Barham, Isom and five other Corrections officials, including Director Donald Snyder, attended a fund-raiser on Saturday afternoon for state Rep. Jim Fowler, D-Harrisburg.
Fowler said Monday no alcohol was served at the event.
Barham was driving his state-issued vehicle on Illinois 147 near Simpson just after midnight when he lost control of the car and it left the road and struck a tree, Illinois State Police Capt. Craig Smith said.
Isom, dietary manager at Shawnee, was declared dead at Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, Ky., at 1:50 a.m. Barham was in critical condition Monday at Lourdes.
Barham's blood-alcohol level was .097, above the legal limit of .08, according to a state police report.
Chicago
The Chicago Board of Elections filed a lawsuit Monday against an Internet site that claims to buy and sell votes to the highest bidder.
The suit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, asks the court to force the closure of the site, www.voteauction.com.
The site belongs to an Austrian businessman named Hans Bernhard, who bought the site from a New York graduate student who launched Voteauction.com this summer to provide "a forum for campaign contributors and voters to come together in a free market exchange."
Voteauction.com claims it will collect absentee ballots from voters, verify them, and then sell them to the highest bidder who can "choose who the group will vote for en masse." Sellers then receive money depending on how much is bid.
On Monday, the site listed the going price per Illinois vote at $12.38.
Chicago Jury seated to hear Palestinian's trial
After being urged to "search your souls" for bias, jurors were sworn in Monday at the trial of a Palestinian man accused of refusing to tell what he knows about the Islamic militant group Hamas.
Sharif Alwan, 31, is charged with criminal contempt for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury investigating Hamas fund raising in the Chicago area.
He had been granted immunity from prosecution for anything he might admit before he was taken before the grand jury.
Instead of answering questions, he took the Fifth Amendment in his appearance before the grand jury last July.
Defense attorneys say Alwan is not a member of Hamas.
But they say he refused to answer questions before the grand jury because he fears retaliation against his family members by both the Israelis and Hamas.
Prosecutors say that on the contrary, Alwan has clear ties to Hamas.
They cite a 1996 Israeli military report claiming he confessed to taking part in Hamas training in the Chicago area and using a fake Somalian passport to travel from Chicago to Lebanon for more training.
Alwan's attorneys say Alwan confessed only after he was tortured by the Israeli military.
The government is trying to confiscate $1.4 million from Salah and the Quranic Literacy Institute, claiming it was raised to support Hamas.
Wood Dale Crossing photos draw challenge, tickets halt
Wood Dale police have stopped ticketing motorists caught on camera violating railroad crossing laws because of questions about the cameras' legality.
Last week, a DuPage County judge dismissed three citations after ruling the camera program was unconstitutional because notices mailed to motorists fail to advise them of their rights and police are not required to prove the photographs are authentic.
Those convicted of violations were ordered to pay a $500 fine or perform 50 hours of community service.
Mark Vietzen, a Wood Dale attorney, challenged the law on behalf of himself and two other motorists.
The cameras, aimed at reducing railroad crossing fatalities, also were installed at a crossing in Naperville as part of a pilot program approved by state lawmakers in 1996. A third site, near Winfield, will be equipped with cameras within weeks.
Wood Dale police were advised by the county prosecutor to stop issuing tickets based on the cameras.
Naperville police continue issuing citations because that community's program has not been challenged.
DuPage prosecutors say they will review the ruling before deciding whether to appeal.
Washington Report affirms Census did not cut corners
There is no evidence of fraud or wrongdoing at 17 Census Bureau offices around the country, including sites a House Republican had called into question, the Commerce Department's internal watchdog says.
The memo from Inspector General Johnnie E. Frazier to Census Director Kenneth Prewitt did identify "potential deficiencies" at one of those 17 offices -- in north Philadelphia -- and requested additional information on two others -- Las Vegas and in the Bronx borough of New York City.
Also among the sites Rep. Dan Miller, R-Fla., had questioned were Chicago's far south and near north areas.
"The census has apparently proved the inside-the-Beltway critics wrong again," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York, ranking Democrat on Miller's subcommittee.
"The census was conducted to the highest standards."
Chicago Man accused in assault gets home confinement
A man accused of roughing up a witness in an FBI investigation of a major jewelry theft ring was placed under home confinement Monday following a drunken scene in which he allegedly struck a woman friend.
Joseph Basinski's attorneys conceded he may have struck or pushed the woman but said it was merely a spat in a long-running affair between the married Basinski and the young woman, who boasted that she was his "trophy girlfriend" and sent sexually explicit "love sonnets" to him.
TROY, N.Y., Oct. 26 /PRNewswire/ --
IFS International Holdings, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: IFSH) (BSE: EFT) As previously described in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-KSB/A for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2001 and Quarterly Report on Form 10-QSB/A for the quarter ended July 31, 2001 (the "10-Q"), the Company in June 2001 entered into an agreement for the sale of multiple software licenses. The agreement called for payment of $2,000,000 in fees (the "Multiple License Fee"). Payment was to be made in two installments of $1,000,000 each in June and September 2001. Subsequent to the execution of the agreement the Company was advised by the customer that payment of the Multiple License Fee was delayed, since payment was dependent upon the customer receiving financing, which in turn was delayed. The Company, based upon representations and evidence presented by the customer, believed payment of Multiple License Fee would be received by September 2001. The Company believed that receipt of the payment would reduce or eliminate the Company's immediate liquidity issues. The customer's financing was not completed at that time and the Multiple License Fee has not been paid in accordance with the original terms.
The customer has assured us that payment for the Multiple License Fee would be made to the Company in full together with interest and agreed additional amounts. Therefore, parties in October 2001 entered into an alternative payment plan with the customer, which calls for payment over approximately 13 months with accelerated payments in full when the customer's financing is obtained. Payment of $100,840 has been made to date in accordance with alternative payment.
The deferral of payment by the customer of the Multiple License Fee has resulted in the continuation of the Company's liquidity issues previously disclosed in the 10-Q. The Company is in the process of formulating a strategic plan, which among other things will address long-term liquidity issues.
New Chairman
"Simon Theobald, CEO of IFS, announced that the Company had appointed Mr. James Denney as the new Chairman of the Board. This shift to a non-executive, independent director Chairman will enable Mr. Theobald to concentrate his efforts as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Mr. Denney said he looked forward to his new duties and responsibilities. Mr. Theobald stated, "I welcome the opportunity to devote myself even more aggressively to the important critical tasks, as we endeavor to continue our recent success in transitioning from the turnaround to growth phase in the company's evolution."
Previously Schedule Conference Call
The previously scheduled conference call has been rescheduled for mid November due to our approaching second quarter end on October 31, 2001, during which the Company will discuss accountability to previous projections and future projections.
About IFS International Holdings, Inc.
IFS International, Inc. and Network Controls International, Inc. are subsidiaries of IFS International Holdings, Inc. which has headquarters in the USA and subsidiary offices in the USA, UK and Australia.
IFS International, Inc. develops, markets and supports software products for the electronic financial market. IFS International's TPII and TP-CMS products provide support for ATMs, Point of Sale devices, network switches, smart cards and card management. IFS International's subsidiary, Global Insight Group, is a supplier of strategic business and technical implementation support services to the Retail Finance Industry.
NCI, Inc. develops innovative retail delivery applications like NCI Business Centre(TM) which combines network centric and browser based technologies in "One Application" to automate all delivery channels such as branch teller, platform service, call center, internet banking and customer relationship management
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements which are not historical facts contained in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties including but not limited to risks associated with the uncertainty of future financial results, additional financing requirements, development of new products, government approval processes, the impact of competitive products or pricing, technological changes, the effect of economic conditions, and other uncertainties detailed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
AT IFS INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.:
Americas: +1-518-283-7900
Europe, Middle East and Africa: +44-1895-823626
Asia/Pacific and Australasia: +65-549-7414
e-mail: marketing@ifsintl.com
Company website: www.ifsintl.com
IFS INVESTOR RELATIONS:
Mrs. Rose Chonski
IFS International Holdings, Inc.
+1-518-283-7900
rosec@ifsintl.com
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SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Super Micro Computer, Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI), a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology innovation and green computing, today announced that it will release fourth quarter and fiscal 2011 financial results on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, immediately after the close of regular trading, followed by a teleconference beginning at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific Time).
Conference Call/Webcast Information for August 2, 2011
Supermicro will hold a teleconference to announce its fourth fiscal quarter financial results on August 2, 2011, beginning at 2 p.m. Pacific Time. Those wishing to participate in the conference call should call 1-888-599-8693 (international callers dial 1-913-312-1427) a few minutes prior to the call's start to register. A replay of the call will be available through 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, August 17, by dialing 1-877-870-5176 (international callers dial 1-858-384-5517) and entering replay PIN 5091441.
Those wishing to access the live or archived webcast via the Internet should go to the Investor Relations tab of the Supermicro website at www.Supermicro.com.
About Super Micro Computer, Inc.
Supermicro[R] (NASDAQ: SMCI), a global leader in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology innovation is a premier provider of end-to-end green computing solutions for Enterprise IT, Datacenter, Cloud Computing, HPC and Embedded Systems worldwide. Supermicro's advanced server Building Block Solutions[R] offers a vast array of modular, interoperable components for building energy-efficient, application-optimized computing solutions. This broad line of products includes servers, blades, GPU systems, workstations, motherboards, chassis, power supplies, storage technologies, networking solutions and SuperRack[R] cabinets/accessories. Architecture innovations include Twin Architecture, SuperServer[R], SuperBlade[R], MicroCloud, Super Storage Bridge Bay (SBB), Double-Sided Storage[TM], Universal I/O (UIO) and WIO expansion technology all of which deliver unrivaled performance and value. Supermicro is committed to protecting the environment through its "We Keep IT Green[R]" initiative by providing customers with the most energy-efficient, environmentally-friendly solutions available on the market.
Supermicro, Building Block Solutions, SuperServer, SuperBlade, SuperRack, Double-Sided Storage and We Keep IT Green are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Super Micro Computer, Inc.
SMCI-F
In this recent study, researchers in London, United Kingdom conducted a study "To investigate factors associated with variations in diagnoses of primary, secondary and early latent syphilis in United Kingdom and Wales. Data were derived from two sources: diagnoses made in genitourinary medicine clinics reported on form KC60, and information collected through National Enhanced Syphilis Surveillance (NESS)."
"Multinomial regression modelling was used for data analysis. Between 1999 and 2008, 12 021 NESS reports were received, 54% of KC60 reports. The dominant profile of the epidemic was one of white men who have sex with men aged 35-44, often co-infected with HIV, centred in larger cities. During this period, the proportion of primary cases increased over time, while the proportion of secondary cases fell. Primary cases exceeded secondary cases by 2004. The proportion of early latent cases remained relatively stable over time and tended to be lower than that of primary and secondary infection. who attended because they had symptoms of infection, had been identified through partner notification, were HIV positive, and were UK born were more likely to present with primary or secondary infection than with early latent infection. A higher proportion of early latent cases were seen among patients who were Asian, had contacted sexual partners through saunas, bars and the internet, had untraceable partners, and had acquired infection in Manchester. The continuing syphilis epidemic indicates that control has only been partially effective, with ongoing transmission being sustained," wrote H. Jebbari and colleagues (see also HIV/AIDS).
The researchers concluded: "Intensive and targeted efforts delivered locally are required to interrupt further transmission."
Jebbari and colleagues published their study in Sexually Transmitted Infections (Variations in the epidemiology of primary, secondary and early latent syphilis, England and Wales: 1999 to 2008. Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2011;87(3):191-198).
For more information, contact I. Simms, Health Protect Agcy, Health Protect Service, HIV & STI Department, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5EQ, United Kingdom.
Publisher contact information for the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections is: B M J Publishing Group, British Med Association House, Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9JR, England.
Keywords: City:London, Country:United Kingdom, Region:Europe, Bacterial Infections and Mycoses, Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections, HIV Infections, HIV/AIDS, Latent Syphilis, Opportunistic Infections, Primate Lentiviruses, RNA Viruses, Retroviridae, Spirochaetales Infections, Treponemal Infections, Vertebrate Viruses, Viral Sexually Transmitted Diseases
This article was prepared by Science Letter editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Science Letter via NewsRx.com.
In the past I've written about 'life-long learning' as an important aspect to career development. This week, I would like to be more specific regarding the actual steps you might take to getting that all-important next job to further your career.
Step 1: Take stock
As this is the foundation step and all the remaining ones will build on this, it is important to get it right. In essence it consists of being clear on what you have to offer. Do, frankly and honestly, assess your core skills or skill-set as it is increasingly being referred to.
What is it you are really good at and experienced in delivering?
You should be realistic regarding what you actually have achieved in your career to date and also the potential you have to go further.
Step 2: Take aim
Like the first step this requires being honest with yourself. The key is to be absolutely clear about what you are looking for. Do you really want to be a number one in your particular discipline?
Some jobseekers may want to make a change to another discipline, but do you realise you may have to take a sideways or downwards move in order to make the transition?
What about remuneration package? Are you willing to take a drop to enhance your future career prospects.
You should also be realistic about job location and how far you are prepared to commute daily. Are you willing to relocate?
Step 3: Search for jobs
Reading this supplement is an excellent place to start. But remember there are other media. What about your trade magazine? Don't forget the internet, recruitment consultancies or employment agencies.
Step 4: Get an interview
Many candidates who reply to advertisements are one jump ahead of themselves. It should be obvious that if you don't make an impression on paper you will never get the chance to make one in person.
As in earlier steps, be realistic, go after jobs where there is a sensible match between what the employer is looking for and what you have to offer. Make sure when you fill in the application form or send a CV that you emphasise your strengths.
Step 5: Sell yourself at the interview stage
In my experience most people who get through the paper screening have the necessary job skills.
The challenge is therefore to sell yourself, your positive attitude and enthusiasm. Remember if you get offered a job you can always turn it down; but if you are not enthusiastic you are unlikely to get an offer.
The clincher is to show what you will achieve for a potential employer -- not just what you have achieved in the past.
Step 6: Get an offer (or hold a post mortem)
In any selection process there is always an element of luck. It's rather like examinations you may get the questions you know the answers to.
Learn to accept this; like many things in work, the fairness scales can fluctuate.
Step 7: Celebrate (or next time try harder)
Many interviewees tell me they have not been to an interview for a number of years.
If you are not opening the champagne, stay positive and learn from your experience; practice does make perfect. Learn from any mistakes and next time make sure they are not repeated.
SDL plc (LSE: SDL; "SDL"),the leading provider of Global Information Management solutions, announced the acquisition of Calamares, an internationally recognized cloud-based platform that allows enterprises to centrally compose, enrich, publish and distribute video and other rich-media assets. Calamares supports all media platforms, systems and devices - from the Web and mobile to Internet Protocol television (IPTV) and social media platforms. The gross assets being acquired are less than 5% of SDL's gross assets.
With the acquisition of Calamares, SDL extends its customer engagement offering to include video and rich media management. The Calamares media management and enrichment solution will be fully and seamlessly integrated into SDL's Global Information Management solutions, starting with the SDL Tridion Web Content Management (WCM) Platform. By integrating the Calamares media platform with the award winning SDL Tridion Web Content Management solution, the state-of- the-art platform not only enables SDL customers to easily produce and distribute video and rich content, but it also greatly enhances customer engagements, marketing efforts, overall service, customer satisfaction and new revenue opportunities.
Calamares currently enables a broad and diverse group of customers, including Mitsubishi Motors Europe, Rabobank International and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
John Hunter, CEO of SDL plc said, "We have seen significant demand for solutions that enable the production, enrichment and monetization of video and rich content. The Calamares acquisition represents another step in the execution of SDL's strategy and commitment to deliver best-of-breed solutions. We continue to enable and empower global enterprises with complex content management, brand management, targeting, profiling, personalization, multilingual, multi-cultural and multi-channel customer engagement and services requirements."
Mark Lancaster, Executive Chairman of SDL plc commented, "We consider multimedia graphical and video-based asset creation and management to be a key need for businesses as they evolve the engagement with their customers in the next 3-5 years."
Calamares was recently recognized by Gartner in its February 2011, 'Video Content Management and Delivery MarketScope' report. According to Gartner, "Surveys of organizations indicate that they believe their use of live and on-demand video will increase by greater than 40% during the next few years."
Wouter Maagdenberg, CEO of Calamares, added, "Calamares has been very successful delivering our solutions through a Software as a Service (SaaS) model or direct licensing. Now as part of the SDL family, we will be able to accelerate the development and expansion of our media management platform for the WCM industry, while at the same time leveraging SDL's global reach and market strength."
Keywords: Advertising, Information Technology, Information and Data Aggregation, Information and Data Management, Marketing, SDL, Software, Television.
This article was prepared by Computer Weekly News editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2011, Computer Weekly News via VerticalNews.com.
During the first few months of the 112th Congress, newly-empowered House Republicans and their increased numbers in the Senate have been after what they perceive as overactive federal regulators. House committee chairmen have chased, administrators and chairmen of regulatory agencies up to Capitol Hill oversight hearings over what they deem as excesses of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and health care reform rulemaking, plus agency administration actions in the area of greenhouse gas emissions (CHG) and Internet access rules of the road.
The House Energy & Commerce Committee and the Financial Services Committee have focused their first hearings on business complaints about the Obama administration's regulatory agenda. In addition, the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.)--regarded as one of the most influential committees on Capitol Hill--is planning a broad review of all federal agencies with an eye toward making significant budget and spending cuts, including those agencies charged with financial regulation.
"I have tasked our committee members to track down burdensome regulations that choke investment and destroy jobs," says Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), House Energy & Commerce chair. "We will identify these regulations, shine a light on them and then seek repeal."
Upton started to make good on that promise when his committee passed the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011 on March 15. It prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating GHGs under the Clean Air Act.
Complaints about regulatory overreaching, expressed strongly by business groups of all stripes, have apparently prompted President Barack Obama to issue an executive order in January requiring federal agencies to examine rules now on the books, whose costs may exceed their benefits. The administration wants to reduce duplication and programs that do not bring real value to regulatory oversight. But the executive order won't affect the major rules going into effect this year, with which business groups express greatest concern.
"The president's executive order ... will not affect regulations being written to implement health care reform or financial reform, arguably the two largest sources of regulatory uncertainty in the current economy," says Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee." So, he adds, "it is hard not to conclude that this latest initiative is more about politics than real regulatory reform."
For corporate financial executives, regulations growing out of the Dodd-Frank Act pose the biggest threat, while the president regards Dodd-Frank as the key to insulating the nation from problems that caused the financial crisis. The law firm of Davis Polk & Wardwell estimates Dodd-Frank requires no fewer than 243 new rules by 11 agencies over 12 years. Compare that to Sarbanes-Oxley, passed in the wake of the Enron Inc. meltdown, which led to 16 rulemakings, most from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Clarity Absent from Regulation Language
Only one Dodd-Frank rule directly affects all financial executives across industrial, manufacturing and financial sectors. It requires companies that use swaps and derivatives for financial trading purposes to clear those derivatives through clearinghouses, which will be new, nonprofit organizations.
Industrial and manufacturing companies argued that they were not abusers of derivatives, so they should not have to clear their risk-hedging trades, given the added costs that clearing will impose.
Congress agreed, and provided an end-user exemption from clearing for companies that use derivatives for the purpose of hedging or mitigating commercial risk. The SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) put out proposed rules on Dec. 23, 2010 that provided their thinking on the exemption.
However, a number of critics have raised concern about the wording of the proposed regulation. For example, would utilizing an interest-rate swap to convert a fixed-rate financing to LIBOR to take advantage of the current low interest rate environment--currently a common strategy for some companies--qualify as hedging or mitigating commercial risk? It's not clear it would qualify for the exemption, according to Bruce C. Bennett, a partner at the law firm Covington & Burling.
Another unclear issue involves margin costs. Commercial end-users of swaps that take advantage of the exemption will not have to pay margin costs themselves. That much is clear. However, say a company buys a swap from a swap dealer. That would be an investment bank such as J.P. Morgan Chase Inc., just to take one example. That swap dealer may well have to pay margin costs on an "uncleared" swap. The question still unanswered, according to Allison Lurton, another Covington & Burling attorney and recent CFTC staffer, is whether the swap dealer can pass along margin costs to the end user.
Business groups already lost one regulatory battle with the SEC over one of the few Dodd-Frank provisions that affect corporate reporting. Corporate types such as Brenda C. Karickhoff, senior vice president and deputy general counsel at Time-Warner Inc., had argued that the SEC's intention to require companies to disclose in their Compensation Discussion & Analysis (CD&A) whether advisory votes resulted in corporate compensation decisions went beyond what Dodd-Frank required. Karickhoff says companies should have to disclose those actions only if they are material.
When the SEC published its final rule on Jan. 25, it stuck with the wording from its proposed rule, to which Karickhoff and others objected. "The requirement to include, as a mandatory topic in the CD&A, whether and how a company considered the results of previous shareholder 'say on pay' votes in determining compensation policies and decisions has been included in the final rule," says Scott Olsen, of PwC. "The final rule is mandatory and not based on any materiality threshold."
A case can be made that business has been losing even more battles at EPA. Using a federal court ruling as justification, EPA issued a final rule that went into effect on Jan. 2. The rule affects all big industrial and manufacturing plants that are newly built going forward, and existing plants that make significant modifications. If that modification results in total air emissions exceeding a threshold because of the addition of GHG emissions, the plant must obtain a permit from the state that must be approved by the agency.
The permit will require the company to install "best available control technology (BACT)." EPA has established some guidance to assist states, which has flexibility in order to determine what constitutes BACT for different plants in different industries. Some states could require carbon capture, control and storage technology, a very expensive solution. "This is creating a business uncertainty that business abhors," says Howard Feldman, director of regulatory and scientific affairs for the American Petroleum Institute.
Going beyond GHG regulation, EPA in late February, issued a new air emissions rule affecting companies that use industrial boilers and process heaters. That rule requires "major sources"--large emitters in the auto, chemical, metal-working and many other industries--to install maximum achievable control technology (MACT), which is the equivalent of controls used by the top 12 percent performing plants.
EPA did back down from the proposed rule in a couple of instances, for example, by allowing companies to meet a more modest "work practice" standard for all new and existing natural gas- and refinery gas-fired units with a heat input capacity less than 10 million British thermal units per hour.
Nonetheless, National Association of Manufacturers Senior Vice President for Policy and Government Relations Aric Newhouse said, "The new boiler MACT rule will have an immediate, negative impact on manufacturers' bottom lines at a time when they are trying to rebound economically and create jobs."
And it is not just the boiler MACT that has brought business tempers to a boil, Six months before it issued the proposed MACT rule in the summer of 2010, the agency issued a proposed rule tightening national ambient air quality standards for ground-level ozone.
Ground-level ozone is a primary component of smog. The agency wants to lower the standards issued during the administration of George W. Bush of 75 parts per billion to between 60-70 parts per billion. A lower standard would affect virtually the entire country, even a place such as Yellowstone National Park, whose ground level ozone has reached 67 parts per billion. "EPA is trying to do too much now," Feldman claims.
Costs of Compliance
Business compliance costs also explain why corporations want a rollback of some of the provisions in some of the interim final regulations issued under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the health care bill passed by Congress last year. Here the questions have to do with a company's ability to control costs in existing group health plans.
Two examples are PPACA's definition of "grandfathered" health plans and of preventive services, which must be provided to employees in non-grandfathered companies. Companies whose employee health insurance plans were in effect on March 23, 2010 are "grandfathered"--meaning they do not have to provide some of the PPACA's minimum services--unless they change the contours of that grandfathered plan.
One of those minimum requirements starting in 2011 is that a non-grandfathered plan must provide preventive services without imposing cost-sharing on the employee.
The three agencies involved in health reform implementation--the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service--proposed interim final rules (IFRs) last summer on grandfathered plans and preventive services. Final rules have not been issued in either case yet, and business groups have been lobbying for changes in the interim language.
Joe Trauger, vice president of human resources policy for NAM, says the interim final rule on grandfathered plans means that if employers "make even modest changes" in group plans to stem cost and premium increases they would lose their grandfathered status.
Controlling costs, he says, is essential to manufacturers and "implementation of the rule as written will force employers to choose between increased costs as they lose grandfathered status and comply with additional reforms or increased costs as they absorb more of the burden of skyrocketing medical inflation."
If the interpretation of what constitutes a grandfathered plan, laid out in the IFR, becomes permanent, many corporate health plans will lose grandfathered status. So they will have to provide preventive services that do not share costs. There, group health plans must provide preventive care benefits without cost-sharing for evidence-based items or services that have in effect a rating of A or B in the current recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Gretchen Young, senior vice president of health policy of the ERISA Industry Committee, says, "In a number of cases, it is not clear which specific diagnostic and imaging tests are preventive and which would fall under the category of treatment."
Where interim health care reform regulations are still hanging fire, the final Federal Communications Commission order on net neutrality is creating waves. Issued on Dec. 21, 2010, the rules prevent Internet service providers from discriminating against content and applications, subject to reasonable network management.
After Verizon Communications Inc. announced a lawsuit against the FCC in January Upton praised the legal assault on the FCC net neutrality rule. "At stake is not just innovation and economic growth, although those concerns are vital," he said. "Equally important is putting a check on an FCC that is acting beyond the authority granted to it by Congress."
Some federal agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, have already backpedaled in the face of protests from Republican and business, using the Obama executive order as a rationale. But the president has underlined that he is willing to retreat only so far. So it remains for Republicans in Congress to prove what is worse: their bark or their bite.
Stephen Barlas (sbarlas@verizon.net) is a freelance writer who has covered Washington, D.C., since 1981 and frequently writes for Financial Executive.
M2 PRESSWIRE-February 28, 2011-StockProfiler.US: eLayaway is Growing & A New Product at Wal-Mart(C)1994-2011 M2 COMMUNICATIONS
RDATE:28022011
Boston, MA --- eLayaway, Inc. (OTCBB: ELAY); Green Earth Technologies, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GETG)
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Company News: More and More Affluent Consumers Are Finding eLayaway a Smarter Way to Plan and Pay
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Feb 24, 2011 - Since its launch in August of 2006, eLayaway, Inc. (OTCBB: ELAY.OB), the Internet's first and only patent pending layaway payment processor, has seen a steady increase in the average household income of its users.
eLayaway, Inc. closed at $0.18 on Friday, trading 8,825 shares.
About eLayaway
eLayaway is an online payment system that allows consumers to pay for the products and services they desire using manageable periodic payments, thereby making purchases affordable and easy to budget. Payments are automatically drafted from the consumer's designated bank account via Automated Clearing House ("ACH") on the modifiable schedule set by the consumer at the time of purchase. A flat 1.9% transaction fee is charged to the consumer and all payments are held in an account in trust at HSBC Bank and transferred to the merchant once full payment has been made. Like traditional layaway programs of the past, delivery of the product or service occurs once payment is complete. Payment processing and supporting services are handled by eLayaway while merchants provide order fulfillment. For many online merchants, eLayaway offers an opportunity to provide layaway to their customers as a means to expand market share while reducing the administrative requirements of traditional layaway. Merchants are now turning to payment alternatives such as eLayaway in order to take advantage of opportunities that increase sales and profits. Today, approximately one-half of all consumers do not qualify for credit. eLayaway provides an alternative payment method that allows these consumers to make the purchases they desire while enabling merchants to sell additional products on an immediate basis. In addition to eLayaway.com, the Company also owns and operates eLayawaySPORTS.com, eLayawayTRAVEL.com and eLayawayHEALTH.com. eLayaway, Inc. was founded in 2005. Press summary, logos and screenshots available for download at: eLayaway.com/press.
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Company News: G.E.T. G-OIL(r) Motor Oil at Wal-Mart
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 28, 2011 - Green Earth Technologies, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: GETG), a leading manufacturer and marketer of "green" environmentally safer consumer packaged goods and products, announced today the distribution of their G-OIL 5W-30 Bio-based Full Synthetic Motor Oil in over 2,100 Walmart stores throughout the United States.
Green Earth Technologies, Inc. closed at $0.48 Friday, trading 80,245 shares.
About Green Earth Technologies
Green Earth Technologies produces G-branded superior performing green products made with American-grown base oils that utilize the power of nanotechnology to deliver environmentally friendly products with no compromise; meaning that consumers can now "do their part" without having to give up performance or value. "Save the Earth - Sacrifice Nothing(r)" is the Company's tagline. The "G" family of products include G-OIL(r), G-MARINE(TM), G-FUEL(TM), G-WASH(TM), G-GLASS(TM), and G-CLEAN(TM), and are offered in a wide range of automotive, outdoor power equipment and household performance and cleaning categories. G.E.T. products are now readily available on the internet at Amazon.com as well as at a variety or retailers and lube centers, including: The Home Depot, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Kroger, Albertson's, Giant, Shop Rite, VIP, National Auto Stores, Do It Best, Lex Brodie's Tire Company, Honest One and participating ACE & True Value dealers. Please visit www.getg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about GET and its brands.
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Java-Enabled, Media Rich Consumer E-Mail To Go Beta in March
LOS ANGELES, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Novita Communications will announce tomorrow at Internet World (Booth #4372) here that its Novita Mail product is nearing final development and is on schedule for first customer shipments in Q2, with a beta version in March. Novita Mail is a consumer-focused Java-based e-mail package which allows users to incorporate audio, graphics, live links and Java applets in the body of an e-mail message.
"The many digital devices now being marketed to consumers -- scanners, digital cameras, color printers -- leave a crucial link uncompleted, and that link is what we call digital mail," said Julien Nguyen, Novita chairman and ceo. "Digital mail brings all this rich content together and allows it to be spontaneously communicated directly without adding another complicated step like setting up a website. Novita Mail will give consumers the power not just to create and send messages but to communicate real emotions and feelings."
The company sees applications for its product in the areas of personalized greeting cards, interactive maps & financial portfolios, photo albums, and others. The growth of digital cameras as a consumer product is key to many of these applications: according to Dataquest the worldwide digital camera market will increase from unit shipments of just over 1 million units in 1996 to almost 7 million in 2000.
According to IntelliQuest Information Group analysis, 22 million Americans accessed the Internet from home in the last quarter. These "connected households" are the target market for Novita Mail. The product will be available through OEM relationships as well as directly online from Novita at www.novitacom.com. Users can sign up for trial from today.
About Novita
Novita Communications, a privately held company based in Sunnyvale, CA, is the first company to deliver Java-based software applications for both PCs and internet appliances. The company's first product, Novita Mail, offers rich e-mail in a very small memory footprint and supports all emerging multimedia and Internet standards. More information at http://www.novitacom.com.
NOTE: Novita, Novita Mail and the Novita logo are registered trademarks of Novita Communications. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders
SOURCE
-0- 03/11/97
/CONTACT: Frank O'Mahony of Liffey Communications, 415-493-0244, or frank@liffey.com, for Novita/
CO: Novita Communications ST: California IN: CPR MLM SU: PDT
TW-KW -- SFTU026 -- 3756 03/11/97 10:00 EST http://www.prnewswire.com
PASADENA, Calif. -- Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE:AVY) will broadcast a live webcast of a presentation to a meeting of analysts and institutional investors on March 4, 2008 in New York.
The presentation by Dean A. Scarborough, president and chief executive officer, Daniel R. O'Bryant, executive vice president, Finance, and chief financial officer, and Terrence L. Hemmelgarn, group vice president, Retail Information Services, will begin at 12:45 p.m. (Eastern time)/ 9:45 a.m. (Pacific time). The webcast of the presentation and a question-and-answer session is expected to end at approximately 2 p.m. (Eastern time)/ 11 a.m. (Pacific time).
The webcast can be accessed at www.investors.averydennison.com. A replay will be available following the event.
Avery Dennison is a global leader in pressure-sensitive labeling materials, office products and retail tag, ticketing and branding systems. Based in Pasadena, Calif., Avery Dennison is a FORTUNE 500 company with 2007 sales of $6.3 billion. Avery Dennison employs more than 30,000 individuals in over 60 countries who apply the Company's technologies to develop, manufacture and market a wide range of products for both consumer and industrial markets. Products offered by Avery Dennison include: Fasson brand self-adhesive materials; Avery Dennison brand products for the retail and apparel industries; Avery brand office products and graphics imaging media; specialty tapes, peel-and-stick postage stamps, and labels for a wide variety of automotive, industrial and durable goods applications.
Any screen, any time. That's new mantra for cable programmers, especially those with short-form content. And ABC News.com is the prototypical programmer, looking to extend its reach into as many platforms as possible.
The company launched a 24/7 linear news network, ABC News Now, that is available to broadband Internet subscribers. That same "channel" is being pitched to operators as a linear digital TV service, as well as for video-on-demand packages.
ABC News Now and VOD highlight clips have started to appear on mobile wireless platforms, first with MobiTV, Sprint TV, Smart Video and GoTV. In late April, it added Sony Corp.'s PlayStation PSP platform.
"What has dramatically changed is the need to deliver content to only one screen," said Bernie Gershon, senior vice president and general manager for ABCNews.com. "Now there is the opportunity to deliver content to multiple screens at the same time," allowing ABC News to extend its franchise and generate brand new revenue streams, he said.
"We think there is a terrific long-term opportunity in partnering with telcos, MSOs, satellite and wireless carriers [to provide content to many screens]," Gershon said.
ABC News Now also is part of ABC/ESPN's broad VOD pitch, linking content across many disparate channels for operators' VOD platforms. "We're looking for distribution as a digital cable channel and on VOD," he said.
The ABC News Now is available as a standalone subscription service ($4.95 a month) for broadband Internet users, but the vast majority of subscribers see the content as part of their high-speed data bundle. Comcast Corp. carries the news network as part of The Fan section of its Web site, allowing subscribers to access the full 24/7 feed and VOD news clips.
"Comcast is getting in excess of 10 million plays per month of on demand clips," Gershon said, noting that usage is across a universe of 7.4 million high-speed subscribers.
The service also is available to some 20 million subscribers via AOL Broadband, RealOne SuperPass, SBC Yahoo and BellSouth Corp.'s digital subscriber line service. Those providers all have access to the linear channel and the bulk of the clip service, Gershon said.
When news breaks, Gershon said, ABC sees spikes in usage, as well as spikes around lunchtime on the East Coast and as West Coast workers arrive at their jobs. ABC News also sees another bump in the evening, when people go online at home.
ABC News does sell advertising on the service, which ranges from buttons and flash ads to full-scale video. Video ads, typically running from 15 seconds to 30 seconds, appear before and after VOD clips.
The service counts more than a dozen advertisers, and is growing, Gershon said.
The VOD programming being offered to cable operators includes content from specially-produced DVDs of Pope John Paul and the 25th anniversary of Barbara Walters' 20/20 interviews. The package also includes other stories and major interviews from ABC News.
"We think we have incredible high-value content, and we are in a position to help cable operators reduce churn," he said.
Business Editors/High-Tech Writers
CRM 2003
Enterprise Content Management 2003
LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2003
The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Conference & Exhibition and the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) events take place October 7 - 9, at the Olympia in London, United Kingdom. For in-depth information about the events, visit http://www.crmevent.co.uk/ and http://www.ecmshow.co.uk/.
Below are profiles from CRM and ECM exhibitors. News releases and advisories are available at http://www.tradeshownews.com, Business Wire's global trade show and conference news resource. Business Wire is the official news wire service for the CRM and ECM events.
Show: (CRM Fall 2003) Company: Ascent Technology Ltd Booth/Stand: K30 Public Relations Contact: Carl N. Adams Investor Relations Contact: Roger Coles Phone: 01455 234011 E-mail: enquiry@ascenttechnology.co.uk Web: www.ascenttechnology.co.uk Link To Your Press Area URL: www.ascenttechnology.co.uk/wn_default.htm Ascent Technology has been providing information technology to businesses since 1982. The company focuses upon development and distribution of its own software and the provision of complete IT solutions to end user customers. As an established software author, the company develops and markets its own-brand Ascent applications for Customer Relationship Management, Contact Centres, E-marketing, Internet & Intranet Portals and Workflow. The company also provides solutions to end-user customers making use of major third party applications such as Sage Line 500 and mySAP All-in-One ERP software. Show: (CRM Fall 2003) Company: Data Technology plc Booth/Stand: K06 Phone: 01895 829300 E-mail: general.information@datatechnology.co.uk Web: www.datatechnology.co.uk Link To Your Press Area URL: http://www.datatechnology.co.uk/news/over.htm Data Technology provides systems integration and IT consultancy to organisations across all types of industries and markets. Collaborating with Talisma for CRM solutions, we can identify a company's CRM requirements, help build strategy, implement and integrate solutions, provide training, supply skilled consultants, and manage applications through an outsourcing service. Talisma is a powerful Customer Service tool that includes the core components expected from a leading CRM application but also focuses on improving customer service through self-service and the web. We also specialise in: -- EDI -- Business Intelligence -- JDE Application Management -- ERP -- Supply Chain Management Show: (Enterprise Content Management 2003) Company: Ektron, Inc. Booth/Stand: E509 Public Relations Contact: Beth Strohbusch Investor Relations Contact: Beth Strohbusch Phone: (603) 594-0249 ext. 107 or, in Germany, 49 7633 9234 910 E-mail: bstrohbusch@ektron.com Web: www.ektron.com Link To Your Press Area URL: http://www.ektron.com/news.cfm?doc_id=171 Ektron, Inc. is a visionary leader in content management. Ektron's software helps organizations with strategic use and reuse of data, to support existing business processes or to create new processes. More than 9,000 organizations worldwide rely on Ektron's browser-based solutions for XML strategies, Web content management, small business Web publishing, and more. Founded in 1998, Ektron offers a range of flexible, scalable HTML and XML content management systems (including Ektron CMS300) as well as the market-leading editing tools eWebEditPro and eWebEditPro+XML. Ektron is based in Amherst, New Hampshire and has offices in Europe. Show: (Enterprise Content Management 2003) Company: Goss Interactive Booth/Stand: e710 Public Relations Contact: Annika Ginman Trout Investor Relations Contact: Richard George Phone: 01752 517350 E-mail: marketing@GossInteractive.com Web: www.GossInteractive.com Goss Interactive develops and delivers content management applications and business solutions that allow efficient processing of digital information resources across multiple channels. Our experienced team offers a range of web-based solutions and the nature of our business means that our services are constantly evolving to meet the demands of our vast client base. CONTROLSITE is our core product, and is a mature and feature rich enterprise content management system that has been developed by our internal team. Please come and visit us on Stand e710 and we can introduce you to the many levels of solutions that we offer. Show: (CRM Fall 2003) Company: Identify Software Booth/Stand: H-12 Public Relations Contact: Renee Himelhoch Chemel Investor Relations Contact: Renee Himelhoch Chemel Phone: +44 (0) 1635 842351 E-mail: rchemel@identify.com Web: www.identify.com Link To Your Press Area URL: www.identify.com/news/press-releases.html Identify Software is the leader in application support chain optimization, enabling enterprises and software vendors to reduce support costs and improve customer service by dramatically accelerating problem resolution. Identify's patented Black Box software captures full problem data and provides the means for root cause identification by any tier in the support chain. Fully integrated with existing processes, the Black Box turns application support from a cost item to a competitive advantage. Established in 1996 Identify Software is headquartered in Israel and Raleigh North Carolina, with offices throughout the US, Europe and in Japan. Show: (CRM Fall 2003) Company: Kommunicate Limited Booth/Stand: 4 Public Relations Contact: Susan Woollard Investor Relations Contact: Lyn Fairall Phone: 01962 835004 E-mail: lfairall@kommunicate.co.uk Web: www.kommunicate.co.uk Link To Your Press Area URL: www.kommunicate.co.uk/press Kommunicate has an eighteen-year track record as a "value-added supplier" of business-essential applications designed to speed-up business processes and deliver a fast and quantifiable return on investment. Visit the Kommunicate stand to see how our products can "Turbo Charge Your Business Processes." See the presentation by Product Manager, Matt Lambert at 1:15 pm on Tuesday 7th October entitled "How you can turn your CRM into a communications hub by adding remote access to data with Captaris CallXpress, fax directly from any CRM software using Captaris RightFax and Image enable your CRM with OnBase." Show: CRM Fall 2003 Company: Nomis Limited Booth/Stand: M25 Public Relations Contact: Sooty Petri Investor Relations Contact: George Petri Phone: 01276 683449 E-mail: sales@nomislimited.com Web: www.nomislimited.com Press Area URL: www.nomislimited.com Nomis is a CRM solutions supplier helping organisations develop and refine their sales and marketing strategies and implementing IT solutions to support them. Nomis provides consultancy, training, installation and support for the IT solutions. Nomis has developed its own sales management solution, SalesVision, and is launching the latest version of it at CRM 2003. Nomis is a business partner for one of the leading customer relationship management systems, Maximizer Enterprise. The IT solutions are further enhanced by the web services offered to our customers such as website design, optimisation, and maintenance as well as the development of eMarketing campaigns. Show: CRM Fall 2003 Company: Remedy Booth/Stand: J20 Public Relations Contact: Caroline Dennington Phone: +44 (0)1784 478 326 E-mail: caroline.dennington@remedy.com Web: www.remedy.com Link to your press area URL: http://www.remedy.com/corporate/pressroom/ Remedy is the leading provider of Service Management software solutions that enable organisations to reduce costs, improve quality of service, and maximise overall operational effectiveness. Established in 1990, Remedy today has more than 7,000 customers deployed in over 12,000 sites worldwide, with 75 percent of the Fortune 100 and 60 percent of the Global 500. Remedy delivers best practice functionality through packaged applications built on a highly adaptable development platform. Remedy's packaged applications -- IT Service Management and Customer Service and Support -- incorporate best practice functionality, allowing organisations to deliver superior services levels to internal employees and external customers. Show: (Enterprise Content Management 2003) Company: STRATEGY PARTNERS Booth/Stand: E45 Public Relations Contact: John Symon Investor Relations Contact: Rory Staunton Phone: 01753 592 787 E-mail: john.symon@strategy-partners.com Web: www.strategy-partners.com Link To Your Press Area URL: http://www.strategy-partners.com/ Strategy Partners is an innovative, independent advice company which researches and consults on specific IT applications. We provide business-driven, pragmatic and actionable advice to help organisations acquire and effectively exploit systems operationally. Strategy Partners currently offers market research, reports and advice services in the following key technology areas: -- Document and Content Capture and Imaging -- Electronic Document & Content Management -- Workflow and Business Process Management -- Enterprise Resource Planning -- Document Output -- (generation and delivery) -- Knowledge Management -- Document Outsourcing and Services For IT vendors, systems integrators and service companies we provide crucial go-to-market strategies, real-world market quantification and segmentation and in-depth analysis and intelligence to exploit their markets in Europe. Offices in: UK, France, Germany, Switzerland and the USA. Contact Details: Strategy Partners Chappell House The Green Datchet Berkshire SL3 9EH Tel: +44 (0) 1753 592 787 Fax: +44 (0) 1753 592 789 URL: www.strategy-partners.com Contact: Venita Pretorius e-mail: venita.pretorius@strategy-partners.com
