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Established at 7245
Boulevard 26 in North Richland Hills in April 2008, Furniture Nation
caters to the value shopper who is hunting for a great deal on quality
furniture. The new emphasis on attracting furniture buyers who are
searching online puts Furniture Nation on the leading edge of an industry
in transition.

“Customers are using brick and mortar furniture stores to choose what they
want, but instead of buying immediately, they go online to search for the
best price,” Zed Pirbhai, founder and president of Furniture Nation.
“Together with our brick and mortar location, our new online furniture
store taps into these changing furniture buyer behaviors by doing a better
job of helping them find what they want at the best possible price and
delivering it directly to them.”

For customers outside the Dallas/Fort Worth area, Furniture Nation will
increase delivery speed and efficiency, and reduce costs by shipping
directly from the manufacturer or wholesaler to any location in North
America.

Furniture Nations new online furniture store features an easy-to-use
searchable database of hundreds of living rooms , bedrooms , dining rooms , media rooms, youth furniture and
accessories. As an independent furniture retailer, Furniture Nation offers
a wide variety of styles from many different manufacturers.

CANYON RIM — A quilt, a crystal, two pictures and some memories are all Josie Thamert has left of her mother. She was in California in November when she heard the news that her mother, Jennifer Thamert, 51, had passed away in her assisted- housing apartment in Salt Lake City. “It was the longest day of my life,” said the 18-year-old. Thamert had been divorced for six years and living on her own in a condo in Millcreek when a severe schizophrenic breakdown left her hospitalized for a week in March 2007. She was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was unable to work, falling behind on monthly payments.
Health Canada is advising parents and caregivers to take precautionary steps to help minimize the dangers related to television, furniture and appliance tip-overs. According to data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program, there have been more than 5,000 reports of televisions, furniture and appliances falling over onto children under 10 years of age since 1990. Furniture or television tip-overs can cause serious head and internal injuries, as well as suffocation, which can lead to death. More than 70% of the reported television tip-over incidents in Canada happened to children between one and three years of age.

Common circumstances that can lead to tip-over incidents include children:

- climbing on furniture, televisions or appliances;

- reaching for items such as toys or remote controls located on elevated surfaces; or

- pushing, pulling or accidentally bumping into televisions or pieces of furniture.

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PROVO — A Lindon man accused of trapping and assaulting two teenage girls in a car with his friends was sentenced Wednesday after taking a plea deal. Jace Blickenstaff, 20, pleaded guilty in 4th District Court to dealing in materials harmful to a minor, a third-degree felony. Blickenstaff originally was charged with forcible sexual abuse, a first-degree felony. His attorney, Randy Kester, said the basis of the plea was a months-long exchange of “semipornographic” images and text messages between the victims and his client. Police said Blickenstaff and three 18-year-old friends picked up the girls, ages 17 and 18, early Oct. 7, tried to remove their clothing and fondled them in the vehicle. The victims told police they screamed for the men to stop and to let them out of the car.
CASTLE DALE — A man charged with fatally shooting both his parents last year has been found to be mentally incompetent to stand trial and will be sent to the Utah State Hospital for treatment. Peter Simon Sharp, 27, has been evaluated by two mental health professionals while in jail, and both concluded that Sharp is not competent, according to Sharps defense attorney, David Allred. Seventh District Judge George Harmond this week heard reports prepared by both experts before ordering that Sharp to be taken to the state hospital. Sharp also faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony, for allegedly aiming a shotgun at one of his sisters.
CanalDigitaal significantly expands its Dutch HDTV lineup

LUXEMBOURG — SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG)(LuxX:SESG), announced today that
it has signed a long-term agreement with M7 Group for two additional
transponders on ASTRA 23.5 degrees East. The newly contracted capacity
will be used for the further extension of the HDTV lineup of
CanalDigitaal, M7 Group’s direct-to-home (DTH) platform for the Dutch
market and will bring the number of total transponders contracted by M7
Group at this orbital position to four. The Luxembourg-based M7 Group
provides DTH-services in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg using
the brand names CanalDigitaal, TV Vlaanderen and TéléSAT.

Following the agreement, CanalDigitaal will launch a broad range of new
HD channels from mid-February onwards, including HD channels from the
Dutch public broadcaster NPO, and commercial broadcasters RTL and SBS.
As a result, the CanalDigitaal HD channel lineup for the Dutch market
will more than double over the next three months.

In addition to the four transponders now contracted by M7 Group at 23.5
degrees, M7 Group currently also operates four transponders at the ASTRA
19.2 degrees East position. By using an ASTRA DUO LNB, Dutch DTH homes
are capable of receiving programmes from both orbital positions via a
single fixed dish.

Alexander Oudendijk, Chief Commercial Officer SES ASTRA, commented: “We
are very pleased with this new agreement as it further strengthens our
solid and long-standing relationship with the M7 Group. The agreement
confirms the rapid success and key importance of ASTRA 23.5 degrees East
as a fast-growing HDTV hotspot for the Benelux. It also demonstrates
that in markets dominated by land-based infrastructures, satellite DTH
plays a key role for the development of the HDTV market. With the launch
of additional HD channels at 23.5 degrees East, ASTRA becomes the
largest HD platform in the Netherlands with a lineup of over 20 HDTV
channels, including all major public and commercial channels.”

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70% drivers have never checked the oil level of their current car, according to an online survey of 1,300 customers carried out by Swinton, the UKs leading high street retailer of car insurance.

Women were the worst offenders with a staggering 85% admitting to not checking their oil compared to 52% of men.

The survey found the top five reasons for not checking oil were:

Running low on oil can cause a lot of damage to a car as the engine gets worn far quicker. In some cases it may ruin an engine completely which can prove very costly as this damage is not covered by motor insurance as all drivers have a duty of care to maintain their vehicle in road worthy condition.

PENSIONERS are being driven off the road because firms are refusing to insure them. They are also finding it difficult to get holiday cover – or having to pay sky-high premiums. The claims by Age Concern come days after the Government Equalities Office agreed insurers could take age into account when setting premiums.

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Canadas leading bed and breakfast web directory since 1995, BBCanada.com has teamed up with PAII (Professional Association of Innkeepers International). Our goal is to offer Canadian BB operators an enhanced range of educational and networking services needed to help with the multi-faceted challenges they face today. PAII is the leading trade association for bed and breakfast operators in North America.

PAII offers education, research and other services as they relate to all aspects of BB business operations, from finances, management, marketing, technology and cooking to decorating, cleaning, safety, customer service, staffing and many more. Canadian bed and breakfast operators will now have at their finger tips a wealth of information to assist them with the daily operation of their businesses; the hands-on “know-how” needed to ensure they have the tools necessary to deliver the outstanding guest experiences visitors have come to expect from a BB.

“The people at BBCanada.com have the best interest of the Canadian BB industry at heart, which is why we were drawn to working closely with them,” says Jay Karen, President CEO of PAII. “Were honored they offered to partner with us in getting our resources in the hands of thousands of Canadian BB operators.” Through this partnership, BBCanada.com members will have available to them discounted pricing on all membership levels in PAII. In addition, PAII and BBCanada.com are committed to exploring the need and development of more services to the Canadian BB market, including Canadian-specific research, educational opportunities and networking on a national level.

“The BB market in Canada can only benefit from the involvement of the largest BB trade association,” says J.D. Robbins, BBCanada.com founder. “We were impressed with the level of professionalism and knowledge at PAII, and know BB operators in Canada can be more successful by tapping into this association.” BBCanada.com members can NOW join PAII at the new discounted rates, as low as $79. BBCanada.com will also provide their members with the opportunity to join PAII as they renew their membership online. Visit BBCanada.com for more details!

PROVO — For the second year in a row, BYU students won first place in the annual Residential Construction Management Competition in Las Vegas. Sponsored by the National Association of Home Builders, this years contest challenged construction management students to come up with a way to continue development in a sinking housing market. That market was in Corsicana, a small town south of Dallas, Texas, where an actual development had fizzled. Their idea was to alter the original design by constructing homes for first-time homebuyers that were green-code compliant and aesthetically appealing — all for a low financing request of $300,000.
LOS ANGELES — A Mercedes that Charlie Sheen reported stolen from his Sherman Oaks home was found overturned hundreds of feet down a nearby cliff early Friday, but theres no evidence anyone was in the car when it went into the ravine, police said. A Bentley was later found off the same road nearby Friday afternoon, and police said three other cars reportedly were broken into in the same area. Police were investigating if the incidents were linked. Police and firefighters found the car 300 to 400 feet down a cliff, upside-down in the brushy ravine. They searched the area on foot and with an infrared-equipped helicopter but found nobody in or around the car, Borihanh said. “Theyve looked all around the hillside. Theres nobody in the car, nobody around (and no) evidence of anybody being around at the moment of impact,” he said.

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ROSWELL, N.M. — Last weekend, PrimeSource Mortgage, Inc. held their 18th annual
conference. There were over 120 participants attending including the
majority of the branch owners from the 35 offices around the country, as
well as many of their Realtor referral partners. The conference was a
monumental success, and considered the best ever.

The conference included some incredible speakers including Dr. Steve
Greene, dean of the School of Business at Oral Roberts University, Greg
Frost, one of the largest mortgage producers in the country, and several
other industry leading speakers.

During the conference, many of the changes occurring in the mortgage
industry were discussed at length. The overwhelming perception that was
derived from the weekend was the fact that with 75% fewer loan
originators in the marketplace, the “survivors” are now positioned
beautifully for the return of the origination market in 2010 and 2011.
Optimism returned to an all-time high as the conference was drawn to a
close.

There was an awards ceremony held on the last evening of the conference.
The Top Producing Branch award was taken home by the Grapevine, Texas,
branch, lead by Bob Duane and Cary Hise. This branch not only took the
lead in production in 2009 but had doubled their production since 2008.
The Branch of the Year award was earned by the Amarillo, Texas, branch,
led by David Rieff, and two Rookie of the Year awards handed out to
Scott Chronister of the Argyle, Texas, branch and Lisa Hagee of the
Midland, Texas, branch.

Jeff Smith commented, “I would like to personally thank each of the
speakers and participants at this years conference for their commitment
to excellence. I look forward to the difference each made in the lives
of the attendees.”

ROSWELL, N.M. — Last weekend, PrimeSource Mortgage, Inc. held their 18th annual
conference. There were over 120 participants attending including the
majority of the branch owners from the 35 offices around the country, as
well as many of their Realtor referral partners. The conference was a
monumental success, and considered the best ever.

The conference included some incredible speakers including Dr. Steve
Greene, dean of the School of Business at Oral Roberts University, Greg
Frost, one of the largest mortgage producers in the country, and several
other industry leading speakers.

During the conference, many of the changes occurring in the mortgage
industry were discussed at length. The overwhelming perception that was
derived from the weekend was the fact that with 75% fewer loan
originators in the marketplace, the “survivors” are now positioned
beautifully for the return of the origination market in 2010 and 2011.
Optimism returned to an all-time high as the conference was drawn to a
close.

There was an awards ceremony held on the last evening of the conference.
The Top Producing Branch award was taken home by the Grapevine, Texas,
branch, lead by Bob Duane and Cary Hise. This branch not only took the
lead in production in 2009 but had doubled their production since 2008.
The Branch of the Year award was earned by the Amarillo, Texas, branch,
led by David Rieff, and two Rookie of the Year awards handed out to
Scott Chronister of the Argyle, Texas, branch and Lisa Hagee of the
Midland, Texas, branch.

Jeff Smith commented, “I would like to personally thank each of the
speakers and participants at this years conference for their commitment
to excellence. I look forward to the difference each made in the lives
of the attendees.”

TEL AVIV, Israel — Ampal-American Israel Corporation (Nasdaq:AMPL), a holding
company in the business of acquiring and managing interests in various
businesses, with emphasis in recent years on energy, chemicals,
communications and related fields, announced today that it has been
advised by East Mediterranean Gas Co. (”EMG”), in which Ampal has a
12.5% interest, that Israel Electric Corporation (”IEC”) has informed
EMG that IEC has received all of the required approvals for the coming
into force of a certain Amendment to the Gas Sale Agreement signed by
EMG and IEC on September 17, 2009 (the “Amendment”). The total
contracted gas supply to IEC is approximately 42 BCM and the total value
of the contract is approximately $6 Billion.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain information in this press release includes forward-looking
statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) and
information relating to Ampal that are based on the beliefs of
management of Ampal as well as assumptions made by and information
currently available to the management of Ampal. When used in this press
release, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,”
“intend,” “plan,” and similar expressions as they relate to Ampal or
Ampals management, identify forward-looking statements. Such statements
reflect the current views of Ampal with respect to future events or
future financial performance of Ampal, the outcome of which is subject
to certain risks and other factors which could cause actual results to
differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking
statements, including among others, the economic and political
conditions in Israel, the Middle East, including the situation in Iraq,
and the global business and economic conditions in the different sectors
and markets where Ampals portfolio companies operate. Should any of
these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results or outcome may vary from
those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated, expected,
intended or planned. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking
statements attributable to Ampal or persons acting on its behalf are
expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements in
this paragraph. Please refer to the Ampals annual, quarterly and
periodic reports on file with the SEC for a more detailed discussion of
these and other risks that could cause results to differ materially.
Ampal assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements.

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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:

NANOXER has been selected to present at
CleanEquity Monaco 2010, the foremost event for next generation clean and
green technology. The conference takes place March 4th and 5th at the
Sporting dHiver, Monaco.

An expert selection of the worlds most inspiring cleantech companies will
be presenting to invited industry-specific financial and strategic
investors, policy makers, legislators and media.

Innovator Capital, London specialist investment bank, hosts the annual
invitation-only event. CleanEquity Monacos regional host is the Monaco
Chamber of Economic Development.

Other local partners include Prince Albert II of Monacos Foundation, the
Monte Carlo SBM, and the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation. Collaborators
for the 2010 event include Arup, Covington and Burling LLP, the Hugin
Group, Invest Securities, Royal Philips Electronics NV and the UNEP Fi.

Plenary sessions, led by sector experts, will discuss and identify key
industry themes, drivers and constraints, as well as forward looking
trends.

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.

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The government of Riverside County, California, has paid Salvador Pina, a retired sheriffs deputy, $125,000 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit. Pina claimed sheriffs deputies illegally beat and detained him at his home, even after former colleagues recognized him and a sheriffs technician told them they were at the wrong address.
With valuable input from
educational, employer and pharmacy professionals, the
Institute for the Certification
of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT) has made important additions and changes
to The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program manual.

The manual, now in its seventh edition, is designed to improve pharmacy
technicians success and the role they play in promoting medical safety.

Those program manual changes include:

The new
The National
Pharmacy Technician Training Program-7th Edition retails for $60 but is
available for an introductory offer of $52, plus shipping and handling.

Palomar Technologies, a world-leading provider
of
microelectronics and optoelectronic packaging systems, announced today that is has
recorded its third straight year of increased revenue and profitability.
Palomars systems and contract assembly services include high precision wire
bonding , complex hybrid packaging, and high accuracy die attach
solutions.

Bruce W. Hueners, President CEO, stated, “As a credit to the employees of
Palomar, the company has maintained measured growth the last 3 years in a
difficult economic environment while sustaining high operational
efficiency.” The company is based in Carlsbad, CA and has offices in
Germany and Singapore and a staff of service technicians located around the
world.

Palomar Technologies is formerly a division of Hughes Aircrafts Industrial
Products Division. For decades, Hughes led the world in avionics and
satellite communication innovation and technology products. Hughes Aircraft
was the first company to develop the first working prototypes of what are
now wire bonders and die bonders (Palomars core product). Palomar has
continued the Hughes legacy of expertise in complex, high reliability and
high power packaging applications, mostly found in the aerospace, defense,
medical, RF and optoelectronic industries.

Palomar
Microelectronics , based in Palomars southern California facilities, is
the development, test, and contract assembly division of Palomar
Technologies. Contract assembly and manufacturing has proved an ideal
solution for customers worldwide in need of immediate production of parts
and
micro-optoelectronic packages while their customized wire and die bonding
systems are being built. Start-ups and cash-strapped companies also benefit
by getting scalable production accomplished while keeping capital costs
low. Palomar retains significant clean room space and equipment to service
its customers.

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OnePoint Patient Care, an independent hospice
pharmacy services provider, announced today that three Chicago-area
not-for-profit hospices have selected OnePoint as the sole provider of
hospice pharmacy services to their patients.

After a thorough review process, the hospices selected OnePoint to provide
drug dispensing and cost management services that will enable them to
provide the highest level of care to their patients. With these three
hospices on its roster of Chicago hospice partners, OnePoint becomes the
dominant hospice pharmacy services provider in the Chicago market.

“Being selected as the preferred pharmacy services provider for these three
esteemed hospices validates our full-service model and is a distinct honor
for OnePoint Patient Care,” said James A. Otterbeck, OnePoints chairman
and chief executive officer.

The three hospices OnePoint will begin serving include Horizon Hospice and
Palliative Care, Inc. of Chicago; Midwest Palliative Hospice CareCenter
of Glenview, Ill.; and Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care of Park Ridge,
Ill. These three hospices serve patients throughout the Chicago area,
including Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, Will and Dupage Counties.

“By dispensing and delivering medications locally and combining that with
top-tier clinical consulting and cost-management programs, we are able to
provide a level of responsiveness, quality and commitment to our hospice
partners that no other pharmacy or PBM can,” said Michael Porpora, senior
vice president of the Midwest region for OnePoint. “We look forward to
bringing this high-level service to these three hospices and their
patients.”

With valuable input from
educational, employer and pharmacy professionals, the
Institute for the Certification
of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT) has made important additions and changes
to The National Pharmacy Technician Training Program manual.

The manual, now in its seventh edition, is designed to improve pharmacy
technicians success and the role they play in promoting medical safety.

Those program manual changes include:

The new
The National
Pharmacy Technician Training Program-7th Edition retails for $60 but is
available for an introductory offer of $52, plus shipping and handling.

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Tecan Group AG /Tecan and Enigma Diagnostics sign global manufacturing and supply agreement
for point-of-care Molecular Diagnostics instruments processed and
transmitted by Hugin AS. The issuer is solely responsible for the content
of this announcement.

The launch of Enigma ML and supply of commercial series systems for its
initial
use to identify specific influenza virus strains is anticipated in Q4
2010,
subject to successful clinical trials and regulatory approval. Enigma will
also
add additional tests for other areas such as infectious disease
management to
the ML system test menu in the future.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

John McKinley, Chairman and CEO of Enigma, said: “This is a milestone
agreement
for Enigma. We chose Tecan for its leading reputation as a
developer and
manufacturer of commercial medical instruments and its global range of
technical
and support services network. This represents the first of a number of
potential
additional agreements relating to Tecans support of the Enigma ML system.”

CARMICHAEL, Calif. — For the first time in the history of the Olympic Games, the 2010 Winter
Games in Vancouver, Canada, will include chiropractic care inside the
Olympic Village Polyclinic, a multi-disciplinary facility that offers
comprehensive health care and medical services. While doctors of
chiropractic (D.C.s) have historically been included on the Olympic
medical staff, the upcoming events mark the first time that D.C.’s from
the host country will be treating athletes and officials from around the
world directly inside the Polyclinic.

“This is an historic event not only for the chiropractic profession, but
also the athletes who will now have access to the care that will help
them prepare their bodies for competition,” states Michael Reed, D.C.,
MS, DACBSP, and Team USA Medical Director (USOC). “These athletes train
hard and endure significant physical demands. Sports-focused D.C.s,
along with other members of the sports medicine team, are specially
skilled to assist them in reaching peak performance.”

Throughout the years, chiropractic has become a mainstay in the care of
world-class athletes, leading to a growing number of D.C.s included in
the Olympic Games. Countless athletes attribute the care they receive
from their chiropractors — working along-side other health care
professionals – as a key to properly preparing their bodies to perform
optimally.

Chiropractic care has experienced several major moments in Olympic
history, dating back to Leroy Perry, D.C., who provided chiropractic
care to athletes representing Antigua during the 1976 Games in Montreal,
Canada. During the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, NY, George
Goodheart, D.C., became the first official chiropractor appointed to the
U.S. team. With each subsequent Olympic Games and Pan American Games,
the U.S. teams — along with a growing number of other national teams —
have included at least one doctor of chiropractic on their medical
staff, culminating with the 2010 Winter Games incorporation of
chiropractic care inside the Polyclinic.

“Inclusion inside the Polyclinic is another major milestone for the
chiropractic profession, and we are grateful to the Host City of
Vancouver, the head of Medical Services at the Polyclinic, Jack Taunton,
M.D., and to Robert Armitage, D.C., who helped make this possible,”
concludes recently promoted USOC Director of Sports Medicine Clinics,
Bill Moreau, D.C., DACBSP.

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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MAY I HAVE YOUR UNDIVIDED ATTENTION PLEASE!” Small guy, big mouth: Hes maybe 15, black, skinny kid, but his voice fills up the noisy New York City subway car and then some. “I am selling candy! I got Snickers! I got Peanut MMs! I am trying to make some money! This isnt for school, this isnt for a basketball team, this is for ME! So I can get more candy and MAKE MORE MONEY!” The straphangers appreciate his no-malarkey sales pitch and his entrepreneurial spirit. He does a bit of business, and a few people just give him a buck and skip the candy. His name is Will, and he is not turning down a dollar. But its a tough hustle: Accounting for the cost of his product and his subway pass, it takes him about three hours to earn $20 free and clear, an implied wage of $6.67 an hour–well under minimum wage. On the other hand, its tax-free, and he sets his own hours. Will wants to go to college–and then what? “Be an independent businessman.” Hes already that, and, if persistence really does pay, hes going to do fine for himself. Theres a whole weird little economy on the subway, from candy hustlers like Will to the Chinese ladies who sell pirated DVDs of movies that have just opened in the cinemas. There are acrobats and mariachi bands, good old-fashioned panhandlers, poets, preachers, and percussionists. Its all part of the famous entrepreneurial bustle of New York. But stay on that No. 4 train a few more stops, north of Harlem and into the Bronx, and that entrepreneurial energy evaporates. Not far from the Kingsbridge Road stop is the Eighth Regiment Armory, a fantastically out-of-place 575,000-square-foot brick castle. Its been a lot of different things over the years–barracks, homeless shelter, boat-show venue, a pre-creepified set for Will Smiths I Am Legend–but it currently is vacant, as are a lot of buildings in the Bronx. Passing by, late on a weekday morning, is a local who calls himself “C,” a black man as sturdily built as the armory itself. C very much wants a cigarette. This is a problem, because he is not currently in funds, in no small part because he does not have a job. In fact, at 35 years old, C has never held a job. His friends, acquaintances, known associates (C is a little foggy on whether hes on probation or parole, but hes got some known associates): no jobs, never really had them. His father? Do not ask C about his father. In fact, the only people C can think of who have jobs are women: His mother worked, the mother of his children works. He did know a woman who was dating a taxi driver once. C says he would like to work but is more of an independent businessman. He describes the informal work he has done as “this and that,” and says he would like to “have his own place,” a bar or a nightclub. But dont expect to see him selling candy on the No. 4 train anytime soon. Asked about the recently defeated plan to convert the gigantic fortress that looms over his neighborhood into a shopping mall, C says he hasnt heard about it. If the plan had gone through, Manhattan-based developer Related Companies would have received about $50 million in tax subsidies for a project that would have created as many as a thousand retail jobs and, during its construction, employed a thousand or more highly paid union hardhats. But the city council killed the project. The Bronx delegation demanded that Related enforce upon its leaseholders a requirement that all of the jobs in the mall pay at least $10 an hour, plus benefits, much more than the prevailing wage in the Forever21-and-food-court racket, to say nothing of the $7.25 minimum wage. So a $300 million project, and a couple of thousand new jobs in a neighborhood that needs them, never happened. Bronx borough president Ruben Diaz Jr. infamously declared: “The notion that any job is better than no job no longer applies.” The New York Post pithily pointed out that when it comes to real jobs, Diaz has never had one–not in the private sector, anyway–and neither has any other member of the Bronxs city-council delegation: All are lifelong politicians, many of them having held elected offices or political appointments since their early 20s. Diaz himself has been an officeholder since he was 23 years old. Its good work, if you can get it. But theres not much other work to be had in the Bronx, where unemployment is currently at about 13.1 percent. Much of the Bronx is young and black or young and Hispanic. Nationally, the unemployment rate among blacks rose to 16.2 percent in the year-end numbers, while the rate for whites fell to 9.0 percent. For black youths, the numbers are startling: 50 percent for 16-19-year-olds, 26 percent for 20-24-year-olds. A study from the Community Service Society of New York puts actual work-force participation among black men 16-65 years of age in New York City at about 50 percent, and the number for young black men nationwide is just 40 percent.
NEW YORK — Richard J. Arsenault of Neblett,
Beard Arsenault, along with co-counsel have filed a class
action lawsuit against Toyota Motor Sales and Toyota Motor Corporation
in the United States District Court Southern District of New York (10
CIV 0900).

In the lawsuit, vehicle owners allege that Toyota concealed the true
nature of the defect in their electronic throttle controls by initially
claiming that their vehicles’ sudden acceleration problems were caused
by floor mats. In doing so, the suit alleges that Toyota engaged in
deceptive conduct and breached expressed warranties.

“Uncontrollable vehicle acceleration is obviously a very serious and
potentially life-threatening problem. The questions include what did
Toyota know, when and why did this happen in the first place. This
lawsuit seeks to compensate the many victims of both economic and
physical harm,” said Arsenault, a veteran of class action and consumer
protection litigation.

Arsenault claims Toyota’s misconduct has had a serious financial impact
on its customers, who have seen their car values drop radically after
the recalls were announced.

Bombardier Transportation announced today that it won a contract with the Agence metropolitaine de transport (AMT) to provide locomotive and passenger rail car maintenance service for part of the AMT fleet. The value of this three-year contract, awarded following a competitive tendering process, is approximately $34 million CDN ($31 million US, 23 million euros) to which mobilization activities are added.

“The Montreal commuter rail system is undergoing an important transformation and we are very pleased to be able to contribute in collaboration with the AMT, to one of this continents most important public transit agencies,” declared Raymond Bachant, President, Bombardier Transportation, North America.

Ann MacDonald, Vice President, Business Development and Communications, Bombardier Transportation North America, commented: “By winning this bid, we are reiterating our commitment to Montreal and its mass transit system. We are delighted to be able to work with the AMT again.”

This new maintenance service contract means that Bombardier will be fully responsible for the maintenance of rolling stock for the Dorion-Rigaud, Blainville-St-Jerome and Delson-Candiac lines over the next three years. The Bombardier team will gradually mobilize itself over the next few months with a view to taking over all maintenance on July 1, 2010.

An established Bombardier customer, the AMT is the second largest commuter train transit system in Canada and the sixth largest region in terms of traffic in North America. In addition to operating the commuter trains in the metropolitan area, the AMT is the organization responsible for planning, integrating and coordinating mass transit services in the Greater Montreal area. Over the years, Bombardier has provided the AMT with commuter rail cars, electric multiple units and aluminum BOMBARDIER BiLevel cars, and since fall 2009, Bombardier has begun the delivery of 160 stainless-steel multilevel commuter rail cars. In 2008, Bombardier also received an order for 20 dual-powered locomotives, scheduled for delivery in 2011.

Parallel Importers

CHICAGO — The American Hospital Association (AHA) today announced it has
exclusively endorsed Design Clinicals’ MedsTracker® for medication
reconciliation management. MedsTracker medication reconciliation
software automates medication management and improves the medication
reconciliation workflow for hospital and clinic physicians and nursing
staff. AHA Solutions, Inc., a subsidiary of the AHA, awards AHA
endorsement for products and services which help member hospitals and
health care organizations achieve organizational excellence.

Medication reconciliation can be an unwieldy process for providers when
caring for patients. From point of admission, through transfers out to
discharge, medications must be reconciled each step of the way.
MedsTracker, designed by practicing physicians and hospital IT
professionals, has an exceptionally high physician adoption rate, with
some clients reporting greater than 90 percent. MedsTracker helps
increase medication safety and improves patient understanding and
compliance with their medications. MedsTracker also drastically improves
efficiency in reconciliation at admission, transfer and discharge,
saving clinicians valuable time. MedsTracker flexibly integrates with
any existing hospital IT system.

“It is crucial for hospitals to implement an automated medication
reconciliation solution that is robust, but that also respects and
supports clinician workflow, ensuring adoptability,” said Anthony Burke,
president and CEO, AHA Solutions, Inc. “MedsTracker from Design
Clinicals meets this criteria, and also enhances clinician communication
and patient understanding in medication management.”

AHA selected MedsTracker for endorsement following an intensive
evaluation process dedicated to helping hospitals improve patient safety
through automated medication reconciliation. MedsTracker was shown to be
intuitive and inclusive, supporting multidisciplinary use by physicians,
nurses and pharmacists. It is an excellent solution for organizations of
any size, from critical access hospitals to multi-hospital systems.

“Our entire Design Clinicals team is honored to have MedsTracker
endorsed by the AHA,” said Dewey Howell, MD, PhD, president and CEO of
Design Clinicals, Inc. “We are dedicated to improving the delivery of
patient care through innovative solutions that increase patient safety
while improving communication and workflow. Recognition from the AHA for
MedsTracker tells us we’ve accomplished these goals with our product.”

PORTLAND, Ore. — Attorneys representing hundreds of athletes injured by an I-Flow
(NYSE:KMB) pain pump say that the company allegedly continues to mislead
the public about what it knew while it conducted off-label marketing of
its pain pump. Attorneys with Williams, Love, O’Leary and Powers claim
I-Flow marketed its pain pump to orthopedic physicians treating hundreds
of athletes with shoulder joint injuries.

“I-Flow knew it did not have a single safety study or the approval of
the U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA) behind its pain pump for use
in orthopedic joint surgery, yet still aggressively marketed its On-Q
Pain Buster pump to treat injured athletes after shoulder joint
surgeries,” said Mike Williams, a leading attorney with the
Portland-based Williams,
Love, O’Leary and Powers, P.C., law firm. “Kimberly-Clark, the new
owner of I-Flow, is now trying to lay blame on the orthopedic surgeons
it failed to warn, but actually marketed the product to. I-Flow
deliberately misled its own sales staff and the medical community about
the safety of its product.”

In fact, the FDA issued a video
news alert on its website this month, once again warning the medical
community that pain pumps are not approved for use in shoulder joint
surgeries.

An Oregon jury last month awarded a $5.5 million verdict to Matthew
Beale, a Portland father of four, for the injuries he sustained after
his doctor prescribed the use of an I-Flow pain pump. Williams’ firm
worked closely with attorney John Coletti, of Paulson
Coletti Trial Attorneys, P.C., on the case. The Portland attorneys
work closely with an Alabama-based firm Beasley,
Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis Miles, P.C. to represent clients
injured by I-Flow’s pain pump across the country.

Beale’s shoulder was destroyed when a doctor prescribed the use of an
I-Flow pain pump after his surgery to repair a minor shoulder injury
from a casual football game with co-workers. The use of a pain pump
after shoulder joint surgeries has been proven to cause lifelong,
crippling injuries that kill cells in the shoulder joints that replace
cartilage, according to attorneys who represent I-Flow victims. Many
prominent surgeons testified at Beale’s trial that it was now generally
accepted in the orthopedic community that pain pumps were the cause of
the chondrolysis epidemic. Kimberly-Clark refuses to recognize this
consensus of medical opinion, Williams said.

physician assistant schools

Custom Air Products and Services, Inc. (CAPS),
one of the leading HVAC
equipment manufacturers in the Houston and Gulf Coast region, has
become the newest licensed holder of EnergyGuard, USA. The contract was
signed December 3rd, 2009 and Certified Application Training took place the
week of December 14th, 2009.

EnergyGuard USA specializes in protecting HVAC
equipment with the highest standard coatings which extend the life of
the equipment as well as protecting against corrosion. These coatings are
applied only by EnergyGuard certified technicians, who have passed the
recommended training.

Three CAPS employees, Jesus (Jesse) Escobedo, Mario Rivera and Miguel
Fonseca, participated in the four day training session held on the CAPS
campus December 15-18. The sessions began with a theoretical followed by
hands-on training which included:

“In keeping with our philosophy of offering the latest products and
services in the HVAC industry, we were pleased to take part in the
EnergyGuard USA training,” said Taylor Norris, president of CAPS. “Our
employees now have total command of this new technology in cleaning and servicing
coils, which will be an asset to many of our customers in the field.”

Program Will “Train the Trainer,” Teaching Environmental Assessment
Techniques to Individuals Who Will Then Train New Technicians for Green
Jobs

IRVINE, Calif. — Village
Green Global, Inc. today announced its partnership with East Los
Angeles College for a five-week intensive program for “Environmental
EMV Training” to commence on February 24, 2010. Using a “train the
trainer” strategy, the college is seeking individuals who can quickly
learn environmental assessment techniques, then present these concepts
to new technicians to provide them the skills necessary to qualify for
available green jobs in a fast growing market. Tuition (worth $1,200)
will be fully paid for the first 50 qualified applicants.

“In his State of the Union address, President Obama described community
colleges as a career pathway for the children of many working families,”
said Doug Smith, founder and CEO of Village Green. “This training
provides an opportunity for people to learn the techniques necessary to
participate in the growing green economy. This partnership with East Los
Angeles College realizes our vision to help nurture an emerging industry
in the U.S., and to make it simple for organizations to become more
energy efficient, reduce costs and create green jobs.”

Training will be conducted by Doug Smith, M. Sus. Prac., an expert with
global experience in energy efficiency, change management theory and
building assessments. The training will involve hands-on assessment of
businesses, schools and government buildings. Training will utilize
Village Green’s SaaS software tool – SMARTweb®
– to assist participants in the EMV of sustainability recommendations.
With pressure for organizations to manage their carbon footprint and
understand the impact they have on the environment, Village Green helps
companies focus on sustainable practices.

Trainees will complete and verify a commercial and residential
building-level audit, present the recommendations to the building owners
for uptake in their building. The curriculum covers specific skills,
such as environmental management, energy efficiency, occupational
health, risk management, measuring water flows and quality, analyzing
electrical and HVAC devices, insulation, air quality, and techniques of
on-site data collection as well as investigate HERS (Home Energy Rating
System) processes. Trainees will become proficient in calculating the
greenhouse gas (GHG) emission of buildings and assist building owners to
better understand how to reduce energy costs and reduce GHG emissions.

vet tech schools

Axway solutions track messages and increase supply chain efficiency
through seamless communication

FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany — Proving its global strategy and efficiencies within the supply chain, Axway
is providing its Business-to-Business (B2B) Automotive Solutions to its
Chinese partner, BMW
Brilliance Automotive in Shenyang. Based upon Axway
TradeSync Integration Manager (TSIM), Axway B2B Automotive Solutions
provide end-to-end visibility and facilitate seamless communication
between BMW Brilliance Automotive and its suppliers and shipping agents
while ensuring the high standards in the automobile industry are met and
that users can trace their electronic messages.

Axway increases supply chain efficiency by providing delivery
instructions synchronized with production (known as SPAB). SPAB is
transferred to the Just-In-Sequence System (JIS) suppliers via
the OFTP-TCP/IP (Internet Protocol) and tightly integrates them with the
production process. To guarantee deliveries can be quickly and reliably
traced, carriers send EDIFACT IFTSTA D.99B messages to BMW Brilliance
Automotive. The Web-based communication protocol AS2 and email are used
to communicate with carriers. Because TSIM flexibly handles different
communication protocols, several methods of communication, including
OFTP, AS2 and email, are used in parallel.

SAP Application Link Enabling (ALE) Technology is used to seamlessly
integrate Axway TSIM with BMW Brilliance Automotives application
environment. The solution is SAP® certified, providing sound
integration. Additional SAP® certifications exist for other TSIM
components such as SAP® NetWeaver ALE Integration Base for TSIM 3 and
Automotive Business Content.

“The relationship with BMW Brilliance Automotive in China underscores
the international capabilities and solutions Axway offers to customers
who need to easily communicate and facilitate the transfer of
information to diverse markets,” said Dave Bennett, chief technology
officer, Axway. “This is a prime example of how Axway helps enable
global Business Interaction Networks to dramatically improve their
competitive advantage.”

HOBOKEN, N.J. — APX, Inc., the leading infrastructure provider for environmental and
energy markets, is pleased to announce the North Carolina Utilities
Commission has selected APX to provide registry services for the North
Carolina Renewable Energy Tracking System (NC-RETS). NC-RETS will track
each North Carolina electric power supplier’s compliance against its
individual statutory requirement, and its contribution toward the
statewide aggregate requirements for energy supplied by swine and
poultry waste resources. NC-RETS will also track each electric power
supplier’s use of energy efficiency to meet statutory requirements.

NC-RETS will allow for the import and export of renewable energy
certificates (RECs) into and out of the North American Renewables
Registry™ (NAR), and similar links will be established with additional
registries.

“North Carolina is pleased to select APX to create and administer the
North Carolina Renewable Energy Tracking System. We believe this is a
significant step in implementing North Carolina’s commitment to
increasing renewable energy in the state, and we welcome the support of
APX, a firm committed to assuring accuracy in tracking renewable energy
generation,” said Edward S. Finley, Jr., Chairman of the North Carolina
Utilities Commission.

“Renewable energy in the United States is a critical part of the new
energy economy. North Carolina’s decision to track compliance with its
renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standard through APX is
further validation of the need for purpose built systems to ensure
public confidence in the contribution renewable energy resources are
making,” stated Brian Storms, Chairman and CEO of APX. “We are delighted
to be a fundamental part of this exciting new renewable energy program.”

Leading Consulting Group WSP Environment Energy Outlines Top
Five Challenges of Developing Relationships with Emerging Market
Suppliers

SAN FRANCISCO — Aravo
today announced a new educational podcast focused on supplier management
in emerging markets. Entitled “Supply Management in Emerging Asian
Markets – An In-Depth View,” the podcast features Christopher Hazen,
Director (Asia), WSP
Environment Energy, and interviewer Andrew Reese, Editor, Supply
Demand Chain Executive. Topics covered include: building
stronger supplier relationships in emerging markets, minimizing the
risks of supplier sourcing in Asia, and the impact of corporate
sustainability initiatives on global supply chains. The podcast is
accessible on Aravo.com.
Those who download the podcast will also receive an executive brief from
global strategic advisory firm the
Hackett Group examining supply management from a resource
expenditure perspective.

China is a key focus of the podcast as the country remains the largest
and fastest-growing economy in Asia. Developments in China have
significant ripple effects throughout Western supply chains as they
depend on the broader region as a critical source of supply. As
sustainability becomes an increasingly important issue for China and its
manufacturers, companies that rely on China-based supply chains face new
risks and opportunities. In the podcast, WSP’s Chris Hazen shares his
perspective on the impact that sustainability is having in both China
and on Asia-centric supply chains, and explains how companies can
minimize risks while continuing to build relationships with suppliers in
emerging markets.

Hazen also outlines the top 5 challenges companies must address
when developing relationships with Asian suppliers:

knitting supplies

U.S. TRANSPORTATION Secretary Ray LaHoods erratic comments Wednesday suggest that perhaps he should be recalled along with 2.3 million Toyota vehicles that need adjustments to their accelerator pedals. If ever there was a time for steady leadership from the agency that oversees auto safety, this is it. Toyota owners are wondering whether they are driving safe vehicles or potential death traps. For the answer, they should be able to turn to LaHood. The transportation secretary needs to have a clear answer and easily understood advice. Asked what he would tell Toyota owners, LaHood said, “My advice is: If anybody owns one of these vehicles, stop driving it, take it to a Toyota dealer because they believe they have the fix for it.” Pretty clear advice. Unfortunately, it only lasted a few minutes. Talking to reporters, he said his earlier remarks were “obviously a misstatement.” His agency then issued a statement in which he said, “I want to encourage owners of any recalled Toyota models to contact their local dealers and get their vehicles fixed as soon as possible.”
CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings publishes the following rating:

The transaction is collateralized by a discrete pool of retail auto
loans originated and serviced by World Omni Financial Corporation. The
rating is based on the quality of the receivables pool, the available
credit enhancement for the transaction, and the transactions legal and
cash flow structure.

Although cumulative net losses (CNL) for the transaction have exceeded
Fitchs initial base case expectations, credit enhancement (CE) levels
have continued to increase since close. As a result, current CE levels
are sufficient to support the rating indicated above. As of the December
2009 payment date CNL was 2.92%, while CE levels have increased to
11.50%. In comparison, initial CE was 0.75% for class B notes.

Cars for Sale

LOS ANGELES — Its back on road again for the Cal basketball team, still tied for first and beginning its second-half sprint toward a possible Pac-10 title with a stop tonight at USC. A split of two games in the desert last weekend kept the Golden Bears (14-7, 6-3) in position to pursue their first conference title in 50 years, but Sundays 76-72 loss at Arizona prevented them from opening a two-game lead over the pack. Cal coach Mike Montgomery this week seemed generally at peace with where his team stands entering the second half of the conference schedule. “Weve had two last-second sort of losses,” he said, referring to both Arizona and UCLA. “I think the kids have really hung in there, stayed in every game (except the 15-point loss at Washington), battled. I dont think regardless of the circumstances we were going to be a dominant team. It could be a heck of a lot worse.”
SALT LAKE CITY — A bill that would allow cyclists to ride through red lights after stopping and checking for traffic was voted down by the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday. HB91, sponsored by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake City, also calls for cyclists to only slow down when approaching stop signs, then cautiously proceed after checking for traffic. For cyclists, the most dangerous activity in an intersection is when they start to go after having dismounted from their bikes. Cyclists have to get up to high speeds quickly and risk being hit by traffic. “If theyre riding early in the morning and they come to a stop light, because their weight is not enough to trigger the sensors, they can sit there for a long time,” Moss said.

ties

Hydrogen Advertising behind Provocative “Is It MS?” Campaign

SEATTLE — The Greater Northwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society
today unveils its new advertising campaign — “Is It MS?” — created by
Hydrogen Advertising. The new campaign builds upon the just concluded
“Why Here?” campaign, which dramatically increased awareness for this
disease which is so prevalent in the region.

The “Is It MS?” campaign features strikingly beautiful images of the
human body, both of men and women. The work demonstrates that while a
person may look fine physically, multiple sclerosis (MS) may still be
subtly affecting their lives with unpredictable symptoms. The core
message is that if someone is experiencing any of a variety of symptoms
— fatigue, dizziness and numbness, for example — that person or someone
who knows them can call the National MS Society to learn more.

“We made a great impact in local awareness with our last campaign and we
are equally impressed by this new work from Hydrogen,” said Patricia
Shepherd-Barnes, president, Greater Northwest Chapter of the National MS
Society. “The agency delivered a strategy and a creative product that
was right on the mark, via a process that was thorough and effective.”

Kyle Nephi McCaffree Kyle Nephi McCaffree, 41, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Born October 18, 1968 to Donald and Patricia McCaffree. Graduated from Jordan High School in 1987. Served as an LDS missionary in the Dallas Texas mission. Kyle married the love of his life, Jenny Clarke. They were blessed with three beautiful children, Tyler, Sarah, and Amy. Their hearts are broken by the loss of their father and best friend.

beauty schools

Innovation for a new generation are the hallmarks of the Urban
Lifestyle Collection

LAS VEGAS — LAS VEGAS MARKET, Booth C1433 — In a time of economic
contraction, retailers seek out market segments which are bucking that
trend, and even expanding. But these can be hard to find. Atlantic has
done the homework for its retail partners. To create our new Urban
Lifestyle Collection, we have exhaustively researched and precisely
tailored our entertainment furniture storage solutions to appeal to a
demographic that spends $300 billion annually, and, by 2015, will have
more spending power than any group ever before. This group is the
15-44s: teens, singles, young marrieds and young families.

Research indicates that a few key traits are held in common across this
age range. For one, they are transitioning to smaller living spaces:
whether it’s a dorm room or a less spacious, more affordable suburban
home, square footage is at a premium. Yet, they still crave consumer
electronics to make their homes entertainment and social hubs.
Therefore, they need furniture with a compact footprint and
intelligently designed storage to get the most out of their décor.
Another commonality is an appreciation for clean, modern design accented
by pops of vibrant, expressive color. An entire subculture has grown up
around this interest, with magazines like Dwell and Metropolis
presenting the EQ3 and IKEA look as the aspirational ideal.

Yet, the entertainment
furniture found at most retailers remains dominated by heavy, wooden
units with stodgy traditional styling, or “lighter-looking” glass-based
designs that fall short on storage. Atlantic is poised to change the
face of the value-priced entertainment furniture landscape with our
Urban Lifestyle Collection. Bringing together a choice of exciting,
cutting-edge contemporary and transitional looks with smart,
storage-friendly, eco-friendly design, the Urban Lifestyle Collection
appeals to not only its target demographic, but an inclusive
cross-section of national consumers.

One of the secrets to this feat is in the unique sculptured steel frame
construction of the pieces. Exclusive to Atlantic among its competitors,
this innovation takes the bulk out of entertainment furniture, leaving
airy, visually quiet and fashion-forward silhouettes in variations such
as sophisticated Tribeca™, graceful Nuvo™, high-rise Rio™ and
videogame-oriented Centipede™. Sculptured steel also makes it easy to
offer consumers new and fabulous color choices, with powder-coatings
that won’t tarnish, chip or discolor. Even with these up-to-date
improvements, the frame still offers the solid stability of steel,
reinforced by braces and adjustable leveling feet to eliminate wobbling,
and our largest model securely holds up to a 55 inch television weighing
as much as 150 pounds. To top it all off, Atlantic leads the field in
fulfilling consumer desires for a greener way of life, by using
recyclable steel and keeping flat packs light for a reduced carbon
footprint—and reduced costs—during shipping.

Bush Industries, a leading global
manufacturer of ready-to-assemble (RTA) and commercial-grade casegoods
furniture for the home and office, announced today the introduction of
five new items to its my|space® collection at the Winter Las Vegas
Market (Building A, Suite A-610) in Las Vegas, NV. These latest additions
address the strong consumer response to the companys popular my|space®
line, an entertainment and small office home office (SOHO) furniture
solution designed to fit any living space and budget.

Keeping todays value-conscious consumer in mind, the my|space®
collection offers stylish, attractive furnishings without the expensive
price tag while still maintaining Bush Furnitures commitment to quality.
Suggested retail prices are less than $200 per item.

“We have designed a unique line of furniture that fits everyones lifestyle
from the trendy loft-dweller to the cost-conscious homemaker,” said Jim
Sherbert, CEO, Bush Industries. “Were confident that these recent
additions to the my|space® line will provide consumers with even more
innovative and safe choices for their home or office.”

The my|space® product lines appeal to a broad spectrum of lifestyles and
tastes. Product styles are categorized within one of four themes:
CLASSIC, EASY, EDGE and COUNTRY. Each offers rich finishes, quality
craftsmanship, versatile sizes and dimensions, and unique features. The new
my|space® by Bush Furniture products include:

EDGE — A casual, hip and playful line that embraces new technology with a
bold uninhibited outlook

Loveseat Sofa Bed

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.”
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.
WASHINGTON — Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today
the appointment of 24 new members to the Presidential Advisory Council
on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). The PACHA’s chair, Dr. Helene Gayle, was appointed
in August 2009. This council of HIV/AIDS experts is composed of a
diverse group of researchers, service providers, and community leaders
from around the country, including people living with HIV. The Council
also includes people who are from community-based organizations that
cater to the medical, legal, or mental health needs of people living
with HIV and AIDS.

The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS provides advice,
information, and recommendations to the President through the Secretary
of Health and Human Services on domestic and global HIV/AIDS policy
issues. PACHA also serves to further the policy goals of the White House
Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) and will play an important role in
providing input for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Currently, there are an estimated one million individuals living with
HIV in the United States, and a new HIV infection occurs every
nine-and-a-half minutes in America. Of those currently infected, one in
five does not know he or she has the condition, and the majority of new
infections are spread by people who are unaware of their own status.
Globally, there are over 33 million people living with HIV, and AIDS
remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Women and children around
the world are particularly vulnerable due to gender inequalities, gaps
in access to services, and increases in sexual violence.

“We often speak about HIV/AIDS as if it’s only going on somewhere else,
but we face a serious HIV/AIDS epidemic in America. That’s why last year
my administration began crafting a new National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
Today, I’m pleased to have a new group of experts joining PACHA; and I
look forward to hearing from the council about our continued efforts to
prevent the spread of HIV infections in the United States and to provide
care and treatment to people living with HIV/AIDS around the world,”
said President Obama.

“These new members also represent the best of America. I look forward to
their strategic guidance in assisting HHS to do its part in developing
and implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and in supporting the
important work of the PEPFAR program,” said Health and Human Services
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

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Email marketing service provides foundation for lasting relationships
through timely campaigns

OTTAWA — Campaigner,
a leading email marketing service provider, is helping small businesses
target their perfect match with email marketing campaigns focused on the
most romantic day of the year.

“Email is a very effective way to bring highly-tailored messages to
specific audiences,” said Wendy Lowe, director of product marketing for
Campaigner. “With an occasion like Valentine’s Day, email marketing
automation allows small businesses to segment a list by gender, so women
can find the right gifts for their guys, and vice versa. With compelling
offers suited to their sweetheart, it may set the foundation for a
lasting relationship.”

Valentine’s Day offers the chance to attract customers and prospects to
your brand, and Campaigner shares several email
marketing tips on its blog to ensure your customers are smitten.

A sampling of how businesses can take advantage of Valentine’s Day with
email marketing:

Email marketing service provides foundation for lasting relationships
through timely campaigns

OTTAWA — Campaigner,
a leading email marketing service provider, is helping small businesses
target their perfect match with email marketing campaigns focused on the
most romantic day of the year.

“Email is a very effective way to bring highly-tailored messages to
specific audiences,” said Wendy Lowe, director of product marketing for
Campaigner. “With an occasion like Valentine’s Day, email marketing
automation allows small businesses to segment a list by gender, so women
can find the right gifts for their guys, and vice versa. With compelling
offers suited to their sweetheart, it may set the foundation for a
lasting relationship.”

Valentine’s Day offers the chance to attract customers and prospects to
your brand, and Campaigner shares several email
marketing tips on its blog to ensure your customers are smitten.

A sampling of how businesses can take advantage of Valentine’s Day with
email marketing:

Client Addition Provides Opportunity to Lower Healthcare Costs for
Ecom Covered Lives

DALLAS — American CareSource Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: ANCI), the nation’s leading
ancillary health care system, announced today that it has signed a new
client service agreement with Dallas-based Ecom PPO Advisors (Ecom) a
PPO network optimization organization.

“We are excited about our new relationship with Ecom,” said David Boone,
President and Chief Executive Officer of American CareSource Holdings.
“Through this partnership, we will provide our leading ancillary network
to their growing list of clients. Ecom’s unique position in the
healthcare industry makes it a key technology solution for increasing
the quality of healthcare while also lowering the cost of care”

“Ecom works proactively with all of our network partners to ensure the
highest level of performance which results in improved utilization and
savings for each of our clients,” said Rachel Graham, Ecom President and
Chief Operating Officer. “American CareSource Holding’s optimized
network of more than 33,000 contracted ancillary provider locations will
further enable our clients to realize significantly higher in-network
utilization and incremental per employee per month medical cost savings.”

About American CareSource Holdings,
Inc.

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Loan Modification Company Responds to Rapid Rise of Homeowners
Opting to Short Sell Instead of Foreclose

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — US Home Loan Advocates, Inc. (USHLA) a leading loan modification
company, is extending their expert loss
mitigation negotiation services to real estate agents.
The number of homeowners with upside down mortgages is growing
rapidly. The credit recovery period for a short sale is two-three years
as opposed to the lengthily seven-year stay of a foreclosure. For
that reason, more homeowners are opting to short sell their properties
instead of facing foreclosure. A short sale will reflect
negatively on a homeowner’s credit report; however, compared to
foreclosure, it is the lesser of the two evils.

“As the number of homeowners forced to short sell rises, our
support will enable real estate agents to concentrate on listing and
selling more properties; thereby, increasing the number of distressed
homeowners the agents are able to help,” explains David Bartels,
president of USHLA.

The short sale process is time consuming and requires persistence
and experience. USHLA’s experienced professionals will conduct the
required financial consultation with the seller, collect the paperwork
and appropriately package all of the documentation for the lender.
Thereafter, an USHLA expert will work with the lender to quickly
and successfully negotiate the purchase price and the real estate
agent’s full commission for the short sale transaction.

“Signature Properties trusted relationship with USHLA
substantially improves my ability to efficiently manage the increase in
short sale activity. USHLA provides my customers with consistent quality
and expert service,” explains Judy Dunham of Signature
Properties in Coronado, California.

AT THE END of October, the White House released figures claiming that money from the $787 billion stimulus package pushed by President Obama had “created or saved” 640,000 jobs. A closer look suggests that the number was inflated dramatically by human error, confusing federal forms, double counting, and dubious assumptions. In Wisconsin, for example, $7.3 million was allocated to the Parkland Sanitary District for work that will not begin until spring. That money is credited with 100 jobs. The correct figure was five jobs. District treasurer Eric Shaffer filled out the form incorrectly, writing down 50; that number was then counted twice, since the money was part grant and part loan. “We are volunteers, and we made a mistake,” Shaffer told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Loan Modification Company Responds to Rapid Rise of Homeowners
Opting to Short Sell Instead of Foreclose

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — US Home Loan Advocates, Inc. (USHLA) a leading loan modification
company, is extending their expert loss
mitigation negotiation services to real estate agents.
The number of homeowners with upside down mortgages is growing
rapidly. The credit recovery period for a short sale is two-three years
as opposed to the lengthily seven-year stay of a foreclosure. For
that reason, more homeowners are opting to short sell their properties
instead of facing foreclosure. A short sale will reflect
negatively on a homeowner’s credit report; however, compared to
foreclosure, it is the lesser of the two evils.

“As the number of homeowners forced to short sell rises, our
support will enable real estate agents to concentrate on listing and
selling more properties; thereby, increasing the number of distressed
homeowners the agents are able to help,” explains David Bartels,
president of USHLA.

The short sale process is time consuming and requires persistence
and experience. USHLA’s experienced professionals will conduct the
required financial consultation with the seller, collect the paperwork
and appropriately package all of the documentation for the lender.
Thereafter, an USHLA expert will work with the lender to quickly
and successfully negotiate the purchase price and the real estate
agent’s full commission for the short sale transaction.

“Signature Properties trusted relationship with USHLA
substantially improves my ability to efficiently manage the increase in
short sale activity. USHLA provides my customers with consistent quality
and expert service,” explains Judy Dunham of Signature
Properties in Coronado, California.

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FHA platform closes record number of construction loans in 2009

BOSTON — CWCapital, a subsidiary of CW Financial Services and a full-service,
national lender to the multifamily and healthcare real estate
industries, announced it has provided $50 million in financing for the
construction of Yale Steam Laundry West, a class-A multifamily property
in Washington, DC. The loan was originated by Andrea (Dee) McClure,
Senior Vice President in CW’s Baltimore, MD office and was financed
through the firm’s FHA platform.

The project, scheduled for completion in 2012, is located in the
historic Mount Vernon Square district of Washington. When completed it
will consist of 218 units, a parking garage, roof deck, pool, clubhouse
and fitness center. In 2006, CWCapital provided construction financing
for its sister project, a 149-unit condominium complex. That project,
completed in January of 2009, is currently 85% sold and included the
historic preservation of two buildings, the construction of two 12-story
towers, a covered parking facility, and onsite storage.

“We are very pleased to provide financing for this project,” stated
McClure. “Despite a decrease in new construction nationally, the
mid-Atlantic region is experiencing job growth, spurring demand for
housing. With limited funding available in the current market, the FHA
has been an attractive source of financing to an increasing number of
experienced multifamily owners and developers.”

This loan is the largest of several new construction loans closed in
2009 for CW, in what has become a trend for the firm’s FHA platform. FHA
construction loans originated last year included $23 million for The
Lodge at Mallard’s Landing in Washington; $18 million for The Lakes of
Millbrook in Alabama; $14 million for The Ridge at Midway in Washington;
and $15 million for two assisted living facilities in Texas. In
addition, the FHA has issued “Invitation Letters” to CW for several
other large construction loans.

Loan Modification Company Responds to Rapid Rise of Homeowners
Opting to Short Sell Instead of Foreclose

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — US Home Loan Advocates, Inc. (USHLA) a leading loan modification
company, is extending their expert loss
mitigation negotiation services to real estate agents.
The number of homeowners with upside down mortgages is growing
rapidly. The credit recovery period for a short sale is two-three years
as opposed to the lengthily seven-year stay of a foreclosure. For
that reason, more homeowners are opting to short sell their properties
instead of facing foreclosure. A short sale will reflect
negatively on a homeowner’s credit report; however, compared to
foreclosure, it is the lesser of the two evils.

“As the number of homeowners forced to short sell rises, our
support will enable real estate agents to concentrate on listing and
selling more properties; thereby, increasing the number of distressed
homeowners the agents are able to help,” explains David Bartels,
president of USHLA.

The short sale process is time consuming and requires persistence
and experience. USHLA’s experienced professionals will conduct the
required financial consultation with the seller, collect the paperwork
and appropriately package all of the documentation for the lender.
Thereafter, an USHLA expert will work with the lender to quickly
and successfully negotiate the purchase price and the real estate
agent’s full commission for the short sale transaction.

“Signature Properties trusted relationship with USHLA
substantially improves my ability to efficiently manage the increase in
short sale activity. USHLA provides my customers with consistent quality
and expert service,” explains Judy Dunham of Signature
Properties in Coronado, California.

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Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Lafayette Citizen of the Year award, with the winner to be the guest of honor at a March 20 dinner at the Lafayette Park Hotel and Spa. Nominees for this honor — Lafayettes 59th annual award — must be current Lafayette residents who give their time, money or energy to help make Lafayette a healthy community, where people will want to live, work and shop. Such civic contributions can take many forms.
Reports Record Fourth Quarter Revenue Performance

MINNEAPOLIS — Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRIV), a leading provider of global
e-commerce solutions, reports its fourth quarter and full year financial
results.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year Ended
Dec. 31, 2009

Fourth quarter revenue totaled $104.9 million, compared to $95.9 million
during the same period in 2008. These results exceeded management’s
fourth quarter revenue guidance of $94 – 98 million. For the full year
2009, Digital River reported revenue of $403.8 million, compared to
$394.2 million reported in 2008.

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FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) today announced receipt of a
Paragraph IV Certification Notice Letter advising that Teva
Pharmaceuticals submitted an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requesting permission to
manufacture and market a generic version of Viread®
(tenofovir disoproxil fumarate).

In the Notice Letter, Teva alleges that three patents associated with
tenofovir disoproxil – U.S. Patent Numbers 5,922,695; 5,977,089; and
6,043,230; and one patent associated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate
– U.S. Patent Number 5,935,946 – owned by Gilead Sciences are invalid,
unenforceable and/or will not be infringed by Teva’s manufacture, use or
sale of the product described in its ANDA submission.

Gilead is currently reviewing the Notice Letter and has 45 days from the
date of receipt to commence a patent infringement lawsuit against Teva.
Such a lawsuit would restrict the FDA from approving Teva’s ANDA for up
to 30 months or until a district court decision that is adverse to
Gilead, whichever occurs first.

Viread is currently protected by four patents, which are listed in the
FDA’s Approved Drug Products List, and all four patents would need to be
invalidated or expired before a generic version of Viread could be
marketed. The U.S. Patent Trademark Office (PTO) confirmed the
patentability of these four Viread patents in 2008.

Gilead currently has a lawsuit pending against Teva in response to
Teva’s attempts to seek approval for generic versions of Truvada®
(emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) and Atripla®
(efavirenz 600 mg/emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300
mg) based on allegations that two emtricitabine patents are invalid,
unenforceable and/or will not be infringed by Teva’s manufacture, use or
sale of its generic product.

ANYONE WHO HAS expended energy arguing for free trade, market competition, and the open exchange of ideas has repeatedly encountered the same obstacle: zero-sum assumptions misapplied to dynamic, nonlinear phenomena. Almost anywhere you see statism advancing–in economic policy, national security, even the basic conditions for free speech–you can bet that underneath theres a faulty zero-sum argument. All complicated matters of life, according to this way of thinking, can be reduced to a simple binary scale: Press your thumb down on the bad end, and the good one will go up. So when President Barack Obama slaps a 35 percent tariff on Chinese tires, as he did on September 11, he does it in the name of ensuring that (as he put it in a campaign promise) “China is no longer given a free pass to undermine U.S. workers.” In this yin-yang formulation, there is a single pie of domestic American tire consumption, and Chinas slice is growing bigger at the expense of domestic producers. Forget the over-all U.S. economy, with its 99.9 percent non-tire-industry workers (and its government-owned, money-hemorrhaging auto companies), all of whom are happy to take advantage of cheaper tire prices. And forget a once-starving country that has catapulted more human beings out of poverty within a generation than any nation in the history of the world. Most of all, forget the famous formulation by Adam Smith, dating back to the Declaration of Independence: “If a foreign country can supply us with a commodity cheaper than we ourselves can make it, better buy it of them with some part of the produce of our own industry employed in a way in which we have some advantage.” You might have thought that the New Democrats routed those zero-sum arguments years ago, perhaps when then-Vice President Al Gore eviscerated Ross Perot while debating the North American Free Trade Agreement on Larry King Live. But Old Democrat economics made a rousing and depressing comeback during the 2006 congressional elections, to the point where Hillary Clinton felt the need to actively campaign against the policies (including NAFTA) of her husband. Ideas long marginalized to the Ralph Nader slice of the left are back in vogue in the mainstream, and everywhere you look you see a pie. “The truth is,” first lady Michelle Obama said in April 2009, “in order to get things like universal health care and a revamped education system, then someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more.”

Internet Reputation Management

LONDON — MiLife, a spin-out from Unilever Corporate Research (UCR), today
announced that it has completed an additional funding of $4 million to
accelerate its development and growth. To reflect a shift in strategic
direction, the Company has changed its name to Imperative Health and
changed its focus to managing health risks associated with diabetes,
high blood pressure, obesity, and raised cholesterol.

Imperative’s ground-breaking health management technology leverages five
years of research from within Unilever – research that focused on
linking psychological and computational theories to achieve effective,
scalable behavioural change. Unilever research also encompassed
artificial intelligence discoveries that enable the Imperative solution
to use information collected from client experiences to continually
adapt, improve and personalize its programmes.

Unilever Ventures created Imperative Health (then known as MiLife) in
2008 via a spin-out of the Unilever technology. New Venture Partners
became joint investors in 2009. Focused initially on personalised weight
management, Imperative appointed Chris Jessop as Chairman and CEO in
early 2009. Mr. Jessop strengthened the Imperative team by recruiting
key healthcare industry experts: Dr. Sabine Donnai, a leading UK
authority on preventative medicine, was appointed a director and Chief
Medical Officer; and Mr. Clive Pinder, an international healthcare
entrepreneur was appointed as a non-executive director. The new
executive team created and will implement the refined corporate strategy.

“Trials and client experience clearly demonstrated that the original
MiLife proposition was hugely effective at generating sustainable
lifestyle change. To realize its full commercial potential and to
clearly differentiate the service, we felt we should focus on a sector
where behavioral change was an essential — not just a nice to have,”
said Chris Jessop, Chairman CEO of Imperative. “Once we considered
global growth of high-risk health conditions such as diabetes, high
blood pressure, and raised cholesterol, and the need to find
cost-effective, scalable solutions to manage these conditions, we
realized the exciting potential of the Imperative solution.”

Though Delta city has strict laws prohibiting dogs running at large, we havent had Animal Control enforcement for some time. And it shows. Dogs of every description regularly roam our streets and litter our parks. Theyre a public nuisance and a threat to health and safety. As a retired emergency room registered nurse, Ive witnessed the heartbreak of parents whose children were victims of dog attacks, left with physical and psychological scars for the rest of their lives. The elderly, too, are especially vulnerable. Delta dog owners, save your pets the trauma of an “arrest” and impoundment — or worse. They deserve your protection.

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2009 Best in KLAS practice management system to help speed
reimbursement and reduce administrative costs

ATLANTA — McKesson recently announced the general availability of Horizon Practice
Plus™ 12.0, a comprehensive practice
management system for hospital-employed and large to mid-sized
physician practices. This latest release features advanced scheduling
and billing capabilities designed to streamline workflow and remove
complexity from financial and administrative processes. Horizon Practice
Plus received the Best in KLAS Award for Practice Management (26-100
physicians) in the 2009 Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards: Software
Professional Services report, with 100% of survey respondents
indicating they would buy the solution again.

Horizon Practice Plus 12.0 is currently installed at the Mankato Clinic,
a multi-specialty group practice in Mankato, Minn., with eight locations
spanning an 80-mile radius. Mankato credits the practice management
system for helping ensure that financial and patient information is
integrated across multiple locations.

“It’s important that we deploy technologies for our facilities that are
intuitive and robust in functionality, as well as customizable to the
needs of our physician practices,” said Bob Norman, director of IT,
Mankato Clinic. “Since implementing the new system, we’ve improved
efficiencies in patient services and business management functions.
These improvements have positively impacted our bottom line through
reduced administrative costs and faster, more accurate reimbursements.”

NEW YORK — Fitch Ratings has assigned an AA rating to approximately $65 million
of North Carolina Medical Care Commission Health System revenue bonds
(Mission Health Combined Group), series 2010.

Fitch also affirms at AA the following North Carolina Medical Care
Commission Health System bonds (Mission Health Combined Group):

–$255,670,000 fixed-rate health care revenue bonds series 2007;

–$12,400,000 variable-rate demand bonds series 2003;

–$3,790,000 hospital revenue bonds series 2001;

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. MELVILLE, N.Y. — Novella Clinical Inc. (formerly PharmaLinkFHI) and OSI Pharmaceuticals,
Inc. (NASDAQ: OSIP) announced today that the Companies will expand their
existing clinical service agreement. Under the terms of the new
agreement, effective February 1, 2010, Novella will provide clinical
research and related services to OSI for a period of two years as OSI
transitions its clinical operations to its new Ardsley, New York campus.
Novella will assume use of some of OSI’s facilities in Boulder and
employ members of OSI’s Boulder staff.

“We are excited to be expanding our footprint and adding to our Novella
family,” stated W. Richard Staub, President and Chief Executive Officer
of Novella Clinical. “This agreement offers many advantages to Novella
and will help us realize a number of our corporate objectives. As a CRO
focused on biotech and medical device companies, many of our clients are
located on the west coast and having an office in the western part of
the country will allow us to better service their needs. Additionally,
as OSI’s pipeline is primarily focused on oncology products, the OSI
staff joining Novella will bring a depth of experience that will
strengthen what is already our largest therapeutic category.”

OSI had previously announced, in July 2009, plans to consolidate its
U.S. operations onto a single campus located in Ardsley, New York. OSI
has begun consolidation of approximately 350 current U.S. employees from
its facilities in Melville and Farmingdale, NY, Boulder, CO, and Cedar
Knolls, NJ.

“This is a win-win agreement between OSI and Novella and for the OSI
Boulder employees who have chosen not to relocate with the Company,”
stated Colin Goddard, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of OSI
Pharmaceuticals. “As we execute our plan to capture the full strategic
value of our oncology franchise and to simplify our business by bringing
all our U.S. employees onto one campus, the expanded agreement will
provide continuity of clinical operations, biostatistics, medical
writing and regulatory affairs for certain ongoing clinical studies as
the Company transitions functions to its new campus in Ardsley, New
York.”

Results for Our Community Will Require Strong Leadership by the
White House and Congress

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials
(NALEO) issued the following statement following Wednesday’s State of
the Union Address by President Barack Obama:

“We appreciate that President Obama is committed to addressing the needs
of American families as they face the worse economic downturn in recent
history. Latinos have been disproportionately affected by job loss and
home foreclosures and deserve the opportunity to take care of their
families. It is our hope that as President Obama develops policies aimed
at strengthening America’s working families, he also fulfills the clear
and unequivocal commitment he made during his campaign to fix our
nation’s broken immigration system.

During his address, President Obama talked about the “ideals’ and values
that allowed us to forge a nation of immigrants.” The leadership of this
nation is failing to address this pressing need. We call upon President
Obama and Congress to act swiftly to enact fair and comprehensive
immigration reform that provides a path to U.S. citizenship for law
abiding, tax-paying newcomers. NALEO has adopted principles on comprehensive
immigration reform that provide a road map to the work that needs to
be done on this important national issue; we urge the President and
Congress to use them as a guide for making the critical changes that are
needed in our immigration policy.

IN APRIL 2008, The Orange County Register published a bombshell of an investigation about a license plate program for California government workers and their families. Drivers of nearly I million cars and light trucks–out of a total 22 million vehicles registered statewide–were protected by a “shield” in the state records system between their license plate numbers and their home addresses. There were, the newspaper found, great practical benefits to this secrecy. “Vehicles with protected license plates can run through dozens of intersections controlled by red light cameras with impunity,” the Registers Jennifer Muir reported. “Parking citations issued to vehicles with protected plates are often dismissed because the process necessary to pierce the shield is too cumbersome. Some patrol officers let drivers with protected plates off with a warning because the plates signal that drivers are one of their own or related to someone who is.” The plate program started in 1978 with the seemingly unobjectionable purpose of protecting the personal addresses of officials who deal directly with criminals. Police argued that the bad guys could call the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), get addresses for officers, and use the information to harm them or their family members. There was no rash of such incidents, only the possibility that they could take place. So police and their families were granted confidentiality. Then the program expanded from one set of government workers to another. Eventually parole officers, retired parking enforcers, DMV desk clerks, county supervisors, social workers, and other categories of employees from 1,800 state agencies were given the special protections too. Meanwhile, the original intent of the shield had become obsolete: The DMV long ago abandoned the practice of giving out personal information about any driver. What was left was not a protection but a perk. Yes, rank has its privileges, and its clear that government workers have a rank above the rest of us. Ordinarily, if one out of every 22 California drivers had a license to drive any way he chose, there would be demands for more police power to protect Californians from the potential carnage. But until the newspaper series, law enforcement officials and legislators had remained mum. The reason, of course, is that the scofflaws are law enforcement officials and legislators.

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WMIs UK
Furniture Market Data Forecast to 2013 market profile is the
essential source for top-level retail industry data and analysis
covering UK.

The report provides historical data and forecasts for the UK Furniture
industry in the period 2004-2013, analysis of the competitive landscape
and profiles of the major market players, plus top-level analysis of the
key factors driving the industry.

Scope of the report:

B Green Innovations, Inc. (OTCBB: BGNN)
announced today that MEGA Group USA has created a special introductory
offer on “VibeAway” to all MEGA Group USA members; “Recycling the planet
one product at a time.”

MEGA Group USA stores will market the “VibeAway” through its members
across the United States. MEGA Group USA members will promote the
“VibeAway” to customers seeking an environmentally responsible solution to
an age old problem of walking, vibrating and shaking washing machines; the
innovative design of the “VibeAway” provides a unique solution for this
problem.

About B Green Innovations:

The B Green Innovations, Inc. (”B Green”), “Go Green” mission from its
inception, is to create a “Green” company for the development of solutions
to eliminate waste from the worlds environment. B Green offers consumers
a realistic and necessary solution to the problem of waste around the
world. We believe that to truly have an impact on the planet, one must be
committed to the environment and seek out environmentally friendly
products.

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Australian Company Wins Autodesk Inventor of the Month; Plant Will
Recycle One Million Tons of Demolition Materials per Year

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — Autodesk,
Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK), has named ideas*, an Australian engineering
services firm, the Autodesk Inventor
of the Month for January 2010. The company used Autodesk
Inventor software to design and develop the world’s most advanced
construction recycling facility. The massive facility in Victoria,
Australia will be capable of recycling one million tons of demolition
materials per year.

ideas* designed and engineered the facility for the Alex Fraser Group.
The size of four football fields, the new facility uses the most modern
technology to more efficiently recycle unprecedented volumes of
discarded construction and demolition materials. Since products made
from recycled concrete have 65 percent less carbon impact than products
made from quarried stone, the recycling plant promises to significantly
reduce the environmental impact of construction projects throughout
Australia.

Design work on the ambitious project was subcontracted to 14 different
fabricators. Autodesk Inventor software provided a flexible, central
management point for the different teams, facilitating important design
revisions across the entire project.

“A design project of this scale would have been impossible without
Autodesk Inventor,” said Michael Percy, managing director of ideas*.
“All team members used Inventor to create digital
prototypes, enabling faster design decisions and improvements
earlier in, and throughout, the design process. The result was a greatly
improved system, with less costly rework and modifications during
installation and commissioning.”

Fortune 500 Industry Experts to Share Search and Online Marketing
Strategies that Drive Results

SAN DIEGO — Covario, Inc., the leader in search engine optimization (SEO) and search
engine marketing (SEM) software and services for Fortune 500 companies,
announced today the program and keynote speakers for INFLECTIONPoint
2010, the company’s invitation-only customer conference. The two-day
conference begins Wednesday, February 3, 2010 in San Diego.

INFLECTIONPoint 2010 will bring together senior executives in search and
digital marketing to discuss critical business and industry issues, as
well as new opportunities and challenges facing large advertisers today
and in the future. A myriad of industry experts, keynote guest speakers
and interactive panelists in marketing roles with top Fortune 500
companies will share their digital advertising best practices.

Shar VanBoskirk, VP and Principal Analyst at Forrester Research, will
deliver the first keynote address. Shar is a leading expert on how
businesses can leverage interactive marketing channels and technologies
to drive sales and deepen customer relationships. During her 12 years
with Forrester, she has been instrumental in the development of many of
the company’s interactive marketing program evaluation methodologies,
training courses, and marketing planning tools. Shar’s research focuses
on overall interactive marketing strategies, crafting efficient and
effective interactive programs, organizing for interactive marketing,
and integrating interactive channels into the rest of the marketing mix.

On Thursday morning at 9:30am, Penny Baldwin, SVP of Integrated
Marketing at Yahoo!, will deliver the conference’s second day keynote
address. Penny is a 20-year veteran of global brand strategy development
and execution across all internal and market-facing touch points. Most
recently, she served as Managing Partner of Young Rubicam Brands, YR
Advertising and Wunderman Direct Marketing. As agency leader and
manager, Penny was responsible for leading the efforts of large global
teams across industries. Her experiences span technology, retail,
packaged goods, finance, travel, gaming, wireless communications,
entertainment, healthcare and sports marketing.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Pubget,
the search engine for journal PDFs, today announced the most advanced
contextual ad platform in life science. Pubget’s ServiceAds highlight
brands that appear in the materials and methods section of research
papers, capturing scientists’ attention at the instant they plan new
research. Agilent Technologies supported development of the platform and
is the system’s first advertiser. Agilent is joined by other innovative
advertisers, including two to-be-named reagent vendors and research
conference organizer Keystone Symposia.

The ad platform improves traditional advertising for the unique
characteristics of life science and medicine  publishing. Using Pubget’s
cloud-based search infrastructure, the platform displays
contextually-matched ads alongside the brands and protocols mentioned in
research papers.

For scientists and doctors, the high degree of contextual
relevancy results in ads that blur the line between promotion and
service. “We spent a lot of time thinking about scientist workflow when
we built the platform,” said Ramy Arnaout, Pubget’s Chairman and CEO.
“Although ads deliver material value to sponsors, they fit quite well
with the typical research process where users want to learn more about
the materials used in published results.”

Because of the contextual relevancy and fit with researcher
workflow, ServiceAds introduce a new level of value for brands.
ServiceAds deliver thousands of impressions per day at the point of lab
or prescriptive purchase decisions. “In Pubget’s platform, Agilent saw
the opportunity to communicate with lab decision makers at the instant
they are planning ground-breaking research—while they’re reading
papers,” says Carolyn Reifsnyder, eContent Solutions Manager of Life
Science and Chemical Analysis Marketing for Agilent.

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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.
CHRIS GELLERT A physical therapist and personal trainer for 19 years, Gellert is the founder of Pinnacle Training Consulting Systems in Germantown, Md. pinnacle-tcs.com Grasso has consulted for everyone from housewives to pro athletes. He is the founder of the International Youth Conditioning Association. iyca.org
WINCHESTER, Calif. — Ruth O’Donnell has spent years preparing herself to help people
suffering from disability and illness. A graduate of the University of
North Dakota, O’Donnell is a licensed, registered occupational therapist
(OTR/L). She was looking for a different kind of challenge when offered
a job by the national nonprofit organization Help Hospitalized Veterans
as a Craft Care Specialist (CCS). When the position opened at the St.
Cloud VA medical center, other VA employees who were aware of her skills
and background thought she would be a perfect fit.

O’Donnell, who has been a CCS for the past five years, says she has
never regretted the decision. “Helping veterans work on their fine and
gross motor skills through active participation in arts and crafts is
very satisfying. They are so grateful to have the arts crafts that
Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) provides. It’s fantastic to watch their
self-esteem rise with each new kit.”

O’Donnell works with several wards throughout the hospital. “The TBI
patients can have great difficulty with their attention spans, but
working with the kits really helps improve their concentration skills.”

O’Donnell has a deeply rooted compassion for veterans, as both her
father and father-in-law are veterans, and her mother was an employee at
the Fargo VA medical center. She says serving veterans is a natural fit
for her as she remembers fondly the reunions her father had with his
unit in their home when she was a child.

It’s the homeless veterans she works with, however, that have her really
feeling the spirit of Christmas. “We have some veterans that I know are
homeless or living in shelters. Working on the arts crafts is
particularly special for them as they have so very few personal
belongings.”

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TEMPE, Ariz. — Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASYS), a global supplier of production and
automation systems and related supplies for the manufacture of solar
cells, semiconductors, and silicon wafers, today announced that its
solar subsidiary, Tempress Systems, Inc., has received approximately $19
million in solar orders for its diffusion processing systems from
several new and existing customers in Asia. The orders are expected to
ship in the second half of calendar 2010. Amtech’s total solar orders to
date in fiscal 2010, including these most recent orders, have surpassed
$70 million. Amtech’s fiscal 2010 began October 1, 2009.

J.S. Whang, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amtech, commented,
“These latest orders are from both new and existing customers and
demonstrate the growing solar manufacturing market in Asia and the
significant presence that Tempress has developed in the region in a very
short period of time through superior diffusion technology. I am very
pleased that an increasing number of top tier solar cell manufacturers
are recognizing our diffusion technology and our capability to support
their high efficiency solar cell programs, as evidenced by the high
level of orders received fiscal year-to-date. We believe the intense
effort by our customers and the solar industry to increase cell
efficiency will continue to drive demand for our diffusion technology
and related products. We continue to see excellent quotation activity
and remain focused on continued successful execution of our solar growth
strategy.”

About Amtech Systems, Inc.

Amtech Systems, Inc. manufactures capital equipment, including silicon
wafer handling automation, thermal processing equipment and related
consumables used in fabricating solar cells and semiconductor devices.
Semiconductors, or semiconductor chips, are fabricated on silicon wafer
substrates, sliced from ingots, and are part of the circuitry, or
electronic components, of many products including solar cells,
computers, telecommunications devices, automotive products, consumer
goods, and industrial automation and control systems. The Company’s
wafer handling, thermal processing and consumable products currently
address the diffusion, oxidation, deposition, PECVD, and PSG removal
steps used in the fabrication of solar cells, semiconductors, MEMS and
the polishing of newly sliced silicon wafers.

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical
facts may be forward looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Litigation Reform Act. Such statements may use words such as
“proposed,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,”
“predict,” “project” and similar expressions as they relate to Amtech
Systems, Inc. or our management. When we make forward-looking
statements, we are basing them on our managements beliefs and
assumptions, using information currently available to us. Although we
believe that the expectations reflected in the forward looking
statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements are subject
to risks, uncertainties and assumptions including the risks discussed in
our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If one or more
of these risks materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected.
Any forward looking statements contained in this press release reflect
our current views with respect to future events and are subject to these
and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our
operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We
have no intention, and disclaim any obligation, to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future results or otherwise.

A replay of the conference call will also be available for one week by
calling 888-266-2081, or 703-925-2533 from international locations. The
access code for this call is 1427610.

The audio webcast will remain available on Intuit’s Web site for one
week after the conference call.

TEMPE, Ariz. — Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASYS), a global supplier of production and
automation systems and related supplies for the manufacture of solar
cells, semiconductors, and silicon wafers, today announced that its
solar subsidiary, Tempress Systems, Inc., has received approximately $19
million in solar orders for its diffusion processing systems from
several new and existing customers in Asia. The orders are expected to
ship in the second half of calendar 2010. Amtech’s total solar orders to
date in fiscal 2010, including these most recent orders, have surpassed
$70 million. Amtech’s fiscal 2010 began October 1, 2009.

J.S. Whang, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amtech, commented,
“These latest orders are from both new and existing customers and
demonstrate the growing solar manufacturing market in Asia and the
significant presence that Tempress has developed in the region in a very
short period of time through superior diffusion technology. I am very
pleased that an increasing number of top tier solar cell manufacturers
are recognizing our diffusion technology and our capability to support
their high efficiency solar cell programs, as evidenced by the high
level of orders received fiscal year-to-date. We believe the intense
effort by our customers and the solar industry to increase cell
efficiency will continue to drive demand for our diffusion technology
and related products. We continue to see excellent quotation activity
and remain focused on continued successful execution of our solar growth
strategy.”

About Amtech Systems, Inc.

Amtech Systems, Inc. manufactures capital equipment, including silicon
wafer handling automation, thermal processing equipment and related
consumables used in fabricating solar cells and semiconductor devices.
Semiconductors, or semiconductor chips, are fabricated on silicon wafer
substrates, sliced from ingots, and are part of the circuitry, or
electronic components, of many products including solar cells,
computers, telecommunications devices, automotive products, consumer
goods, and industrial automation and control systems. The Company’s
wafer handling, thermal processing and consumable products currently
address the diffusion, oxidation, deposition, PECVD, and PSG removal
steps used in the fabrication of solar cells, semiconductors, MEMS and
the polishing of newly sliced silicon wafers.

Statements contained in this press release that are not historical
facts may be forward looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Litigation Reform Act. Such statements may use words such as
“proposed,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,”
“predict,” “project” and similar expressions as they relate to Amtech
Systems, Inc. or our management. When we make forward-looking
statements, we are basing them on our managements beliefs and
assumptions, using information currently available to us. Although we
believe that the expectations reflected in the forward looking
statements are reasonable, these forward-looking statements are subject
to risks, uncertainties and assumptions including the risks discussed in
our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. If one or more
of these risks materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be
incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected.
Any forward looking statements contained in this press release reflect
our current views with respect to future events and are subject to these
and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our
operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We
have no intention, and disclaim any obligation, to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future results or otherwise.

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WINCHESTER, Calif. — Ruth O’Donnell has spent years preparing herself to help people
suffering from disability and illness. A graduate of the University of
North Dakota, O’Donnell is a licensed, registered occupational therapist
(OTR/L). She was looking for a different kind of challenge when offered
a job by the national nonprofit organization Help Hospitalized Veterans
as a Craft Care Specialist (CCS). When the position opened at the St.
Cloud VA medical center, other VA employees who were aware of her skills
and background thought she would be a perfect fit.

O’Donnell, who has been a CCS for the past five years, says she has
never regretted the decision. “Helping veterans work on their fine and
gross motor skills through active participation in arts and crafts is
very satisfying. They are so grateful to have the arts crafts that
Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) provides. It’s fantastic to watch their
self-esteem rise with each new kit.”

O’Donnell works with several wards throughout the hospital. “The TBI
patients can have great difficulty with their attention spans, but
working with the kits really helps improve their concentration skills.”

O’Donnell has a deeply rooted compassion for veterans, as both her
father and father-in-law are veterans, and her mother was an employee at
the Fargo VA medical center. She says serving veterans is a natural fit
for her as she remembers fondly the reunions her father had with his
unit in their home when she was a child.

It’s the homeless veterans she works with, however, that have her really
feeling the spirit of Christmas. “We have some veterans that I know are
homeless or living in shelters. Working on the arts crafts is
particularly special for them as they have so very few personal
belongings.”

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.

occupational therapy assistant programs

ARLINGTON, Texas — WBTshowcase is pleased to announce that more than 100 of the most
promising seed stage companies and cutting edge technologies have been
selected to present at WBT2010. Leveraging a national screening panel of
active venture capitalists and corporate licensees, this years selected
presenters represent over 30 states and six countries, and are supported
by NIH, DoD, DOE, US Navy, DHS, NSF, DARPA, EPA, NASA, Cornell, MIT,
Texas AM, Tufts University, Washington University, University of
Pittsburgh, Louisiana State University, Oklahoma State University, Case
Western, Intel, Emerging Tech Fund, Ben Franklin Technology Partners,
Venture Capital, Angel funds and others.

WBTshowcase is the worlds largest forum offering a prescreened,
pre-prepped collection of undiscovered companies and intellectual
property emanating from top universities, labs and research institutions
from across the country. The WBT2010 presenters, each seeking investment
capital and / or licensing partners, will showcase their companies and
technologies to seasoned venture investors and Fortune 1000 licensing
scouts representing a variety of industries each looking for early stage
cutting edge global innovations.

One in three WBT presenters goes on to secure venture funding, license
their technology, or sell their IP outright, representing over $450
million raised to date. For a complete list of the WBT2010 Presenters,
click HERE.

WBT2010, which will be held March 15 through 17 at the Sheraton
Arlington Hotel and the Arlington Convention Center, is produced by
Development Capital Networks in cooperation with National Nanotechnology
Initiative (NNI), National Association of Seed and Venture Funds
(NASVF), Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC),
and Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA), WBT2010 will
feature 100 vetted and mentored emerging and converging materials
science, information technology, energy, life science and nanotechnology
companies and technologies.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In football, tough tackles are part of the game. Unfortunately, brain injuries from hits to the head are common too. Now, new high-tech helmets might better-protect football players brains.

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Presstek, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRST), a leading
manufacturer and marketer of digital offset printing solutions, today
announced that Presstek Asia Pte. Ltd. (”Presstek Asia”) has been formed as
a legally incorporated entity to better enable Presstek to support its
growing distribution channel in Asia and to further its strategic growth
initiative of international expansion. Featured products in the region will
be Presstek DI® digital offset presses, Presstek Aurora Pro chemistry-free
CTP plates, and Presstek Aeon, a high resolution non-preheat thermal CTP
plate. Both Aeon and Aurora Pro are open platform plates that work on 830
nm platesetters. A range 4-up and 8-up platesetters will also be marketed
within the region.

“We are continuing to grow our distribution channel in the Asia Pacific
Region,” said Tim Sawyer, Pressteks Director for the Asia Pacific Region,
“and the formation of Presstek Asia helps to ensure that we can provide the
best possible support for our partners and customers by having a stronger
local presence. It also positions us to expand our organization by adding
incremental technical and sales support for both CTP and DI solutions.”

With the formation of Presstek Asia, Presstek expects to be able to grow
its business in the Asia Pacific Region more rapidly. “We have had initial
success with our DI presses in this region,” adds Sawyer, “and we expect
this to continue. In addition, Presstek will be adding distribution to
support our CTP growth. By creating a more robust infrastructure in the
region, we will be better positioned to support our partners and customers
with our market-leading open platform digital plates and platesetter
solutions.”

To support customer demand for demonstrations of Presstek DI solutions,
Presstek has installed a 52DI digital offset press in the Singapore
demonstration facility of Presstek distributor Cyber. “This facility will
provide our customers throughout the region the opportunity to bring in
test files, see the press in action, and have a hands-on experience with
the 52DI to better understand how it can help their businesses be more
capable, profitable and competitive.”

“The formation of Presstek Asia is a significant step in our regional
expansion growth strategy,” said Jeff Jacobson, Chairman, President CEO.
“Tim is doing a terrific job with our distribution partners in this
strategic geographic location. Our further investments in this region
demonstrate our commitment and dedication to this important market.”

Future US, the special-interest
media company, today announced the promotion of Rachelle Considine to Vice
President of Sales and Marketing. Considine will now oversee marketing and
sales development and advertising sales in Futures gaming magazines as
well as Futures consumer-branded online digital portfolio. Attracting
millions of online readers, Futures digital properties include the
websites of print publications, GamesRadar, and the news aggregators
ShowHype, BallHype and the Blips websites.

“During her tenure with Future, Rachelle has been instrumental in helping
us sharpen our focus, improve our execution and heighten our ambitions in
an ever-changing media landscape,” said John Marcom, President and CEO of
Future US. “Her leadership and deep expertise in the market will enable us
to continue to strengthen our brands while leading the industry in service,
creativity and enthusiasm.”

“I am proud to be a part of a world-class publishing company that
understands the interests and needs of its readers and backs it up with a
proven record of providing the rich content they are looking for,” said
Considine. “At its core, Future is passionate about all forms of media and
the ability to speak with, not at our readers. I look forward to working
with the executive management team to find new ways to connect our readers
and partners to grow the company.”

Considine joined Future in 2009 as General Manager of the Games Advertising
Group. The Games Group revenues are continuing to grow strongly under her
leadership, as more advertisers realize the role these audiences play in
driving industry trends. Prior to joining Future, Considine was responsible
for building sales teams, tools and revenue as the Vice President of Sales
for What They Like. Earlier in her career, she built her gaming industry
sales expertise in the role of National Sales Director at Fox Interactive
Media/IGN Entertainment.

About Future

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This report is a comprehensive research of pipes and fittings market in
United Kingdom.

The report starts with giving brief country profile for United Kingdom,
including general information and main economic indicators.

Further, the report provides in-depth analyses of pipes and fittings
market in the country. It identifies key market players, including major
producers, wholesalers and distributing companies. The third chapter is
fully devoted to United Kingdoms pipes and fittings foreign trade. It
evaluates volumes and dynamics of imports and exports within the sector
in the recent three years.

The last chapter lists all major British consumers of pipes and
fittings, as well as provides results of the purchase activity
monitoring related to these materials, which is achieved due to keeping
track of various tenders databases, websites and marketplaces.

— Los Angeles-Based Station to Re-Fuel Honda Fuel Cell Electric
Vehicle –

TORRANCE, Calif. — Honda
today began operation of a next generation solar hydrogen station
prototype at the Los Angeles Center of Honda RD Americas, Inc.,
intended for ultimate use as a home refueling appliance capable of an
overnight refill of fuel cell electric vehicles.

Designed as a single, integrated unit to fit in the user’s garage,
Honda’s next generation Solar Hydrogen Station reduces the size of the
system, while producing enough hydrogen (0.5kg) via an 8-hour overnight
fill for daily commuting (10,000 miles per year) for a fuel cell
electric vehicle.

The previous solar hydrogen station system required both an electrolyzer
and a separate compressor unit to create high pressure hydrogen. The
compressor was the largest and most expensive component and reduced
system efficiency. By creating a new high differential pressure
electrolyzer, Honda engineers were able to eliminate the compressor
entirely – a world’s first for a home use system. This innovation also
reduces the size of other key components to make the new station the
world’s most compact system, while improving system efficiency by more
than 25% (value calculated based on simulations) compared to the solar
hydrogen station system it replaces.

Compatible with a “Smart Grid” energy system, the Honda Solar Hydrogen
Station would enable users to refill their vehicle overnight without the
requirement of hydrogen storage, which would lower CO2 emissions by
using less expensive off-peak electrical power. During daytime peak
power times, the Solar Hydrogen Station can export renewable electricity
to the grid, providing a cost benefit to the customer, while remaining
energy neutral.

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CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings has affirmed the Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) and
outstanding debt ratings for ConAgra Foods, Inc. (ConAgra) (NYSE: CAG):

Chang’s for Two Prix-Fixe Menu Offers Appealing and Affordable
Valentine’s Day Meal

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — P.F. Chang’s China Bistro invites guests to dine with a special someone
this Valentine’s Day and enjoy a prix-fixe lunch or dinner. The Chang’s
for Two four-course menu allows couples to savor a special holiday
dining experience for under $40.

Guests can indulge in a selection of signature dishes including Chang’s
Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Mongolian Beef, Chang’s Spicy Chicken and the
irresistible mini-dessert spread.

The prix-fixe menu’s vast selection of enticing dishes will have friends
and couples alike pairing up to share a delicious meal at a great value.

NetBase , the Insight Discovery company,
today announced that 2009 marked a year of significant expansion across the
board, laying the foundation for delivering on its execution strategy in
2010. Over the course of last year, NetBase further built its breakthrough
technology infrastructure, extended into new markets where it delivers
exceptional value, including consumer insights and health, expanded its
team by over 30% and grew its customer base by over 300%. The company
expects to continue this momentum path.

NetBase is already being used by two of the top three science, technology
and medical publishers including Elsevier, the worlds largest publisher of
scientific, technical and medical content and services, and five of the top
10 consumer packaged goods companies. NetBase technology powers Elseviers
illumin8 , the first major
semantic search technology based application for corporate innovation
professionals and researchers. illumin8 is a research tool powering
numerous innovations across multiple industries by providing valuable input
for scoping opportunities when exploring new markets, products and
technologies in the critical early stages of the innovation process.

“Being able to present a unique set of categories in a compelling landscape
that bring tangible insights for our users is of the utmost importance,”
said Martin OMalley, Managing Director of ST Corporate Markets at
Elsevier. “We are excited to see the results as illumin8 continues to
grow.”

Last year NetBase also introduced the U.S. Army Research Lab
(ARL) as a customer that will ultimately extend usage to even larger user
communities. It is being used for Situational Awareness, which is the
ability to generate actionable knowledge through the use of timely and
accurate information about the Army enterprise, its processes and external
factors.

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Thousands of new potholes across the UKs roads are wreaking havoc for motorcyclists, warns Swinton Bikes.

Recent Arctic conditions have caused damage to hundreds of roads across the country with estimates of one new pothole for every 100 yards of road.

Swinton, one of the UKs leading high street retailers of motorbike insurance is warning drivers that potholed roles could cause punctures and damage to a bikes suspension.

Potholes are caused by water in surface cracks freezing and then expanding as temperatures plummet, causing road surfaces to break up.

Anthony Aronin, Head of Swinton Bikes said, “Potholes pose a greater hazard to motorcyclists than to any other road-user. Bikers rely on road condition more than car drivers, as uneven surfaces can be felt directly by the rider when steering and cornering. Hitting a pothole can mean a biker will lose control of their motorbike.

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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AHS expands its anesthesia coding, billing, and practice management
operations

WARREN, N.J. DAYTON, Ohio — AdvantEdge
Healthcare Solutions (AHS), one of the nation’s leading providers of medical
billing and practice
management services, today announced that it has acquired Medical
Account Services (MAS), the premier anesthesia billing company
throughout Ohio. This agreement will expand AHS anesthesia billing and
practice management operations, and enable the Company to serve
additional anesthesia clients in Ohio. David Ackley, CEO and Founder of
MAS, and recognized industry expert in anesthesia billing, will join the
AHS team. Michael Monea, noted anesthesia billing and practice
management expert, will continue his role providing MAS clients with
consulting and practice management services.

“Adding MAS’ well-known management team and its extensive roster of
clients will further enable AHS to leverage our technological
capabilities, increase processing efficiencies, and maximize performance
for all of our clients,” says David
Langsam, President and CEO of AHS. “This acquisition reinforces AHS’
strategy to grow through partnerships with like-minded, hospital-based
billing companies that serve our key target markets, and in this case,
specifically anesthesia. We look forward to building on the foundation
established by David Ackley and his team, and continuing to deliver the
highest-quality billing solutions to all of our current and future
clients.”

With almost 15 years serving Ohio anesthesiologists, MAS fits perfectly
within AHS’ state-of-the-art technology platform. It efficiently
collects financial information and speeds the reimbursement of
third-party claims and patient payments. This enables anesthesia
providers to maximize revenue and decrease its billing and practice
management costs. The Dayton office will continue to support the Ohio
client base and potentially provide services to additional AHS clientele
as well.

“We are excited about joining AHS, and the opportunity to bring
additional technology and solutions to our clients. The stability and
breadth of AHS’ technology will ensure our clients continue to enjoy
best-in-class service and outstanding financial results,” says Ackley.
“The merging of our businesses will also deliver AHS’ outstanding
Web-based reporting and dashboard tools to MAS clients. MAS’ extensive
consulting and practice management expertise will enable AHS to expand
those services for its clients.”

Ensco uses its website to disclose material and non-material information
to investors, customers, employees and others interested in Ensco. To
receive regular updates on Ensco news or SEC filings, please Sign-up
for E-mail Alerts on the website.

AHS expands its anesthesia coding, billing, and practice management
operations

WARREN, N.J. DAYTON, Ohio — AdvantEdge
Healthcare Solutions (AHS), one of the nation’s leading providers of medical
billing and practice
management services, today announced that it has acquired Medical
Account Services (MAS), the premier anesthesia billing company
throughout Ohio. This agreement will expand AHS anesthesia billing and
practice management operations, and enable the Company to serve
additional anesthesia clients in Ohio. David Ackley, CEO and Founder of
MAS, and recognized industry expert in anesthesia billing, will join the
AHS team. Michael Monea, noted anesthesia billing and practice
management expert, will continue his role providing MAS clients with
consulting and practice management services.

“Adding MAS’ well-known management team and its extensive roster of
clients will further enable AHS to leverage our technological
capabilities, increase processing efficiencies, and maximize performance
for all of our clients,” says David
Langsam, President and CEO of AHS. “This acquisition reinforces AHS’
strategy to grow through partnerships with like-minded, hospital-based
billing companies that serve our key target markets, and in this case,
specifically anesthesia. We look forward to building on the foundation
established by David Ackley and his team, and continuing to deliver the
highest-quality billing solutions to all of our current and future
clients.”

With almost 15 years serving Ohio anesthesiologists, MAS fits perfectly
within AHS’ state-of-the-art technology platform. It efficiently
collects financial information and speeds the reimbursement of
third-party claims and patient payments. This enables anesthesia
providers to maximize revenue and decrease its billing and practice
management costs. The Dayton office will continue to support the Ohio
client base and potentially provide services to additional AHS clientele
as well.

“We are excited about joining AHS, and the opportunity to bring
additional technology and solutions to our clients. The stability and
breadth of AHS’ technology will ensure our clients continue to enjoy
best-in-class service and outstanding financial results,” says Ackley.
“The merging of our businesses will also deliver AHS’ outstanding
Web-based reporting and dashboard tools to MAS clients. MAS’ extensive
consulting and practice management expertise will enable AHS to expand
those services for its clients.”

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The Two Companies Join Forces to Combine Intermap’s Accurate Map Data
with Hella’s Industry-Leading Predictive Front Lighting Systems and
Expertise

DENVER LIPPSTADT, Germany — Intermap Technologies, the foremost worldwide 3D digital mapping
company, today announced a collaboration with Hella KGaA Hueck Co., a
leading provider of innovative driver assistance systems, regarding a
predictive front lighting system based on Intermap’s reliable 3D road
geometries.

The partnership integrates Intermap’s high-resolution 3D road
geometries, and information supplied by camera systems in an automobile,
into Hella’s front lighting demonstration system – ultimately providing
a significant increase in visibility for drivers at night and during
inclement weather by automatically directing the headlamp before the
driver manually steers the vehicle into a bend or up and down a slope.

“Intermap´s highly accurate 3D road data is a key enabler of our
map-based predictive front lighting application,” said Dr.-Ing. Georg
Florissen, Hella’s head of advanced development, driver assistance
systems lighting. “Overall, this integration of digital map data
provides a comprehensive and secure system, combining the data with
camera and other sensors to take our predictive front lighting systems
to the next level.”

Intermap senior vice president, automotive group, Eric DesRoche, said,
“Intermap has developed the world’s only database encompassing accurate
3D road geometry for every road in the United States and Western Europe.
It is important that vehicle safety systems encompass reliable 3D road
vectors for all classes of roads, including smaller rural roads, as
these are often where the more difficult curves, dips, and slopes are
encountered. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that certain vehicle
functions, such as lighting, can be operated via an independent 3D map
database, separate from onboard 2D navigation systems. This lighting
application is the first of many ADAS and safety applications,
leveraging Intermap’s reliable 3D maps, which we expect to see in the
next generation of passenger vehicles.”

San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Designating Funds to Support
the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders

HIGHLAND, Calif. — The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians announced today, that they are
contributing $1.7 million to the American Red Cross and Doctors Without
Borders to assist with ongoing relief and recovery efforts in earthquake
ravaged Haiti.

The contribution will enable these organizations to continue to provide
critical services as survivors recover in the aftermath. The gift will
be provided as a $1.5 million donation to the American Red Cross with an
additional $200,000 given to Doctors Without Borders.

“At this time of unimaginable grief and destruction we are called to act
to prevent the further loss of life and ease the suffering of
survivors,” said San Manuel Chairman James Ramos. “We stand behind and
support the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders as they
remain on hand with their volunteers to assist those who are impacted.”

San Manuel has a long history of supporting relief efforts following
natural disasters in its home state of California, along the gulf coast
and on reservations across the United States. In 2005 the tribe donated
$700,000 to help in the relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane
Katrina and Hurricane Rita, followed by a $1 million donation in 2007 to
aid in wildfire recovery in southern California. Additionally, the tribe
has supported relief for Sudanese refugees by donating a total of $1
million to relief groups in war-torn Darfur.

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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Roosters are crowing, a sign cautions visitors to “Watch for Rattlesnakes,” and dozens of horses wander around a busy stable. George Eads is at home, but not quite home. Hes not on a ranch in his native Texas, but in Los Angeles, with the landmark Hollywood sign looming in the distance. The well-muscled, 42-year-old star of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation considers himself a horseman, but on this fall day he wont be mounting any of the powerful steeds in the nearby stable. “Im not cleared to do that by my doctor now,” he says, “but Ill be able to ride again within a year.” Eads, who has crafted a tough-guy image playing forensic investigator Nick Stokes on CSI for the past 10 years, feels lucky to even be walking. Just six months ago, he underwent spinal fusion surgery to repair a broken back that had gone untreated for more than a decade. The surgery repaired the damage but forced the active actor to essentially blow up his fitness regimen. The muscle-building bustle of ranch life was replaced with the quiet comfort of the gym and the pool. For a man accustomed to a vibrant, outdoor routine, the shift was dramatic. “Amending your lifestyle is sobering,” Eads says. “And working out has become my solace. The gym made me not give up.” [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An outdoor enthusiast, Eads was always drawn to anything and everything active. (He was even a pole-vaulter in high school.) A native of tiny Belton, Texas (about 60 miles north of Austin), he says he is far from what locals there would call a “cowboy,” even though he did spend some time as a cowpoke in Oklahoma and routinely worked area rodeos. He was more than familiar with the active ranch life in Belton, which he describes as “a very country and western town.” He also enjoyed skiing, baseball, and wrestling. When he arrived in Los Angeles in the mid-1990s, he became a hoops junkie, jumping into the competitive pickup games at the public courts off Cahuenga Boulevard.
[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.”

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[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.”
Hertz (NYSE: HTZ) announced today it will
temporarily stop renting vehicles named in Toyotas voluntary recall.

The Companys Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mark P. Frissora said,
“We are taking action so there can be no question about the safety of our
customers and the cars we rent. We expect these actions will have minimal
operational disruptions.”

The Company said it is working closely with Toyota to make necessary
repairs as quickly as possible, and that several Toyota models in its
rental fleet are not included in the recall.

The Hertz Corporation, a subsidiary of Hertz Global Holdings, Inc., is the
worlds largest general use car rental brand operating from approximately
8,100 locations in 145 countries worldwide. Hertz is the number one
airport car rental brand in the U.S. and at 42 major airports in Europe,
operating both corporate and licensee locations in cities and airports in
North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. In
addition, the Company has licensee locations in cities and airports in
Africa and the Middle East. Product and service initiatives such as Hertz
#1 Club Gold®, NeverLost® customized, onboard navigation systems,
SIRIUS XM Satellite Radio, and unique cars and SUVs offered through the
Companys Prestige, Fun and Green Collections, set Hertz apart from the
competition. The Company also operates the global car sharing club, Connect
by Hertz, in New York City, Berlin, London, Madrid and Paris.
Additionally, Hertz operates one of the worlds largest equipment rental
businesses, Hertz Equipment Rental Corporation, offering a diverse line of
equipment, including tools and supplies, as well as new and used equipment
for sale, to customers ranging from major industrial companies to local
contractors and consumers from approximately 330 branches in the United
States, Canada, China, France and Spain.

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Chris Dodd of Connecticut is leaving the Senate. Hell leave behind a lot of friends, too. Dodd was a “Friend of Angelo”–thats Angelo Mozilo, former CEO of kamikaze lender Countrywide–and was thereby able to secure a sweetheart mortgage deal that saved him $75,000 or so. He was also a friend of Harry Reid, who helped keep the Senates ethics watchdogs, such as they are, off his ankle. Beyond the Senate, Dodd was a friend of financier Edward R. Downe Jr., who was convicted of insider trading, and of Downes business partner, William Kessinger, who helped Dodd buy a seaside spread in Ireland at a remarkably good price. But Senator Dodd is no mere pet of the plutocracy–in fact, he recently helped direct millions of dollars into the pockets of a favorite union constituency. Unhappily, that money came from a program to detect explosives coming into our airports; good timing is not Dodds characteristic virtue. Or is it? His political survival instincts are much more powerful than his ethical sense, and he was more than capable of detecting which way the wind was blowing. His resignation is a gift to Democrats: He was probably the only man in politics who could have cost them the Connecticut Senate seat in November.
Employee Groups and Associations Can Now Offer Group Discounts on
PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance

As companies continue the trend of reducing expenses in 2010, they
are also seeking ways to offer viable employee benefits and maintain
productivity and employee loyalty and engagement. While a new report
from The Conference Board found upwards of 45 percent
of people are not satisfied with their work, a recent survey
by the Small Business Administration found that
companies that offer flexible benefits decrease the probability of an
employee’s leaving in a given year by over 26%. According
to the market research firm Packaged Facts, hundreds of companies offer
pet health insurance as a supplementary benefit to attract and retain
employees.

In addition, market statistics illustrate that pet insurance is a
benefit in high demand. In December 2009, a survey
by the American Pet Products Association found despite
the current economic situation, 80% of pet owners did not change their
spending patterns and continue to spend at the same level on their pets
as the recession continued.

“Employers and Associations recognize that offering unique
benefits like PurinaCare Pet Health Insurance as a voluntary benefit can
help with their retention and recruitment,” said Dr. David Goodnight,
president and COO of PurinaCare. “Our years of experience
working with animals have shown that pet owners will go to great lengths
to provide the best care for their pets. By offering PurinaCare Pet
Health Insurance, companies and associations can easily expand their
menu of benefits with a high-quality new offering that is growing in
demand.”

The discount pet drug card is completely free and made possible by an
agreement executed by Management of SMVI with a discount drug card
provider. The card, which will be available through PetsPlaces.com, will
provide savings for pet owners whose pets require prescription medication.
The agreement provides SMVI with $0.50 per transaction for anyone using the
discount drug card from PetsPlaces.com and its affiliate sites.

“This card provides fantastic savings for our pet owners at
PetsPlaces.com, whose pets require prescription medications,” said Robert
W. Thayer, CEO of SMVI. “We are excited about the potential revenue that
can be generated from the use of this card at PetsPlaces.com. We are very
hopeful that this card, which will be free, will create a new, sustainable
revenue model for PetsPlaces.com in this upcoming New Year.”

The card will be available in the next 30 days through a URL link provided
by SMVI, through PetsPlaces.com. Consumers will be able to simply print the
card from their home or office computer, and present the card at
participating pharmacies to receive a discount. Discounts will be available
for pet prescription medications only and savings will vary.

About Social Media Ventures, Inc.

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DEAR AMY: My mom died about a year ago after a long illness. Im in 10th grade, continue to get As in school and have a lot of friends, but it has been really hard. Recently my dad decided to let his girlfriend, “Jenni,” move in with us. I know my dad likes her company, but when she moved in I was still adjusting to life without my mother. Jenni is nice and I like her, but my dad has also said that this relationship might not be permanent. I want to be friendly, but I dont want to bond with her. When I see them together I just want to cry. Recently my doctor said that Jennis moving in was her biggest health concern for me. I want to talk to my dad about this, but I dont know what to say. — Upset and Grieving
WINCHESTER, Calif. — Ruth O’Donnell has spent years preparing herself to help people
suffering from disability and illness. A graduate of the University of
North Dakota, O’Donnell is a licensed, registered occupational therapist
(OTR/L). She was looking for a different kind of challenge when offered
a job by the national nonprofit organization Help Hospitalized Veterans
as a Craft Care Specialist (CCS). When the position opened at the St.
Cloud VA medical center, other VA employees who were aware of her skills
and background thought she would be a perfect fit.

O’Donnell, who has been a CCS for the past five years, says she has
never regretted the decision. “Helping veterans work on their fine and
gross motor skills through active participation in arts and crafts is
very satisfying. They are so grateful to have the arts crafts that
Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) provides. It’s fantastic to watch their
self-esteem rise with each new kit.”

O’Donnell works with several wards throughout the hospital. “The TBI
patients can have great difficulty with their attention spans, but
working with the kits really helps improve their concentration skills.”

O’Donnell has a deeply rooted compassion for veterans, as both her
father and father-in-law are veterans, and her mother was an employee at
the Fargo VA medical center. She says serving veterans is a natural fit
for her as she remembers fondly the reunions her father had with his
unit in their home when she was a child.

It’s the homeless veterans she works with, however, that have her really
feeling the spirit of Christmas. “We have some veterans that I know are
homeless or living in shelters. Working on the arts crafts is
particularly special for them as they have so very few personal
belongings.”

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FORMER England star Alan Smith is the key figure in a Newcastle move for Blackburn midfielder Keith Andrews. Toon boss Chris Hughton has been given the go-ahead by owner Mike Ashley to bid for the 29- year-old Republic of Ireland defensive midfielder. But Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce will ask his former club for skipper Smith in part exchange. Allardyce is a big admirer of the Leeds-born star and paid Manchester United pounds 6million to take him to Newcastle in 2007. The Toon owner is also looking to ship out another pounds 60,000- a-week player Geremi when he returns from the African Nations Cup. Newcastles first signing of the transfer window, Danny Simpson, has made his peace with Toon team-mate Nile Ranger. The two clashed in a training ground incident just before Christmas but have resolved their differences after Simpson made his on-loan move from Manchester United permanent. Simpson agreed to lower his wage demands after Hughton explained Newcastles wage-cap policy. Hughton has set Newcastle a target of going through the Championship camapign without losing a home game, starting with Wednesdays clash with Crystal Palace at St James Park.
With Democrats in charge, liberals are again attacking the filibuster. The complaint seems to be that it ought to be much easier to enact sweeping legislation that the American people oppose. In their screeds, standing in the way of unpopular bills comes to seem downright undemocratic. The current Democratic supermajorities already seem like the product of a passing mood on the part of the public.
CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (U) Amateur inventor Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) accidentally destroys the town square with his latest device. but on the plus side it sends food raining down from the skies! He has to find a way to shut it down when massive meatballs cause panic. Includes commentary, extended scenes and making-of specials. THE VERDICT Smart, entertaining animated fun.

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A MEDICAL blunder that led to a young mans death was covered up by a hospital. because they feared bad publicity. Senior consultant Ivan Phair wrote a report blaming hospital staff over the death of 20-year-old John Moore-Robinson who died after a junior doctor failed to notice he had ruptured his spleen in a cycling accident. The report was to be sent to a coroner but Mr Phairs boss, NHS executive Kate Levy, told him to delete the part of it which blamed Stafford Hospital staff. The cover-up was exposed when a lawyer handed copies of Mr Phairs report – and Levys letters – to Johns parents at a Government inquiry into over 400 deaths at the hospital.
ITS a choice thousands find easy to make. the grey skies, snow and rain of Britain or endless sunshine, balmy temperatures and golden beaches of Down Under? Every year, 60,000 Britons emigrate to Australia and New Zealand in search of a new life. But does the land of milk and honey live up to its promise? The BBC1 show Wanted Down Under is tracking the progress of a number of families who have flown to the other side of the world. Each family spends a week renting a house there before telling host Nicki Chapman exactly what they think of their “new life”. “The cost of living has crept up and up and you currently get A$1.70 to the pound, the worst exchange rate in two decades. But petrol is much cheaper and internal flights a fraction of what they used to be.

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A: People romanticize living in proximity to other human beings. The truth is, humans are smelly, annoying and leak a lot. Theyre often lazy and pick fights over the littlest things. Anybody whos been around another human knows this, but for many, being in a grown- up relationship involves understanding human nature but living in total denial of it: expecting your partner to still look longingly at you when you pick dead skin off your toes and collect it in a little dish. Mrs. Socrates wears her misery like a Girl Scout badge — whichever one theyd give you for spending decades sitting silently across from your supposedly beloved at Dennys. The reality? Maybe shes a little long in the tooth and light in the Botox to compete with the hot young things in bars. Maybe she only feels like somebody as Mrs. Somebody. Chances are, it never occurred to her that theres an alternative to living like two hens in a pen. But theres no going back now, only snarling at happy young women at parties that they, too, might someday experience “the triumph of true love.” The reality is, you greet a guy way differently when youve had a chance to miss him than when hes always there missing the toilet. Living apart also means youre more likely to act like youre still in the pursuit phase: trying to be witty and interesting and dressing suggestively when he comes over, and not in a way that suggests youre halfway through cleaning out the garage. As for Mrs. Ss notion that you can hate your way to true love, researcher John Gottman found that expressions of contempt are actually the most poisonous to a relationship. The path to true love might be a bit of a drive: whatever it takes so your boyfriend isnt always in your face, doing whatever it is youd gnaw off your hand to have him stop doing — like breathing, chewing, and having large pores. Q: Thanks to your column, Im a recovering wimp, now asking women out. So, any pointers for first dates? Dinner or drinks? Things to avoid doing or saying?
Keep control of your finances IF youve overspent at Christmas, make some budget decisions and stick to them. Money stress is probably the biggest cause of relationship discord. Get out of the house GET out and shake off the cobwebs. If money is tight, go for a walk in the park or go to a museum. Alternatively, invite some friends over. Give your r e l ationship a new experience to talk about. Treat each other BRING a smile to your lovers face by doing something nice for them. You could offer them a foot massage or cook them a meal – they can offer you a treat in return. Get close and personal WHAT better way to warm up during the long chilly nights than to enjoy sex with your lover.
IAN Paisley has revealed a bitter row with Bill Clinton. The ex-DUP boss, 83, declared the charismatic former US President as: “No friend of mine.” Dr Paisley told of the fraught relationship at a Queens University Belfast lunch interview.

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The death of economist Paul Samuelson occasioned, in these pages and elsewhere, recollection of the great economists persistent overestimation of Soviet Communism and its economic policies. But as George Mason University economics professor Alex Tabarrok points out, it wasnt just Samuelson: The standard economics textbooks also overestimated Soviet economic growth, from the 1960s right up until the bitter end.
DUBLIN v MEATH OByrne Cup Senior Football Quarter-Final, Parnell Park, 2pm SKIPPER Paul Griffin plans to inspire a newlook Dublin team that can shed the countys Croker chokers tag. Sky Blues boss Pat Gilroy has vowed to shake his team up after back-to-back All-Ireland quarter-final hammerings. Hell look at more newcomers today in their derby date with Meath, and captain Griffin will be asked to guide the greenhorns. Itll be Griffins first action of the year and hes happy to take the kids under his wing.
TOTTENHAM 2 Crouch 42, Pavlyuchenko 75 LEEDS 2 JERMAINE BECKFORD was the FA Cup hero again when his lastgasp penalty earned a replay against Tottenham.

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EvergreenBancorp, Inc. (OTCBB: EVGG), the bank
holding company for EvergreenBank, today announced that EvergreenBank was
closed this afternoon by the State of Washington Department of Financial
Institutions and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “FDIC”) has
been appointed as receiver of EvergreenBank.

The Companys shares of EvergreenBank were its principal asset.
Accordingly, as a result of the Companys current financial condition, the
board of directors of the company is considering its alternatives,
including the dissolution and winding up of the Company by its board of
directors under Washington law or filing a voluntary petition seeking
relief under the United States Bankruptcy Code.

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.

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NEW YORK — Fitch Ratings takes the following action on Palisades Medical Center
Obligated Group as part of its continuous surveillance effort:

–$15,760,000 New Jersey Health Care Facility Financing Authority
revenue bonds, Palisades Medical Center, Inc. Presbyterian Healthcare
System Obligated Group Issue, Series 2002, affirmed at BB .

–$28,630,000 New Jersey Health Care Facility Financing Authority
revenue bonds, Palisades Medical Center, Inc. Presbyterian Healthcare
System Obligated Group Issue, Series 1999, affirmed at BB .

NEW YORK — Following its monthly surveillance review of U.S. Student Loan
asset-backed securities (ABS) transactions, Fitch Ratings designated 29
U.S. Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) student loan ABS
deals as Under Analysis, indicating that Fitch is in the process of
reviewing the deal which will be followed by a rating action. A rating
action could include an affirmation, upgrade, downgrade or placement on
Rating Watch.

Five hundred and thirty five Student Loan ABS deals were designated with
a SMARTView date of Jan. 22, 2010, indicating that performance has been
reviewed and a rating action is not anticipated within the next 30 days.

The following transactions have been placed Under Analysis because
they will be subject to a periodic in-depth review:

–Access to Loans for Learning Student Loan Corp. – 1998 Master Trust IV
(CA);

–Academic Finance Corporation – 2006 Indenture of Trust (2005);

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“ClearGauge has a history of delivering sophisticated approaches to
interactive marketing and measuring ROI. We are excited to bring our
clients this focused
B-to-B expertise and to expand our services for online marketers around the
globe,” said Daniel Laury, founder, president and CEO of LSF Interactive.

“We are delighted to join the LSF Interactive team, a clear leader in
online performance marketing, and look forward to designing innovative
services for B-to-B clients together,” said Karen Breen Vogel, former
president of ClearGauge, who will now serve as vice president, business
development for LSF Interactive B-to-B.

ClearGauge, an established online marketing services provider to companies
in the technology, business services, healthcare, and manufacturing
industries, significantly strengthens LSF Interactives B-to-B offering and
will become LSF Interactives B-to-B Division in the U.S.

ClearGauge provides search engine marketing, search engine optimization,
web analytics, online customer experience optimization, and website
strategy, architecture and redesign to a select roster of prestigious
clients that includes GE Capital, Dow Chemical, Laird Technologies, LSI,
Sypris, Widen Enterprises, Skyline Exhibits and others.

– New functional and regression testing automation software enables
maximum return on investment during applications testing -

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Micro Focus® (LSE.MCRO.L), a leading provider of Enterprise Application
Modernization, Testing and Management solutions, today announces
the availability of SilkTest 2009 R2 and Silk4J 2009 R2 from Borland
Software Corporation (a Micro Focus Company). The new suite of
applications testing software enables customers worldwide to maximize
return on investment (ROI) while minimizing time expended on the
critical testing process.

As organizations recover from the economic downturn and launch new
services and applications, the testing process will be key to ensure the
smooth integration of these new services and applications into the
business. SilkTest is the proven quality choice of customers worldwide
for functional and regression test automation. This latest software
release continues on the theme of openness and technical excellence with
improvements in test creation, execution and maintenance and provides
support for new technologies and the Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows
Server 2008 operating systems.

SilkTest 2009 R2 provides functional and regression test automation for
a number of important technologies like Web 2.0/RIA, Java, and Microsoft
technologies in a seamless fashion, which enables the testing of
workflows that span multiple applications or multi-technology
applications. SilkTest 2009 R2 also supports testers and developers by
offering a robust and powerful environment that improves effectiveness
by allowing different stakeholders to build true test automation
frameworks and maximize ROI.

“We’ve focused on continuing to provide industry-leading testing
solutions to our customers and SilkTest 2009 R2 is the latest example of
this,” said Joachim Herschmann, Product Director Test Automation at
Borland (a Micro Focus Company). “Early adopter customers have already
noticed the speed and automatic synchronization enhancements provided by
this new version. SilkTest 2009 R2 allows customers to reduce the cost,
risk and complexity of testing state-of-the-art applications, increasing
confidence in the quality of their applications. In addition to the
SilkTest interface, which has proved very popular with Quality Assurance
professionals, the Silk4J Eclipse plug-in is bringing testing
capabilities to the developer environment.”

NewMarket Technology, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: NWMT)
has released an on-demand Webcast addressing the Companys recent inclusion
on the Regulation SHO Threshold Security List. The Webcast provides an
overview of Regulation SHO, the criteria for being included on the
threshold list and frequently asked questions. Additionally, the Webcast
provides an overview of short-term ROI potential and a long-term outlook
for NewMarket.

NewMarket Technology Virtual Town Hall January 22, 2010

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Kids and Families Head Indoors to Experience a Unique Environmental
Education Exhibit Presented by Doubletree Hotels and the Arbor Day
Foundation®

PHILADELPHIA — Locals and visitors alike in the City of Brotherly Love will enjoy a
unique indoor winter exhibit that celebrates the great outdoors, thanks
to the Exploring Trees Inside and Out traveling exhibit opening at
Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum on Saturday, January 23. At a time
when Philadelphia and its 63 parks are experiencing the traditional
winter chill, summer will be in full swing at the museum as children and
families warm up to the sounds of woodland creatures beneath colorful
green tree canopies.

“The imaginative, interactive educational venue created for the
community at Please Touch Museum made Philadelphia a natural candidate
for our nationwide tour of Exploring Trees Inside and Out,” said Mary
Beth Parks, vice president of brand marketing for Doubletree Hotels.
“Doubletree Hotels and the Arbor Day Foundation are proud to present
visitors with an exhibit that fosters both learning and joy. We hope
Exploring Trees Inside and Out will inspire residents and visitors to
the Philadelphia area to enjoy the exhibit’s engaging activities and use
the lessons they learn to appreciate the great outdoors in a whole new
way.”

Presented by Doubletree® Hotels and the Arbor Day Foundation®,
this three-year touring environmental education project encourages
family members of all ages to explore the beauty of the great outdoors
through the wonders of trees. The spacious, 2,500-square-foot exhibit,
developed by Arbor Day and the Dimensions Educational Research
Foundation, is designed to create a better understanding among children
age two to 10 about the significant role trees play in the environment.
A variety of interactive activities encourage children to explore trees
in a multi-sensory way through its fun-packed and educational
components. For example, children will be able to:

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