is reflected in the strong buying power of its richest people,” the report said.

China accounted for 3 percent of sales for a brand like Volkswagen and 5 percent for Pepsi, while for luxury retailers like Richemont and Swatch Group, it made up 20 and 28 percent respectively.

“So if income distribution becomes more equitable, it would help boost the consumer market.”

Ask Your Friends

The team that did the research chose an unusual method to counter a perceived tendency, particularly among high-income families, to lie about the “grey income” that makes up the majority of their earnings.

The survey team contacted only family, friends and colleagues, who would be more likely to tell the truth, trust that data would be kept anonymous and whose answers could more easily be assessed for veracity.

The report suggested actual urban income was around double official levels. The gap between earnings recorded in National Bureau of Statistics Data, and Chinese citizens’ real earnings and assets, also grew rapidly from the “middle income group” and up, to become a yawning gulf for the richest.

The grey income comes from sources including stock market manipulation, property deals, vast bonuses from state-owned firms with a monopoly on the market, and even large wedding and other gifts to powerful officials and their relatives.

“Grey money is usually closely connected to the following: corruption, abuse of power, public investment, shares in land development (projects) and other monopoly interests,” Wang told the Beijing Evening News.

The report predicted stronger government efforts to rebalance income, because of the negative impact of the yawning gap on both stability and economic growth.

“It is very likely that unlike normal capital return, grey income usually does not help improve competitiveness and efficiency,” the report said.

“On the contrary, a large amount of it is likely to come from loss of enterprise and government income or usurpation and plunder of ordinary household income and property. This hampers justice, undermines economic efficiency and becomes a major factor for social conflict and instability.”

Forty wealthy families and individuals have joined Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates and billionaire investor Warren Buffett in a pledge to give at least half their wealth to charity.  They have secured roughly $125 billion to date and estimate that they potentially could raise in total about $600 billion for charity.

“Everybody has their own interests,” said New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who participated in a teleconference with Buffett on Wednesday as one of the individuals who has signed the giving pledge. “That’s what’s wonderful about private philanthropy.”

In related news Only In Philadelphia has registered for a charity license(not really), but we gotta give it to Bill Gates for his philanthropy!

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