Strombotne.com

A good exploration of our 21st century food chain. The omnivore’s dilemma: Choosing from among the countless potential foods nature offers, humans have had to learn what is safe, and what isn’t-which mushrooms should be avoided, for example, and which berries we can enjoy. Today, as America confronts what can only be described as a [...]

To be clear, the US Airways and AmericaWest “merger” is a shot gun wedding. The grouping of these airlines was not born from competitive scheming by either. The combination of two struggling carriers is at the behest of aircraft lessor, General Electric. GE’s capital risk exposure is minimized by consolidation. Collapse averted, GE will take [...]

Once proud mainline carrier, and in its second bankruptcy in so many years, US Airways has exhausted its ability to attract capital. In a last gasp it has secured financing from Wexford LLC and the Eastshore Group. These are corporate shell names for regional airlines, Chautauqua and Air Wisconsin which have each ponied up 125 [...]

WAMU’s Jim Rosenberg reports, on the “drama at Dulles”[listen ] to the broadcast (requires realaudio player)

The heat has been turned up on the MESA raiders. ACA has hired big guns, Morgan Stanley & Co. (acting as financial advisor) and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP (these are the same folks representing PeopleSoft vs. Larry Ellison and his Oracle hostiles) The guns have been brought to bear and these power brokers are [...]

On Oct. 24, United’s Finance Chief, Jake Brace, had said the carrier hoped to have a contract signed with Mesa “as soon as possible…in days not weeks!” Thirteen days after the comment, there’s still no deal. The outcome of a Mesa/UAL deal is Mesa’s Ace-in the-hole card. What would the effect be on ACAI share [...]

the gloves come off

Fearless leader has mentioned that he believed that big brother was playing some role behind the scenes. UAL quickly denied any such thing. One day later, UAL announces that it wishes to fast track a contract commitment with the black hats. Such a move would bouy their stock value, essentially helping to lower the cost [...]

Atlantic Coast has turned the other cheek so to speak and officially rejected the bid from Mesa. Humorous that Atlantic Coast minimizes the offer by calling it: “Mesa’s expression of interest”. The gloves may yet come off as said takeover attempt now becomes hostile. ACA will bash the Mesa (flawed) business plan while dragging Mesa [...]

It is no secret that aca BOD has been resisting overtures from their uninvited suitor. What we would like to know is —- Do the white hats have matters in hand with their delay and stonewall strategy? Is this the strong silent act before the storm a la Clint Eastwood or Steven Segal? OR does [...]