ug 30, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Marine Innovation & Technology, a naval architecture and offshore engineering firm, is using Digital Prototyping software from Autodesk, Inc. (ADSK 27.53, -0.85, -3.00%) , to develop the WindFloat: a small, floating platform capable of supporting large offshore wind turbines.
Autodesk Inventor Professional, Autodesk Vault Professional, and Autodesk Showcase Professional software helped enable the company to design and render the WindFloat in just three weeks. The WindFloat improves on the design of existing offshore support structures by significantly minimizing the motion caused by environmental forces such as wind, waves and currents.
The WindFloat's improved stability means that wind turbines can be placed in previously inaccessible locations where water depths exceed 50 meters and winds are nearly constant -- greatly increasing the potential of offshore wind as a renewable energy resource. Each WindFloat can produce up to 10 megawatts of renewable electrical power, enough to power as many as 10,000 homes.
Digital Prototyping Aids Design and Visualization
Through the Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program -- which provides software grants for emerging clean tech companies in North America and Europe -- and with training support from Autodesk reseller KETIV Technologies, Marine Innovation & Technology was soon leveraging the benefits of Inventor software. As a result, Marine Innovation & Technology significantly accelerated the development of the WindFloat as well as contributed to the company's marketing efforts.
"Digital Prototyping has been essential to expressing our ideas to prospective clients," said Dominique Roddier, partner of Marine Innovation & Technology and CTO of Principle Power. "We use Inventor software to build a single 3D model that provides vital technical information, and we can create exquisite renderings using Autodesk Showcase Professional, which enables clients to see a photorealistic rendering of the product before they decide to invest."
Marine Innovation & Technology's success designing the WindFloat helped it to sell the technology to renewable energy company Principle Power, which plans to use it for the commercialization of green electricity. Principle Power aims to deploy the WindFloat technology worldwide and is already actively pursuing projects in Portugal, Oregon and Maine. Using Autodesk Vault Professional software, Marine Innovation & Technology was able to securely store and distribute engineering information between project sites.
"Marine Innovation & Technology is making exciting contributions to the renewable energy sector," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice president, Autodesk Manufacturing Industry Group. "We are pleased that Digital Prototyping helped them reduce the time required to design and visualize the WindFloat and secure key new business wins."
About the Clean Tech Partner Program
The Autodesk Clean Tech Partner Program supports early-stage clean technology companies by providing design and engineering software that accelerates their development of solutions to the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Clean tech companies in North America and Europe who can benefit from Autodesk solutions for Digital Prototyping are invited to apply to receive up to $150,000* worth of software for only $50. Access to a collection of Autodesk industry-leading software applications includes up to five licenses of AutoCAD Inventor Professional Suite, Autodesk Showcase, Autodesk Vault Professional, Autodesk Revit Architecture, Autodesk Alias Design, Autodesk Algor Simulation and Autodesk Inventor Publisher software. For additional information, visit http://www.autodesk.com/cleantech.
About Marine Innovation & Technology
Marine Innovation & Technology is a consulting firm specializing in challenging offshore engineering problems involving complex hydrodynamics. Founded in 2003, the company is headquartered in Berkeley, Calif. For additional information, visit www.marineitech.com.
About KETIV Technologies
KETIV Technologies is a leading Autodesk Gold Partner with over 25 years' experience delivering CAD software and services in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. Focused on the manufacturing, AEC, and Process Plant industries, KETIV's team of industry experts increase the profitability of engineering companies by helping them simplify the process of conceptualization, design and production.
About Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries -- including the last 15 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects -- use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.
Editorial Note:
To see digital prototypes of the WindFloat, visit http://www.principlepowerinc.com/products/windfloat.html.
*Value is based on up to five commercial licenses of each application.
Autodesk, AutoCAD, Algor, Alias, Autodesk Inventor, Inventor, Revit and Showcase are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.
(C) 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
West Virginia Governor Wants to Be Senator
He says he's running on a platform made up of West Virginia values and West Virginia common sense.
Morgantown Businessman John Raese is the Republican Nominee for U.S. Senate. "This one is winnable," he told his supporters Saturday night in Morgantown after securing the nomination.
He will face Governor Joe Manchin, the Democrat Nominee, during the November 2nd General Election.
Raese says he is not afraid of a challenge.
"I look forward to this race," he says. "I think that this race is going to go down as the key Senate race in the United States today."
He unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 1984 against U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller and U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd in 2006, the longtime Senator's last election.
In 1986, he was selected to be Chairman of the state Republican Party and ran for Governor in 1988 and lost that race too.
"It's not how many times you lose, it's how many times you win." Raese says Abraham Lincoln lost eight races in a row. "It doesn't make any difference whatsoever."
He calls Governor Joe Manchin a "leftist liberal" who does not represent the views of West Virginians, as a whole.
"If you send Governor Manchin to Washington, you're going to have a rubber stamp for (President) Barack Obama."
Raese is the President and CEO of Greer Industries, the parent company of Greer Limestone, Greer Steel and Preston County Coal and Coke.
He is the Dominion Post's Vice President and serves as Chairman of the Board for West Virginia Radio Corporation, a company made up of 25 radio stations along with the MetroNews Radio Network, with affiliates throughout West Virginia.
In addition, he also owns Pikewood Creative, a video production company based in Morgantown, and the Pikewood National Golf Club.
Raese and his wife, Liz, have two daughters.
Morgantown Businessman John Raese is the Republican Nominee for U.S. Senate. "This one is winnable," he told his supporters Saturday night in Morgantown after securing the nomination.
He will face Governor Joe Manchin, the Democrat Nominee, during the November 2nd General Election.
Raese says he is not afraid of a challenge.
"I look forward to this race," he says. "I think that this race is going to go down as the key Senate race in the United States today."
He unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate in 1984 against U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller and U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd in 2006, the longtime Senator's last election.
In 1986, he was selected to be Chairman of the state Republican Party and ran for Governor in 1988 and lost that race too.
"It's not how many times you lose, it's how many times you win." Raese says Abraham Lincoln lost eight races in a row. "It doesn't make any difference whatsoever."
He calls Governor Joe Manchin a "leftist liberal" who does not represent the views of West Virginians, as a whole.
"If you send Governor Manchin to Washington, you're going to have a rubber stamp for (President) Barack Obama."
Raese is the President and CEO of Greer Industries, the parent company of Greer Limestone, Greer Steel and Preston County Coal and Coke.
He is the Dominion Post's Vice President and serves as Chairman of the Board for West Virginia Radio Corporation, a company made up of 25 radio stations along with the MetroNews Radio Network, with affiliates throughout West Virginia.
In addition, he also owns Pikewood Creative, a video production company based in Morgantown, and the Pikewood National Golf Club.
Raese and his wife, Liz, have two daughters.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Glen Beck Rally Gains Nationwide Attention
Calendar, shmalendar, conservative talk show host Glenn Beck says about his choice of Aug. 28 for a Washington rally on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. According to the Fox commentator, his first choice of days was Sept. 12 – to reflect his 9/12 movement – but that turned out to be a Sunday (he wanted a Saturday). The next best choice of (his) available dates was two weeks earlier, Aug. 28. The fact that the Saturday he happened to choose is the 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech – also delivered on the steps of the same monument – was serendipity, he says.
Comedy Central’s "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart addressed Mr. Beck’s scheduling skills on his show Thursday night. “That’s weird. How would that happen?” Stewart asked of the scheduling synchronicity. Then he played a clip from Beck. “We picked August 28. It was open in my schedule. When I announced it, The New York Times blogged immediately that this is Martin Luther King Day, and I immediately said, ‘Oh my gosh!’ ”
“Wow," said Stewart. "So Glenn Beck didn’t realize that was an important day in African-American history?”
Truth be told, Jon, how many of us did? It's not exactly as if "I Have a Dream" Speech appears on the wall calendar, like Mother's Day and Labor Day. That being said, it is nonetheless an uncanny coincidence.
Stewart gets out his next clip, in which Beck says, “This is about restoring honor, this is about the things that Martin Luther King stood for … the content of character, not the color of skin, but people have been acting as if no white man can mention or praise or support the mission of Martin Luther King. African-Americans don’t own Martin Luther King.”
Not sure Dr. King argued specifically for "restoring honor," but the more people who pay tribute to his message of brotherhood and equality, the better. That's the whole point of having the federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January.
Roll Stewart's next Beck clip: “This is a moment, quite honestly, that I think we reclaim the civil rights movement. We are on the side of individual freedoms and liberties and, damn it, we will reclaim the civil rights movement … we will take that movement because we were the people who did it in the first place.”
Who, exactly, is "we" in that storm-the-ramparts statement?
White aggrievement is the subtext of that Beck trumpet call, suggests sociologist Charles Gallagher of La Salle University. “Beck is tapping into a sense of loss that permeates many sectors of society, particuarly during economic downturns.”
In choosing the Martin Luther King speech anniversary, Beck also capitalizes on the notion of progress in racial equality, a theme that underlies what Professor Gallagher calls a subtle but growing sense among many on the right that whites have become the new minority, “a group that must now reclaim its own rights.”
The Fox News host is trying to "take advantage of a feeling of loss, even if not conscious ... on the part of many white people, certainly many conservative white people,” says Xavier University sociologist Jacqueline Battlaora, a former Chicago police officer. She says a large segment of the tea party movement responds to this message by pushing for its own individual rights, and adds, "and this is the group Beck is reaching out to in this weekend rally."
But political strategists say the main goal of Saturday's event is to rally the troops ahead of what could be a pivotal election.
“It’s the end of August, [and] the big election push will begin next week, and getting people out and involved is what Glenn Beck is all about,” says Larry Farnsworth, former speechwriter for Republican ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert and now vice president of Crosby-Volmer International Communications, a public relations firm. “This is all about making sure his followers in the tea party movement get involved in the election that is just around the corner.”
Comedy Central’s "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart addressed Mr. Beck’s scheduling skills on his show Thursday night. “That’s weird. How would that happen?” Stewart asked of the scheduling synchronicity. Then he played a clip from Beck. “We picked August 28. It was open in my schedule. When I announced it, The New York Times blogged immediately that this is Martin Luther King Day, and I immediately said, ‘Oh my gosh!’ ”
“Wow," said Stewart. "So Glenn Beck didn’t realize that was an important day in African-American history?”
Truth be told, Jon, how many of us did? It's not exactly as if "I Have a Dream" Speech appears on the wall calendar, like Mother's Day and Labor Day. That being said, it is nonetheless an uncanny coincidence.
Stewart gets out his next clip, in which Beck says, “This is about restoring honor, this is about the things that Martin Luther King stood for … the content of character, not the color of skin, but people have been acting as if no white man can mention or praise or support the mission of Martin Luther King. African-Americans don’t own Martin Luther King.”
Not sure Dr. King argued specifically for "restoring honor," but the more people who pay tribute to his message of brotherhood and equality, the better. That's the whole point of having the federal Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January.
Roll Stewart's next Beck clip: “This is a moment, quite honestly, that I think we reclaim the civil rights movement. We are on the side of individual freedoms and liberties and, damn it, we will reclaim the civil rights movement … we will take that movement because we were the people who did it in the first place.”
Who, exactly, is "we" in that storm-the-ramparts statement?
White aggrievement is the subtext of that Beck trumpet call, suggests sociologist Charles Gallagher of La Salle University. “Beck is tapping into a sense of loss that permeates many sectors of society, particuarly during economic downturns.”
In choosing the Martin Luther King speech anniversary, Beck also capitalizes on the notion of progress in racial equality, a theme that underlies what Professor Gallagher calls a subtle but growing sense among many on the right that whites have become the new minority, “a group that must now reclaim its own rights.”
The Fox News host is trying to "take advantage of a feeling of loss, even if not conscious ... on the part of many white people, certainly many conservative white people,” says Xavier University sociologist Jacqueline Battlaora, a former Chicago police officer. She says a large segment of the tea party movement responds to this message by pushing for its own individual rights, and adds, "and this is the group Beck is reaching out to in this weekend rally."
But political strategists say the main goal of Saturday's event is to rally the troops ahead of what could be a pivotal election.
“It’s the end of August, [and] the big election push will begin next week, and getting people out and involved is what Glenn Beck is all about,” says Larry Farnsworth, former speechwriter for Republican ex-House Speaker Dennis Hastert and now vice president of Crosby-Volmer International Communications, a public relations firm. “This is all about making sure his followers in the tea party movement get involved in the election that is just around the corner.”
Friday, August 27, 2010
San Diego Students Study in the Heat
Most student services remained open at San Diego State University on Wednesday while repair crews worked to fix the air conditioning system, serving the central part of the campus. It was damaged by a water main break Monday night.
All employees were asked to report to work Wednesday morning and are to do so again Thursday, campus spokesman Greg Block said. Because of the current heat wave, however, nonessential staff and administrations were sent home at noon Wednesday, as they were on Tuesday, Block said. No decision has been made yet about sending workers home early Thursday.
Essential staff that remained on campus included those in public safety, financial aid and other student services such as the bookstore.
Classes start Monday, but Block said many students are coming to campus early to buy books and sign up for various services.
A 24-inch water line running under Centennial Walkway in front of the Student Services West building burst about 9 p.m. Monday. The flooding cut off air conditioning to 90 percent of the buildings located near the center of campus, but residence halls and athletics buildings were not affected, Block said.
Workers have to clear silt and dirt from the sinkhole that developed around the broken water line, then they can make repairs. Air conditioning should be back on by the end of the day Friday, Block said.
He said water flowed down the steps of the library, but only a small amount of carpeting got wet. Block said no other damage was caused inside any buildings.
All employees were asked to report to work Wednesday morning and are to do so again Thursday, campus spokesman Greg Block said. Because of the current heat wave, however, nonessential staff and administrations were sent home at noon Wednesday, as they were on Tuesday, Block said. No decision has been made yet about sending workers home early Thursday.
Essential staff that remained on campus included those in public safety, financial aid and other student services such as the bookstore.
Classes start Monday, but Block said many students are coming to campus early to buy books and sign up for various services.
A 24-inch water line running under Centennial Walkway in front of the Student Services West building burst about 9 p.m. Monday. The flooding cut off air conditioning to 90 percent of the buildings located near the center of campus, but residence halls and athletics buildings were not affected, Block said.
Workers have to clear silt and dirt from the sinkhole that developed around the broken water line, then they can make repairs. Air conditioning should be back on by the end of the day Friday, Block said.
He said water flowed down the steps of the library, but only a small amount of carpeting got wet. Block said no other damage was caused inside any buildings.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Heavy Rain in the Gulf
An area of low pressure associated with the remnants of tropical depression five is moving westward over southeastern Louisiana accompanied by locally heavy rains and occasionally gusty winds in squalls. Although the circulation of this system has become better defined this morning the remnants of the depression will be moving farther inland today and additional development is not expected. There is a low chance near 0 percent of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. Localized flooding is possible over southern Louisiana and coastal Mississippi please refer to statements from local national weather service forecast offices for additional information.
Cloudiness and showers associated with a tropical wave nearing the Lesser Antilles are disorganized. Upper-level winds are forecast to become unfavorable for development and there is a low chance near 0 percent of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves west-northwestward at 15 mph.
Elsewhere tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Cloudiness and showers associated with a tropical wave nearing the Lesser Antilles are disorganized. Upper-level winds are forecast to become unfavorable for development and there is a low chance near 0 percent of this system becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves west-northwestward at 15 mph.
Elsewhere tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Dutch Man Claims Printing Invention
The grand printing dance show greatly admired the people over the world and they wondered at it. But regarding this, the Netherlands people Schneider had his own idea. He wrote a letter to protest that China is not the country to invent printing. The printing is invented by the Netherlands people, it is known as a fact. He said, althoughhe opening ceremony was wonderful for the people, there are some flaws on it; the printing is invented by a Netherlands person before A.D 1400. And in the letter he also showed the picture of that person for us. The printing is invented by the Netherlands person? Is it possible? How ridiculous it is. It caused many resentful for the net people and also some of the Netherlands people.
For the letter to protest it for China, it is ok, the printing is one of the four big inventions in China, and every Chinese people should remember it by heart. But there is some controversy for it; some of the western people think Guttenberg is the father of the printing. According to the German Chinese, the letter typography is the proud of the German; it is based on the ancestor printing technology, taking the case letter and the other writing marks as the unit, so you can get the phrase meaning from any group. To the origin of the printing is from China, the western common people either do not know anything or have a smattering of knowledge. But it is satire that the office website for Guttenberg said the printing is from China and it turned up before the born of Guttenberg for more than several hundred years.
China needs to strengthen the culture demonstration. And the printing is original from China, it is beyond all doubt. Regarding with the time, Bi Sheng is earlier more than 400 years than Guttenberg. Regarding with the technology, there is only the material different but the principle is the same. Therefore, China invents the printing, it is a simple truth and the western academia and office are agreeing with us. Why did the different acknowledge exist? The first, the mud type is little and they do not used in a scale, but in western, he invented the equipment to make the method widely used by the people. The second, China does little in culture demonstration and do not get the attention from the western people. This is what the Chinese people should rethink. Thereby, in the later days, we should make much more chance to strengthen our country culture demonstration, and allow more and more people to know China, to like China. We should teach our little children our country culture and train them the interest for the Chinese culture.
China printing: www.zrhprint.com/
For the letter to protest it for China, it is ok, the printing is one of the four big inventions in China, and every Chinese people should remember it by heart. But there is some controversy for it; some of the western people think Guttenberg is the father of the printing. According to the German Chinese, the letter typography is the proud of the German; it is based on the ancestor printing technology, taking the case letter and the other writing marks as the unit, so you can get the phrase meaning from any group. To the origin of the printing is from China, the western common people either do not know anything or have a smattering of knowledge. But it is satire that the office website for Guttenberg said the printing is from China and it turned up before the born of Guttenberg for more than several hundred years.
China needs to strengthen the culture demonstration. And the printing is original from China, it is beyond all doubt. Regarding with the time, Bi Sheng is earlier more than 400 years than Guttenberg. Regarding with the technology, there is only the material different but the principle is the same. Therefore, China invents the printing, it is a simple truth and the western academia and office are agreeing with us. Why did the different acknowledge exist? The first, the mud type is little and they do not used in a scale, but in western, he invented the equipment to make the method widely used by the people. The second, China does little in culture demonstration and do not get the attention from the western people. This is what the Chinese people should rethink. Thereby, in the later days, we should make much more chance to strengthen our country culture demonstration, and allow more and more people to know China, to like China. We should teach our little children our country culture and train them the interest for the Chinese culture.
China printing: www.zrhprint.com/
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
New Auto Repair Service
Leavitt Auto Care is a known Las Vegas auto repair service center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has been servicing Foreign and Domestic Vehicles in Nevada and Southern Utah since 1997.
Online PR News – 21-August-2010 – Las Vegas, August 21, 2010: Leavitt’s Auto Care, a Las Vegas auto repair service has launched their web portal, www.auto-repair-lasvegas.com, in order to reach out to their customers and provide them valuable information about their Las Vegas car repair services. The website also allows customers to directly contact their Las Vegas auto mechanics for their auto repair related troubles. This web portal aims to help residents of Nevada and surrounding areas to get Las Vegas auto repair quickly and easily.
The web portal has various sections which provide relevant information to the customers about the services provider for Las Vegas car repair. The various sections provide information on the company itself, the advantages offered by Leavitt’s Auto Care, the variety of services for Las Vegas auto repair that they have on offer for the clients and how their Las Vegas auto mechanics take care of all of the client’s auto maintenance related worries. There is a also a “Contact Us” section which allows customers to easily contact the auto repair service through a simple form or through phone.
Online PR News – 21-August-2010 – Las Vegas, August 21, 2010: Leavitt’s Auto Care, a Las Vegas auto repair service has launched their web portal, www.auto-repair-lasvegas.com, in order to reach out to their customers and provide them valuable information about their Las Vegas car repair services. The website also allows customers to directly contact their Las Vegas auto mechanics for their auto repair related troubles. This web portal aims to help residents of Nevada and surrounding areas to get Las Vegas auto repair quickly and easily.
The web portal has various sections which provide relevant information to the customers about the services provider for Las Vegas car repair. The various sections provide information on the company itself, the advantages offered by Leavitt’s Auto Care, the variety of services for Las Vegas auto repair that they have on offer for the clients and how their Las Vegas auto mechanics take care of all of the client’s auto maintenance related worries. There is a also a “Contact Us” section which allows customers to easily contact the auto repair service through a simple form or through phone.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Diapers Big Business in Geogia
First Quality plans to expand its Macon operation by building a new, $35 million diaper manufacturing plant that will bring in more than 150 new jobs.
With the addition of new, high-tech equipment, the company will invest more than $200 million in the new facility, which should open sometime next year, Bob Schiek, the company’s director of manufacturing said at a news conference Friday at Middle Georgia Regional Airport.
“We love to recruit companies to Georgia, but it’s especially proud when we have companies that are already here grow,” Gov. Sonny Perdue said at the announcement. “That indicates they’ve had a chance to check us out and they like what they see.”
Schiek said construction will begin “almost immediately” at property behind the current First Quality plant on Avondale Mill Road.
“You should see dirt moving in the next two weeks,” he said.
The new plant will boost the company’s workforce in Macon from 222 to at least 375, officials said.
The company got a package of incentives for the project. The expansion, which had been dubbed “Project Q” during negotiations with local officials, will get a $1.5 million OneGeorgia grant from the state to pay for grading. Another $500,000 grant will pay for a new public road and utilities, and a $100,000 grant from the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority will help pay for a fire-protection water tank on the site.
For more on First Quality’s expansion, read Saturday’s Telegraph.
With the addition of new, high-tech equipment, the company will invest more than $200 million in the new facility, which should open sometime next year, Bob Schiek, the company’s director of manufacturing said at a news conference Friday at Middle Georgia Regional Airport.
“We love to recruit companies to Georgia, but it’s especially proud when we have companies that are already here grow,” Gov. Sonny Perdue said at the announcement. “That indicates they’ve had a chance to check us out and they like what they see.”
Schiek said construction will begin “almost immediately” at property behind the current First Quality plant on Avondale Mill Road.
“You should see dirt moving in the next two weeks,” he said.
The new plant will boost the company’s workforce in Macon from 222 to at least 375, officials said.
The company got a package of incentives for the project. The expansion, which had been dubbed “Project Q” during negotiations with local officials, will get a $1.5 million OneGeorgia grant from the state to pay for grading. Another $500,000 grant will pay for a new public road and utilities, and a $100,000 grant from the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority will help pay for a fire-protection water tank on the site.
For more on First Quality’s expansion, read Saturday’s Telegraph.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Animal Shelters Need Help
The recession has forced the Southern Oregon Humane Society to give up plans to move to a larger facility.
The Humane Society purchased a 4.5-acre property in July 2006 for $2.35 million near the Medford airport to build a bigger center to spare more animals from euthanasia and increase the adoption rate.
But another $2.5 million was needed to build a new shelter before the recession forced the Humane Society to turn over the property in a short sale last December.
Bill Steele, the group's treasurer, says it has been difficult overcoming financial problems, but it hasn't affected the Humane Society's mission.
He told the Mail Tribune in Medford the organization has had a 65 percent increase in adoptions in the past three years.
___
The Humane Society purchased a 4.5-acre property in July 2006 for $2.35 million near the Medford airport to build a bigger center to spare more animals from euthanasia and increase the adoption rate.
But another $2.5 million was needed to build a new shelter before the recession forced the Humane Society to turn over the property in a short sale last December.
Bill Steele, the group's treasurer, says it has been difficult overcoming financial problems, but it hasn't affected the Humane Society's mission.
He told the Mail Tribune in Medford the organization has had a 65 percent increase in adoptions in the past three years.
___
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Salvation Army Helps Students with Supplies
More than 100 students in Becker County schools are going to have the school supplies they maybe didn’t think they could afford this year.
“With the tough economic times, back-to-school expenses can be another expenditure that strains a family’s already tight budget,” Marcia Otte said.
Otte serves as the Becker County Salvation Army secretary and as family development director at Mahube Community Council, the entity that organizes the project with funds from the Salvation Army.
Money raised through the Red Kettle Campaign is used to purchase the notebooks, markers, backpacks and other school supplies needed.
Mahube employees grab a cart at Kmart and loaded it up with supplies area teachers have listed that students will need. A small amount of clothing is also given out.
Besides the Salvation Army, St. Mary’s Innovis Health and Oak Crossing employees are also donating supplies for the program.
In the past, Mahube would hand out supplies to families in need, but now the supplies are kept at the schools and teachers hand them out as they see fit.
“The Becker County Salvation Army gives the supplies to the schools to hand out — because who knows better than the teachers which children are in need?” Otte said.
“We’re filling a different niche,” she added of giving directly to the schools throughout Becker County rather than to individual families.
Otte said they spend an average of $3,000 a year on school supplies, which figures out to about $45,000 spent in the last 15 years since the Salvation Army has been involved. And, as a self-proclaimed coupon-clipper, Otte said she saved nearly $580 this year by shopping the sales.
In her 2-inch thick report she must file with the state on where the money goes, Otte estimates the supplies served about 110 people in Becker County. The supplies are distributed to all the elementary schools in Becker County and the middle school in Detroit Lakes.
On Tuesday, Mahube workers will sort the supplies and deliver them to the schools, just in time for school to begin.
Last year, Salvation Army kettles were placed at Central Market, Washington Square Mall, Kmart, L&M Fleet and Walmart for a month before Christmas. Volunteers throughout the community man the kettles and take turns ringing the familiar bell.
“The amount of money raised is really dependent on having ringers at the kettles,” Otte said. “If we don’t have someone at that kettle, we don’t get money.”
The funds raised in Becker County, stay in Becker County, and the Back-to-School Project is just one example of that.
“With the tough economic times, back-to-school expenses can be another expenditure that strains a family’s already tight budget,” Marcia Otte said.
Otte serves as the Becker County Salvation Army secretary and as family development director at Mahube Community Council, the entity that organizes the project with funds from the Salvation Army.
Money raised through the Red Kettle Campaign is used to purchase the notebooks, markers, backpacks and other school supplies needed.
Mahube employees grab a cart at Kmart and loaded it up with supplies area teachers have listed that students will need. A small amount of clothing is also given out.
Besides the Salvation Army, St. Mary’s Innovis Health and Oak Crossing employees are also donating supplies for the program.
In the past, Mahube would hand out supplies to families in need, but now the supplies are kept at the schools and teachers hand them out as they see fit.
“The Becker County Salvation Army gives the supplies to the schools to hand out — because who knows better than the teachers which children are in need?” Otte said.
“We’re filling a different niche,” she added of giving directly to the schools throughout Becker County rather than to individual families.
Otte said they spend an average of $3,000 a year on school supplies, which figures out to about $45,000 spent in the last 15 years since the Salvation Army has been involved. And, as a self-proclaimed coupon-clipper, Otte said she saved nearly $580 this year by shopping the sales.
In her 2-inch thick report she must file with the state on where the money goes, Otte estimates the supplies served about 110 people in Becker County. The supplies are distributed to all the elementary schools in Becker County and the middle school in Detroit Lakes.
On Tuesday, Mahube workers will sort the supplies and deliver them to the schools, just in time for school to begin.
Last year, Salvation Army kettles were placed at Central Market, Washington Square Mall, Kmart, L&M Fleet and Walmart for a month before Christmas. Volunteers throughout the community man the kettles and take turns ringing the familiar bell.
“The amount of money raised is really dependent on having ringers at the kettles,” Otte said. “If we don’t have someone at that kettle, we don’t get money.”
The funds raised in Becker County, stay in Becker County, and the Back-to-School Project is just one example of that.
Friday, August 20, 2010
World Series of Golf, Inc.
LAS VEGAS, NV, Aug 19, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- World Series of Golf(R), Inc. (PINKSHEETS: WSGF) (OTCQB: WSGF) today announced Patrick Brown as the Company's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). A new investment team purchased a controlling interest in World Series of Golf(R) in April of this year with plans to update and expand the Company's business plan. Patrick Brown's appointment as CEO signals the beginning of the updated and expanded plan being implemented. World Series of Golf(R) anticipates making a number of announcements over the coming weeks in conjunction with the Company's updated and expanded plan.
Incoming CEO Patrick Brown "Everyone involved in the updated and expanded World Series of Golf(R) business plan has been working hard since the April announcement, and I could not be more enthusiastic or optimistic about the Company's prospects from here forward. The vision of Company founder John Slitz and the steady management hand of Joe Martinez, the CEO I am succeeding, have withstood the challenges of an economic environment less than conducive to introducing a new business idea. I look forward to working with them both in their continued role with the Company. World Series of Golf(R) has patent protected intellectual property, a recognized brand name, and an existing agreement to acquire complementary assets that will expand the Company's potential. Learn more about our plans with Rounder Magazine and a November Golf Tournament in Las Vegas when I provide an overview of the Company's updated and expanded business plan in a Webcast scheduled to be released next Friday, August 27th," stated incoming CEO Patrick Brown.
Update and Expansion Architect Joe Martinez "Patrick Brown is a welcome addition to the World Series of Golf(R) team and the right person to execute on the updated and expanded plan. I will continue to concentrate my efforts on the existing World Series of Golf(R) business and look for Patrick to continue the work he has already initiated in bringing complementary new resources to the company. I want to mention a special thanks to Philip Verges and his Small Equity Initiative that empowered the opportunity to reinvent the World Series of Golf(R)," stated Joe Martinez.
Patrick Brown brings a strong background to his role with World Series of Golf, mixing an entrepreneurial background in online and gaming entities with his equally valuable experience in the Fortune 500 environment. He previously helped lead a micro cap company in the development and launch of an online wagering product, and handled the day to day operations, leading to the eventual sale of the operations to a friendly competitor. He has also developed innovative wagering opportunities, which included a US patent filing for a wagering method of play. Recognized as industry leader, he has been sought out as a presenter and moderator at a wide range of industry events, including an international mobile gaming conference. Mr. Brown earned his undergraduate degree in business management from Xavier University and a law degree from University of Cincinnati.
About World Series of Golf(R), Inc. Based in Las Vegas, World Series of Golf(R) (www.worldseriesofgolf.com) is a global sports and entertainment company whose activities include land-based and online, skill-based golf events featuring a patent-protected method of play. World Series of Golf(R), combining the skill of golf and wagering format of No-Limit Texas Hold'em poker, was played at exclusive Las Vegas-area golf resorts in 2007 and 2008. The third annual World Series of Golf(R) was played May 11-14, 2009, at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. The company plans to achieve its international expansion goals through strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and the founders' extensive experience and contacts in the field of sports marketing. For additional information, or to register for an event, visit the company's website at www.worldseriesofgolf.com.
About Rounder Magazine (www.rounderlife.com) Rounder Magazine, The Casino Lifestyle Magazine launched in December 2006, is a gaming lifestyle magazine distributed to casinos throughout the United States. It is also available by subscription and sold in various bookstores throughout the country. The fashionably hip magazine, which features the sport of poker, also includes insightful articles and schedules relating to the NFL, College Football, the PGA, NASCAR and MLB. This editorial variety, mixed with stunning photography, showcasing trendy fashions and the popular Rounder models, account for the magazine's extreme popularity and make it totally unique in the gaming industry.
About The Small Equity Initiative (www.smallequity.com) The Small Equity Initiative is a not-for-profit organization established by the founders of NewMarket Technology, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: NWMT) and China Crescent Enterprises, Inc. (CCTR 0.01, -.00, -1.33%) to coordinate education, advocacy and activism to improve the capital markets for both small business entrepreneurs and investors. The Small Equity Initiative (SEI) plans to build a community for small business investors and entrepreneurs aimed at improving the collective understanding of how the over-the-counter market really works today and how it can be improved in the future. SEI is based in the U.S. but serves the global small business community.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements made in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Federal Securities laws that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) the availability of additional funds to enable us to successfully pursue our business plan; (2) the uncertainties related to the appeal and acceptance of our proprietary method of play and our planned on-line products; (3) the success or failure of our development of additional products and services; (4) our ability to maintain, attract and integrate management personnel; (5) our ability to secure suitable broadcast and sponsorship agreements; (6) our ability to effectively market and sell our services to current and new customers; (7) changes in the rules and regulations governing our business; (8) the intensity of competition; and (9) general economic conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in World Series of Golf(R) 's most recent periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. World Series of Golf(R) assumes no obligation to update and supplement forward-looking statements because of subsequent events.
Contact:
World Series of Golf(R), Inc.
info@worldseriesofgolf.com
702.740.1740
Incoming CEO Patrick Brown "Everyone involved in the updated and expanded World Series of Golf(R) business plan has been working hard since the April announcement, and I could not be more enthusiastic or optimistic about the Company's prospects from here forward. The vision of Company founder John Slitz and the steady management hand of Joe Martinez, the CEO I am succeeding, have withstood the challenges of an economic environment less than conducive to introducing a new business idea. I look forward to working with them both in their continued role with the Company. World Series of Golf(R) has patent protected intellectual property, a recognized brand name, and an existing agreement to acquire complementary assets that will expand the Company's potential. Learn more about our plans with Rounder Magazine and a November Golf Tournament in Las Vegas when I provide an overview of the Company's updated and expanded business plan in a Webcast scheduled to be released next Friday, August 27th," stated incoming CEO Patrick Brown.
Update and Expansion Architect Joe Martinez "Patrick Brown is a welcome addition to the World Series of Golf(R) team and the right person to execute on the updated and expanded plan. I will continue to concentrate my efforts on the existing World Series of Golf(R) business and look for Patrick to continue the work he has already initiated in bringing complementary new resources to the company. I want to mention a special thanks to Philip Verges and his Small Equity Initiative that empowered the opportunity to reinvent the World Series of Golf(R)," stated Joe Martinez.
Patrick Brown brings a strong background to his role with World Series of Golf, mixing an entrepreneurial background in online and gaming entities with his equally valuable experience in the Fortune 500 environment. He previously helped lead a micro cap company in the development and launch of an online wagering product, and handled the day to day operations, leading to the eventual sale of the operations to a friendly competitor. He has also developed innovative wagering opportunities, which included a US patent filing for a wagering method of play. Recognized as industry leader, he has been sought out as a presenter and moderator at a wide range of industry events, including an international mobile gaming conference. Mr. Brown earned his undergraduate degree in business management from Xavier University and a law degree from University of Cincinnati.
About World Series of Golf(R), Inc. Based in Las Vegas, World Series of Golf(R) (www.worldseriesofgolf.com) is a global sports and entertainment company whose activities include land-based and online, skill-based golf events featuring a patent-protected method of play. World Series of Golf(R), combining the skill of golf and wagering format of No-Limit Texas Hold'em poker, was played at exclusive Las Vegas-area golf resorts in 2007 and 2008. The third annual World Series of Golf(R) was played May 11-14, 2009, at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort. The company plans to achieve its international expansion goals through strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and the founders' extensive experience and contacts in the field of sports marketing. For additional information, or to register for an event, visit the company's website at www.worldseriesofgolf.com.
About Rounder Magazine (www.rounderlife.com) Rounder Magazine, The Casino Lifestyle Magazine launched in December 2006, is a gaming lifestyle magazine distributed to casinos throughout the United States. It is also available by subscription and sold in various bookstores throughout the country. The fashionably hip magazine, which features the sport of poker, also includes insightful articles and schedules relating to the NFL, College Football, the PGA, NASCAR and MLB. This editorial variety, mixed with stunning photography, showcasing trendy fashions and the popular Rounder models, account for the magazine's extreme popularity and make it totally unique in the gaming industry.
About The Small Equity Initiative (www.smallequity.com) The Small Equity Initiative is a not-for-profit organization established by the founders of NewMarket Technology, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: NWMT) and China Crescent Enterprises, Inc. (CCTR 0.01, -.00, -1.33%) to coordinate education, advocacy and activism to improve the capital markets for both small business entrepreneurs and investors. The Small Equity Initiative (SEI) plans to build a community for small business investors and entrepreneurs aimed at improving the collective understanding of how the over-the-counter market really works today and how it can be improved in the future. SEI is based in the U.S. but serves the global small business community.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements made in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Federal Securities laws that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (1) the availability of additional funds to enable us to successfully pursue our business plan; (2) the uncertainties related to the appeal and acceptance of our proprietary method of play and our planned on-line products; (3) the success or failure of our development of additional products and services; (4) our ability to maintain, attract and integrate management personnel; (5) our ability to secure suitable broadcast and sponsorship agreements; (6) our ability to effectively market and sell our services to current and new customers; (7) changes in the rules and regulations governing our business; (8) the intensity of competition; and (9) general economic conditions. Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested in any forward-looking statements are contained in World Series of Golf(R) 's most recent periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. World Series of Golf(R) assumes no obligation to update and supplement forward-looking statements because of subsequent events.
Contact:
World Series of Golf(R), Inc.
info@worldseriesofgolf.com
702.740.1740
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Transportation Company to Attend Public Forum
OMAHA, Neb., Aug 18, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Werner Enterprises, Inc. (WERN 21.26, +0.10, +0.47%) ("Werner"), one of the nation's largest transportation and logistics companies, announced that it will participate in three upcoming investment conferences during September. At each conference, Werner will be represented by John J. Steele, Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the company.
Werner will first participate in the Dahlman Rose & Co. Global Transportation Conference on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 in New York City, New York. At the conference, Mr. Steele will provide a general business summary of Werner in a 25-minute presentation and Q&A discussion for the investment community and during meetings with investors. The presentation and Q&A discussion will begin at 2:30 p.m. (EDT).
Mr. Steele will then represent Werner at the 2010 Credit Suisse Automotive & Transportation Conference on Thursday, September 9, 2010 in New York City, New York. During a 40-minute session, Mr. Steele will summarize Werner's business and operations and participate in a Q&A panel discussion with representatives from two other transportation companies. The session will begin at 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Mr. Steele will also conduct meetings with investors during the conference.
Werner will also take part in the 2010 Morgan Keegan Industrial/Transportation Conference on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Steele will present a general business overview of Werner to the investment community and during meetings with investors at the conference. The presentation will begin at 10:15 a.m. (CDT) and will be approximately 35 minutes in length.
A live audio webcast of each Werner conference presentation and Q&A discussion, as well as the investor materials provided by Werner at each conference, will be publicly available, on the respective conference date, on the internet through the "Investor Information" link on the Werner website at www.werner.com. Replays of the audio webcasts and the investor materials will then be archived and accessible by the public on the Werner website during the 30-day period following each individual conference date.
The conference dates and times provided in this press release may be subject to change. Should any such changes occur, Werner may update the information by giving notice on its website, issuing a revised press release, filing a report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or through other methods of public disclosure. Please consult the Werner website before or on the conference date for any such updated notices, press releases or reports. Also, refer to the forward-looking statement guidance set forth below.
Werner Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is a premier transportation and logistics company, with coverage throughout North America, Asia, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. Werner maintains its global headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska and maintains offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Australia. Werner is among the five largest truckload carriers in the United States, with a diversified portfolio of transportation services that includes dedicated, medium-to-long-haul, regional and local van capacity, expedited, temperature-controlled and flatbed services. Werner's Value Added Services portfolio includes freight management, truck brokerage, intermodal, load/mode and network optimization and freight forwarding. Werner, through its subsidiary companies, is a licensed U.S. NVOCC, U.S. Customs Broker, Class A Freight Forwarder in China, China NVOCC, TSA-approved Indirect Air Carrier and IATA Accredited Cargo Agent.
Werner Enterprises, Inc.'s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market(SM) under the symbol "WERN". For further information about Werner, visit the company's website at www.werner.com.
This press release, as well as the investor materials provided by and the oral public statements made by a Werner representative during the conference presentations, discussions, meetings and webcasts announced in this press release, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on information presently available to Werner's management and are current only as of the date made. Actual results could also differ materially from those anticipated as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in Werner's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009. For those reasons, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statement. Werner assumes no duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, although it may do so from time to time as management believes is warranted or as may be required by applicable securities law. Any such updates or revisions may be made by filing reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, through the issuance of press releases or by other methods of public disclosure.
SOURCE: Werner Enterprises, Inc.
Werner Enterprises, Inc.
John J. Steele, 402-894-3036
Executive Vice President, Treasurer and
Chief Financial Officer
Werner will first participate in the Dahlman Rose & Co. Global Transportation Conference on Wednesday, September 8, 2010 in New York City, New York. At the conference, Mr. Steele will provide a general business summary of Werner in a 25-minute presentation and Q&A discussion for the investment community and during meetings with investors. The presentation and Q&A discussion will begin at 2:30 p.m. (EDT).
Mr. Steele will then represent Werner at the 2010 Credit Suisse Automotive & Transportation Conference on Thursday, September 9, 2010 in New York City, New York. During a 40-minute session, Mr. Steele will summarize Werner's business and operations and participate in a Q&A panel discussion with representatives from two other transportation companies. The session will begin at 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Mr. Steele will also conduct meetings with investors during the conference.
Werner will also take part in the 2010 Morgan Keegan Industrial/Transportation Conference on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Steele will present a general business overview of Werner to the investment community and during meetings with investors at the conference. The presentation will begin at 10:15 a.m. (CDT) and will be approximately 35 minutes in length.
A live audio webcast of each Werner conference presentation and Q&A discussion, as well as the investor materials provided by Werner at each conference, will be publicly available, on the respective conference date, on the internet through the "Investor Information" link on the Werner website at www.werner.com. Replays of the audio webcasts and the investor materials will then be archived and accessible by the public on the Werner website during the 30-day period following each individual conference date.
The conference dates and times provided in this press release may be subject to change. Should any such changes occur, Werner may update the information by giving notice on its website, issuing a revised press release, filing a report with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or through other methods of public disclosure. Please consult the Werner website before or on the conference date for any such updated notices, press releases or reports. Also, refer to the forward-looking statement guidance set forth below.
Werner Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1956 and is a premier transportation and logistics company, with coverage throughout North America, Asia, Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. Werner maintains its global headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska and maintains offices in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China and Australia. Werner is among the five largest truckload carriers in the United States, with a diversified portfolio of transportation services that includes dedicated, medium-to-long-haul, regional and local van capacity, expedited, temperature-controlled and flatbed services. Werner's Value Added Services portfolio includes freight management, truck brokerage, intermodal, load/mode and network optimization and freight forwarding. Werner, through its subsidiary companies, is a licensed U.S. NVOCC, U.S. Customs Broker, Class A Freight Forwarder in China, China NVOCC, TSA-approved Indirect Air Carrier and IATA Accredited Cargo Agent.
Werner Enterprises, Inc.'s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market(SM) under the symbol "WERN". For further information about Werner, visit the company's website at www.werner.com.
This press release, as well as the investor materials provided by and the oral public statements made by a Werner representative during the conference presentations, discussions, meetings and webcasts announced in this press release, may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on information presently available to Werner's management and are current only as of the date made. Actual results could also differ materially from those anticipated as a result of a number of factors, including, but not limited to, those discussed in Werner's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009. For those reasons, undue reliance should not be placed on any forward-looking statement. Werner assumes no duty or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, although it may do so from time to time as management believes is warranted or as may be required by applicable securities law. Any such updates or revisions may be made by filing reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, through the issuance of press releases or by other methods of public disclosure.
SOURCE: Werner Enterprises, Inc.
Werner Enterprises, Inc.
John J. Steele, 402-894-3036
Executive Vice President, Treasurer and
Chief Financial Officer
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Recording Industry Wants FM Radio in Cell Phones MANDATORY
The RIAA will look to introduce a provision into Congress's pending legislation, the Performance Rights Act, which would mandate that all cell phones be built with FM radio receivers.
The seemingly bizarre mandate is the keystone of an elaborate game of financial chess between radio broadcasters and the RIAA, with the implied assumption being that Congress will do whatever the pair say.
The RIAA wants to cut the longstanding copyright exemption that allows radio stations to pay less than full performance fees to labels and artists (satellite radio and webcasters, by contrast, pay the full fee). The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) opposes this measure, but is reportedly near a deal with RIAA-led alliance musicFIRST.
Under the deal radio stations would agree to pay $100M USD more to labels and artists, but in exchange the RIAA would back the broadcasters plan to force all cell phones or other mobile devices in the U.S. to feature FM tuners. Speaking with ArsTechnica, musicFIRST commented, "As regards the chip, this is a key issue for the radio industry. musicFIRST, too, likes FM chips in cell phones, PDAs, etc. It gives consumers access to more music choices."
The Consumer Electronics Association, which represents the key players of the electronics industry, is ardently opposed to the plan which it says seeks to impose damaging restrictions on the free market. CEA president Gary Shapiro, "The backroom scheme of the [National Association of Broadcasters] and RIAA to have Congress mandate broadcast radios in portable devices, including mobile phones, is the height of absurdity [and is] not in our national interest."
The seemingly bizarre mandate is the keystone of an elaborate game of financial chess between radio broadcasters and the RIAA, with the implied assumption being that Congress will do whatever the pair say.
The RIAA wants to cut the longstanding copyright exemption that allows radio stations to pay less than full performance fees to labels and artists (satellite radio and webcasters, by contrast, pay the full fee). The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) opposes this measure, but is reportedly near a deal with RIAA-led alliance musicFIRST.
Under the deal radio stations would agree to pay $100M USD more to labels and artists, but in exchange the RIAA would back the broadcasters plan to force all cell phones or other mobile devices in the U.S. to feature FM tuners. Speaking with ArsTechnica, musicFIRST commented, "As regards the chip, this is a key issue for the radio industry. musicFIRST, too, likes FM chips in cell phones, PDAs, etc. It gives consumers access to more music choices."
The Consumer Electronics Association, which represents the key players of the electronics industry, is ardently opposed to the plan which it says seeks to impose damaging restrictions on the free market. CEA president Gary Shapiro, "The backroom scheme of the [National Association of Broadcasters] and RIAA to have Congress mandate broadcast radios in portable devices, including mobile phones, is the height of absurdity [and is] not in our national interest."
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Semiconductor Company Having Telephone Press Call
ALBUQUERQUE, NM, Aug 16, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- EMCORE Corporation (EMKR 0.87, -0.06, -6.45%) , a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components, subsystems and systems for the fiber optics and solar power markets, today announced that the necessity to complete the compilation and review of its financial statements will result in a delay in filing its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2010. The conference call scheduled for 5:00 p.m. EDT on August 16, 2010 will be held as scheduled but will be limited to an update regarding strategic matters and business outlook and will not include a discussion of results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.
EMCORE is currently reviewing the accounting for certain inventory write-downs and the allowance against a specific account receivable that EMCORE has determined should be recorded. EMCORE is considering the effect and significance of these adjustments with respect to prior periods reported. These issues must be completed in order for EMCORE to be in a position to file its quarterly report. In addition, during the quarter, EMCORE has identified material weaknesses in connection with controls for inventory write-downs and controls for revenue cutoff on transactions in the June 30, 2010 quarter. EMCORE intends to file its quarterly report as soon as reasonably practicable.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 ending September 30, 2010, the Company expects consolidated revenue to be in the range of $54 to $56 million with increases in both the Photovoltaics and Fiber Optics segments.
Conference Call Information: To participate in the conference call, U.S. callers should dial (toll free) 877-856-1962 and international callers should dial 719-325-4834. The access code for the call is 8490497. A replay of the call will be available beginning Monday, August 16, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. EDT until August 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The replay call-in number for U.S. callers is 877-870-5176, for international callers it is 858-384-5517 and the access code is 8490497. The call also will be web cast via the Company's web site at http://www.emcore.com. Please go to the site beforehand to download any necessary software.
About EMCORE: EMCORE Corporation is a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components, subsystems and systems for the fiber optics and solar power markets. EMCORE's Photonic Systems segment is the leading developer and manufacturer of fiber-optic systems and components for a wide range of commercial and military applications including microwave fiber-optic signal transmission and processing, satellite earth-stations, fiber-optic gyroscopes, and terahertz sensing. EMCORE's Fiber Optics segment offers optical components, subsystems and systems that enable the transmission of video, voice and data over high-capacity fiber optic cables for high-speed data and telecommunications, cable television (CATV) and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks. EMCORE's Solar Power segment provides solar products for satellite and terrestrial applications. For satellite applications, EMCORE offers high-efficiency compound semiconductor-based gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, covered interconnect cells and fully integrated solar panels. For terrestrial applications, EMCORE offers concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems for utility scale solar applications as well as offering its high-efficiency GaAs solar cells and CPV components for use in solar power concentrator systems. For specific information about our company, our products or the markets we serve, please visit our website at http://www.emcore.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements based on certain assumptions and contingencies that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to EMCORE's ability to complete the necessary work to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2010 and subsequent periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act. The forward-looking statements in this press release involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results, performance or trends to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements herein or in previous disclosures. EMCORE believes that all forward-looking statements made by it have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections as expressed in the forward-looking statements will actually occur or prove to be correct. In addition to general industry and economic conditions, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to factors that could affect EMCORE's business, financial conditions and results of operations included in EMCORE's Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption "Risk Factors," as updated by EMCORE's subsequent filings with the SEC, all of which are available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. EMCORE does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.
Contact:
Victor Allgeier
646-290-6400
vic@ttcominc.com
EMCORE is currently reviewing the accounting for certain inventory write-downs and the allowance against a specific account receivable that EMCORE has determined should be recorded. EMCORE is considering the effect and significance of these adjustments with respect to prior periods reported. These issues must be completed in order for EMCORE to be in a position to file its quarterly report. In addition, during the quarter, EMCORE has identified material weaknesses in connection with controls for inventory write-downs and controls for revenue cutoff on transactions in the June 30, 2010 quarter. EMCORE intends to file its quarterly report as soon as reasonably practicable.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 ending September 30, 2010, the Company expects consolidated revenue to be in the range of $54 to $56 million with increases in both the Photovoltaics and Fiber Optics segments.
Conference Call Information: To participate in the conference call, U.S. callers should dial (toll free) 877-856-1962 and international callers should dial 719-325-4834. The access code for the call is 8490497. A replay of the call will be available beginning Monday, August 16, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. EDT until August 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. The replay call-in number for U.S. callers is 877-870-5176, for international callers it is 858-384-5517 and the access code is 8490497. The call also will be web cast via the Company's web site at http://www.emcore.com. Please go to the site beforehand to download any necessary software.
About EMCORE: EMCORE Corporation is a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components, subsystems and systems for the fiber optics and solar power markets. EMCORE's Photonic Systems segment is the leading developer and manufacturer of fiber-optic systems and components for a wide range of commercial and military applications including microwave fiber-optic signal transmission and processing, satellite earth-stations, fiber-optic gyroscopes, and terahertz sensing. EMCORE's Fiber Optics segment offers optical components, subsystems and systems that enable the transmission of video, voice and data over high-capacity fiber optic cables for high-speed data and telecommunications, cable television (CATV) and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) networks. EMCORE's Solar Power segment provides solar products for satellite and terrestrial applications. For satellite applications, EMCORE offers high-efficiency compound semiconductor-based gallium arsenide (GaAs) solar cells, covered interconnect cells and fully integrated solar panels. For terrestrial applications, EMCORE offers concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems for utility scale solar applications as well as offering its high-efficiency GaAs solar cells and CPV components for use in solar power concentrator systems. For specific information about our company, our products or the markets we serve, please visit our website at http://www.emcore.com.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements based on certain assumptions and contingencies that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to EMCORE's ability to complete the necessary work to file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2010 and subsequent periodic reports under the Securities Exchange Act. The forward-looking statements in this press release involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results, performance or trends to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements herein or in previous disclosures. EMCORE believes that all forward-looking statements made by it have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs or projections as expressed in the forward-looking statements will actually occur or prove to be correct. In addition to general industry and economic conditions, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to factors that could affect EMCORE's business, financial conditions and results of operations included in EMCORE's Annual Report on Form 10-K under the caption "Risk Factors," as updated by EMCORE's subsequent filings with the SEC, all of which are available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. EMCORE does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.
Contact:
Victor Allgeier
646-290-6400
vic@ttcominc.com
Monday, August 16, 2010
Cell Phone Sales are Strong
Cell phones and a slew of emerging devices will power the market for consumer electronics and cell phone Microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors toward solid, uninterrupted growth in 2010 and beyond, according to the market research firm iSuppli.
Revenue for MEMS sensors and actuators used in consumer electronics and mobile handsets is projected to reach $1.5 billion in 2010, up a solid 22.9 percent from $1.3 billion last year. "Unlike most industries, the consumer and mobile MEMS market did not suffer a decline last year - even at the height of the global economic downturn - and growth ranging from 17 percent to as much as 28 percent will continue during the next four years," said Jérémie Bouchaud, principal analyst for MEMS and sensors at iSuppli.
MEMS sensors and actuators are employed in a variety of additional sectors, including data processing - e.g., printers, projectors, copy machines - automotive, and other high-value markets embracing the industrial, medical, wired communications and aerospace-defense segments.
Nonetheless, consumer and mobile MEMS - already among the largest MEMS markets - are projected to become the biggest MEMS space by 2014. Here, sensors find their way into everyday devices such as laptops, MP3 players, remote controllers and portable navigation devices.
In particular, new consumer products will drive existing and future opportunities, iSuppli believes. The MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes used for e-books and slate tablets like the iPad from Apple Inc will amount to $105 million in 2014, compared to an almost negligible $3 million in 2009.
Also helping spur expansion of the consumer and mobile MEMS market are various new emerging devices coming into fruition in 2010 and 2011. Among them are 3-axis gyroscopes, pico-projectors, and RF MEMS switches and varactors, iSuppli data show. All told, new MEMS devices will bring an additional $1.3 billion by 2014, up from a mere $33 million in 2009.
Cell phones, however, remain the dominant segment for consumer and mobile MEMS. In 2010, MEMS sensors and actuators in mobile handsets are forecasted to reach $821.4 million, making up 53.1 percent - well over half - of the market.
Cell phones will continue to be the largest user of consumer and mobile MEMS over the next few years, ahead of consumer projectors, laptops and hard disc drives, game controllers and digital still cameras.
Accelerometers remain the chief MEMS device, netting $557.1 million in revenue for 2010. While their use in gaming controllers and cell phones has either reached saturation or is close to doing so, accelerometers will increase their penetration in laptops and netbooks, and are sure to gain greater exposure in booming categories like e-books and slate tablets.
Other MEMS devices finishing strongly this year, in descending order, are gyroscopes, BAW filters, microphones and MEMS-based displays for projectors.
By 2014, MEMS displays will leap into third place, pushing microphones and BAW filters into the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
Article published on 13th August 2010
Revenue for MEMS sensors and actuators used in consumer electronics and mobile handsets is projected to reach $1.5 billion in 2010, up a solid 22.9 percent from $1.3 billion last year. "Unlike most industries, the consumer and mobile MEMS market did not suffer a decline last year - even at the height of the global economic downturn - and growth ranging from 17 percent to as much as 28 percent will continue during the next four years," said Jérémie Bouchaud, principal analyst for MEMS and sensors at iSuppli.
MEMS sensors and actuators are employed in a variety of additional sectors, including data processing - e.g., printers, projectors, copy machines - automotive, and other high-value markets embracing the industrial, medical, wired communications and aerospace-defense segments.
Nonetheless, consumer and mobile MEMS - already among the largest MEMS markets - are projected to become the biggest MEMS space by 2014. Here, sensors find their way into everyday devices such as laptops, MP3 players, remote controllers and portable navigation devices.
In particular, new consumer products will drive existing and future opportunities, iSuppli believes. The MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes used for e-books and slate tablets like the iPad from Apple Inc will amount to $105 million in 2014, compared to an almost negligible $3 million in 2009.
Also helping spur expansion of the consumer and mobile MEMS market are various new emerging devices coming into fruition in 2010 and 2011. Among them are 3-axis gyroscopes, pico-projectors, and RF MEMS switches and varactors, iSuppli data show. All told, new MEMS devices will bring an additional $1.3 billion by 2014, up from a mere $33 million in 2009.
Cell phones, however, remain the dominant segment for consumer and mobile MEMS. In 2010, MEMS sensors and actuators in mobile handsets are forecasted to reach $821.4 million, making up 53.1 percent - well over half - of the market.
Cell phones will continue to be the largest user of consumer and mobile MEMS over the next few years, ahead of consumer projectors, laptops and hard disc drives, game controllers and digital still cameras.
Accelerometers remain the chief MEMS device, netting $557.1 million in revenue for 2010. While their use in gaming controllers and cell phones has either reached saturation or is close to doing so, accelerometers will increase their penetration in laptops and netbooks, and are sure to gain greater exposure in booming categories like e-books and slate tablets.
Other MEMS devices finishing strongly this year, in descending order, are gyroscopes, BAW filters, microphones and MEMS-based displays for projectors.
By 2014, MEMS displays will leap into third place, pushing microphones and BAW filters into the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.
Article published on 13th August 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Dog Dies of Plague
REGINA, Saskatchewan, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- A dead prairie dog found in a national park in western Canada has been determined to be infected with plague, authorities said.
The prairie dog was discovered in Grasslands National Park in southwestern Saskatchewan, CKOM-AM, Saskatoon, reported. The park has banned pets because they could have fleas or ticks that might bite an infected animal and spread the potentially deadly disease.
Park officials have suggested visitors use insect repellent.
Dr. Saqib Shabab, deputy health officer for the province, said plague, once a major killer, is treatable with antibiotics. But he warned the disease can still be fatal if the early symptoms are ignored.
"You get kind of a painful swelling in the area of the flea bite, and you can get a fever or chills," Shabab said.
Plague, spread by fleas from rats to humans, killed one-third of the population in some regions in Europe in the mid-14th century. The disease is endemic among some wild rodents in the western United States and Canada after spreading from Pacific Coast ports.
The prairie dog was discovered in Grasslands National Park in southwestern Saskatchewan, CKOM-AM, Saskatoon, reported. The park has banned pets because they could have fleas or ticks that might bite an infected animal and spread the potentially deadly disease.
Park officials have suggested visitors use insect repellent.
Dr. Saqib Shabab, deputy health officer for the province, said plague, once a major killer, is treatable with antibiotics. But he warned the disease can still be fatal if the early symptoms are ignored.
"You get kind of a painful swelling in the area of the flea bite, and you can get a fever or chills," Shabab said.
Plague, spread by fleas from rats to humans, killed one-third of the population in some regions in Europe in the mid-14th century. The disease is endemic among some wild rodents in the western United States and Canada after spreading from Pacific Coast ports.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Blackstone Buys Dynergy
RINCETON, N.J., Aug 13, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG 21.96, +0.01, +0.05%) has signed a definitive agreement with an affiliate of The Blackstone Group L.P. to purchase 3,884 megawatts (MW) of Dynegy Inc. assets in California and Maine for $1.36 billion, or $351/kilowatt. In a separate transaction, NRG has agreed to acquire the Cottonwood Generating Station, a 1,279 MW natural gas-fueled plant in the Entergy zone of east Texas, from Kelson Limited Partnership for $525 million, or $410/kilowatt. The Company intends to fund both acquisitions with a combination of cash and other funding sources. Both acquisitions are expected to close by year end.
The assets strengthen NRG's regional and dispatch diversity by greatly expanding the Company's load following mid-merit generation profile. The addition of combined cycle plants in northern California expands capabilities across the state, advances the Company's ability to "firm" renewable resources with highly efficient gas generation, while lowering the overall carbon intensity of NRG's fleet. NRG currently contracts with Cottonwood, one of the newest and most efficient plants in the region, to support current long-term contracts in Louisiana, Arkansas and East Texas. Owning Cottonwood will allow for future contracting opportunities and will enable NRG to provide additional balancing and ancillary services. The Company expects the transactions will be accretive to adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow immediately.
"We've sought for many years to fill the gap in our combined cycle gas portfolio in our core markets,'' said David Crane, President and CEO of NRG Energy. "With these acquisitions of ideally located assets, we are filling that gap in three of our four core regions while furthering our long-standing strategy of being a regionally focused, multi-fuel scale generator with the ability to dispatch our assets efficiently across the merit order in each of our core markets."
Blackstone Senior Managing Director David Foley said, "Blackstone's relationship with NRG began with NRG's acquisition of Texas Genco five years ago and we are pleased to continue that partnership by working together on an exclusive basis to structure this innovative transaction involving the simultaneous sale of certain Dynegy assets to NRG with the closing of Blackstone's acquisition of Dynegy."
Strategic and Financial Benefits
-- Enhances Geographic Diversity and Builds Scale in Core Regions These acquisitions build greater balance across the Company's core operating regions. Capacity in the West region would more than double, constituting 19% of the overall domestic fleet, from 9% currently. South Central region capacity increases from 12% to 14% of the Company's overall installed megawatts in the United States.
-- Improves Emission Intensity and Dispatch Level Diversity By adding 2,839 MW of modern, high-efficiency, combined cycle generation, the Company enhanced its ability to firm renewables, increased mid-merit profile and improved the NRG fleet's fuel diversity. In terms of total fleet output, the Company increased the share of generation from gas- or oil-fueled plants from 11% to 23% (based on 2009 data).
-- Accretes to EBITDA The new asset portfolio is expected to contribute between $175 and $225 million in annualized adjusted EBITDA. Key drivers regarding that contribution are: the high dispatch profile for Casco Bay and Moss Landing 1& 2 due to their favorable merit-order position, location and interconnection to load; a significant portion of the portfolio in California is contracted with highly credit-worthy entities for the next several years; and portfolio synergies provided by Cottonwood to the South Central region's load-following capability.
The assets strengthen NRG's regional and dispatch diversity by greatly expanding the Company's load following mid-merit generation profile. The addition of combined cycle plants in northern California expands capabilities across the state, advances the Company's ability to "firm" renewable resources with highly efficient gas generation, while lowering the overall carbon intensity of NRG's fleet. NRG currently contracts with Cottonwood, one of the newest and most efficient plants in the region, to support current long-term contracts in Louisiana, Arkansas and East Texas. Owning Cottonwood will allow for future contracting opportunities and will enable NRG to provide additional balancing and ancillary services. The Company expects the transactions will be accretive to adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow immediately.
"We've sought for many years to fill the gap in our combined cycle gas portfolio in our core markets,'' said David Crane, President and CEO of NRG Energy. "With these acquisitions of ideally located assets, we are filling that gap in three of our four core regions while furthering our long-standing strategy of being a regionally focused, multi-fuel scale generator with the ability to dispatch our assets efficiently across the merit order in each of our core markets."
Blackstone Senior Managing Director David Foley said, "Blackstone's relationship with NRG began with NRG's acquisition of Texas Genco five years ago and we are pleased to continue that partnership by working together on an exclusive basis to structure this innovative transaction involving the simultaneous sale of certain Dynegy assets to NRG with the closing of Blackstone's acquisition of Dynegy."
Strategic and Financial Benefits
-- Enhances Geographic Diversity and Builds Scale in Core Regions These acquisitions build greater balance across the Company's core operating regions. Capacity in the West region would more than double, constituting 19% of the overall domestic fleet, from 9% currently. South Central region capacity increases from 12% to 14% of the Company's overall installed megawatts in the United States.
-- Improves Emission Intensity and Dispatch Level Diversity By adding 2,839 MW of modern, high-efficiency, combined cycle generation, the Company enhanced its ability to firm renewables, increased mid-merit profile and improved the NRG fleet's fuel diversity. In terms of total fleet output, the Company increased the share of generation from gas- or oil-fueled plants from 11% to 23% (based on 2009 data).
-- Accretes to EBITDA The new asset portfolio is expected to contribute between $175 and $225 million in annualized adjusted EBITDA. Key drivers regarding that contribution are: the high dispatch profile for Casco Bay and Moss Landing 1& 2 due to their favorable merit-order position, location and interconnection to load; a significant portion of the portfolio in California is contracted with highly credit-worthy entities for the next several years; and portfolio synergies provided by Cottonwood to the South Central region's load-following capability.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Debit Card Users on the Rise
HOUSTON, Aug 10, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Additional findings from the 2010 Debit Issuer Study, commissioned by PULSE, reveal new tactics financial institutions are using to encourage greater use of debit cards.
According to the fifth-annual study, 72 percent of issuers view improving the performance of their debit portfolios by increasing penetration, activation and usage as a top priority this year. One of the key tactics issuers are using to accomplish this objective is the deployment of instant issuance technology. With instant issuance, cardholders receive a debit card at the branch as part of the process of opening a demand deposit account, rather than receiving their card in the mail.
In 2009, 35 percent of issuers offered instant issuance in either some or all of their branches, up from 28 percent in 2008. Those institutions considering implementation of instant issuance increased to 36 percent in 2009, from 26 percent a year earlier.
"Although instant issuance can result in higher issuing costs, financial institutions offering instant issuance can benefit from increased profitability, greater customer satisfaction and better security," said Cindy Ballard, executive vice president of PULSE, which released initial findings from the Debit Issuer Study in June.
In addition to instant issuance, the study found that issuers are adopting a "back-to-basics" approach in response to the recession. Many financial institutions are focused on acquiring new account holders and encouraging current customers to use their cards for small-ticket transactions, such as coffee and quick-service restaurants. Issuers also are exploring several approaches to engage debit cardholders through targeted marketing campaigns, offering incentives and emphasizing the benefits of debit over alternative payment methods.
Expanding Debit to Business Customers
To expand their debit portfolios, the study found that many issuers plan to either introduce a new business debit card program or offer debit products to current business account holders. In support of these efforts, some issuers surveyed plan to conduct direct mail campaigns targeted at small business owners.
"Although 70 percent of financial institutions issue business debit cards, this segment comprises only six percent of the total debit card market," said Tony Hayes, partner at Oliver Wyman, which conducted the study for PULSE. "Many issuers are recognizing the untapped potential in the business debit market. Some 30 percent of survey participants named business debit as one of their top growth areas this year."
Enhancing Rewards Programs
The Debit Issuer Study also found that debit card rewards programs are an area of focus for financial institutions this year. The survey showed that 58 percent of financial institutions currently offer a rewards program, up from 53 percent in 2008. Although the number of issuers offering rewards increased, only 17 percent are considering launching a rewards program this year, compared to 24 percent that contemplated initiating a program in 2008.
Even with interest in rewards seemingly waning, 36 percent of issuers identified rewards programs as a growth opportunity in 2010. Some issuers surveyed believe that rewards programs increase overall debit volume, create a competitive differentiation and strengthen relationships with cardholders.
"Uncertainty about the economics of the debit card business post-Regulation E revisions and the Durbin Amendment has increased concerns about the cost and self-sustainability of rewards programs," said Hayes, "but many issuers are placing more emphasis on checking-account-based and relationship programs that could potentially bring more benefit for issuers beyond just spend associated with debit cards."
About the Study
The 2010 Debit Issuer Study is the fifth installment in the study series. The series provides an objective fact base on debit card issuer performance and financial institutions' outlook for the debit card business. Sixty-four financial institutions -- including large banks, credit unions and community banks -- participated in the 2010 study, which was conducted by Oliver Wyman. Collectively, the participants issue 78.7 million debit cards and operate 42,063 ATMs. The sample is representative of the U.S. debit market in terms of institution type, location and debit network participation.
About PULSE
PULSE, a Discover Financial Services (DFS 15.34, +0.01, +0.09%) company, is a leading ATM/debit network, serving more than 4,400 banks, credit unions and savings institutions across the United States. The network links cardholders with ATMs and POS terminals at retail locations nationwide. Through its global ATM network, PULSE provides worldwide cash access for Diners Club and Discover cardholders through hundreds of thousands of ATM locations. The company is also a source of electronic payments research and is committed to providing its participants with education on emerging products, services and trends in the payments industry. For more information, visit www.pulsenetwork.com.
SOURCE: PULSE
PULSE
Anne Rhodes, 832-214-0234
arhodes@pulsenetwork.com
or
GolinHarris
Tara Hanney, 713-513-9561
thanney@golinharris.com
According to the fifth-annual study, 72 percent of issuers view improving the performance of their debit portfolios by increasing penetration, activation and usage as a top priority this year. One of the key tactics issuers are using to accomplish this objective is the deployment of instant issuance technology. With instant issuance, cardholders receive a debit card at the branch as part of the process of opening a demand deposit account, rather than receiving their card in the mail.
In 2009, 35 percent of issuers offered instant issuance in either some or all of their branches, up from 28 percent in 2008. Those institutions considering implementation of instant issuance increased to 36 percent in 2009, from 26 percent a year earlier.
"Although instant issuance can result in higher issuing costs, financial institutions offering instant issuance can benefit from increased profitability, greater customer satisfaction and better security," said Cindy Ballard, executive vice president of PULSE, which released initial findings from the Debit Issuer Study in June.
In addition to instant issuance, the study found that issuers are adopting a "back-to-basics" approach in response to the recession. Many financial institutions are focused on acquiring new account holders and encouraging current customers to use their cards for small-ticket transactions, such as coffee and quick-service restaurants. Issuers also are exploring several approaches to engage debit cardholders through targeted marketing campaigns, offering incentives and emphasizing the benefits of debit over alternative payment methods.
Expanding Debit to Business Customers
To expand their debit portfolios, the study found that many issuers plan to either introduce a new business debit card program or offer debit products to current business account holders. In support of these efforts, some issuers surveyed plan to conduct direct mail campaigns targeted at small business owners.
"Although 70 percent of financial institutions issue business debit cards, this segment comprises only six percent of the total debit card market," said Tony Hayes, partner at Oliver Wyman, which conducted the study for PULSE. "Many issuers are recognizing the untapped potential in the business debit market. Some 30 percent of survey participants named business debit as one of their top growth areas this year."
Enhancing Rewards Programs
The Debit Issuer Study also found that debit card rewards programs are an area of focus for financial institutions this year. The survey showed that 58 percent of financial institutions currently offer a rewards program, up from 53 percent in 2008. Although the number of issuers offering rewards increased, only 17 percent are considering launching a rewards program this year, compared to 24 percent that contemplated initiating a program in 2008.
Even with interest in rewards seemingly waning, 36 percent of issuers identified rewards programs as a growth opportunity in 2010. Some issuers surveyed believe that rewards programs increase overall debit volume, create a competitive differentiation and strengthen relationships with cardholders.
"Uncertainty about the economics of the debit card business post-Regulation E revisions and the Durbin Amendment has increased concerns about the cost and self-sustainability of rewards programs," said Hayes, "but many issuers are placing more emphasis on checking-account-based and relationship programs that could potentially bring more benefit for issuers beyond just spend associated with debit cards."
About the Study
The 2010 Debit Issuer Study is the fifth installment in the study series. The series provides an objective fact base on debit card issuer performance and financial institutions' outlook for the debit card business. Sixty-four financial institutions -- including large banks, credit unions and community banks -- participated in the 2010 study, which was conducted by Oliver Wyman. Collectively, the participants issue 78.7 million debit cards and operate 42,063 ATMs. The sample is representative of the U.S. debit market in terms of institution type, location and debit network participation.
About PULSE
PULSE, a Discover Financial Services (DFS 15.34, +0.01, +0.09%) company, is a leading ATM/debit network, serving more than 4,400 banks, credit unions and savings institutions across the United States. The network links cardholders with ATMs and POS terminals at retail locations nationwide. Through its global ATM network, PULSE provides worldwide cash access for Diners Club and Discover cardholders through hundreds of thousands of ATM locations. The company is also a source of electronic payments research and is committed to providing its participants with education on emerging products, services and trends in the payments industry. For more information, visit www.pulsenetwork.com.
SOURCE: PULSE
PULSE
Anne Rhodes, 832-214-0234
arhodes@pulsenetwork.com
or
GolinHarris
Tara Hanney, 713-513-9561
thanney@golinharris.com
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Next Food Network Star Show
How do you cook the single worst dish in Next Food Network Star history yet sail into the final three without even the threat of elimination? Well, it sure helps if your opponent’s idea of cutting-edge cuisine involves making the saddest piece of pale French toast in the history of the stove-top range. But more on this week’s brilliant Iron Chef challenge in a moment. I’d like to take just a second to ask why, during last week’s episode (sorry I didn’t recap…I got sucked into a whirlpool of Idol news!), Food Network was running ads for a new series called Family Style? Yes, Family Style, which was the proposed title for the series pitched by aggressively chirpy Aria over the last nine weeks. (Although that concept was never as good as her initial pitch to travel to specialty farms, cheese-makers, and wineries, then whip up recipes using their local ingredients.)
Okay, yes, I realize that the winner of Next Food Network Star doesn’t always end up hosting the exact series he or she proposes (otherwise Melissa D’Arabian wouldn’t be the star of Cooking on a Budget of Spare Change Shaken Out from the Barefoot Contessa’s Couch Cushions), but to me, the Family Style ads were a massive spoiler letting us know things were inevitably going to get boiled down to Aarti, Tom, and Herb. Well, unless Food Network changes course and decides it wants to hire this week’s booted contestant because my proposed show title, Aria Speedwagon, is simply too delicioso to ignore.
But I digress, like Aria looking at a butterflied shrimp and spouting off about its “poop chute.” And I have to say, even though this was pretty much a suspense-free episode — you knew Aria was going home the second she couldn’t answer Alton’s “what’s paprika?” query — I still have to applaud the show’s producers for forcing the final four out of their comfort zones and into the Iron Chef arena.
In my mind, Aarti pretty much sealed her season 6 victory when she received the unanimous approval of a team of Iron Chefs. What better way to upgrade yourself from mere “food blogger” status than by having Bobby Flay and Cat Cora telling you they want to team up and open an Indian restaurant with you? Aarti’s coconut-milk-infused gazpacho seemed to embrace the spirit of Iron Chef more than her other two dishes, but let’s be honest: When it comes time to sit down and watch a personality-driven show on Food Network, delicious is going to beat daring pretty much every time, no?
Then again, maybe there’s some kind of crazy concept for Tom where he can experiment with extreme flavor combos in the kitchen — to see which ones work, and which ones falter. Seriously, at this point in the season, “Big Chef” has had almost as many disasters as he’s had triumphs — and that makes him a hard sell as the next Ina Garten or Bobby Flay. But how could you not love the enthusiasm he brought to his bacon crabcake (minus the crab), bacon steak, and bacon French toast with clam and chorizo sauce? Let me reiterate: French toast. With clams. (“I don’t think I’m gonna try that,” gulped Ms. Cora, hearing for the first time what was about to be set in front of her.) On paper, it’s perhaps a little ridiculous Tom didn’t go home for the single worst dish Bob Tuschman has had in the history of Next Food Network Star, especially when he delivered a second dish that had Bobby flay delivering this stinging critique: “The bacon steak, when Susie was trying to cut hers, it seriously sounded like she was trying to cut a boot.”
But hey, at least he tried for greatness in Kitchen Arena. I seriously had to hit the rewind button on my DVR when Aria was dashing around, shrieking, and trying to plate her food, and the camera zoomed in on that pathetic slice of french toast. “Diner food,” sniffed Iron Chef Morimoto, even before the panel had to clutch its collective pearls when Aria listed “bacon” as the last ingredient in her Waldorf salad. Le gasp!
I’m not sure exactly why Herb was so convinced he’d be this week’s booted contestant — unless, of course, there wasn’t enough Muscle Milk and Red Bull in the Kitchen Stadium fridge to keep him in his typically frenetic, fist-pumping, chest-bumping, rage-and-glee mode. (I wanted to vom when he got reteamed with dreadful Paul and shouted, “Salt and pepper to taste, baby!”) Why the selection committee continues to spout the fiction that Herb is “fun to watch” in the kitchen is beyond me. Even Alton Brown described the dude as pacing like “a caged critter,” and it seems like any time Herb steps away from the most standard of fare, he fails. Didn’t you inherently know the minute he said “mousse-stuffed colossal shrimp” that the judges would declare it tasted like garbage?
Anyway, enough kvetching from me. There is now a Team Aarti t-shirt on CafePress, and I have to head into next week’s finale believing she’s taking home the crown. Anyone disagree? Or are any of you (blasphemy!) rooting against Aarti (Party)? Share your thoughts and observations in the comments, and to get all my pop-culture bouillabaisse, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak.
Okay, yes, I realize that the winner of Next Food Network Star doesn’t always end up hosting the exact series he or she proposes (otherwise Melissa D’Arabian wouldn’t be the star of Cooking on a Budget of Spare Change Shaken Out from the Barefoot Contessa’s Couch Cushions), but to me, the Family Style ads were a massive spoiler letting us know things were inevitably going to get boiled down to Aarti, Tom, and Herb. Well, unless Food Network changes course and decides it wants to hire this week’s booted contestant because my proposed show title, Aria Speedwagon, is simply too delicioso to ignore.
But I digress, like Aria looking at a butterflied shrimp and spouting off about its “poop chute.” And I have to say, even though this was pretty much a suspense-free episode — you knew Aria was going home the second she couldn’t answer Alton’s “what’s paprika?” query — I still have to applaud the show’s producers for forcing the final four out of their comfort zones and into the Iron Chef arena.
In my mind, Aarti pretty much sealed her season 6 victory when she received the unanimous approval of a team of Iron Chefs. What better way to upgrade yourself from mere “food blogger” status than by having Bobby Flay and Cat Cora telling you they want to team up and open an Indian restaurant with you? Aarti’s coconut-milk-infused gazpacho seemed to embrace the spirit of Iron Chef more than her other two dishes, but let’s be honest: When it comes time to sit down and watch a personality-driven show on Food Network, delicious is going to beat daring pretty much every time, no?
Then again, maybe there’s some kind of crazy concept for Tom where he can experiment with extreme flavor combos in the kitchen — to see which ones work, and which ones falter. Seriously, at this point in the season, “Big Chef” has had almost as many disasters as he’s had triumphs — and that makes him a hard sell as the next Ina Garten or Bobby Flay. But how could you not love the enthusiasm he brought to his bacon crabcake (minus the crab), bacon steak, and bacon French toast with clam and chorizo sauce? Let me reiterate: French toast. With clams. (“I don’t think I’m gonna try that,” gulped Ms. Cora, hearing for the first time what was about to be set in front of her.) On paper, it’s perhaps a little ridiculous Tom didn’t go home for the single worst dish Bob Tuschman has had in the history of Next Food Network Star, especially when he delivered a second dish that had Bobby flay delivering this stinging critique: “The bacon steak, when Susie was trying to cut hers, it seriously sounded like she was trying to cut a boot.”
But hey, at least he tried for greatness in Kitchen Arena. I seriously had to hit the rewind button on my DVR when Aria was dashing around, shrieking, and trying to plate her food, and the camera zoomed in on that pathetic slice of french toast. “Diner food,” sniffed Iron Chef Morimoto, even before the panel had to clutch its collective pearls when Aria listed “bacon” as the last ingredient in her Waldorf salad. Le gasp!
I’m not sure exactly why Herb was so convinced he’d be this week’s booted contestant — unless, of course, there wasn’t enough Muscle Milk and Red Bull in the Kitchen Stadium fridge to keep him in his typically frenetic, fist-pumping, chest-bumping, rage-and-glee mode. (I wanted to vom when he got reteamed with dreadful Paul and shouted, “Salt and pepper to taste, baby!”) Why the selection committee continues to spout the fiction that Herb is “fun to watch” in the kitchen is beyond me. Even Alton Brown described the dude as pacing like “a caged critter,” and it seems like any time Herb steps away from the most standard of fare, he fails. Didn’t you inherently know the minute he said “mousse-stuffed colossal shrimp” that the judges would declare it tasted like garbage?
Anyway, enough kvetching from me. There is now a Team Aarti t-shirt on CafePress, and I have to head into next week’s finale believing she’s taking home the crown. Anyone disagree? Or are any of you (blasphemy!) rooting against Aarti (Party)? Share your thoughts and observations in the comments, and to get all my pop-culture bouillabaisse, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak.
Monday, August 09, 2010
Sandra Bullock is Teen Favorite
Sandra Bullock didn't walk the blue carpet at the Teen Choice Awards, but that doesn't mean she wasn't there.
The actress, 46, surprised the crowd at L.A.'s Universal Amphitheater on Sunday, when she accepted the award for choice movie actress in a drama for her Oscar-winning role in The Blind Side.
Bullock – dressed in a gray top, black leather pants and high heels – came on stage and thanked cheering fans. "I don't know if you should bring attention to this. Some things are better left unsaid. It's been awhile since I was a teen," she said. "I'm so blessed and lucky. The Blind Side – I got to meet so many good people, so many good lessons I took away from it."
Then, Bullock invited her "sweet friend" Betty White, who she joked hadn't been a teen "since 1919," onto the stage. "I was worried about her fitting in but that's not the problem," Bullock said. "The problem is she was supposed to jump in on my line, so Betty get your ass out on this stage!"
The two then shimmied together to Lil Jon's "Get Low."
Other people to walk away with surfboards included Selena Gomez, Channing Tatum, Taylor Lautner, Megan Fox and the cast of Glee.
Katy Perry, who hosted the event, kicked off the night on a colorful and flashy stage with a performance of her latest song, "Teenage Dream." R&B singer Jason Derulo and Perry's ex-boyfriend Travis McCoy also performed.
Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber accepted an award and performed "U Smile" via satellite.
During the show, the world was also introduced to "the fourth" Kardashian sister, when comedian George Lopez – dressed in drag as "Cougar Kardashian" – joined Kourtney, Khloe and Kim Kardashian on stage to present an award.
The Teen Choice Awards air Monday (8 p.m. EST) on FOX.
The actress, 46, surprised the crowd at L.A.'s Universal Amphitheater on Sunday, when she accepted the award for choice movie actress in a drama for her Oscar-winning role in The Blind Side.
Bullock – dressed in a gray top, black leather pants and high heels – came on stage and thanked cheering fans. "I don't know if you should bring attention to this. Some things are better left unsaid. It's been awhile since I was a teen," she said. "I'm so blessed and lucky. The Blind Side – I got to meet so many good people, so many good lessons I took away from it."
Then, Bullock invited her "sweet friend" Betty White, who she joked hadn't been a teen "since 1919," onto the stage. "I was worried about her fitting in but that's not the problem," Bullock said. "The problem is she was supposed to jump in on my line, so Betty get your ass out on this stage!"
The two then shimmied together to Lil Jon's "Get Low."
Other people to walk away with surfboards included Selena Gomez, Channing Tatum, Taylor Lautner, Megan Fox and the cast of Glee.
Katy Perry, who hosted the event, kicked off the night on a colorful and flashy stage with a performance of her latest song, "Teenage Dream." R&B singer Jason Derulo and Perry's ex-boyfriend Travis McCoy also performed.
Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber accepted an award and performed "U Smile" via satellite.
During the show, the world was also introduced to "the fourth" Kardashian sister, when comedian George Lopez – dressed in drag as "Cougar Kardashian" – joined Kourtney, Khloe and Kim Kardashian on stage to present an award.
The Teen Choice Awards air Monday (8 p.m. EST) on FOX.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Inventor Gets Spotlight with 1 Pedal
In a year that has been littered with recalls and unintended acceleration, one man has a plan. A Japanese inventor whose ideas have pushed aside for two decades has finally been given the spotlight.
The reason? He may have solved a major factor in many cases of unintended acceleration: driver error. Naruse has designed a combination gas/brake pedal pedal that he says reduces the risk of a driver accidentally stepping on the gas when they mean to hit the brakes.
The New York Times’ reports that Masuyuki Naruse, the inventor, wonders “We have a natural tendency to stomp down when we panic…the automakers call it driver error. But what if their design’s all wrong?”
Remember, it was only within the past month that an internal investigation of 2,000 Toyota vehicles, that were said to have had unintentional acceleration, found that the real cause was due to drivers misapplying the gas instead of the brake.
Instead of using a side-by-side set up as all vehicles have now, the Naruse's pedal design uses one pedal. Instead of pushing down to gain speed you nudge the pedal, to the right of the foot, in order to accelerate. To stop, simply apply pressure on the pedal underneath the foot. By arranging the accelerator and brake this way, there is no possible way for a driver to mistakenly stomp down on the wrong pedal and cause an accident.
Although Swedish regulators have begun testing a single pedal design, this new change will not happen smoothly. According to Popular Science the main hurdle “is the need for people the world over to have to relearn the muscle memory they've developed over a lifetime of two-pedal driving.” As a result, it may be years before it passes thorough regulation requirements and gains acceptance from the automobile manufacturers around the globe.
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
The reason? He may have solved a major factor in many cases of unintended acceleration: driver error. Naruse has designed a combination gas/brake pedal pedal that he says reduces the risk of a driver accidentally stepping on the gas when they mean to hit the brakes.
The New York Times’ reports that Masuyuki Naruse, the inventor, wonders “We have a natural tendency to stomp down when we panic…the automakers call it driver error. But what if their design’s all wrong?”
Remember, it was only within the past month that an internal investigation of 2,000 Toyota vehicles, that were said to have had unintentional acceleration, found that the real cause was due to drivers misapplying the gas instead of the brake.
Instead of using a side-by-side set up as all vehicles have now, the Naruse's pedal design uses one pedal. Instead of pushing down to gain speed you nudge the pedal, to the right of the foot, in order to accelerate. To stop, simply apply pressure on the pedal underneath the foot. By arranging the accelerator and brake this way, there is no possible way for a driver to mistakenly stomp down on the wrong pedal and cause an accident.
Although Swedish regulators have begun testing a single pedal design, this new change will not happen smoothly. According to Popular Science the main hurdle “is the need for people the world over to have to relearn the muscle memory they've developed over a lifetime of two-pedal driving.” As a result, it may be years before it passes thorough regulation requirements and gains acceptance from the automobile manufacturers around the globe.
If you're in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year's best cars as well as this month's best car deals.
Saturday, August 07, 2010
Entrepreneurial Women Wanted
Monica Smiley, publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women magazine (http://www.enterprisingwomen.com), has named Kim Kleeman, Jeffrey Landers, Lisa K. Matthews and Betsy Weaver as Enterprising Women National Advisory Board members.
Kleeman is a former educator turned business woman. She is president and CEO of Shakespeare Squared, a company specializing in developing quality content in both print and digital formats. Focusing on Prek-12 educational materials, corporate communications and social media services, Shakespeare Squared customizes teams of staff editors and freelancers from its network of more than 1,000 educators and professionals in order to deliver excellence to publishers and businesses through proven editorial and production expertise. Kleeman is a member of Vistage International and the Women’s President Organization. She was named one of Chicago Crain’s 40 Under 40 award recipients in 2008, and in 2009, she was honored as an Influential Woman in Business, an award presented by The Business Ledger, a Chicago area business news publication, in partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners – Chicago area chapter (NAWBO).
Landers is president and founder of Bedrock Divorce Advisors and Bedrock Wealth Management. A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™, Landers is also a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ and financial advisor. Previously a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, Landers started his divorce practice helping those who were going through financially complicated divorces. He assisted business owners and professional practices with succession and exit planning strategies, and provided retirement planning and investment advice to attorneys, senior executives and other professionals. With more than three decades of business experience, Landers applies expertise in divorce financial analysis, asset protection, real estate, small business ownership, and retirement and investment planning to each engagement. He is a published book author and has written many business articles for online and print publications, including the New York Post, Microsoft and a monthly column for Inc.
Matthews is a registered financial advisor and investment manager with Winslow, Evans & Crocker, Inc. The company is a full-service investment management and financial advisory firm, with experts and resources in multiple areas of financial management. Prior to joining Winslow, Evans & Crocker, Inc., Matthews was managing principal for North American Management. Her experience includes working at and running several financial services firms over the past 20 years, including the successful turnaround of three companies, the merger of two businesses and the sale of two businesses. Matthews was named to the Top Ten Financial Professionals list by Women’s Business newspaper, was awarded with the prestigious Pinnacle Award by the Boston Chamber of Commerce, and was selected as Woman Business Owner of the Year by the Massachusetts Women Business Owners Association. She sits on the board of directors for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
Weaver is recognized nationally as a leader in family media and support, having worked in the public sector as a member of the Department of Education in the Carter administration as well as in the private sector as founder, president and CEO of Parents Plus, Inc. and Families Plus, LLC. She was one of the founders of the regional parenting niche industry, having launched and published the nationally acclaimed The Boston Parents Paper. Weaver received the coveted Parenting Publication of America’s Distinguished Publishers Award for her roles in family media and was recently awarded the 2009 Family Advocate Award by Parenthood Web. She holds a master’s degree and a doctorate degree in social policy and trend analysis from Harvard University, and speaks widely on work, family issues, and on providers “working smart” by using technology to better serve and connect with families.
Members of the Enterprising Women National Advisory Board provide advice to the publication’s staff to tailor the magazine to meet the needs of entrepreneurial women.
Quotes:
“We are excited to add four new members to the Enterprising Women National Advisory Board,” said Smiley. “The Board is comprised of a select group of the country’s most innovative and influential business women and men, and I am confident that Kim, Jeffrey, Lisa and Betsy will make extraordinary additions.”
About Enterprising Women Magazine:
Enterprising Women magazine (http://www.enterprisingwomen.com), headquartered in Cary, NC, is the nation’s only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. The magazine provides a friendly meeting place, a public forum, and a national stage for the critical issues confronting women’s businesses and daily lives from the unique perspectives and experiences of entrepreneurial women. Each spring, the magazine hosts its renowned Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration, an annual tribute to the top women entrepreneurs in North America.
Jill Mastrangelo
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
jill@mmipublicrelations.com
http://twitter.com/MMIPR
http://www.mmipublicrelations.com
Kleeman is a former educator turned business woman. She is president and CEO of Shakespeare Squared, a company specializing in developing quality content in both print and digital formats. Focusing on Prek-12 educational materials, corporate communications and social media services, Shakespeare Squared customizes teams of staff editors and freelancers from its network of more than 1,000 educators and professionals in order to deliver excellence to publishers and businesses through proven editorial and production expertise. Kleeman is a member of Vistage International and the Women’s President Organization. She was named one of Chicago Crain’s 40 Under 40 award recipients in 2008, and in 2009, she was honored as an Influential Woman in Business, an award presented by The Business Ledger, a Chicago area business news publication, in partnership with the National Association of Women Business Owners – Chicago area chapter (NAWBO).
Landers is president and founder of Bedrock Divorce Advisors and Bedrock Wealth Management. A Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™, Landers is also a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor™ and financial advisor. Previously a financial advisor with Wells Fargo Advisors, Landers started his divorce practice helping those who were going through financially complicated divorces. He assisted business owners and professional practices with succession and exit planning strategies, and provided retirement planning and investment advice to attorneys, senior executives and other professionals. With more than three decades of business experience, Landers applies expertise in divorce financial analysis, asset protection, real estate, small business ownership, and retirement and investment planning to each engagement. He is a published book author and has written many business articles for online and print publications, including the New York Post, Microsoft and a monthly column for Inc.
Matthews is a registered financial advisor and investment manager with Winslow, Evans & Crocker, Inc. The company is a full-service investment management and financial advisory firm, with experts and resources in multiple areas of financial management. Prior to joining Winslow, Evans & Crocker, Inc., Matthews was managing principal for North American Management. Her experience includes working at and running several financial services firms over the past 20 years, including the successful turnaround of three companies, the merger of two businesses and the sale of two businesses. Matthews was named to the Top Ten Financial Professionals list by Women’s Business newspaper, was awarded with the prestigious Pinnacle Award by the Boston Chamber of Commerce, and was selected as Woman Business Owner of the Year by the Massachusetts Women Business Owners Association. She sits on the board of directors for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce.
Weaver is recognized nationally as a leader in family media and support, having worked in the public sector as a member of the Department of Education in the Carter administration as well as in the private sector as founder, president and CEO of Parents Plus, Inc. and Families Plus, LLC. She was one of the founders of the regional parenting niche industry, having launched and published the nationally acclaimed The Boston Parents Paper. Weaver received the coveted Parenting Publication of America’s Distinguished Publishers Award for her roles in family media and was recently awarded the 2009 Family Advocate Award by Parenthood Web. She holds a master’s degree and a doctorate degree in social policy and trend analysis from Harvard University, and speaks widely on work, family issues, and on providers “working smart” by using technology to better serve and connect with families.
Members of the Enterprising Women National Advisory Board provide advice to the publication’s staff to tailor the magazine to meet the needs of entrepreneurial women.
Quotes:
“We are excited to add four new members to the Enterprising Women National Advisory Board,” said Smiley. “The Board is comprised of a select group of the country’s most innovative and influential business women and men, and I am confident that Kim, Jeffrey, Lisa and Betsy will make extraordinary additions.”
About Enterprising Women Magazine:
Enterprising Women magazine (http://www.enterprisingwomen.com), headquartered in Cary, NC, is the nation’s only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. The magazine provides a friendly meeting place, a public forum, and a national stage for the critical issues confronting women’s businesses and daily lives from the unique perspectives and experiences of entrepreneurial women. Each spring, the magazine hosts its renowned Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration, an annual tribute to the top women entrepreneurs in North America.
Jill Mastrangelo
MMI Public Relations
(919) 233-6600
jill@mmipublicrelations.com
http://twitter.com/MMIPR
http://www.mmipublicrelations.com
Friday, August 06, 2010
Andrea's Art Boutique on 76 Bush Road
you are looking for that perfect gift for an upcoming wedding or other special occasion, give a special handcrafted gift you can find in your own back yard.Andrea's Art Boutique on 76 Bush Road in Willseyville has unique, handcrafted art done by Andrea Presnell Leonard.
Andrea was born and raised in New England by Virgil and Ellen Sorenson; her father was an artist who delved into photography and carpentry as well. The third of three girls, Andrea was what her Mama called a "special-delivery" child, coming along later in life for her parents. Early in her young life, Andrea would learn to use her natural-born talent to draw and capture the world around her.
Newly married, at the age of 24, Andrea would find herself moving to South Carolina, where she ended up studying at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art in Augusta, Ga., and would get involved in doing shows of her talent while raising her two children.
From 1995 until 2000, Andrea worked for the Yancy Company out of Charleston, which boasted hand-painted and handcrafted items for the home, all done by artists like Andrea. While working, she also would try new forms of art, such as glass painting and etching, worked on illustrations, decorative boxes and so much more. Always looking into new art forms and new ideas to help keep her shows fresh and interesting, Andrea was able to help support her family with her God-given talents.
Andrea was even one of the artists in the Piccolo Spoleto Art Show, a two-week celebration of performing literary and visual arts that takes over Charleston each year. Andrea was part of the celebration for about eight years. Piccolo Spoleto started in 1979 to accompany the classical music-oriented Spoleto Festival USA, and just keeps growing, bringing in talent from all over the United States, but especially focusing on local talent as well.
For her last five years in South Carolina, she also worked as a dental technician. She got to know the patients and one woman in particular would introduce her to her father; he would end up falling in love and marrying Andrea, bringing her to the Finger Lakes region of New York. Her new husband, George Leonard, has been very supportive, Andrea says, and allows her to work once again on her art work.
(2 of 2)
Residents of the area can see some of Andrea's talent at the new business in Candor, Main Street Spirits, right next to the Candor Market. Both businesses are owned by Lloyd and Teresa Twarz.
Examples of her painting talent, as well as custom, handmade crafted wood wine boxes and trays can be seen. Call 659-4534 for pricing or to place orders, and check out examples of her talent at Andrea's Art Boutique at her web site: www.andreasartboutique.net.
Volunteers Needed
The Candor Emergency Squad takes pride in helping the Candor community, responding to more than 500 calls a year, meeting emergency needs 24/7. Currently, the squad has 13 active, responding basic EMT's, three advanced life-support medics, two first-responders, and five drivers, but they need more help.
EMT classes begin the middle of August and are offered for free to Candor Emergency Squad members. There also is a critical need for drivers, and the driver training is free and you don't need a CDL license.
Volunteers do have to reside in the Town or Village of Candor. If you would like to join this needed group, or want more information, please call the EMS business office at 659-5529 and leave a message. Someone will get back to you ASAP.
Happenings
The Candor Fire Company Auxiliary will hold a free-will donation chicken-and-biscuit dinner 3 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14, at the Candor Fire Station on 74 Owego Road (Route 96B).
A community yard sale is being planned by the Candor Fire Company Auxiliary for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 3-4 at the Candor Fire Station. Inside table rental is $15 per table ($7.50 a day), and outside space for tents is $10 per space ($5 a day). Food vendors are welcome, as well as arts and crafts, antique dealers and more. Call Christina Shaylor at 972-4427, or Nick at 972-5794 to reserve your spot.
Next Page
1 | 2
Candor Town Talk appears every other Friday. Submit items to Anne O. Stout at 659-5681 or oakstout@twcny.rr.com.
Andrea was born and raised in New England by Virgil and Ellen Sorenson; her father was an artist who delved into photography and carpentry as well. The third of three girls, Andrea was what her Mama called a "special-delivery" child, coming along later in life for her parents. Early in her young life, Andrea would learn to use her natural-born talent to draw and capture the world around her.
Newly married, at the age of 24, Andrea would find herself moving to South Carolina, where she ended up studying at the Gertrude Herbert Institute of Art in Augusta, Ga., and would get involved in doing shows of her talent while raising her two children.
From 1995 until 2000, Andrea worked for the Yancy Company out of Charleston, which boasted hand-painted and handcrafted items for the home, all done by artists like Andrea. While working, she also would try new forms of art, such as glass painting and etching, worked on illustrations, decorative boxes and so much more. Always looking into new art forms and new ideas to help keep her shows fresh and interesting, Andrea was able to help support her family with her God-given talents.
Andrea was even one of the artists in the Piccolo Spoleto Art Show, a two-week celebration of performing literary and visual arts that takes over Charleston each year. Andrea was part of the celebration for about eight years. Piccolo Spoleto started in 1979 to accompany the classical music-oriented Spoleto Festival USA, and just keeps growing, bringing in talent from all over the United States, but especially focusing on local talent as well.
For her last five years in South Carolina, she also worked as a dental technician. She got to know the patients and one woman in particular would introduce her to her father; he would end up falling in love and marrying Andrea, bringing her to the Finger Lakes region of New York. Her new husband, George Leonard, has been very supportive, Andrea says, and allows her to work once again on her art work.
(2 of 2)
Residents of the area can see some of Andrea's talent at the new business in Candor, Main Street Spirits, right next to the Candor Market. Both businesses are owned by Lloyd and Teresa Twarz.
Examples of her painting talent, as well as custom, handmade crafted wood wine boxes and trays can be seen. Call 659-4534 for pricing or to place orders, and check out examples of her talent at Andrea's Art Boutique at her web site: www.andreasartboutique.net.
Volunteers Needed
The Candor Emergency Squad takes pride in helping the Candor community, responding to more than 500 calls a year, meeting emergency needs 24/7. Currently, the squad has 13 active, responding basic EMT's, three advanced life-support medics, two first-responders, and five drivers, but they need more help.
EMT classes begin the middle of August and are offered for free to Candor Emergency Squad members. There also is a critical need for drivers, and the driver training is free and you don't need a CDL license.
Volunteers do have to reside in the Town or Village of Candor. If you would like to join this needed group, or want more information, please call the EMS business office at 659-5529 and leave a message. Someone will get back to you ASAP.
Happenings
The Candor Fire Company Auxiliary will hold a free-will donation chicken-and-biscuit dinner 3 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14, at the Candor Fire Station on 74 Owego Road (Route 96B).
A community yard sale is being planned by the Candor Fire Company Auxiliary for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 3-4 at the Candor Fire Station. Inside table rental is $15 per table ($7.50 a day), and outside space for tents is $10 per space ($5 a day). Food vendors are welcome, as well as arts and crafts, antique dealers and more. Call Christina Shaylor at 972-4427, or Nick at 972-5794 to reserve your spot.
Next Page
1 | 2
Candor Town Talk appears every other Friday. Submit items to Anne O. Stout at 659-5681 or oakstout@twcny.rr.com.
Thursday, August 05, 2010
California Judge Says Gay Marriage Exclusion Illegal
By LISA LEFF (AP) – 1 hour ago
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge overturned California's same-sex marriage ban Wednesday in a landmark case that could eventually land before the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if gays have a constitutional right to marry in America.
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker made his ruling in a lawsuit filed by two gay couples who claimed the voter-approved ban violated their civil rights.
Gay couples waving rainbow and American flags outside the courthouse cheered, hugged and kissed as word of the ruling spread.
"This is a victory for the American people. It's a victory for our justice system," said former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson, who delivered the closing argument at trial for opponents of the ban.
He said the ruling "vindicates the rights of a minority of our citizens to be treated with decency and respect and equality in our system."
Despite the favorable ruling for same-sex couples, gay marriage will not be allowed to resume immediately. Judge Walker said he wants to decide whether his order should be suspended while the proponents of the ban pursue their appeal in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The judge ordered both sides to submit written arguments by Aug. 6 on the issue.
Supporters argued the ban was necessary to safeguard the traditional understanding of marriage and to encourage responsible childbearing.
California voters passed the ban as Proposition 8 in November 2008, five months after the state Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.
Walker, however, found that the gay marriage ban violates the Constitution's due process and equal protection clauses while failing "to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license."
"Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples," the judge wrote in his 136-page ruling.
Both sides previously said an appeal was certain if Walker did not rule in their favor. The case would go first to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, then the Supreme Court if the high court justices agree to review it.
Walker heard 13 days of testimony and arguments since January during the first trial in federal court to examine if states can prohibit gays from getting married.
The ruling puts Walker at the forefront of the gay marriage debate. The longtime federal judge was appointed by President Ronald Reagan.
The verdict was the second in a federal gay marriage case to come down in recent weeks. A federal judge in Massachusetts decided last month the state's legally married gay couples had been wrongly denied the federal financial benefits of marriage because of a law preventing the U.S. government from recognizing same-sex unions.
The plaintiffs in the California case presented 18 witnesses. Academic experts testified about topics ranging from the fitness of gay parents and religious views on homosexuality to the historical meaning of marriage and the political influence of the gay rights movement.
During trial, Olson told Judge Walker that tradition or fears of harm to heterosexual unions were legally insufficient grounds to discriminate against gay couples.
Olson teamed up with David Boies to argue the case, bringing together the two litigators best known for representing George W. Bush and Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election.
Defense lawyers called just two witnesses, claiming they did not need to present expert testimony because U.S. Supreme Court precedent was on their side. The attorneys also said gay marriage was an experiment with unknown social consequences that should be left to voters to accept or reject.
Former U.S. Justice Department lawyer Charles Cooper, who represented the religious and conservative groups that sponsored the ban, said cultures around the world, previous courts and Congress all accepted the "common sense belief that children do best when they are raised by their own mother and father."
In an unusual move, the original defendants, California Attorney General Jerry Brown and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, refused to support Proposition 8 in court.
That left the work of defending the law to Protect Marriage, the group that successfully sponsored the ballot measure that passed with 52 percent of the vote after the most expensive political campaign on a social issue in U.S. history.
Currently, same-sex couples can only legally wed in Massachusetts, Iowa, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
SAN FRANCISCO — A federal judge overturned California's same-sex marriage ban Wednesday in a landmark case that could eventually land before the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if gays have a constitutional right to marry in America.
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker made his ruling in a lawsuit filed by two gay couples who claimed the voter-approved ban violated their civil rights.
Gay couples waving rainbow and American flags outside the courthouse cheered, hugged and kissed as word of the ruling spread.
"This is a victory for the American people. It's a victory for our justice system," said former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olson, who delivered the closing argument at trial for opponents of the ban.
He said the ruling "vindicates the rights of a minority of our citizens to be treated with decency and respect and equality in our system."
Despite the favorable ruling for same-sex couples, gay marriage will not be allowed to resume immediately. Judge Walker said he wants to decide whether his order should be suspended while the proponents of the ban pursue their appeal in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The judge ordered both sides to submit written arguments by Aug. 6 on the issue.
Supporters argued the ban was necessary to safeguard the traditional understanding of marriage and to encourage responsible childbearing.
California voters passed the ban as Proposition 8 in November 2008, five months after the state Supreme Court legalized gay marriage.
Walker, however, found that the gay marriage ban violates the Constitution's due process and equal protection clauses while failing "to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license."
"Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples," the judge wrote in his 136-page ruling.
Both sides previously said an appeal was certain if Walker did not rule in their favor. The case would go first to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, then the Supreme Court if the high court justices agree to review it.
Walker heard 13 days of testimony and arguments since January during the first trial in federal court to examine if states can prohibit gays from getting married.
The ruling puts Walker at the forefront of the gay marriage debate. The longtime federal judge was appointed by President Ronald Reagan.
The verdict was the second in a federal gay marriage case to come down in recent weeks. A federal judge in Massachusetts decided last month the state's legally married gay couples had been wrongly denied the federal financial benefits of marriage because of a law preventing the U.S. government from recognizing same-sex unions.
The plaintiffs in the California case presented 18 witnesses. Academic experts testified about topics ranging from the fitness of gay parents and religious views on homosexuality to the historical meaning of marriage and the political influence of the gay rights movement.
During trial, Olson told Judge Walker that tradition or fears of harm to heterosexual unions were legally insufficient grounds to discriminate against gay couples.
Olson teamed up with David Boies to argue the case, bringing together the two litigators best known for representing George W. Bush and Al Gore in the disputed 2000 election.
Defense lawyers called just two witnesses, claiming they did not need to present expert testimony because U.S. Supreme Court precedent was on their side. The attorneys also said gay marriage was an experiment with unknown social consequences that should be left to voters to accept or reject.
Former U.S. Justice Department lawyer Charles Cooper, who represented the religious and conservative groups that sponsored the ban, said cultures around the world, previous courts and Congress all accepted the "common sense belief that children do best when they are raised by their own mother and father."
In an unusual move, the original defendants, California Attorney General Jerry Brown and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, refused to support Proposition 8 in court.
That left the work of defending the law to Protect Marriage, the group that successfully sponsored the ballot measure that passed with 52 percent of the vote after the most expensive political campaign on a social issue in U.S. history.
Currently, same-sex couples can only legally wed in Massachusetts, Iowa, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Washington, D.C.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Politics, Women and the Supreme Court
By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS (AP) – 3 hours ago
WASHINGTON — Democrats and Republicans presented dueling portraits Tuesday of Elena Kagan and the Supreme Court she's seeking to join at the start of a politically charged debate over her fitness to be a justice, making what amounted to closing arguments before a near-certain confirmation vote by week's end.
Democrats praised President Barack Obama's nominee as a highly qualified legal scholar who would add a sorely needed note of fairness and common sense to a court they described as dominated by a conservative majority run amok.
"She'll base her approach to deciding cases on the law and the Constitution, not on politics, not on an ideological agenda," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He said today's Supreme Court is populated by "activist conservative members" who substitute their own judgment for lawmakers'.
Republicans countered that Kagan is an inexperienced, disingenuous nominee who would abuse her post by bending the law to suit a liberal agenda.
"I don't think it's a secret. I think this is pretty well known that this is not a judge committed to restraint, (or) objectivity," said Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the top Judiciary Committee Republican. Her past actions and testimony indicate she'd be "an activist, liberal, progressive, politically minded judge who will not be happy simply to decide cases but will seek to advance her causes under the guise of judging."
Even her harshest critics acknowledged there was no doubt about the debate's outcome and the vote expected Thursday.
"I hope I'm wrong about soon-to-be Justice Kagan," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said.
In line to become the fourth woman ever to sit on the court, Kagan is not expected to alter its ideological balance in succeeding retired Justice John Paul Stevens — himself a leader of the Supreme Court's liberal wing.
Even as senators spoke passionately on the Senate floor about granting Kagan a lifetime position on the nation's highest court, the Supreme Court debate was drawing remarkably little attention on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers preparing for midterm congressional elections are preoccupied by bad economic news and the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill.
Kagan earned barely a mention at Democrats' and Republicans' news conferences Tuesday — and then only as the last on a laundry list of things left to do before senators depart for a monthlong vacation.
Despite the partisan divide, Kagan was on track for easy confirmation with the support of nearly all Democrats and a handful of GOP senators.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was the first of five Republicans to announce he'd break with his party to back Kagan, said he was voting "yes" because she's qualified for the job, and senators should respect presidents' prerogatives to choose like-minded Supreme Court nominees — regardless of party.
"I don't vote for her expecting her to do anything other than what she thinks is right, ruling with the court most of the time in a way that a Republican nominee would not have ruled," Graham said. "She is not someone I would have chosen, but it's not my job to choose. It's President's Obama's job and he earned that right."
Graham has been under fire from conservative groups for supporting Kagan, as have been the other GOP senators who have announced plans to do so: Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, retiring Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar.
For his part, Sessions implored Democrats to take a second look at Obama's nominee, clearly hoping to persuade those from conservative-leaning states to vote "no."
"We're not lemmings here. We have a constitutional duty to make an independent decision," Sessions said.
Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is the only Democrat so far to say he plans to oppose Kagan.
Republicans outlined grave concerns about Kagan's fitness for the bench, arguing that her record as a Clinton administration aide and in legal academia suggests she puts her political views first and the law second.
GOP critics were particularly harsh in their criticism of Kagan's decision as dean of Harvard Law School to bar military recruiters from the campus career services office because of the policy against openly gay soldiers. They also criticized her for failing as solicitor general to contest a legal challenge to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military.
"What we do know is that Ms. Kagan has a history of ignoring the law when it conflicts with the gay-rights agenda," charged Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. He said he also was concerned about Kagan's "leftist ideology" and its potential to influence her rulings.
Kagan has answered the recruitment charges by saying she was merely trying to comply with the university's nondiscrimination policy. She told senators she didn't pursue the "don't ask, don't tell" case because she had made a strategic decision to wait before taking action.
Leahy launched a pre-emptive defense of Kagan, calling her views "mainstream," and saying she has "demonstrated her respect for the rule of law, her appreciation for the separation of powers and her understanding of the meaning of our Constitution."
Some of Kagan's opponents said they weren't comfortable voting for her because the nominee, who wrote a law review article in the 1990s bashing would-be justices for obfuscating at their confirmation hearings, had managed to reveal so little about what kind of justice she would be.
"Because she has gone out of her way, quite frankly, not to answer questions, I have no idea what she'll do on the bench, or whether she will be able to suppress her own values to apply the law," said Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, one of several Republicans who broke with his party last year to back Obama's first high court nominee, Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Voinovich said he could not do the same this time.
"The fact is we really don't know much about what her views are," he said.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON — Democrats and Republicans presented dueling portraits Tuesday of Elena Kagan and the Supreme Court she's seeking to join at the start of a politically charged debate over her fitness to be a justice, making what amounted to closing arguments before a near-certain confirmation vote by week's end.
Democrats praised President Barack Obama's nominee as a highly qualified legal scholar who would add a sorely needed note of fairness and common sense to a court they described as dominated by a conservative majority run amok.
"She'll base her approach to deciding cases on the law and the Constitution, not on politics, not on an ideological agenda," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He said today's Supreme Court is populated by "activist conservative members" who substitute their own judgment for lawmakers'.
Republicans countered that Kagan is an inexperienced, disingenuous nominee who would abuse her post by bending the law to suit a liberal agenda.
"I don't think it's a secret. I think this is pretty well known that this is not a judge committed to restraint, (or) objectivity," said Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the top Judiciary Committee Republican. Her past actions and testimony indicate she'd be "an activist, liberal, progressive, politically minded judge who will not be happy simply to decide cases but will seek to advance her causes under the guise of judging."
Even her harshest critics acknowledged there was no doubt about the debate's outcome and the vote expected Thursday.
"I hope I'm wrong about soon-to-be Justice Kagan," Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said.
In line to become the fourth woman ever to sit on the court, Kagan is not expected to alter its ideological balance in succeeding retired Justice John Paul Stevens — himself a leader of the Supreme Court's liberal wing.
Even as senators spoke passionately on the Senate floor about granting Kagan a lifetime position on the nation's highest court, the Supreme Court debate was drawing remarkably little attention on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers preparing for midterm congressional elections are preoccupied by bad economic news and the aftermath of the Gulf oil spill.
Kagan earned barely a mention at Democrats' and Republicans' news conferences Tuesday — and then only as the last on a laundry list of things left to do before senators depart for a monthlong vacation.
Despite the partisan divide, Kagan was on track for easy confirmation with the support of nearly all Democrats and a handful of GOP senators.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who was the first of five Republicans to announce he'd break with his party to back Kagan, said he was voting "yes" because she's qualified for the job, and senators should respect presidents' prerogatives to choose like-minded Supreme Court nominees — regardless of party.
"I don't vote for her expecting her to do anything other than what she thinks is right, ruling with the court most of the time in a way that a Republican nominee would not have ruled," Graham said. "She is not someone I would have chosen, but it's not my job to choose. It's President's Obama's job and he earned that right."
Graham has been under fire from conservative groups for supporting Kagan, as have been the other GOP senators who have announced plans to do so: Maine Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, retiring Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire and Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar.
For his part, Sessions implored Democrats to take a second look at Obama's nominee, clearly hoping to persuade those from conservative-leaning states to vote "no."
"We're not lemmings here. We have a constitutional duty to make an independent decision," Sessions said.
Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is the only Democrat so far to say he plans to oppose Kagan.
Republicans outlined grave concerns about Kagan's fitness for the bench, arguing that her record as a Clinton administration aide and in legal academia suggests she puts her political views first and the law second.
GOP critics were particularly harsh in their criticism of Kagan's decision as dean of Harvard Law School to bar military recruiters from the campus career services office because of the policy against openly gay soldiers. They also criticized her for failing as solicitor general to contest a legal challenge to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military.
"What we do know is that Ms. Kagan has a history of ignoring the law when it conflicts with the gay-rights agenda," charged Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. He said he also was concerned about Kagan's "leftist ideology" and its potential to influence her rulings.
Kagan has answered the recruitment charges by saying she was merely trying to comply with the university's nondiscrimination policy. She told senators she didn't pursue the "don't ask, don't tell" case because she had made a strategic decision to wait before taking action.
Leahy launched a pre-emptive defense of Kagan, calling her views "mainstream," and saying she has "demonstrated her respect for the rule of law, her appreciation for the separation of powers and her understanding of the meaning of our Constitution."
Some of Kagan's opponents said they weren't comfortable voting for her because the nominee, who wrote a law review article in the 1990s bashing would-be justices for obfuscating at their confirmation hearings, had managed to reveal so little about what kind of justice she would be.
"Because she has gone out of her way, quite frankly, not to answer questions, I have no idea what she'll do on the bench, or whether she will be able to suppress her own values to apply the law," said Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, one of several Republicans who broke with his party last year to back Obama's first high court nominee, Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Voinovich said he could not do the same this time.
"The fact is we really don't know much about what her views are," he said.
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Western Gas Buying Assets from Anadarko Petroleum
HOUSTON, Aug 02, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Western Gas Partners, LP (WES 24.50, +0.54, +2.25%) today announced that it has agreed to acquire the Wattenberg gathering system and related assets located in the DJ Basin of northeastern Colorado from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC 53.17, -0.10, -0.19%) for total consideration of $498 million.
"We are very excited to move into another liquids-rich basin with the acquisition of the Wattenberg assets, where producers are experiencing strong economic returns," said Western Gas Partners' President and Chief Executive Officer Don Sinclair. "We expect the transaction to be immediately accretive to distributable cash flow. Furthermore, the ongoing developments from horizontal drilling in the basin, as well as the emerging horizontal Niobrara play provide substantial organic growth potential for these assets."
Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Western Gas will purchase Anadarko's 100-percent ownership interest in Kerr-McGee Gathering LLC, which owns the 1,734-mile Wattenberg gathering system and related facilities, including the Fort Lupton processing plant with capacity of 105 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). The average throughput on the gathering system for the second quarter of 2010 was approximately 275 MMcf/d, with Anadarko's equity throughput representing approximately 60 percent of this amount.
Contracts covering Anadarko-affiliated throughput were recently converted to a 10-year, fee-based agreement. Given the change to the affiliate contracts, historic financial results are not reflective of future performance. The acquisition price represents an approximate 8.2x multiple of the assets' forecasted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the next 12 months.
To manage the remaining commodity-price risk associated with these assets, the Partnership and Anadarko will enter into five-year, fixed-price commodity swap agreements.
"Consistent with the swap arrangements put in place with previous transactions, these agreements will cover all non-fee-based system volumes and keep our distributable cash flow largely insulated from changes in commodity prices," said Sinclair.
Western Gas expects the acquisition to be financed through (i) a bank-syndicated $250 million unsecured term loan scheduled to close concurrent with the transaction, (ii) a $200 million draw on the Partnership's revolving credit facility, (iii) $23.1 million of cash on hand, and (iv) the issuance of 1,048,196 common units to Anadarko and 21,392 general partner units to Western Gas Holdings, LLC, the Partnership's general partner, at an implied price of approximately $23.28 per unit.
In addition, Western Gas also expects to exercise the accordion feature on its revolving credit facility to increase total commitments from $350 million to $450 million, leaving $140 million in available borrowing capacity under the facility after the Wattenberg acquisition.
Western Gas expects the transaction to close in early August 2010, with an effective date of July 1, 2010. Terms of the transaction were approved by the Board of Directors of the Partnership's general partner and by the Board's special committee, which is comprised entirely of independent directors. The special committee engaged Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities, Inc. to act as its financial advisor and Bracewell & Giuliani LLP to act as its legal advisor.
Western Gas Partners, LP is a growth-oriented Delaware limited partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. With midstream assets in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains and the Mid-Continent, the Partnership is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, processing, treating and transporting natural gas for Anadarko and other producers and customers. For more information about Western Gas Partners, please visit www.westerngas.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Western Gas Partners believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include the ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this press release; the ability to meet financial guidance or distribution growth expectations; the ability to obtain new sources of natural gas supplies; the effect of fluctuations in commodity prices and the demand for natural gas and related products; and construction costs or capital expenditures exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures, as well as other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Partnership's 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases by Western Gas Partners. Western Gas Partners undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: Western Gas Partners, LP
"We are very excited to move into another liquids-rich basin with the acquisition of the Wattenberg assets, where producers are experiencing strong economic returns," said Western Gas Partners' President and Chief Executive Officer Don Sinclair. "We expect the transaction to be immediately accretive to distributable cash flow. Furthermore, the ongoing developments from horizontal drilling in the basin, as well as the emerging horizontal Niobrara play provide substantial organic growth potential for these assets."
Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, Western Gas will purchase Anadarko's 100-percent ownership interest in Kerr-McGee Gathering LLC, which owns the 1,734-mile Wattenberg gathering system and related facilities, including the Fort Lupton processing plant with capacity of 105 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). The average throughput on the gathering system for the second quarter of 2010 was approximately 275 MMcf/d, with Anadarko's equity throughput representing approximately 60 percent of this amount.
Contracts covering Anadarko-affiliated throughput were recently converted to a 10-year, fee-based agreement. Given the change to the affiliate contracts, historic financial results are not reflective of future performance. The acquisition price represents an approximate 8.2x multiple of the assets' forecasted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the next 12 months.
To manage the remaining commodity-price risk associated with these assets, the Partnership and Anadarko will enter into five-year, fixed-price commodity swap agreements.
"Consistent with the swap arrangements put in place with previous transactions, these agreements will cover all non-fee-based system volumes and keep our distributable cash flow largely insulated from changes in commodity prices," said Sinclair.
Western Gas expects the acquisition to be financed through (i) a bank-syndicated $250 million unsecured term loan scheduled to close concurrent with the transaction, (ii) a $200 million draw on the Partnership's revolving credit facility, (iii) $23.1 million of cash on hand, and (iv) the issuance of 1,048,196 common units to Anadarko and 21,392 general partner units to Western Gas Holdings, LLC, the Partnership's general partner, at an implied price of approximately $23.28 per unit.
In addition, Western Gas also expects to exercise the accordion feature on its revolving credit facility to increase total commitments from $350 million to $450 million, leaving $140 million in available borrowing capacity under the facility after the Wattenberg acquisition.
Western Gas expects the transaction to close in early August 2010, with an effective date of July 1, 2010. Terms of the transaction were approved by the Board of Directors of the Partnership's general partner and by the Board's special committee, which is comprised entirely of independent directors. The special committee engaged Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co. Securities, Inc. to act as its financial advisor and Bracewell & Giuliani LLP to act as its legal advisor.
Western Gas Partners, LP is a growth-oriented Delaware limited partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. With midstream assets in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains and the Mid-Continent, the Partnership is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, processing, treating and transporting natural gas for Anadarko and other producers and customers. For more information about Western Gas Partners, please visit www.westerngas.com.
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Western Gas Partners believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include the ability to consummate the transactions contemplated by this press release; the ability to meet financial guidance or distribution growth expectations; the ability to obtain new sources of natural gas supplies; the effect of fluctuations in commodity prices and the demand for natural gas and related products; and construction costs or capital expenditures exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures, as well as other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of the Partnership's 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases by Western Gas Partners. Western Gas Partners undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements.
SOURCE: Western Gas Partners, LP
Monday, August 02, 2010
Apple IPhone Page Removes Competitions Phones
Apple's iPhone 4 antenna page, which shows the great lengths the company goes to in order to test its handsets, no longer features videos of competing smartphones losing reception when held improperly.
The "death grip" videos previously posted at apple.com/antenna showed a number of handsets experiencing signal attenuation when held. Most recently, Motorola's Droid X had been added to the page.
The antenna information page had also previously shown Research in Motion's BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC's Droid Eris, Samsung's Windows Mobile Omnia II, Nokia's N97, as well as Apple's own iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4.
Competing smartphone makers took issue with the fact that Apple had compared their phones to the iPhone 4. They argued that their phones did not experience the same level of signal attenuation as the iPhone 4, which can lose signal strength when the bottom left corner of the device is touched. But Apple's videos of the phones suggested otherwise, showing popular handsets losing signal when held in the hand.
The videos, however, remain on Apple's official YouTube channel.
The official antenna page still features one video, that offers an inside look at Apple's antenna testing labs. The company has invested more than $100 million in its advanced labs, which feature 17 different, state-of-the-art anechoic chambers designed to measure antenna and wireless performance.
The "death grip" videos previously posted at apple.com/antenna showed a number of handsets experiencing signal attenuation when held. Most recently, Motorola's Droid X had been added to the page.
The antenna information page had also previously shown Research in Motion's BlackBerry Bold 9700, HTC's Droid Eris, Samsung's Windows Mobile Omnia II, Nokia's N97, as well as Apple's own iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4.
Competing smartphone makers took issue with the fact that Apple had compared their phones to the iPhone 4. They argued that their phones did not experience the same level of signal attenuation as the iPhone 4, which can lose signal strength when the bottom left corner of the device is touched. But Apple's videos of the phones suggested otherwise, showing popular handsets losing signal when held in the hand.
The videos, however, remain on Apple's official YouTube channel.
The official antenna page still features one video, that offers an inside look at Apple's antenna testing labs. The company has invested more than $100 million in its advanced labs, which feature 17 different, state-of-the-art anechoic chambers designed to measure antenna and wireless performance.
Sunday, August 01, 2010
College Football Hero Ready for the Pros
By ARNIE STAPLETON – 1 day ago
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Tim Tebow is ready for the shots, both on the football field and in the locker room.
The two-time national champion from Florida practiced with other rookies Friday in advance of the start of the Denver Broncos' training camp and said he couldn't wait for the hard hits.
Tebow, the 25th pick in the NFL draft, is fresh off putting his signature on two contracts, one of them a five-year deal to play for the Broncos and the other a multiyear deal to serve as a pitchman for Jockey underwear.
Beyond the usual rookie ritual of carrying veterans' shoulder pads and maybe grabbing them a cup of coffee or a sandwich, Tebow knows he'll be catching a good amount of grief for his endorsement of the tighty whities.
"A few people have said a few things to me about it," Tebow said with a hearty chuckle. "Actually, Coach McDaniels was the first one to say something to me. But, you know, I'm sure I'll get some (more) of it, but it's all in good fun."
So, what did Josh McDaniels tell his prized pupil?
"I told him they passed on me for him," McDaniels cracked. "I turned it down."
Tebow said he was relieved to have a contract in hand so he could finally practice with the Broncos, who were still negotiating Friday with their other first-round draft pick, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.
Tebow said it felt good to work up a sweat again during the one-hour workout at Dove Valley but what he was really looking forward to was getting hit again.
Although he'll don the red no-contact jersey along with starter Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn when camp starts Sunday, Tebow will get a taste of NFL hitting early on because the coaches are eager to see if they can have him run the ball like he did in college.
He won't be blasted by his own teammates; that kind of contact won't come until the preseason.
"It may be a negative of mine, that I look forward to that and I'm a quarterback, so you kind of have to stay calm," Tebow said. "But it is fun once Sunday gets out here and everybody is hitting. I'll get excited too."
If Tebow can do it, the Broncos could use a healthy dose this season of the wildcat, the newfangled version of the old-fashioned single-wing employed by several NFL teams, notably the Miami Dolphins.
In Denver, they call it the Wild Horse, and Tebow might even throw out of the funky formations.
McDaniels said he's never used a quarterback rotation before but would give it a shot if Tebow is up to the task.
"Certainly, people have speculated about how we may or may not use him in those roles, but since we haven't really done any of it in pads, I haven't had the opportunity to evaluate what that may do for our team," McDaniels said. "... There's going to be some things that he can obviously do that the other two can't in that regard. How much we do or don't do will depend on how productive we are at it."
At any rate, McDaniels appreciates Tebow's tough-mindedness.
"I think that's part of his demeanor. I think that is also part of what he brings to your football team," McDaniels said. "I think that may be a little unique in terms of the contact part of it."
Quarterbacks can give an offense a toughness by bouncing up after a big collision, McDaniels said, "and I know he's had an opportunity in college to do some of the other stuff where he actually is inflicting some of the hitting at the end of a run or something like that."
Tebow is generating the kind of buzz that John Elway did during his rookie season in 1983. Tebow isn't nearly as polished as Elway was coming out of Stanford and he's not only cramming the NFL playbook but he's been working tirelessly on tweaking his techniques and mechanics as he adjusts to the pro game.
While his detractors say he won't measure up in the NFL even if he was a great college player, Tebow's supporters, who include Elway, suggest his athleticism, work ethic and pedigree will translate into success.
McDaniels said he wasn't going to try to tamp down expectations for Tebow, who planned to work late Friday and rise early on Saturday to catch up on the practice plans he missed while his agent hammered out a contract worth $11.25 million over five years.
"What other peoples' expectations are of him or how much he'll play or contribute or compete to play early, I don't really know," McDaniels said. "I'm not that worried about it. I think if he's the best player at some point in some area, then he'll be able to affect the team."
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Tim Tebow is ready for the shots, both on the football field and in the locker room.
The two-time national champion from Florida practiced with other rookies Friday in advance of the start of the Denver Broncos' training camp and said he couldn't wait for the hard hits.
Tebow, the 25th pick in the NFL draft, is fresh off putting his signature on two contracts, one of them a five-year deal to play for the Broncos and the other a multiyear deal to serve as a pitchman for Jockey underwear.
Beyond the usual rookie ritual of carrying veterans' shoulder pads and maybe grabbing them a cup of coffee or a sandwich, Tebow knows he'll be catching a good amount of grief for his endorsement of the tighty whities.
"A few people have said a few things to me about it," Tebow said with a hearty chuckle. "Actually, Coach McDaniels was the first one to say something to me. But, you know, I'm sure I'll get some (more) of it, but it's all in good fun."
So, what did Josh McDaniels tell his prized pupil?
"I told him they passed on me for him," McDaniels cracked. "I turned it down."
Tebow said he was relieved to have a contract in hand so he could finally practice with the Broncos, who were still negotiating Friday with their other first-round draft pick, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.
Tebow said it felt good to work up a sweat again during the one-hour workout at Dove Valley but what he was really looking forward to was getting hit again.
Although he'll don the red no-contact jersey along with starter Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn when camp starts Sunday, Tebow will get a taste of NFL hitting early on because the coaches are eager to see if they can have him run the ball like he did in college.
He won't be blasted by his own teammates; that kind of contact won't come until the preseason.
"It may be a negative of mine, that I look forward to that and I'm a quarterback, so you kind of have to stay calm," Tebow said. "But it is fun once Sunday gets out here and everybody is hitting. I'll get excited too."
If Tebow can do it, the Broncos could use a healthy dose this season of the wildcat, the newfangled version of the old-fashioned single-wing employed by several NFL teams, notably the Miami Dolphins.
In Denver, they call it the Wild Horse, and Tebow might even throw out of the funky formations.
McDaniels said he's never used a quarterback rotation before but would give it a shot if Tebow is up to the task.
"Certainly, people have speculated about how we may or may not use him in those roles, but since we haven't really done any of it in pads, I haven't had the opportunity to evaluate what that may do for our team," McDaniels said. "... There's going to be some things that he can obviously do that the other two can't in that regard. How much we do or don't do will depend on how productive we are at it."
At any rate, McDaniels appreciates Tebow's tough-mindedness.
"I think that's part of his demeanor. I think that is also part of what he brings to your football team," McDaniels said. "I think that may be a little unique in terms of the contact part of it."
Quarterbacks can give an offense a toughness by bouncing up after a big collision, McDaniels said, "and I know he's had an opportunity in college to do some of the other stuff where he actually is inflicting some of the hitting at the end of a run or something like that."
Tebow is generating the kind of buzz that John Elway did during his rookie season in 1983. Tebow isn't nearly as polished as Elway was coming out of Stanford and he's not only cramming the NFL playbook but he's been working tirelessly on tweaking his techniques and mechanics as he adjusts to the pro game.
While his detractors say he won't measure up in the NFL even if he was a great college player, Tebow's supporters, who include Elway, suggest his athleticism, work ethic and pedigree will translate into success.
McDaniels said he wasn't going to try to tamp down expectations for Tebow, who planned to work late Friday and rise early on Saturday to catch up on the practice plans he missed while his agent hammered out a contract worth $11.25 million over five years.
"What other peoples' expectations are of him or how much he'll play or contribute or compete to play early, I don't really know," McDaniels said. "I'm not that worried about it. I think if he's the best player at some point in some area, then he'll be able to affect the team."
Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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