expected to cover deals on oil exploration and biofuels technology, and Brazil's potential purchase of fighter jets from Boeing.8. The handshake heard round the worldWhen the U.N. General Assembly meets next week, all eyes will be on new Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who?in the first U.S./Iranian presidential?tête-à-tête since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. More likely is that the two will at least shake hands and exchange a few pleasantries. Obama is hoping to encourage Iran to make concessions in talks over its nuclear program, and Rouhani-most recently in an -has called for world leaders to "respond genuinely to?my government's efforts to engage in constructive dialogue." An Obama/Rouhani greeting would be far from the leaders' first interaction-.OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Oklahoma City police have identified a man who was shot in an apartment complex parking lot and drove away before crashing his car and dying. Police said Wednesday that 24-year-old Justin Lamont Williams was found dead in his car by officers investigating reports of the shooting and crash on the city's south side. Sgt. Gary Knight says Williams was shot Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot and drove away before colliding with a pickup truck. Knight says Williams was dead at the scene - but it isn't known yet whether he died of the gunshot wound or injuries suffered in the crash. Knight says detectives are also trying to determine whether Williams was in or outside his car when he was shot. There have been no arrests in the shooting. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE Veeva Systems UK LimitedPLEASANTON, California, October 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --In the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Life Sciences CRM Software 2013 Vendor Assessment (Doc # HI242172, July 2013), IDC Health Insights reports that cloud-based solutions, including Veeva CRM, part of Veeva System's Commercial Suite, have now entered the mainstream. According to the IDC MarketScape, this move is driven by next-generation applications that provide advanced functionality and mobile capabilities, along with the flexibility of the cloud. In this new report, IDC Health Insights evaluated all major CRM solution providers for life sciences and named Veeva Systems as a leader.???? (Logo: )The IDC MarketScape reported, "Veeva's CRM software scored extremely well in this IDC MarketScape, with Veeva positioned in the Leaders category. Veeva CRM's ease of use, user interface, and breadth of functionality are among the best in the industry, and the company's sole focus on the life sciences industry boosts Veeva's unique understanding of market wants and needs. This was echoed by the firm's customers, who gave Veeva's market expertise extremely high marks."According to Eric Newmark, Program Director, IDC Health Insights, "Veeva CRM scored in the highest category for its breadth of functionality, and its multitenant cloud platform was reviewed as highly flexible to support life sciences companies into the future."Veeva was the first to introduce life sciences-specific CRM in the cloud six years ago.Veeva CRM is part of Veeva's Commercial Suite for life sciences, an integrated family of cloud-based applications that also includes the Veeva Network customer master solution and Veeva Vault for regulated content management. The Veeva Commercial Suite is designed to help life sciences companies create and maintain a complete and accurate view of the customer, develop and manage the compliant content, and enable more effective customer engagement across multiple communication channels."Veeva is honored to be recognized as a leader," said Brian Longo, Veeva's general manager, Commercial Products. "Our innovative cloud solutions help life sciences companies address some of their biggest challenges, including speeding time-to-market and selling more effectively through multiple channels.?We remain committed to customer success and being a trusted partner to the industry."To see the IDC MarketScape for findings, visit .About IDC MarketScapeIDC MarketScape vendor analysis model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT, telecommunications, or industry-specific vendors can be meaningfully compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a transparent foundation to allow companies to independently compare the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.About Veeva SystemsVeeva Systems is a leader in cloud-based software for the global life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva has more than 170 customers, ranging from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. Founded in 2007, Veeva is a privately held company headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area with offices in Philadelphia, Barcelona, Budapest, London, Paris, Beijing, Shanghai, Osaka, Tokyo, Sydney and Singapore. For more information, visit .Contact:Lisa BarbadoraPublic RelationsVeeva Systems Inc. ??2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.*DISCLAIMER*: The information contained in or provided through this site section is intended for general consumer understanding and education only and is not intended to be and is not a substitute for professional advice. Use of this site section and any information contained on or provided through this site section is at your own risk and any information contained on or provided through this site section is provided on an "as is" basis without any representations or warranties.Provided by Remodeling a small kitchen is a challenge that quite a few of us face. Visions of wide open kitchens with multiple islands dance in our heads, but in reality we are remodeling our own small, perfectly imperfect kitchens.However, did you know that some professional cooks actually prefer small kitchens to large kitchens?When I , host of the PBS series "Christina Cooks" and author of several popular cookbooks, she told me that inefficient, large kitchens are all too common, and that she prefers to cook in a kitchen in which the "work triangle" (the sink, stove, and work station) are close together. Does that make you feel better about having a small kitchen? It should!The key to getting the most out of a small kitchen, and what to keep in mind when remodeling, is maximizing the efficiency of your work triangle. A common motivation for people to remodel their small kitchens is a lack of counter space, also known as too small of a work station. Creating storage for small appliances under the counters is one way to increase counter space, as is installing wall ovens. Another way to increase counter space in a small kitchen is to install an undermount sink. Since undermount sinks eliminate few inches that the "lip" of a sink take up, you can gain several inches of counter space by installing an undermount sink. Another way to gain counter space is to move the sink from the center of the counter to the edge.When it comes to installing an oven in a small kitchen remodel, consider splitting up the oven and cook top. A wall oven and separate cook top can make room for additional under-counter storage space. If you choose to go with a regular range and oven, use the idea of the work triangle as your guide to where to position it. If you cannot move your sink due to the cost of moving , it is less costly to move the oven and the work station. Arranging your kitchen so that the refrigerator is next to the work station, which is next to a sink, with is next to a small counter top, which is next to the oven is one way to get the most out of a small kitchen remodel.Using vertical space, from ceiling to floor, is another way to maximize the functionality of a small kitchen. When remodeling a small kitchen, consider space that you otherwise had not considered for purposes that you had never imagined it could accommodate. Wine refrigerator under the counter? Why not? Shelves that reach the ceiling with a rolling ladder to reach them? Sure! Knocking down part of a wall to build a breakfast bar and to let light in? Of course! When you're remodeling a small kitchen, think vertical when it comes to storage.For photos of great small kitchen remodels and to ask all your small kitchen remodeling questions, click over to .Chaya Kurtz writes for Networx.com. .Provided by "Trash to treasure" is one of those phrases which motivates DIY furniture builders. What could be more exciting than transforming found junk into something truly beautiful and functional?There are so many materials to choose from when it comes to upcycling. Almost anything is fair game, but wood is a favorite. Sources of reclaimed wood include parts of old furniture, plywood signs, shipping pallets, and even salvaged floor boards or wall boards. Don't forget old doors! They make excellent table tops and desk tops. Wooden crates are an excellent furniture building material, and so are scraps of 2 by 4's that you might have hanging around the basement.Do you need to be a to build with reclaimed wood? It helps to have some carpentry skills, but this type of project can be great for beginners. Why? If you mess up, it's not like you ruined expensive new wood! That's part of why some of the best and most creative furniture-building projects have been done with found wood. Found wood just invites creativity.This DIY bench is so cool! It was made by , which is incidentally a cute name and a great blog on DIY furniture building. What's it made of? The wide wood boards are actually an old bed. After building the bench, she stained, painted, and sanded it down to its lovely weathered finish. The is also a DIY project that you could do.These street signs have so much potential! Smart builder Howard Bales used some old fashioned joinery skills when from old plywood street signs. This table is actually a computer desk. Can't you envision it in an industrial-chic office setting? While the road signs could be stripped, sanded, and painted over, there is something really exciting about seeing the original use for the boards, repurposed as a work station. What else could you think of to build with old road signs?Wooden wine crates are a classic DIY building material. I'm always scanning the local Craigslist listings for free building materials, and I have seen fancy restaurants actually selling their used wine crates to , who like to collect them for projects. Selling the crates might just be a New York City thing (is there anything here that does not somehow involve profit?), so check with your local wineries and bars to find out if they have any wine crates to give away. Even if they're selling them, rather than just giving them, wine crates are still a great material to repurpose. Like, look at this fabulous boutique hotel reception desk! I could see building a out of wine crates, or a crafts table.Related: +++Networx.com and Hometalk.com help folks to do the best and smartest home improvement and gardening projects. .This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: New Visual Provides Clear Overview of a Rapidly Changing IndustrySeattle, WA (PRWEB) October 03, 2013 Identified, a data and analytics company focused on professional information, today released its first annual Identified Recruiting MarketScope for 2013, at the SourceCon 2013 Seattle conference. Co-founder and co-CEO Brendan Wallace is speaking on the Big Data and the Future of Sourcing panel at the conference. An easy-to-understand visual guide for sourcers, recruiters, analysts and journalists, the MarketScope visually classifies information on roughly 200 technology players in the recruiting sector, and is designed to familiarize viewers with industry leaders, helping them make sense of an intricate, quickly changing field. The document is free and available for download at . The recruiting landscape is growing increasingly complicated due to the incorporation of disruptive technologies and new technological advancements. This has made it progressively more difficult for recruiters to know where industry leaders fit into the new era of recruiting. The Identified Recruiting MarketScope provides an easy reference on key players in the recruiting lifecycle, and allows analysts to make sense of a sector that is undergoing significant transformation.The Identified Recruting MarketScope recognizes technology players in the following areas: Long-term vision and technological readiness are essential for continued recruiting success, said Brendan Wallace, co-founder and co-CEO of Identified. With the Identified Recruiting MarketScope, we want to provide an overview and record of who the major industry players are and how they all fit together to support the HR and recruiting function.The Identified Recruiting MarketScope is compiled annually, based on industry research from the Identified team. The MarketScope is an evolving document in a quickly changing industry. Think you should have been included? Please email feedback to marketscope(at)identified(dot)com.About IdentifiedFounded in 2010 and headquartered in San Francisco, Identified is a data and analytics company focused on professional information. Identified pioneered SYMAN (Systematic Mass Normalization), a proprietary technology that extracts, standardizes, and organizes only professionally relevant data from the social Web in order to create new products and insights for companies and recruiters. The company has raised $22.5 million from VantagePoint Capital Partners, Capricorn Investment Group, Bill Draper, Tim Draper, Innovation Endeavors and others. For more information, visit . ##For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: The report provides in-depth analysis of the global adoption trends and opportunities in the considered market. Furthermore, it provides a comprehensive business case analysis along with the information on major market drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and key issues in IAM market. (PRWEB) October 01, 2013 The report Identity and Access Management (IAM) Market [(On Premise, Cloud IAM), By Components (Provisioning, Directories, SSO, Advanced Authentication, Password Management, Audit, Compliance & Governance)] - Global Advancements, Forecast & Analysis (20132018), defines and segments the IAM software market into various sub-segments with in-depth analysis and forecasting of revenues. It also identifies drivers and restraints for this market with insights on trends, opportunities, and challenges.Browse 148 market data tables with 44 figures spread through 287 pages and In-Depth Table of Content on "Identity and Access Management (IAM) Market".Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.The major force driving the IAM Market is the lowering proportion of services required for implementation of an IAM project (via- cloud IAM) as it was too heavy for Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to afford traditional cost structure. As per Marketsandmarkets, SMEs across the globe will start investing in IAM projects in coming years, as traditional cost structure is slowly getting replaced by attractive pricing offers such as monthly subscription, usage-based pricing, etc.MarketsandMarkets has broadly segmented the IAM market by deployment types: on-premises, cloud, and hybrid; by type of components: provisioning, directory technologies, Single Sign On (SSO), advanced authentication, password management, audit, compliance, and governance; by organization sizes: small-sized businesses, medium-sized businesses, and enterprises; by end-users/verticals: Banking and Finance Services Insurance (BFSI), telecommunication and IT, public sector and utilities, energy, oil, and gas, manufacturing, education, healthcare, retail and wholesale distribution, and other sectors; by regions: North America (NA), Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe (EU), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Latin America (LA).Marketsandmarkets believes that the need to connect and manage complex structure of federated digital identities which includes integration, interoperability, and compatibility issues will always remain one among the key challenges for both enterprises as well as existing IAM vendors.The IAM market is estimated to grow from $5.13 billion in 2013 to $10.39 billion in 2018. This represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 15.1% from 2013 to 2018. In terms of regions, North America is expected to be the biggest market in terms of revenue contribution, while emerging economies such as Asia Pacific (APAC) and Middle East and Africa (MEA) are expected to experience increased market traction with high CAGRs, in the due course.Browse related reportsCyber-Security Market (Identity & Access Management (IAM), Risk & Compliance Management, Data Encryption, Data Leakage Prevention (DLP) Solution, Data Recovery Solutions, Unified Threat Management (UTM), Anti-Virus, IPS/IDS, Web Filtering, Fire-Wall, Vulnerability Management): Advanced Technologies, Geographical Analysis and Worldwide Market Forecasts (2012 2017)Hybrid Cloud Market by Delivery Models (Saas, Paas, Iaas), by Cloud Management (Cloud Bursting, Cloud Orchestration), by Cloud Security (Network Security, Data Security, Physical Security) - Global Advancements, Market Forecasts & Analysis (2013 2018) About MarketsandMarketsMarketsandMarkets is a global market research and consulting company based in the U.S. We publish strategically analyzed market research reports and serve as a business intelligence partner to Fortune 500 companies across the world.MarketsandMarkets also provides multi-client reports, company profiles, databases, and custom research services. MarketsandMarkets covers thirteen industry verticals; including advanced materials, automotives and transportation, banking and financial services, biotechnology, chemicals, consumer goods, telecommunications and IT, energy and power, food and beverages, industrial automation, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and electronics, aerospace & defense.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanNorth - Dominion Plaza17304 Preston RoadSuite 800, Dallas, TX 75252Tel: +1-888-600-6441Email: sales(at)marketsandmarkets(dot)comVisit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ Connect with us on LinkedIn @ For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE Identity Theft Resource CenterSAN DIEGO, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to the recent government shutdown, many government resources, including those which assist victims of identity theft, may be unavailable at this time.During this interim period, the ITRC Victim Assistance Call Center is open and ready to assist callers who may be faced with issues of identity theft. The ITRC wants to ensure that victims nationwide are aware of our resources. Our call center and online resources at remain available.Our toll-free call center, 888-400-5530, is available from 7:30-4:30 PST. We will likely experience a high volume of calls which will increase consumer wait time; however, we are committed to responding to victims and consumers as quickly as possible.About the ITRCThe Identity Theft Resource Center? (ITRC) is a nationally recognized non-profit organization established to support victims of identity theft in resolving their cases, and to broaden public education and awareness in the understanding of identity theft. It is the on-going mission of the ITRC to assist victims, educate consumers, research identity theft and increase public and corporate awareness about this problem.? Victims may contact the ITRC toll-free at 888-400-5530 or visit us online at .ContactNikki JunkerIdentity Theft Resource Center858.444.3287Read more news from .?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.By MARGIE SZAROLETAAssociated Press Ruben Studdard didn't even get one last pig-out session before making his way to "The Biggest Loser" ranch. "You know, the funny thing is, I was actually working the night before, so I didn't get an opportunity to have a pig-out session, no," Studdard said in a phone call. "I actually flew from a concert to the ranch. ... I'm sure I probably would have had a piece of cake or something before I went up to the ranch for months and months." The 35-year-old singer became famous winning another reality show - "American Idol" - but had seen his weight climb in the years since. He is the 15th season's heaviest contestant at 462 pounds. "The Biggest Loser" returns Oct. 8 at 8 p.m on NBC. The Grammy-nominated artist said after the show, he'll record his sixth album, but he will also make sure to "give every day of my life some Ruben time." "That's what I've been taught, as you know. I have to get up every day and give myself the two hours that I need to keep myself together before I even get into any music stuff, and that's just going to have to be how I do it," he said. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Let me take a crack at this BCS thing. Here are my gripes with the current standings:1. LSU2. Oklahoma State3. Alabama4. Stanford5. Boise State6. Oklahoma*Obviously LSU is where it needs to be. OSU is as well. Bama at #3 is wrong, in my opinion. Common sense tells me that a team with one loss is not as good as a team with zero losses. Granted, the one loss by Bama is to the top team, but they still lost. Stanford and Boise State haven't. I'd put Bama at #5 behind Stanford #3 and Boise State #4. *To me, the Sooners are going to have a hard time getting any higher. The only way OU gets to the national title game now is by winning in Bedlam and hoping that Oregon beats Stanford. Even then, the Sooners' one loss came to a crappy Texas Tech team. Bama's only loss (assuming they finish unbeaten) is to #1. Boise will not have lost. I can't put OU ahead of Boise, Bama or Oregon because of that loss to the Red Raiders. Beating #2, to me, doesn't outweigh Bama and Oregon losing to #1 and Boise going unbeaten. *My WHOLE ARGUMENT from the beginning of this BCS thing is this: how do you know if this is a true champion? I hate the way the BCS is decided by computers and dudes in their mom's basement watch games through his thick, black-rimmed specs that are only held together by masking tape. Those number crunchers, accurate as they may SEEM, will never be as decisive as a college football playoff. SAY Bama beats LSU in the BCS title game. All that says to me is both teams are 1-1 against each other. Yet, Bama takes home the trophy because they won last. That isn't a fair representation of the true BCS champion. If Bama and LSU had to go through a month-long postseason gauntlet, and then played in the title game against each other, I'd be able to crown Bama a champ if they won that game BECAUSE THEY EARNED IT through a playoff. There have been plenty of times in the NFL that the team that won the Super Bowl lost to its SB opponent in the regular season. They had to FIGHT for that berth in the title game. That's the difference. Don't just gift Bama a spot in the championship game because they are "the best team outside of LSU" by popular opinion. The court of public appeal means nothing. It's about wins and losses. Another gripe I have.. rewards for easy scheduling. The perfect example is Houston. If Tulsa and Houston swap schedules this year, would TU be ranked #11 in the BCS, like the Cougars are now? Is that fair? Who have they played? Let's see:HOUSTONUCLA (5-4), North Texas (3-6), Louisiana Tech (5-4) and Georgia State (2-7) Combined overall record of opponents: 15-21TULSAOklahoma (8-1), Oklahoma State (9-0), Boise State (8-0), North Texas (3-6)Combined record of opponents: 28-7The only common opponent is North Texas. Houston beat them, 48-23. Tulsa won, 41-24. Throw that game out because the results were basically the same. Tulsa is essentially punished for playing difficult games. Houston is rewarded for playing cupcake teams. Is that fair? If I had a vote, the BCS might look a little bit different.By Steven ReinbergHealthDay ReporterMONDAY, Aug. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Teens of a parent who smoked -- even if the mother or father quit before the teen was born -- are more likely to smoke than those whose parents are nonsmokers, a new study finds.Having an older brother or sister who smokes also raises the odds that a teen will pick up the habit, the researchers report."These findings imply that any amount of smoking could have important influences on the next generation," said lead researcher Mike Vuolo, an assistant professor of sociology at Purdue University. "Given the influence on the oldest siblings, this is especially the case in heavy-smoking households."Vuolo and co-author Jeremy Staff, an associate professor of sociology at Pennsylvania State University, analyzed data from a multigenerational study that has followed participants since 1988, when they were freshmen in high school, to 2011. They focused on 214 now-parents and 314 of their children aged 11 and older.Annual survey results uncovered four patterns of smoking: teens who were persistent heavy smokers, teens who were light smokers who quit or reduced use, teens who started smoking later and nonsmokers. Their children were then surveyed in 2011."Surprisingly, we found similar odds of smoking among the children for the three smoking groups [23 percent to 29 percent] compared with children of nonsmokers [8 percent]," Vuolo said.In homes with a persistent heavy-smoking parent, the oldest sibling is influenced to smoke, which in turn increases the chances that younger siblings will smoke by six times, he added."We should educate young people that smoking at any time in their lives could have influences on their children. Also, preventative efforts should target heavy-smoking households, trying to break the cycle of influence on the oldest siblings," Vuolo said.The report was published online Aug. 5 and in the September print issue of Pediatrics.Dr. John Spangler, a professor of family and community medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, said there may well be a genetic component to these findings."This study confirms what we have already sensed, that there is a family history of tobacco use among many smokers," Spangler said. "We know that people are more likely to uses substances like alcohol based on family history, the same holds true for tobacco use."This may point to a genetic predisposition to metabolize nicotine or dopamine differently, he said. "We should encourage doctors to ask about a family history of smoking, because if there is a family history of smoking then that individual is more likely to be a smoker in the future," Spangler said.Parents who were former smokers should realize their child is more likely to become a smoker. These parents may want to discuss smoking with their children with an eye toward preventing it. "This may also be a good way for physicians to counsel parents about and children about tobacco use -- that there is this risk factor," Spangler said. Another expert agreed that parents who smoke should make every effort to quit, but said that further measures are needed."Consistent with previous research, this study shows the dramatic impact of parental smoking on youth smoking," said Danny McGoldrick, vice president for research at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids."Even parents who are unable to quit should make their cars and homes smoke-free, send clear messages to their children about not smoking and support policies and programs like increased tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws and comprehensive prevention and cessation programs that are proven to reduce smoking among kids and adults," he said. While the study showed an association between having parents or siblings who smoke and smoking yourself, it did not prove a cause-and-effect link.Another study in the same journal issue found that 72 percent of teens who use smokeless tobacco products also smoke cigarettes.This finding runs counter to the idea that smokeless tobacco products can help reduce the health problems associated with tobacco use, the researchers said.Kids who used smokeless tobacco were more likely to believe that it's less harmful than tobacco products in general, the study found.More informationFor facts about smoking cessation, visit the . Copyright ? 2013 . All rights reserved.To the long list of dire consequences if the United States defaults on debt obligations, here's an addition you probably haven't considered: litigation against the U.S. government for missed payments.Let's establish at the outset that if American owners of Treasury bills or U.S. bonds are counting on a suit against the U.S. government to recover any losses stemming from a default, their faith is misplaced. Litigation takes a long time in this country, especially when you're talking about completely unprecedented claims arising from unique, unforeseeable circumstances. It's just about unfathomable that the United States will fail to meet its obligations to bondholders for as long as it would take them to obtain a judgment, even assuming that bondholders somehow defied all reasonable expectations and managed to win their case. For that hypothetical to be realized, our economy would have to be so devastated that bondholder litigation would be a relatively small worry.But what about a suit by foreigners who own U.S. debt? Or even foreign sovereigns? I talked Wednesday with several foreign debt and constitutional experts, both in academia and private practice. They outlined a set of hypotheticals under which foreign owners of U.S. debt could sue the U.S. government in their own courts and even attempt to enforce judgment against the United States by seizing U.S. assets. Granted, the scenario is based on speculation that's incredibly unlikely to come to pass. In these strange days, though, a little mind-bending is good exercise.The first thing to know is that T-bills and U.S. bonds don't come with complicated purchase agreements. U.S. debt is sold under the full faith and credit of the government as a simple obligation to pay. That's different from, say, the Argentine bonds that have occasioned so much litigation in federal district court in Manhattan and at the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Argentina agreed in its bond offerings to submit to the jurisdiction of U.S. courts, which have acted as the interpreters of Argentina's contracts with bondholders. T-bills and U.S. bonds do not specify any jurisdiction to oversee disputes in the event of default. The instruments don't even contemplate the possibility of default, which is just another indication of the dilemma we're in right now.If the U.S. government misses a payment, American debt holders who wanted to litigate would presumably sue in either U.S. district court or the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which oversees (among other things) disputes between the federal government and U.S. contractors. Jurisdiction would be a threshold question of first impression, in which the courts would have to determine whether there's a contract between the government and debt holders.Once that was decided, the United States would argue that it's immune, as a sovereign, from bondholder claims. Law professor David Skeel of the University of Pennsylvania told me by email that U.S. debt instruments do not waive sovereign immunity, "so it would be tough to sue." Professor Neil Buchanan of the George Washington University Law School said bondholders could surely "get through the courthouse door," but he said federal judges would probably dismiss their suits under the Political Question Doctrine, which holds that courts should not oversee cases that interfere with the decision-making authority of elected officials.Even if debt owners survived sovereign immunity and Political Question defenses and won a judgment against the government, how would they enforce it? Courts aren't going to permit them to seize government assets, after all. As I said above, given the years of litigation American bondholders would have to endure and their infinitesimal odds of recovering anything from the courts, it's just about impossible to imagine that they'd be made whole through litigation faster than they would be without suing. Never say never: Anyone with the cash to pay a filing fee can bring a lawsuit in federal court, and suing to recover a missed payment can make a public relations point. Just don't expect more than a headline from the filing.So why could the scenario be different for foreign debtholders? Because they can argue that their courts, and not U.S. courts, have jurisdiction over their claims. Remember, when you buy U.S. debt, there's no contract provision specifying where disputes will be heard. That means there's nothing to stop foreign citizens - or even foreign governments - from attempting to use their own court system to redress the U.S. government's failure to make good on debt payments. Of course, such a suit would be subject to that country's version of the U.S.'s Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which could preclude the litigation. There are also diplomatic and economic considerations for foreigners holding U.S. debt. A foreign sovereign like China would have to think very hard about the market and foreign relations impact of suing the United States over a default.On the other hand, a foreign sovereign could point to the long-running Argentina bond litigation in U.S. courts to argue that if American judges can decide how Argentina must meet its obligations to bondholders, then their courts can decide the U.S. government's obligations. (I should point out here that the Justice Department actually sided with Argentina on the interpretation of the equal-footing clause in its bond contracts. Also, unlike Argentina, the U.S. has never agreed to subject its agreements with debt holders to the jurisdiction of a foreign court.) If a foreign court were to claim jurisdiction and issue a judgment against the U.S. government, it's probably more likely that foreign debt holders would actually be able to recover, via the seizure of U.S. assets abroad, than U.S. bondholders would be able to attempt to take control of government property within our borders.Of course, that's still an almost-impossible chain of events. Bondholder litigation against the United States is the longest of long shots, no matter where you're suing. "It's fun to speculate, but it's hard to imagine that a lawsuit against the U.S. would be the most effective remedy or the fastest route to recovery in the U.S. or abroad," said emerging-markets debt expert Bruce Wolfson of Bingham McCutchen. "Any suit like that would be more for political theater."Let's hope we never get past the initial assumptions in my worst-case litigation hypothetical, namely that the United States will hit the debt ceiling and breach debt obligations. I'm just making a small contribution to the literature of looming default catastrophe, in case certain members of the executive or legislative branches need a bit of extra persuasion.(Reporting by Alison Frankel)"This is going to be one of the craziest years I've seen," said Mark Steber, chief tax officer for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services. "It's kind of the perfect tax storm."For those of us still smarting from the 2011 tax comeuppance, 2012 is nothing to look forward to.A host of tax deductions are set to expire by Dec. 31. Together they add up to many billions of dollars in breaks for taxpayers.Of course, 2012 is also an election year. So fixing any of that before mid-November is not even getting serious discussion. That will leave only a month or so for the new Congress to do its typical patching and extending of various breaks. Whether they'll be able to agree on such moves at all will have a lot to do with the Nov. 6 election results.Some of the writeoffs scheduled to expire or drop significantly in value in 2012 include:A full list from Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation is available .Of these breaks, the biggest dollar value belongs to the Bush tax cuts and the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch. The confluence of these two expiring in the same year is?a big part of Steber's 2012 "perfect storm."The Bush tax cuts have come up for renewal every two years. The AMT has been patched 18 times since it was?created in 1969.Without a renewal of the AMT patch, another 34? million Americans would become subject to it, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS).The 2-year AMT patch for 2010 and 2011 cost an estimated $136.7 billion, according to .A permanent fix would be hugely expensive. Paired with an extension of the 2001/2003 tax cuts first enacted under the Bush administration, and renewed by President Barack Obama in 2008,? a permanent AMT fix would cost something on the order of $2.7 trillion over the 2011-2022 period, according to that CRS report.That difference in magnitude explains why the AMT gets patched every few years, rather than overhauled.Unlike other tax changes, which can sometimes be more challenging to detect, the AMT?has a?readily apparent impact on?the voting public, since it becomes clear when we prepare our taxes, Steber notes.If these issues are not fixed in the last weeks of 2012, there will be a sharp political backlash, Steber predicts."You are going to pay more tax. Your refund is going to go down. Elected officials don't want that," he said. "People will vote on that."With the high likelihood of tax changes at the very end of the year, there will be very little time for the IRS to implement them. Tax forms?already will?be printed and?software designed.IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman has voiced concern.? "You could have a real disaster in the filing season where there's total confusion," especially for the alternative minimum tax patch, he an audience at the National Press Club on April 5.Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE iFinix CorporationHARRISON, N.Y., Oct. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- iFinix Corp. (PINKSHEETS: INIX), a consulting and management holdings company consisting of several subsidiaries, today released its Company Outlook for the future. In spite of two unsuccessful acquisition attempts and lack of adequate funding, the company has continued to move forward towards achieving all of its aforementioned goals. The management has been working quietly, but diligently in all aspects of the company's operations, particularly in its core business, the iFinix software division's suite of products. Lead Developer, Ricardo Brillion and his staff have continued upgrading and developing the software products. By keeping current with today's technology the management believes that upon their release, the iFinix software products will be formidable competitors in the marketplace. The company is also in negotiations with several new acquisition targets which if completed will bring immediate revenues and valuable assets into the company.Additionally, the company has retained the services of recognized legal and auditing firms which specialize in obtaining DTC eligibility and OTC uplisting for micro cap public companies.CEO Ben Munroe stated, "I am pleased to report that I believe our goals can actually become a reality at this time, because we finally have the last piece of the puzzle in place, which is solid funding commitments to support the execution of our business plan going forward. The management and I have made a total commitment to the ultimate success of iFinix and intend to keep our shareholders updated on our progress on a regular basis."Contact iFinix Corporation Investor Relations 888-429-1117About iFinix Corp. iFinix Corporation is a consulting and management holdings company that consists of several subsidiaries. Our people combine expertise in systems integration, outsourcing, infrastructure, server technology and consulting with precision thinking and relentless execution to help clients. iFinix is developing a product line that delivers financial and business information with streaming, real-time market data, news and analytics to professionals and active individual investors. The company's suite of products includes iFinix RealTime, iFinix Trader and eFinix. .Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Safe Harbor: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the Safe Harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of iFinix Corporation to be materially different from the statements made herein. ?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE iGATE CorporationFREMONT, California, September 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --? (NASDAQ: IGTE), the first integrated technology and operations company providing Business Outcomes-based solutions, today announced its multi-regional Gold partnership status with , an SAP company and the world's fastest-growing commerce platform provider. iGATE is leveraging hybris to accelerate the global commerce success of the leading Fortune 500 companies.???? (Logo: )As the global commerce market continues to grow, enterprises are challenged by the ever increasing need to efficiently create and manage omni-channel and multi-lingual sites.?In the partnership, iGATE provides strategic consulting, site design, and systems integration to ensure that enterprises fully capitalize on the power of the hybris platform., EVP, Head of Sales - North America and Global Head of Alliances at iGATE?said, "In today's marketplace it is imperative for organizations to consistently engage their clients with commerce sites across multiple channels and create an exceptional omni-channel user experience. We have been making strategic investments in the e-Commerce space and our partnership with hybris enables us to deliver leading omni-channel commerce solutions to a broader client base and help global companies implement these solutions more effectively."Today's multi-touchpoint market often requires integration across multiple systems to create a unified and compelling user experience across?all devices.?With the ever growing shift to mobile devices and social networks, iGATE has developed a robust expertise and global workforce to enable agile commerce solutions for all these touchpoints.Frank Schoutissen, Vice President Channels at???said, "We are seeing increased traction in the marketplace and the partnership with iGATE as a multi-regional Gold partner will help us address this need. hybris' Commerce Suite will help iGATE to deliver omni-channel commerce solutions to their clients and enable them to adapt to changing consumer needs."Recent successes include enterprise implementations and global expansion for Fortune 500 clients in healthcare, manufacturing, distribution, retail and media/publishing industries. Sites included B2C, B2B and B2E multi-channel commerce environments with real-time order management and analytics.?Shobha Meera, Vice President, Alliances at iGATE said, "The partnership combines iGATE's e-Commerce expertise with hybris' modern, agile and comprehensive commerce platform, which provides customers both a technology as well as an implementation partner to improve the overall customer experience. This partnership will enhance the already growing acceptance of this service in the customer markets. We are now able to create a uniform and compelling customer experience in complex environments for clients in different industries, which open up new business opportunities for both our companies."About iGATEiGATE Corporation is the first integrated technology and operations (iTOPS) company providing full-spectrum consulting, technology and business process outsourcing, and product and engineering solutions on a Business Outcomes-based model. Armed with over three decades of IT Services experience and powered by the iTOPS platform, iGATE's multi-location global organization has a talent pool of more than 28,500 employees and consistently delivers effective solutions to over 300 companies including Fortune 1000 clients spanning verticals such as: banking and financial services; insurance and healthcare; life sciences; manufacturing, retail, distribution and logistics; media, entertainment, leisure and travel; energy and utilities; public sector; and independent software vendors. Please visit for more information.iGATE Corporation is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol "IGTE."About hybris, an SAP Companyhybris helps businesses around the globe sell more goods, services and digital content through every touchpoint, channel and device. hybris delivers OmniCommerce?: state-of-the-art master data management for commerce and unified commerce processes that give a business a single view of its customers, products and orders, and its customers a single view of the business. hybris' omni-channel software is built on a single platform, based on open standards, that is agile to support limitless innovation, efficient to drive the best TCO, and scalable and extensible to be the last commerce platform companies will ever need. ?Both principal industry analyst firms rank hybris as a "leader" and list its commerce platform among the top two or three in the market. The same software is available on-premise, on-demand and managed hosted, giving merchants of all sizes maximum flexibility. Over 500 companies have chosen hybris, including global B2B sites W.W.Grainger, Rexel, General Electric, Thomson Reuters and 3M as well as consumer brands Toys"R"Us UK, Metro, Bridgestone, Levi's, Nikon, Galeries Lafayette, Migros, Nespresso and Lufthansa. hybris is the future of commerce?. For more information, visit .Media ContactsPrabhanjan Deshpande "PD"Corporate Communication and Media Relations, iGATE+91-80-4104-5006 ?Regional media contactsIndia ? ?Shoma GhoshAdfactors PR+91-9820091196Amrita PanjaAdfactors PR+91-9920081123North AmericaAnu Kher ? ?Gutenberg Communications+1(646)775-6301 ?Meagan OstrowskiGutenberg Communications+1(212)810-4394?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE IGI Laboratories, Inc.BUENA, N.J., Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IGI Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE MKT: IG), a New Jersey based topical generic drug development and manufacturing company, announced the Company will hold a conference call at 4:30 pm ET on Tuesday, October 29, 2013 to discuss 3rd quarter 2013 results.(Logo:?)The Company invites you to listen to the call by dialing 1-877-415-3182. International participants should call 1-857-244-7325. The passcode for the conference call is 58610371. This call is being webcast by Thomson and can be accessed at IGI's website at . The webcast is also being distributed through the Thomson StreetEvents Network. Individual investors can listen to the call at , Thomson's individual investor portal, powered by StreetEvents (), a password-protected event management site. About IGI Laboratories, Inc.IGI Laboratories is a developer and manufacturer of topical formulations for the pharmaceutical, OTC, and cosmetic markets. Our mission is to be a leading player in the generic topical prescription drug market.?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE IGTExcitement surrounds opening day in Columbus with jackpots starting at $100,000LAS VEGAS, Oct. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --?Renowned across the globe for its industry-first innovations and game-changing solutions for the casino gaming industry, (NYSE: IGT), announced that it will be offering MegaHits?, a multi-jurisdictional Wide-Area Progressive (WAP) jackpot in the state of Ohio today.(Logo: )MegaHits links jackpots across multiple lottery jurisdictions, beginning at $100,000 and growing to life-changing jackpot potential. Currently live in Delaware, Rhode Island and West Virginia, MegaHits is anticipated to be placed in additional properties throughout Ohio."Scioto Downs is known for providing excellent product at an excellent value and IGT's MegaHits continues the tradition of winning at Scioto Downs with a life changing jackpot opportunity said Troy Buswell VP/GM at Scioto Downs Racino. "We are thrilled to be the first casino to bring the fun of MegaHits to the state of Ohio."Fans of the IGT MegaBucks? line-up of games will enjoy the same exciting gameplay with MegaHits WAP, including Purple Passion? and Pink Ice?. "Scioto Downs has such an incredible history, as the first racino in Columbus, Ohio and now it is adding another first to its story, as the very first gaming property in Ohio to feature MegaHits," said Tim Shortall, IGT Vice President of NA Sales, Eastern Region. "We look forward to creating more winners throughout the state of Ohio with MegaHits."For more information on the vast line-up of gaming solutions that IGT offers, please visit?. Join the conversation at #IGTBlue.IGT Resources: About IGT) is a global leader in casino gaming entertainment and continues to transform the industry by translating casino player experiences to social, mobile and interactive environments for markets around the world. IGT's acquisition of DoubleDown Interactive provides engaging social casino style entertainment to more than 6 million players monthly. More information about IGT is available at??or connect with IGT at??or. Anyone can play at the?DoubleDown Casino?by visiting??or About Scioto DownsScioto Downs Racino, Ohio's first Racino, features over 2,100 video lottery terminal games, seasonal live harness horse racing, year-round simulcast wagering, an array of dining options and live entertainment. With a long history or horse racing, Scioto Downs has been bringing gaming to the community for over 50 years. As the first Racino to open in June 2012, Scioto Downs introduced the latest in gaming technology to central Ohio and continues to bring the best and most popular games to the property. Scioto Downs offers world-class entertainment in a customer friendly atmosphere.?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.NEW YORK (AP) - While the iPhone 5S includes a handful of new features that set it apart from Apple's previous model, the actual cost to make the phone hasn't changed very much, according to a new study. An IHS Inc. teardown of the new smartphone found that the components that make up a 16-gigabyte iPhone 5S cost $190.70. Manufacturing costs add another $8, bringing the total production cost to $198.70. In comparison, the iPhone 5, which hit the market a year ago, cost $197 to make. Andrew Rassweiler, IHS' senior director for cost benchmarking services, noted that the 5S includes features new to the smartphone world, such as a 64-bit apps processor and a fingerprint identification sensor, without a significant jump in costs. The research firm also dissected a 16-gigabyte iPhone 5C, a cheaper version of the 5S, and put its total production cost at $173.45, including $7 in manufacturing costs. Rassweiler said the 5C is basically an iPhone 5 wrapped in plastic, noting that it has basically the same features, but benefits from typical component price drops, along with its cheaper plastic enclosure. The 5C has a starting sticker price of $549, but will sell for $99 with a two-year wireless contract. It's Apple's least-expensive iPhone ever and is an effort to boost sales in China and other areas where people don't have as much money to spend on new gadgets as they do in the U.S. and Europe. But critics have said that the phone is still too expensive to sell well in emerging markets. IHS said that while it costs substantially less to produce an iPhone 5C than it did an iPhone 5, those costs are still on the high side. It added that in order to merit the low-end smartphone pricing of $400 that many industry observers had expected, while maintaining typical Apple profit margins, the company would need to reduce its 5C production costs to about $130. Monday Apple reported that it sold 9 million of the two new models since their launch on Friday - its strongest iPhone launch ever - and that demand was exceeding supply. In midday trading, shares of the Cupertino, Calif., company slipped $5.98 to $483.12. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.By Bengt HalvorsonThe , and the -- both recently redesigned family-size sedans -- have earned top crash-test ratings across the board from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Also taking into consideration their standard safety equipment, they've been named among the list of IIHS Top Safety Picks.The Azera, which went on sale earlier this year -- and is quite highly rated here at The Car Connection, especially due to its standout design and luxurious, full-featured interior -- already has an impressive set of standard safety features. There are a total of nine standard airbags, including a driver's knee airbag and rear side-impact bags, and the front seat design is one that's impact-reducing in itself. Also, the Azera includes a rearview camera system in each of its trims. And in new IIHS tests, it completely swept the ratings matrix, with top 'good' scores in all the subcategories of frontal and side-impact testing.The new Malibu Eco almost swept the board, with top ratings in all of the IIHS's subcategories; the sole exception was an 'acceptable' score for driver torso injury. In the relatively new roof strength test -- a measure that correlates to the likelihood of injury in a rollover accident -- the Malibu Eco was able to withstand 5.22 times its body weight in a particular test area of the roof.Withstanding 4.76 times its weight, the Azera also earned a 'good' rating. In any case, that was a substantial improvement over the previous (2011) Azera, which had earned 'acceptable' ratings for rear and side impact.The Malibu, on the other hand, has been a top performer for several model years. Although we should caution that these results don't extend to the rest of the (non-Eco) 2013 Chevy Malibu lineup, which hasn't yet gone on sale.Neither of these models has yet been rated by the federal government, as part of its new-car assessment program (NCAP) crash tests, but we'll update our review pages as soon as they're available. In the meantime, if safety is one of your top priorities, both of these roomy deserve to be on your shopping list.And go here to see the .This story originally appeared atBy MALIN RISINGAssociated Press STOCKHOLM (AP) - Swedish flat-pack furniture giant IKEA will start selling residential solar panels at its stores in Britain, the first step in its plan to bring renewable energy to the mainstream market worldwide. The company started selling solar panels made by China's Hanergy in its store in Southampton on Monday. It will sell them in the rest of Britain in coming months, it said. A standard, all-black 3.36 kilowatt system for a semi-detached home will cost 5,700 British pounds ($9,200) and will include an in-store consultation and design service as well as installation, maintenance and energy monitoring service. "In the past few years the prices on solar panels have dropped, so it's a really good price now," IKEA Chief Sustainability Officer Steve Howard told The Associated Press. "It's the right time to go for the consumers." The solar panel investment will be paid off in about seven years for an average home owner in Britain, Howard said. "If you are going to be in your house that long, your energy will be free after seven years," he said. Some retailers in the U.S., including the Home Depot and Lowe's, already sell solar panels. But in other parts of the world, consumers often have to research a myriad specialist firms before making a purchase. Howard said IKEA aims to launch the products in other countries eventually. It picked Britain as its test market because it has the right combination of mid-level electricity prices and government-sponsored financial incentives that make investing in solar energy attractive to consumers. "This is a market by market decision," he said. The U.K. government offers private solar panel owners the opportunity to sell back electricity to the grid on days when they have surplus production and has a financing plan for solar power investments, which means residents can buy a system for no upfront cost and pay it off gradually. Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Maybe I've just lived in my own little harmless bubble for so long that I'm totally unaware of the lunacy on campuses all over the country. I've lived a somewhat sheltered life with no problems, no troubles and no hint of felony or distraction to speak of. Not so much as an overdue library book.That's why this TCU story has me so baffled. Why in the world are four top athletes at a Christian university ? It's unbelievable to me. I have never done drugs. I've never SEEN drugs. I don't know what marijuana smells like. I don't know where to find cocaine. I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference between ecstasy pills and aspirin if they were sitting side by side on a table in front of me. I like it that way, by the way. But I know that there is obviously a calling for these drugs out there or they wouldn't be such a big part of our social makeup. They are in movies and featured in music all the time. Needlessly, really. They are also the undoing of many star athletes. That's what has happened at TCU. The Horned Frogs lose four players because of a very serious run-in with undercover police. It's senseless and, more than that, stupid. Why would these 20-something year old kids throw their futures away like that knowing what is at stake?Is getting a quick high really that big of a deal? Maybe I'm wrong in assuming that they all TOOK the drugs. They were for sure selling them (and find me a baker that doesn't like cake). I'd imagine that the dealers are also the users much of the time. I understand the need for money. I was a poor college student once. I got a part time job. I didn't SELL illicit drugs. You say, well these players can't go out and get a job so they have to make money somehow. Shame on you if that thought popped in your head. STOP making excuses for them and STOP supporting dismissal of the law. These kids have thrown away the greatest opportunity in the world: FREE education. I have seen on Twitter today and a few other rumors hinting that upwards of 82 TCU players are involved in this. 82 out of 100?! I hope that's not true. Some of the comments on our story about this bother me. Saying that these kids are ready for a pro football career now because ALL pro football players are thugs/crooks/druggies/losers/criminals? How ignorant! Don't make the mistake of painting the entire team, or athletes in general, with one broad swipe of the brush. It's unfair. MAYBE all 100 players on the team were involved. Most likely that's untrue. It's most likely a couple of DUMB kids making HORRIBLE choices that ultimately cost them the right to play football at TCU. That doesn't mean that those four bad apples spoil the whole bunch. Drugs are useless and we all know that. The problem is getting young people like those four players to understand that what they thought they were getting away with hurts more people than just themselves. They have trashed their future and put their university in a tough spot. Very selfish, I think.U.S. District Judge?Otis Wright's May 6??in Ingenuity 13 v. John Doe is one of those decisions every lawyer should read. It's only six pages long and sprinkled with Star Trek references, but its value lies in the cautionary tale outlined by the San Francisco judge. Wright was presiding over one of the many, many cases filed in the last few years by copyright owners suing tens of thousands of defendants over the supposedly illegal downloading of their content via online file-sharing sites. The litigation, as you probably know, is a specialty of pornography producers, whose cases benefit significantly from defendants' understandable reluctance to be outed (even falsely) as consumers of online pornography. Occasionally defendants or their Internet service providers have?. More often, defendants identified through subpoenas of their ISPs chip up a few thousand bucks to make the whole nightmare go away, leading public interest groups such as Public Citizen and the Electronic Frontier Foundation to call these en masse illegal downloading cases a?.Wright is one of the first judges to agree wholeheartedly with that assessment and issue sanctions based on it. "Plaintiffs have outmaneuvered the legal system. They've discovered the nexus of antiquated copyright laws, paralyzing social stigma, and unaffordable defense costs," he wrote. "Copyright laws originally designed to compensate starving artists allow starving attorneys in this electronic-media era to plunder the citizenry." The judge went considerably further than mere rhetoric, though. In the course of hearing discovery motions by the plaintiff, a copyright holding company called Ingenuity 13, the judge found out a bit about Ingenuity's counsel, a??known as?Prenda Law. When Wright's preliminary inquiries about Prenda revealed what he called a "cloak of shell companies and fraud," the judge "went to battle stations," he said in his opinion. He ordered four lawyers associated with Prenda (but not in the Ingenuity case) and two purported principals in holding companies engaged in the business of asserting porn copyrights to appear at a series of hearings in March and April.Based on testimony and filings, Wright said, he concluded that the lawyers?John Steele, Paul Hansmeier?andPaul Duffy, who had all previously experienced "shattered law practices," began copyright trolling as a way to make "easy money." According to the judge, the attorneys had forged the name of Steele's former groundskeeper on a copyright assignment and had otherwise engaged in a pattern of deceit and subterfuge, involving shell companies and elusive law firms, to mask the reality that they were the only beneficiaries of the suits they brought. "The principals' web of disinformation is so vast that the principals cannot keep track - their explanations of their operations, relationships, and financial interests constantly vary," Wright wrote. "Though plaintiffs boldly probe the outskirts of law, the only enterprise they resemble is RICO." The judge ordered sanctions of $81,320 against all of the lawyers and firms he found to be part of the copyright scheme. He also referred his ruling to the U.S. Attorney's office, the Internal Revenue Service and relevant bar associations.Steele, Hansmeier, Duffy and the other folks smacked by Wright have all appealed the sanctions order. Hansmeier and Duffy didn't return my phone messages, but Steele told me in a phone interview that Wright should never have issued sanctions against him, since he's never appeared before the judge or even practiced in California. He also claimed Wright based his ruling on a 12-minute hearing. "There was no evidence introduced, no testimony offered, nothing," said Steele, who told me he was never a partner in Prenda Law but was merely "helping on an ad hoc basis" with some oral arguments. Steele said he's licensed only in Illinois and hasn't really practiced law in more than a year. "I'm not interested in litigation," he said. "This is a controversial area of the law."Steele told me that what has been lost in the extensive coverage of Wright's decision is that copyright owners have legitimate claims against downloaders who steal their content. "The only racket going on is the widespread use of BitTorrent," he said. "The image is of out-of-control lawyers, but you have to remember: The vast majority of cases wind up in our favor."Perhaps. But whatever happens to Steele and his colleagues - and I could, but won't, spend days telling you about??- Wright's deep skepticism about illegal downloading suits is beginning to impact other judges overseeing such cases, even if the cases do not involve plaintiffs or counsel linked to Prenda Law. "Awareness is up," said staff attorney Mitch Stoltz of EFF, which represents two bloggers in defamation suits by Prenda. "In that sense, Prenda is the gift that keeps on giving."This probably isn't a complete list, but this month alone (in chronological order), U.S. District Judge?Ann Aikenof Oregon found that more than 300 Doe defendants sued for illegally downloading by Voltage Pictures?, not in a single swarm. U.S. District Judge?Robert Lasnik, ruling a few days after the Wright sanctions decision, issued a??in a case brought by Zembezia Films against 66 unnamed defendants. Lasnik cited Wright in expressing "some concerns regarding both the appropriateness of joinder and the possibility that the judicial authority of the United States may be used to wrest improvident settlements from pro se litigants under threat of huge statutory penalties." On May 16, U.S. District JudgeRoger Titus?of Greenbelt, Maryland,??in consolidated illegal download litigation by Malibu Media, precluding Malibu from engaging directly with defendants. The following day, U.S. District JudgeDonald Spatt?of Central Islip, New York, included??of abusive litigation tactics by porn copyright holders, though he said there hadn't been such abuses in the case before him.No Prenda Law people or entities were at issue in those rulings, but they've also been hit in the last couple of weeks by fallout from Wright's decision. U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton of Phoenix?to subpoena records from the ISP of Die Troll Die, one of the blogs the law firm is suing for defamation, after the blog's counsel at EFF cited Wright's decision. In another Arizona case, U.S. District Judge?Murray Snow?on why he should not dismiss a case by AF Holdings, a Prenda client, finding "substantial reason to question the validity of the assignment on which plaintiff bases its case" in the wake of Wright's decision. Finally, last week U.S. District Judge?Charles Breyer?of San Francisco??of $9,400.Prenda doesn't seem to be filing any new cases under that name, though some lawyers who once operated under that umbrella are still bringing copyright infringement suits under other law firm names. According to Stoltz, the EFF lawyer, illegal downloading plaintiffs are also turning to state court, where they've refashioned copyright infringement claims as computer hacking violations. "It's the same game," Stoltz said. "They tell ISPs, 'Give us the names.'"But EFF is planning to keep capitalizing on Wright's decision, using Prenda as a poster child for abusive litigation. "Other lawyers have been doing it without forging signatures and using shell companies," Stoltz said. "But they're no less harmful."For more of my posts, please go to?EL RENO, Oklahoma -It's hard to see some of the tornado damage from the May 31 storms in El Reno, especially on farmland.Debris is still scattered everywhere in wheat fields. It's harvest time for wheat farmers, so the rush is on to clear those fields of storm debris.A group of church members from rural Illinois has traveled nearly 900 miles to help local farmers rebuilt after the tornado."We are from a farming community. Most of our group either grew up on a farm or lives on a farm," says Samantha Zumdahl, with the group called No Excuses Disaster Relief.Nearly 30 volunteers spend Wednesday walking through 120 acres of wheat fields to clear debris.A class picture from the early 1990s and a report card from 1978 was also found among the pieces of metal and tree limbs."No excuses" is clearing the fields for a farmer who lost his home on May 31. "We wake up in the morning and we are going to work our butts off all day long," says Zumdahl.No Excuses Disaster Relief arrived Sunday and will drive nearly 900 miles home on Saturday.The church group will help people in Little Axe Thursday and Friday.This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: iLuvs TimeShaker is the latest addition to iLuvs line of alarm clocks featuring their innovative bed shaker.Port Washington, NY (PRWEB) October 03, 2013 , the premier provider of the most comprehensive line of accessories for the mobile lifestyle, is now shipping TimeShaker, the latest addition to iLuvs award-winning line of alarm clock docking stations. Originally unveiled at CE Week in June, TimeShaker is the first alarm clock in iLuvs line to feature Apples Lightning connector. The dock features iLuvs innovative bed shaker which allows users to hear and feel their alarm, making oversleeping a thing of the past."Apple is continuing to deliver cutting-edge mobile devices to the consumer, and iLuv is committed to providing unique accessories for their new Apple devices," said Jason Park, Marketing Manager at iLuv Creative Technology. "TimeShaker gives users with Apple Lightning products the opportunity to take advantage of our unique and innovative bed shaker, ensuring they wake up without disturbing anyone else." This dual enables users to set two separate alarms and offers multiple alarm options, including iPhone/iPod music, FM radio, buzzer and bed shaker. TimeShakers unique, detachable shaker fits under a pillow and vibrates to wake heavy sleepers, the hearing impaired and anyone who shares a room. The dock features an Apple Lightning connector for playing and charging the iPhone 5/5s/5c and iPods in Apples Lightning line. s large, easy-to-read LCD display includes a 10-level dimmer for setting the ideal brightness level. The TimeSync button allows users to automatically sync the time on the display from their iPhone or iPod. TimeShaker also features an auxiliary input port for a direct connection to other mobile devices.Pricing and AvailabilityTimeShaker has an SRP of $99.99 and is currently available at iLuv.com and select retailers. Follow us on Twitter or friend us on Facebook at .About iLuviLuv Creative Technology, the premier provider of the most comprehensive line of accessories for Apple, Samsung and Smartphone devices, rapidly delivers products for todays discriminating consumers. Since inception, iLuv has amassed a total of 35 prestigious awards including 6 red dot product design awards, 4 prestigious iF Design Awards, 2 Good Design Awards, and 23 CES Innovation Awards. iLuv was also recognized with 1 Global iBrand Top 20 award. These awards serve as recognition for our innovative design and engineering across a range of mobile accessories, including headphones, adapters, speakers and chargers. Headquartered in New York, iLuv is a division of jWIN Electronics Corp., a leading consumer electronics company since 1997. All iLuv products are conceived, designed and developed in New York and continue to lead in quality, value, design and innovation. Learn more about our distinctive range of products and why iLuv means Innovative Lifestyle Unquestionable Value? at .iLuv? and Innovative Lifestyle Unquestionable Value? trademarks are the exclusive properties of jWIN Electronics Corp. and are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and may be registered or pending registration in other countries. All other iLuv? trademarks, service marks, and logos may be registered or pending registration in the U.S. or in other countries. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ? 2013 iLuv Creative Technology.For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .Originally Published: Mar 30, 2011 8:22 PM CDTMy hope, belief and love for college basketball have been revived.I entered March Madness bored. No state teams. Little interest. But the Dance has delivered once again.The Final Four features two blue bloods and two outcasts. A VCU team that didnt even have a watch party for the selection show is headed to Houston. They had to win a play-in game to even get in the main draw. For Petes sake, the coachs name is Shaka! Awesome!!Butler makes back-to-back trips. Butler! They just repeatedly will their way to the next round.And then youve got Calipari and Calhoun, two coaches that make you reach for the hand sanitizer after youve been in their presence.Great finishes...overtimes...buzzer beaters...upsets...drama...tears...Gus Johnson! Oh, March Madness how could I have doubted you?!?!I have a dream: a world without debt, and with much more equity. It's not just that summer holidays are a good time for fantasising. The fifth anniversary of Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy is a month away, and regulators have recently forced both Deutsche Bank and Barclays to issue more shares.Some regulators' beach thoughts may drift to the magic numbers of bank capital ratios. My approach is less technical and more philosophical. I wonder why the financial system relies so much on debt. Loans and bonds are poorly designed for their primary economic purpose - investment.This observation may sound shocking. Interest-bearing debt is considered totally normal. Financial theory unquestioningly treats risk-free debt as the standard instrument. Savers usually compare all investments to a similar standard: safe bank accounts which pay a steady interest rate.But a little reflection on the real economy shows that the typical debt arrangement is an unfortunate holdover from a more primitive age. Loans are unnecessarily distant from economic reality. If we were starting now, we would never rely on such rigid instruments to fund investments.To start, loans carry a maturity mismatch, because temporary debt funds permanent investments. Depositors can take money out of banks, banks can pull lines of credit and loans are supposed to be repaid or refinanced at maturity. But the factories the credit finances cannot then be unbuilt. The research cannot be undone and the people cannot be untrained.The way that interest rates are usually fixed in advance is another problem. Unless both sides agree on floating rates, loans are bets on future inflation rates. Sometimes borrowers gain, sometimes lenders do, but either way a totally unnecessary risk is created.The most important problem with debt is the so-called economic mismatch: the interest payments on loans vary much less than borrowers' cashflows. Temporary difficulties can lead basically sound companies to skimp on economically valuable investments, or to default.Banks are supposed to be able to absorb the losses from defaults. They charge riskier borrowers higher interest rates, a burden which makes default more likely. They also have a hierarchy for taking losses. Shareholders lose out first, followed by holders of subordinated debt. In most countries, the government comes to the rescue when losses get really large.The arrangements are complicated and uncertain - thus the debate over how much capital banks need. The problem, though, is largely created by the duality of loans: either good or bad. If borrowers' payments were more flexible - lower and higher depending on economic conditions - banks could have financial structures which were both simpler and sounder.What is needed? Financial instruments which have no maturity, which are protected from inflation and which have variable payments. There's nothing fantastic about that wish list. Common shares tick all the boxes.Then why don't common shares, or something like them, dominate finance? Well, the disadvantages of debt are clear, but it has one crucial advantage: a crude but clear duality. It is easy to tell whether counterparties are living up to the loan terms, so strangers can deal with each other relatively easily.In contrast, equity only works if the companies that receive the funds can be trusted to make fair judgments on how much to pay investors. Within families and other tight-knit groups, the tug of loyalty and the desire to avoid shame promote the necessary honesty. Much more is needed for shares in enterprises run by strangers to be trustworthy: bureaucratic competence, effective governments and powerful auditors.Today's developed economies meet those requirements, but they still rely extensively on debt. The refusal to relegate this obsolete tool to the dustbin of history helps explain the peculiar vulnerability of modern economies to financial distress. With a more resilient financial system, it would not take more than five years to recover fully from the failure of a single big bank.Indeed, with an equity-based financial system, leverage - effectively building large debt structures on small equity foundations - would be almost impossible. Instead of making unrealistic promises of safe nominal returns, banks would offer a plausible commitment of fair real returns. They would fail far less often than now, and far less spectacularly.Common stock in its current form is not a suitable replacement for debt. Something new is needed; call it flexi-debt. Unlike shares, flexi-debt would not give funders voting rights. And while dividends on shares are discretionary, flexi-debt payments would be indexed - to GDP, income or some other objective variable.There is many winters' worth of work to be done before flexi-debt could replace standard debt. Education, financial design, law and experiment are all required. But stable finance need not be a pipe dream.This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: Haunts in San Antonio, Austin, Phoenix, Denver, Detroit, Atlanta, and Ulster Park, NY Band Together to Combat Bullying During Anti-Bullying MonthSan Antonio, TX (PRWEB) October 03, 2013 Imagine Better, Inc. has kicked off an anti-bullying campaign titled Dont Be a Monster to educate middle school and high school students on the dangers of bullying. Dont Be A Monster has partnered with major haunted houses across the country, leveraging exposure they receive during October, which is recognized National Anti-Bullying Month, to raise awareness about the campaign. Dont Be a Monster began with a pilot program in San Antonio during the 2012 Halloween season, with the 13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio as its founding member. The 2012 campaign visited eight local schools, exposing the anti-bullying message to over 5,000 students. In addition, it raised money for City Year San Antonio, a non-profit organization whose mission is to mentor students towards high school graduation. The pilot programs success encouraged Imagine Better, Inc. co-founders Chris Stafford and Jon Love to form an organization singularly focused on combating bullying, raising money for non-profits, and the expansion of the "Don't be a Monster" campaign. They formed Imagine Better, Inc., submitted a request for charitable status, and began working on expanding the anti-bullying program nationally. Since then they have committed resources from the 13th Floor in San Antonio, Phoenix, and Denver and House of Torment in Austin and have recruited Netherworld Haunted House in Atlanta, Headless Horseman Haunted Hayride in New York, and Erebus Haunted House in Detroit to support the campaign in their respective markets. During the 2013 Halloween season (September 2013 October 2013), the anti-bullying campaign will spread the message of tolerance in middle schools and high schools across the U.S.Jon, myself, and the other haunted house owners involved all have kids and this program is personally important to each and every one of us. We also all strongly believe in giving back to the community that has given us so much, said co-founder, Chris Stafford. Were happy to spread this incredibly important message and support other anti-bullying organizations in the process. The students we reach will be informed, empowered, and entertained in a meaningful way. In addition to the programs anti-bullying information, Imagine Better, Inc. has tapped into its haunted house roots, and created a character to represent and entertain students. Named Frank Shelley, the character is inspired by the iconic Frankenstein, and will feature prominently in the campaign. A 6-minute short film promoting Dont Be a Monster and Frank was shot in Austin in July 2013 and will be revealed at the conclusion of each presentation. Additionally, Frank will make guest appearances at all schools. The 2013 Dont Be a Monster school visits are happening through October 31, 2013. For additional info please visit . About Imagine Better, Inc. Imagine Better, Inc. operates the Dont Be a Monster anti-bullying program, which utilizes the Halloween theme in a meaningful manner by educating students on the consequences of bullying, while also providing funds to organizations that promote an anti-bullying message. The Dont Be a Monster program launched in San Antonio during the 2012 Halloween season. In 2013, it expanded into other haunted house markets including 13th Floor Haunted House Phoenix, 13th Floor Haunted House Denver, Netherworld Haunted House Atlanta, Erebus Haunted Attraction Detroit, and Headless Horseman Hayrides & Haunted Houses Ulster Park, New York. For more information on Dont Be A Monster, please visit .For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .THURSDAY, Sept. 19 (HealthDay News) -- A new imaging study reveals abnormalities in the white matter of brains of people with schizophrenia.Researchers used two types of brain imaging: magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which measures the levels of particular chemicals in the brain; and magnetization transfer imaging, which detects changes in the level of myelin in the brain's white matter.Nerve cells must be insulated by myelin to effectively transmit signals from one part of the brain to the other, explained the authors of the study published Sept. 15 in the journal Biological Psychiatry."The notion that the brain in schizophrenia is characterized by abnormalities in connections between distant brain regions is not new, and imaging studies using diffusion tensor imaging have long suggested that the white matter where these connections travel is abnormal in this condition," study senior author Dr. Dost Ongur, of Harvard Medical School, said in a journal news release."However, we have not had the tools to determine whether the abnormalities are in axons, or the myelin sheath around the axons, or both," Ongur added.The researchers found evidence of abnormalities in both myelin and axons (nerve cell projections) in patients with schizophrenia, a serious psychiatric disorder. More specifically, they found reduced myelination of white matter pathways in people with schizophrenia, and also abnormal spread of a type of small molecule (called N-acetylaspartate) thought to be mainly contained within nerve cells.The findings are important because they suggest that "the white matter abnormalities in schizophrenia are complex and interconnected," Ongur said. "A strategy to impact both axonal health and myelin synthesis may be needed to restore normal white matter functioning in this condition."According to journal editor, Dr. John Krystal: "This study provides new evidence that myelination abnormalities in schizophrenia are associated with disturbances in the functional integrity of the white matter. As the white matter carries long-range communication in the brain, the current findings raise new questions about the functional impact and treatment for these neural deficits," he said in the news release.More informationThe U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more about . Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved.Branded DVD+R offers a write-once format with up to 4.7GB of storage capacity and a recording speed of 16X. This equates to the storage capacity of seven CD-R/RWs and the potential to store thousands of digital photographs or approximately two hours of digital video. Ideal for both the consumer or business professional with data intensive, high-performance application needs, these discs can be read by DVD+RW drives, and can be played back in the majority of DVD-ROM drives and DVD Video players in use today. Ideal for combined storage of music, video and data, transfer of video and large capacity data files, Internet downloads and massive archival storage. Plus, with DVD+Rs, information is permanently recorded and cannot be erased or altered.Ideal for capacity-intensive multimedia projects, data transfer, hard drive backup and archival storage. DVD+R discs are write-compatible with DVD+R (not DVD-R) drives and recorders. After recording, DVD+R discs are read-compatible with DVD+R playback devices. NOTE: When purchasing DVD media, its imperative to take into consideration what discs are compatible with your DVD drive/machine. A DVD+RW drive cannot burn (write) data onto a DVD-RW disc, and vice versa. In some cases, a drive can "read" either DVD-RW or DVD+RW discs.The Imation Secure Drive Software Encrypted Flash Drive is an easy-to-use, trouble-free way to protect your most sensitive data. Even if the drive is lost or stolen, your confidential information will always remain secure. AES 256-bit encryption prevents file access without a password and helps you remain compliant with privacy regulations. The pre-loaded software allows you to safeguard your confidential information yet still retain public storage space on the same drive. Simply plug in your device, launch the encryption application using your unique password, and drag-n-drop files into the encryption window for complete protection.Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE IMAX CorporationNEW YORK, Oct. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --?IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX; TSX:IMX) today announced that CEO Richard L. Gelfond will be honored for his company's long-term investments and commitment to constructive relationships in China at the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations' annual gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City Wednesday, Oct. 16. Alcoa Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld will also be honored at the black-tie event.(Logo: )"China has become one of the entertainment industry's most important markets and a critical component to IMAX's success," said Gelfond. We believe movies and movie-making transcend politics and strengthen the bond between our countries. IMAX is extremely honored to be recognized by the National Committee," said Gelfond.China is IMAX's fastest-growing and second-largest market in the world, with nearly 150 theatres open and a current commitment for up to 260 additional theatres across the region. IMAX has developed relationships with China's leading studios and exhibitors, and the recent WTO agreement- which brings 14 additional IMAX or 3D films to China annually beyond the current quota of 20 foreign films- benefits Chinese theatergoers and the American film industry alike.About IMAX CorporationIMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theatres to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe. IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto and Los Angeles, with offices in London, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing.? As of June 30, 2013, there were 767 IMAX theatres (634 commercial multiplexes, 19 commercial destinations and 114 institutions) in 54 countries.IMAX?, IMAX? 3D, IMAX DMR?, Experience It In IMAX?, An IMAX 3D Experience?, The IMAX Experience? and IMAX Is Believing? are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information about the Company can be found at . You may also connect with IMAX on Facebook (), Twitter () and YouTube ().About the National Committee on United States-China RelationsThe National Committee on U.S.-China Relations is the leading nonprofit nonpartisan American organization that encourages understanding of China and the United States among citizens of both countries.This press release contains forward looking statements that are based on IMAX management's assumptions and existing information and involve certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are discussed in IMAX's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and most recent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.For additional information please contact:?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.We're going to be really tough on the euro zone. If they want more bailouts from the International Monetary Fund, they are going to have to submit to strict conditionality. That was the message delivered by the rest of the world when it agreed at the weekend to participate in a fundraising exercise that will boost the IMF's resources by at least $430 billion. But the meaning of the message isn't quite what it seems. The IMF is actually in some ways calling for less rather than more short-term austerity in the euro zone. So if the Europeans submit to IMF discipline, it will ironically mean less of a hair shirt. It is easy to see why the rest of the world is unhappy with the special treatment the euro zone receives from the IMF. The managing director, currently Christine Lagarde, has always been a European. Vast resources, way beyond what are normally available in IMF programmes, have been channelled to Greece, Ireland and Portugal. What's more, the rest for the world - from developed countries such as America, Britain and Canada to emerging nations such as Brazil - feel that, despite being pretty rich, the euro zone has not done enough to sort out its own problems. Hence, the agreement to beef up the IMF resources only after a long wrangle - and only after scaling back the original request from $600 billion as well as insisting on strict conditionality before the money is ever disbursed. At the same time, the IMF has three recommendations, as outlined in last week's World Economic Outlook, which are somewhat at variance with current euro zone policy. First, it wants the region not to overdo short-term fiscal austerity while placing more emphasis on longer-term structural measures to improve budgets. Second, it wants the European Central Bank to continue very accommodative monetary policies. Finally, it wants the euro zone authorities to be prepared to inject capital directly into troubled banks and to accompany that with stronger European-wide supervision of lenders. All these ideas would help reduce the pressure of the current euro zone recession and so ease the crisis. Will the IMF, though, get its way? Well, certainly not immediately. The euro zone doesn't have to listen to it unless another country - say Spain or Italy - needs a bailout. Even then, only the country requiring cash would technically have to pay heed to the IMF. The rest of the euro zone, led by Germany, could argue that the IMF has no business interfering with the monetary policy or banking supervision of the entire 17-member euro zone when only a few peripheral nations are receiving help. What's more, the bulk of the money from any future bailouts would continue to come from other euro zone countries rather than the IMF. These other countries would argue that they should have a big say, even on fiscal policy, because they will be bankrolling most of any deficit shortfall. But even if the IMF can't get its way immediately, the debate is shifting slowly in its favour. The euro zone may not like interference in monetary policy. But the ECB has shown itself willing to spray 1 trillion euros in long-term loans at the region's banks in the heat of the crisis in recent months. Some of the central bank's members, with the notable exception of Germany's Bundesbank, are saying it is too early to plan for an end to such policies. Or take fiscal policy. Euro zone leaders may have agreed the so-called fiscal compact which will require them to balance their budgets and cut their debts. But no sooner had the deal been signed than Spain varied its fiscal targets. Italy has followed up by saying it won't react to a deeper than expected recession by pushing through more cuts - a policy that would just lead to further recession. Now the Dutch government, previously the high priest of austerity, has found it cannot push through its own budget cuts. Meanwhile, Francois Hollande has promised to push for a more growth-orientated policy if he wins the French election. The austerity consensus is fraying. Finally, consider banking policy. The intertwining of lenders and their states is unhealthy. Banks which get into trouble need to be bailed out. That makes their governments less creditworthy which, in turn, further infects banks which loaded up on their bonds. That occurred in Ireland and could be repeated in Spain. The IMF's proposal is to sever this incestuous relationship by getting the euro zone to put money directly into troubled banks rather than by lending to governments which, in turn, would inject capital into the banks. Such a policy would be matched by euro zone-wide supervision of banks. The idea is rational. That, of course, doesn't mean that it will be adopted. But with an expanded warchest, the IMF has greater ability to be heard on this and other issues - especially if it keeps reminding the euro zone that the rest of the world has insisted that strings are attached before any more countries are given bailouts.TULSA, Oklahoma -Green Country lawmakers will be alongside Congressional Republicans Wednesday, preparing to draft new immigration reform legislation.A Senate version passed last month, which sets out a long road to citizenship for millions who are in America illegally. "There is hope for immigration reform," said Marvin Lizama, an attorney with the Coalition for the American Dream.He works with immigrants trying to get on the path to citizenship."They are probably grandparents at this point and they have been waiting so long sometimes they give up hope, but their fear never ends," Lizama said.Mariel Luna has been living in fear ever since she came to Tulsa."It's a little bit scary, because I'm afraid to get pulled over for police just for any reason and get back to Mexico. That's my biggest fear, because I have family here, I have a baby here, and I cannot imagine myself being away from her," Luna said.In June, the Senate passed an immigration reform bill. The proposed law would allow undocumented workers currently living in the United States to become legal U.S. citizens."It gives me great pleasure to be able to speak out when others won't, because many of them are afraid to live here," Luna said.She said living here in Tulsa has given her more opportunities for her and her family."I like it here, because it's safe," Luna said. "I feel safe walking down the street. I feel safe, just to know that it's different than the place I was born."Luna said she is willing to wait 15 years to become a citizen."To them, it does not make a difference, so long as they can see that--to continue to pursue the American Dream," Lizama said."We want to be part of this country. We don't want to be the unknown people. I want to be able to say my name and for people to know that's my real name, because I have an ID, because the state gives me an ID with my real name," Luna said.The local group IRON (Immigration Reform for Oklahoma Now) opposes the Senate version that was passed in June. The group's website says America cannot afford to add 20 million new citizens, and the U.S. should step up border enforcement.video transcriptROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION) STORY: Hundreds of immigrants crowded on to the National Mall on Tuesday in a rally to support immigration reform legislation introduced on Capitol Hill. The rally coincided with the introduction of legislation that supporters hope could chart a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal residents. Politicians, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, spoke to audience members who waved American flags and held up signs reading "Citizenship for 11 million." "Si, se puede," Pelosi chanted from the stage. Applause erupted from the crowd as the popular Mexican group "Los Tigres del Norte" began their performance. The "Camino Americano: March for Immigration Reform" was allowed to proceed despite a government shutdown that has closed national parks across the country. Veterans who entered the World War II Memorial last week also received permission to access the site from the National Park Service.Immigration reform is being discussed again on Capitol Hill. At his inauguration, President Barack Obama , "Our journey is not complete until we find a better way to welcome the striving, hopeful immigrants who still see America as a land of opportunity." Senior Republicans, too, seem ready to make a deal. They sorely need to do so, because Mitt Romney's damaging policy of self-deportation ensured that , and demographic changes mean unless the party changes tack fast it will keep losing. But there is an enormous gulf between what the Republicans need to do and what the base will go along with. What is at stake is whether the GOP remains a party of government or becomes a mere protest movement.Although he does not have a majority in the House, the president appears in . He wants to help create a more tolerant America and believes he has the country behind him. Recent polling confirms that his views on , , , and other social issues all chime with a majority of the electorate, and he is determined to press his case. His inauguration speech spelled out the direction he is heading in, and his Feb. 12 State of the Union address is expected to chart the course. He appears to be relishing the chance to embarrass the Republicans if they stand in the way of progress. Catching Obama's new sense of purpose, House Speaker John Boehner has become the president wants "to annihilate the Republican Party" and "shove [it] into the dustbin of history."Senior Republicans appear to be aware that they are out of step with America and need to make significant changes to policies and their public image if they are to stand a chance of winning the midterm elections in 2014 or the White House in 2016. Former Secretary of State Condaleezza Rice "the Republican Party certainly has to stop turning off large segments of the population" and urges it to face "the big issue," immigration reform. Says Senator Lindsay Graham (R.-S.C.): "We're in a death spiral with Hispanic voters because of rhetoric around immigration." Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), who burned his fingers pushing for immigration reform in 2006-07, "we have to do immigration reform . There is no doubt whatsoever that the demographics are not on our side." Conservative commentator Seth Mandel : "When they arrived here with nothing but the clothes on their back, desperate for a chance at a better life for themselves and their children, one party said, 'Come on in,' and the other said, 'Turn around and go back.'"There are good business and economic reasons to embrace immigration reform. The GOP's libertarian wing, following the dictums of Emile Levasseur and Friedrich Hayek, who advocated a free market in labor, has long understood the importance of a making it easier for immigrants to find work here. Rand Paul, heir to his father Ron's mantle as leader of the GOP libertarians, argues for bringing illegals into the fold. "If they're willing to work, willing to pay taxes, I think we need to normalize those who are here," . George W. Bush's commerce secretary, Carlos Gutierrez, promises to raise millions from big business to press for changes in the law to allow illegal immigrants to stay. "We have millions of job openings that go unfilled," . "Either the workers come here to fill them or those jobs go somewhere else." Small businesses, particularly high-tech startups demanding highly qualified technicians, also want reform. "About 95 percent of the applications I get, I have to turn away because I can't get them a visa," , leader of an entrepreneurs group lobbying to relax immigration rules.So, if and Republican donors and want to do a deal on immigration, who stands in their way? The party's rank and file. While the portion of Americans opposing a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants has from 55 percent in 2011 to 43 percent today, and even a now agree that reform needs to be achieved, die-hard opponents remain within the Republican Party. One in three Americans continues to oppose an amnesty for illegals, with one in four "strongly" opposed, but Tea Party members are most vociferous in their opposition to immigration reform. Just 1 in 10 Tea Party types agree there should be a path to citizenship for illegals, compared with among Americans at large, while . As with gun control and raising taxes, Republicans who dare defy their base may find themselves facing primary opponents spouting more populist, less tolerant views.This is a particular problem for Marco Rubio, the "crown prince of the Tea Party movement" who was voted by Tea Party members to take Romney's vice-presidential slot. Rubio knows about immigration. He is the son of Cuban immigrants, and his grandfather was an illegal immigrant who, in the days before opposition to immigration became an article of faith in the Republican Party, was granted a path to citizenship. By championing Republican efforts to introduce immigration reform, Rubio is taking an enormous gamble. Unless he can persuade his Tea Party supporters it is time to put their xenophobia aside and give illegals a break, his ambition to become the Republican nominee for president in 2016 will be sunk. Rubio is already offering an escape route for his dilemma, the president may deliberately hamper immigration reform to "keep it alive as an electoral winner for Democrats with Hispanics for years to come."Watching the Republican leadership wriggle on the hook in the coming months will be amusing. As with gun control, they are expected to introduce a number of bills, each suggesting a different route to reform, in the hope that if something gets through they may claim some credit and if most of it is rejected by their own side they will not be stuck with the blame. What is not on offer, however, is the sort of behind-closed-doors deal that characterized the debt ceiling compromise. The Tea Party will scream if they are sold down the river.One of the extraordinary aspects of the 2012 election is that it appears to mark a watershed in public attitudes on social issues. While minorities, liberals, women, those who make up the LGBT coalition and especially the young appear to have despaired at the endless Republican talk of "legitimate rape," of homophobia disguised as opposition to gay-marriage, of crazy ideas like self-deportation and of the general grim intolerance displayed by a hard-core, ideologically driven minority, the Republican Party has, of the conservative Hispanic Leadership Network, "run out of persuadable white voters."It is the sense that a new consensus has been reached to settle the social issues that have plagued and poisoned America since the Sixties that the president caught so well in his second Inaugural Address. Much to the consternation of conservatives and the indignation of the Clintons, Obama he would like to emulate the way Ronald Reagan became a step-change president, cementing attitudes for a generation. "He put us on a fundamentally different path, because the country was ready for it. . He tapped into what people were already feeling." It is consolidating what America is already feeling about social issues and allowing the nation to feel more comfortable with itself that the president appears to have set himself as a legacy.Nicholas Wapshott's Keynes Hayek: The Clash That Defined Modern Economics is published by W.W. Norton. .PHOTO: A pedestrian walks into the border station to cross into the United States from Mexico in San Ysidro, California September 27, 2011. REUTERS/Mike BlakeInformation contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc.TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Oct. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --?Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCQX and NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange: IMNP) announced today that Dr. Daniel G. Teper, Company Chairman and CEO, will be presenting at the 12th Annual . Hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), the 12th Annual BIO Investor Forum features leading private and emerging public companies. The presentation will take place on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 at 10:00 AM local time at the Palace Hotel, Room Presidio in San Francisco, California.Dr. Teper will provide an update on development programs and 2014 milestones. The webcast of Dr. Teper's presentation will be accessible live and for the next 90 days at About Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc.Immune Pharmaceuticals Inc. (OTCQX and NASDAQ OMX Stockholm Exchange: IMNP) applies a personalized approach to treatment, developing novel, highly targeted antibody therapeutics to improve the lives of patients with inflammatory diseases and cancer.? The Company's lead product candidate, bertilimumab, is entering Phase II clinical studies for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis and bullous pemphigoid, with additional studies planned for Crohn's disease and severe asthma.? The Company is evaluating the use of its NanomAb? platform, a second generation antibody drug conjugate technology, with chemotherapeutics in order to enhance their safety and efficacy profiles by delivering the medicines directly to cancer cells. The Company's growing oncology pipeline also includes proprietary antibodies and, clinical-stage small molecules that have been shown activity in a variety of solid tumors. Immune is headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, with its primary research and development facilities in Herzliya-Pituach, Israel.? For more information, visit Immune's website at . ABOUT THE BIO INVESTOR FORUM? The 12th Annual is an international investor conference focused on private and emerging public biotech companies. Because our mission is to support industry-wide success, we present a broad and unbiased view of investment opportunities. ?In addition, the BIO Investor Forum draws business development executives from leading global pharmaceutical and established biotechnology companies. ?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.We have record or near record low levels of vaccine preventable childhood diseases in the United States, but that does not mean these have disappeared. Many of the viruses and bacteria are still circulating in this country or are only a plane ride away. That's why it's important that children, especially infants and young children, receive recommended immunizations on time. In our mobile society, over a million people each day people travel to and from other countries, including countries where many vaccine preventable diseases remain relatively common. Without vaccines, epidemics of many preventable diseases could return, resulting in increased- and unnecessary- illness, disability, and death among children. [] The following vaccine-preventable diseases, not long ago, disabled and killed millions of American children. Thanks to our country's high childhood immunization coverage levels, these diseases are now very uncommon.Diphtheria Description A respiratory disease caused by bacteria Symptoms Gradual onset of a sore throat and low-grade fever Complications Airway obstruction, coma, and death if not treated Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing Vaccine Diphtheria toxoid (contained in DTP, DTaP, DT or Td vaccines) can prevent this disease.Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) Description A severe bacterial infection, occurring primarily in infants Symptoms Skin and throat infections, meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, and arthritis (Can be serious in children under age 1, but there is little risk of getting the disease after age 5) Complications Hib meningitis (death in one out of 20 children, and permanent brain damage in 10% - 30% of the survivors) Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing Vaccine Hib vaccine can prevent this disease. Hepatitis A Description A disease of the liver caused by hepatitis A virus Symptoms Potentially none (likelihood of symptoms increases with the person's age) If present: yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomach ache, loss of appetite, or nausea Complications Because young children might not have symptoms, the disease is often not recognized until the child's caregiver becomes ill with hepatitis A. Transmission Most often: spread by the fecal-oral route (An object contaminated with the stool of a person with hepatitis A is put into another person's mouth.) Less often: spread by swallowing food or water that contains the virus Vaccine Hepatitis A vaccine will prevent this disease. Hepatitis B Description A disease of the liver caused by hepatitis B virus Symptoms Potentially none when first infected (likelihood of early symptoms increases with the person's age) If present: yellow skin or eyes, tiredness, stomach ache, loss of appetite, nausea, or joint pain Complications The younger the person, the greater the likelihood of staying infected and having life-long liver problems, such as scarring of the liver and liver cancer Transmission Spread through contact with the blood of an infected person or by having sex with an infected person Vaccine Hepatitis B vaccine is will prevent this disease. Measles Description A respiratory disease caused by a virus Symptoms Measles virus causes rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, lasting about a week. Complications Diarrhea, ear infections, pneumonia, encephalitis, seizures, and death Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious) Vaccine Measles vaccine (contained in MMR, MR and measles vaccines) can prevent this disease. Mumps Description A disease of the lymph nodes caused by a virus Symptoms Fever, headache, muscle ache, and swelling of the lymph nodes close to the jaw Complications Meningitis, inflammation of the testicles or ovaries, inflammation of the pancreas and deafness (usually permanent) Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing Vaccine Mumps vaccine (contained in MMR) can prevent this disease. Pertussis (whooping cough) Description A respiratory disease caused by bacteria Symptoms Severe spasms of coughing that can interfere with eating, drinking, and breathing Complications Pneumonia, encephalitis (due to lack of oxygen), and death, especially in infants. Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious) Vaccine Pertussis vaccine (contained in DTP and DTaP) can prevent this disease. Polio Description A disease of the lymphatic and nervous systems Symptoms Fever, sore throat, nausea, headaches, stomach aches, and stiffness in the neck, back, and legs Complications Paralysis that can lead to permanent disability and death Transmission Contact with an infected person Vaccine Polio vaccine (IPV) can prevent this disease. Rubella (German measles) Description A respiratory disease caused by a virus Symptoms Rash and fever for two to three days ( mild disease in children and young adults) Complications Birth defects if acquired by a pregnant woman: deafness, cataracts, heart defects, mental retardation, and liver and spleen damage (at least a 20% chance of damage to the fetus if a woman is infected early in pregnancy) Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing Vaccine Rubella vaccine (contained in MMR vaccine) can prevent this disease. Tetanus (lockjaw) Description A disease of the nervous system caused by a bacteria Symptoms Early symptoms: lockjaw, stiffness in the neck and abdomen, and difficulty swallowing Later symptoms: fever, elevated blood pressure, and severe muscle spasms Complications Death in one third of the cases, especially people over age 50 Transmission Enters the body through a break in the skin Vaccine Tetanus toxoid (contained in DTP, DT, DTaP & Td vaccines) can prevent this disease. Varicella (chickenpox) Description A virus of the herpes family Symptoms A skin rash of blister-like lesions, usually on the face, scalp, or trunk Complications Bacterial infection of the skin, swelling of the brain, and pneumonia (usually more severe in children 13 or older and adults) Transmission Spread by coughing and sneezing (highly contagious) Vaccine Varicella vaccine can prevent this disease. (Information provided by the .)Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .SOURCE McPheters & CompanyNEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --?McPheters & Company announced today the iMonitor? list of Best News Apps for iPad. ?iMonitor is the world's leading source of information on news and publication-related tablet apps, providing global tracking and detailed evaluations of nearly 11,000 apps - with hundreds more added each month.? iMonitor collects information on more than 100 variables and applies consistent evaluative criteria to every app, assessing each in terms of accessibility and ease of navigation, functionality and use of rich media enhancements.? Clients include media companies, ad agencies, and app developers in the US and abroad.? iMonitor's annual list of Best Magazine Apps will be released later this month.According to company founder Rebecca McPheters, "All of the apps on this list, which are presented in alphabetical order, are outstanding and free of malfunctions - falling in the top fraction of 1% of all those tracked.? They are easy to navigate and appropriately leverage the iPad's capabilities to both fully engage their users and to expand upon the service typically provided by more traditional media forms.? The apps on this list are particularly noteworthy in light of a continuing trend among publishers generally towards simpler, less engaging apps."? The apps have been identified as part of the process leading up to the company's publication of?The State of the App 2013, which will be the third annual update.About McPheters & Company:McPheters & Company works with media companies to develop strategies to successfully expand their brands and build audience across evolving platforms, drawing upon core competencies in strategic planning, media research, and accountability metrics. For further information contact:Rebecca McPheters917-282-4008?2012 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: Highest Ranked Healthcare IT Firm on the ListChicago, IL (PRWEB) October 03, 2013 Impact Advisors, LLC, a premier healthcare information advisory services firm, is pleased to announce it has been named by Modern Healthcare as one of the Hottest Companies in healthcare in 2013. Impact Advisors ranked seventh out of 40 companies. Additionally, it ranked number one in Illinois and is the highest ranked healthcare information technology consulting firm on the list. The second annual Healthcares Hottest recognition honors 40 of the nations fastest growing companies in various sectors of the healthcare industry. To be eligible, organizations must either be a hospital, health system, physician group, payer organization or healthcare supplier that generated a minimum of $20 million in annual revenue in the most recent fiscal year. Its an honor to debut on Modern Healthcares list of Healthcares Hottest companies, said Andy Smith, President and Co-Founder of Impact Advisors. Our outstanding clients and exceptional team of Associates have made this prestigious recognition possible.Impact Advisors adds this latest honor to a growing list of awards that includes being ranked Best in KLAS for five consecutive years, a Best Firm to Work For by Consulting magazine, Modern Healthcare Best Places to Work in Healthcare list, Crains Chicago Business Fast 50 list, Inc. 5000 list of Americas Fastest Growing Companies, Achievers 50 Most Engaged Workplaces in the United States and named a top 100 healthcare IT vendor by Healthcare Informatics. For more information on Impact Advisors, visit or find the company on Facebook at . About Impact Advisors, LLCImpact Advisors, LLC is a privately held Healthcare Technology consulting firm based in Naperville, Illinois. The firm is dedicated to providing premier consulting services to the healthcare industry and works with leading Integrated Delivery Networks, Academic Medical Centers, Medical Groups and Community Hospitals across the country. Impact Advisors Associates bring deep domain knowledge in healthcare IT and applied operational experience, and as such, they are exceptionally qualified and skilled at providing strategic consulting services that reflect integrated understanding and insightful analysis of challenging technology and business issues. Impact Advisors offers advisory, planning, and implementation services in a variety of areas, including: Strategic Information Technology Planning, New Facilities Technology Planning and Transition, Clinical and Revenue Cycle System Planning and Implementation, and Program Quality Assurance and Project Management.For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: The company, known as Garden Media Group, celebrated 25 years on September 25th.Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 02, 2013 It was a quarter of a century ago when Susan McCoy put her daughter on the bus for first grade and opened the doors to IMPACT Marketing & PR in West Grove, PA.Since its founding in 1988 the firm has transformed from a regional public relations agency to an international marketing firm known as , specializing in the horticulture industry. It hasnt always been plants, says McCoy. We cut our public relations teeth with clients like the American Mushroom Industry, Herr Foods and National Penn Bank. We were proud of our work in these fields, but that all changed in 1995 with our first horticultural client, The Conard-Pyle Company.IMPACT Marketings success with Conard-Pyle cascaded into further work with other gardening clients. McCoy made a strategic decision to focus exclusively on , and Garden Media was born in 2002. Garden Media has been creating and promoting lawn and garden rock stars ever since. In addition to Conard-Pyle, clients have included heavyweights such as Costa Farms, Suntory Flowers, W. Atlee Burpee, the Philadelphia Flower Show and Longwood Gardens. The firm has helped launch such horticultural stars as The Knock Out? Roses, Endless Summer? hydrangeas and the new BrazelBerries?. Amelie Brazelton of Fall Creek Nurseries, breeder of BrazelBerries?, raves of the teams work. Garden Media is our public relations partner in the truest sense of the word, says Brazelton. Suzi and her team have opened doors we never thought possible.McCoy says focusing on horticulture has been one of the keys to the firms success. Listed repeatedly as one of the top 10 public relations firms in the Philadelphia region, the agency is the national leader in the lawn and garden industry with an envied list of clients and contacts.The firms staff has worked diligently to earn top-notch clients from the United States, Japan, France, the Netherlands and Germany. McCoy says shes extremely proud of the caliber of clients the firm represents, but feels Garden Medias greatest asset is the people. We are committed to keeping our clients extremely happy and exceeding their expectations every day, says McCoy. Everyone pulls together, excels professionally and has fun -- and that translates into amazing customer relations and magical results.Key among Garden Medias contributions to horticulture is the firms annual Garden Trends Report?. First released in 2001, the Trends Report has become a necessary roadmap to guide breeders, manufacturers, growers, vendors, retailers and media to where and how they can best meet the consumers future needs. As the company moves into the 21st Century, McCoy has been joined by her daughter Katie McCoy Dubow. Headquartered in Kennett Square, PA, this dynamic mother-daughter duo has made Garden Media a one-stop resource for traditional and online marketing for industry leaders and emerging company stars both nationally and abroad.Its been a great ride since I put Katie on that school bus 25 years ago, and I look forward to the journey ahead, says McCoy. Its a true gift to love what you do. specializes in home, garden, horticulture, outdoor living, lawn and landscape industries, offering innovative PR campaigns designed to build brands, grow companies and secure partnerships.For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: The House Floor in Washington, D.C., Marcy Kaptur, (D) U.S. Representative for District 9 of the state of Ohio, paid tribute to Jim Findlay, 86, the retired founder of Impact Products, LLC, a 50-year-old Toledo-based manufacturer of janitorial and sanitary maintenance products.Toledo, Ohio (PRWEB) September 30, 2013 Yesterday, on the House Floor in Washington, D.C., Marcy Kaptur, (D) U.S. Representative for District 9 of the state of Ohio, paid tribute to Jim Findlay, 86, the retired founder of Impact Products, LLC, a 50-year-old Toledo-based manufacturer of janitorial and sanitary maintenance products.The companys name, Impact, is a testament to the impact one person can selflessly make on the lives of so many, Kaptur said.Kaptur lauded Findlay for his successful entrepreneurial endeavors and devotion to family and employees, calling him a remarkable American.About Impact Products, LLCImpact Products is a manufacturer and supplier of branded and private-label non-chemical commercial cleaning, maintenance and related products. Its offerings include a full suite of janitorial products, including floor-care products, waste receptacles, washroom accessories and safety products. It serves end-markets such as commercial cleaning, industrial services, healthcare, government, schools, office buildings, hospitality and foodservice. Founded in 1963 by James R. Findlay, Impact Products evolved into an ESOP organization and in 2001 was sold to private equity investors. Visit us at ###Media Contact:Al MaagMaagComm+(602)363-6038For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: IMPEL Tronics offers a new multi tool product that includes a flashlight and magnetic tool for much less than purchasing individual products.Lewisberry, PA (PRWEB) September 21, 2013 Have you ever dropped something made of metal in a hard to reach place that just happens to be magnetic. Whether you are an auto mechanic or technician or somebody active around the house or car, two tools comes to mind for retrieving the part. You might even say out loud, Where are a and a when you need them.The IMPEL Tronics product featured here is a flashlight with an extendable magnet(TeleMag) that gives not only a flashlight, but is extendable magnetic at both ends! This bright 3 LED Flashlight throws out a bunch of light and is packaged as a sturdy aluminum telescoping magnet that includes a strong stainless steel pocket clip. The TeleMag can be extended from a compact 6.75 to almost 22.So, there you have it, you can now get more for less. Youre getting two tools packaged as one without the two tool price, which is less cost. Youre also getting more freedom in the use of the other hand in not having to hold two separate tools. This improves user safety and still accomplishes the task, and that of course is to retrieve your precious part. To learn more about this TeleMag Tool contact IMPEL Tronics directly.or visit Media ContactMichael Pastal717-440-1680mpastal(at)mcpsupply(dot)comFor the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: Western Washington Medical Group recently published a blog article discussing advances in modern maternity care.Seattle, WA (PRWEB) October 03, 2013 Medical progress in the field of maternity care holds particular value for all families. Many fail to realize just how far maternity care has progressed over the years, especially with 20th-century technological advances. Inventions and simple discoveries have contributed to saving many lives. This week, published a blog post discussing these issues. Using a topical format, the blog provides information for any interested healthcare consumer.The blog begins by showing how puerperal fever, one of the major causes of pregnancy-related death, was reduced by 90 percent when obstetricians began washing their hands after handling babies. It was a simple discovery, yet it led to a massive breakthrough in infection control. The blog continues by explaining how the use of male midwives helped accelerate research in the . The term obstetrics, however, was still not recognized in the medical community. During the 1600s, a family of self-taught obstetricians invented shaped forceps for safely grasping a babys head during a difficult birth. Obstetric forceps largely reduced maternity-related deaths, especially for births by cesarean section (C-section). This helped lead to the increased use of C-sections, resulting in a substantial increase of live births over the centuries. By the early 1980s, family doctors were being trained as obstetricians to help meet the rising demand for maternity care. According to the blog, this was perhaps the biggest innovation of maternity care of the 20th century. Today, maternity care is available to nearly everyone in the United States. The majority of pregnant women today receive primary care from a family doctor at one point during their pregnancy, providing additional benefits for a healthy and successful pregnancy. To learn more about Western Washington Medical Group and read the full article, visit: . About Western Washington Medical GroupWestern Washington Medical Group (WWMG) is a multi-specialty medical practice of more than 80 providers. Founded in 1993 in the Everett, Washington area, WWMG is fully physician-managed, giving them a reputation for providing the highest quality of patient care available. From personalized family care to obstetrics and gynecology, Western Washington Medical Group serves the healthcare needs of every member of the family.For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .NewsOn6.comIngredients:1 cup mashed pumpkin1/2 cup all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup sugar1 teaspoon baking powder1 cup evaporated milk1 TBSP butter, softened1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice1 teaspoon vanilla2 large eggsWhipped topping, if desiredDirections:1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease pie plate.2. Mix all ingredients with fork until blended. To prevent spilling, place pie plate on oven rack. Pour filling into pie plate.3. Bake 35 40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 2 hours. Serve whipped topping. After cooling, pie can remain at room temperature up to an additional 4 hours. Cover and refrigerate.This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.SOURCE: This month, a Spokane software solutions company turns nine as its European subsidiary celebrates five years in business. The name Imprezzio Inc. was officially registered with the Washington Secretary of State in September of 2004, while Imprezzio Global began in 2009; both companies have seen exponential growth since then.Spokane, WA (PRWEB) September 26, 2013 This fall, the Spokane software solutions company celebrates its ninth year since the name Imprezzio was officially registered with the Washington Secretary of State. Its European subsidiary began in 2009 with a handful of employees. Both companies have seen exponential growth since then.From a small Spokane software startup to a business which:*employs over 150 staff in offices across the U.S., Canada, and Europe*has acquired a small portfolio of other companies*runs a popular software contest for technical students*is still growing despite the recent economic downturn*serves Fortune 50 clientsHow did they do it?Organically, says Imprezzio Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer Dave Talarico, adding "I can't believe how the time has flown."In 2004, Talarico, a web designer and marketing expert, had just formed Imprezzio Inc with his partner, software developer Kelly Birr. They made their business home in the Eldridge Building in downtown Spokane. At that time, Talarico says, Spokane was not known for its technology and software development. "The best word we ever heard was...'maybe!'"Since then, he adds, "We've been able to do things I never would have dreamed of. The opportunities have been absolutely fabulous."Starting Imprezzio Global, for example, in 2009 with eight young and inexperienced but enthusiastic computer science students whose office was one room in a small apartment in Cluj-Napoca, Romania."That's been the best decision we ever made," Talarico says. "Working with them has been such a great experience, both cultural and business-wise. I see nothing but great experiences ahead for the next 10 years."Today, Imprezzio Global consists of around 25 developers, testers, tech writers, and designers who consult for multiple US, British and European clients and who are ready to take on almost any software challenge.Talarico points out that Imprezzio Global staff are not traditional outsourcers. "Our business model has never been to send minimum-wage contract jobs overseas," he says. "We started a European division to build European sales and represent the company there, and Imprezzio Global has done an amazing job. They're an important part of our company."Imprezzio too, is rather non-traditional. "When I say we grew organically," Talarico explains, "I mean that we didn't get a group of multi-million dollar East Coast investors to help us start the business." Instead, Talarico and Birr built the company out of their own pockets. "While there are pros and cons to both, I vastly prefer the organic model," Talarico says. "We are so pleased with and proud of the people we have on our various teams. We want to provide good jobs with good benefits so our people can contribute to the local economy.""Success in business is more than just the bottom line," he says. "It's about building up people and a company culture. It has to be sustainable."During the past four years, Imprezzio has attracted Fortune 50 clients, seen exponential sales growth, and is in process of patenting new technologies. Going forward, the company plans to increase its sales force and strengthen its core market while entering new markets and pursuing growth through acquisition.The company's name comes from the Italian word "enterprise" and has a dual meaning to Imprezzio leadership: Enterprising in the sense of working hard, and also in the sense of serving enterprise clients in the insurance industry with CRM and other kinds of software.About ImprezzioSpokane-based Imprezzio Inc. has been on the leading edge of software development for the past 15 years, with branch offices in Seattle, Toronto, and Europe. Companies in the Imprezzio portfolio include Imprezzio Marketing, , The OmniPark Company, Bad Kitty Studios, and Racing Snail.For the original version on PRWeb visit: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact .For many cat owners, taking kitty to the veterinarian is so fraught with struggle and discomfort that they avoid visits altogether. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, cats outnumber dogs as pets in this country, but dog owners take their pets to the veterinarian twice as often as cat owners do.Your cat's good health is dependent on regular examinations. The good news is that there's plenty you can do to make the veterinary experience a better one for both you and your pet.Cat Veterinary Office TipsMarilyn Krieger, a Redwood City, Calif., certified cat behavior consultant, recommends using a hard carrier. Begin by taking the top off and leaving the bottom out for your cat. Place a soft, familiar blanket or treats in the carrier. Play with your kitty around the carrier. Eventually, you can add the top, but leave the door off. "Put the door on after your cat goes in and out on its own," says Krieger. When you're ready to travel with the carrier, try a spritz of Feliway, a calming pheromone spray. Bring another towel to cover the carrier, which can provide some security.What Your Veterinarian Can DoVeterinarians can also work to make each visit a better experience. They should consider:If both you and your veterinarian work to control the experience, you're likely to be pleasantly surprised.THURSDAY, April 11 (HealthDay News) -- Playing a certain type of sound stimulation during sleep might help improve your memory, a small new study suggests.Slow oscillations in brain activity occur during slow-wave sleep and are critical for retaining memories. This study found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of those oscillations enhances the oscillations and boosts memory.The findings suggest an easy and noninvasive way to enhance memory, according to the authors of the study, which was published online April 11 in the journal Neuron."The beauty lies in the simplicity to apply auditory stimulation at low intensities -- an approach that is both practical and ethical, if compared, for example, with electrical stimulation -- and therefore portrays a straightforward tool for clinical settings to enhance sleep rhythms," Dr. Jan Born, of the University of Tubingen, in Germany, said in a journal news release.Born and his colleagues conducted their tests on 11 people while they slept on different nights. When exposed to stimulating sounds that were in sync with the brain's slow oscillation rhythm, the participants were better able to remember word associations they had learned the evening before.Sound stimulation out of sync with the brain's slow oscillation rhythm was ineffective in improving memory.The researchers said the sound stimulation technique might also help improve sleep.More informationThe U.S. National Institutes of Health explains how sleep . Copyright 2013 . All rights reserved.By Elizabeth HurchallaYou keep a calendar to remember appointments, and you jot down grocery items to jog your memory at the supermarket. But when it comes to remembering things like the name of a business associate or where you put your cell phone, unfortunately, you're on your own. And if you're like most busy moms, your memory probably fails you more than you'd like to admit.There are, however, a number of simple things that can help you get better at remembering. Check out the brain-exercising tricks, memory-boosting strategies and healthy lifestyle changes below. Do a different one every day this week to start enhancing your ability to remember just about everything.After the first week, try incorporating these strategies into your everyday life and you may find that your memory is as sharp as a, a -- what is that thing called again? Oh, yeah: a tack.Day 1: Take a walk."Aerobic exercise is the No. 1 thing you can do to improve memory," says Cynthia R. Green, who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and is the founder of the renowned Memory Enhancement Program at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "Numerous studies show that getting your heart rate up benefits brain health and increases attention span."Even if your schedule is packed, take a brisk walk with a friend instead of chatting on the phone. Or walk to the store instead of driving, or go on a bike ride or play tag with your kids.Day 2: Break routine.Try what memory experts call "neurobic activities": doing everyday tasks a little differently than normal. "They are thought to increase your brain's ability to withstand progressive, age-related damage that can cause memory problems, says Green, co-author of Brainpower Game Plan: Sharpen Your Memory, Improve Your Concentration, and Age-Proof Your Memory.Following this advice is as simple as brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand or driving an alternative route to work.Day 3: Establish forget-me-not spots.Are you constantly losing your keys, cell phone, sunglasses and other small items? Because you put down and pick up these types of things so often, you likely don't always pay attention to -- and so easily forget -- where they end up, says Green.The solution: "Train yourself to always put something in the same place," she says. Before you put an item down, think: "Is this where it goes?" These forget-me-not spots can be a dish or hook by the door or a pocket in your purse -- whatever makes sense to you.Day 4: Repeat and connect names."Remembering a name is like a pop quiz for your brain," says Green. The first time you hear the name, you have only seconds to file it away, but if you miss your chance -- poof! -- it's gone.To pass the test, first get the name into your brain by repeating it aloud. ("Nice to meet you, Frank.") Then, to retain the name, make a connection in your mind with something you're familiar with. Think: "That's my cousin's name." Or, "This guy loves hot dogs."Day 5: Eat right."A healthy, well-balanced diet high in whole grains, lean protein and fruits and vegetables, and low in fat and sweets supports good brain health," says Green. It also helps keep your weight in check. Experts aren't sure why, but people with a lot of belly fat are at greater risk for developing memory impairment, says Green.More specifically, eat plenty of dark leafy greens, blueberries, pomegranates and grapes. All are high in antioxidants, which protect brain cells. Also eat cold-water fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel twice a week. They deliver omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA, which experts think facilitates communication between brain cells.Day 6: Rest up.Try to hit the sack an hour early or set your alarm a little later if you can.Numerous studies show that sleep plays an important role in how well we are able to retain information, says Green. Without enough rest, it's impossible to maintain attention and focus, which impacts your ability to learn, and in turn, remember.Day 7: Believe you'll remember."Data shows that believing in your ability to recall things impacts your ability to actually do so," says Green. "It's similar to sports performance. If you think you're the worst basketball player in the world, you won't do well." So don't kick yourself when you forget to pay a bill or call your mother. Instead, congratulate yourself on everything you do remember. Also, instead of immediately throwing up your hands when you can't recall something, stop, think about it and tell yourself, % |