| Commerce Bank's profit slips 47%
CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) -- Commerce Bancorp's profit tumbled 47 percent in the fourth quarter as a book of loans to real estate developers soured amid flagging property values, the bank said. Commerce Bank earned $33.4 million, or 17 cents per share, in the fourth quarter, compared with $62.8 million, or 32 cents per share, in the fourth quarter of 2006. Analysts expected profit of 30 cents per share, according to a Thomson Financial survey. Profit from lending climbed 14 percent to $370.7 million. The bank's portfolio also grew 14 percent, to $17.64 billion. However, Commerce said the credit quality in its portfolio weakened, forcing the bank to set aside $55 million to cover bad loans. The provision is more than five times bigger than the reserve established in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Salmond to be brought before MSPs to explain actions over Trump plan
However, amid fears it could slow the planning process to such an extent Mr Trump would go elsewhere, this failed to get the backing of MSPs from other parties. So it is more likely that the matter will be investigated by the local government and communities committee – a process that could be wrapped up much more quickly.David McLetchie, the Scottish Tories' chief whip and business manager, suggested that was the best way forward. He said: "Scottish Conservatives believe the most appropriate body to examine the conduct, handling and 'calling in' of this planning application by the Scottish Government is the parliament's local government and communities committee. "Accordingly, when the committee meets on Wednesday, I will propose that we take evidence on the role played to date by the Scottish Government in relation to this application."Because there is one Tory, one Liberal Democrat, three Labour members and three SNP MSPs on the committee, Mr McLetchie's motion is likely to pass.Last night, the Liberal Democrats were still hoping for an independent inquiry.
Only a full inquiry can avert another disaster like Iraq
That was in October 2006, and the then foreign secretary, Margaret Beckett, used the spurious argument that an inquiry could send a dangerous signal to insurgents that Britain did not have the determination to stick it out in Iraq. It was the worst kind of macho plea: "Don't give aid and comfort to the enemy", an unmerited claim of security in order to censor discussion. .
Travel: Rest for the soul
We were in Italy on a three-week trip that was a tribute and a memorial to our daughter, Meghan, who died in a bus crash in Peru in May 2006. She was a perpetual adventurer, a fearless and joyful spirit, and she loved Italy. To honor her memory, we knew we had to be on the move; it's the way she would have wanted it. But we also wanted some peace, some quiet, and some room to think. We found all of these things staying at three religious hostels as we traveled across Italy. Monastic accommodations are an ancient tradition among many Christian orders; hospitality toward strangers is written into the gospels, and many orders have made it a part of their practice. In today's Italy, it's also a way to bring in some extra money and to make use of empty chambers -- there aren't as many monks or nuns as there used to be.
Struggling to Keep Black Students
Still, with affirmative action having been barred in 1999 as part of Gov. Jeb Bush's “One Florida" plan — students in the top 20 percent of their high school class are guaranteed admission to a state university — the preliminary figures were enough to frighten administrators into action. Last week, Bush signed into law the “First Generation Matching Grant" program, which allocates $6.5 million to state universities, to be given as financial aid, matching funds that raised by the institutions themselves, for students whose parents did not graduate from college. The University of Florida and Florida A&M University were forces behind the push for matching grants and other aid increases that Bush has proposed, according to Mark Rosenberg, chancellor of the Florida system.
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