Political Information

Sonic Boom: Globalization at Mach Speed, by Gregg Easterbrook (Random House, 272 pp., $26) I N this intriguingly contrarian rework of the Thomas Friedman “hot and flat” motif, Gregg Easterbrook asserts that venture capitalists are no better than lottery players when it comes to choosing new technology companies. He reports that leading stock analysts outperform broad market-index funds only one-third of the time. He adds that the preeminent financial pundits break into two groups–pessimists like Robert Shiller and Nouriel Roubini, who are right during downturns, and optimists like Abby Joseph Cohen of Goldman Sachs, who are right during upturns. (There are no up-and-down visionaries like Steve Forbes or Ken Fisher visible anywhere on his horizon.) Easterbrook, a writer for The Atlantic and The New Republic, winningly acknowledges that “wonderful economists” such as leftist luminaries Lester Thurow of MIT and the late John Kenneth Galbraith (surely “wonderful writers” would be more accurate) were wrong about almost everything: Japanese industrial policy, the Soviet economy, the U.S. economy, the role of large corporations in innovation, the future of markets, pollution, socialism, you name it. Even Nobellaureate economists, says Easterbrook, get almost no predictions right at all, beyond microeconomic minutiae, such as Paul Krugmans prize-winning mathematical gobbledygook showing that countries geographically close to one another are more likely to trade. Collectively the experts utterly failed to predict any of the major turning points in the U.S. and global economies over the last five decades. In a stirring conclusion, Easterbrook asserts: “If it hadnt been shown a hundred times before, the financial-world events of the last two years proved that even the most powerful officials have little clue what the economy is about to do, and only a mild, limited ability to influence economic events once they commence.. Yet the international economy. was not brought down by the Cold War, or the two 1970s oil shocks, or the savings and loan debacle, or currency gyrations in Asia, or September 11. Most likely [today] it will rebound with a glittering Sonic Boom,” his metaphor for creative destruction that wreaks both splendid progress and widespread anxiety.
Save The World Technologies
(PINKSHEETS: SWTG) today announced that following entering into a deed of
settlement that the company will discontinue any and all involvement in the
tree business, agroforestry and related carbon sequestration projects.

Effective 31 March 2010, control of Save The World Technologies (SWTG) will
be handed back to the Muller Group with all current Directors and officers
resigning and Lynn Muller appointed as Director and President.

Martin Tindall will continue as acting-President to facilitate the
changeover until his resignation becomes effective 31 March 2010.

During this period independent shareholders of SWTG wishing to maintain an
investment in the tree and forestry related business will be provided an
opportunity to exchange their SWTG shares to ECO2 Forests shares through a
non-affiliate third party, also a party to the deed of settlement.

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Dear Abby: I am in my early 40s, and married with two daughters. I have a friend, “Sally,” whom I have known since the third grade. We are like sisters. Sally has been profoundly depressed for at least 15 years. She sees a therapist and a psychiatrist on a regular basis and is on medication. Short of listening and providing the proverbial shoulder to lean on, what more can I do? I feel I need to be there for her, but I also feel drained dry because this has been going on for several years. Any guidance you might offer would be greatly appreciated. — Concerned Friend in Florida Dear Concerned: You are a supportive friend, but when Sally calls crying so hard she can hardly talk, tell her that the person she needs to be talking to is her therapist. By allowing her to vent to you, you are preventing the therapist from evaluating her while shes in crisis and giving her the tools she needs to improve. Your friend may need to have her meds adjusted or changed, and seeing Sally while she is “at the bottom” could give her therapist valuable insights. If Sally isnt capable of placing the call to her therapist, offer to do it for her.
A union survey of more than 100 Contra Costa County mental health department employees found low morale and broad dissatisfaction with their managers. The report, delivered behind the scenes to county leaders, cites “an increasing staff dissatisfaction with the direction of the division, its lack of concern and communication, its demonstrated hostility and negativity, and its poor and inadequate planning to face the challenges of dwindling resources.” Nearly 83 percent of surveyed employees, or 132 out of 159 people, completed the questionnaire, according to the report. Local One business agent Rollie Katz attempted to have the survey dealt with privately. But after Bay Area News Group obtained a copy, Katz confirmed that union leaders have been meeting with managers to discuss the issues raised.

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FEW women like being snapped in a bikini – and for Linda Ralph, at nearly twenty stone, it was her worst nightmare. But as she gritted her teeth and urged husband Nick to take the photo, she knew posing in her cossie was her best chance of shedding the weight that was ruining her life. Linda, 49 – now down to just over 10st – says: “I had to be brutally honest with myself about how I looked. I knew the image of my near-naked body would spur me on to lose the weight I so desperately needed to. It was the start of an amazing photo diary recording Lindas weight loss, with the help of a strict diet and a gastric band op in October 2008.
FEW women like being snapped in a bikini – and for Linda Ralph, at nearly twenty stone, it was her worst nightmare. But as she gritted her teeth and urged husband Nick to take the photo, she knew posing in her cossie was her best chance of shedding the weight that was ruining her life. Linda, 49 – now down to just over 10st – says: “I had to be brutally honest with myself about how I looked. I knew the image of my near-naked body would spur me on to lose the weight I so desperately needed to. It was the start of an amazing photo diary recording Lindas weight loss, with the help of a strict diet and a gastric band op in October 2008.
HENRY HOOK (3.20) has been primed to deliver a knock-out blow on his handicap debut at Fontwell. Victor Dartnalls gelding, a bumper winner at Kempton in the spring, looks well treated in the weights after showing promise behind some useful novices.

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Heres a happy story: Two thugs broke into the garden of a British television personality and new mother, but she scared them off by brandishing a kitchen knife and shouting from her window. Unfortunately, the Hertfordshire coppers who responded to Myleene Klasss call were not impressed by her self-described display of “mummy powers”–they advised her to let the police handle all intrusions in the future.
Vickie Syme MAGNA- Our beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, and grandmother, Vickie Sue Syme Buchanan passed away February 3, 2010 in West Valley City, Utah. She was born November 14, 1944 in Moroni, Utah to Charles Berdell and Phyllis Peterson Syme. She

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OMAHA, Neb. — West Corporation, a leading provider of technology-driven,
voice-oriented solutions, today announced that it received the 2010
Frost Sullivan North American Contact Center Outsourcing Company of
the Year Award.

For the Company of the Year Award, Frost Sullivan evaluated providers
on their growth strategy and implementation, their degree of innovation
in business processes, products and/or technologies, and their
leadership in customer value and market penetration.

“West continues to distinguish itself by the sheer depth of its
services. The company has the technology, human capital and financial
resources to offer clients the widest array of customer communication
offerings in North America,” said Michael DeSalles, strategic analyst
for Frost Sullivan. “What makes West such a formidable competitor is
its focus on a complete ‘blended’ solution through their two business
segments, Unified Communications and Communication Services. No other
single player can offer a comprehensive mix of services across all areas
– voice-self service, speech solutions, automated notifications,
conferencing and collaboration, emergency communications, agent assisted
voice support and advanced hosted contact center technology.”

“The Company of the Year Award is a prestigious recognition of West’s
accomplishments in the North American market and is a true reflection of
the efforts we continually make to offer best-in-class technologies and
solutions to our clients,” said Steve Stangl, president of West
Communication Services, West Corporation. “Our unique ability to combine
comprehensive communication services with strategic worldwide locations,
advanced technology and experienced personnel has enabled us to lead the
industry.”

The North American Contact Center Outsourcing Company of the Year Award
recognized West Corporation for its overall company strategy,
professional services consultation, demonstrated leadership in customer
value and market penetration, range of service offerings and
multi-layered security protection. In addition, the award highlighted
West’s growth strategy and the company’s ability to identify and
successfully integrate acquisitions of value-added service providers.

SALT LAKE CITY — Just last week, Nelson Tuatagaloa stood before a judge and predicted in a confident voice that he was ready for his three-day jury trial to go forward. But on Tuesday when the trial was supposed to begin, the former West Jordan police officer choked back tears as he admitted that he sexually mistreated a suicidal woman he was supposed to be taking to a hospital for a mental evaluation. Tuatagaloa was on duty Sept. 30, 2008, when he responded to a call regarding the woman, who was sitting in her car, distraught over family and personal problems, and threatening to kill herself. She had been drinking and had a gun in the car.

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COMPLICATION INSURANCE® Provides Financial Security for Surgical
Patients

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

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

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

Gains From Insurance Settlement Reported

SUGAR LAND, Texas — The Imperial Sugar Company (NASDAQ:IPSU) today reported income
from continuing operations for the fiscal first quarter ended December
31, 2009 of $178.1 million, or $14.84 per diluted share, compared to a
loss from continuing operations of $0.6 million, or $0.05 per diluted
share, for the same period last year.

The recent quarter’s results were impacted by several important items,
most significantly pre-tax gains totaling $278.5 million associated with
the settlement of insurance claims related to the February 2008 Port
Wentworth accident. As previously announced, the Company and its
insurers agreed to a final claims settlement of $345 million under the
$350 million policy which covered property damage and business
interruption losses.

In addition, during the first quarter the Company recognized $18.9
million of gains on derivative contracts intended to hedge future raw
sugar purchases. These gains did not qualify for hedge accounting
treatment. Partially offsetting these gains were approximately $8.8
million of higher raw sugar costs resulting from derivative gains
recognized in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2009 which were intended to
hedge the Company’s first quarter’s raw sugar purchases. Absent the
impact of the insurance and derivative gains, income from continuing
operations for the quarter would have been a loss of $6.5 million, or
$0.55 per diluted share.

“The finalization of our property and business interruption insurance
claim is a major milestone in our recovery from the Port Wentworth
tragedy,” stated John Sheptor, president and CEO. “The claims
negotiation was well managed by our financial team, insurance broker and
the insurance carriers, minimizing interference with rebuild activities
and reaching an amicable settlement rapidly. We continue to make
important progress in the Port Wentworth reconstruction, with the start
up of the conditioning silos in January. We continue efforts to improve
the refinery production rate, with a target to return to normal
operations within the quarter. Packaging plant start up activities are
focused on the new brown sugar and powdered sugar lines in anticipation
of supplying customer Easter holiday requirements.”

Because doctors spend less time on the job when their perceived risk of being sued for malpractice rises, those lost hours mean some 7 million people nationwide must find someone else to treat them. Thats the crux of a new study published this week by Brigham Young University economist Mark Showalter, who hastened to add that he and his research colleague, Eric Helland, are “not spouting any party line” regarding current proposals to cap malpractice awards nationwide. The researchers found that doctors reduce their workload by almost two hours per week when expected liability risk increases by 10 percent. That decline in hours nationwide equals one in every 35 physicians retiring without a replacement, Showalter said. The study came out last week in the Journal of Law and Economics. Showalter and Helland, who previously served on the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers, used government survey data from the mid- and late 1980s to make the projections contained in the study.

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Nevada officials said the state may drop out of Medicaid if the health-care bill passes. Instead it would help its low-income legal residents participate in the federally subsidized exchanges that the bill would establish. The resulting insurance policies would doubtless be more attractive to beneficiaries than Medicaid is.
LOS ANGELES — On February 1, 2010, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled in
favor of Good Samaritan Hospital Los Angeles, represented by Jeffer
Mangels Butler Marmaro LLP, and against the Service Employees
International, United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU or the Union),
overturning a union decertification election narrowly won by SEIU in
April 2008. The ruling was based on findings that SEIU attempted to
bribe voting members before an election that would have allowed Hospital
employees to choose or reject union representation.

Ten days before voting began, 126 SEIU members received checks from SEIU
which, in an announcement made more than a week later, the Union claimed
were the reimbursement of union dues that the Hospital had allegedly
over-deducted from the paychecks of employees. The announcement also
suggested that the over-deductions may have been intentional and warned
that employees would have no recourse against their employer without a
union.

In most cases, the employees were reimbursed for much more than they
were owed, sometimes as much as three times the correct amount. Some
voting employees received reimbursements that were not owed; others
should have received checks but did not. Overall, the Union sent checks
for $12,000 over what employees were actually owed.

The NLRB concluded that the Union’s distribution of reimbursement checks
improperly interfered with the election results and, therefore,
overturned the election and ordered that a new election take place. SEIU
had won the election by a slim margin, with 209 employees voting in
favor of the Union and 180 supporting decertification.

This is Good Samaritan’s second round against SEIU. The decertification
election in 2008 was a re-run of a 2007 election arising out of the same
decertification petition. SEIU won that election by an extremely narrow
margin, but the election was overturned after the NLRB found that the
Union had interfered with results by engaging in bribery and verbal and
physical coercion.

phlebotomy training

In the early 1990s, healthcare facilities across the country rushed to embrace a new staffing experiment called decentralized phlebotomy. The trend to dissolve the phlebotomy staff and reassign them as patient care technicians (PCTs) or a similar appellation was gaining such a foothold in the industry that one prognosticating author went so far as to suggest “the phlebotomist now faces extinction,” and predict that by 2010 all venipunctures would be “performed by a team of patient care technicians.” (1), (2) What was I thinking? Here we are on the cusp of 2010, and not only is the phlebotomy profession not extinct, it is alive, well, and flexing its biceps. For many facilities drawn to decentralized phlebotomy Gold-Rush style, the promises did not pan out. Perceived benefits included a more efficient workforce and higher patient-satisfaction scores due to fewer individuals interacting with the patient. Instead, it delivered contaminated blood cultures, misidentified samples, skyrocketing specimen-rejection rates, friction between the laboratory and nursing staff, and patient dissatisfaction due to multiple venipuncture attempts and excessive bruising. Most who tried the decentralized phlebotomy concept ultimately found it to be vastly more difficult to implement than perceived and returned blood-collection responsibilities to the tried-and-true laboratory-based phlebotomist. But has decentralized phlebotomy run its course? A recent online survey administered by the Center for Phlebotomy Education asked its e-newsletter subscribers if phlebotomy is centralized or decentralized in their facilities. Sixty-one percent of those responding indicated specimen collection is centralized in their facilities, whereas 39% reported a decentralized system is in place where they work.
Byline: Hilarie Stelfox THE winners of our pounds 500 George at ASDA fashion make-over competition – members of the Greaves family from Fixby – went along to the Bradley store to choose outfits for their photoshoot and tell their story. Hilarie Stelfox reports Greaves. During that time the 40-year-old phlebotomist, who works at Calderdale Royal, has been in and out of hospital as a patient and she still has ongoing health problems. Her baby son Henry, who is 18 months old, has also been hospitalised on two occasions. “Its been very rough for all of us,” says Kirsty, who has been on sick leave for the past two years. She describes her two older children, Kristie, 18, and Charlie, 15, as “amazingly supportive.” Kirstys run of bad luck began five years before Henrys arrival when she was diagnosed with benign intercranial hypertension. The condition meant that she had to have two brain operations and a number of painful lumbar puncture procedures. Even her pregnancy with Henry did not go according to plan. “I had severe pregnancy sickness and he was delivered four weeks early by an emergency Caesarian section.
In addition to marking your answers, be sure to include all the required information on the answer sheet and a processing fee of $3.00 per article. In the following, choose the one best answer for each question. 1 One study has shown that 11 percent of transfusion-related deaths were caused when the phlebotomist misidentified the patient or mislabeled the tube.

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In a landscape where many Americans are
“self-employed,” a new website, Zoosa ,
is taking the corporate out of corporate
social responsibility (CSR) with the introduction of personal social
impact reports. Similar to annual corporate social responsibility reports,
Zoosa is now challenging individuals to issue reports on their personal
social impact actions in an effort to inspire others to make a difference.

“We really wanted to challenge people to highlight their social impact . Our hope is that by
encouraging people to share their activities and measure their impact, it
will in turn encourage more people to share their stories and get involved.
Its a new year. Maybe its time to issue your first personal social
impact report,” says Mike McGlade, Zoosas CEO.

By issuing a social impact report and
linking their profile to their schools and organizations, students can show
their school spirit, employees can promote their corporate culture,
individuals can meet others and organizations can measure their members
impact. For the first time, Zoosa makes it possible to quickly show which
individuals, schools and organizations are having a social impact on a
personal level.

“It can be really hard to identify areas in your life where you can have a
social impact. Not everyone has time to volunteer. Everyone has time to
recycle. Zoosa makes it easy for you to see the areas where you can have
an immediate impact today,” highlights Brian Fleming, Zoosas CTO.

Zoosa is still in its beta phase, but already has over 2,000 social impact job postings
and several thousand news stories. In addition to issuing a report on
their personal social impact, community members can add CSR data to
incomplete corporate profiles and comment on existing CSR information.

FEB. 8 — Lafayette City Council: 7 p.m., Lafayette Library and Learning Center, Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. — Orinda Union School District board of trustees: 4 p.m., district offices, 8 Altarinda Road, Orinda. — Pleasant Hill City Council-Redevelopment Agency: 7:30 p.m., council chamber of the City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill.

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COMPLICATION INSURANCE® Provides Financial Security for Surgical
Patients

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

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

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

PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. — Malaga Financial Corporation (OTCBB:MLGF), the parent company of
Malaga Bank FSB, today reported that net income for the year ended
December 31, 2009 was $9,494,000 ($1.65 per share basic and $1.64 per
share fully diluted), an increase of $2,418,000 or 34% from net income
of $7,076,000 ($1.24 per share basic and fully diluted) for the year
ended December 31, 2008. This record annual net income resulted in an
ROAE of 16.71% for the year and was achieved in spite of a $1,044,000
increase in FDIC insurance premiums in 2009. Malaga continues to have no
non-performing assets or delinquent loans.

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

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

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

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

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The president has done it again: called Guantanamo Bay a “recruiting tool,” something that causes Muslims to join up with the jihad. He said, “Make no mistake: We will close Guantanamo Prison, which has damaged our national-security interests and become a tremendous recruiting tool for al-Qaeda.
Hosted Enterprise and Health Management Systems Support
Provider-Owned Health Plan’s Focus on Delivering High-Quality Care in
San Francisco and Northern San Mateo County

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. — The TriZetto Group, Inc. today announced that Chinese Community Health
Plan (CCHP) has successfully implemented several TriZetto systems,
including the Facets®, NetworX Pricer® and
Clinical CareAdvance® applications. The products are enabling
the health plan to more efficiently administer its enrollment,
membership billing, claims and customer service, as well as its network
and health management programs. TriZetto is managing and hosting all of
the applications for CCHP.

CCHP provides managed care plans for individuals families, employer
groups and Medicare beneficiaries, including those with Medicaid. CCHP
currently serves more than 13,000 community members in San Francisco and
Northern San Mateo County.

“CCHP is a trusted community partner in San Francisco, so it’s important
to keep our focus on providing members with a range of high-quality care
solutions at affordable prices,” said Larry Loo, MPH, director of
business development operations at CCHP. “We used to have two separate
enterprise administration systems. The one integrated Facets
administration system from TriZetto makes it easier for us to manage our
business in several locations. Our member services department can see,
real-time, when authorizations for services are in the system. And
TriZetto’s application hosting services enable us to focus on
differentiating ourselves from competitors instead of on managing the
technology.”

There’s particular excitement at CCHP about the value that TriZetto’s
Clinical CareAdvance application brings.

In an effort to save the imperiled health-care bill, Democrats cut a tentative deal with organized labor that would exempt unionized employees from an excise tax on high-cost healthcare plans. Of the many unsavory bargains and rotten deals that have characterized the rush to get this thing passed (the “Louisiana Purchase,” the “Cornhusker Kickback,” etc.), the “Labor Loophole” surely takes the prize.

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Practice Partner Connect™ Enables Continuity
of Care for Physicians

ATLANTA — McKesson today announced Practice Partner Connect™,
providing an interoperability platform for physician practices to more
securely exchange information with other practices, patients, hospitals,
and payors. The new platform is part of Version 9.3.3 of Practice Partner®,
McKesson’s award-winning electronic
health record (EHR) and medical
billing software solution for physician practices.

As office-based physicians focus on achieving the meaningful use and
interoperability requirements in the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA), electronic communication of data is a key area of focus.
Practice Partner Connect is designed to enable clinical and financial
data exchange across care settings via any type of health
information exchange (HIE). For example, a physician can
electronically order lab tests and receive results directly through
Practice Partner without leaving the application. In addition, the
practice’s staff no longer has to manually enter claims information,
resulting in improved productivity and more time for patient interaction.

“Physicians not only are responsible for patient wellness; they are
increasingly the central coordination point in a broad health network
that includes their patients as well as payors, pharmacies, labs and
HIEs,” said David Henriksen, senior vice president of McKesson’s
Physician Practice Solutions group. “Given that inherent complexity,
McKesson has launched Practice Partner Connect as a means to simplify
and streamline the necessary electronic communication for more
collaborative, safer – and more efficient – healthcare.”

Communication through Practice Partner Connect offers enhanced security,
with all activity recorded and accessible within the Practice Partner
system. Providers maintain full control of their data, but can easily
share critical information regarding the treatment of their patients,
eligibility checking, billing and more. This increased visibility to a
patient’s chart across care settings enhances patient safety and is a
requirement for meeting “meaningful use” criteria under the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

SAN FRANCISCO — AMERICAN SHARED HOSPITAL SERVICES (NYSE AMEX:AMS), a leading
provider of turnkey technology solutions for advanced radiosurgical and
radiation therapy services, announced today that it has entered into a
six-year contract with the Peruvian Air Force (”FAP”) to supply Gamma
Knife® services at Hospital Central FAP in Lima, Peru. This Gamma Knife,
the first to be placed into service in Peru and only the third in South
America, is expected to begin treating patients by the fourth quarter of
this year.

AMS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ernest A. Bates, M.D., said,
“Cancer knows no geographic or social boundaries. With a population of
more than nine million in metropolitan Lima alone, and more than 28
million in Peru as a whole, we anticipate significant demand for Gamma
Knife services at our new center. We plan to treat patients from the
Peruvian Armed Forces, as well as private pay patients from Peru and
other countries in Latin America, many of whom must now travel to the
United States for Gamma Knife treatment. We are proud that AMS creative
financing solutions will make it possible for us to bring the benefits
of the Gamma Knife to cancer patients in this vast and populous region.
This is an exciting time for AMS as we sign our first international
radiosurgery contract. We see the international market as a big growth
area for our company and are currently in negotiations in the UK, Brazil
and Israel. We believe our international expansion will eventually
exceed our domestic growth.”

About the Gamma Knife®

Gamma Knife® surgery, sometimes referred to as stereotactic
radiosurgery, is a non-invasive method for treating brain disorders with
a single, high dose of radiation to a small and critically located
intra-cranial volume through the intact skull. Gamma Knife surgery is
preferred for its extreme accuracy, efficiency and outstanding
therapeutic response. Today, Gamma Knife surgery is performed in
hundreds of leading hospitals and clinics around the world.
Approximately 50,000 patients undergo Gamma Knife surgery every year,
and this unique procedure has an impressive scientific track record with
thousands of peer-reviewed articles. No other non-invasive treatment
method in this field has greater clinical acceptance.

Delivering a complete range of healthcare IT solutions that contribute
towards improving the overall efficiency of hospitals

WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Picis,
the leading provider of information systems for the high-acuity areas of
hospitals, and iSOFT,
one of the world’s biggest healthcare information technology (HIT)
companies, have entered into a strategic alliance whereby iSOFT will
distribute, implement and provide international support for selected
solutions from the Picis CareSuite® family of high-acuity
solutions, focusing initially on ICU and anesthesia in the United
Kingdom, Ireland, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand.

The two companies have entered into an agreement to enable hospitals to
deploy a comprehensive HIT software solution all from one source. The
complementary product lines between Picis and iSOFT were a significant
factor in establishing this alliance. “By incorporating Picis solutions
into our product offering, we are creating one of the most extensive
offerings in the entire healthcare IT sector,” said Adrian Stevens,
Managing Director of iSOFT’s UK and Ireland business. “Our expanded
software portfolio further demonstrates our commitment to providing our
clients with interoperable solutions that meet their business and
clinical documentation needs, ultimately helping them improve their
overall efficiency.”

With this agreement, Picis achieves a greater presence within these
markets, expanding on its already strong existing client base. “We are
very pleased to be affiliated with iSOFT. As one of the largest
international healthcare information technology companies in the world
with more than 13,000 healthcare provider organizations in over
40 countries, iSOFT offers us exciting new market opportunities” said
Liz Popovich, Co-founder and Executive Vice President of International
Operations, Picis. “We believe that iSOFT’s market strength complements
our core competencies enabling significant growth potential in these
markets.”

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Massage Studio, Mini Golf and Yoga Classes Among First Features on
Popular Shopping Website

“With its diverse mix of historic districts and new downtown
development, Cincinnati is a perfect fit for Groupon,” said Groupon
founder Andrew Mason. “We’ll showcase the best of the city by
introducing local businesses to new customers, generating customers for
new businesses, and saving people money on the things they love to do.”

Using the principles of collective buying, Groupon negotiates
unprecedented deals with top businesses. Groupon subscribers receive
free daily emails alerting them to the deal. These deals are only
activated if a minimum number of people agree to buy, encouraging
subscribers to share the promotion with family and friends via social
media tools such as Facebook and Twitter. By guaranteeing a large number
of new customers, Groupon creates a win-win for local merchants. So far,
this innovative approach to e-commerce has generated millions in revenue
for local businesses while saving two million subscribers nearly $70
million.

“Groupon brings buyers and sellers together in a fun and collaborative
way,” said Mason. “We offer the consumer a great deal they can’t get
anywhere else and deliver the sales directly to the merchant.”

WEVE teamed up with award-winning travel group Monarch and with Louis Hotels so one lucky reader can win a seven-night holiday to Larnaca in Cyprus for a family of up to four. This fantastic prize includes return flights with Monarch from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton or Manchester airports, half-board accommodation at the four-star Louis Princess Beach and travel insurance courtesy of Insurefor.com The Louis Princess Beach is a beautiful hotel set in attractive gardens and situated on a sandy bay in Larnaca. to For those looking for a more active holiday, a wealth of activities are on offer including mini golf, tennis and beach volleyball. And children will be kept entertained with a separate childrens pool, playground, electronic games room and animation programme.
A WOMAN who had a heart attack on a plane was saved by cabin crew – and a heart surgeon and doctor who were on board. The passenger collapsed in the aisle on a BA flight from London to Sao Paulo. Cabin crew pumped the Brazilian womans chest but when that failed the pilot put out a message asking if there was a doctor on board.

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Misleading story On Jan. 24, the Times published an article entitled “College degree: Still worth it?” by Mara Rose Williams (McClatchy). By omitting major factors that determine job-hunting success after college graduation, she provides a distorted and pessimistic picture of reality. While I agree that success depends on demand and cost, other factors are more determinative. President Barack Obama has clearly indicated that, to return to a leading world position from the current 25th position in literacy and numeracy, it will require more than a bachelors degree from any college, but rather an engineering or science degree.
Coronado Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: CRD) announces gold estimates from its recent diamond drill program on its wholly owned Madison Gold/Copper property in Montana, USA. The results from this drilling allowed Coronados chief onsite geologist/engineer to calculate an in-house estimate of 18,000 tons grading .481 oz/t gold (16.50 gm/mt au). The bulk of the gold from this estimate is at a vertical depth of 60 feet below the recently mined gold zone. Underground work is presently underway to allow this block to be extracted. The decline will be advanced 360 feet, which will take approximately two months. The mining, trucking and processing is estimated to be in the order of $325 per ton.

Drilling also confirms that the gold zone continues to plunge -70 degrees to the southwest and remains open to depth below the deepest drill hole. Coronado is extremely pleased with these results as they allow the company to move forward with limited share dilution. Several new copper zones have been encountered and are presently being assayed evaluated for additional drilling or mine development consideration.

The recent drilling consisted of five holes designed to test the size and grade of the advancing mineralization within the main gold zone with an additional three holes being exploration holes testing other promising areas. All holes reported gold intercepts as reported on the January 25th news release.

About Coronado: Coronado Resources Ltd. is a Canadian based mineral exploration and development company that is focused on its 100% owned Madison Gold/Copper property in Montana, USA. Madison is a former producer that is now producing cash flow from high grade copper and gold shipments which commenced in 2008. The company remains focused on expanding the Madison project with continued exploration and development drilling being funded from the cash flow. Our proven management team is actively pursuing new mining opportunities for its shareholders.

The estimates above are from the companys chief geologist on the Madison gold/copper project and are not National Policy 43-101 compliant. Assay work was completed by Norris Labs, a local Montana lab using the dry assay method. Norris Labs is not registered by the international standards organization and are used due to proximity and quick turnaround results. Eugene Larabie, P. Eng. is the “qualified person” overseeing the project.

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Dexterous Robot Offers Less Invasive Surgeries for Patients; Faster
Recovery, Minimal Scarring, Lower Risk of Infection  

PORTLAND, Ore. — Adventist
Medical Center is now home to the newest model of the da Vinci
surgical robot. The da Vinci robot enables complex surgeries to be
completed using a minimally invasive approach. The approach minimizes
the physical and emotional impact of surgery on patients resulting in
increased quality outcomes. The Portland, Ore., based hospital is one of
few hospitals in the Northwest to use the latest model of the da Vinci
Robotic Surgical System.

“The da Vinci robot represents one of the greatest surgical advancements
to ever be made available within a hospital setting,” said Dr.
Wes Rippey, chief medical officer at Adventist Medical Center. “It
allows us to augment Adventist Medical Center’s surgical practice,
offering the least invasive surgical option available today and is a
tremendous complement to our highly skilled and talented surgeons.”

Some of the major benefits experienced by surgeons using the da Vinci
Surgical System over traditional approaches have included greater
surgical precision, increased range of motion, improved dexterity,
enhanced visualization and improved access. Benefits experienced by
patients have included a shorter hospital stay, less pain, less risk of
infection, less blood loss, fewer transfusions, less scarring, faster
recovery and a quicker return to normal daily activities.

The da Vinci Robotic Surgical System will transform the way certain
procedures are done at Adventist Medical Center. Initially, urology and
gynecology services will be the focus of Adventist Health’s da Vinci
robot, though the robotic technology has clinical applications for many
other surgical specialties in the future.

A NEW hands hygiene project has been launched at Holly Bank School in Mirfield. Children, teachers and carers from the school are taking part in the Albany Healthy Schools Programme, which aims to reinforces the importance of correct hand washing and drying. Animated character Albany Max took centre stage arriving in his Healthy Hands van with over 60 children and staff learning about the importance of washing and drying their hands through songs and activities. Infections such as swine flu, E. coli and norovirus all pose a serious threat to a schools health with thousands of school days lost every year through avoidable illness. The roadshow is part of the Albany Healthy Schools Programme which aims to work with and support the hygiene education needs of pupils, teachers and support staff.
Salmonella Victims of PCA Peanut Butter to Receive Settlements

CAMDENTON, Mo. — A second victim of the nationwide outbreak
of Salmonella linked to pepper in salami meats has come
forward to file a lawsuit against Daniele International Inc., which
produced the recalled salami, and against Wholesome
Spice, which supplied the tainted pepper. The CDC
reports that currently 203 are confirmed ill in 42 states, with the
actual total likely much higher.

“The CDC is the first to say that only about 3% of Salmonella
illnesses are ever culture-confirmed, so the real number of victims
of this outbreak is in the thousands,” said the attorney for the
victims, William
Marler. “Most people with Salmonella never know they have it,
and try to ‘tough it out’ as a stomach flu, but Salmonella can
get ugly, and it is important to visit a health care professional if you
have consumed the recalled product or are experiencing symptoms
of Salmonella infection.”

Harold Hanks purchased Salami
products made by Daniele at a Walmart in Osage Beach, Missouri. He
fell ill within a day of consuming the products, with nausea and
diarrhea that continued to worsen. After medications prescribed by his
physician failed to give him any relief, Mr. Hanks went to the emergency
room at his local hospital, where he was treated for severe dehydration
and bacterial infection. Stool samples taken during his hospital visit
returned positive for the Salmonella montevideo outbreak strain.
He continues to recover from his illness. His lawsuit was filed by Marler
Clark and by Kansas attorney Roger Nail of Goza and Honnold.

“Salmonella infections have changed — and taken — lives,”
continued Marler. “Our clients from the terrible outbreak of Salmonella
in Peanut Butter have just learned that their lawsuits will be settled
and bills paid from a twelve
million dollar insurance policy. I’m glad we were able to help these
people — even after the Peanut Corporation of America declared
bankruptcy — but the best insurance policy any company can have is
exemplary food safety practices.”

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PORT CHESTER, N.Y. — Port Chester Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre, a highly-regarded short
term rehabilitation, subacute care and skilled nursing facility, is
among a select few nursing homes nationwide to receive a 5-Star rating
from the U.S. Department of Health Human Services Centers for Medicare
Medicaid Services (CMS).

The 5-Star rating is based on the facility’s deficiency-free surveys
over several years, an outstanding staff ratio and commitment to quality
measures.

Carol Spedaliere, Administrator of Port Chester Nursing and
Rehabilitation Centre, states, “We are proud to receive this important
recognition of high quality care. Our dedicated staff works tirelessly
to provide the highest level of care possible to each of our residents.”

With facility-wide renovations underway and the implementation of new
programs, Port Chester Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre will continue
to offer residents of our communities excellence in nursing, medical and
rehabilitative care.

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) purchased Children’s Institute’s
tax-exempt revenue bonds through the California Health Care Investment
Program, which gives California health care entities access to capital
at rates that are highly competitive with those of conventional
financing.

UnitedHealth Group’s California Health Care Investment Program is a
20-year, $200 million commitment to health care organizations that
provide services to underserved, low-income and underinsured communities
and populations throughout the Golden State.

Children’s Institute – established in 1906 and currently serving more
than 17,000 children and families annually – will use the proceeds from
the bonds to help finance the organization’s new Otis Booth Campus. As
the agency’s new headquarters and third comprehensive facility, the new
campus will be named after Franklin Otis Booth, Jr., the region’s
well-known philanthropist and the great-grandson of General Harrison
Gray Otis, who founded the Los Angeles Times. The Otis Booth
Foundation is making a $6 million lead gift toward completion of the
project.

The new three-building campus, located just west of downtown Los
Angeles, is designed to serve an additional 5,000 children and families
a year in one of the region’s most challenged communities. The
45,500-square-foot campus will include a health center, therapy rooms, a
café and nutrition center, basketball court, classrooms, two libraries,
computer rooms, family resource center, teen center and space for
performing and visual arts.

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Reports from Haitian ophthalmologists
tell of practices destroyed, a shortage of supplies and equipment, and an
increased demand for ophthalmic care. To respond to the urgent and ongoing
need for quality eye care in Haiti and to coordinate ophthalmic recovery
efforts, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) has formed the Task Force on Haiti
Recovery .

The task force is led by former Academy president Michael W. Brennan, MD, a
military veteran with unique humanitarian experience in Iraq and
Afghanistan. It is comprised of Academy members and will be in close
collaboration with the Pan-American Association of Ophthalmology (PAAO),
the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and the Association of Haitian Physicians
Abroad. All of the task force members have direct connections and
experience in Haiti or with strategic partners in humanitarian relief.

In the coming months, the task force will work closely with Haitian
leadership — the Haitian Society of Ophthalmology and the University of
Haiti Eye Hospital — in a cooperative effort to facilitate the recovery of
ophthalmic practice and delivery of eye care.

Through financial and equipment donations and
in conjunction with PAAO, the Academy is undertaking a campaign to provide
five portable eye units to ophthalmologists in Haiti. Portable eye units
can be carried by an individual ophthalmologist and will facilitate
microscopic evaluations of the eye, treatment of lacerations, removal of
foreign bodies, injections and other severe eye conditions, outside of a
clinic or university setting.

Mildred Olivier, MD, is a Haitian-American ophthalmologist and task force
member currently assisting in relief efforts in Haiti. “We have met with
our Haitian colleagues and are working to rebuild their capability to
practice,” reports Dr. Olivier. “Many of their clinics have been destroyed.
They need a way to bring the care to the patient.”

Despite the growing amount of video available
online, less than 8% of U.S. broadband households are considering canceling
their pay-TV services in favor of online video, according to Parks Associates “All Eyes on
Video .”

These results from ” All
Eyes on Video ” are in line with previous Parks Associates studies,
which do not show an appreciable likelihood of subscriber churn in favor of
online video services. A 2008 study reported 11% of U.S. broadband
households were considering canceling pay-TV services, and in an earlier 2009
survey , the number was 10%.

” All Eyes on Video ”
found approximately 5.5 million homes would be open to canceling pay TV due
in part to the availability of online video. At the same time, one-half of
these households are also considering a switch to a new pay-TV provider,
indicating the primary threats to companies such as Verizon, Comcast,
DirecTV, and Cablevision are still their traditional competitors.

The households likely to switch or cancel their services watch a whopping
10 hours of online video each week, much higher than typical video
consumers. They express strong interest in having online access to pay-TV
channels (e.g., TV Everywhere), which highlights an opportunity for
traditional pay-TV providers to solidify their base through the deployment
of such features. Offline video consumption is also higher. Their median
number of DVD rentals from the last six months is 18, compared to two
rentals among other households.

“The threat of cannibalization is real but misunderstood,” said John Barrett , director, research, Parks
Associates. “Nobody is going to rely on online video alone — households
likely to cancel their TV services are going to use a mixture of online
video, free-to-air broadcasts, and DVDs, including rental services such as
Netflix and redbox.”

Cineplex Entertainment (TSX: CGX.UN) is pleased to present Celine: Through the Eyes of the World, a documentary concert film chronicling the life of Canadian singer Celine Dion during her Taking Chances Tour. Celine: Through the Eyes of the World, from Sony Pictures Releasings special programming division, The Hot Ticket, will be shown at select Cineplex Entertainment theatres on Wednesday, February 17th, Thursday, February 18th, Saturday, February 20th and Sunday, February 21st.

“Celine Dion is one of the most successful performing artists in the world and this film provides audiences with both a front row seat to her Taking Chances concerts in addition to a coveted behind-the-scenes look at her life, her family and the challenges of touring 25 countries and five continents,” said Pat Marshall, Vice President, Communications and Investor Relations, Cineplex Entertainment. “Watching Celine: Through the Eyes of the World on the big screen gives fans who attended the extremely popular tour another chance to experience it as well as those who did not attend the live concert the opportunity to do so.”

Join Celine as she travels the world, putting on show-stopping performances of some of her biggest hits. However, this world tour is different as Celine is traveling with her husband, her 8-year-old son, her mother and her extended family. Intercutting concert performances with behind the scenes footage, audiences will get the chance to really know Celine, her family and her co-performers as well as those fans that she meets and performs for around the world. Inspirational, moving, honest and surprisingly funny, Celine: Through the Eyes of the World captures Dions deft balance between the demands of an elaborate and extensive year-long worldwide tour and Dions top priority – caring for and enjoying time with her family.

Cineplex Entertainment will present Celine: Through the Eyes of the World on Wednesday, February 17th and Thursday, February 18th at 7 pm (local time) as well as Saturday, February 20th and Sunday, February 21st at 1 pm (local time) at the following theatres:

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BETHESDA, Md. — First Potomac Realty Trust (NYSE:FPO) announced today that CORT Business
Services Corporation (CORT Furniture Rental) has signed a seven-year
lease at Cavalier Industrial Park in Chesapeake, Virginia. CORT will be
occupying 23,580 square feet at the Company’s recently completed 96,000
square foot warehouse building, bringing the approximately 400,000
square foot Cavalier Industrial Park to 100% leased.

“We are very pleased to have CORT Furniture Rental lease the balance of
our new warehouse building,” said Tony Beck, First Potomac’s Regional
Vice President for Southern Virginia. “This transaction adds to an
already impressive roster of tenants at this property.”

Completed just one year ago, the new warehouse building is located at
3732 Cook Boulevard and is part of the Company’s three-building,
Cavalier Industrial Park located in the submarket in Chesapeake,
Virginia.

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

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

Scope of the report:

“The service we offer is completely unique in that clients get all
the benefits of hiring a traditional decorator, but without the hassles
of scheduling appointments, driving around the city for samples, and
dealing with high-pressure commission salespeople,” says Sasha
Stricker, President and Creative Director of DecorateITOnline. “For
less than the price of one poorly chosen accessory, we offer
professional guidance and custom design solutions specifically targeted
to our clients tastes and needs.”

Users simply upload photos and measurements of the room they would like
to decorate, and complete a brief questionnaire (known as the StyleFinder
Guide) to indicate their style, color, and lifestyle preferences. In
about a week, clients receive a detailed custom design Portfolio
outlining the decorator’s recommendations for color, space planning,
furniture, accessories, and lighting along with explanations, tips, and
a detailed shopping list.

Clients also have the option to choose a premium 3D package,
which also features computer-generated 3-dimensional renderings of their
room, complete with all the recommended changes, as well as a video
presentation and a virtual tour of the finished room. “Our 3D
portfolios are an ideal option for people who haven’t had a lot of
decorating experience, or for those that might be reluctant to start a
new project without being able to see the final product,” says
Stricker.

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The National Holistic Institute will donate all proceeds from massages given Thursday at their Emeryville and San Francisco campuses to a Haiti relief fund. The institute is a training school for massage therapists. The cost for a 50-minute massage is $35. Students, graduates, administrators and teachers are all donating their time and skills to help raise money for Haiti after the massive earthquakes earlier this month, said institute President Tim Veitzer.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dont get us wrong–your lady probably gives great massages. But sometimes we need more than just a happy ending. Like a muscle-relieving sports massage. In fact, more and more elite athletes are incorporating regular rubdowns into their recovery programs, hitting strained hamstrings, pulled groins, and aching backs. “Guys are bigger, faster, and stronger, and as a result, collisions are more violent,” says South Florida–based sports massage therapist Chris Pikosky, whos worked on Super Bowl (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Stanley Cup (Carolina Hurricanes) champs. But you dont have to be an elite athlete to benefit from a good sports massage. This aint your girls froufrou spa day. Think a vigorous deep-tissue treatment. “A Swedish massage is soothing, and theres a lot of value to it, but its different from what an athlete is looking for,” Pikosky says. Sports massages involve rubs and stretches that target specific muscles and increase athletes range of motion.
SEATTLE — Six women in their 60s to 80s lunge side to side within a YMCA pool, essentially emulating falling and regaining balance. At times during the one-hour class, they also pad about, reaching for bobbing Nerf balls and balance on one leg and against turbulence. Occupational therapist Jeanne Shepard, who teaches the class in the Seattle suburb of Shoreline, believes that waters buoyancy and resistance are natural aids in helping seniors prepare against falls. Health care organizations and providers are paying increasing attention to preventing falls as the U.S. population continues to age. The state Office of Financial Management projects that the population of older adults will increase 50 percent by 2020 and double by 2030. Injurious falls can endanger an older persons independence, even his or her life. And the medical costs associated with their falls total about $19 billion a year nationwide.

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BOTHELL, Wash. — SonoSite, Inc. (NASDAQ:SONO), the world leader and specialist in
hand-carried ultrasound for the point-of-care, today announced that its
Board of Directors has authorized SonoSite to repurchase up to $150
million of the Company’s common stock or outstanding convertible notes
for cash. In connection with the repurchase authorization, the company
will purchase up to $100 million of the Company’s common stock through a
modified “Dutch Auction” tender offer. SonoSite intends to commence the
tender offer during the week of January 18, 2010.

Under the terms of the proposed tender offer, SonoSite shareholders will
have the opportunity to tender some or all of their shares at a price
within the range of $26.10 to $30.00 per share. Based on the number of
shares tendered and the prices specified by the tendering shareholders,
SonoSite will determine the lowest per-share price within the range that
will enable it to buy $100 million in shares, or such lesser number of
shares that are properly tendered. All shares accepted for payment will
be paid the same price, regardless of whether a shareholder tendered
such shares at a lower price within the range. At the minimum price of
$26.10 per share, SonoSite would repurchase a maximum of 3,831,417
shares, which represents approximately 22% of SonoSite’s currently
outstanding common stock. SonoSite will fund the repurchase from
available cash on hand. The low and high ends of the price range
represent approximately a 0% and 15% premium, respectively, to the most
recent share closing price of $26.10 per share. Based on the January 8,
2010, closing price, the share price has increased 10% year-to-date.

The tender offer will be subject to various terms and conditions as will
be described in offer materials that will be publicly filed and
distributed to shareholders at the time of commencement of the tender
offer during the week of January 18, 2010. Additional copies of the
offer materials will also be available from the Information Agent,
Georgeson Inc. The Dealer-Manager for the tender offer will be J.P.
Morgan Securities Inc.

Kevin M. Goodwin, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer,
said, “After evaluating various opportunities for two years, we
concluded that the best investment of our cash was in our own stock.
Moreover, we believe that the tender offer will benefit stockholders by
providing an efficient mechanism for those who desire liquidity at a
premium over current trading prices and, for our remaining stockholders,
an enhanced ability to participate in the long-term earnings potential
of our business.”

Neither SonoSite’s management, nor any of its board of directors,
executive officers, the dealer manager, the information agent or the
depositary is making any recommendation to shareholders as to whether to
tender or refrain from tendering their shares in the proposed tender
offer. The company’s executive officers, senior management and directors
have advised the company that they do not intend to tender any of their
shares in the tender offer. Shareholders must decide how many shares
they will tender, if any, and the price within the stated range at which
they will tender their shares. Shareholders should consult their
financial and tax advisors in making this decision.

Toshiba Products Improve Diagnostic Confidence and Accuracy in
Cardiovascular and Orthopedic Imaging

TUSTIN, Calif. — St. Luke’s Lakeside Hospital of The Woodlands, Texas has chosen Toshiba
America Medical Systems, Inc. to provide magnetic resonance (MR),
ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), X-ray and vascular equipment for
its newly built surgical hospital.

St. Luke’s Lakeside is a collaboration between St. Lukes Episcopal
Health System and area cardiovascular and orthopedic/spine specialists.
With a focus on providing comprehensive cardiac and orthopedic care,
physicians requested the latest in medical imaging technology for the
six surgical suites and three cardiac catheterization labs.

To meet its unique imaging needs, St. Luke’s Lakeside has installed
Toshiba’s Vantage Titan™ MR system, Aplio Artida™ ultrasound system,
Aquilion® CX CT system, two Infinix™-i cath labs and a
Kalare™ RF system.

“Our goal with this facility was to build a place that is at the
forefront of medical innovation. To do this we needed imaging equipment
that could image patients regardless of their size or special needs and
still produce high quality images that would improve diagnostic
confidence and accuracy,” said Diane McNamee, CNO and assistant vice
president, St. Luke’s Lakeside Hospital. “We chose Toshiba equipment for
its ability to produce high quality images, as well as handle the more
challenging cases we see.”

(TSX: CAE)(NYSE: CAE) – CAE Healthcare has acquired ICCU Imaging and VIMEDIX in order to expand its growing portfolio with a specialty in ultrasound imaging training.

ICCU Imaging specializes in developing cutting-edge multimedia educative material and offering practical and easy-to-use educational solutions to help medical providers perform a focused bedside ultrasound examination. VIMEDIX specializes in developing advanced echographic simulation training and has begun marketing a virtual reality animated transthoracic echocardiography simulator.

“These bolt-on acquisitions are an important step in the growth of CAE Healthcare. By combining the expertise of ICCU Imaging and VIMEDIX with CAEs training, simulation and modelling know-how, CAE Healthcare will be able to offer a complete solution for ultrasound imaging training, including e-learning, bedside ultrasound seminars and medical simulators,” said CAE Healthcare President Guillaume Herve. “ICCU Imaging and VIMEDIX are first-class operations. It is a pleasure to welcome their leaders, recognized as worldwide experts in their fields, Dr. Yanick Beaulieu, President and founder of ICCU Imaging and Dr. Robert Amyot, CEO and President of VIMEDIX, to the CAE Healthcare team.”

The underlying imaging market, which drives the need for realistic training, is experiencing rapid growth, particularly because of the proliferation of handheld and portable devices. Those units enable a larger population of healthcare practitioners to perform diagnostic procedures and evaluations, which historically could only be done by medical imaging specialists.

“Bringing ultrasound imaging technology at the bedside is as big a revolution as the advent of the stethoscope 200 years ago,” said Dr. Yanick Beaulieu, M.D., director of the bedside ultrasound curriculum at Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal and founder of ICCU. “Todays ultrasound imaging machines are small and portable and they reduce associated risk of many invasive procedures. One of the greatest challenges faced by critical care physicians in widely adopting ultrasound is the requirement for widespread ultrasound education in order to reach proficiency and ensure safety.”

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

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

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

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

A portion of the funds will assist Haitians rebuild in the aftermath
of the earthquake.

WASHINGTON — Promontory Financial Group, a global consulting firm for financial
services companies, donated $250,000 to Habitat for Humanity
International to help families in Washington, D.C., New York City and
San Francisco build homes.

A portion of the money will also assist Haitians rebuild in the
aftermath of the January 12 earthquake that devastated the country.

“We are proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity International,” said
Eugene A. Ludwig, Promontory Financial Group’s founder and CEO. “It is
an organization whose good works have transformed the lives of
low-income families across the United States and around the world. The
donation is our way of helping struggling families in Washington, D.C.,
New York City and San Francisco realize the American Dream – a home that
provides shelter, safety and a place for a family to grow – and
assisting Haitians rebuild their homes.”

About 50 Promontory volunteers in the United States representing about
half of the firm’s employee base will join members of Habitat for
Humanity and put on work clothes, pick up hammers, nails, brooms and
paint brushes and help build and rehab homes.

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Kaiser/VA/DoD partnership piloting a nationwide EHR network Early testing encouraging; improvements in quality anticipated “The ability to share critical health information is essential to interoperability,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki in announcing the program. “Utilizing the NHINs standards and network will allow organizations like VA and the Department of Defense to partner with private-sector health care providers to promote better, faster, and safer care for veterans.” The pilot program currently connects Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect and the VAs electronic health record system, VistA, two of the largest electronic health record systems in the country. The DoDs ALTA system will be linked to the other two shortly.
SUPPORTERS OF health care reform need money–a lot of money–to pay for it. So its not surprising that they would try to get it from the people with the most money to spare. Hence the so-called millionaires tax, a levy embedded in the House health care bill. As the noted philanthropist (with other peoples money) and House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), explained, lawmakers are targeting big earners because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people.” Thats the theory, anyway. In fact, the millionaires tax is a good example of how poorly some politicians understand the policies they propose. At press time, the Senate was still debating the bills details. But the health care bill that the House narrowly approved in November included a 5.4 percent tax on the portion of gross income (which includes capital gains and dividends) that exceeds $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for a couple. The surtax would apply to tax years that begin after December 31, 2010. So the first sign that the tax will hit more than millionaires is the fact that it targets half-millionaires from the get-go. The ideas main selling point is that the increase would hit only 0.3 percent of tax fliers–roughly 400,000 people–yet would raise $460.5 billion over the next 10 years. Congress Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the new rate would affect only 1.2 percent of relatively small business owners, including sole proprietorships (that is, businesses owned by just one person), partnerships (owned by a few people), and S corporations (which have up to 75 shareholders). But because the tax isnt indexed for inflation, over time it will apply to more taxpayers as inflation affects income levels. Sound familiar? It should, because this is how the alternative minimum tax (AMT) became such a nightmare. The AMT was created in 1969 to prevent just 155 wealthy taxpayers from using deductions and credits to avoid paying any federal income taxes. Because it was not indexed for inflation, it came to affect an ever-growing share of the population, prompting Congress to pass a patch each year limiting its reach; next year, without the patch, it is projected to strike 27.4 million Americans–nearly 20 percent of the countrys taxpayers. And even with the patch, the AMT hits far more than just millionaires: In 2009, it swept up 4 million
ACCORDING TO THE conventional wisdom, the United States faces a massive medical bill thanks to our use of pricey new treatments and equipment. “About half of all growth in health care spending in the past several decades was associated with changes in medical care made possible by advances in technology,” a 2008 Congressional Budget Office report declared. “Health care economists attribute about 50 percent of the annual increase of health costs to new technologies or to the intensified use of old ones,” the bioethicist Daniel Callahan writes in his new book Taming the Beloved Beast: How Medical Technology Costs Are Destroying Our Health Care System. This is familiar territory for Callahan, who for decades has advocated reining in medical innovation to reduce health care costs. He also favors limiting the life-extending treatments that older people receive, on the grounds that most of them will “have lived a full and fruitful biographical life prior to age 70.” Interestingly, Callahan, age 79, underwent a life-saving seven-hour heart procedure in August that cost upward of $100,000. In his new book, Callahan complains that “American health care is radically American: individualistic, scientifically ambitious, market intoxicated, suspicious of government, and profit-driven.” Hes right at least about our high-tech vitality: The U.S. does develop and deploy medical innovations much faster than other rich countries. New pharmaceutical products generally hit the market here two years earlier than elsewhere, according to a December 2008 report from the business consultancy McKinsey, which also blames high-tech medicine for escalating costs. The McKinsey report further notes that American physicians are “much quicker to adopt new surgical techniques and advances in anesthesia.” The top five U.S. hospitals alone conduct more clinical trials than any other single developed country. But is high tech medicine really to blame for rising health care costs? Last June Columbia economist Frank Lichtenberg published a study that suggests the opposite. Advanced medical technologies, Lichtenberg suggests, are not contributing to rising American health care expenditures because the money they save makes up for the money spent on them. Lichtenberg begins by looking at how the rate of increase in longevity has varied among U.S. states between 1991 and 2004. He investigates how such factors as the quality of medical care, behavioral risks, education, income, and insurance coverage affect life expectancy. To measure differences in the quality of medical care, he examines how quickly each state took up advanced medical diagnostics and new drugs. He also calculates what fraction of physicians in each state was trained at top-ranked medical schools.

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The 2009 Fall Virtual Avnet Tech Game Winners Announced

PHOENIX — Students from Arizona’s colleges and universities will compete in Avnet,
Inc.’s (NYSE:AVT)
fifth annual Avnet
Tech Games on Saturday, April 10, 2010, to apply what they are
learning in school to real-work scenarios. Each winning student will
receive a $1,000 scholarship, and faculty members will collect $200 for
leading participating teams and an additional $300 for each winning
team. Registration closes as early as February 12, 2010 for some games.

The Avnet Tech Games feature eight multidisciplinary technology
competitions that require students to test their knowledge, creativity,
decision-making, problem-solving and technical skills.

The Avnet Tech Games competitive events include:

FOOTBALL: Utah State Universitys football program and the Big Blue Scholarship Fund are hosting a signing day reception and program on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at the Jim Carol Laub Athletics- Academics Complex. The reception, which will allow fans to visit with head coach Gary Andersen and the Aggie football coaching staff, is from 6:30-7 p.m. in the second floor lobby area, with the program starting at 7 p.m. in the Spetman Auditorium on the second floor. The football signing day program will conclude in plenty of time for fans to make it to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for the USU mens basketball game vs. Idaho at 9 p.m., in a nationally-televised game on ESPN2. The Big Blue Scholarship Fund and Coach Andersen will also have a luncheon on Thursday, Feb. 4. for Salt Lake City-area Aggie fans at The Gathering Place at Gardner Village, located at 1100 West 7800 South in West Jordan. The luncheon and program will start at Noon.

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Nurses improve medication administration accuracy The study involved the implementation of the Integrated Nurse Leadership Program (INLP), which provides frontline nurses and other hospital staff with training, resources, and authority to devise and implement solutions. In addition to showing the importance of empowering frontline nurses, the most significant finding of the study is that “significant improvement in outcomes can be accomplished without very expensive fixes,” says Julie Kliger, MPA, BSN, RN, INLP creator and program director at the Center for the Health Professions, University of California, San Francisco; principal and founder of The Altos Group; and lead author of the article. “Thats important because there are a lot of financial and resource pressures today, and people sometimes think they need to spend millions for bar-coding; this demonstrates through almost old-fashioned QI and engaging the people who are doing the work and providing them with tools, skills, and resources, that they can make statistically significant improvement.”
Follow-up calls help avoid readmissions In an effort to improve transitions of care, the nurse care coordinators at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston make follow-up calls to patients who have been discharged, identify problems and solve them, and answer questions the patients may have about medication, symptoms, or their discharge plan. The hospital has an average of 53,693 discharges and 59,323 emergency department visits each year and had a 30-day readmission rate of 8.79% for medical-surgical patients in 2009.
Over $1 Million in Forgiveness Loan Funding Also Available to
Local Nursing Students

PASADENA, Calif. — High school, college, medical and nursing students can start the New
Year with more options to finance their higher education, thanks to more
than $300,000 in scholarships and over $1 million in forgiveness loans
from Kaiser Permanente. “Kaiser Permanente believes in making the
community better and developing knowledge,” said Benjamin Chu, MD,
president of Kaiser Permanente Southern California. “It has been a long
practice for Kaiser Permanente to support scholarship programs to meet
the needs of students faced with the increasing expense of pursuing
their academic goals.”

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Follow-up calls help avoid readmissions In an effort to improve transitions of care, the nurse care coordinators at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston make follow-up calls to patients who have been discharged, identify problems and solve them, and answer questions the patients may have about medication, symptoms, or their discharge plan. The hospital has an average of 53,693 discharges and 59,323 emergency department visits each year and had a 30-day readmission rate of 8.79% for medical-surgical patients in 2009.
Follow-up calls help avoid readmissions In an effort to improve transitions of care, the nurse care coordinators at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston make follow-up calls to patients who have been discharged, identify problems and solve them, and answer questions the patients may have about medication, symptoms, or their discharge plan. The hospital has an average of 53,693 discharges and 59,323 emergency department visits each year and had a 30-day readmission rate of 8.79% for medical-surgical patients in 2009.

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Follow-up calls help avoid readmissions In an effort to improve transitions of care, the nurse care coordinators at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston make follow-up calls to patients who have been discharged, identify problems and solve them, and answer questions the patients may have about medication, symptoms, or their discharge plan. The hospital has an average of 53,693 discharges and 59,323 emergency department visits each year and had a 30-day readmission rate of 8.79% for medical-surgical patients in 2009.
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Follow-up calls help avoid readmissions In an effort to improve transitions of care, the nurse care coordinators at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston make follow-up calls to patients who have been discharged, identify problems and solve them, and answer questions the patients may have about medication, symptoms, or their discharge plan. The hospital has an average of 53,693 discharges and 59,323 emergency department visits each year and had a 30-day readmission rate of 8.79% for medical-surgical patients in 2009.

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Tonight, LIVESTRONG released the following
statement from its President and CEO Doug Ulman, a three-time cancer
survivor, regarding President Barack Obamas State of the Union address:

“Tonight, President Obama renewed the drive for comprehensive health care
reform, calling for a reexamination of the plan on the table but opening
the door for other options.”

“The cancer community doesnt care about the method, whether its piece by
piece or in an omnibus bill. What we care about is change that creates
affordable care and an end to unethical practices by insurers that wreak
havoc on our lives.”

“The President made clear that hes heard our call for reform and will
continue to make a just, affordable system a priority.”

NEW YORK — Costs for the most popular types of health care coverage are projected
to increase at double-digit rates for 2010, according to a national
survey of insurers and administrators by Buck
Consultants, an ACS
company.

In its 21st National
Health Care Trend survey, Buck Consultants measured the projected
average annual increase in employer-provided health care benefit costs.
The study analyzed responses from over 100 health insurers and HMOs.
Insurers providing medical trends for the survey cover a total of
approximately 78 million people.

Costs for the most popular medical plans are projected to increase by
more than 10 percent and are in line with the trends reported in the
prior two surveys, as shown in the following chart:

Health insurers reported an average prescription drug trend of 10.9
percent, up 0.1 percent from the 10.8 percent reported in the prior
survey.

“Stable and Consistent in Volatile Times” Says Chairman and CEO

MILWAUKEE — Northwestern Mutual today announced its financial results for 2009,
highlighted by more than $4.7 billion in dividends approved for payment
to policyowners in 2010. The company expects to remain the industry
leader in the payment of life insurance dividends. The company also
strengthened its total surplus and financial position during 2009,
continuing to earn the highest
available ratings for insurance financial strength from all four major
rating agencies – Moody’s (Aaa), Standard Poor’s (AAA), Fitch
Ratings (AAA) and A.M. Best (A ) – each with a stable rating outlook.

“Given the rotten economy during 2009, we are more than satisfied with
what we have accomplished for our policyowners,” said Edward
J. Zore, chairman and chief executive officer of Northwestern
Mutual. “At its heart, our brand of financial security is about
giving people confidence in their future. I’m proud of how we’ve been
able to keep our promises at a time when people need to know who they
can really count on.”

The company’s commitment to its policyowners is demonstrated in both its
continued financial strength and the increased amount of policyowner
dividends approved for payment in 2010. “This year we expect to once
again lead our industry by a wide margin with our dividend
payout of over $4.7 billion,” Zore said. In addition, he cited the
company’s record
recruiting results, high customer loyalty and strong sales activity
in 2009 as endorsements of the company’s performance.

“As the dust starts to settle on a difficult period for the economy, we
can look back on 2009 and know that our business model performs well in
both good times and bad. Our results have been remarkably stable and
consistent in volatile times,” said Zore. “We provided industry-leading
value and maintained our unquestioned financial strength. That
performance brings more talented financial representatives to our system
and gives our clients the confidence to stick with the plans they have
made for their financial future.”

Colorado Auto Insurance Quotes

Tonight, LIVESTRONG released the following
statement from its President and CEO Doug Ulman, a three-time cancer
survivor, regarding President Barack Obamas State of the Union address:

“Tonight, President Obama renewed the drive for comprehensive health care
reform, calling for a reexamination of the plan on the table but opening
the door for other options.”

“The cancer community doesnt care about the method, whether its piece by
piece or in an omnibus bill. What we care about is change that creates
affordable care and an end to unethical practices by insurers that wreak
havoc on our lives.”

“The President made clear that hes heard our call for reform and will
continue to make a just, affordable system a priority.”

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

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

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

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

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

Tonight, LIVESTRONG released the following
statement from its President and CEO Doug Ulman, a three-time cancer
survivor, regarding President Barack Obamas State of the Union address:

“Tonight, President Obama renewed the drive for comprehensive health care
reform, calling for a reexamination of the plan on the table but opening
the door for other options.”

“The cancer community doesnt care about the method, whether its piece by
piece or in an omnibus bill. What we care about is change that creates
affordable care and an end to unethical practices by insurers that wreak
havoc on our lives.”

“The President made clear that hes heard our call for reform and will
continue to make a just, affordable system a priority.”

California Auto Insurance Quotes

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

Wellstar has agreed to implement its TMI Imaging system in multiple
nursing homes through an arrangement with a company that currently works
with and supplies care to several hundred long term care facilities.

The Beta Test is scheduled to run for 90 days. During this period,
images of existing patients will be captured on a time schedule. Newly
admitted patients will also be imaged. The newly compiled data that will
be used to determine the specific care required for each patient, as
well as to demonstrate the practical use of the TMI System within the
workplace.

The objective will be to start with one facility and add up to three
additional facilities as the Beta Test progresses. Once the Beta Test is
complete, Wellstar intends to move onto a Gamma Test, although there is
no guarantee. If we are able to implement the Gamma Test, Wellstar
expects to begin charging the long term care facilities for the systems.

Wellstar International, Inc. seeks to be the first-to-market in deep
tissue injury and pressure ulcer detection using its proprietary
infrared imaging system. Thermal Imaging is a low cost, noncontact,
non-radioactive diagnostic screening procedure designed for clinical
evaluation. In addition, thermal imaging provides an ability to track
the progress of therapies being utilized in a low cost, non-invasive
manner. Thermal Imaging can detect signs of pressure ulcers before they
are visible with the naked eye through detection of temperature changes
at the site which allows for treatment of the pressure ulcer before it
erupts. The TMI system can be used to scan all new patients into
hospitals and long-term care facilities prior admittance and begin
treating existing wounds before they are visible.

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TELEVISION
AUSTIN, Texas — Golfsmith International Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOLF) today announced
plans to open four new stores in 2010 and retrofit several additional
stores.

“In 2009 we experienced solid market share growth and dramatically
improved cash flow in a tough economic climate,” said Marty Hanaka,
president and CEO of Golfsmith. “We know that our new stores will
inspire golfers more than any other golf retailer to play better and
enjoy life more. We continue to build momentum and these new stores are
just the beginning and are a key part of our strategic growth plans.”

In addition to the four new stores, Golfsmith will also retrofit several
older stores to bring them up to date with the company’s newest format
and design which offers golfers a much greater opportunity to experience
the game. The first store to be redesigned this year is Golfsmith’s
Downer’s Grove location in Chicago, Illinois.

New Stores:

OLATHE, Kan. — Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the
global leader in satellite navigation, today announced new stat-tracking
software that helps golfers get even more out of the Approach G5, the
top-tier touchscreen handheld designed exclusively for the golf course.
This free software update helps golfers easily keep track of fairways
hit, greens hit in regulation, putts per round and how far they hit each
club. This latest innovation from Garmin golf is immediately available
and will be on display this week at Garmin’s booth (#1611) at the PGA
Merchandise Show in Orlando.

“We’re always looking for ways to make great products even better, and
this easy-to-use stat-tracking software helps users get even more out of
their Approach G5,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of
worldwide sales. “By adding these features to the intuitive touchscreen
and vast preloaded database of more than 12,000 courses in the United
States and Canada, Approach G5 sits alone atop the leaderboard.”

In keeping with the intuitive interface of Garmin’s golf products, the
new stat-tracking software is simple to use. After every tee shot,
Approach simply asks if you hit the fairway, keeping you honest while
helping you improve your iron play along the way. And whether you’re
tracking your improvement or just want bragging rights, you also have
the option of measuring how far you hit every shot. When you tell
Approach which club you used, it will automatically calculate your
average distance for that specific club. You can then quickly view the
updated averages for each club that you’ve tracked, with the option to
reset the averages for individual clubs at any time. Finally, once you
enter your score for a hole, the new stat-tracking software gives you
the option to tally your putts per round and the number of greens you
hit in regulation. This advanced scoring simply requires answering two
additional questions each hole and can easily be done for one or
multiple players in the foursome. All of this information is stored in
each round’s scorecard, which you can view on the Approach or on your
computer back home via USB.

Preloaded with a database of more than 12,000 course maps (and growing),
and powered by two AA batteries, the waterproof Approach G5 is ready for
a round just minutes after being taken out of the box. There are no
subscriptions or annual fees that are common in golf technology.

Once powered on, two simple options appear on the glove-friendly 3”
color display: Play and Preview. While playing, golfers will see
detailed course maps with precise distance information from their
current location to fairways, hazards and greens. As you move about the
course, the Approach G5 uses its high-sensitivity GPS receiver to
continuously update your position and distances to each target. By
dragging your finger on the map, you can find the precise distance
needed to set up your perfect shot into the green. And by simply
touching the corner of the screen, you can zoom in on the green and
reposition the flag to correspond with that day’s placement of the pin.

golf

Manrex Limited is proud to announce that the Fraser Health Pharmacy Drug Distribution Centre has now increased dispensing accuracy while decreasing tech check time (by up to 75%) with the implementation of the MDM, Medication Detection Machine developed by Global Factories of Holland.

The MDM is an automation tool designed to aid in the verification process of packaged medications. It is ideal for any hospital or LTC pharmacy utilizing automated packaging machines. The MDM verifies the contents of each packaged pouch dispensed by automated tablet packagers in seconds, a task which normally takes hours. Not only does it verify the contents, it digitally stores each image and cuts and winds the pouches per patient.

The Fraser Health Authority which currently packages medications for 2,000 long term care residents in British Columbia had no hesitation in adopting this new technology as it became available. “The MDM which we purchased from Manrex Limited one year ago has decreased our checking time from 75 minutes per 100 patients to only 18 minutes, a decrease of approximately 75%” states Linda Morris, Director, Pharmacy Support Services for the Fraser Health Authority. “Not only that, we now have detailed documentation of what has been dispensed, providing accurate workload statistics and allowing improved follow up to nursing staff questions. The integration of the MDM into our process has allowed us to redeploy our highly trained staff from time consuming manual checking tasks and increase the services provided from our central facility, a move they were happy to make.”

“Due to our years of experience with automation technology, we knew that pharmacists would soon realize the work flow bottle neck that multi dose packagers create, our next logical step was to find the solution” states Ben Szuuts, Sales Manager for Manrex Limited. “We were extremely excited to partner with Global Factories, the European manufacturer whom has been marketing and selling the MDM for the last several years.”

King Spalding, a leading international law
firm, advised BioScrip, Inc. in its definitive agreement to acquire
Critical Homecare Solutions (CHS), a leading provider of home infusion and
home health agency services to patients suffering from chronic and acute
medical conditions.

Under the terms of the agreement, BioScrip will pay an aggregate of $343.2
million through a combination of cash, stock and the assumption of debt.
The company will also issue 3.4 million warrants with a $10 exercise price
and five-year term to CHS shareholders. The combination of BioScrip and CHS
will create an industry leading provider consisting of specialty pharmacy,
home infusion and home health care services with 110 locations nationwide.

BioScrip, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical healthcare organization that
partners with patients, physicians, healthcare payers and pharmaceutical
manufacturers to provide access to medications and management solutions to
optimize outcomes for chronic and other complex health care conditions.

Barry A. Posner, executive vice president, secretary and general counsel of
BioScrip, oversaw the legal aspects of the transaction for his company. The
King Spalding legal team representing BioScrip in the matter was led by
corporate partner E. William Bates, II, of the firms New York office.
Other members of the team were the following:

Drug safety and
pharmacovigilance teams are facing increasing pressure to identify
potential issues that could arise from the use of their companies
medications. If products reach market and have safety issues, the results
can be devastating. Often, drugs pulled off the pharmacy shelves die
altogether. For the companies whose products do survive safety issues,
overall sales rarely come close to initial projections.

Knowing the potential for disaster, companies want their drug safety teams
to seek out and identify risks as they happen — and often before they
happen. Many pharmacovigilance groups are using signaling to identify and
test for problems that might arise based on similar treatments on the
market or in testing. Needless to say, drug safety teams are more
important than ever.

Beyond general pharmacovigilance activities, CEI has highlighted the
following categories for more in-depth research:

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Family Historians Find ArchivaLife Appealing

ArchivaLife provides a new way for anyone to preserve personal history
for future generations. According to Bill Burch, founder and developer,
ArchivaLife offers an attractive, rugged, archival-quality
memory keeper that makes recording life experiences easy and
enjoyable. It’s ideal for the historian – the person who honors history,
tradition and family, and wants to document his or her own life story,
leaving a vivid legacy for future generations. ArchivaLife is especially
appealing to men because of its historical, top-stitched leather-touch
exterior style, a much different look from the typical scrapbook or
memory keeper.

“ArchivaLife truly is a gift of love because it tells your loved one
that you are interested in their experiences,” says Burch. “Plus it
provides a way for the older generation to provide rich details that
come to life so the younger generation can learn about their older
family members’ experiences. It makes a wonderful gift that will last
for generations to come and it looks great displayed in home offices,
living rooms and dens.”

Prompts in multiple life categories – schooling, career, hobbies,
friends, family, faith and much more – help people remember important
events. Unlike other products such as photo albums and scrapbooks,
ArchivaLife includes a unique, patent-pending timeline that allows
people to document pivotal life details decade-by-decade.

McCormick Helps Make Food Fun and Flavorful with Cupid’s Cuisine for
the Entire Family

HUNT VALLEY, Md. — A red letter day, sometimes called a “scarlet day,” is any day of
special significance. This year, Valentine’s Day happens to fall on a
Sunday, and what better way to celebrate than with a special “Red Letter
Day” menu – filled with fun and flavorful McCormick recipes and tips for
the entire family. From a colorful twist on a breakfast favorite to a
signature red velvet cake for dessert, McCormick has created treats to
start and end your “Red Letter Day.”

“Sure, Valentine’s Day is about love and romance, but why not make it
about fun and food too,” says Mary Beth Harrington, Senior Culinary
Specialist, McCormick Kitchens. “Infusing the signature color of the day
– red – into baking and activities is a great way to bring everyone
together to celebrate.”

Jump start your day of red with a hearty and warm family breakfast by
serving up “Love Bug” Cinnamon Pancakes spiced up with the
flavors of cinnamon and vanilla, topped with red strawberries or
raspberries and a sprinkle of red colored sugar or coconut.
Cinnamon-spiked Hot Cocoa with Red Sugar-Crusted Marshmallows is
the perfect way to share a heart-warming moment with everyone in the
family. Say ”I love you” for dessert with rich and delicious Red
Velvet Cupcakes, and get the kids involved by personalizing each one
with a special love note.

McCormick offers these Valentine’s Day tips…from Cupid himself:

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IN EARLY August, Juan Carlos Gonzalez Marcos, known to his neighbors as Panfilo, consumed a large amount of alcohol and went for a stroll in Havana. Upon encountering a foreign documentary team–in Cuba to produce a film about the local music scene–the well-lubricated Panfilo jumped into the cameramans shot with a slurred but serious message for foreign viewers. “What we need here is a little bit of jama,” he bellowed, employing a colloquial Spanish term for food. “We need food. Were hungry here. Listen to what Panfilo tells you from Cuba. Food.” The video was later uploaded to YouTube, where, as of this writing, half a million people have watched it. A few days later, after Panfilo mania gripped the Cuban exile community, a second video appeared, this time on Cuban state television. In a scene that seemed plucked from an Arthur Koestler novel, a sober Gonzalez Marcos, looking agitated and depressed, performed a ritual retraction for his fellow citizens.
THINK: What types of food, drink, and habits might damage teeth? What can people do to keep their teeth healthy and strong? PREDICT: Dentists recommend brushing teeth at least twice daily to keep food and bacteria from building up. Brushing prevents discolored teeth and cavities. An eggshell is made from a substance similar to tooth enamel, the hard covering that protects teeth. What would happen if an eggshell were left in soda overnight?
CINCINNATI — Scripps Networks Interactive Inc. (NYSE: SNI) has named Nick Thorogood
managing director of the recently created joint venture that’s bringing
Food Network to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Thorogood, who will step into his new role in the second quarter, will
head up the joint venture that was created by Scripps Networks
Interactive with Liberty Global’s ChelloZone. He is responsible for
establishing and expanding Food Network’s television, digital and
branded business activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa
(EMEA). The digital properties include Foodnetwork.co.uk and
UpMyStreet.co.uk.

“Nick brings extraordinary expertise and experiences, from having first
built UKTV’s lifestyle channels to his work with ITV Daytime, Five and
the BBC, that are relevant to Scripps Networks,” said Gregory Moyer,
president of the company’s international development division, Scripps
Networks International. “His background and knowledge are vital as we
enter the U.K., Europe, Middle East and Africa with strong brands and an
appetite for growing a bouquet of channels in those regions. I’m looking
forward to having a dedicated foodie like Nick collaborating with
producers, distributors and advertisers and sharing our passion for food
and lifestyle programming.”

Scripps Networks Interactive and Chello Zone created the joint venture
in the fourth quarter, 2009. Food Network already is available in 10
million homes on Sky in the U.K. and is expected to reach 15 million
subscribers across the EMEA during 2010. The joint venture also expects
to launch Fine Living Network in 2010.

Thorogood, 41, joins Scripps Networks Interactive from BBC Commercial
Agency, where he was head of factual, entertainment and formats and led
a team to generate value from BBC intellectual property. Previously, he
was a consultant for Tiscali TV in strategic development of on-demand
platforms; controller of Five Life and Five US helping to launch Five’s
multi-channel strategy; consultant and acting director of programs for
Astro Broadcasting, Malaysia; editor of ITV Daytime; head of Lifestyle
Channels for UKTV; and new business development executive at BBC
Birmingham, Lifestyle and Features.

Crepes Dulces

Awards Program Seeks to Recognize Three Students Who Have Overcome
the Odds to Stay in School and the Three Nonprofit Organizations Who
Have Worked on Their Behalf

WELLESLEY, Mass. — The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program announced it is accepting
applications from New York City-area nonprofit organizations that work
with at-risk youth to win one of three $50,000 grants that will be
distributed in the New York City area. As part of the application
process, each nonprofit will have the opportunity to nominate a student
who participates in the organization for a chance to receive a $5,000
scholarship. The Sun Life Rising Star Awards program is a new program
supported by the U.S. division of Sun Life Financial Inc. (NYSE:SLF,
TSX:SLF), developed to recognize and provide resources to high school
students who have overcome the odds and remained committed to furthering
their education and the nonprofit organizations who work on their behalf.

“At Sun Life Financial, we believe improving educational opportunities
for our nation’s youth is a top priority, which is why we decided to
make an investment in the lives of exceptional students and the
organizations that support their educational and personal development,”
said Wes Thompson, President, Sun Life Financial U.S. “In addition to
grants and scholarships, the Sun Life Rising Star Awards program will
provide training, education, and other resources to support New York
City-area nonprofits and students.”

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q: How does the moons gravity affect the tides? A: Every day, the water levels on Earths shores rise and fall in tides. The moons gravitational putt on Earth is the main cause of tides. Gravity is an invisible force with which objects pull at each other. As the moon circles Earth, its gravity tugs on Earths oceans beneath it, causing a watery bulge. Coasts that lie in the bulged area experience high water levels, or high tides. Coasts in bulge-free zones, beyond the putt of the moons gravity, get low tides. High tide and low tide occur twice each day.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Every spring, millions of monarch butterflies migrate north after spending the winter in Mexico. Experts have long wondered how the butterflies find their way. A new study shows the insects antennas are the key. Antennas are thin, movable body parts that are found on most insects. They can be sensitive to light, touch, or smell. When scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School painted monarch butterflies antennas black, the insects got lost. The team found that blocking the antennas ability to sense tight is what causes the butterflies to lose their way. Butterflies with antennas dipped in clear paint kept their sense of direction.

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The Rusnak Auto Group is proud to report that
Rusnak Pasadena Porsche has been named the highest volume dealership for
Certified Pre Owned Porsche sales in North America. “We went into 2009 with
a clear focus of putting the customer experience first,” said General
Manager, Mark Umutyan. “Clearly, that focus has paid off.”

Certified Pre Owned vehicles from Porsche or “Porsche Approved” must go
through a 100 point mechanical and cosmetic inspection under the strictest
quality control criteria. In a year when the economy challenged many
customers, the appeal of such Certified Pre Owned vehicles rose. Rusnak
captured a larger share relative to surrounding dealerships by paying
attention to minor details across all aspects of operations. “Everyone from
our master technicians to our fantastic sales associates contributed to
this result. Im incredibly proud of our entire team,” added Umutyan.

While other retailers cut back in the face of a difficult economy, the
Rusnak organization put more emphasis on customer service across each of
their nine manufacturers which also includes Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar,
Maybach, Mercedes Benz, Rolls Royce and Volvo. Across the entire
organization, nearly every group made gains over the competition relative
to market share.

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

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

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

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

Dear Tom and Ray: I have heard you refer to “bulletins” (”maybe theres a bulletin on it”) in addressing repair problems. My question is this: If there is, in fact, a bulletin out on a repair, does that mean the dealership cannot (or ought not) charge full price for the repair? My Saturn wagon just had a transmission pressure-control solenoid replaced, to the tune of $800. As I was writing out the check, I noticed a bulletin that the technician had clipped to the bill, and I asked the serviceman if I could see it. He was hesitant, especially when I asked him for a copy of it. Is the bulletin just an aid for the technician to follow, or is it a correction of a defect, and therefore something that should be covered under warranty? — Bill Ray: Good question, Bill. The bulletins we refer to are Technical Service Bulletins, also known as TSBs. They really just contain advice from the company to the mechanics who fix their cars. Tom: For instance, a number of owners of older Honda CR-Vs started complaining about a strange howling noise underneath their cars when they made sharp turns. Someone, somewhere on the planet, figured out that the problem was caused by worn-out fluid in the center differential. Ray: When Honda was convinced that it understood the problem and had a solution (it involved draining and replacing the differential fluid), it issued a TSB, which is the best way to make sure all Honda service people know about it. Tom: Honda sends the TSBs directly to its dealerships. And other companies — namely, Mitchell and AllData — supply the TSBs to subscribing independent shops.

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Even as Walnut Creek Mayor Sue Rainey focused on the positive for the upcoming year, she was straightforward about the rough economy and tough city budget decisions that loom. “With the economic reality “. times have changed,” she said during her State of the City address Tuesday at Boundary Oak Golf Course. “We are looking at programs and services, what are necessary and what we can do without. You will see some changes around City Hall.” “Our employees took the hit” for that shortfall, Rainey said. “We need (residents) input. We need to look for new revenue sources.” She said the city and the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce will work together to attract new businesses. She pointed to Livermore and Concord as competing cities, saying leaders there are actively recruiting businesses, and that Walnut Creek needs to get in the game.
In the midst of one of the Arizona real estate
industrys toughest years, Talking Rock has reported
positive sales figures for 2009. The luxury golf community in Prescott,
Ariz. rounded out the year with 55 unit sales, with four of those occurring
in December alone. Homesite and home sales combined to surpass the total
number of sales in 2007 and 2008.

Talking Rock attributes its success to a number of things including a
thriving clubhouse community with active members, continued infrastructure
investments and the decision to continue its marketing operations, even as
many others have gone dark. The Prescott new homes
community has used the market slow-down to spark creative strategies
for reaching new buyers and maintaining visibility within its own community
and beyond.

“Weve felt the effects of the economic downturn, but Talking Rocks
commitment to authenticity has not faltered,” says Jim Jones, director of
sales for Talking Rock. “We provide the same member benefits, stunning
surroundings and laid-back lifestyle we always have.”

Talking Rock offers a variety of homes and homesites
in Prescott , including Ranch Cottages, ideal for a lock-and-leave
lifestyle, plus Ranch Homes, Custom Homes and custom homesites ranging from
one-half to five acres. Residents of the community can take advantage of an
ideal four-season climate and resort style amenities, including hiking and
biking trails, one of the finest private championship golf courses in
Arizona , several dining and fitness options, and planned events that
take place at Talking Rocks communal gathering area, The Ranch Compound.

BOSTON — Converted Organics Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN)
announced today that the Company’s Turf-Blend™ 6-0-0 organic liquid
fertilizer is now being used on all greens and tees on the Green Course
at Bethpage State Park Golf Course in Farmingdale, NY. In 2009, a study
conducted at Bethpage Green in which standard synthetic liquid
fertilizer applications were replaced with Turf-Blend™ 6-0-0 on greens
and tees yielded favorable results.

“The course superintendents at Bethpage Green were extremely pleased
with the performance of Converted Organics’ Turf-Blend™ 6-0-0 during the
study, the results of which led to their recent decision to use
Turf-Blend™ 6-0-0 as the primary nitrogen source on all Bethpage Green
tees and greens,” said Edward J. Gildea, President of Converted
Organics. “Golf courses can now switch from synthetic fertilizers to
Turf-Blend® 6-0-0 liquid fertilizer without sacrificing championship
results in turf quality and performance. We look forward to the
possibility of Turf-Blend® 6-0-0 being used on other Bethpage courses
this season.”

Converted Organics’ Turf-Blend™ 6-0-0 liquid organic fertilizer combines
all the bioactive, disease suppressing characteristics of Converted
Organics™ LC 1-1-1 liquid fertilizer, plus the high nitrogen organic
lysine technology developed by Archer Daniels Midland Company to deliver
a totally soluble, rapid response organic liquid fertilizer. Converted
Organics’ Turf-Blend™ 6-0-0 has been thoroughly tested and proven to be
the first liquid organic fertilizer that can perform as effectively as
synthetic liquid fertilizers, such as urea.

About Converted Organics Inc.

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Regenerative Cell Therapy Development Offers Immense Potential Health
Benefits

HONOLULU — Tissue Genesis, Inc., an emerging leader in advanced tissue engineering
and cell therapy solutions, and American Medical Systems Holdings, Inc.
(NASDAQ: AMMD) announced today they have signed an agreement for the
research and development of adipose (fat)–derived regenerative cells for
use in treating pelvic health disorders. American Medical Systems will
pay $1.1 million over the life of the agreement to obtain rights offered
by Tissue Genesis, Inc.

“AMS is committed to being at the forefront of innovation to improve the
lives of the millions of people worldwide who suffer from pelvic health
disorders,” said Tony Bihl, President and CEO of American Medical
Systems. “We are delighted to partner with Tissue Genesis, a leader in
the burgeoning field of regenerative cell technology, to research
therapies that may fundamentally improve patient treatment within our
markets.”

“We are proud to partner with American Medical Systems – a company with
true vision and initiative – as they recognize the immense potential
benefits of cell therapy,” said Anton Krucky, President and CEO of
Tissue Genesis. “Adipose tissue is a rich source of regenerative cells –
including adult stem cells – and these cells have shown promising
results in their ability to help patients. American Medical Systems’
world-class technology and business acumen will be a tremendous asset to
Tissue Genesis.”

Through the deal, American Medical Systems has a four year option to
obtain exclusive distribution and license rights to Tissue Genesis’
regenerative cell technology – including the Tissue Genesis Cell
Isolation System™ – for use in human pelvic health applications, with an
additional two year right of first refusal. Along with milestone
payments, Tissue Genesis will receive rights to certain data and
derivative technology developed under the agreement. Tissue Genesis, in
turn, will provide American Medical Systems with instruments,
disposables, and know-how to allow American Medical Systems to develop
state-of-the-art regenerative cell applications.

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

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BOCA RATON, Fla. — Aplicor, LLC, a global software provider of on-demand CRM
(Customer Relationship Management) and ERP (Enterprise Resource
Planning) software as a service (SaaS) business applications, was
presented the Product of the Year Award from Technology Marketing
Corporations Customer Interaction Solutions magazine, the leading
publication covering CRM since 1982.

“I am pleased to honor the Aplicor team for their hard work and success.
Aplicor’s dedication to improving the quality of technologies to better
the customer experience as well as the ROI for companies that use CRM
systems is outstanding,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO of TMC. “For 12 years, Customer
Interaction Solutions magazine has honored companies that show
excellence in advancing technologies and application refinements,” he
added.

“Aplicor is quite proud and extremely humbled to receive this end of
year milestone award from CIS Magazine,” said Chuck Schaeffer, CEO of
Aplicor. “This industry honor acknowledges our leadership position in
the software-as-a-service (SaaS) market for sophisticated CRM software
and ERP software solutions, our proven track record in product
innovation, the companys unmatched software delivery reliability, and
our absolute customer-centric approach.

According to the judges, “Companies displaying vision, leadership and
attention to detail were selected by the editors of Customer Interaction
Solutions to receive the prestigious award.”

The Product of the Year Award was based on the review and judging of the
Aplicor CRM and ERP SaaS solution. The 12th Annual Product of
the Year Awards winners will be featured in the January 2010 issue of Customer
Interaction Solutions magazine.

Desktop Cites Future-Proof Bandwidth Provisioning, Platform
Resiliency and Faster ROI on Premium Network Services in Selection
Criteria

OAKLAND, Calif. — First graph, at the end first sentence of release the city listed should
read Sao Paulo (sted San Paulo).

ZHONE’S MXK SELECTED BY DESKTOP FOR GPON ROLLOUT IN THE STATE OF SAO
PAULO, BRAZIL

Desktop Cites Future-Proof Bandwidth Provisioning, Platform
Resiliency and Faster ROI on Premium Network Services in Selection
Criteria

InstallFree, Inc., developer of platform
application virtualization solutions for enterprise desktop environments,
today announced that its InstallFree Bridge product has received a 2009
Product of the Year Award from Technology Marketing Corporations (TMC®)
Customer Interaction Solutions magazine, the leading publication covering
CRM, call centers and teleservices since 1982.

“I am pleased to honor InstallFree for its hard work and success.
InstallFrees dedication to improving the quality of technologies to better
the contact center experience as well as the ROI for companies that use
them,” said Rich
Tehrani , CEO, TMC. “For 12 years, Customer Interaction Solutions
magazine has honored companies that show excellence in advancing
technologies and application refinements,” he added.

“We are proud to have the InstallFree Bridge receive this prestigious award
from TMC,” said Yori Gabay, CEO at InstallFree. “2009 was a year of growth
and recognition for us, with customers and partners looking to
InstallFrees technology design to overcome their application delivery
challenges. We are honored to have the industry recognition for our
achievements, and receive this Product of the Year award from Customer
Interaction Solutions magazine.”

InstallFree provides a predictable and reliable enterprise approach to
application delivery, and transforms a complex, static, and rigid computing
environment into a robust, highly available service that supports the
flexibility of todays business needs.

Data Driven Marketing Tool

STANFORD, Calif. — Georgia Sue Huston knew she was really sick. Every time the 82-year-old
woman tried to turn over in her bed in the coronary care unit at
Stanford Hospital Clinics, she’d panic because she couldn’t get enough
air and because it hurt so much.

In an effort to ease the pain, Laura Heldebrant asked the hospital’s
palliative care team to visit her mother. “I’m an ICU nurse here at
Stanford, and I’d seen them help other patients and their families,” she
said. “But I didn’t think my mother’s situation was end-of-life.”

It turned out Huston had pulmonary fibrosis—end-stage lung disease.
She’d known for some time that she was ill, but she hadn’t been able to
get anyone to tell her what the prognosis was. The palliative care team
answered her questions. Face to face.

“My mom said, ‘I’ve been wanting to bring this up for a long time, I’ve
been wanting to talk about this, but I didn’t know what to say,”
Heldebrant recalled. “Once Judy and Dr. Bouvier talked with her, she
looked relieved. She went from, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t do this,’ to being
at peace.”

Huston told Judy Passaglia, palliative care program director, and Denis
Bouvier, MD, palliative care attending physician, that she wanted to be
out of the hospital and home with her children and grandchildren for her
83rd birthday. They made arrangements for her to have hospice care at
her daughter’s home, and Huston was discharged on Oct. 31. She died 13
days later, in her sleep.

Cathryn Jane She is survived by her husband of 63 years, her children David Jr. (SusieDee), Mark (Jan), and Nancy Forman (Carl Rocky), grand- children, and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her sisters; Jean Laxman, and JoAnn Thalman, infant son; Matthew John.
STANFORD, Calif. — Georgia Sue Huston knew she was really sick. Every time the 82-year-old
woman tried to turn over in her bed in the coronary care unit at
Stanford Hospital Clinics, she’d panic because she couldn’t get enough
air and because it hurt so much.

In an effort to ease the pain, Laura Heldebrant asked the hospital’s
palliative care team to visit her mother. “I’m an ICU nurse here at
Stanford, and I’d seen them help other patients and their families,” she
said. “But I didn’t think my mother’s situation was end-of-life.”

It turned out Huston had pulmonary fibrosis—end-stage lung disease.
She’d known for some time that she was ill, but she hadn’t been able to
get anyone to tell her what the prognosis was. The palliative care team
answered her questions. Face to face.

“My mom said, ‘I’ve been wanting to bring this up for a long time, I’ve
been wanting to talk about this, but I didn’t know what to say,”
Heldebrant recalled. “Once Judy and Dr. Bouvier talked with her, she
looked relieved. She went from, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t do this,’ to being
at peace.”

Huston told Judy Passaglia, palliative care program director, and Denis
Bouvier, MD, palliative care attending physician, that she wanted to be
out of the hospital and home with her children and grandchildren for her
83rd birthday. They made arrangements for her to have hospice care at
her daughter’s home, and Huston was discharged on Oct. 31. She died 13
days later, in her sleep.

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Fourth Quarter Highlights
[Table Omitted]
HMN Financial, Inc. (HMN or the Company) (NASDAQ:HMNF), the $1.0 billion
holding company for Home Federal Savings Bank (the Bank), today reported
net income of $149,000 for the fourth quarter of 2009, a $2.6 million
improvement from a net loss of $2.5 million for the fourth quarter of
2008. Due to preferred stock dividends and discounts, there was a net
loss available to common shareholders for the fourth quarter of 2009 of
$292,000, a change of $2.3 million, from a net loss available to common
shareholders of $2.6 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. Diluted
loss per common share for the fourth quarter of 2009 was $0.08, a $0.62
improvement from the diluted loss per common share of $0.70 for the
fourth quarter of 2008. The improvement in net income for the quarter is
due primarily to a $4.8 million decrease in the loan loss provision
between the periods as a result of a decrease in the allowance required
for risk-rated commercial real estate loans.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — S.Y. Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:SYBT), parent company of Stock Yards Bank
Trust Company, with offices in the Louisville metropolitan area,
Indianapolis and Cincinnati, today reported financial results for the
fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2009. Earnings for the fourth
quarter of 2009 totaled $0.41 per diluted share, 11% ahead of the
year-earlier quarter and rebounding from lower amounts earlier in 2009.
In fact, earnings reached their highest level of the year in the fourth
quarter of 2009. Other highlights of the fourth quarter included
continued strong loan and deposit growth. Importantly, S.Y. Bancorp
remained solidly profitable throughout the year despite severe economic
pressures that have affected the banking industry. The following is a
summary of results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31,
2009 and 2008:

Commenting on the announcement, David Heintzman, Chairman and Chief
Executive Officer, said, “We are very pleased to report solid and
consistent earnings for 2009 – and in the years final months, a sign of
rebounding profitability against very difficult business conditions.
This past year will be remembered as one of the most challenging for the
banking industry since the Great Depression. Many banks will or have
reported sizable losses for 2009, dragged down by mounting loan problems
from overheated real estate prices. Fortunately, our presence in
Louisville, Indianapolis and Cincinnati – each a relatively stable
residential and commercial real estate market – has not exposed us to
significant losses as property values have held up better than in many
other cities. But we havent avoided the collateral damage caused by
severe credit quality issues at other banks. Healthy banks, not
taxpayers, ultimately cover the cost of failed banks, and because of
this, our FDIC insurance premiums increased to $2.7 million for 2009
from $127,000 just two years ago.”

In the fourth quarter of 2009, capital levels remained significantly in
excess of what is required to be considered “well-capitalized” under
regulatory standards – the highest capital rating for financial
institutions. Tier 1 leverage ratio, Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio and
total risk-based capital ratio at December 31, 2009, were 10.31%, 11.80%
and 13.69%, respectively, all exceeding the required minimums of 5%, 6%
and 10%, respectively, necessary to be deemed a well-capitalized
institution. The ratio of tangible common equity to total tangible
assets (both non-GAAP measures – see reconciliation to closest GAAP
measures later in this release) was 8.67% of total assets as of December
31, 2009, versus 8.83% at December 31, 2008, and 8.66% at September 30,
2009. The Company provides this ratio, in addition to those defined by
banking regulators, because of its widespread use by investors as a
means to evaluate capital adequacy.

S.Y. Bancorps total assets increased 10% to $1.796 billion at December
31, 2009, from $1.629 billion at December 31, 2008, and were up 2% from
$1.764 billion at September 30, 2009. Similarly, the Companys loan
portfolio rose 7% to $1.440 billion at December 31, 2009, from
$1.350 billion at December 31, 2008, and was 2% higher versus $1.412
billion at September 30, 2009. Deposits increased 12% to $1.418 billion
at December 31, 2009, compared with $1.271 billion a year ago, and were
up 4% from $1.362 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2009.

NEW YORK — Fitch Ratings has published its U.S. CMBS Focus Performance Report on
Banc of America Commercial Mortgage Inc., Series 2007-5 (BACM 2007-5).
The report provides a detailed and up-to-date perspective on key credit
characteristics of the BACM 2007-5 transaction and property-level
performance of the related trust loans.

Sectors >> Structured Finance >> CMBS >> Research

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

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PNI Digital Media Inc. (TSX VENTURE: PN)(OTCBB: PNDMF), (”PNI” or the “Company”), the leading innovator in digital photography and media solutions for retailers, announced today that it will host a conference call on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 4:30pm ET (1:30pm PT) to discuss the companys Fiscal 2010 first quarter financial results. Mr. Kyle Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Aaron Rallo, President and Chief Operating Officer and Mr. Simon Bodymore, Chief Financial Officer will host the call.

To join the call, please dial 1-888-300-8196 (US/Canada) or 1-647-427-3426 (International) and quote conference ID no. 50841775. Please call 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

Autobytel Continues Mission of Providing Car-buyers with Access to
Best-in-Class Content from Industry’s Top Sources as it Refocuses
Flagship Site

IRVINE, Calif. DETROIT — Autobytel Inc. (Nasdaq:ABTL), a leader in providing online consumer
leads and marketing resources to the auto industry, and Autodata
Solutions Inc., a leading North American provider of automotive
technology solutions and services, today announced that Autobytel will
utilize Autodata Solutions’ professional still image vehicle photography
and comprehensive data for U.S. vehicles on its network of sites,
including the Company’s flagship site Autobytel.com.

“We have been serving online automotive consumers for fifteen years and,
in that time, one thing has never changed: their desire for the
industry’s most accurate, timely and comprehensive vehicle data and
content presented in the most user-friendly format,” says Autobytel
Chief Operating Officer Mark Garms. “The addition of Autodata Solutions’
images and data – which we believe to be the best in the industry – to
our stable of world class web content is critical as we continue to
reshape our websites to provide in-market car-buyers with the
information they demand to fulfill their vehicle purchases.”

Included in the content agreement is Autodata’s full library of
high-resolution photos of virtually every U.S. vehicle model in
production. This stunning collection contains an average of 17 interior
and exterior photos per model and includes pictures of each model in
every available color for almost all models. The agreement also includes
Autodata’s pricing, incentive, specification, and configuration data,
updated daily to further increase the dependability and timeliness of
the vehicle information available to the millions of car shoppers per
month who visit Autobytel’s sites.

“We’re pleased to increase Autobytel’s access to proven resources that
make it easier for online consumers to build an emotional connection
with vehicles they are researching and that, ultimately, encourage the
purchase process,” says Michael Benavides, Director of Business
Development at Autodata Solutions. “Autobytel is committed to generating
quality website traffic and high-level performance for its advertising
and leads partners. We believe our data and content will play an
integral part in helping Autobytel reach this goal.”

On the Move: Visualising Action The Estorick Collection, which specialises in modern Italian art, has mounted a series of rewarding exhibitions in recent years, all of which bear some essential relationship to its permanent holdings. Futurism remains the best known and most widely celebrated modern Italian art movement, and the current exhibition helps to put in context the Futurist obsession with recording movement through the static image. This display, curated by Jonathan Miller, offers a background to and explanation for the way in which the Futurists depicted movement by examining how animal locomotion was first represented and analysed through the developments in scientific photography. It is essentially a photographic exhibition, and the two big stars of the show (and the accompanying catalogue, price �12.95) are Eadweard Muybridge and Etienne-Jules Marey. Muybridge is familiar to art-lovers for the crucial inspiration he provided Francis Bacon, while the more scientific Marey is rather less known. The visitor to the exhiqbition is greeted in gallery one by a bronze flight of seagulls merging into each other.

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NTT DOCOMO Euro-Labs First Operator to Create Value-Added Services With
Framework

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Ecrio, whose client software enables communications-rich IP
opportunities, today unveiled the industry-first FastTrack™ client
framework, a mobile solution that lets developers quickly tap rich IP
communications, such as IP Messaging, VoIP, Video Share and Presence,
with applications written in Java, Flash and other popular environments.
Unlike alternative “solutions”, developers now can bypass complex coding
in ‘C’ and other heavyweight languages; tracking evolving standards for
SIP/IMS and IP communications; and dealing with other obstacles which
have slowed mass operator deployment of rich IP communications.

Key to the new framework is the Ecrio Applicator™ interface, which
provides access to a simple developer command set for rich IP
communications. Developers who wish to add rich communications to an
application – for example, chat capabilities for multi-player gaming, or
live video for mobile social networks – simply add commands for those
functions using their existing tools and application run-time
environments. The FastTrack framework takes on the ‘heavy lifting’,
handling the IP communications and ensuring interoperability with the
telecom infrastructure for the application. Prior to the introduction of
the FastTrack framework, developers writing in Java, Flash etc. had no
practical means to leverage rich IP calling, video and IP messaging.
FastTrack can be used on a variety of devices including mobile phones,
PC’s, MIDS, and IPTV.

Munich-based NTT DOCOMO Euro-Labs has reached an agreement with Ecrio to
adopt Ecrio’s new FastTrack™ client framework for mobile service
validation. DOCOMO Euro-Labs will use the FastTrack Application
Development SDK to quickly develop and test concept applications for a
variety of rich communication services on mobile and PC devices.

The president of DOCOMO Euro-Labs, Dr. Masami Yabusaki, said “DOCOMO
Euro-Labs is charged with staying at the forefront of mobile services.
We do so by inventing and validating the merits of dozens of new
value-added services, well before they are presented to NTT DOCOMO or
affiliates. Ecrio’s FastTrack framework handles the complex messaging
and calling unique to rich IP services, speeding our efforts to meet
customer needs with new, compelling services.”

Mundus Group Inc. (PINKSHEETS: MNDP) announced
on January 25th, 2010 that they have signed a letter of intent to form a
partnership with Litigation Animation, Inc. (LAI) of Northern California.

Forensic animation is one of the newest legal tools used in just about
every type of legal suit imaginable. In patent cases, forensic animation
can be used to recreate what the patent itself does. In accident cases, an
animated video tool can be used to recreate the accident and to determine
who was at fault which LAI did in a municipal wrongful death case,
resulting in a payout totaling $27 million.

By partnering with LAI, Mundus Group gains an additional revenue source to
its already expanding roster of clients and gains a foothold in the 30
billion dollar animation industry.

Other active stocks are Live Nation Inc (NYSE: LYV) Tellabs (NASDAQ: TLAB)
and PrivateBancorp Inc. (NASDAQ: PVTB)

Samsung to Produce Six Panel Types Using ‘3D Active Glasses’ Technology

SEOUL, South Korea — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in display technology and
digital media, announced today that it has become the first company to
commence mass production of panels for 3D LED TVs and 3D LCD TVs.

“Recently, 3D displays have captured the industry spotlight,” said
Wonkie Chang, president of the LCD Business at Samsung Electronics.
“Samsung Electronics aims to lead the global 3D TV panel market in
pioneering panel mass production for 3D LED and LCD TVs.”

The company began producing LED and LCD compatible panels for 40-inch,
46-inch and 55-inch full-HD 3D TVs using ‘3D Active Glasses’ this month,
employing Samsung’s exclusive true 240Hz technology.

Samsung’s true 240Hz technology delivers full-HD viewing in 2D, and also
smooth, natural, full-HD 3D images that can vividly capture rapid
movements.

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Interview Provides Sneak Peek of Amazing Kids!’ New “Sci-Tech Kids!”
Feature Column

SEATTLE — It’s not every day that a 15-year-old girl gets an exclusive interview
with one of the world’s most amazing and inspirational leaders, Bill
Gates. But that is just what Washington resident Olivia Pineda, age 15,
did for her first assignment as an Amazing Kids! Reporter for the Amazing
Kids! Online Magazine.

In the current January issue of the Online Magazine, 300,000
kids and teens who read the publication will learn from Bill Gates’
amazing insight and advice on issues such as education, technology and
his work with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

“The interview with Bill Gates has been a truly amazing experience for
me as I gained a better understanding of Mr. Gates as a person. His
insights are also a great way to help me think about discovering my own
passions in life,” says Olivia Pineda.

The interview’s appearance is a “sneak peak” into the new “Sci-Tech
Kids!” feature column which the magazine will debut in the March issue.
The purpose of the column is to get more kids, especially girls, excited
about science, engineering and technology and related career choices
they will have in those fields.

The Tech Council of Maryland (TCM) announced
today that nominations are now open for the 22nd Tech Awards Celebration.
TCMs Tech Awards Celebration is Marylands premier award ceremony for the
IT and Biotechnology communities and continues to be Marylands Best Night
of Networking. Nominations must be submitted by COB March 8, 2010.

TCMs Tech Awards are open to any company that has done business in the
State of Maryland in 2009. The 2010 categories are:

surgical tech schools

Studies show decrease in senior care continuity If the discharge planning communitys ideal is to begin the discharge process at the door, when patients are admitted to the hospital, then community provider input is necessary for a smooth care transition. But care continuity has been low, and its decreasing for older adults, recent studies show..sup.1,2
SUPPORTERS OF health care reform need money–a lot of money–to pay for it. So its not surprising that they would try to get it from the people with the most money to spare. Hence the so-called millionaires tax, a levy embedded in the House health care bill. As the noted philanthropist (with other peoples money) and House Ways and Means Committee chairman, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), explained, lawmakers are targeting big earners because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people.” Thats the theory, anyway. In fact, the millionaires tax is a good example of how poorly some politicians understand the policies they propose. At press time, the Senate was still debating the bills details. But the health care bill that the House narrowly approved in November included a 5.4 percent tax on the portion of gross income (which includes capital gains and dividends) that exceeds $500,000 for individuals and $1 million for a couple. The surtax would apply to tax years that begin after December 31, 2010. So the first sign that the tax will hit more than millionaires is the fact that it targets half-millionaires from the get-go. The ideas main selling point is that the increase would hit only 0.3 percent of tax fliers–roughly 400,000 people–yet would raise $460.5 billion over the next 10 years. Congress Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that the new rate would affect only 1.2 percent of relatively small business owners, including sole proprietorships (that is, businesses owned by just one person), partnerships (owned by a few people), and S corporations (which have up to 75 shareholders). But because the tax isnt indexed for inflation, over time it will apply to more taxpayers as inflation affects income levels. Sound familiar? It should, because this is how the alternative minimum tax (AMT) became such a nightmare. The AMT was created in 1969 to prevent just 155 wealthy taxpayers from using deductions and credits to avoid paying any federal income taxes. Because it was not indexed for inflation, it came to affect an ever-growing share of the population, prompting Congress to pass a patch each year limiting its reach; next year, without the patch, it is projected to strike 27.4 million Americans–nearly 20 percent of the countrys taxpayers. And even with the patch, the AMT hits far more than just millionaires: In 2009, it swept up 4 million
Follow-up calls help avoid readmissions In an effort to improve transitions of care, the nurse care coordinators at Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston make follow-up calls to patients who have been discharged, identify problems and solve them, and answer questions the patients may have about medication, symptoms, or their discharge plan. The hospital has an average of 53,693 discharges and 59,323 emergency department visits each year and had a 30-day readmission rate of 8.79% for medical-surgical patients in 2009.

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Office and school furniture company releases special line of
low-priced, high-quality office chairs named after U.S. economic
recovery effort

HOLLY SPRING, N.C. — OFM,
a leading family-owned office and school furniture manufacturer,
distributor and wholesaler, announced today its own “stimulus plan”—a
new product line of low-priced, high-quality faux leather office chairs
called the Stimulus
Series named for the efforts to restart the U.S. economy. Though the
chairs are inexpensive, they still have the high-quality standards for
commercial use that customers have learned to expect.

“We created this new series because we felt in a down economy people
should be able to still sit in style and have the value and OFM
level of quality that they are used to,” said Blake Zalcberg, COO of OFM,
who was behind the launch of the new product line. “A few years ago we
introduced three
similar models that were well-received so we saw this as an
opportunity to expand our product line with the latest stylish designs.”

Recognizing that money is tight, OFM
looked for a way to provide their dealers with a product that would help
everyone from business executives to struggling health care
professionals continue working in style without spending a lot of money.
When the first three chairs proved wildly popular,
OFM expanded the line to eight chairs and named it after the
economic recovery efforts. The chairs are made using a material without
animal byproducts to simulate the look and feel of real leather.

“Our economic stimulus plan is not just hundreds of millions of dollars
cheaper than the federal government’s—it’s also more comfortable and
stylish,” added Zalcberg. “This is one stimulus plan that both Democrats
and Republicans can agree on.”

Futuremed Healthcare Income Fund (TSX: FMD.UN) today announced the monthly cash distribution for January 2010 has been set at $0.0771 per unit, or $0.925 per unit on an annualized basis.

The distribution will be paid on February 15, 2010, to unitholders of record as at January 31, 2010.

Futuremed is Canadas leading value-added distributor of consumable nursing home supplies and specialized furniture and equipment to the growing long-term care facilities sector.

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Nurses improve medication administration accuracy The study involved the implementation of the Integrated Nurse Leadership Program (INLP), which provides frontline nurses and other hospital staff with training, resources, and authority to devise and implement solutions. In addition to showing the importance of empowering frontline nurses, the most significant finding of the study is that “significant improvement in outcomes can be accomplished without very expensive fixes,” says Julie Kliger, MPA, BSN, RN, INLP creator and program director at the Center for the Health Professions, University of California, San Francisco; principal and founder of The Altos Group; and lead author of the article. “Thats important because there are a lot of financial and resource pressures today, and people sometimes think they need to spend millions for bar-coding; this demonstrates through almost old-fashioned QI and engaging the people who are doing the work and providing them with tools, skills, and resources, that they can make statistically significant improvement.”
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For maximum results in minimal time, Hood started Bettany with five days of interval circuit training every week. Knowing Bettanys abs were going to be showcased, each workout began with several core exercises. “We wanted to give that our full attention,” Hood says. They followed that with a three-round circuit. “The idea was to blast his body. We didnt do a lot of cardio. The heart rate was elevated throughout the workout. He was never sitting around.”

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

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

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

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MIAMI LAKES, Fla. — BankUnited has hired Mark Bagnoli as executive vice president and chief
auditor. In his new role, Bagnoli will lead the bank’s internal audit
function and report directly to the audit committee of the board of
directors.

Bagnoli joins BankUnited from the Federal Home Loan Bank in Chicago,
where he most recently served as executive vice president and chief risk
officer. Before this, he spent more than 20 years with JPMorgan
Chase/Bank One, where he rose through the ranks to the position of
senior vice president of the corporate audit division. During his tenure
he developed expertise in mergers and acquisitions, enterprise risk
management and regulatory compliance activities. Earlier in his career
he held positions with First Chicago Corp. and CitiBank in New York.

Bagnoli holds a master’s degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate
School of Management at Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree
in accounting from Seton Hall.

NEW YORK — Attorney Advertising. Notice is hereby given that Stull, Stull Brody
has commenced an investigation on behalf of shareholders of the common
stock of Lodgian, Inc. (Amex: LGN) (“Lodgian” or the “Company”) for
possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of state law in
connection with an agreement by the Company’s Board of Directors to
allow the Company to be acquired by an affiliate of Loan Star Funds
(“Lone Star”) in a transaction valued at approximately $270 million.

The current investigation concerns the price to be paid by Lone Star to
Lodgian shareholders and the process by which Lodgian’s Board of
Directors is addressing the transaction, including whether Lodgian’s
Board of Directors breached its fiduciary duties to the Company’s
shareholders by agreeing to sell the Company under the proposed terms.
Whereas the transaction terms provide that Lodgian shareholders are to
receive $2.50 in cash for each share of Lodgian common stock owned, the
Company’s common stock traded as high as $2.98 per share as recently as
April 30, 2009.

Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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

STANFORD, Calif. — Genetic diseases like those seen in the new Harrison Ford movie
“Extraordinary Measures” can now be prevented with a simple saliva test
which is free with insurance for more than 100 million Americans.

The movie centers on the real-life efforts of the Crowleys, a family
trying to find a cure for a rare genetic disease affecting two of the
family’s three children. The condition wasn’t detected until after their
children were born.

Now, couples can take a Universal Genetic Test before
pregnancy to determine whether their baby is at risk for more
than 100 life-threatening genetic diseases. At-risk couples may then use
a well-understood procedure called IVF/PGD to protect their child from
genetic disease and ensure a healthy pregnancy.

This Universal Genetic Test was invented by scientists and social
entrepreneurs from Stanford and Harvard and brought to the public via a
Stanford startup named Counsyl (counsyl.com).
As Newsweek recently reported:

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Open-Source Library Allows for Simple Development of Universal Driver
for Epson Printers

TOKYO — Seiko Epson Corporation (”Epson”)(TOKYO:6724) today announced global
support for its open-source development kit, the ESC/P-R library, which
assists product designers wishing to develop printing applications for
electronic devices. With the kit, developers only need to create one
driver in order to connect and communicate with any Epson inkjet printer
that supports ESC/P-R.

ESC/P-R is a common language for selected Epson inkjet printers
worldwide that supports every media type, paper size and associated
printing mode available on those products. ESC/P-R allows many kinds of
devices to connect and communicate with Epson printers, expanding
possibilities for use with medical equipment, measuring equipment,
electronic whiteboards, and at home with home electronics and game
machines. It is especially suited for consumer electronics devices and
embedded equipment.

The ESC/P-R development kit has already been utilized to develop
printing applications for the iPhone, iPod Touch, and for phones using
the Android operating system, enabling people with these devices to
enjoy the outstanding image quality that Epson printers are known for.
“ePrint” by Microtech Corp. and Epsons own “Epson iPrint” can be found
in Apples App Store, while CyCom Technology Corp.s “CyPria”
application is available for download from the Android Market. All of
Epsons Wi-Fi capable all-in-one printers launched this year will
support these applications.

The ESC/P-R language is designed to be easy to develop and maintain, as
it removes the necessity to create and update separate drivers for each
printer. It enables speedy printing of high quality images even from
devices with a slow CPU, and does not require dedicated image processing
memory. Development support will be provided by Epson Imaging Technology
Center in San Jose and Seattle.

Im heading down to Panama to visit my son Jeff and his wife and the darling granddaughters. Im back Feb. 3. While Im gone theyre printing some of my columns from the past. Todays is from July 25, 1996. Piper, my 2-year-old “pound” puppy, has finally developed a “watchdog bark,” an “I want in now!” bark and a “Hey, Ma, check this out” bark. Saturday morning, I heard the “check this out” bark and was amused to see Piper was barking at the horseshoe I had hung on the fence the night before. After I took it down so she could sniff it, she was satisfied and stopped barking.

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