Informative Websites

Nevada officials said the state may drop out of Medicaid if the health-care bill passes. Instead it would help its low-income legal residents participate in the federally subsidized exchanges that the bill would establish. The resulting insurance policies would doubtless be more attractive to beneficiaries than Medicaid is.
Following the news that a gang of travellers have been convicted of stealing Pounds Sterling 700,000 worth of caravans, Safeguard has issued further warnings to owners to remain vigilant.

Safeguard, one of the UKs leading providers of motorhome and caravan insurance is advising all drivers to remain cautious of both opportunistic and organised caravan thefts, following news of the conviction of a gang thought to be responsible for half of all caravan thefts in the UK.

Rita Sadler, Safeguard manager said: “We are very pleased to hear that this group of caravan thieves has finally been stopped. Despite the good news, caravan owners still need to be wary of the risks and take appropriate measures to ensure the security of their property.

“Organised crime rings often target larger, luxury models on a stolen to order basis. We find that the vehicles are at their most vulnerable when left unattended and unsecured, for example in driveways whilst owners are loading their caravans and also at motorway service stations as can be seen in the case of the Ward-McDonagh family.

“Caravan thieves are using more sophisticated methods to get away with their crimes. Locks and alarms are no longer a security guarantee; however there are various measures caravanners can take to ensure the safekeeping of their vehicle. Specially designed tracking devices and mechanical devices such as wheel clamps can greatly reduce the risk of theft. As well as deterring thieves, security conscious caravan owners are likely to receive discounts on their insurance premiums.”

Arizona Auto Insurance Quotes

Nevada officials said the state may drop out of Medicaid if the health-care bill passes. Instead it would help its low-income legal residents participate in the federally subsidized exchanges that the bill would establish. The resulting insurance policies would doubtless be more attractive to beneficiaries than Medicaid is.
If someone tries to rob you, do you care whether the policeman who stops him is black or white? The Department of Justice does. Using the standard of “disparate impact”–under which almost any test, no matter how carefully vetted, can be ruled illegally discriminatory if some group does not score high enough on it–DOJ has filed suit against New Jersey because of its exam for police sergeants.

foreheadwrinklessolution.com

ENGLAND 30 TWO-TRY James Haskell broke Welsh hearts as England scrambled to victory in their opening Six Nations clash. The flanker grabbed one in both halves – the second finishing off a thrilling break away move when the Red Dragon had roared back into the game and was looking very dangerous. With Wales on the rampage coming back from 17 points down to just three points behind, Stephen Jones pass was snaffled by England and the hosts ran 60 yards with the ball before Haskell touched down.
The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has partnered with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar to advise on the creation of a brand new, state-of-the-art childrens hospital in the Middle East.

On February 7th, senior leaders from SickKids marked the official announcement of the five-year partnership. SickKids has been enlisted to provide advisory services for the development and operation of the new 217-bed, 45,000 square foot childrens hospital located in Hamad Medical City, a large, not-for-profit health-care complex in the heart of Doha, Qatars capital city.

“This partnership is yet another example of SickKids international reputation for excellence in childrens health, and moves us one step closer to realizing our vision of Healthier Children. A Better World,” said Mary Jo Haddad, President and CEO of SickKids.

While in Doha, SickKids staff will provide expert counsel in such areas as paediatric medicine, surgical services, interprofessional practice and education, family-centred care and research. The partnership will also see staff from HMC travel to Toronto to take advantage of fellowship and learning opportunities at SickKids.

“A key component of our international strategy is to share our knowledge and to help other organizations build capacity within their own countries,” added Cathy Seguin, Vice President of International Affairs at SickKids.

IF you were offered a deal where you took a six per cent pay cut to do a lot less work, youd be barmy not to take it. Well that was the deal offered to the countrys GPs six years ago and, guess what, they accepted. It meant no nights and no weekends for the doctors so its great for them. But for the patients and the country at large its been a dreadful deal.

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Expanded Facility Will Load Multiple Products onto a Single Unit Train

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Gavilon Fertilizer, LLC today announced plans to expand its fertilizer
operation in Sauget, Illinois. Construction of the 19,000-ton fertilizer
storage building is expected to be completed in the fall of 2010. Plans
also include the installation of high-speed bulk-fertilizer handling
equipment and rail configuration to accommodate the loading of 110-car
unit trains.

“We are pleased to be expanding and upgrading our fertilizer facility,”
commented Brian Harlander, president of Gavilon Fertilizer. “Upon
completion, Sauget will be the first bulk-fertilizer facility in the
United States capable of loading multiple products onto a single unit
train, providing increased flexibility for our distribution network and
supporting our ability to help customers manage inventory price risk
over multiple products.”

The Sauget facility currently has 25,000 tons of storage capacity and
distributes bulk fertilizer by truck and rail. The facility is served by
all Class I railroads, including BNSF, CSXT and Union Pacific. The
expanded facility will have 44,000 tons of storage capacity.

PARK CITY — A Utah woman is suing the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation and the Utah Skeleton and Bobsled Association, claiming a bobsled rider ran into and injured her more than two years ago. The volunteer suffered “significant personal injuries” to her lower and upper body. The lawsuit states that Ball wasnt given a radio notifying her that another slider was given clearance to slide, resulting in the crash. Ball is requesting general and special damages, to be proven at trial, and plaintiffs costs.
Gary Marc Farwell, known as Marc to his family and Gary to his Army friends, died Wednesday in a helicopter crash during a routine training mission in Germany. Farwell, 39, was a decorated combat veteran and chief warrant officer 3 in the U.S. Army. A Utah native, he enlisted in the Army in 1996 and had served for 14 years. Farwell spent his early years in California, Japan and Texas while his father, who also is named Gary, attended medical school. The elder Gary Farwell also served two tours in Okinawa, Japan, and one in San Antonio before settling down in Orem. Gary Marc Farwell, whose passion was flying, served two tours in Afghanistan and two tours in Iraq where he flew UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

entry level medical transcription

Because doctors spend less time on the job when their perceived risk of being sued for malpractice rises, those lost hours mean some 7 million people nationwide must find someone else to treat them. Thats the crux of a new study published this week by Brigham Young University economist Mark Showalter, who hastened to add that he and his research colleague, Eric Helland, are “not spouting any party line” regarding current proposals to cap malpractice awards nationwide. The researchers found that doctors reduce their workload by almost two hours per week when expected liability risk increases by 10 percent. That decline in hours nationwide equals one in every 35 physicians retiring without a replacement, Showalter said. The study came out last week in the Journal of Law and Economics. Showalter and Helland, who previously served on the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, used government survey data from the mid- and late 1980s to make the projections contained in the study.
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. — Malaga Financial Corporation (OTCBB:MLGF), the parent company of
Malaga Bank FSB, today reported that net income for the year ended
December 31, 2009 was $9,494,000 ($1.65 per share basic and $1.64 per
share fully diluted), an increase of $2,418,000 or 34% from net income
of $7,076,000 ($1.24 per share basic and fully diluted) for the year
ended December 31, 2008. This record annual net income resulted in an
ROAE of 16.71% for the year and was achieved in spite of a $1,044,000
increase in FDIC insurance premiums in 2009. Malaga continues to have no
non-performing assets or delinquent loans.

Net income for the fourth quarter was $2,364,000 ($0.41 per share basic
and fully diluted) compared to $1,930,000 ($0.34 per share basic and
fully diluted) for the fourth quarter of 2008, an increase of 22%.

Net income increased in 2009 primarily as a result of a $5,297,000
increase in net interest income due to a $57 million growth in average
interest earning assets and an increase in interest rate spread from
2.74% in 2008 to 3.29% in 2009. The interest rate spread increased
primarily due to our average cost of funds declining faster than our
average yield on interest earning assets.

Malaga recorded a provision for loan losses of $120,000 in 2009 as
compared to $329,000 in 2008. The lower provision in 2009 was
attributable to lower net loan growth of $35 million in 2009 versus $59
million in 2008. Malaga’s allowance for loan losses was $2.8 million, or
0.37% of loans, at December 31, 2009.

Operating expenses increased $1,535,000 or 17% from $8,924,000 in 2008
to $10,459,000 in 2009. This increase was due primarily to a $1,044,000
increase in FDIC insurance premiums. In addition, salaries and related
benefits increased $504,000 due primarily to lower cost offset of
deferred loan origination costs as a result of lower loan origination
volume.

Time for reform The League of Women Voters of California strongly favors Senate Bill 810. Contrary to your editorial on Jan. 26, we believe this is exactly the right time to remedy our badly broken health care financing system. Californias budget crisis is directly linked to rising health insurance costs. Health insurance costs for teachers, police officers, firefighters and transit workers increase annually at rates much higher than wages.

Minnesota Auto Insurance Quotes

Delaware Ford
dealers revel at the launch of Willis Fords revolutionary new web
system. Smyrna car dealers have been
struggling to sell new vehicles, but Santosh Viswanathan, VP of Willis
Ford, has discovered a solution for difficult times and continues to turn
big profits every month. On January 1, JP Automotive Marketing delivered a
brand new website for Santosh who has redirected his attention to improving
the quality and selection of his used cars and creating a solid online
profile.

” Ford Dealers in
Delaware are seeing new car sales down across the board; however the
used car market is very strong. Ive focused my ad spend where it counts,
online. When Christian Jorn spoke at our NADA meeting I knew that search
engine optimization would be the future for car dealers. The transition to
JPMs services was very smooth, our website is amazing, and we have seen an
significant increase in Internet sales already.”

– Santosh Viswanathan, VP Willis Ford, Smyrna DE

Willis Ford chose Jorn and Price Marketing for SEO with the goal of
increasing the number of targeted leads from Googles search network.
Fortunately, Willis Ford has a reputation for excellence and has been
delivering world class service for many years. Cindy Pangburn is head of
the Internet department and was intricately involved in the design of the
website.

“The support staff at JP Marketing is incredible, its nice to have one
company that handles it all, the switch from our previous provider was
quick, and adjustments along the way have been handled quickly and
professionally. Now Im busy selling cars.”

Delaware Ford
dealers revel at the launch of Willis Fords revolutionary new web
system. Smyrna car dealers have been
struggling to sell new vehicles, but Santosh Viswanathan, VP of Willis
Ford, has discovered a solution for difficult times and continues to turn
big profits every month. On January 1, JP Automotive Marketing delivered a
brand new website for Santosh who has redirected his attention to improving
the quality and selection of his used cars and creating a solid online
profile.

” Ford Dealers in
Delaware are seeing new car sales down across the board; however the
used car market is very strong. Ive focused my ad spend where it counts,
online. When Christian Jorn spoke at our NADA meeting I knew that search
engine optimization would be the future for car dealers. The transition to
JPMs services was very smooth, our website is amazing, and we have seen an
significant increase in Internet sales already.”

– Santosh Viswanathan, VP Willis Ford, Smyrna DE

Willis Ford chose Jorn and Price Marketing for SEO with the goal of
increasing the number of targeted leads from Googles search network.
Fortunately, Willis Ford has a reputation for excellence and has been
delivering world class service for many years. Cindy Pangburn is head of
the Internet department and was intricately involved in the design of the
website.

“The support staff at JP Marketing is incredible, its nice to have one
company that handles it all, the switch from our previous provider was
quick, and adjustments along the way have been handled quickly and
professionally. Now Im busy selling cars.”

SATURDAY ADOPTIONS — 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. — TVAR; Pleasanton Farmers Market, First and West Angela streets, Pleasanton; dogs/cats. — 10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Safe-Cat Foundation; Petsmart, 6960 Amador Plaza Road, Dublin; cats. — 10 a.m.-2 p.m. — ARF: Pet Food Express, 3610 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, Walnut Creek; cats. — 11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Safe-Cat Foundation; Petco, 1170 Arnold Drive, Martinez; cats.

Online Business Singapore

COMPLICATION INSURANCE® Provides Financial Security for Surgical
Patients

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Surgical Risk Solutions, LLC announced today the introduction of a
unique new insurance product designed to provide financial resources to
surgical patients in the event that they have adverse outcomes following
surgery. COMPLICATION
INSURANCE® is a patent-pending insurance product that provides
accidental death and dismemberment insurance to patients at a reasonable
cost.

“Every surgery, no matter how minor, comes with risks. Fear of an
unforeseen adverse outcome is every patient’s concern,” says Andrew
Kagan, Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Risk Solutions (SRS). “What
will happen to my family if my recovery is delayed or if I don’t
survive? What can I do to protect my family from financial problems if
my medical expenses balloon? What if I am not around to provide for
them? COMPLICATION INSURANCE® provides an easy
and affordable way to assure that additional money is available to help
offset unexpected costs. Most importantly, this policy pays whether
or not there is medical error or fault involved in a covered accident.
Having COMPLICATION INSURANCE® in place provides peace of
mind for both the patient and his family.

Kagan developed the concept for COMPLICATION INSURANCE® after he
heard about a Florida man who died from a blood clot following a total
joint replacement. The man’s family filed a lawsuit but lost at trial
after the jury ruled that the physician had done nothing wrong. “The
family spent years fighting in court, and they lost everything. They
were broke. It was nobody’s fault that their loved one died,” Kagan
says. “I kept thinking that there should have been some kind of
protection for that family.”

COMPLICATION INSURANCE® Provides Financial Security for Surgical
Patients

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Surgical Risk Solutions, LLC announced today the introduction of a
unique new insurance product designed to provide financial resources to
surgical patients in the event that they have adverse outcomes following
surgery. COMPLICATION
INSURANCE® is a patent-pending insurance product that provides
accidental death and dismemberment insurance to patients at a reasonable
cost.

“Every surgery, no matter how minor, comes with risks. Fear of an
unforeseen adverse outcome is every patient’s concern,” says Andrew
Kagan, Chief Executive Officer of Surgical Risk Solutions (SRS). “What
will happen to my family if my recovery is delayed or if I don’t
survive? What can I do to protect my family from financial problems if
my medical expenses balloon? What if I am not around to provide for
them? COMPLICATION INSURANCE® provides an easy
and affordable way to assure that additional money is available to help
offset unexpected costs. Most importantly, this policy pays whether
or not there is medical error or fault involved in a covered accident.
Having COMPLICATION INSURANCE® in place provides peace of
mind for both the patient and his family.

Kagan developed the concept for COMPLICATION INSURANCE® after he
heard about a Florida man who died from a blood clot following a total
joint replacement. The man’s family filed a lawsuit but lost at trial
after the jury ruled that the physician had done nothing wrong. “The
family spent years fighting in court, and they lost everything. They
were broke. It was nobody’s fault that their loved one died,” Kagan
says. “I kept thinking that there should have been some kind of
protection for that family.”

Pennsylvania Auto Insurance Quotes

Schools across the country are connecting with
students greatest assets — their parents, grandparents, family members,
caregivers — next week through National PTA® Take Your Family to School
Week, February 7-13. The celebration emphasizes the value of parent and
family engagement in the classroom with special events and activities.

This year, PTAs are hosting lunches with principals, tea with students,
class visits, cultural diversity festivals, special theatrical
performances, reading circles, safety night for parents, wellness fairs
that focus on topics such as healthy eating and dental care,
curriculum-based family contests, workshops on supporting students
academic and social success, and more. All to build stronger partnerships
between schools and families.

“For over a century, PTA has brought families together to play a special
role in their childrens education as active participants in the schools
community,” said Charles J. “Chuck” Saylors, National PTA President. “Take
Your Family to School Week is a special time of year for PTA because it
celebrates family engagement and reinforces the positive link between
parent involvement and student achievement.”

To recognize the initiative schools are taking to promote family
engagement, and to help thousands of students and families celebrate PTA
Take Your Family to School Week, National PTA is awarding $1,897 to 32 PTA
schools from 23 states across the country and one Department of Defense
school overseas. In fact, National PTA representatives will visit several
schools to personally present a “big check” and participate in activities.
Take Your Family to School Week is held in February in honor of the date of
PTAs founding — February 17 — while the $1,897 Awards pay tribute to the
year PTA was founded — 1897.

PTAs are receiving cash awards for planned activities that are innovative
and inclusive, promote parent and family involvement in schools, emphasize
the link between involvement and student achievement, and further PTAs
mission. For the third consecutive year, the awards are sponsored by AXA
Foundation, a Proud National Sponsor of PTA.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — NovaBone Products, LLC has announced the relocation of its operations
division to expanded and upgraded facilities where it will meet
increasing demands of higher sales to a more geographically diverse
distributor network.

NovaBone Products is a privately-held company and a leader in developing
bio-engineered bone graft substitutes to meet the specialized demands of
orthopedic and dental surgeons.

Located in the Progress Corporate Park in Alachua, Florida, the new
facility has been effectively designed to facilitate the needs of a
growing medical-device company. More than twice the size of the former
operations location, the new facility increases productivity for both
manufacturing and management functions.

Designed to meet the same ISO 13485 certifications as the prior
relocation, the move was completed without disruption of service.

An updated product storage area was specifically constructed with
mechanisms that satisfy a comprehensive disaster prevention system, as
well as NovaBone’s enhanced security measures. The area further improves
inventory handling, including shipment to customers.

dental hygienist programs

Coca-Cola Family Track Walks Combine Fun, Family-friendly
Activities with Access to Top Drivers and Tracks

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Before taking the green flag in the upcoming DAYTONA 500, several
NASCAR® stars will get their engines started in a completely different
way. They’ll take to one of the world’s most famous racetracks on foot,
joined by thousands of fans, to kick off Coca-Cola Family Track Walks –
a season-long program designed to encourage active family fun.

Fans can get moving by taking the first lap of the day alongside some of
their favorite NASCAR® drivers on the legendary racing surface at
Daytona International Speedway. Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers Jeff
Burton, Clint Bowyer, Elliott Sadler and three-time DAYTONA 500 champion
Dale Jarrett will be on hand to lead the inaugural event, which takes
place prior to “The Great American Race” at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday,
February 14 (registration begins at 8 a.m. at Gate 7). Following the
walk, fans can enjoy activities for the whole family, such as games,
music, racing simulators, motivating lifestyle tips and QA sessions
with drivers. The free event is open to all ticket and credential
holders for the 2010 DAYTONA 500.

Coca-Cola Family Track Walks will be held at several other venues this
season, including Atlanta Motor Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway,
Richmond International Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway. All of the
events will provide fun opportunities for fans to get active by offering
access to some of the most popular tracks on the circuit, top NASCAR
drivers and entertainment for the whole family.

“Coca-Cola Family Track Walks will tap into the passion of NASCAR fans,
the energy of the sport, and the uplifting refreshment of Coca Cola to
bring families together for some active fun,” said Caren Pasquale
Seckler, Assistant Vice President, Coca-Cola Brand and Trademark
Strategy, Coca-Cola North America. “By giving fans and their families
exclusive access to walk on a real racetrack where NASCAR drivers will
compete later that day, we’re offering them a simple and fun way to
celebrate their favorite sport.”

Miep Gies used to say she was just an ordinary housewife. Austrian by birth, and Catholic, she married a Dutchman named Jan Gies and lived in Amsterdam. In the war, Miep and Jan helped hide Otto Frank and his family in a secret room, daily risking their own lives to do so. For Miep, Otto Franks young daughter Anne was a girl “full of the joy of just being alive,” and she remembered seeing Anne writing her diary with a look of utter intensity in her face.

travel crib

If someone tries to rob you, do you care whether the policeman who stops him is black or white? The Department of Justice does. Using the standard of “disparate impact”–under which almost any test, no matter how carefully vetted, can be ruled illegally discriminatory if some group does not score high enough on it–DOJ has filed suit against New Jersey because of its exam for police sergeants.
The president has done it again: called Guantanamo Bay a “recruiting tool,” something that causes Muslims to join up with the jihad. He said, “Make no mistake: We will close Guantanamo Prison, which has damaged our national-security interests and become a tremendous recruiting tool for al-Qaeda.

click here

Matosantos Launches Products in Island Walmart, Sam’s Club Stores

“The effectiveness of Converted Organics’ products has been proven with
scientific studies, and what makes them even better is that they are 100
percent organic and 80 percent insoluble. This means that they are
harmless to humans and the environment. Besides that, plants grow
healthier, have more foliage and the soil is also nourished, improving
its quality,” said Mr. Candelario.

The Converted Organics line that is being launched by Matosantos
Commercial Corporation in Puerto Rico includes Lawn Turf for grass
applications, Flower Garden for landscaping and home gardens, and
Indoors Container Plant for houseplants and potted plants. The
products will be commercially available in Puerto Rico in packages of
20.5 and 1.5 pounds.

“We recognized a need for a product directed towards environmental
conservation. Converted Organics is our response to our customers’ need
for green alternatives in a market increasingly geared towards
conservation of the planet,” pointed out Gerónimo Matosantos, Executive
Vice President of Matosantos Commercial Corporation.

Walnut Creeks Ruth Bancroft is a national authority on drought- resistant gardening. Twice a month she and her staff share their knowledge with readers. THERE ARE MANY wonderful contributions to horticulture from the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae), and one commercially important fruit, the pineapple. All members of the family are from the New World, and they are especially abundant in South America. Among those that grow on the ground is a small but fascinating genus named Abromeitiella. Most reference works list two or three species, all forming domelike clusters of many small heads of succulent leaves, and coming from northwestern Argentina and adjacent parts of Southern Bolivia.
Experts with the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers say: — Use winter bedding plants to add color to the garden from now until spring. Look for pansies, primroses, violas, Iceland poppies, sweet alyssum and winter marigold known as calendula. — For color in the shadier parts of your garden, consider cinerarias, forget-me-nots, columbine, Canterbury bells and primrose.

portable greenhouse

Contestants Use New Smart Designer® to Compete for $2500 Grand Prize
and Five Herman Miller Chairs

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — SmartFurniture.com
is proud to announce the Smart Space Design Contest, a competition to
see who can design the best interior space using its new Smart Designer®.

The Smart Space Design Contest, sponsored by Herman
Miller® (MLHR),
gives you the chance to try out the new Smart Designer and win the Grand
Prize, a $2,500 SmartFurniture.com gift card to use towards creating
your dream space.

The $2,500 Grand Prize Winner will be chosen from the five Finalists.
Each week during the month of February, SmartFurniture.com will choose a
Finalist, and one finalist will be chosen via popular voting on SmartFurniture.com
and Facebook.
Finalists will win their choice of a Herman Miller Aeron®,
Embody®,
Mirra®
or Setu™
chair.

The Grand Prize winner will be chosen from the Finalists by a panel of
guest judges, including a representative from Herman Miller for the Home
and Eames Demetrios, principal of the Eames Office and grandson of
iconic designers Charles and Ray Eames.

Glenn Prillaman Elected Chief
Executive Officer and Director

STANLEYTOWN, Va. — Stanley Furniture Company, Inc. (Nasdaq-NGS: STLY) today reported
sales and operating results for 2009. The Company also announced today
that its Board of Directors elected Glenn Prillaman President and Chief
Executive Officer and to serve as a Director.

Net sales of $160.5 million decreased 29.2% compared to 2008. Primarily
as a result of depressed sales, the Company incurred a net loss of $11.8
million ($1.14 per share) compared to net income of $3.7 million ($.36
per share) in 2008.

The increased operating loss in 2009 is primarily due to the significant
reduction in sales and production levels. The much lower production
levels led to unfavorable factory overhead variances and plant
inefficiencies. Costs associated with the transition of certain items
(primarily youth beds and cribs) from the company’s infant and youth
product line (marketed as Young America®) from offshore
sourcing to its own domestic manufacturing facilities and higher selling
discounts also contributed to the increased operating loss in 2009.

Financial results in both years were impacted by actions taken to reduce
costs in response to lower sales. The 2009 results include pre-tax
restructuring charges of $6.1 million ($3.8 million after-tax or $.36
per share) compared to $7.3 million ($5.8 million after-tax or $.56 per
share) in 2008. The 2008 restructuring charges were primarily for costs
related to the consolidation of two manufacturing facilities into one.

Mahogany Dining Table

The runway show will be hosted by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and will
feature internationally recognized designers, celebrities and VIPs. All the
donated garments will be auctioned online at NET-A-PORTER starting February
15th. The donation is tax deductible and 100% of the event ticket
sales will benefit CARE.

Fashion For Relief™ will bring together, on the catwalk, top
international faces of fashion, music, film, TV, sports and society. The
show will feature glamorous clothes by the worlds most renowned and
respected fashion designers.

Naomi Campbell says, “I am deeply saddened by the recent tragedy in Haiti.
So many have been killed and severely affected by the earthquake — women
and children in particular are most vulnerable in disasters. Fashion is
universal, personal and touches everyone. Our aim is to use this seasons
catwalk shows in New York to reach people and help raise crucial funds to
help save the lives of women and children.”

This show is a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience the thrill of a
world-class fashion show up close and personal, while supporting an
extremely important and worthy cause. Funds raised at Fashion For Relief™
will be used directly to help rebuild the Haitian healthcare system for
mothers and babies.

INVO Bioscience, Inc. (OTCBB: IVOB), a medical
device company focused on treatment options for patients diagnosed with
infertility, announces the birth of the first INVO baby in Venezuela. The
baby boy was born on January 31, 2010 to a 46-year-old woman who had been
treated at the CEVALFES Center for Fertility in Valencia. The mother Yolima
Nelo said, “I am very happy and send many kisses to Claude (Dr. Ranoux) for
this great result.” The mother and new baby boy Rodolfo Francisco are
doing well. Dr. Antonia Sonoja, the physician who performed this INVO
procedure, was one of the key note speakers at the Salvador Society of
Endoscopy and Reproduction Symposium on January 30th where INVO was
presented to over 100 doctors from Central and South America.

New U.S. Program Texts Key Health Information to Pregnant Women, New
Moms

TAMPA, Fla. — Helping to supply timely health information to pregnant women and new
mothers from pregnancy through the baby’s first year, Syniverse
Technologies (NYSE:SVR) is delivering text messages free of charge
for the newly launched text4baby initiative. Text4baby is an educational
program of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB).

Syniverse is working with Voxiva, who will provide the mobile healthcare
platform, as well as with major U.S. mobile operators to offer the text
message service at no cost to registered users.

With text4baby, pregnant women and new mothers can sign up to receive
free text messages that include the valuable information they need to
give their babies the best possible start in life, said Tony
Holcombe, President and CEO, Syniverse.

“Each year in the United States, more than 500,000 babies are born
prematurely and an estimated 28,000 children die before their first
birthday,” Holcombe said. “By joining the text4baby initiative, we hope
to make a difference and drive down these dismal statistics.”

scholarships for single moms

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) today advised taxpayers dealing with
income tax liabilities to contact FTB for assistance if they are unable
to pay by April 15.

For people experiencing a financial hardship and cannot pay what they
owe, FTB specialists can establish payment plans, grant temporary relief
from state tax liens, or, in some cases, delay collection actions. FTB
generally approves installment payment requests if the balance owed is
less than $25,000 and can be paid within 60 months.

FTB can generally grant relief from state tax liens within two weeks for
financially distressed homeowners trying to sell or refinance their
homes. When a home sells for less than the loan balance, FTB can
sometimes remove its tax lien from the property to allow the homeowner
to complete the sale. Tax liens typically must be paid before a real
estate escrow can close. The tax lien remains in effect on any other
property the taxpayer currently holds or later acquires.

FTB can help people refinancing or modifying an existing home loan.
Homeowners can request that FTB allow the new or modified loan to have
priority over the tax lien. This allows prior home loans to be
refinanced or modified without first having to pay the lien.

More information is available at FTB’s website, ftb.ca.gov,
including ways to help taxpayers resolve their accounts through installment
agreement requests. For lien information, look under the “Bills and
Notices” tab and then under the Earnings Withholding and Collections
Action section, select: Individuals
– Liens.

DALLAS — CompuCom Systems, the leading IT outsourcing specialist, is ready to
raise the bar for smart, energy-efficient computing performance,
security and remote management with the all new 2010 Intel®
Core™ vPro™ processor family. CompuCom is integrating this new
generation of intelligent business platforms into its Integrated
Infrastructure Management approach (IIM™), in which Intel vPro processor
technology already plays an important role.

Built on an ITIL compliant platform, the integrated tools of CompuCom’s
IIM solution leverage the full range of cross-platform ITILv3 processes
across all the service towers and support the virtualization and
automation features of Intel vPro processor technology, extending remote
IT asset management to reduce onsite support time and cost while
improving security and end-user productivity.

In 2010, customizable client and enterprise solutions offered by
CompuCom will feature Intel® Core™ i7 and i5 processors that
automatically adapt to the network and to each user’s individual needs
to move faster when multitasking. Employing features such as Intel®
TurboBoost technology and Intel Hyper-Threading technology, clients can
maintain peak productivity even while running security and other
background tasks.

CompuCom can offer clients the smart security of enhanced data
protection from viruses and attacks through AES Encryption acceleration
and Intel Remote Encryption Management technology. In addition, Intel
Anti-Theft technology helps prevent notebooks from being stolen,
sounding an alarm and disabling the unit when moved. New recovery
features also make it easier for authorized personnel to safely restore
locked devices.

By deploying the new 2010 Intel Core vPro processors, CompuCom extends
its ability to remotely configure, diagnose, isolate and repair infected
PCs – even when those units are unresponsive – to help their clients
control management costs, protect data, work more efficiently and remain
productive.

Leading courier insurance specialists Staveley Head are warning their clients to be wary following the decision of Westminster County Council to scrap free motorbike parking in the borough from the end of January.

This controversial move will have a huge impact on couriers operating in the area, most of whom have to make many short stops throughout the day and are likely to fall foul of the new rules. Since August, motorcyclists have been forced to use bike parking bays at a charge of Pounds Sterling 1 a day.

This decision has now been made permanent under a new bylaw and has been opposed by several groups. Most notably, the British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF) are urging riders to donate to a legal fighting fund in order to challenge the decision. The fund has already raised around Pounds Sterling 30,000, however the group has stated that more is needed in order to save free bike parking nationally. A spokesperson for the group commented:

“Westminster City Councils decision to make permanent their controversial scheme for motorcycle parking charges could have national implications and therefore makes it more important than ever that motorcyclists fight this retrograde move. Currently standing at some Pounds Sterling 30,000, the fund needs at least another Pounds Sterling 20,000 to meet the expected minimum legal costs of Pounds Sterling 50,000.”

Flintshire based Staveley Head are in full support of this action, with a spokesperson commenting:

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The National Holistic Institute will donate all proceeds from massages given Thursday at their Emeryville and San Francisco campuses to a Haiti relief fund. The institute is a training school for massage therapists. The cost for a 50-minute massage is $35. Students, graduates, administrators and teachers are all donating their time and skills to help raise money for Haiti after the massive earthquakes earlier this month, said institute President Tim Veitzer.
The National Holistic Institute will donate all proceeds from massages given Thursday at their Emeryville and San Francisco campuses to a Haiti relief fund. The institute is a training school for massage therapists. The cost for a 50-minute massage is $35. Students, graduates, administrators and teachers are all donating their time and skills to help raise money for Haiti after the massive earthquakes earlier this month, said institute President Tim Veitzer.

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OneWest Foundation has made a three-year
commitment of $100,000 annually to the Juvenile Impact Program (JIP) in the
LAPDs Central and 77th Areas. JIP is a police program that works with
at-risk youth between the ages of 9 and 15, immersing them in a boot camp
style program that helps them resist gangs while improving their school
attendance and performance, their relationships with their families and
their self-respect. A unique feature of the program is that the parents
must also participate in parenting classes.

In announcing the grant, Steven T. Mnuchin, Chairman of OneWest Bank and
the OneWest Foundation, said, “OneWest is proud to be a partner of the Los
Angeles Police Foundation and to be sponsoring a program so vital to the
health of the communities we serve.”

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck remarked: “LAPD youth programs are
an investment in our future. I am grateful to OneWest Bank for their
investment in the Juvenile Impact Program. Their three-year gift of
$300,000 will improve the lives of children and their families in two
particularly underserved areas of our city.”

Police Foundation Board Chair Cindy Miscikowski stated: “We are grateful
for the support of OneWest. Getting youth and their families on the right
track is crucial to the safety and health of our city. OneWest is
providing essential assistance.”

The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, and Janet Napolitano, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, today announced a new Shiprider pilot project designed to bolster cross-border security operations in the waters of Puget Sound and off the Pacific Coast before and during the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. The project enables the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to cross-train, share resources and personnel and utilize each others vessels in the waters of both countries.

“This announcement supports our efforts to ensure a safe and secure 2010 Olympic Winter Games. During the Olympics, Canadian and U.S. law enforcement will work together to combat criminal activity in our shared waterways,” said Minister Toews. “Together with the United States, we are sending a strong message to criminals that illegal activity at our shared border will not be tolerated.”

“The United States and Canada are committed to securing our shared waterways against threats on both sides of the border,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This pilot project will enhance coordination and information-sharing between our two countries and strengthen our joint efforts to protect our citizens and visitors from around the world during the 2010 Winter Games.”

The pilot will be consistent with the Framework Agreement governing Shiprider operations in shared waterways signed by Secretary Napolitano and former Public Safety Minister, the Honourable Peter Van Loan, in May 2009. Both countries remain committed to fully implementing this agreement and jointly protecting against shared threats.

If someone tries to rob you, do you care whether the policeman who stops him is black or white? The Department of Justice does. Using the standard of “disparate impact”–under which almost any test, no matter how carefully vetted, can be ruled illegally discriminatory if some group does not score high enough on it–DOJ has filed suit against New Jersey because of its exam for police sergeants.

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Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AUXL),
a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that it has received
marketing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for
XIAFLEX™ (collagenase clostridium histolyticum), a novel,
first-in-class, orphan-designated, biologic, for the treatment of adult
Dupuytrens contracture patients with a palpable cord. The Company expects
to begin shipping XIAFLEX to its distribution partners in early March in
advance of a launch planned for late March.

“We believe the approval of XIAFLEX represents a major breakthrough for
patients suffering from the debilitating effects of Dupuytrens
contracture,” said Armando Anido, Chief Executive Officer and President of
Auxilium. “XIAFLEX is the first and only FDA-approved nonsurgical
treatment for Dupuytrens contracture. I want to thank the employees of
Auxilium and all of the clinical investigators who worked so hard to make
this breakthrough a reality.”

The Company will market and sell XIAFLEX in the United States through a
team of approximately 100 field sales managers and representatives,
reimbursement specialists and managed market account directors. In
addition, a staff of 11 highly trained medical science liaisons will
provide medical support for XIAFLEX. The Company has established a
distribution network that will allow health care providers to access
XIAFLEX through specialty distributors and specialty pharmacies or in the
institutional setting after they have undergone training on XIAFLEX and its
administration. For information and questions on XIAFLEX, patients and
physicians can contact Auxilium at 1-877-XIAFLEX.

“With the safety and effectiveness of XIAFLEX demonstrated across multiple
clinical trials, physicians can now use XIAFLEX to treat any symptomatic
cords in patients with Dupuytrens contracture,” said Larry Hurst, M.D.,
study investigator and Professor and Chair, Department of Orthopaedics at
SUNY Stony Brook. “I believe that XIAFLEX, as a new nonsurgical treatment,
could potentially become the standard of care for Dupuytrens contracture.”

FDA has required a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) program
for XIAFLEX, which consists of a communication plan and a medication guide.
This REMS is designed (1) to evaluate and mitigate known and potential
risks and serious adverse events; (2) to inform healthcare providers about
how to properly inject XIAFLEX and perform finger extension procedures;
and, (3) to inform patients about the serious risks associated with
XIAFLEX. Auxilium plans to market XIAFLEX to physicians who are
experienced in injection procedures of the hand and treatment of
Dupuytrens contracture and will only provide access to XIAFLEX after
physicians have attested to completion of a training program. The training
program is available as a video or written manual and demonstrates proper
use and administration of XIAFLEX, as well as an overview of both
identified and potential risks with XIAFLEX.

HOUSTON — COADE announced today the publication of an article in the October 2009
issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering magazine titled Plant Design for the
People that discusses the democratization of plant design that is
occurring globally, led in large part by the collaborative intelligence
of intuitive automated tools such as COADE’s plant design and
engineering solutions. The article, written by Gary Carson of Equamark,
Houston, Texas, points out the benefits these new affordable and
easy-to-use tools have brought to virtually all parts of the world by
making powerful plant design and engineering analysis tools available to
designers and engineers everywhere.

AppLab Allows Users to Easily Install RealityServer, Quickly Test Drive
Their Own Content and Learn How to Develop 3D Web Services

SAN FRANCISCO BERLIN — mental images, a global leader in rendering software and visualization
tools, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the NVIDIA Corporation, today
unveiled the RealityServer® AppLab™ toolset at the Imagina conference in
Monaco. RealityServer AppLab allows users to upload 3D content within
seconds, and to visualize, share and interact with it on any Internet
connected device.

The graphical user interface, accessible through a standard web browser,
is specifically designed to assist new as well as experienced users with
the evaluation of the RealityServer web application service platform. An
integrated documentation center guides developers through interactive
tutorials and examples, showing them how to create compelling 3D web
services that fit their needs.

“Here at Bertrandt, where we provide product development solutions for
automotive and aerospace industries worldwide, AppLab easily introduces
RealityServer’s technology to first time users and non-developers. It
enables us to quickly achieve tasks that would have required plenty of
manual work and a lot of training before,” said Christoph Martin of the
3D visualization team at Bertrandt. “AppLab is simple and intuitive and
we have found that its integration of the documentation center is
excellent. The ability to quickly integrate RealityServer content into
web sites via Embedded Codes is also an outstanding feature.”

In addition to the complete feature set of RealityServer AppLab adds an
easy to use management system and off-the-shelf viewing tools. Four key
functions are provided by AppLab, all of which are easily found on the
home screen of the interface:

house design software

Jessie Jean Jean passed away due to an illness on Jan. 25, 2010, at 78 years of age. Born in Salt Lake City June 13, 1931, to Jessie Penrose Bradford and Denton Spencer Rogers. Graduated from Granite High School 1949. Married J. Golden Haight in the Salt Lake City Temple May 8, 1951. Graduated as an LPN from SLCC in 1981.
The National Council of State Boards of Nursing
(NCSBN®) Center for Regulatory Excellence Grant Program announces a
deadline of March 1, 2010, for application submissions for its third
funding cycle. To be eligible for funding grants, applicants must either be
a member board of NCSBN, or a professional organization, state agency or
individual interested in the advancement of nursing regulation.

The Center for Regulatory Excellence Grant Program funds innovative
projects that can have measurable impact on nursing regulation and can
create meaningful change. Research priorities include: patient safety;
practice (licensed practical/vocational nurses [LPN/VN], registered nurses
[RN] and advanced practice registered nurses [APRN]); nursing education;
continued competence; discipline and alternatives to discipline; and
national and international portability.

Grant awards have a $300,000 per project limit. The deadline for the 2010
Center for Regulatory Excellence Grant Program submissions is March 1,
2010.

Since the Center for Regulatory Excellence Grant Program began in 2007, it
has awarded nearly $5 million in grants.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit
organization whose members include the boards of nursing in the 50 states,
the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories — American Samoa, Guam,
Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. There are also four
associate members.

Each day, we are reminded there are not enough nurses in Oklahoma. Employment of nurses is expected to grow as more trained nurses become available. Through educational assistance, the State of Oklahoma is committed in helping to provide well-trained nurses for the care of people in Oklahoma. With the addition of 261 new nursing student recipients, the Physician Manpower Training Commission will have provided 5,259 total scholarships for nursing students in Oklahoma since 1982 when the scholarship was created. This program has provided nurses to all 77 counties in Oklahoma with an emphasis placed on the rural communities. Currently, we have 313 nurses that received funding through our program fulfilling their work obligation throughout the state of Oklahoma.

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Part-Time, Temporary and Small Business Jobs Experience Growth in
Fourth Quarter of 2009

PHILADELPHIA — In the wake of President Obama’s proposal to provide more loans and tax
credits to small businesses to promote jobs, Beyond.com,
Inc., the world’s largest network of niche career communities, today
issued its Q4
2009 Career Trend Analysis Report indicating that small businesses
continue to serve as the backbone of the United States economy.

According to the report, which gathers information across thousands of
top-tier industry and local career sites, the largest majority of newly
registered employers in Q4 2009 were companies with fewer than 10
employees with 31.94 percent, up from 27.25 percent last quarter.
Additionally, more than 55 percent of employers who registered with
Beyond.com in Q4 2009 had 50 employees or less, an indicator that small
companies are continuing to lead the pack in terms of hiring.

According to the GDP
Report released by The Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. economy
grew at the fastest pace in more than six years during Q4 2009 –
providing hope that the recession may be nearing an end. While the
economic recovery is beginning to gain strength, job growth is clearly
lagging. In 2009, not a single industry was able to sustain steady,
incremental growth quarter over quarter according to Beyond.com. Sectors
such as Healthcare
and IT,
which have proved to be resilient throughout the recession, even
experienced a slight dip in jobs over the past quarter.

“The government incentives for hiring couldn’t come at a better time, as
we are beginning to see employers test the waters in terms of hiring
again,” said Rich
Milgram, CEO of Beyond.com, Inc. “In Q4 2009, Beyond.com recognized
a 4.52 percent increase in part-time positions, which is not surprising
since this option provides less financial commitment to employers in
uncertain economic times. As the economy continues to strengthen and
small businesses begin to stabilize, companies can finally start
reinvesting in themselves, providing more opportunities to get Americans
back to work.”

Steve and Harry were both feeling the pinch of the economic crisis. Leaner pay cheques, rising commodity prices and strained monthly budgets forced them to look for credit options to bring their finances back on track. While Harry took the conventional route, choosing to go GBP 80 overdraft on his account, Steve researched more extensively and opted for a payday loan from Lending Stream. At the outset, it appeared to Steve that he had made a costly mistake by ignoring critical observations about the expensive nature of payday loans . However, by the time he received his next pay cheque and repaid his loan successfully, it was established that Harry had got the raw deal instead.

Harrys decision to use an unplanned overdraft for just three days cost him a whopping GBP 60. Steve, on the other hand, used a GBP 80 payday loan over a 30-day period and ended up paying a relatively small charge of GBP 20. It is evident that banks are not always the best option when you are facing a cash shortfall.

A spokesperson from Lending Stream commented, “Although we have faced some sharp criticism for the perceivably high interest rates, we believe we are less expensive than some of the traditional cash options like credit cards and unplanned bank overdrafts. Our APRs might suggest that our loans are not a sensible option. But the fact remains that we lend only on a short-term basis and hence, it is only the monthly interest rate that needs to be taken into account.”

A spokesperson added “We received a comment from one of our valued customers saying the typical APR was misleading and deceptive. To address all our customers who have doubts on the APR, we put in as much effort as we could all muster up into creating a simple and customer friendly explanation of this complexity. Though most of us know the fact that APRs do not matter for short term loans like ours, we feel inclined to putting their minds at rest.”

Responsible lending by companies like Lending Stream has quelled some of the common apprehensions that people have about payday loans. Of course, finance charges of GBP 25 for every GBP 100 borrowed (30 days) may not be wallet-friendly; but the speed, convenience and flexibility offered certainly make the cost look reasonable. When you are strapped for cash during the crisis, an online loan that materialises in a day and does not leave you with bigger debts is a practical choice.

Unique, personalized lending experience, seasoned team of mortgage
professionals

NEWPORT, R.I. — Embrace
Home Loans, a prominent leader in the mortgage industry and a direct
lender for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, approved by FHA and VA, and an
issuer for Ginnie Mae, officially opened a new branch in Miami, Fla. The
branch is located at 11440 North Kendall Drive, Suite 405 and is managed
by Manuel DeArmas, branch manger and Gene Swindle, vice president.

“Our team of experienced loan officers has been helping the Miami area
with its financing needs for more than 30 years,” said Gene Swindle,
vice president of the Miami branch. “We understand this diverse market
and have the tools to help people find the right loan product for their
needs and more importantly, close in a very timely manner. We are
excited to be a part of Embrace Home Loans and to introduce this strong,
value-driven lender to the Miami market. Our specialized team of loan
officers speaks multiple languages and maintains the unique training and
knowledge required to meet the needs of this niche market. We are ready
and willing to assist the Miami community with its mortgage financing
needs.”

Despite the tumultuous market, Embrace Home Loans remains a profitable,
privately owned company and is rapidly expanding its operations in the
consolidated market. The Miami-branch provides the entire loan process
from application to closing, and because it is not a broker, the process
is much quicker. The branch offers conventional, FHA, VA and many of the
bond loans offered by the state of Florida. Additionally, the company
has been recognized as one of the “Best Medium Companies to Work for in
America,” as well as one of the “INC 5,000 Fastest Growing Private
Companies in America.”

“Embrace Home Loans is a lender you can trust,” said Manuel DeArmas,
branch manager of the Miami branch. “What makes us different from the
rest of the market is the combination of sophisticated technology that
enables us to close loans faster, combined with one-on-one, personalized
service, which is rare in today’s financial environment. When you call
the branch, you’ll get a person – not a recording – and when you come
into the branch – we will sit down and discuss your individual financing
needs until we’ve answered all questions and exhausted all options.”

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BALTIMORE — Professional Healthcare Hospice Foundation is pleased to announce the
fifth annual Emily Schindler Lecture, to be held at the Meeting House in
Columbia, MD on Friday March 19, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm. The
lecture will be entitled “”The Meaning of Life: Lessons Learned from the
Suicidal Patient” and will feature world renowned suicidologist and
author, David Jobes, PhD., ABPP. Dr. Jobes is Professor of Clinical
Psychology and Co-Director of Clinical Training at The Catholic
University of America in Washington, DC.

Social Workers who attend the session will have the opportunity to
obtain CEUs, although the event is open to anyone with an interest in
the topic. Breakfast will be provided to all attendees.

Emily Schindler was an 18 year old freshman at Frostberg State
University when she was tragically killed in a car accident. Emily is
the daughter of Charles and Jane Schindler. Jane was a social worker
with the Saint Agnes Hospital Hospice Program, the former name for the
Professional Healthcare Resources Hospice Program, and the Saint Agnes
Cancer Center. The Emily Schindler Memorial Lecture was established in
2005 through a gift to the Schindler Family from The Saint Agnes Cancer
Center.

Skaters brother sent for evaluation BOSTON (AP) — The brother of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan has been sent for a psychological evaluation after being charged with assaulting his 70-year-old father, who later died. A spokeswoman for Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone in Massachusetts said Tuesday that Mark Kerrigan has been sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for a competency evaluation. Mark Kerrigan pleaded not guilty Monday to assaulting his father, Daniel Kerrigan, at the family home in the Boston suburb of Stoneham.

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MILWAUKEE — High school dropouts earn less, contribute less to the tax base, and are
more likely to go to prison — sobering facts that underscore the
importance of a new study showing that the graduation rate for students
in Milwaukee’s 20-year-old school choice program was 18 percent higher
than for students in the Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS).

The findings, from a leading national expert who analyzed six years of
data, estimate that 3,352 additional Milwaukee students would have
received diplomas between 2003 and 2008 if public school graduation
rates had matched those of low-income students using educational
vouchers. Based on a separate study reported by the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel’s Erin Richards, the annual impact from 3,352 more MPS
graduates would include an additional $21.2 million in personal income
and $3.6 million in extra tax revenue.

“This new study deserves the attention of state and federal officials —
including President Barack Obama — who seek education reforms that
produce solid results,” said Jeff Monday, principal of Milwaukee’s
nationally recognized Messmer High School.

The author of the new study, University of Minnesota Professor John
Robert Warren, estimated a 2008 graduation rate of 77% for school choice
students and 65% for public school students. The difference — twelve
percentage points — translates into an 18% higher rate for voucher
students. Dr. Warren found a similar average difference for the six-year
period of 2003 through 2008.

In last week’s State of the Union address, President Obama reiterated a
recurring theme that he and U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan have
stressed: “The idea here is simple. Instead of rewarding failure, we
only reward success. Instead of funding the status quo, we only invest
in reform that raises student achievement.”

Donated Multimedia Software Will Help Schools Improve Continuity of
Learning and Key Classroom Outcomes

OKEMOS, Mich. — Third graph, first sentence of release should read:. said Ken Theis
(sted Ken Thesis).

TECHSMITH ANNOUNCES $2 MILLION SOFTWARE GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP
MICHIGAN SCHOOLS

Donated Multimedia Software Will Help Schools Improve Continuity of
Learning and Key Classroom Outcomes

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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For maximum results in minimal time, Hood started Bettany with five days of interval circuit training every week. Knowing Bettanys abs were going to be showcased, each workout began with several core exercises. “We wanted to give that our full attention,” Hood says. They followed that with a three-round circuit. “The idea was to blast his body. We didnt do a lot of cardio. The heart rate was elevated throughout the workout. He was never sitting around.”
LOS ANGELES — AmericanTours International (ATI) Chair/CEO Noel Irwin Hentschel is back
from weeks of briefings with U.S. and China government officials
discussing ways to expand China tourism to all regions of the U.S. and
promote the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

Hentschel met Yao Ming in Los Angeles and spoke about Chinese travelers
visiting Houston in April 2010 for a “Rockets” game during the inaugural
ATI-TTA “Gone With The Wind” Trust Tour. “Yao Ming is responsible for
putting a ‘Houston Rockets’ game high on the list of Chinese visitors to
America,” stated Hentschel. “Traveling on ATI motorcoaches the tour will
visit 8 states, sampling Cajun food in New Orleans, dressing like
Scarlett O’Hara in Natchez and listening to country music in Nashville.”

Trust Travel Alliance (TTA), an agreement between ATI, China Travel
Service (CTS), China International Travel Service (CITS), China Youth
Travel Service (CYTS), China Comfort Travel (CCT), CITIC and Shanghai
Airlines are committed to safety, quality, service and value. TTA and
the Trust Tours concept, brand and products were founded by ATI
subsequent to the 2009 China tour operator bus tragedy in Arizona that
killed 7 Chinese tourists due to disregard of U.S. regulations. The TTA
Trust Tours series, operated exclusively by ATI, provides unique tours
of America for ATI authorized TTA members with strict adherence to U.S.
and P.R.C. laws and safety regulations.

Hentschel met in Beijing with Director General He Ning, Ministry of
Commerce (MOFCOM), Director Liu, China National Tourism Administration
(CNTA) and President Mo, China Travel Service (CTS) to discuss ways to
reciprocally attract more tourism and enforce U.S. and P.R.C. laws to
clean up the underground tourism industry, which handles most Chinese
tourists in the U.S. Hentschel was commended for establishing ATI-TTA
Trust Tours to help protect Chinese travelers.

In Shanghai Hentschel met with U.S. Department of Commerce Deputy
Assistant Secretary Joel D. Secundy prior to the JCCT government
meetings who expressed concern about negligent tour operators and
advised that the U.S. and China governments and tourism industry must
work together to solve this serious issue.

Two of Canadas Networks of Centres of Excellence – the Canadian Stroke Network and the Advanced Foods Materials Network – today awarded the third annual national “Salt Lick Award” to Gerber Graduates Lil Entrees. This choice was made because the “Chicken Pasta Wheel Pickups” dinner serves up the sodium equivalent to two orders of medium McDonalds Fries.

The Gerber Graduates meal, which the packaging says is “appropriate for children 1 year or older” and “specially made for toddlers,” contains 550 mg of sodium, or more than half a toddlers adequate daily intake of 1,000 mg. Meanwhile, according to the McDonalds Canada website, a medium order of French Fries contains 270 mg of sodium.

This year, the Salt Lick Award focuses on food for young children in order to highlight the inappropriately high levels of sodium added to meals targeted at toddlers. The Canadian Stroke Network and Advanced Foods and Materials Network conducted a product scan of popular baby and toddler foods, resulting in selection of the Graduates meal for the Salt Lick Award. There is good news however: some popular brands in the marketplace have no added sodium.

Dr. Kevin Willis, who leads efforts by the Canadian Stroke Network to raise awareness of the dangers of excessive sodium intake, says “there is a concern that eating too much sodium in childhood can lead to a preference for salty foods and, consequently, an increased risk of disease as an adult.”

Dr. Rickey Yada, Scientific Director of the Advanced Foods and Materials Network, mirrors this sentiment: “Canadians need to follow the everything in moderation concept to develop a healthy and sustainable diet. Products high in salt will make such an exercise very difficult and will contribute to the toll many chronic diseases are taking on our health-care system, and our lives.”

Crepes Dulces

The National Holistic Institute will donate all proceeds from massages given Thursday at their Emeryville and San Francisco campuses to a Haiti relief fund. The institute is a training school for massage therapists. The cost for a 50-minute massage is $35. Students, graduates, administrators and teachers are all donating their time and skills to help raise money for Haiti after the massive earthquakes earlier this month, said institute President Tim Veitzer.
Winning Massage Schools Receive $2500 Grants for 2009 Community
Service

SAN DIEGO — BIOTONE
today announced that the Potomac
Massage Training Institute (PMTI) in Washington, D.C., and MTTI-WellSpring
in Kansas City, Mo., are the recipients of the annual BIOTONE Community
Outreach Award. Each school will receive a $2500 grant from BIOTONE
in recognition of its volunteer program in 2009 to provide massage
therapy to members of the community.

“We congratulate these two institutions for the contribution to their
communities,” said Jean Shea, BIOTONE founder and CEO. “Massage therapy
is about caring for and helping individuals. This empathy inspires a
strong spirit of volunteerism among our industry professionals.”

The BIOTONE Community Outreach Award, established in 2007, rewards two
massage therapy schools each year for helping their community, providing
students with unique, hands-on training experiences and advancing public
awareness of the value of massage therapy for a range of healing needs.
In making its selection, BIOTONE evaluates the impact of a school’s
program on the community, benefits to recipients and ability to meet
stated goals.

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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Swelling and pain are usually the result of a stretched or torn ligament.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Swelling and pain are usually the result of a stretched or torn ligament.

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The following animals may be available at the Berkeley/East Bay Humane Society: Dogs: An 11-month-old, female black brindled and white pit bull mix and a 7-year-old white and brindled, male American bulldog mix.
ITS pantomime time at Meltham Methodist Church – oh yes it is. The Mill Moor Road church is putting on a performance of Dick Whittington over three nights this week. Next Saturdays matinee performance is already sold out, but tickets, costing pounds 6.50 or pounds 5 concessions, are still available for the 7.30pm shows on all three nights.

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Hospital reimbursement from all payers is at risk Take proactive approach to responding to auditors If your hospital has been focusing solely on improving Medicare records in preparation for the permanent Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, you may find yourself in a bind as other payers roll out their own audit programs. Hospitals should prepare for the MICs and the commercial auditors in much the same way as they have been preparing for the RACs, and develop an organized group, similar to the RAC committee, with well-defined roles with each discipline, says Brian Flood, CHC, CIG, Esq., managing director for KPMG LLC.
Chedid Re was chosen from a select group of talented reinsurance brokers
for its integrity, impressive growth, development of significant new and
existing relationships, commitment to customers, innovation, diversity
and quality of its service offering as well as a proven track record of
success.

After receiving the ‘2010 Reinsurance Broker of the Year’ award, Mr.
Farid Chedid, the Managing Director of Chedid Re, said: “We are
delighted to receive this tribute, which stands testament for the hard
work and commitment that the team at Chedid Re delivers to achieve high
levels of service, innovation and satisfaction for our MENA and European
customers.”

The Gulf Insurance Awards judging panel is drawn from a respected group
of market experts, practitioners, analysts, and consultants. The
“Reinsurance Broker of the Year” award honors leading companies which
during the past year have addressed customer needs and have had a
significant impact on the regional market.

Swinton, the UKs leading high street insurance retailer is warning motorists to beware of the potentially dangerous effects of in-car navigation systems.

It is estimated that around 14 million drivers now use satellite navigation systems. A survey of 1,200 Swinton car insurance customers showed that one in five had hesitated on a busy road as a result of their sat nav. One in fifty also admitted that their sat nav had either caused or nearly caused an accident.

Following official RoSPA statistics showing that 78% of crashes were caused by driver inattention, researchers from Lancaster University and Royal Holloway are planning to study the impacts of sat navs on spatial attention and memory whilst driving.

Steve Chelton, insurer development manager at Swinton, the UKs leading high street car insurance retailer said: “We are seeing more drivers making claims for damage to their vehicles after following their sat navs to unsuitable roads. We urge all motorists to use their common sense when approaching a potentially impassable road.

“The authorities are beginning to take this problem very seriously and we are now finding that more and more people are receiving up to six penalty points and substantial fines for driving without due care and attention and putting themselves into dangerous situations after following sat nav instructions.”

Ohio Auto Insurance Quotes

Double Eagle Package: For two golfers, it includes:
accommodations in Ocatilla at The Biltmore, two rounds of golf, dinner
for two at Frank Albert’s or Wrights at the Biltmore, two 50-minute
Sports Massages, 30% discount off additional spa services, resort fee
and parking. The cost is only $599 – a 45% savings over booking the
components individually. Use group code P10 when booking.

Hole-in-One Package: For one golfer and one non-golfer, it
includes: accommodations in Ocatilla at The Biltmore, one round of golf,
dinner for two at Frank Albert’s or Wrights at the Biltmore, $50
Macy’s gift card with Macy’s discount pass and shuttle service to
Biltmore Fashion Park, 30% discount off all spa services, resort fee and
parking. The package is only $449 – a 40% savings over booking the
components individually. Use group code P11 when booking.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — HMN Financial, Inc. (HMN or the Company) (NASDAQ:HMNF), today announced
that its annual meeting will be held at the Rochester Golf and Country
Club, located at 3100 West Country Club Road, Rochester, Minnesota on
Tuesday, April 27, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. local time.

HMN Financial, Inc. and Home Federal are headquartered in Rochester,
Minnesota. Home Federal operates ten full service offices in Minnesota
located in Albert Lea, Austin, Eagan, LaCrescent, Rochester, Spring
Valley and Winona, Minnesota and two full service offices in Iowa
located in Marshalltown and Toledo, Iowa. Home Federal also operates
loan origination offices located in Sartell and Rochester, Minnesota.
Home Federal Private Banking operates branches in Edina and Rochester,
Minnesota.

golf

ACCORDING TO THE conventional wisdom, the United States faces a massive medical bill thanks to our use of pricey new treatments and equipment. “About half of all growth in health care spending in the past several decades was associated with changes in medical care made possible by advances in technology,” a 2008 Congressional Budget Office report declared. “Health care economists attribute about 50 percent of the annual increase of health costs to new technologies or to the intensified use of old ones,” the bioethicist Daniel Callahan writes in his new book Taming the Beloved Beast: How Medical Technology Costs Are Destroying Our Health Care System. This is familiar territory for Callahan, who for decades has advocated reining in medical innovation to reduce health care costs. He also favors limiting the life-extending treatments that older people receive, on the grounds that most of them will “have lived a full and fruitful biographical life prior to age 70.” Interestingly, Callahan, age 79, underwent a life-saving seven-hour heart procedure in August that cost upward of $100,000. In his new book, Callahan complains that “American health care is radically American: individualistic, scientifically ambitious, market intoxicated, suspicious of government, and profit-driven.” Hes right at least about our high-tech vitality: The U.S. does develop and deploy medical innovations much faster than other rich countries. New pharmaceutical products generally hit the market here two years earlier than elsewhere, according to a December 2008 report from the business consultancy McKinsey, which also blames high-tech medicine for escalating costs. The McKinsey report further notes that American physicians are “much quicker to adopt new surgical techniques and advances in anesthesia.” The top five U.S. hospitals alone conduct more clinical trials than any other single developed country. But is high tech medicine really to blame for rising health care costs? Last June Columbia economist Frank Lichtenberg published a study that suggests the opposite. Advanced medical technologies, Lichtenberg suggests, are not contributing to rising American health care expenditures because the money they save makes up for the money spent on them. Lichtenberg begins by looking at how the rate of increase in longevity has varied among U.S. states between 1991 and 2004. He investigates how such factors as the quality of medical care, behavioral risks, education, income, and insurance coverage affect life expectancy. To measure differences in the quality of medical care, he examines how quickly each state took up advanced medical diagnostics and new drugs. He also calculates what fraction of physicians in each state was trained at top-ranked medical schools.
“The scene is Capitol Hill. Its the year 2035. Thousands of elderly protesters assemble outside the Capitol building. Inside, the House Ways and Means Committee meets to enact huge cuts in both Medicare and the national health insurance program.” That is the opening of “The Medicare Monster,” a reason article from January 1993; authors Steven Hayward and Erik Peterson highlighted predictions of Medicares impending fiscal insolvency to warn against the push for government-run health care. Substitute 2017 for 2035, and you could write the scene today. Hayward and Petersons cautionary tale pointed out that Medicare costs had been dramatically underestimated from the inception of the program in 1966. Medicare cost $3 billion in 1966. A “conservative” estimate by the House Ways and Means Committee in 1966 projected that Medicare would cost $12 billion after inflation by 1990. The actual 1990 cost was nearly nine times more: $107 billion. Today Medicare costs $408 billion, consuming about 13 percent of the total federal budget. Since 1993 projections about Medicares eventual date of bankruptcy have oscillated considerably. In 1997 the Medicare Trustees projected that its hospital fund would be depleted by the middle of 2000. Fiscal collapse was avoided when the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 imposed what amounted to price controls on physicians and hospitals. As a consequence, in 2000 the Medicare Trustees sunnily projected that the program would be solvent through 2029. Nine years later, the latest Medicare Trustees report projects that the hospital fund (Part A) will be depleted by 2017. The trustees assert that bringing it into actuarial balance during the next 75 years will require either immediately raising the Medicare payroll tax from 2.9 percent to 6.78 percent or cutting current benefits by 53 percent. Medicare Part B, which pays for outpatient care and doctor bills, and the recently added Part D, which pays for prescription drugs, are “both projected to remain adequately financed into the indefinite future because current law automatically provides financing each year to meet next years expected costs.” Translation: About 75 percent of Medicare funds spent on doctors and drugs come from general tax revenue.
Studies show decrease in senior care continuity If the discharge planning communitys ideal is to begin the discharge process at the door, when patients are admitted to the hospital, then community provider input is necessary for a smooth care transition. But care continuity has been low, and its decreasing for older adults, recent studies show..sup.1,2

eyewrinklesnomore.com

American Traffic Solutions Selected to Manage Program

HUNTINGDON, Tenn. — The Town of Huntingdon, Tenn., is implementing a new traffic enforcement
program after a 2009 study revealed that speeding on State Highway 70
threatens public safety. Huntingdon selected American Traffic Solutions
(ATS) of Scottsdale, Ariz., to develop, install and monitor an automated
red-light and speed camera traffic enforcement program that Town
officials expect will encourage drivers to decrease their speeds and
stop for red lights.

The analysis done last year of traffic safety issues on two
well-traveled roads in the community determined that:

Two cameras will be placed on Veterans Drive S to monitor speeders and
red-light runners in each direction, according to Chief Parker. An
analysis of where to place the cameras on West Main Street (State
Highway 70) is still underway. A determination has not yet been made
whether the Highway 70 cameras will just monitor speeders or both
speeders and red-light runners. The results of the analysis will drive
that decision.

There are no medals, no camera flashes, no bouquets of flowers, only the opportunity for individuals to have a gold-medal experience. before, during and after the Olympics. Utahns are lucky when it comes to the Winter Olympics. The Games were staged in Salt Lake City in 2002 and much of their legacy remains. Among the Olympic activities open to the public are bobsled, skeleton, hockey, skating, curling, cross-country skiing, biathlon, running gates on alpine skis or going freestyle on a snowboard in a halfpipe.

Maroon Targus

WASHINGTON — Today, CTIA-The Wireless Association® President and CEO Steve Largent
issued the following statement in response to the Senate Judiciary
Committee mark-up of the Cell Phone Contraband Act (S. 1749):

“Inmates who possess contraband phones and those who supply them should
be penalized severely and CTIA commends the Senate Judiciary Committee
for approving Senator Feinsteins bill. Our members have no interest in
seeing inmates use wireless services to conduct unlawful activities
or harass and intimidate the public. We hope the full Senate will act on
S. 1749 soon.”

PITTSBURGH — NOVA Chemicals today announced the promotion of William Mitchell to Vice
President and General Counsel. Mr. Mitchell has succeeded Jack Mustoe,
Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary, who retired in December
2009.

“Bill brings extensive experience in NOVA Chemicals’ legal department,”
said Randy Woelfel, NOVA Chemicals’ Chief Executive Officer. “He is
uniquely qualified for this key leadership role and will make an
immediate impact.”

Mitchell has more than 25 years of legal experience in the chemical and
pharmaceutical industries. Prior to joining NOVA Chemicals, he held
several leadership roles including Patent Counsel, Merck Co. Inc;
General Counsel and Secretary, Calgon Corporation; and Vice President
and General Counsel, Oakwood Laboratories. Most recently, Mitchell
served as a Vice President in NOVA Chemicals’ legal department, and
currently serves as a board member at Launchcyte, LLC.

Mr. Mitchell earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering
and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of
Pittsburgh, and a Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law.

medical billing specialists

SEATTLE — Six women in their 60s to 80s lunge side to side within a YMCA pool, essentially emulating falling and regaining balance. At times during the one-hour class, they also pad about, reaching for bobbing Nerf balls and balance on one leg and against turbulence. Occupational therapist Jeanne Shepard, who teaches the class in the Seattle suburb of Shoreline, believes that waters buoyancy and resistance are natural aids in helping seniors prepare against falls. Health care organizations and providers are paying increasing attention to preventing falls as the U.S. population continues to age. The state Office of Financial Management projects that the population of older adults will increase 50 percent by 2020 and double by 2030. Injurious falls can endanger an older persons independence, even his or her life. And the medical costs associated with their falls total about $19 billion a year nationwide.
THIS is Jean Treacy, the elusive ex-mistress of Eamon Lillis, the man accused of murdering his wife. She is photographed when she worked as a lifeguard in her hometown before pursuing a new career and moving to Dublin where she met Lillis and started an affair with him eight weeks before Celine Cawley was found dead. The picture, taken a few years ago, calls to mind Celine as a young woman. But now, Jean has been indelibly linked to the tragedy when 46- year-old Celine lost her life on December 15, 2008 at her luxury EUR3million home on Howth Head.
Theater Wednesday: “Fiddler on the Roof,” starring irrepressible Harvey Fierstein, opens at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco, where it plays through Feb. 21. Thursday: Aurora Theatre Company opens the world premiere of Joel Drake Johnsons dramedy “First Grade,” about a schoolteacher who rescues a troubled physical therapist, adding to her already complex extended family. It plays through Feb. 28 at the Berkeley theater.

physical therapist education

As the Met office issues flood warnings this week, motorists could be left submerged – both literally and financially.

Flooding can cause extensive damage to a vehicle, both to the bodywork and the engine. Drivers can face extremely high repair bills or worse still have their car written off. It is estimated that nearly 27% of UK drivers may not be insured if their vehicle is damaged as a result of flooding.

The North East of England has been issued with a Flood Warning with the Midlands, South West Greater London areas being issued with Flood Watch warnings.

Leading high street insurance retailer, Swinton is advising UK drivers to check their car insurance policy for flood cover as many drivers may not be covered should their vehicle be damaged.

Steve Chelton, Swintons Insurer Development Manager said: “Some drivers choose third party only or third party fire and theft policies because they are less expensive and easy to understand. However these car insurance policies might not provide cover for flood damage and it is crucial that drivers are conscious of what is and isnt included in their policy.”

Norvax University takes its two-day Marketing
and Sales Success Conference Tour to Orlando, on Feb. 24 and 25 — with
several upgrades.

Designed for agents and brokers who want to become top producers, the
Norvax University Orlando conference will be a Wednesday-Thursday event at
the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate.

The conference will also introduce new sessions addressing the most
pressing topic in health insurance sales: healthcare reform. Norvax
University will share information brokers need to understand the changing
landscape of health insurance, and how to position their business to profit
from this change.

The Norvax University conference includes in-depth insurance sales training seminars,
packed with proven marketing and sales strategies that can be used
immediately. The schedule also provides many opportunities for attendees to
network with speakers and top producers.

Hospital reimbursement from all payers is at risk Take proactive approach to responding to auditors If your hospital has been focusing solely on improving Medicare records in preparation for the permanent Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, you may find yourself in a bind as other payers roll out their own audit programs. Hospitals should prepare for the MICs and the commercial auditors in much the same way as they have been preparing for the RACs, and develop an organized group, similar to the RAC committee, with well-defined roles with each discipline, says Brian Flood, CHC, CIG, Esq., managing director for KPMG LLC.

New Jersey Auto Insurance Quotes

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dont get us wrong–your lady probably gives great massages. But sometimes we need more than just a happy ending. Like a muscle-relieving sports massage. In fact, more and more elite athletes are incorporating regular rubdowns into their recovery programs, hitting strained hamstrings, pulled groins, and aching backs. “Guys are bigger, faster, and stronger, and as a result, collisions are more violent,” says South Florida–based sports massage therapist Chris Pikosky, whos worked on Super Bowl (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Stanley Cup (Carolina Hurricanes) champs. But you dont have to be an elite athlete to benefit from a good sports massage. This aint your girls froufrou spa day. Think a vigorous deep-tissue treatment. “A Swedish massage is soothing, and theres a lot of value to it, but its different from what an athlete is looking for,” Pikosky says. Sports massages involve rubs and stretches that target specific muscles and increase athletes range of motion.
Nurses improve medication administration accuracy The study involved the implementation of the Integrated Nurse Leadership Program (INLP), which provides frontline nurses and other hospital staff with training, resources, and authority to devise and implement solutions. In addition to showing the importance of empowering frontline nurses, the most significant finding of the study is that “significant improvement in outcomes can be accomplished without very expensive fixes,” says Julie Kliger, MPA, BSN, RN, INLP creator and program director at the Center for the Health Professions, University of California, San Francisco; principal and founder of The Altos Group; and lead author of the article. “Thats important because there are a lot of financial and resource pressures today, and people sometimes think they need to spend millions for bar-coding; this demonstrates through almost old-fashioned QI and engaging the people who are doing the work and providing them with tools, skills, and resources, that they can make statistically significant improvement.”

dental hygienist

Homeland Security Company Nominates New Key Supplier to Growing
Team of World-Class Firms Working Hard to Put Americans Back to Work

CONNERSVILLE, Ind. — Following last week’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy
that Carbon Motors Corporation’s loan application was deemed
substantially complete under the provisions of Section 136 of the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007, the Company announced today that
it has designated Autoliv ASP, Inc. as a preferred supplier for certain
key systems relative to its Carbon E7, the world’s first purpose-built
law enforcement patrol vehicle.

“The ability of Carbon Motors to continue to attract top caliber firms
to improve the security of our homeland not only validates the business
but continues to accelerate the process towards full-scale production,”
said William Santana Li, chairman and chief executive officer,
Carbon Motors Corporation. “We literally scoured the planet for
world-class suppliers across a variety of sectors and disciplines and we
are thrilled to have Autoliv join the effort to put Americans back to
work.”

Autoliv Inc. has been designated as the preferred supplier of the E7’s
air bags, seat belts and related safety sensors. Autoliv Inc., with 10
locations in the United States, is the global leader in the automobile
occupant restraint market and estimates that it accounts for more than
one third of the airbag products market, and for almost one third of the
seatbelt market in North America. Autoliv’s vision to substantially
reduce traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries is uniquely aligned
with the needs of the over 800,000 law enforcement officers in the U.S.

Preferred supplier designations are subject to terms and conditions, and
are intended to establish a framework pursuant to which the parties will
work together to develop mutually acceptable sourcing targets, which
would ultimately form the basis of definitive supply agreements.
Advisors and previously announced suppliers include:

Strong Commercial Loan and Core Deposit Growth Continues

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Bancorp Rhode Island, Inc. (NASDAQ: BARI), the parent company of Bank
Rhode Island, today reported net income of $2.1 million, or $0.44
diluted earnings per share (EPS), for the quarter ended December 31,
2009, compared to net income of $2.3 million, or $0.48 diluted EPS,
after preferred stock dividends and discount accretion, for the fourth
quarter 2008.

Net income for 2009 was $6.5 million, or $0.90 diluted EPS, after
preferred stock dividends and discount accretion, compared to net income
of $9.1 million, or $1.96 diluted EPS, after preferred stock dividends
and discount accretion for 2008. The Company noted that during the third
quarter 2009, it repurchased its preferred stock and the warrant to
purchase its common stock previously issued to the U.S. Treasury
Department. The repurchase of the preferred stock and the discount
accretion associated with its issuance had a negative impact on the
Company’s EPS of $0.49 per share for 2009 and $0.01 per share for 2008.

The net interest margin for the fourth quarter 2009 was 3.42 percent, an
increase of 13 basis points from the fourth quarter 2008 and an increase
of 4 basis points from third quarter 2009. For 2009, the net interest
margin was 3.25 percent, an increase of 4 basis points compared to 2008.

At December 31, 2009, the Company’s tier 1 capital ratio was
approximately 7.6 percent and its total risk-based capital ratio
exceeded 12.0 percent.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — SCBT Financial Corporation (NASDAQ: SCBT), the holding company for SCBT,
National Association, today released its unaudited results of operations
and other financial information for the three-month period and
year-ended December 31, 2009. The Company reported solid results due
primarily to its improved net interest margin, noninterest income from
mortgage banking operations and good expense control. The following
occurred during 2009:

Quarterly Cash Dividend

The Board of Directors of SCBT has declared a quarterly cash dividend of
$0.17 per share payable on its common stock. This per share amount is
equal to the dividend paid in the immediately preceding quarter and will
be payable on February 19, 2010 to shareholders of record as of February
12, 2010.

bad credit cash advances

THE GREEN BIBLE misses an opportunity to extol Noahs embrace of mass transit over less environmentally friendly modes of disaster evacuation, but it does highlight the parts of the Good Book “that speak to Gods care for creation” in a verdant shade of soy-based ink. In Bible Illuminated: The Book, the Holy Scriptures are paired with glossy photographs of Angelina Jolie, Al Gore, and Bono, among others, and supplemented with a section inspired by the United Nations Millennium Development Goals project, titled “Eight Ways to Change the World.” Naturally, such efforts to present the Bible in progressive contexts have not gone unnoticed by more right-leaning believers. Claiming that “liberal bias has become the single biggest distortion in modern Bible translations,” Andrew Schlafly, the fourth begotten son of Phyllis, launched the Conservative Bible Project in August 2009. An online collaborative effort, the project aims to produce “a fully conservative translation of the Bible” that will avoid gender-inclusive language, favor conciseness over “liberal wordiness,” use “conservative” terms like volunteer rather than comrade, and render “the numerous economic parables with their full free-market meaning.” Whatever concise, narrowly gendered language Schlafly and his comrades, er, volunteers conjure to illuminate the free-market meaning of, say, the Parable of the Vineyard Consultants (Matthew 20:1-15), theyll be hard-pressed to match the pedagogic power of the story of the Bible publishing industry itself. It wasnt always this way. In the 16th century, when William Tyndale translated the Bible from Hebrew and Greek into English, thereby unlocking the Word of God to the common man, he was rewarded for his efforts by being burned at the stake. So were most of the copies of his translation. In colonial times, it was illegal to print Bibles in North America; only certain printers in England and Scotland were authorized to publish the holy book. During the Revolution those imports stopped, creating, according to The Centennial History of the American Bible Society, a “famine of Bibles.” So in 1782 the Philadelphia printer Roger Aitken printed 10,000 copies of Americas first complete English Bible. The book came with a congressional endorsement, but when the war ended, cheap imports resumed, domestic competition exploded, and thousands of copies of the Aitken Bible failed to sell. In 1791, he wrote a letter to Pennsylvanias tax man stating that hed lost $4,000 on the venture.
SUPPORTERS OF health care reform need money–a lot of money–to pay for it. So its not surprising that they would try to get it from the people with the most money to spare. Hence the so-called millionaires tax, a levy embedded in the House health care bill. As the noted philanthropist (with other peoples money) and House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), explained, lawmakers are targeting big earners because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people.” Thats the theory, anyway. In fact, the millionaires tax is a good example of how poorly some politicians understand the policies they propose. At press time, the Senate was still debating the bills details. But the health care bill that the House narrowly approved in November included a 5.4 percent tax on the portion of gross income (which includes capital gains and dividends) that exceeds $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for a couple. The surtax would apply to tax years that begin after December 31, 2010. So the first sign that the tax will hit more than millionaires is the fact that it targets half-millionaires from the get-go. The ideas main selling point is that the increase would hit only 0.3 percent of tax fliers–roughly 400,000 people–yet would raise $460.5 billion over the next 10 years. Congress Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the new rate would affect only 1.2 percent of relatively small business owners, including sole proprietorships (that is, businesses owned by just one person), partnerships (owned by a few people), and S corporations (which have up to 75 shareholders). But because the tax isnt indexed for inflation, over time it will apply to more taxpayers as inflation affects income levels. Sound familiar? It should, because this is how the alternative minimum tax (AMT) became such a nightmare. The AMT was created in 1969 to prevent just 155 wealthy taxpayers from using deductions and credits to avoid paying any federal income taxes. Because it was not indexed for inflation, it came to affect an ever-growing share of the population, prompting Congress to pass a patch each year limiting its reach; next year, without the patch, it is projected to strike 27.4 million Americans–nearly 20 percent of the countrys taxpayers. And even with the patch, the AMT hits far more than just millionaires: In 2009, it swept up 4 million
ACCORDING TO THE conventional wisdom, the United States faces a massive medical bill thanks to our use of pricey new treatments and equipment. “About half of all growth in health care spending in the past several decades was associated with changes in medical care made possible by advances in technology,” a 2008 Congressional Budget Office report declared. “Health care economists attribute about 50 percent of the annual increase of health costs to new technologies or to the intensified use of old ones,” the bioethicist Daniel Callahan writes in his new book Taming the Beloved Beast: How Medical Technology Costs Are Destroying Our Health Care System. This is familiar territory for Callahan, who for decades has advocated reining in medical innovation to reduce health care costs. He also favors limiting the life-extending treatments that older people receive, on the grounds that most of them will “have lived a full and fruitful biographical life prior to age 70.” Interestingly, Callahan, age 79, underwent a life-saving seven-hour heart procedure in August that cost upward of $100,000. In his new book, Callahan complains that “American health care is radically American: individualistic, scientifically ambitious, market intoxicated, suspicious of government, and profit-driven.” Hes right at least about our high-tech vitality: The U.S. does develop and deploy medical innovations much faster than other rich countries. New pharmaceutical products generally hit the market here two years earlier than elsewhere, according to a December 2008 report from the business consultancy McKinsey, which also blames high-tech medicine for escalating costs. The McKinsey report further notes that American physicians are “much quicker to adopt new surgical techniques and advances in anesthesia.” The top five U.S. hospitals alone conduct more clinical trials than any other single developed country. But is high tech medicine really to blame for rising health care costs? Last June Columbia economist Frank Lichtenberg published a study that suggests the opposite. Advanced medical technologies, Lichtenberg suggests, are not contributing to rising American health care expenditures because the money they save makes up for the money spent on them. Lichtenberg begins by looking at how the rate of increase in longevity has varied among U.S. states between 1991 and 2004. He investigates how such factors as the quality of medical care, behavioral risks, education, income, and insurance coverage affect life expectancy. To measure differences in the quality of medical care, he examines how quickly each state took up advanced medical diagnostics and new drugs. He also calculates what fraction of physicians in each state was trained at top-ranked medical schools.

wrinkle reducer

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Cuban gynecologist turned used car salesman snaps a rubber glove against his wrist before announcing that hes about to “liberate this Chew Impala” from a lot in High Point, North Carolina. A salesman pitching repossessed manufactured homes in Alabama concedes his houses “are used” and “sometimes they have stains.” “We cover that up,” he promises, then dryly recalls the time “my wifes boyfriend broke my jaw with a fence post.”
THERE IS plenty of crookedness to be exposed in Russia. Transparency Internationals “Corruption Barometer” placed the country a desultory 143rd out of 160. But exposing sleaze can be a dangerous undertaking in a nation where journalists who criticize powerful people often end up dead. In 2009 the human rights group Freedom Watch ranked Russia 174th out of 195 countries in freedom of the press. So the Russian business paper Vedomosti, a joint venture of Dow Jones, the Financial Times, and the Moscow Times, found a clever way to imply corruption without explicitly alleging it, all while still stroking the egos of its targets. In late October, the paper published 32 photos of Russian officials sporting high-end wristwatches, from President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin down to local officials. The pictures were brought to the attention of English speakers by former Associated Press reporter Seth Hettena. Deputy Moscow Mayor Vladimir Resin, who has overseen a construction boom plagued by persistent corruption scandals, is shown sporting a watch that retails for more than $320,000. In another shot, hes wearing a watch valued at more than $1 million. Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrovs watch goes for about $300,000 in the U.S., while Samara Gov. Vladimir Artyakovs timepiece retails for $230,000.

snack vending machine

VANCOUVER — Norsat International Inc. (“Norsat”) (TSX: NII and OTC BB: NSATF), a
leading provider of intelligent satellite solutions, announced today
that its contract with Bluemoon has expired and not renewed. As a
result, five million shares of Norsat held in escrow have been returned
to Norsat, a highly accretive action for shareholders. While this
contract has dissolved, it has been very fruitful in creating many new
relationships for Norsat increasing its prospects as a solutions
provider within the rapidly expanding wireless broadband market.

“We continue to remain focused within the wireless broadband markets,
where there are many significant global niche markets for Norsat to
profit from,” said Dr. Amiee Chan, President and CEO, Norsat
International Inc. “While we constantly continue to review opportunities
within this fast-growing industry, we are pleased with the progress to
date, primarily with our initiative in Malawi, that meets our goal of
being a premier wireless broadband solutions provider to remote and
austere locations. Concurrently, we are pleased to return a sizable
block of stock to the treasury, which will be immediately accretive to
shareholders.”

Norsat International Inc. designs, engineers and markets intelligent
satellite solutions for high-speed data transmission. Norsat’s portfolio
of capabilities include: microwave components; fixed, transportable,
ultra-portable, vehicle-mounted and maritime satellite systems; turnkey
maritime navigation and communications systems; and end-to-end network
services.

Multi-Year Agreement for Drive Train Components

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Sypris Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Sypris Solutions, Inc.,
announced today that it has entered into a multi-year extension of its
supply agreement with ArvinMeritor to provide drive train components for
its commercial vehicle axle line. Terms of the agreement were not
disclosed.

“We are pleased to have this opportunity to solidify our relationship
with ArvinMeritor,” said Jeff Davis, Director of Sales and Marketing for
Sypris Technologies. “We view this agreement, which has been in place
for over five years, as an important platform from which to build our
relationship with ArvinMeritor and its affiliates in the future.”

ArvinMeritor, Inc. is a premier global supplier of a broad range of
integrated systems, modules and components to original equipment
manufacturers and the aftermarket for the transportation and industrial
sectors. The company serves commercial truck, trailer and specialty
original equipment manufacturers and certain aftermarkets, and light
vehicle manufacturers. ArvinMeritor marked its centennial anniversary in
2009, celebrating a long history of forward thinking. ArvinMeritor
common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker
symbol ARM. For important information about the company, visit
arvinmeritor.com.

Sypris Technologies is a premier manufacturer and supplier of drive
train and other critical components for the commercial vehicle,
automotive, recreational vehicle, mining, agriculture and energy
markets. Sypris is based in Louisville, Kentucky. With facilities
located throughout North America, Sypris continues to meet the needs of
the industry after more than 90 years.

— Synergies of relationship deliver global procurement and advisory
expertise combined with market-leading technology and access to rich TE
data –

NEW YORK — American Express Business Travel and Concur® (NASDAQ: CNQR) announced
today a global agreement that offers clients one comprehensive corporate
travel and expense management program. Powered by Concur Travel
Expense and backed by American Express Business Travel’s leading global
travel management services and expertise, corporate customers now have
access to a single end-to-end program. The relationship delivers all
three components of a best in class travel and expense management
program – payment, travel management and expense management. As part of
this relationship, the companies will create a joint product council
which will develop new functionality and services exclusively available
to companies using this end-to-end program. This extends the successful
relationship Concur currently has with American Express through the
agreement previously announced with Global Commercial Card.

This global relationship combines two leaders in corporate travel and
expense management, and streamlines purchasing and fulfillment of travel
and related services with expense processing, reimbursement, analysis
and reporting. As the leading provider of business travel management,
American Express Business Travel brings its global purchasing power to
users of the solution, offering competitive rates for airfare, hotel
rates and car rental prices. In addition, the company’s consultative
approach to travel and expense management can enable companies to
accelerate their savings and maximize return on their travel investment.
Concur – trusted by more organizations around the world than any other
for travel and expense management – offers companies powerful on-demand
travel booking and expense management solutions allowing for greater
transparency and control over employee spending and compliance to policy.

“By entering into this agreement with Concur, we are leveraging the
strengths of our highly compatible and complementary business models to
deliver unique value to our corporate clients,” said Lisa Durocher,
senior vice president, global marketing, American Express Business
Travel. “With Concur we can provide companies with an integrated process
to streamline their travel and expense management process and also offer
our consulting expertise to accelerate the benefits of this
relationship.”

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Registered Users Can Add Their Own Photos and Videos

WASHINGTON — The Washington Post today launches AllMetSports.com, a new sports site
solely dedicated to covering high school athletic talent in the
metropolitan area starting with the basketball season.

AllMetSports.com will expand the Posts local high school coverage while
offering players, parents, and fans more news and information on area
teams and athletes. But the extensive multimedia on the site is not
limited to reporting by The Washington Post sports staff. It offers the
ability for site users to engage by uploading their own videos, photos,
or game commentary and sharing them with the wider sports community.

Complete with up-to-date game results, box scores, schedules and player
statistics supplied by the schools, the new site establishes a living,
go-to destination for athletic directors, booster clubs, and coaches. It
includes individual school pages searchable by player or team name
providing a comprehensive database specifically for local high school
athletics.

“We cover more than 350 schools in the D.C. area. With this website we
can build on the reporting found in our paper and provide a rich
environment that currently does not exist on the Web for people with a
specific interest in regional high school sports,” said Matthew Vita,
editor of Sports at The Washington Post.

Public school system utilizes GE Nav to expand and integrate video
surveillance capabilities

BRADENTON, Fla. — Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to
multiple revisions.

FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND AND GE SECURITY PARTNER TO IMPROVE SCHOOL
SAFETY

Public school system utilizes GE Nav to expand and integrate video
surveillance capabilities

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WASHINGTON — The Sequoia Restaurant announced today that Ford Motor Company is the
recipient of its first “Don’t Give Up the Ship!” Award. The award
states, “As the only American automobile company to avoid bankruptcy and
turn down a government bailout, Ford exemplifies the spirit of the
award, which honors an individual or corporation that exhibits
ingenuity, tenacity, grace under pressure and the strength of character
to persevere against any and all odds to get the job done.” The honor
will be presented in the form of a congratulatory full-page, color ad in
the Jan. 26 Washington Post, the morning Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally
gives the keynote speech at the Washington Auto Show’s (WAS) Public
Policy Days and one day before the start of the 2010 WAS on Jan. 27th.

“We are proud to launch the “Don’t Give Up the Ship!” Award by
recognizing the Ford Motor Company, an iconic American corporation whose
actions set an example for all of us,” said Michael Weinstein, CEO of
Ark Restaurants, the parent company of the Sequoia Restaurant.

In the War of 1812, Captain James Lawrence, in command of the U.S.S.
Chesapeake, engaged in a bloody battle just outside Boston Harbor with a
British frigate. Lying mortally wounded, the heroic captain spoke his
legendary last words: ‘Don’t give up the ship!’ That intrepid mantra is
a pertinent way to remind Washingtonians and visitors, who are seeking
the essence of our nation’s capitol, about Sequoia’s grand heritage of
being named after America’s celebrated presidential yacht. Bestowing,
when appropriate, a “Don’t Give Up the Ship!” Award to recognize and
commemorate an heroic and unique act of patriotism in these trying times
will not only make the restaurant’s staff proud, but will also please
its patrons and all the concerned citizens of our great nation.

BACKGROUND

Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Alan R. Mulally, Ford
Motor Company was the only one of the Big Three American Automakers to
refuse government bailout money and to avoid government-sponsored
bankruptcy. The company’s persistence during one of the toughest years
in history has paid off; in the third quarter of 2009, it reported its
first profitable quarter in two years with earnings of $1 billion.
According to its web site, Ford posted higher sales for every brand,
resulting in a 33 percent increase in sales in December over the
previous year. Additionally, “every consumer metric about the Ford brand
– including favorable opinion, consideration, shopping and intention to
buy – ended the year at record levels. In fact, favorable opinion is up
more than 20 percent from the beginning of the year, and intention to
buy Ford increased more than 30 percent,” the web site said.

SEATTLE — Taco Del Mar Franchising Corp. today announced that it is voluntarily
restructuring its business under the protection of Chapter 11 of the
U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court in Seattle.
The company is expecting to continue all business operations during the
restructuring without interruption. The restructuring will provide the
company a chance to restructure debts and become financially viable
again while reorganizing to better position the company for growth in
the current economic climate.

“Although this was not our first choice, we believe that the Chapter 11
process will allow us to maximize the value of the Companys assets,”
said Larry Destro, president and CEO of Taco Del Mar. “Taco Del Mar has
tremendous traction in its core markets and this process offers an
opportunity to grow without the constraints imposed by the current debt
burden and threats of litigation. When we emerge from this
restructuring, Taco Del Mar will have become a much more competitive
brand and a more financially secure investment for our existing and
future franchisees.

Mr. Destro added, “I deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of
our employees, franchisees and Master Developers and know that by
working together through this process we will emerge stronger than ever.

This restructuring does not involve the franchisee-owned Taco Del Mar
store location operations, only the Taco Del Mar Franchising Corp. will
restructure.

About Taco Del Mar

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WebTech Wireless Inc. (TSX: WEW), a leading provider of vehicle fleet location-based services (LBS) and telematics technology, today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the City of Ottawa, Ontario to equip approximately 180 salt spreader vehicles with WebTech Wireless InterFleet® GPS remote vehicle management solution. This will allow the city to precisely monitor its winter road salting operations in real-time, significantly reducing salt use, lowering costs and mitigating environmental impact. The contract is valued at more than $600,000.

Ottawa will use WebTech Wireless InterFleet® solution, including the new Prewet Tool, to allow supervisors to view each vehicles salt use instantaneously and have operators adjust spreader rates on the move. Depending on winter weather conditions, city officials estimate this could result in an annual 10% (13,300 tonne) reduction in salt use, representing an approximate saving of $1 million.

Reduced salt use will also help Ottawa meet its environmental objectives in support of Environment Canadas Road Salts Code of Practice, whose goal it is to reduce the approximately five million tonnes of salt used by Canadian municipalities each winter, lessening the harmful effects excessive salt use has on plant and animal life, while at the same time maintaining safe winter road conditions for users.

Commenting on the award, Owen Moore, COO at WebTech Wireless said, “Were very pleased to have been awarded this contract by the City of Ottawa. It is a real vote of confidence from a city that understands all too well the challenges of winter road maintenance. Were very confident that InterFleet® will meet and exceed all of the citys objectives, and look forward to showcasing it to other cities facing similar winter fleet management challenges.”

Scott Edmonds, WebTech Wireless President and CEO said, “Since acquiring the InterFleet® and NextBus® brands, weve seen our Telematics for the Planet™ initiative take on a whole new dimension. Beyond improving direct fleet operating efficiency through decreased fuel use, telematics has the potential to help public works departments manage services that have direct and indirect environmental impacts, such as excessive salt usage. Were very excited about working with governments to explore how our technology can help in areas such as winter maintenance, waste removal, and emergency services, among others.”

Everbridge , the worlds recognized
leader in incident notification systems , today announced the
availability of resources to help the business continuity community
mitigate the effects of this winters inclement weather. With record-low
temperatures and forecasters predicting harsh conditions across the nation,
emergency preparedness and effective communications are essential for
minimizing winter weather hazards and risks.

“This winter has already started off in a serious way, proving that its
more critical than ever to be prepared with communication tools and
emergency preparedness process,” said Paul Martinez, Assistant Vice
President Operations, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). “With
Everbridge we know we have effective emergency notification technology and
an experienced partner to help us communicate with our airport stakeholders
instantly.”

From communicating facility closures and early departures to hazardous road
conditions and location-specific weather warnings, organizations are using
the Everbridge Aware emergency
notification system and the integrated weather alert solution from
AccuWeather and Everbridge to ensure the safety of their audiences and
stakeholders. Notable ways Everbridge users across the country are
leveraging their emergency notification system during this winters severe
weather, include:

Gilbert and Warden to Lead Strategic Efforts in the Impact Resistant,
Blast Mitigation and Superior Energy Efficiency Building Markets

AUSTELL, Ga. — YKK
AP America, the leader in manufacturing high quality architectural
products, today announced the creation of two new positions to
further reinforce and expand its ProTek and enerGfacade product
families. YKK AP announced Mike Gilbert as brand manager of its
hurricane and blast mitigation line of commercial products, ProTek.
David Warden was announced brand manager of its recently launched enerGfacade
family, the highly energy efficient fenestration line.

In their new strategic roles, Gilbert and Warden will focus on product
positioning as well as offer training and education in the marketplace
about the growing relevance and important role of fenestration in the
protection and energy efficiency of the built environment. A leader in
social responsibility and the environment, with these new roles YKK AP
takes further action to reduce carbon emissions and increase recycled
material content.

“By creating these new strategic roles, we are further reinforcing YKK
AP’s products and services in the hurricane, blast mitigation and energy
efficient product markets,” said Oliver Stepe, senior vice president of
YKK AP America. “The new positions allow us to better serve customers,
architects and building owners in understanding and making informed
decisions in the increasingly sophisticated aspects of building design,
security and energy-efficiency. With a new year and a new investment in
resources, we look forward to further establishing YKK AP as the
undisputed leader in the high-quality and value-added segments of the
fenestration market.”

Gilbert joined YKK AP in 1993 as a customer service representative and
for the past 12 years has helped Georgia’s architects and glazing
contractors in his position of architectural sales representative. He
obtained his Construction Documents Technologist (CDT) certification to
assist the industry in the writing and management of construction
documents.

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Features writer Jessica Yadegaran conducted a live chat on Jan. 13, 2010 with Dr. Kent Holtorf, a world-renowned expert in endocrinology and thyroid dysfunction. Holtorf, who has appeared on CNN, Fox News and NBC News, trains physicians across the country on hypothyroidism, complex endocrine dysfunction and the use of bioidentical hormones. Holtorf has offices in Torrance and Foster City. Jessica09: Hello everyone and welcome. Im Jessica Yadegaran. I wrote the thyroid article that ran in our papers on Monday. Lets make sure our guest, Dr. Kent Holtorf, is here.
QUINCY, Mass. — MerlinOne is pleased to offer the legal industry an electronic discovery
solution with a new pricing model that eliminates per GB charges and
user fees.

The MerlinOne system
is so versatile and powerful that lawyers and paralegals can use it for
early case assessment, e-discovery processing and the organization and
management of millions of documents, e-mails, transcripts, photos,
graphics, voicemails, and deposition videos. MerlinOne is available as
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) or an in-house solution.

MerlinOne’s easy-to-navigate web interface allows users with just a few
clicks to de-dupe an entire case, view emails by threads and mark
relevancy and rank. Searching through millions of documents takes just
seconds to find witnesses, entities, topic keywords or email addressees.

Speech-to-text recognition allows you to search depositions or voicemail
messages and automatically cues up the video or audio file Merlin
locates right to the location of the spoken phrase. Merlin saves you
time and lets you review multimedia documents simply and efficiently.

MerlinOne customer Dave Tiller, partner at Studeo Legal, comments.
“Studeo Legal’s experience with MerlinOne has been, as our law firm
client stated: “off the charts positive!”. We discovered MerlinOne in
early 2009 and knew we found a well-kept secret for our clients. From a
unique and low cost pricing structure, to the powerful hosting,
processing and review system, MerlinOne provided Studeo Legal a flexible
solution for our legal clients. The project management and support has
been outstanding. We are looking forward to adding many new cases in
2010 and beyond.”

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Panasonics contribution of four
splash-resistant outdoor IP-based network cameras to the “Extreme Makeover:
Home Edition” series is providing newfound security and peace of mind to a
family in Buffalo, NY.

The episode, which aired Sunday, January 24 on ABC stations, featured the
Powell family, who had purchased their home in 2002 without being informed
it was on the citys demolition list. After many years of renovations, it
was still in need of improvements to make it safe and secure.

Panasonic provided four top-of-the-line, cutting edge BB-HCM735
splash-resistant outdoor network cameras for the Powell familys new home.
Now the Powells can monitor their home anytime, anywhere on a cell phone or
computer via a secure Internet site. These impressive cameras detect
motion, sound, and shock and when any sensor is triggered, instantly send
an email alert or save an image to the built-in memory or an optional SD
card. They also feature an advanced chipset enabling fast video streaming
so users can view crisp, high quality images.

The network cameras are a key part of a complete home automation system
donated to “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” by Control4, the leader in
affordable IP-based home control and entertainment systems, and installed
in the Powell familys new home by Buffalo-based integrator Sound
Theater. As with other Panasonic network cameras, the BB-HCM735 cameras can
be used with or without home automation systems and have a built-in server
so it is not necessary to keep a computer running for the camera to
function.

“Panasonic is proud to provide our reliable, high quality cameras to help
out Delores Powell and her kids. The Control4 set up and Panasonic cameras
are sure to make a big difference to this deserving family,” said Bill
Taylor, President, Panasonic System Networks Company of America. “Outdoor
security cameras help deter theft and vandalism, and families can rest
easier knowing they can conveniently monitor what is happening around their
home.”

Cynthesizer to Be Used to Develop Soc Designs for Game Machines,
Digital Cameras, Audio-Visual Equipment, Terrestrial Digital
Broadcasting Applications

SAN JOSE, Calif. — MagaChips
Corporation of Osaka, Japan, has selected Cynthesizer™ SystemC
high-level synthesis software from Forte
Design Systems™ for development of its system-on-chip (SoC) designs.

MegaChips has been developing LSI products for high-end and widespread
digital applications, such as game machines, digital cameras,
audio-visual equipment and terrestrial digital broadcasting
applications. After evaluating multiple high-level synthesis tools on
two different kinds of design, one for control and the other for
datapath, MegaChips chose Cynthesizer for its hardware and electronic
system level (ESL) design needs.

MegaChips selected Cynthesizer because it can produce high-performance
register transfer level (RTL) code, its handles design reuse better than
its competitors and it makes RTL tradeoff easier. MegaChips’ engineers
and senior management noted that their evaluation confirmed that
Cynthesizer’s advanced capabilities and Forte’s best-in-class support
team made Cynthesizer the best choice for their next business.

“MegaChips’ evaluation highlights the robust feature set offered by
Cynthesizer, our compelling quality of results and advanced datapath and
control designs,” adds Brett Cline, Forte’s vice president of marketing
and sales. “We’re delighted to be chosen as a MegaChips preferred
vendor.”

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WHAT IS IT about a bout of heavy rain that sends those of us on the Peninsula — and in other parts of California — into various states of confusion and despair? Its probably fairly simple. We just arent accustomed to these relentless downpours. We arent prepared and we find ourselves flummoxed. After all, this isnt Seattle. It doesnt help that the publics behavior here is often bizarre and lacking any sort of forethought. OK, we can accept that. But, at one particular intersection, one of the reasons for the rapid accumulation of water along Ralston Avenue and Alameda de las Pulgas was telling.
TOKYO, Jan. 21 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATING, RECASTING WITH AFTERNOON SESSION) Sadakazu Tanigaki, leader of the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party, grilled Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama at a Diet panel Thursday over a political donations scandal involving the premier. Thursdays exchanges between Hatoyama and Tanigaki were their first face-off at the House of Representatives Budget Committee since Hatoyama took office last September following his Democratic Party of Japans electoral win over the long-ruling LDP.

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NEW YORK — Fitch Ratings has published its U.S. CMBS Focus Performance Report on
ML-CFC Commercial Mortgage Trust, series 2007-8 (MLCFC 2007-8). The
report provides a detailed and up-to-date perspective on key credit
characteristics of the MLCFC 2007-8 transaction and property-level
performance of the related trust loans.

Sectors >> Structured Finance >> CMBS >> Research

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND
DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING
THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS.
IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE
AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCYS PUBLIC WEBSITE WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM.
PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS
SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCHS CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS
OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES
AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CODE OF CONDUCT SECTION OF
THIS SITE.

CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings has reviewed recent actions taken by Associated Banc-Corp
(ASBC, rated BB /B with a Negative Rating Outlook by Fitch), holding
company of Associated Bank, National Association (rated BBB-/F3, Rating
Outlook Negative by Fitch). Fitch is encouraged by steps taken by senior
management to bolster capital and the loan loss reserve. ASBC has also
conducted a credit review of its loan book which Fitch believes has
resulted in more timely recognition of credit losses and problem assets
in the current credit environment.

ASBC issued $500 million in common stock in January 2010 and cut its
quarterly common dividend to one cent per share. The reduction in the
dividend represents annual savings of $20.5 million. Depending on future
levels of liquid assets maintained at the holding company, Fitch views
the capital actions as helping stabilize the holding companys ratings
in particular given the banks higher capital requirements imposed by
regulators and high credit costs and $200 million in holding company
subordinated debt maturing in August 2011.

–Master Global Financial Institutions Criteria (Dec. 29, 2009);

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With elegant product photography and simple, clear navigation, the Hyde Park Jewelers web site highlights seasonal events and product features, enabling visitors to browse a wide variety of jewelry collections, as well as experience Hyde Parks exceptional customer service. BrainSpark Media used clear and concise messaging to speak to, better inform and service the retailers broad customer base. “The team at BrainSpark completed on time and on budget,” said Michael Pollak, CEO, Hyde Park Jewelers. “We are delighted to see a spike in customer visits as well as communications we receive on a daily basis requesting product information. We continue to engage BrainSpark for web site enhancements. We couldnt be more pleased!” The web site showcases a wide variety of jewelry collections, including bridal designs, watches, designer jewelry and mens collections. Visitors to the site can share specific product pages with family and friends by email or link posting to social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. Serious shoppers can purchase online via a third-party integrated diamond search and build-your-own-ring feature. Other basic interactive elements include Platinum Rewards and a mailing list sign-up for those interested in Hyde Parks loyalty program or online communications. Great emphasis was also placed on the redevelopment and delivery of key content to help educate and guide potential and current customers before making the investment to purchase fine jewelry. “Hyde Park is known for the highest level of product value and customer service; we knew this had to be conveyed through their new web presence,” says George Gastis, President, BrainSpark Media. “The primary goal was to immerse the visitor into the depth and breadth of products offered, while enhancing the customer experience with intuitive content organization and presentation. Ultimately, we strived to equip the customer with all the necessary information and contact resources they need before visiting one of the retail locations to make their purchase.”
ARLINGTON, Texas, Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ — Smith System, the leader in professional driver training, today announced a limited time offer on its successful Right Foot Fuel Economy(SM) video. Now companies can save both on the cost of the training video and on the fuel savings generated by its educational content. This narrative video, entitled Right Foot Fuel Economy(SM), includes an innovative use of helicopter-based photography to show how pacing yourself in city driving can maintain momentum and save fuel. It follows a driver through several runs on a city street circuit and documents a 29% improvement in fuel economy. The key point made in the video is that the driver controls a very large part of fuel economy through the use of proven driving techniques. The offer, which runs from January 18, 2010 through March 31, 2010, offers the video, normally priced at $140.00, for $49.95 for the first copy ordered and $9.95 for each additional video. Normal shipping and handling fees apply. “Individuals and companies can use this video to learn the proven techniques for offsetting rising fuel and maintenance costs,” said Smith System Senior Vice President of Sales Marketing, Frank Powers.
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HES had more than his fair share of “Laydees”. but David Walliams may have finally met his match. For his new-found fiance, model Lara Stone, has an even more colourful past. At 26, self-confessed maneater Lara claims to have “already tried everything” at 16, and admits going to rehab for alcohol addiction last year. And despite dating Walliams since last May, she said last month: “Men dont like me. I havent been on a date for six months.
PAUL CASEY has admitted he dare not think of fighting for a Ryder Cup place while he has lingering fitness doubts over a rib injury. The 32-year-old who had an historic hole in one for Europe at the K Club four years ago, can only concentrate on playing one shot at a time after six months of pain dating back last years Open at Turnberry. He still has the scar tissue from a torn intercostal muscle and although he shot a third- round 69 in Abu Dhabi yesterday his swing lacks the length and power of 12 months ago when he won three tournaments before the end of March. ” I have still not got full motion in either my backswing or follow through.
A PORNOGRAPHER in a velvet smoking jacket poses as a man of the people and lectures football on financial morality. The most acquisitive footballer of his generation pushes his former club towards bankruptcy by sueing for pounds 1.7million in alleged unpaid image rights. A politician, fresh from staging an inept coup against the Prime Minister, decides hed like to run the Football League. Dont get me started on the biscuit baron from Iceland, the poison dwarf from Wisconsin and the Munsters from Florida.

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DALLAS — Kendall Law Group, founded by a former federal judge, is investigating
the proposed acquisition of Lodgian, Inc. (NYSE: LGN) by an affiliate of
Lone Star Real Estate Fund, L.P. The firm’s investigation concerns
whether the consideration to be paid to shareholders in this transaction
is unfair and substantially below the fair or inherent value of the
company. Also, the investigation will focus on whether the Board of
Directors of LGN may have breached their fiduciary duties by not
adequately shopping the Company before entering into the transaction.

On January 22, 2010, the companies announced that they had entered into
a merger agreement for Lone Star to acquire Lodgian in a $270 million
transaction expected to close during the second quarter of 2010.
According to the agreement, Lodgian shareholders will receive $2.50 cash
per share, which represents a 40% premium over the closing price on
January 21, 2010 before the deal was announced. The 52 week high for
Lodgian was $3.20, closing at $2.00 as recently as November 2009.

Seldin Company is a diversified full-service commercial real estate,
multi-family management, and development organization. Founded by Ben I.
Seldin in 1923, the Seldin Firm began as a one-man insurance company in
Council Bluffs, Iowa. Through the years, Seldin Company has built single
family homes, developed subdivisions, apartments in Omaha, Nebraska,
hotels, shopping centers and other commercial developments.

Today, Seldin Company headquarters are located in the Montclair
Professional Building in Omaha, Nebraska and operates in the Midwest
states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Currently, Seldin
Company specializes in property management, commercial sales and
leasing, and development with approximately 6,000 apartments in Omaha
and over 1.5 million square feet of commercial retail and office space.

Seldin Company is proud of all its contributions to help the Omaha
community grow over the years but perhaps one of its greatest
accomplishments is the development of the Westwood Community. The
Westwood Community was a master-planned development which began in 1957
when the company acquired the area which eventually included Westwood
Heights, Montclair, Montclair South and Royalwood and spanned nearly
1000 acres! Seldin Company also helped to develop the West Center Road
business corridor between 114th and 136th Streets by creating retail and
office centers, as well as single-family homes, apartments, schools,
churches, the Southwest YMCA, the Millard Public library, a fire
station, and the Westwood Golf Course. The company was recognized by the
Omaha Chamber of Commerce with a Golden Spike Award in 1991 and was
cited for its extensive developments in West Omaha totaling more than
$100 million at the time the award was made. Ted Seldin, Millard Seldin
and Stanley Silverman were recognized for their vision in planning this
mixed use community in Southwest Omaha over the decades.

Seldin Company is a diversified full-service commercial real estate,
multi-family management, and development organization. Founded by Ben I.
Seldin in 1923, the Seldin Firm began as a one-man insurance company in
Council Bluffs, Iowa. Through the years, Seldin Company has built single
family homes, developed subdivisions, apartments in Omaha, Nebraska,
hotels, shopping centers and other commercial developments.

Today, Seldin Company headquarters are located in the Montclair
Professional Building in Omaha, Nebraska and operates in the Midwest
states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri. Currently, Seldin
Company specializes in property management, commercial sales and
leasing, and development with approximately 6,000 apartments in Omaha
and over 1.5 million square feet of commercial retail and office space.

Seldin Company is proud of all its contributions to help the Omaha
community grow over the years but perhaps one of its greatest
accomplishments is the development of the Westwood Community. The
Westwood Community was a master-planned development which began in 1957
when the company acquired the area which eventually included Westwood
Heights, Montclair, Montclair South and Royalwood and spanned nearly
1000 acres! Seldin Company also helped to develop the West Center Road
business corridor between 114th and 136th Streets by creating retail and
office centers, as well as single-family homes, apartments, schools,
churches, the Southwest YMCA, the Millard Public library, a fire
station, and the Westwood Golf Course. The company was recognized by the
Omaha Chamber of Commerce with a Golden Spike Award in 1991 and was
cited for its extensive developments in West Omaha totaling more than
$100 million at the time the award was made. Ted Seldin, Millard Seldin
and Stanley Silverman were recognized for their vision in planning this
mixed use community in Southwest Omaha over the decades.

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Acquires Banking Operations of EvergreenBank

PORTLAND, Ore. — Umpqua
Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:UMPQ) today issued the following
statement regarding the news that Umpqua Bank will acquire the banking
operations of EvergreenBank in a purchase and assumption agreement with
the Federal Deposit and Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

“Umpqua Bank has always been committed to the financial health of the
communities we serve,” said Ray Davis, Umpqua Holdings Corporation
president and CEO. “As one of the nation’s strongest community banks,
Umpqua is well positioned to assume the deposits and loans of
EvergreenBank, and we will work quickly to make this transition as
smooth as possible for customers and employees.”

LINCOLN, Neb. — Ameritas Group, a division of Ameritas Life Insurance Corp., a UNIFI
Company, earned its third consecutive Center of Excellence call center
certification from BenchmarkPortal. Developed by Purdue University’s
Center for Customer-Driven Quality, BenchmarkPortal is the largest call
center benchmarking database program in the world.

“Exceeding customer expectations is always our goal. In each
interaction, we have the opportunity to make a positive impact and
enhance our customers’ service experience,” notes April Rimpley, M.A.M.,
FLMI, ACS, vice president – group customer connections and operations.
“We are proud to be recognized by such a prestigious organization, and
the fact that we’ve achieved certification for three years running truly
reflects our commitment. We believe the Center of Excellence
certification speaks volumes about our company because it goes beyond
the insurance industry and verifies that our contact center is world
class.”

To achieve annual certification as a Center of Excellence, Ameritas
Group contact center associates participate in BenchmarkPortal’s
rigorous certification process based on established scientific methods
that measure operational metrics, customer satisfaction and agent
satisfaction. In addition, contact center associates must meet Ameritas
Group’s own set of stringent service standards by participating in
ongoing training and continuing education.

“We benchmark the performance of thousands of customer service call
centers across North America. Many call centers apply for certification,
yet only 10 percent actually make it,” adds Dr. Jon Anton, founder and
director of benchmark research at Purdue’s Center for Customer-Driven
Quality. “Our Center of Excellence recognition is one of the most
distinguished awards in the service and support industry, and Ameritas
has earned it.”

First the RACs, now wait for whats coming next Medicaid, commercial insurers starting their audits By the end of the year, its likely that every type of medical record in your hospital will be scrutinized by one auditor or another, predicts Brian Flood, managing director for KPMG LLP, the U.S. audit, tax, and advisory firm. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfares Bureau of Program Integrity has been auditing fee-for-service Medicaid claims for the past three years, using one of the Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) contractors for the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) demonstration project, reports Charleeda Redman, RN, MSN, ACM, director of corporate case management for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, an integrated health system with 20 acute care hospitals.

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Fremont Summer programs fair: Families with children ages 5 through 18 from the Tri-City area, Milpitas and Pleasanton are invited to the annual Summer Programs Fair in Fremont to learn about classes, internships and other activities available to students this summer. The fair will run from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Friday at American High School, 36300 Fremont Blvd. About 40 vendors will be available to discuss classes that they offer — from academics to art and music – - or to provide information about colleges and service-learning or internship opportunities with companies. Preschool and Kindergarten fair: Parents are invited to attend a preschool and kindergarten fair from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 30 to learn about various educational programs available to them in the Tri-City area.
NATHANIEL HIRAI, Ken Okada and Steven Uriu, members of Troop 20, Union City, received Boy Scouts of Americas highest award at an Eagle Court of Honor held Jan. 16 at the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church of Union City. For their Eagle projects, all three Scouts completed projects at the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church to beautify and improve the use of the facility. Hirai, a senior at Washington High School, built a protective structure for a newly planted Bodhi tree sapling near the entrance to the church. Uriu, a graduate of Moreau and a student at Ohlone College, completed a utility shed with concrete floor and shingle roof, designed in the same style as the senior center.

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Students often considered as part of the
“whats in it for me” generation continue to show signs of generosity while
participating in the uBoost student recognition program. Many of the
students who receive award points for incremental academic progress are
donating their hard earned points to fight hunger, prevent animal cruelty,
and protect the environment, instead of redeeming their points for gift
cards and iPods.

In 2009, students donated their points to:

uBoost is an online student motivation platform that provides a system for
educators to recognize positive behavior and incremental academic
achievement. Working with all age groups, curricula and achievement levels,
uBoost partners with publishers, school districts, online schools, tutoring
companies and private education companies to design and implement
recognition and rewards programs that foster student motivation and
encourage parent engagement.

THINK: What types of food, drink, and habits might damage teeth? What can people do to keep their teeth healthy and strong? PREDICT: Dentists recommend brushing teeth at least twice daily to keep food and bacteria from building up. Brushing prevents discolored teeth and cavities. An eggshell is made from a substance similar to tooth enamel, the hard covering that protects teeth. What would happen if an eggshell were left in soda overnight?
The Drinks:
South Africa Industry Guide is an essential resource for top-level
data and analysis covering the South Africa Drinks industry. It includes
detailed data on market size and segmentation, textual analysis of the
key trends and competitive landscape. This incisive report provides
expert analysis with distinct chapters for Beer, Hot Drinks, Soft
Drinks, Spirits and Wine.

Scope of the Report

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