The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 8

1 THE PANTAGRAPH Preferred payment More bfixhessex accept inrj plastic Coming Sunday A8 SATURDAY July 31, 2004 Mark Pickering, Associate Editor (309) 829-9000, ext. 252 e-mail: mpickeringpantagraph.com BUS NESS GDP OoEisuniBs i2Cj on Here is a look at the gross domestic product, which measures all goods and services produced by workers and capital located in the United States, regardless of ownership. Annualized quarterly change 8 Working wounded economy prises were on the downside." The biggest drag came from consumer spending, which rose by just 1 percent in the second quarter, the weakest showing since a similar 1 percent rise in the second quarter of 2001, when the economy was in recession. Consumer spending, a main driver of the recovery, accounts for two-thirds of American economic activity. The weakness came from a 2.5 percent decline in spending on big-ticket items such as automobiles.

Analysts noted, however, that auto sales, after a bad June, have improved in July as dealers resumed offering incentives to boost sales. Economists said they still expect GDP growth to come in at 4 percent or better rate in the second half of the year, which would be strong enough to generate new jobs and maintain the decline in unemployment. would rebound in the second half of the year. Treasury Secretary John Snow noted the upward revision of the first-quarter GDP figures with the lower-than-expect-ed second quarter figure. If the two figures were averaged together, he said, it gave evidence of an economy growing at a solid 3.75 percent rate.

"We're on a positive track, and the fundamentals are solid for the future," Snow said in a statement. Private economists were troubled that the second-quarter slowdown could develop into something worse, especially if job growth fails to rebound after a disappointing rise of just 112,000 payroll jobs in June. The July jobs data will be released next Friday. "All in all, the GDP was a disappointing report," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Economy.com. "All the sur- By Martin Crutslnqer ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. economy slowed dramatically in the spring to an annual growth rate of 3 percent as consumers, worried about higher gasoline prices, cut back their spending to the weakest pace in three years, the Commerce Department reported Friday. The April-June advance in the gross domestic product, the country's output of goods and services, was below the 3.8 percent increase many economists had expected and was significantly down from a revised 4.5 percent growth rate in the first three months of the year. The administration, counting on a rebounding economy to bolster President Bush's re-election prospects, insisted the second-quarter slowdown was only temporary and forecast that growth 2003 2004 2001 2002 SOURCE: Department of Commerce AP Drug maker settles charges; Daycare for children whs. to a yrs 010 Opening in August 7 t- sir i Hi I.

hr reiiir)li8A 81 B9 "1 fs.t!llljjielstri8C8aier.EB tl Hi i 1 1111 1 MIU'MWffut I 3 i The PantaqraphLYNDSIE SCHLINK The Little Jewels Learning Center at 4117 E. Oakland Ave. in Bloomington will provide daycare for children 6 weeks to 5 years of age. Owner Julie Dobski plans to open the daycare center Aug. 9.

'Jewel' of a daycare opening soon Set a strategy before tackling work problems Dear WW: I read your recent column on identifying problems at work (singling out the problem, finding the positive advantages, hidden benefits, I have no trouble recognizing problems, but solving them is another story. TROUBLE IN RIVER CITY Dear Trouble: Perhaps Jacob Wise's plight can help you gain perspective. Wise isn't a business professor, best-selling author, money guru or corporate executive. Wise was recently arrested for allegedly shoplifting at a Tulsa, department store. According to police, he had carefully removed the electronic tags from clothing he was going to steal.

But Wise made one seemingly stupid move: he put all the removed tags in his pocket, setting off the shoplifting sensors when he tried to leave the store. Like Wise, too many of us don't have a clear strategy for tackling our workplace problems and end up setting off alarms with our bosses and co-workers. I've listed a series of strategies for developing a strategy below. For more, check out "The Artist's Way at Work" by Bryan, Cameron and Allen (William Morrow 1998) I Do you take an objective look at the problem? What impact does the problem have on your organization? What data can you get on it? Can you document the costs that the problem causes to your organization? Are you better off not tackling it? I Can you look at the problem subjectively? The workplace encourages right-brain rational thinking. That's good.

But any problem requires an appreciation of irrational elements. How does it make you feel? What parts of the problem aren't logical? Do you have the energy to tackle this problem? I How have others solved the problem? I always toegin my problem-solving by checking out other people's solutions. Why reinvent the wheel? I What do you wish would happen? Yes, I did use the word wish. I think that many of us are so trapped in what is possible that we seldom let our imaginations run wild as part of our problem-solving process. If you don't imagine a best-case scenario, how will you ever end up there? I How can you get other people invested in addressing the dilemma? When it comes to problem-solving, I'm a big believer in comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable.

Learn what's important to your key stakeholders and strive to define the problem in this context. Find out all the resources consumed by the problem. With all of these facts in hand, other people become motivated to solve problems, too. Follow these suggestions and you'll solve your problems at work at an alarming rate. We'd like to hear your strategy for problem-solving at work.

I'll give an autographed copy of "Working Wounded: Advice that Adds Insight to Injury" (Warner, 2000) to the best submission. Send your entry, name address via: workingwounded.com or via e-mail: bobworkingwounded.com. Entries must be received by Wednesday. Online ballot and contest Here are the results from a recent workingwounded.comABCnews.com online ballot: How would you describe your relationship with your boss? On the same page, 32.3 percent I In the same ballpark, 32.9 percent I Not on the same planet, 34.7 percent Our winning strategy for dealing with your boss comes from K.C. in Philadelphia, "This sounds really stupid, but I just take time to figure out what is important to my boss, how people who are successful approach him and when is the best time to talk to him.

None of this is rocket science, but it amazes me how few people take the time to do this. Take the time to get on the same page with your boss. You'll discover that it is possible to have a successful relationship with your boss after all." Working Woundeo7ABCNews.com online ballot question: How would you describe your problem-solving skills? I Top of the heap Middle of the pack I Bottom of the barrel Bob Rosner is a best selling author, speaker and internationally syndicated columnist. Ash Bob a question: bobworkingwounded.com or http:graymattersbook.com Little Jewels Learning Center Address: 4117 E. Oakland Bloomington Ages served: Six weeks to 5 years Amenities: Classrooms, kitchen, conference room, faculty room and play area Open house: 1 to 3 p.m.

Friday By Chris Anderson candersonpantaqraph.com BLOOMINGTON Daycare centers and restaurants may not appear to have much in common, but both focus on people. That's why longtime McDonald's restaurant owner Julie Dobski has built Little Jewels Learning Center near Towanda Barnes Road and East Oakland Avenue on Bloomington's far east side. It's tentatively set to open Aug. 9. "I actually talked to DCFS (Illinois Department of Children and Family Services) about a daycare center 12 years ago.

I think it's time," said Dobski. "I love the restaurant business, but not because of the restaurant itself. It's about people. This is very much about people, too." Dobski said Little Jewels will take a unique, community center approach to learning. Dobski is relying on existing community partnerships to help run square-foot facility features six classrooms, a large kitchen, conference room, faculty room and play area.

Dobski, who owns nine McDonald's restaurants in the Twin Cities and McLean with her husband, Bob, has hired Eureka College graduate Julie Zeleznik as director. But Dobski plans to be a daily presence at the daycare center. "I want to be hands-on. People need to know that we're locally owned and operated," said Dobski, who will also remain involved in the restaurant business. The learning center's name stems from Dobski's nickname of Jewels.

She noted that each child is a precious jewel. Rates vary from $160 to $205 per week, depending on age. The center still has a few openings, she added. Little Jewels Learning Center will be open to visitors from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday.

Dobski added that tours can also be made by appointment. By David B. Caruso ASSOCIATED PRESS PHILADELPHIA Schering-Plough Corp. will pay $346 mil--lion in fines and damages to set-'; tie charges that it paid a kickback to a big health insurer to protect the price of its top selling allergy drug, the company and federal prosecutors announced Friday. A subsidiary of the pharma- -ceutical company, Schering; Sales will also plead guilty to violating the federal anti-kickback act and be banned from participating in federal health programs for five years, authorities said.

The settlement is the result of a five-year federal investigation into the company's attempts to market Claritin as the drug faced increasingly stiff compe-; tition from alternatives like Al-legra. Prosecutors said that when Cigna one of the nation's largest health insurers, threat-, ened to switch its patients to other, less expensive medica-; tions, Schering-Plough offered the company $10 million in incentives, plus an $1.8 million, "data fee" for information it did not actually need. The agreement lowered the price of Claritin for Cigna and its customers, but violated a federal law requiring drug makers to give their lowest prices to Medicaid, the government's health program for the poor. Patrick Meehan, the U.S. Attorney for eastern Pennsylvania, called the arrangement an "old-fashioned kickback" and a blatant attempt to evade Medicaid rules.

"This wasn't a mistake. It was a marketing strategy. The result was that programs created to provide health care to the poorest among us were actually paying more for drugs than those who have private health insurance," he said. The Kenilworth, N.J.-based company said that as part of the settlement it would pay a criminal fine of $52.5 million and civil damages of $293 million. Some of those damages, though, will be offset by credit the company will receive for $53.6 million in Medicaid rebates that it has previously paid.

The five-year exclusion of Schering Sales from federal health care programs won't affect the ability of its parent company to sell drugs to people in government health programs, authorities said. "We are pleased that we are now putting this matter from the past behind us," said Schering-Plough senior vice president Brent Saunders. Little Jewels. For example, McLean County Master Gardeners will teach children at the center. She's also enlisted Illinois Wes-leyan University to provide a music program.

Several departments at Illinois State University and Heartland Community College will provide additional program direction. Little Jewels staff will be able to care for 103 children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old at 4117 E. Oakland Ave. The ADM loses $103 million in fourth quarter terly earnings. He said ADM's risk management moves have historically not been as good as Bunge's.

Corn processing operating earnings rose to $150 million, boosted by increased 'volumes and selling prices of alcohol and lysine products that more than offset higher net corn costs. But the higher corn costs pushed earnings from sweetener and starch products lower. Net earnings for the fiscal year were $494.7 million, or 76 cents a share, compared with $451.1 million, or 70 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenues were $36.2 billion, up 18 percent from $30.7 billion in fiscal 2003. were dominated by a $252 million after-tax charge related to the settlement of high fructose corn-syrup litigation.

Excluding that and other onetime items, operating earnings were 23 cents a share a penny shy of the consensus estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call. Revenues were $9.7 billion, up 20 percent from $8 billion a year earlier and some $1.2 billion better than analysts' estimate. ADM said its core oilseed processing unit sustained a $15 million operating loss after Chinese soybean producers who had "over-purchased" soybeans defaulted on agreements to buy more when soymeal demand in China collapsed, the result of price rationing and the avian flu. The said that caused a dramatic drop in soybean prices which also prompted a loss in its South American operations. "Soybean prices were astronomically high and China just pulled in their horns and stopped buying," said senior vice president Brian Peterson on a conference call with analysts.

Analyst John McMillin of Prudential Equity Group questioned that explanation, saying competitor Bunge Limited wasn't hurt similarly and had even reported higher-than-expected quar ASSOCIATED PRESS DECATUR Archer Daniels Midland Co. posted a fourth-quarter net loss of $103 million as a result of a legal settlement over corn sweetener prices and said operating profits were weaker than expected because of transactions with China that fell through. The agribusiness giant's results reported Friday fell slightly shy of Wall Street's expectations. The loss for the April-through-June quarter amounted to 16 cents a share, compared with earnings of $95 million, or 15 cents a share, a year earlier. Results from the quarter Markets at a glance Data shows select market data from the close of trading on Friday.

For more markets, See Page A9 DAX Sept. corn 0 Gold 391.40 Nikkei 11,325.78 3,895.61 88.40 121.41 4.10 iMI, Dow Jones AMEX 10,139.71 10.47 1,101.72. 1.29 1,240.34 10.74 NASDAQ Russell 2000 10-yr. note 1,887.36 6.30 551.29 1.46 102.16(4.47) 0.78 Aug. beans gp FTSE ESfcSi 4,413.10 1 Hang Seng ii null 12,238.03 silver 6.51 0.11 56.90.