7 percent in Decembercompared with the previous year

Instead, the team is looking at former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan as part of a thorough house-cleaning of the organization to turn the franchise around. Allen is not known as a personnel expert and LaCanfora writes that Redskins owner Dan Snyder is searching for a top personnel expert to join the team, as well.I continue to hear from multiple league sources that Mike Shanahan remains the most likely choice to take over as the Washington Redskins’ head coach in 2010, and the hiring of Bruce Allen is but one move in an organizational overhaul. Shanahan has been quietly making inroads to round out a staff, multiple sources said, and they would be surprised if Shanahan does not ultimately end up in Washington to replace head coach Jim Zorn shortly after the season ends in a team president/head coach capacity similar to the role Joe Gibbs had there.Owner Daniel Snyder has been looking to make changes in the organization, and while some believed longtime team official Vinny Cerrato would end up with some role in a potential shakeup, I have heard that he would not have had a place in a rearranged organization, which led to his exit.Read it all at Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darlinghas said the closer the rate comes down to zero, the more likelyit will become that the Bank of England will have to work "handin hand" with the Treasury to prevent deflation. Paul Everitt, chief executive of the Society ofMotor Manufacturers and Traders, said: "Further action to easeaccess to finance and credit across the economy is essential iflong-term damage to valuable industrial capability is to beavoided." New car registrations fell 21.7 percent in Decembercompared with the previous year.

LLOYDS TOPS GAY-FRIENDLY BUSINESS POLL Lloyds TSB (LLOY.L) has been ranked the most gay-friendlybusiness in the UK. It appears top in an annual index ofemployers compiled by Stonewall, the gay equality charity. DavidShields, director of workplace programmes at the charity, said:"Stonewall research shows that gay people perform much better atwork when they can be themselves. This is a time when staffperformance is crucial to employers weathering financialdifficulties." BAE TO ENTER INDIAN ARMED FORCES VENTURE BAE Systems (BAES.L) is setting up a joint venture withMahindra & Mahindra in India focused on armoured vehicles Thedecision was announced on Wednesday. Chief executive Ian Kingdescribed it as "the first step" in the group's "plans to(develop) long-term businesses in India in multiple sectorsacross the breadth and depth of the company's globalcapabilities in land, sea, air and security". The defence firmrecently identified India as its seventh "home market". ROLLS-ROYCE SIGNS HAYNES Aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce (RR.L) has appointed LawrieHaynes as president of nuclear to spearhead its push into theUK's resurgent nuclear market.

The company predicts the global civilnuclear market could be worth 50 billion pounds a year in 15years' time. SCOTTISH & SOUTHERN RAISES 479 MILLION POUNDS Scottish & Southern Energy (SSE.L) placed about 40 millionshares on Wednesday, raising 479 million pounds. The equityissue came as the company put the finishing touches to plans fora 300 million pound investment in two wind farms. The largenumber of new shares affected sentiment in the City and theshare price suffered, falling 104 pence to 1159 pence. ALEXON LOOKS TO PROFIT GROWTH The clothing retailer Alexon (AXN.L) reported falling salesand lower gross margins but raised its forecast for full-yearoperating profit after trading picked up in December. Itsbroker, Dresdner Kleinwort, bumped up its profit forecast from2.2 million pounds to three million pounds for the year toJanuary 3. Sales fell 10.5 percent in the 23 weeks to January 3,while the gross margin narrowed one percent The shares closedtwo pence up at 18.5 pence.

SKYEPHARMA GETS EUROPEAN NOD Shares in SkyePharma (SKP.L) added 9.5 pence to 150 pence onnews that its time-release Geoclock technology has been approvedby European regulators for use in an arthritis medicine. Shares in Qonnectis (QTI.L) fell 34 percentto 0.23 pence after it warned of a sales shortfall in the firsthalf and said it could not "at this stage determine whetherthese missed sales will be secured in the second half". Vicorpsaid delays in the signing of some contracts had affectedtrading and reported a "general reduction in procurement" in itssector - call centre software - at the end of last year.However, it predicted "further uptake in voice self-service" inthe economic downturn following some sales leads The shareswere steady at 0.58 pence. It has now shipped more than 4,000 of the machines,which are used by GPs to screen blood samples for diabetesindicators, removing the need for them to be sent for laboratoryanalysis The shares closed 2.5 pence down at 310 pence Prepared for Reuters by Durrants Stocks. Few will have the courage to agree with me, but I'm sayin' it anyway.In 2009, the San Francisco Giants' superlative right-hander, Tim Lincecum, won his second consecutive National League Cy Young award.The East Coast establishment of Major League Baseball watched in horror as the Freak made it two-for-two two full years in the Show, two Cy Youngs and did so in dominating fashion:2009: 15-7, 32 GS, 225.1 IP, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 68 BB, 261 K, 2.48 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 6.7 H/9, 10.4 K/9, .206 BAA, .271 OBPA, .290 SLGA, .561 OPS2008-09: 33-12, 65 GS, 452.1 IP, 6 CG, 3 SHO, 152 BB, 526 K, 2.55 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 7.0 H/9, 10.5 K/9, .214 BAA, .284 OBPA, .303 SLGA, .587 OPSThe smoking cabals littered east of the Mississippi, like a curtain pulled from Boston to Philadelphia, decided that simply wouldn't do. Nope, can't have a West Coast rep demanding that much of the limelight.So the wheels were oiled and set in motion; Roy Halladay had to be redirected.