Tag Archives: U.S.

Anvil Knitwear Named Official T-Shirt And Knitwear Partner of Earth Day Network

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Earth Day Network was founded by the organizers of the first Earth Day in 1970 to promote environmental citizenship. Earth Day Network now encompasses more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 174 countries, and more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities.

Providing eco-friendly apparel is essential for our organization and for people who believe in Earth Day and the issues we stand for, said Kathleen Rogers, President of the Earth Day Network. Anvils commitment to eco-friendly products and business practices that are both environmentally and socially responsible speaks directly to our mission and to our supporters.

As Earth Day Networks t-shirt and knitwear partner, Anvil, a leader in eco-friendly apparel and the worlds sixth largest purchaser of organic cotton, will design and develop knitwear made from organic, recycled, transitional and RPET fibers for the organizations apparel line. The line will be sold online and through retailers as early as the 2009 holiday season. The line will also be made available directly to consumers at all of Earth Day Networks events, including Earth Day on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the global Earth Day 40th anniversary in April 2010, and celebrations in 40 cities around the world to commemorate Earth Day Networks 40th year milestone.

Anvil is also working with Earth Day Network to develop an exclusive new product line for The Green Generation TM campaign, which mobilizes people worldwide to find solutions to urgent national and international issues, such as climate change and the global water crisis. The Green Generation TM line will feature AnvilSustainable™, AnvilOrganic° and AnvilRecycled° apparel, which will be available online as well as at 2010 Earth Day Network events at the beginning of 2010.

Anvil shares Earth Day Networks mission to create a more sustainable future for our planet, said Anthony Corsano, Chief Executive Officer of Anvil Knitwear. The Green Generation™ is a movement that we believe spans all generations, all countries and all people. The Green Generation™ apparel line will feature eco issues, solutions and events.

About Anvil Knitwear

Anvil Knitwear, Inc., a socially and environmentally responsible manufacturer of sportswear and accessories, is a leader in the sustainable apparel industry with its AnvilOrganic°, AnvilRecycled™ and AnvilSustainable™ brands. Anvil was recently ranked the worlds sixth-largest organic program and the largest domestic purchaser of U.S.-grown certified organic cotton. Anvil offers 16 affordable eco styles made from a variety of fibers such as certified organic cotton, transitional cotton, recycled cotton, and recycled PET bottles and blends, as well as more than 90 traditional styles. Anvil recently launched TrackMyT.com, an interactive Web site that chronicles and brings to life the complete journey and environmental impact of a t-shirt, from cotton-seed to consumer.

For more information, please visit www.anvilknitwear.com and www.anvilcsr.com.

About Earth Day Network

Earth Day Network was founded on the premise that all people, regardless of race, gender, income, or geography, have a moral right to a healthy, sustainable environment. Earth Day Networks mission is to broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide, and to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment. They pursue this mission through a combination of education, public policy, and consumer activism campaigns. Earth Day Networks campaign and programs are predicated on the belief that an educated, energized population will take action to secure a healthy future for itself and its children. Earth Day Network grew out of the original Earth Day in 1970 to promote environmental citizenship. Earth Day Network now encompasses more than 17,000 partners and organizations in 180 countries, and more than 1 billion people participate in Earth Day activities globally making it the largest secular civic event in the world.

For more information, please visit http://www.earthday.net/.

Preventing Spread of HIV in Jails: Best Window of Opportunity Early in Incarceration

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The research was spearheaded by a Yale medical student, Ravi Kavasery, under the mentorship of Frederick Altice, M.D., professor of medicine and director of clinical and community research for the Yale AIDS Program and principal investigator of grants from the National Institutes of Drug Abuse and the Health Services Resources Agency, which funded this research.

The two Yale studies, both prospective controlled trials involving more than 600 Connecticut jail detainees, looked at the willingness of men and women to be screened for HIV as part of the routine while entering the correctional system. Of the 298 newly imprisoned men, the greatest proportion accepted testing on the day after incarceration—53 percent. Those offered testing on the same day as incarceration had a somewhat lower rate of acceptance, 45 percent. After a week, the testing rate dropped significantly, to 33 percent.

The second study involved 323 newly incarcerated women and showed a similar trend: the best time to offer HIV screening was the day after incarceration, when 73 percent received testing. Rates were lower on the actual day of entry – 55 percent – and even more so after seven days, at 50 percent.

“More than a quarter of people with HIV in the U.S. have no idea that they are infected and continue unknowingly to engage in high-risk behaviors,” noted Altice, the principal investigator on the studies. “Just letting them know they have HIV results in impressive reductions in sexual risk-taking.”

Lead author Kavasery said, “The findings from our studies have two major public health implications. First, we show that offering routine opt-out HIV testing in jails is feasible. Second, and perhaps more importantly, our studies demonstrate that offering testing within the first 24 hours of admission results in the highest number of individuals receiving HIV testing.”

The participation of medical students in research projects is an integral part of medical education at Yale. Each medical student must complete a research thesis prior to graduation, a requirement for graduation since 1839. “Ravi’s contribution to this research project is the caliber of research we expect from our students,” noted John Forrest, M.D., professor of medicine and director of student research at Yale. “Getting two first-authored publications in a top-tier journal speaks to the quality.” Kavasery also oversaw the scientific rigor of the men’s study, where 5 additional students from the School of Public Health participated as part of their community project.

“I’ve been fortunate to have had the luxury of working with a number of remarkably talented and accomplished students over the years. It humbles me to see their abilities harnessed to create new knowledge while simultaneously contributing to science and socially responsible research,” Altice said. Forrest indicated that more than 75% of Yale medical students publish their research in peer-reviewed journals or present their work at national research meetings. “Yale leads the country in the quantity of important medical research done by medical students,” Forrest said.

Other authors on the study of male inmates are: Duncan Smith-Rohrberg Maru, M.D., Ph.D., Laurie N. Sylla, M.A. and David Smith, Ed.D. The same authors contributed to the study of female inmates, as did Joshua Cornman-Homonoff, B.A.

PRESS CONTACT: Helen Dodson 203-436-3984

Source: Media Newswire

Microfinance Focus partners with Microcredit Summit Campaign s forthcoming Africa conference

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Bengaluru, Karnataka, December 1, 2009 /India PRwire/ — The Microfinance Focus, a global microfinance news portal with a monthly magazine, announced today that it has signed a media partnership with the Global Microcredit Summit Campaign for its forthcoming Africa/Middle East Regional Microcredit Summit (AMERMS) to be held in Nairobi, Kenya from April 7 to 10, 2010.

Microfinance Focus is a global knowledge centre for Microfinance, serving 60,000 microfinance professionals worldwide. It publishes a monthly magazine, daily news stories, articles and write-ups written by experts who are practitioners in the field.

The Global Micro Credit Summit Campaign, based in Washington DC, is an annual conference and event that brings together a wide range of financial and development experts from all over the world to learn and share developments in the micro credit sector. It is a project of the RESULTS Educational Fund, a U.S.-based grassroots advocacy organization.

Microfinance gained world-wide prominence when Dr. Muhammed Yunus and The Grameen Bank won the Nobel Prize for peace in 2006.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Vikash Kumar, publisher of Microfinance Focus, said, This is an important alliance for us as it recognizes the contribution our magazine has made to the field. To be selected as a partner with The Global Micro Credit Summit Campaign demonstrates the importance of the magazine as a key communication channel within the financial sector.

Jerome Peloquin, Managing Editor in the US, negotiated the relationship and is working closely with the Global Microcredit Summit Campaign and Sam Daley Harris, founder and principal spokesperson. Peloquin further explained, This is the fifteenth year the Global Summit has been held. It has become the premier annual meeting of micro credit development. This years theme will be microUP as a means to create sustainable lives free from poverty for every person on the planet.

The conference host in Nairobi, Kenya will be Jamii Bora, a proponent of microUP and the most successful urban based program in Kenya.

Notes to Editor

About Microfinance Focus:

Microfinance Focus is a global knowledge centre for Microfinance, focused on serving the international microfinance sector. It publishes a monthly magazine, daily news stories, articles and write-ups written by experts who are practitioners in the field. Microfinance Focus is also accessible from Google News and other prominent search engines. Its reach in the microfinance sector is vast and truly global. Its endeavor is to make it better and brighter for the microfinance community all over the world. To know more visit www.microfinancefocus.com

About The Microcredit Summit Campaign

The Microcredit Summit Campaign is a project of the RESULTS Educational Fund, a U.S.-based grassroots advocacy organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. The Campaign brings together microcredit practitioners, advocates, educational institutions, donor agencies, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations and others involved with microcredit to promote best practices in the field, to stimulate the interchanging of knowledge, and to work towards reaching bold measurable goals. For more information please visit: http://www.microcreditsummit.org

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Source: India PR Wire

VIZ Media Announces New DVD Releases For January 2010

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San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced their list of DVD titles scheduled for release in January 2010. This includes the first box set of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN in regular and special editions, the next installments in POKÉMON ELEMENTS, as well as the latest episodic releases of the popular BLEACH and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN series. VIZ Media DVD titles are distributed (in English) in the U.S and Mexico by Warner Home Video and in Canada by Allegro.
SHONEN JUMP releases include:
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Special Edition Box Set 1 • Rated ’T+’ for Older Teens • MSRP: $69.97 US / $99.99 CAN • Available January 26
Naruto Uzumaki is back! After two and a half years of training on the road with Jiraiya of the Sannin, Naruto is back in the Village Hidden in the Leaves, and he’s ready to show off his new skills. He and Sakura team up to take on their old master Kakashi, who’s pretty impressed with their progress. They’ll have plenty of opportunity to put it into action when news arrives from the Sand Village that Gaara, Naruto’s former rival and now Kazekage of the Sand, has been kidnapped! And the culprits are the very same group who are after Naruto–the Akatsuki! The Special Edition Box Set features 13 episodes on 3 discs and also includes a collectible NARUTO Shippuden Mininja figure.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Box Set 1 Standard Edition • Rated ’T+’ for Older Teens • MSRP: $49.95 US / $71.99 CAN • Available January 26
DVD-only collection featuring 13 episodes from the hit series on 3 discs; (collectible figure is not included.)
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Volume 5 • Rated ’T+’ for Older Teens • MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN • Available January 12
Team Guy and Team Kakashi finally reach the Akatsuki hideout, only to encounter a tricky five-seal barrier that triggers an even stranger trap. While Team Guy face some pretty tough opponents–themselves!–Kakashi and Naruto must take off after Deidara who has absconded with Gaara. Sakura and Granny Chiyo are left behind to confront Sasori of the Red Sand. Granny Chiyo may be the only one with the ability to see through his many complex traps and skilled puppetry, but even one scratch from his poisoned weapons could mean instant death!
BLEACH Volume 24 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens • MSRP: $24.92 US / $35.99 CAN • Available January 19
Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya is assigned to lead the defense of the Soul Society and mobilize the Soul Reapers to find and kill the intruding Bounts. But the Bount leader Jin Kariya has gathered a huge mob of ruffians and plans to use them in his quest for revenge. Meanwhile, it is discovered that Maki Ichinose, the banished Soul Reaper helping the Bounts, has infiltrated the Seireitei and has been secretly manipulating their data. What strategies will play out, and how can Ichigo and his allies stop them?
New POKÉMON Releases Include:
POKÉMON ELEMENTS, Volume 7: Psychic • Rated ’A’ for All Ages • MSRP: $9.98 US/ $14.99 CAN • Available January 26
POKÉMON ELEMENTS, Volume 8: Dragon • Rated ’A’ for All Ages • MSRP: $9.98 US / $14.99 CAN • Available January 26
Following the POKÉMON All Star series set, the POKÉMON: ELEMENTS collection consists of the most important episodes commemorating the different types of Pokémon characters. Each disc showcases a Pokémon type with three all-time favorite episodes.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including the popular monthly manga anthology SHONEN JUMP magazine, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.
Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site at www.VIZ.com.

Source: WEBWIRE

Everest Launches Mobile Website To Enhance User Experience

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Mobile website optimized for more than just smart phones

SANTA ANA, Calif. (December 1, 2009) – Now mobile visitors to Everest’s website can access campus and course information or begin the enrollment process to become a student from virtually any web-enabled cell phone, smart phone or other mobile Internet device.
With the launch of its mobile-optimized version of the website, http://m.everest.edu/, visitors can locate a nearby campus complete with map links and directions, review career training programs, check out online classes, see financial aid options, view frequently asked questions, request more information, as well as learn about student services, student resources, accreditation information, and the admissions and enrollment processes. There’s even a Call Us Now option that integrates the mobile browser with the user’s phone’s dialer, allowing for easy, safe dialing.
We noticed that over the past 12 months, mobile traffic has been the fastest growing segment of our web properties said Teresa M. O’Sullivan, Vice President of Marketing. People want information right at their fingertips. We felt it was important to provide an excellent mobile browsing experience for these users
When researching mobile website options, Everest developers felt it was important to optimize for more than just the smart phone device. They tested for a variety of mobile handsets and non-standard Internet devices in an effort to make the mobile browser experience much more user friendly and to better serve the schools’ increasing mobile traffic.
It’s all about the engaging our mobile visitors and creating a positive mobile user experience said O’Sullivan.
About Everest
Everest Universities, Colleges and Institutes and provide career-oriented diploma and degree programs in the fields of healthcare, criminal justice, skilled trades, business, paralegal and information technology. Everest is owned by Corinthian Colleges, Inc., one of the largest post-secondary education companies in North America, and has 100 schools in the U.S. and Canada. For more information about programs, visit the Everest main site, http://www.everest.edu, or the Everest mobile website, http://m.everest.edu/. Join the Everest conversation at http://www.facebook.com/Everest, http://www.youtube.com/everest/, and http://www.twitter.com/everest_college.

Source: WEBWIRE

Canon U.S.A. Expands Availability Of The imageFORMULA P-150 Personal Document Scanner To All Sales Channels

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Lake Success, N.Y., – As a result of the growing demand and popularity of its imageFORMULA P-150 personal document scanner, also known as Scan-tini Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging and advanced office solutions, today announced it has expanded the availability of the P-150 to all of its sales channels to help meet the increasing demand as the holiday season approaches.
Since we first introduced the P-150 in October, we have received tremendous positive feedback on the versatility of this scanner resulting in an increased demand in several markets said Jim Rosetta, vice president and general manager, Imaging Systems Group, Canon U.S.A. More and more users in all market segments are seeking a simple-to-use, compact and mobile document scanner and the P-150 is becoming the ideal solution for those end-users
Measuring at only 11 inches long, 3.7 inches wide and 1.6 inches high and weighing just over two pounds, the P-150 redefines the minimum dimensions of a document scanner with automatic document feeder. It can scan a batch of up to 20 documents at its maximum scanning speed of 15 pages-per-minute (ppm) in simplex, or 30 images-per-minute (ipm) in duplex scanning*, yet still fits easily into a briefcase. In addition, the P-150 includes a Plug-and-Scan capability to let users easily start scanning without installing drivers or imaging applications, ISIS and TWAIN drivers for easy hardware integration with third-party Enterprise Content Management (ECM) software, and can use electrical power via a single USB cable connected to a PC. These features make it ideal for use by small or home office businesses, road warriors and entrepreneurs.
Further expanding the functionality and versatility of the P-150, BankServ, worldwide experts in electronic payments, recently announced its leading remote deposit solution, DepositNow, is fully compatible with the P-150. Using nearly any computer with an internet connection, DepositNow enables end-users to quickly scan checks through the P-150 device and deposit the funds to any checking account in the U.S. – all without setting foot in a bank. In addition, a new version of Nuance PaperPort is now bundled with the P-150. This version includes the ability to scan and send images directly from the scanner through PaperPort to Microsoft Office SharePoint Server.
To ease integration with customer infrastructures, the P-150 has been tested and is compatible with solutions from the following software vendors**:
# BankServ
# Bluepoint Solutions
# GoScan, Inc.
# ImageSource, Inc.
# Infonic
# I.R.I.S. s.a.
# Laserfiche
The Canon imageFORMULA P-150 Scan-tini personal document scanner is available immediately through all authorized Canon resellers for a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $295***.
About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked third overall in the U.S. in 2008†, with global revenues of US $45 billion, is listed as number four in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2009 list, and is on the 2009 BusinessWeek list of 100 Best Global Brands Canon is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all products. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.
# # #
† Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office
* Examples based on typical settings, rated in pages/images per minute with letter-sized documents, portrait feeding direction, up to 200 dpi with one USB cable and AC adapter, or two USB cables. Actual processing speeds may vary based on PC performance and application software.
** Please check www.usa.canon.com, as well as the websites of the respective software vendors, regularly for updates on ISVs and the specific applications tested with the imageFORMULA P-150 Personal Document Scanner.
*** Price subject to change without notice. Actual prices are set by individual dealers and may vary.

Source: WEBWIRE

Cisco Extends the Offer Period for TANDBERG Shareholders

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SAN JOSE, Calif., NEW YORK, and OSLO, Norway – Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is extending the offer period for its voluntary public cash offer to acquire all outstanding shares in TANDBERG (OSLO: TAA.OL). The extended offer period expires at 5:30 p.m. CET on Thursday, December 3, 2009.
Soon after expiration of the extended offer period on Thursday, December 3, at 5:30 p.m. CET, Cisco will announce whether the 90 percent condition for the offer has been met.
The terms and conditions set out in the offer document dated October 7, 2009, and the press release dated November 16, 2009, remain in place during the extended offer period.
About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.
# # #
Cisco, the Cisco logo and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.
This document is Cisco Public Information.
TANDBERG is a registered trademark or trademark in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may be deemed to contain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the expected completion of the acquisition and the time frame in which this will occur, the expected benefits to Cisco from completing the acquisition, the impact of the combined company on relevant markets and plans regarding TANDBERG personnel. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, including, among other things, obtaining a sufficient number of tendered shares of common stock and regulatory approval of the acquisition, the potential impact on the business of TANDBERG due to the uncertainty about the acquisition, the retention of employees of TANDBERG and the ability of Cisco to successfully integrate TANDBERG and to achieve expected benefits, business and economic conditions and growth trends in the networking industry, customer markets and various geographic regions, global economic conditions and uncertainties in the geopolitical environment and other risk factors set forth in Cisco’s most recent report on Form 10-K. Any forward-looking statements in this release are based on limited information currently available to Cisco, which is subject to change, and Cisco will not necessarily update the information.

Source: WEBWIRE

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. Helps Duelists Protect Their Favorite Cards with New Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s Trading Card Game Card Sleeves and Portfolios

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High-Quality Glossy Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s TRADING CARD GAME SleevesAvailable for the First Time in North America
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. (KDE), the makers of the wildly popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME (TCG), know Duelists enjoy showing off their card collection just as much as crushing an opponent. With this in mind, KDE is pleased to make available to players in the United States new high-quality card sleeves with the most current and remarkable Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s monster, starting with “Majestic Star Dragon” from Stardust Overdrive!
The card sleeves are the first products to be released in a proposed new line of card game accessories from KDE in 2010. The card sleeves, (MSRP $3.99), are the perfect way to show off your collection to other Duelists. The 50-card pack of sleeves is enough to protect most Duelists’ Decks.
In addition, the company is also releasing a binder-sized ten-page card portfolio (each page has nine pockets) designed to protect and highlight individual collections. The nine-pocket U.S. version is in contrast to previously released versions, which hold only four cards per page. The nine-pocket “Majestic Star Dragon” Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG portfolio will have an MSRP of $9.99.
The new Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG card sleeves and nine-pocket portfolios will be available in January 2010.
For more information on Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc., the Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME or the new card sleeves and portfolios, please visit www.yugioh-card.com.
About The Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG
The Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME is the #1 trading card game in the world with over 22 billion cards sold. It is a game of strategy, where players create individual Decks of cards collected from Structure Decks and Booster Packs. Two players engage in a Duel while using cards that represent powerful monsters, magical Spells and surprising Traps. Duelists with well-constructed Decks, dominating monsters, solid strategy and good fortune are the victors in the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG. Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. is the exclusive licensee and rights holder to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG in North America and Latin America.
About Konami
Konami is a leading developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties and traditional trading card games. Konami’s software titles include the popular franchises Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, DanceDanceRevolution and Castlevania, among other top sellers. Konami is also the manufacturer of the wildly popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME, which has sold more than 22 billion cards worldwide. The latest information about Konami can be found on the Web at www.konami.com. Konami Corporation is a publicly traded company based in Tokyo, Japan with subsidiary offices, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, Japan, Konami Digital Entertainment, and Inc. in the United States and Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany. Konami Corporation is traded in the United States on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol KNM. Details of the products published by Konami can be found at www.konami.com.

Source: WEBWIRE

Mitsubishi Motors Announces Production, Sales and Export Figures for October 2009

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Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced global production, as well as domestic sales and export figures for October 2009.

Production: Global total and Japan

Total global production for October came in at 85,080 units, a decline of 29.6 percent over the same month last year and the fifteenth consecutive monthly decrease since August 2008. Production volume in Japan at 46,416 units was 43.0 percent down year-on-year, the twelfth consecutive decline, with passenger car output at 40,580 units down 45.4 percent year-on-year and commercial vehicle output at 5,836 units down 17.8 percent year-on-year.

Sales in Japan

Vehicle sales in Japan in October totaled 12,550 units, 12.5 percent down on the same month last year and the first year-on-year decrease in three months. Sales of passenger cars at 9,421 units were 16.1 percent down year-on-year while sales of commercial vehicles at 3,129 units were 0.2 percent up year-on-year. Registered vehicle sales volume at 4,875 units was 29.1 percent up on the same month last year, bolstered primarily by 126.9 percent and 117.1 percent increases respectively in year-on-year sales of Colt and Colt Plus models. Minicar sales volume at 7,675 units was 27.4 percent down year-on-year despite a 20.1 percent rise in Minica sales driven by the introduction of the Black series.

Production overseas

Overseas production volume totaled 38,666 units, 2.1 percent down over October last year and returned to the string of year-on-year decreases that had been interrupted by the first rise in 15 months in September. By region, output in North America at 2,524 units was 52.5 percent down year-on-year. In Europe, output at 2,077 units was 77.2 percent down year-on-year as the ending of scrap incentives in Germany impacted the market. In Asia, output at 31,168 units was 34.5 percent up year-on-year helped by 96.4 percent and 261.0 percent increases respectively at China Motor Corp. in Taiwan and South East (Fujian) Motor in China.

Export shipments from Japan

Total exports from Japan of 24,857 units were 53.1 percent down in October 2008 and marked the twelfth consecutive year-on-year decrease. Exports to Asia at 3,730 units were 24.6 percent up year-on-year on the back of stronger sales in China and Malaysia. Export shipments to North America at 5,272 units rose by 17.7 percent over the same month last year helped by strong sales of the Outlander in both the U.S. and Canada. Exports to Europe at 3,529 units were 86.0 percent down year-on-year, again due mainly to very slow sales in Russia.

About Mitsubishi Motors

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE: 7211) was established in 1970 and is one of the few automobile companies in the world that produces a full line of automotive products ranging from 660-cc mini cars and passenger cars to commercial vehicles and heavy-duty trucks and buses. The company also operates consumer financing services and provides this to its customer base. For more information, please visit www.mitsubishi-motors.com .

Source: JCN Newswire

Former Fugitive Pleads Guilty to Attempted Extortion

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BOSTON, MA—A Pennsylvania woman who fled from the United States under threat of prosecution in August 2000, has pled guilty to attempting to extort a Boston-based financier while she was a fugitive from justice.

United States Attorney Carmen Ortiz and Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Boston Field Office announced today that LAURA GOLDMAN, 51, pled guilty to two counts of attempted extortion. Sentencing is set for December 9, 2009 before the Honorable Richard G. Stearns.

According to the Indictment and documents filed in the case, GOLDMAN made a series of extortionate threats against the primary victim and his family members between October 2001 and October 2002, while Goldman was a fugitive in Israel. GOLDMAN was seeking to obtain from the victim payments for her “mental health treatment and other substantial monies.” GOLDMAN was in Israel after fleeing from the United States in August 2000, after learning that a federal criminal Complaint and arrest warrant had been issued against her in Boston. The Complaint charged her with making interstate threats against the victim in July 2000.

GOLDMAN faces up to 20 years imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine on each of the two attempted extortion counts. The plea agreement calls for GOLDMAN to serve an extended period of probation with strict conditions. Any violation of the terms of probation will subject GOLDMAN to a substantial period of incarceration.

“The plea agreement reflects the thoughtful consideration of the unique set of circumstances in this case, and is focused on ensuring the continued safety of the victim and his family, as well as the community at large. It was reached after weighing the seriousness and age of the crime, the needs of the victim and his family, and the defendant’s mental health,” said U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz.

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Boston Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. McNeil in the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit.&/p

Source: FBI

Seven Mexican Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Gun Charges During a Crime of Violence

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PHOENIX—Mauricio Gerardo Aguilar-Espinoza, 25; Jorge Zaragoza-Alvarado, 24; Cesar Valentin Garcia-Aguilera, 32; Antonio Cruz-Ramirez, 19; Pedro Martin Luna-Fuentes 25; Oscar Daniel Hernandez-Juarez, 23; and Jaime Zamora-Martinez, 38; all of Mexico, were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton for Possessing, Using, and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. All seven defendants had also been indicted for the violent crime of Hostage Taking and all pleaded guilty.

The Court found that five of the seven defendants had brandished a firearm during the crime which raised the statutory minimum from five to seven years in federal prison. Judge Bolton sentenced Hernandez-Juarez and Zamora-Martinez to 10 years in federal prison, Aguilar-Espinoza, Zaragoza-Alvarado and Luna-Fuentes to eight years each, and Garcia-Aguilera and Cruz-Ramirez to five years each.

On January 31, 2009, El Mirage Police officers responded to an emergency 911 call on West Columbine Drive in El Mirage, Ariz. Upon their arrival, officers found 37 men and one female crammed into two rooms at a human smuggling drop house. The men were dressed only in their underwear. The windows in the bedrooms where the illegal aliens were found had been boarded up and there was a foul smell present. Law enforcement also recovered two baseball bats, a gun, and a knife at the house.

Special Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were called to assist with the investigation. Agents learned that seven of these men were in fact smugglers who had been working at the house and who had stripped down to their underwear just before the police arrived in order to make it appear that they were part of the smuggled group. The smuggled aliens had been held hostage for ransom and during their captivity, were given very little food, shared a few cups to drink water, were forced to strip down to their underwear and were told not to speak to the police.

Investigators also learned that the alien hostages were threatened with death and/or serious bodily injury if their family members did not pay the smuggling fee. Witnesses explained how the defendants used a gun, baseball bats and knife to detain and intimidate them. One witness described how one of the defendants threatened him, stating in substance that if his friends did not pay the smuggling fee, the smugglers would take the witness out to the desert, “chop off” his body parts, and leave him to die. Several witnesses describe how one particular defendant threatened to break the legs or feet of the hostages and throw them in the desert. Another alien hostage witness described how one of the defendants pointed a gun at his head because he was unable to reach his brother, while another described how a smuggler “racked” a semi-automatic pistol as a way of scaring the victim hostages. Several of the defendants were observed threatening the aliens with a gun and some of the hostages were struck with baseball bats.

The investigation was handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the El Mirage Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Walter Perkel, Jim Knapp and Melissa Karlen, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER: CR-09-0171-PHX-SRB

RELEASE NUMBER: 2009-366(Aguilar-Espinoza et al)&/p

Source: FBI

Three Men Charged in July 2009 Robbery and Fatal Shooting in Alexandria

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ALEXANDRIA,VA—A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Tuesday charging three men with ties to MS-13 with murdering Claros Luna, 40, of Maryland, during a robbery on Manor Road in Alexandria, Va., on July 29, 2009.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Joseph Persichini Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Earl Cook, Alexandria City Chief of Police, made the announcement.

The indictment charges the three men—Eris Arguera, 21, of Alexandria, Va.; Alcides Umaña, 21, of Arlington, VA; and Adolfo Portillo, 28, of Alexandria, Va.—with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and extortion, interference with commerce by robbery and extortion, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence causing death. The maximum penalty is life in prison or death.

According to the indictment, Luna was robbed and murdered after transporting a woman from Maryland to Virginia for prostitution. The indictment states the three men were members of a conspiracy—which included members of the gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13—to extort money from individuals involved in prostitution. The three men are scheduled to be arraigned on Dec. 4, 2009, in the United States District Court in Alexandria, Va.

This case was investigated by the Alexandria Police Department and FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Fairfax County and Arlington County Police Departments and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Office of Investigations in Washington, D.C. Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald Walutes and Morris Parker are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.

Source: FBI

Dealer Responsible for Largest Grain Brokerage Failure in Missouri History Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud

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ST. LOUIS, MO—Cathy M. Gieseker pleaded guilty to mail fraud and admitted to a wide-ranging fraud scheme involving $27 million dollars in proceeds from the sale of farm commodities, Acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap announced today. As part of the plea, Gieseker also agreed to forfeit millions of dollars in personal property and real estate.

Gieseker operated a “Ponzi” scheme whereby payments to farmers for grain sales were paid through monies gained through the subsequent sale of grain supplied by other farmers despite the fact that insufficient funds were generated to pay all farmers the promised rates. Ultimately, the scheme collapsed in February 2009 with scores of farmers left with no grain and no payments for their crops.

Gieseker operated a grain trucking and marketing company from her residence at 35424 Audrain Road 708, Martinsburg, MO. Between October 2002 and February 2009, in addition to transporting grain, Cathy Gieseker began to market grain on behalf of farmers. In this capacity she quoted above‑market prices to farmers and represented that she had contracts from Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) to guarantee the prices. During the course of this scheme, Gieseker delivered and sold virtually all of the grain at ADM. However, Gieseker did not hold contracts that guaranteed the above‑market prices she had quoted farmers from ADM. Instead, she sold all of her grain at the “spot price” (local cash price for immediate settlement and delivery) and used the proceeds from subsequent grain transactions to pay the above‑market prices she had previously promised other farmers. In this manner, Gieseker defrauded approximately 180 farmers out of at least $27,000,000 in proceeds from grain sales she made on their behalf. Most of the proceeds went to pay other farmers who had previously been quoted above‑market prices but Gieseker also used a substantial portion of these proceeds on automobiles, gifts to family and friends, and an expensive hobby of acquiring and showing livestock.

Gieseker, 45, Martinsburg, MO, pleaded guilty to one felony count of mail fraud. She appeared before United States District Judge Charles A. Shaw in St. Louis.

Additionally, Gieseker pleaded to a forfeiture count, which requires the forfeiture of cash and property derived from the illegal activity. Subject to forfeiture are four parcels of property in Martinsburg, MO; one property in Rush Hill, MO; 22 vehicles consisting of multiple semi tractors, trailers, vehicles, and ATVs. Gieseker faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both at sentencing which will occur on February 25, 2010. Restitution will also be ordered for the victims.

“For several years, Cathy Gieseker got away with her ponzi scheme,& said Roland J. Corvington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in St. Louis. “But perpetrators of such schemes will always get caught once the victims at the bottom of the pyramid are left holding the bag and the scheme collapses.”

Acting U.S. Attorney noted that, “This case, like most frauds, required a breach of trust. These hardworking farmers trusted Mrs. Gieseker to market their grain with honesty and integrity. I hope it is some comfort to them that Mrs. Gieseker has been called to account for such an outrageous breach of trust.”

Reap commended the work on the case by the St. Charles Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, the Missouri Department of Agriculture; and Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Schelp, who is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.&/p

Source: FBI

Digital River to Speak at 2009 FBR Capital Markets Fall Investor Conference

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Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRIV), a leading provider of global
e-commerce solutions, announced that the company is presenting at the
2009 FBR Capital Markets Fall Investor Conference in New York, N.Y. The
event, being held at the Grand Hyatt, takes place Dec. 1-2, 2009.
Digital River’s vice president of investor relations, Ed Merritt, will
discuss the company’s business strategy during a presentation at 9:10
a.m. EST on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009. A live webcast as well as a replay
of Digital River’s session will be available at http://www.digitalriver.com/2009/investorrelations/.
About Digital River, Inc.
Digital River, Inc., a leading
provider of global e-commerce solutions, builds and manages online
businesses for software and game publishers, consumer electronics
manufacturers, distributors, online retailers and affiliates. Its
multi-channel e-commerce solution, which supports both direct and
indirect sales, is designed to help companies of all sizes maximize
online revenues as well as reduce the costs and risks of running an
e-commerce operation. The company’s comprehensive platform offers site
development and hosting, order management, fraud management, export
controls, tax management, physical and digital product fulfillment,
multi-lingual customer service, advanced reporting and strategic
marketing services.
Founded in 1994, Digital River is headquartered in Minneapolis with
offices across the U.S., Asia, Europe and South America. For more
details about Digital River, visit the corporate Web site at www.digitalriver.com
or call +1 952-253-1234.
Digital River is a registered trademark of Digital River, Inc. All
other company and product names are trademarks, registrations or
copyrights of their respective owners.
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Source: Business Wire

The TJX Companies, Inc. Announces Quarterly Common Stock Dividend

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The TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TJX) today announced the declaration of a
quarterly dividend on its common stock of $.12 per share, payable March
4, 2010, to shareholders of record on February 11, 2010.
The TJX Companies, Inc. is the leading off-price retailer of apparel and
home fashions in the U.S. and worldwide. The Company operates 889 T.J.
Maxx, 820 Marshalls, 324 HomeGoods, and 148 A.J. Wright stores in the
United States. In Canada, the Company operates 208 Winners, 79 HomeSense
and 3 STYLESENSE stores, and in Europe, 262 T.K. Maxx and 14 HomeSense
stores. TJX’s press releases and financial information are also
available on the Internet at www.tjx.com.
The Company routinely posts information that may be important to
investors in the Investor Information section at www.tjx.com.
The Company encourages investors to consult that section of its website
regul

Source: Business Wire

Eid Passport, Inc. Files Suit Against Intellicheck Mobilisa, Inc. Alleging Antitrust Violations in U.S. Military Market

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Eid Passport, Inc. yesterday filed suit against Intellicheck Mobilisa,
Inc. (NYSE Amex: IDN), alleging anticompetitive and predatory conduct in
the U.S. military market in violation of federal and state antitrust
laws.
The federal court lawsuit accuses Intellicheck Mobilisa of attempting to
unlawfully monopolize the market for electronically validating
state-issued driver licenses of visitors who present such identification
for entry at access control points at secure military installations and
facilities in the U.S.
According to Eid Passport’s complaint, Intellicheck Mobilisa’s unlawful
activities included its purchase of its leading competitor for
specialized software for the driver license validation market – and a
key supplier of Eid Passport – with a purpose of cutting off Eid
Passport’s access to the software. Intellicheck Mobilisa notified Eid
Passport it was canceling the software company’s license agreement with
Eid Passport a mere one day after publicly announcing its acquisition of
the software company, Positive Access Corporation, on September 1, 2009.
The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Portland, Oregon, also alleges
that Intellicheck Mobilisa acquired Positive Access with a purpose of
silencing Positive Access from asserting its claims of prior art over
Intellicheck Mobilisa’s patents.
“In this era of heightened security requirements at U.S. military
facilities, we believe it is unconscionable for a company to try to
squeeze legitimate competitors like Eid Passport out of a market that is
intended to protect our armed forces, their families, and the
hard-working men and women who work on their bases. That is why we felt
we had no choice but to file this antitrust lawsuit against Intellicheck
Mobilisa,” explained company CEO Steve Larson. “We must be allowed to
fairly compete in this very important marketplace.”
The action involves Eid Passport’s RAPID-RCx° Program,
a recent entrant to the driver license validation market at U.S.
military installations, and an older product that Intellicheck Mobilisa
has sold to the U.S. military.
The lawsuit does not involve or affect Eid Passport’s separate RAPIDGate°
Program, a vendor identity authentication and physical access control
solution adopted widely at U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard,
Department of Homeland Security, and NASA installations and facilities.
Intellicheck Mobilisa is headquartered in Port Townsend, Washington.
About Eid Passport
Eid Passport, Inc. (www.eidpassport.com)
integrates leading-edge products and services into solutions that
combine identity authentication, background screening and access
management. Eid Passport’s products and services make facilities,
assets, and people safer and more secure. By using Eid Passport’s RAPIDGate
Biometric Enterprise Access Control Solution, highly secure facilities —
such as military installations, government buildings, federal agencies,
manufacturing and distribution sites, ports and commercial buildings —
can increase security and streamline access for a variety of authorized
personnel.
RAPIDGate, RAPID-RCx and Eid Passport are registered
trademarks of Eid Passport, Inc.

Source: Business Wire

UPDATE: Media Advisory – TD Bank Financial Group to release fourth-quarter and fiscal 2009 financial results

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/CNW/ – TD Bank Financial Group (TDBFG) will release its fourth-quarter and fiscal 2009 financial results and host an earnings conference call on Thursday, December 3, 2009.

Financial results will be issued in a press release at approximately 6:30 a.m ET. The call will be webcast live via TDBFGs website at 3:00 p.m. ET and is expected to last about 60 minutes. The call and webcast will feature presentations by TDBFG executives on the banks financial results for the fourth-quarter and fiscal 2009, followed by a question-and-answer period with analysts.

The presentation material referenced during the call will be available on the TDBFG website at www.td.com/investor/qr_2009.jsp on December 3, 2009, by approximately 12:00 p.m. ET. A listen-only telephone line will be available at (416) 644-3414 or 1-800-814-4859 (toll free).

The webcast and presentations will be archived at www.td.com/investor/calendar_arch.jsp. Replay of the teleconference will be available from 6:00 p.m. ET on December 3, 2009, until January 3, 2010, by calling (416) 640-1917 or 1-877-289-8525 (toll free). The passcode is 4179922, followed by the pound key.

The presentations may contain forward-looking statements including statements regarding the business and anticipated financial performance of TD Bank Financial Group. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the statements. Therefore, forward-looking statements should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on them.

About TD Bank Financial Group

The Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries are collectively known as TD Bank Financial Group. TD Bank Financial Group is the sixth largest bank in North America by branches and serves approximately 17 million customers in four key businesses operating in a number of locations in key financial centres around the globe: Canadian Personal and Commercial Banking, including TD Canada Trust and TD Insurance; Wealth Management, including TD Waterhouse and an investment in TD Ameritrade; U.S. Personal and Commercial Banking through TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank; and Wholesale Banking, including TD Securities. TD Bank Financial Group also ranks among the worlds leading online financial services firms, with more than 5.5 million online customers. TD Bank Financial Group had CDN$545 billion in assets on July 31, 2009. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades under the symbol TD on the Toronto and New York Stock Exchanges.

Pioneer Hi-Bred Helps Growers Tackle Aphids

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Expert research team provides aphid tolerance scores, continues research
DES MOINES, Iowa, Soybean aphids plagued many fields across the United States U.S. this season, leaving growers to find more effective management strategies for next year. According to researchers at Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, growers can choose varieties based on aphid resistance – or antibiosis – scores. This is thanks to a designated Pioneer research team that evaluates aphid antibiosis and continues to improve aphid resistance in soybean varieties.
Pioneer researchers score soybean varieties by the plant’s antibiosis properties, or inherent characteristics that discourage aphids from feeding and reproducing. Researchers score soybean varieties exceptional (E), above average (AA), average (A) and below average (BA) which allows growers to prioritize field scouting and insecticide application.
Scouting for aphids is a common way to detect aphid infestations, a practice Jessie Alt, Pioneer research scientist, and fellow researchers promote.
“Pioneer is helping growers prioritize scouting by providing these antibiosis ratings,” Alt says. “Varieties with below-average antibiosis scores need to be managed differently than those with above-average scores. It’s important to keep a close check on field conditions because aphids can cause damage rapidly. If left untreated, aphids can destroy 50 percent of the potential yield.”
First appearing in the Great Lakes area in 2000, aphids quickly have become a major soybean pest in North America, spanning to almost all soybean-growing areas in the U.S. and Canada. In recent years, aphids are no longer an every-other-year issue, but instead can be a significant yield-robbing pest any season.
Currently, the most effective management strategies include selecting soybean varieties with native antibiosis and timely application of insecticides.
“Aphids are a major issue right now, so we’re addressing the problem with a special soybean team comprised of breeders, research scientists and an entomologist,” Alt says. “We conduct controlled screenings to develop stronger antibiosis scores in different soybean varieties.”
Pioneer research teams expect to unveil new products with improved soybean antibiosis scores that incorporate the best new or novel genes conferring resistance. The level of resistance acts as a type of insurance to growers by protecting their crop from this pest while reducing the number of insecticide applications, Alt says.
“Growers can manage soybean aphids by planting resistant soybeans as the first line of defense,” she says. “And they can back that up with insecticide applications if necessary.” To find resistance to multiple aphid biotypes, Pioneer researchers draw from many different sources.
“Our research includes screening multiple areas to give us a broad idea of how Pioneer varieties will respond to soybean aphids,” Alt says. “We screen aphid collections from several different sites around the Midwest. For example, aphids in Indiana or Ohio may behave differently than those in South Dakota. Having multiple research sites throughout North America is a significant benefit to help us determine which products work best in specific soybean-growing areas.”
Antibiosis research involves trapping aphids into the sticky cages on leaves of the soybean then observing whether the insects can reproduce or colonize. The Pioneer research team performs various testing in controlled growth centers.
“Our research shows the Pioneer antibiosis rating system is working,” Alt says. “We test soybean varieties for their aphid tolerance level in fields ranging from those treated with varied levels of insecticide to untreated fields. It’s evident how devastating aphid damage can be on fields of varieties with low tolerance to aphids.”
Moving forward, growers likely will see continued improvements in the area of soybean aphid antibiosis as well as resistant varieties.
“There’s a lot of research being done with resistant lines,” Alt says. “We’re stacking genes to create a higher level of resistance in the future. On-farm product advancement trials in 2010 will continue to help us determine what’s working best.”

Source: WEBWIRE

ION Television Rings in the Holidays with Big Movie Weekend Cheer, a Specially Themed Weekend of Favorite Yuletide Movies, December 12-13

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The weather outside is frightful so come in and gather round as ION
Television presents Big Movie Weekend Cheer, an entire
weekend devoted to holiday themed movies. Led by the broadcast premiere
of the award-winning documentary “March of the Penguins,” the
weekend is also highlighted by the premiere of the Network’s first
original film “A Golden Christmas.” The new
programming block, which airs Saturday, December
12 through Sunday, December 13, was announced today by Leslie
Chesloff, Executive Vice President, Programming, ION Media Networks.
“It’s great to be able to offer our viewers this wonderful combination
of a critical and box office theatrical hit, a brand new original
production and proven audience winners,” said Chesloff. “This is exactly
the kind of programming mix we have been promising and it’s just a
preview of what’s in store for 2010.”
The Big Movie Weekend Cheer line-up kicks off with the
television film “The Christmas Clause,” the story of a
stressed out working mom who gets her yuletide wish to change her life.
Starring Lea Thompson (“Back to the Future”), the film airs Saturday,
December 12 at 3:00 PM, ET (encores Sunday, December 13 at 5:00
PM, ET). The TV movie “Christmas Town,”
starring Nicole de Boer (“Dead Zone”) and Patrick Muldoon (“Starship
Troopers”) is the story of a woman who travels to Christmas Town to
visit her estranged father and gets caught up in a weird and intense
Christmas spirit. It airs Saturday,
December 12 at 5:00 PM, ET (encore airs Sunday, December 13 at
3:00 PM, ET).
Next up is the broadcast television premiere of the Academy Award
winning box office hit “March of the Penguins.” Directed
by Luc Jacquet, the acclaimed documentary is a remarkable a look at the
annual journey of the Emperor Penguins, as they march to their
traditional breeding ground. Situated in the pitiless ice deserts of
Antarctica, the most inhospitable terrain on Earth, the film chronicles
a truly remarkable journey that takes place as it has done for millennia.
“March of the Penguins” airs Saturday,
December 12 at 7:00 PM, ET (encores air Saturday, December 12 at 9:00
PM, ET and Sunday, December 13 at 7:00 PM, ET).
The weekend concludes with the primetime premiere of the ION
Television’s first original film production “A Golden Christmas” which
airs on Sunday, December
13 at 9:00 PM, ET. “A Golden Christmas” stars
Andrea Roth (“Rescue Me”), Jason London (“Dazed and Confused”), Nicholas
Brendon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Bruce Davison (“Ghost Whisperer,”
“Longtime Companion”), Elisa Donovan (“Sabrina, The Teenage Witch”) and
Alley Mills (“The Wonder Years,” “The Bold and the Beautiful”). “A
Golden Christmas” is the funny and heartwarming story of a
recently widowed mother (Andrea Roth) who moves back to her parent’s old
house with the intention of buying it. However things change
dramatically when she discovers the house has already been sold – to a
man she once cared deeply about when they were both still kids.
About ION Television
ION Television (www.iontelevision.com)
is a general entertainment network which reaches over 96 million U.S.
television households via its nationwide broadcast television, cable and
satellite distribution systems. Launched in 2006, ION Television
features popular TV series and movies from the award-winning libraries
of CBS Television, NBC Universal, Twentieth Television and Warner Bros.
Parent company, ION Media Networks, Inc., owns and operates the nations
largest broadcast television station group. Using its digital
multicasting capability, ION Media Networks has launched the digital TV
brands qubo, a channel for children focusing on literacy and values, and
ION Life, a channel dedicated to active living and personal growth. It
also has launched Open Mobile Ventures Corporation (OMVION), a business
unit focused on the research and development of portable, mobile and
out-of-home transmission technology using over-the-air digital
television spectrum. For more information, visit www.ionmedia.com.
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Source: Business Wire

Digital River CFO to Speak at Credit Suisse 2009 Annual Technology Conference

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Digital River, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRIV), a leading provider of global
e-commerce solutions, announced that the company is presenting at the
Credit Suisse 2009 Annual Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. The
event, being held at The Phoenician, takes place Dec. 1-3, 2009.
Digital River’s CFO, Tom Donnelly, will discuss the company’s business
strategy during a fireside chat at 11:00 a.m. MST on Tuesday, Dec. 1,
2009. A live webcast as well as a replay of Digital River’s session will
be available at http://www.digitalriver.com/2009/investorrelations/.
About Digital River, Inc.
Digital River, Inc., a leading provider of global e-commerce solutions,
builds and manages online businesses for software and game publishers,
consumer electronics manufacturers, distributors, online retailers and
affiliates. Its multi-channel e-commerce solution, which supports both
direct and indirect sales, is designed to help companies of all sizes
maximize online revenues as well as reduce the costs and risks of
running an e-commerce operation. The company’s comprehensive platform
offers site development and hosting, order management, fraud management,
export controls, tax management, physical and digital product
fulfillment, multi-lingual customer service, advanced reporting and
strategic marketing services.
Founded in 1994, Digital River is headquartered in Minneapolis with
offices across the U.S., Asia, Europe and South America. For more
details about Digital River, visit the corporate Web site at www.digitalriver.com
or call +1 952-253-1234.
Digital River is a registered trademark of Digital River, Inc. All
other company and product names are trademarks, registrations or
copyrights of their respective owners.
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Source: Business Wire

Particle Beams Once Again Accelerated in Large Hadron Collider at CERN

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Particle beams are once again zooming around the worlds most powerful particle acceleratorthe Large Hadron Colliderlocated at the CERN laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland.

On Nov. 20 at 4pm EST, a clockwise circulating beam was established in the LHCs 17-mile ring.

After more than one year of repairs, the LHC is now back on track to create high-energy particle collisions that may yield extraordinary insights into the nature of the physical universe.

The LHC is a machine unprecedented in size, in complexity, and in the scope of the international collaboration that has built it over the last 15 years, said Dennis Kovar, U.S. Department of Energy Associate Director of Science for High Energy Physics.

I congratulate the scientists and engineers that have worked to get the LHC back up and running, and look forward to the discoveries to come.

American scientists have played an important role in the construction of the LHC. About 150 scientists, engineers and technicians from three DOE national laboratoriesBrookhaven Lab, Fermilab and Berkeley Labbuilt critical accelerator components.

They are joined by colleagues from DOEs SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the University of Texas at Austin in ongoing LHC accelerator R&D. The work has been supported by the DOE Office of Science.

Circulating beams are a major milestone on the way to the ultimate goal: data from high-energy particle collisions in each of the LHCs four major particle detectors.

Over the next few months, scientists will create collisions between two beams of protons.

These very first LHC collisions will take place at the relatively low energy of 900 GeV. They will then raise the beam energy, aiming for collisions at the world-record energy of 7 TeV in early 2010. With these high-energy collisions, the hunt for discoveries at the LHC will begin.

“It’s great to see beam circulating in the LHC again,” said CERN Director General Rolf Heuer.

“We’ve still got some way to go before physics can begin, but with this milestone we’re well on the way.”

In all, an estimated 10,000 people from 60 countries have helped design and build the LHC accelerator and its four massive particle detectors, including more than 1,700 scientists, engineers, students and technicians from 97 U.S. universities and laboratories in 32 states and Puerto Rico supported by the DOE Office of Science and the National Science Foundation.

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

Photos and videos from todays event are available at: press.web.cern.ch/press/lhc-first-physics/

Information about the US participation in the LHC is available at uslhc.us.

Follow US LHC on Twitter at twitter.com/uslhc.

About Berkeley Lab

Berkeley Lab is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory located in Berkeley, California. It conducts unclassified scientific research and is managed by the University of California.

Visit our News center at newscenter.lbl.gov.

About Brookhaven National Laboratory

Brookhaven National Laboratory is operated and managed for DOE’s Office of Science by Brookhaven Science Associates and Battelle.

Visit Brookhaven Lab’s electronic newsroom for links, news archives, graphics, and more: bnl.gov/newsroom.

About Fermilab

Fermilab is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science national laboratory, operated under contract by the Fermi Research Alliance, LLC. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science is the nation’s single-largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences.

Visit our Web site at fnal.gov.

About CERN

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is the world’s leading laboratory for particle physics.

It has its headquarters in Geneva. At present, its Member States are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

India, Israel, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Turkey, the European Commission and UNESCO have Observer status.&/

Source: Chicago Press Release