Want a job with the Obama administration?

‘Yes, you can,” says the Tacoma-based company Avue Technologies, a human resources service center for the federal government.

Avue has launched a new web site (www.transitionjobs.us), intended to provide job application assistance for some 7,000 jobs that will need to be filled by the new administration.

"Staffing a new administration is a monumental task, especially for a nation in crisis,” Linda Rix, Avue’s co-CEO, said in a press release.

"We believe that the appointment process can be transformed in a manner that will dramatically increase the information available to those seeking employment,” Rix said, “as well as to streamline the process and provide for a much faster and efficient employment cycle."

The Avue site is free and contains no advertising. It will list all new politically appointed job openings (known as "Plum Book" positions) as soon as they are announced, Avue says.

In the meantime, the site lists Plum Book positions filled by the Bush administration, letting job seekers peruse the types of jobs that will likely be available when Obama takes over.

The site will also track the "fill rate" of new jobs, making it easy to monitor the administration’s progress.

Avue, which calls itself “the thought leader in federal workforce management,” is a privately held company founded in 1983. In addition to its Tacoma headquarters, Avue has an operations office in Washington, D.C.

Avue also has a site for federal jobs that are not politically appointed. That site is:www.avuecentral.com.

A new terminal designed to handle bulk liquids destined for Pacific Northwest consumers and manufacturers will be built at the Port of Grays Harbor.

Westway Terminals, will build a $17 million terminal with four tanks at the port in the first phase of the development, said the port.

The new facility will employ 10 to 12 workers.

"Gray's Harbor's close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, only an hour and a half from the open sea, is an excellent advantage for our Pacific Northwest hub," said Scott MacKenzie, Westway vice president of business development.

Bulk liquids are expected to arrive via ship and barge and then be transferred to the terminal storage. From there, they will be distributed throughout the region via rail and truck.

The first liquid commodity the terminal is expected to handle is methanol.

The Port of Seattle, which less than a decade ago had only a nominal cruise ship business, surpassed its northwest rival, Vancouver, B.C. in cruise ship passengers last summer, the Port of Seattle said today.

Seattle's piers handled 210 cruise ship calls and 886,039 passengers during the cruise season just completed compared with Vancouver's 854,453 passengers, the port said. The 2008 cruise season was the biggest in the port's history.

The cruise business in Seattle generates $274 million in annual business revenue, $8 million in annual state and local taxes, and 2,380 jobs, according to the port.

"The growth we've seen in just ten years is remarkable," said Port CEO Tay Yoshitani. "I'm gratified that the passengers who visit Seattle gave us such high marks in customer service - the port is honored to welcome so many people to this beautiful place."

The 2009 season will see the opening of a new facility on Pier 91, near the Magnolia Bridge. That facility will replace a terminal on the waterfront near Safeco Field which is being converted to cargo use. The port also has another cruise terminal along Elliott Bay near Pike Place Market.

Current projections for 2009 estimate 211 cruise ship visits and 801,080 passengers. Seattle will serve 11 homeport vessels including the Pacific Princess, a new homeport ship for Seattle.

The cruise season begins in Seattle in late April and extends through mid-October. Most of the cruises from Seattle travel to Alaska though a few repositioning cruises travel to California and other destinations.

My predecessor, the late News Tribune Business Columnist Art Popham, once wrote that a visit to Barker Road is like a voyage around the world within four walls.

You'd better hurry and book your trip.

After just over eight years anchoring the corner of North 30th and Carr streets, the two sisters and brother who own the place have decided the time has come to retire.

The siblings who have run Barker Road Collection, the only pure retailer in Tacoma's Old Town district, for the last eight years have decided to retire. The business is for sale, but if no takers come along, the doors will close for good in mid-December. (Photo by Dan Voelpel)

This afternoon, disappointed customers stopped in for a little shopping and a few hugs.

"It's a bittersweet decision," said co-owner Linda McElroy.

=> Read more!

The State Gambling Commission will be making some important decisions at its meetings next week – Thursday and Friday, the 13th (beginning at 10:30 a.m.) and 14th (beginning at 9 a.m.), at the Southcenter Double Tree, 16500 Southcenter Parkway.

Thursday’s session will contain discussion of some procedural and administrative matters, and the more interesting discussion will come Friday, when commissioners take the final vote on whether to increase the number of players who can play at a table and to raise betting limits.

The Recreational Gaming Association has asked that wager limits be raised from $40 to $500 in non-house-banked card games, and to increase the number of players who play at house-banked games.

Other matters up for final consideration include surveillance staffing and electronic poker games, which are a sort of card-less, chip-less video game played by several players around a table.

The meetings are open to the public.

For more information, visit www.wsgc.wa.gov.

Here’s an interesting twist on a well-tried phishing scam. I just received an e-mail from TIC Federal Credit Union (it’s in Georgia, and South Sound customers may have signed on while stationed at Fort Benning).

It begins: “Some members and non-members of TIC Federal Credit Union have received fraudulent emails. This email was NOT issued by TIC Federal Credit Union, and should be deleted.”

Are you scared enough by that? Somebody's using a fraudulent e-mail to steal your money. But read on. There’s a solution.

The message ends: “For security reasons we have deactivated your debit card. Please call our toll-free hotline at (877) xxx-xxxx to activate your debit card.”

Call the number, and guess what. You’re asked punch in your card number and other pertinent information. The folks behind the scam then steal your money, at best, or your identity and your money, at worst.

TIC Federal Credit Union confirms it’s a scam.

Here’s the lesson: They’re tricky, these thieves. Don’t be fooled. Don’t give out any personal information over the phone or over the Internet. If you’ve got questions, call the actual bank, credit union or other financial institution.

We've seen lots of toy list so far this year.
Now we have one from Amazon.com.

The online retailer's holiday gift guide includes more than 300 toys, video games, sporting goods, electronics and DVDs.

The site uses Amazon Windowshop, a shopping platform that allows customers to experience products in a "new and unique way," the company said in a news release.

Each "product window" contains a combination of images, videos, audio and written content.

Customers are not just looking at Amazon.com’s top holiday picks, but experiencing the products at the same time, the company says.

"This holiday is the easiest yet for shoppers to find the perfect gifts for kids of all ages," says Sarah Wood, director of the Toy & Games store for Amazon.com. "Amazon.com created a destination that’s fun, interactive and easy to use, letting customers discover products they may not have otherwise found in a traditional search."

Here's a glimpse at some items on the list:

Animal Crossing: City Folk for Nintendo Wii, $49.99
Bakugan Battle Arena, $23.99
Children’s Ultimate Ears Loud Enough Volume Limiting Earphones, $34.99

=> Read more!