WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration on Wednesday proposed a plan to revamp the U.S. corporate tax system, slashing the top tax rate to 28 percent, while eliminating many loopholes that companies rely on to cut their taxes.

Although the statutory top corporate tax rate is 35 percent, many companies pay nowhere near that much, with effective tax rates varying wildly because of the use of loopholes.

The administration's plan has little chance of becoming law with elections approaching in November and Congress deeply divided over fiscal issues. Still, the plan opens debate on overhauling the tax code, perhaps in 2013 and beyond.

Among the tax breaks Obama aims to cull are those specific to oil and gas companies, and also broader breaks including accelerated write-offs for business investments.

Below are potential winners and losers under Obama's plan:

LIKELY WINNERS

Likely “winners” under the Obama plan would be retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc and healthcare service groups like Aetna Inc which now pay close to the top 35 percent rate.

Electronics and electrical equipment companies also pay high effective tax rates, according to Citizens for Tax Justice, a left-leaning tax think tank and activist group.

Other companies already paying close to the 35 percent statutory tax rate, include health insurer UnitedHealth Group, motorcycle giant Harley-Davidson and Emerson Electric Co, according to Citizens for Tax Justice.

LIKELY LOSERS

“Losers” might be big multinational companies such as General Electric Co and Boeing Co, which can now pare their effective tax rates using myriad tax breaks.

Other major companies paying a low effective or even negative rate, according to analysis by the group, include Baxter International Inc, Wells Fargo & Co and Honeywell International Inc.

According to CTJ, information technology, oil and gas, and utilities are among those paying far below the 35 percent rate.

Oil and gas companies in particular are likely to be losers, since the Obama administration wants to cut a major tax deduction now used by the industry.

Companies with major international components, specifically valuable intellectual property and other intangible assets, are likely to lose under the plan. Current tax rules let companies shift these assets abroad to trim taxes paid.

Many well-known corporations like Google Inc and Eli Lilly & Co take advantage of tax havens like the Netherlands and Puerto Rico to locate divisions and assets, which suggests they could be hit by the proposed minimum tax on foreign profits.

MANUFACTURING WILD CARD

The administration plan seeks a special 25 percent rate for manufacturing. It would do this by expanding a current tax break for manufacturing to 10.6 percent, from the current 9 percent, and focusing it more narrowly.

Obama also wants to double the credit for what he calls “high-tech” manufacturing, though which sectors would qualify is unclear.

Companies with big research and development costs could also benefit, given the plan's bid to expand that popular credit.

(Reporting By Kim Dixon; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Matthew Lewis)

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Factbox: Winners, losers in Obama corporate tax plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Obama administration on Wednesday proposed a plan to revamp the corporate tax system, slashing the top tax rate to 28 percent, while eliminating many tax loopholes that companies rely on to cut their taxes.

Among other changes, the proposal seeks to curb oil and gas company tax breaks while expanding deductions for manufacturers.

Major business groups largely applauded the lower corporate rate, but criticized the plan for focusing solely on corporate taxes.

Many businesses – such as law firm partners and investment managers – file through the individual side of the tax code, and Obama wants to raise the top rates on high earners.

At least one group representing small businesses applauded the plan for creating a more “level playing field” with larger rivals.

Unions and liberal groups said the plan doesn't go far enough in asking corporate America to pay its fair share.

Here is a snapshot of reactions to the proposal:

BUSINESS GROUPS

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue:

“It's appropriate for the White House to acknowledge that the corporate tax code stifles economic growth, undermines the competitiveness of U.S. firms, and needs reform.”

However, he said, “We will be forced to vigorously oppose pay-fors that pit one industry against another or lavish favors on some while punishing others.”

Small Business Majority President John Arensmeyer:

“The president's framework for reforming the tax code will eliminate dozens of loopholes that consistently leave small businesses paying an unfair share of taxes. It will also simplify the tax filing process for small business owners, whose valuable time needs to be spent building their business.”

National Retail Federation President Matthew Shay:

Called the proposal a “positive first step,” but criticized the creation of new tax benefits favoring select industries.

“Tax reform is a once-in-a-generation opportunity and we need to get it right. Reform needs to address small businesses as well as corporations, and needs to be fair to all industries rather than favoring one over another.”

Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association Vice President Kenneth Bentsen:

“The president's proposal is partially undermined by a number of proposed tax increases, such as the proposal to create a new global minimum tax for American companies.”

American Petroleum Institute President Jack Gerard:

“It is the tired old policies of the past that discriminate against the oil and gas industry. Let's do corporate tax reform, bring the corporate rate down and treat everybody consistently and in a balanced way – don't pick winners and losers.”

UNIONS, CONSUMER GROUPS

Richard Trumka, president of union umbrella group AFL-CIO:

“The Obama administration's proposal to reform the corporate tax code takes a number of steps in the right direction, but should have asked more from corporate America.”

Bob McIntyre, president of Citizens for Tax Justice, a liberal-leaning tax activist group:

“We can and should collect more tax revenue from corporations. Right now, America's biggest and most profitable corporations are paying, on average, a ridiculously low amount in federal income taxes, and many of them are paying nothing at all.”

OTHERS

Martin Sullivan, a former Treasury tax official and editor at Tax Analysts:

“The president deserves high grades for a much needed reduction in the corporate rate. And a blanket rule preventing multinationals from parking profits in tax havens is long overdue. But by only suggesting – and not spelling out exactly and endorsing – what other tax breaks could pay for the low rate, he has left the hard part of tax reform undone.”

Michael Mundaca, former top Treasury tax official under Obama, now with accounting firm Ernst and Young:

“A lower rate could benefit U.S. businesses, encourage investment in the United States, and create U.S. jobs. At the same time, because under this framework overseas earnings would continue to be subject to U.S. tax upon repatriation, U.S. multinationals will continue to be concerned about the U.S. tax cost of accessing their earnings overseas and the competitiveness implications of that cost.”

(Reporting By Kim Dixon; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Eric Walsh)

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Factbox: Reaction to Obama's corporate tax proposal

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Health Evolution Partners, a health care private equity firm, announced today that it has acquired a majority interest in Freedom Innovations, LLC (“Freedom”). Freedom, based in Irvine, California, is a leading provider of premium high-technology prosthetic devices and is focused on developing world-class solutions for individuals with lower limb amputations. Freedom’s senior management team will continue their leadership of the organization, and will remain significant shareholders in the company. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“We are very excited to partner with Freedom,” said Ned Brown, Investment Partner of Health Evolution Partners. “Freedom develops, manufactures, and has successfully commercialized, a broad and attractive portfolio of proprietary lower limb prosthetic devices. The company provides a tremendous platform for expansion in a dynamic and growing market, and has a robust pipeline of new products. We have been impressed with Freedom’s strong management team and employees; they have an outstanding track record of innovation and development, along with superior commercial execution and customer service. We look forward to working with them.”

“Health Evolution Partners is an ideal partner for Freedom,” said Maynard Carkhuff, Chief Executive Officer of Freedom. “Their extensive background in the medical device industry, combined with their strategic insight, and the firm’s total-systems approach to healthcare investing will be extremely valuable to Freedom as we continue to execute our growth strategy. We believe that Health Evolution Partners will be able to help accelerate Freedom’s growth through their broad-scale healthcare systems, strategic, operational, reimbursement, and commercial sales and marketing experience. Furthermore, their strong relationships with key decision-makers in the healthcare industry, both in the U.S. and internationally, will be highly valuable.”

As part of the transaction, and to finance further growth opportunities for Freedom, Health Evolution Partners facilitated the successful completion of new senior credit facilities. The senior credit facilities were led by Madison Capital Funding LLC and included BMO Capital Markets as Co-Lead Arranger.

Health Evolution Partners focuses on creating strong partnerships with high growth companies and exceptional management teams in the healthcare industry. The firm seeks to invest in platforms where the expertise and experience of the firm’s operating and transaction principals can contribute to accelerating the growth and value of the businesses. Freedom is Health Evolution Partner’s ninth Growth Fund investment. Health Evolution Partner’s previous investments include AOS, CambridgeSoft, CenseoHealth, Halcyon Healthcare, Kisimul, Mollen Immunization Clinics, Optimal IMX, and Prolacta Bioscience.

“We are enthusiastic about Freedom Innovations, and look forward to working with them to continue their global growth,” said David J. Brailer, Ph.D., M.D., Chairman of Health Evolution Partners. “Freedom adds undisputed value to its patients and to the overall health care system. It is led by a strong and proven management team, and is poised to take major steps forward as a commercial leader in its space. It is, in short, the kind of company that we want to work with and to have in our portfolio.”

About Health Evolution Partners | www.healthevolutionpartners.com

Health Evolution Partners buys and invests in rapidly growing companies that are commercial leaders in the health care industry. We invest around the globe and across the health economy, including services, information technology, and life sciences. We form close working partnerships with outstanding management teams and connect our companies to our network of CEOs, policy makers, and thought leaders. For more information on Health Evolution Partners, visit www.healthevolutionpartners.com.

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Health Evolution Partners Makes Investment in Freedom Innovations, LLC

FAIRFAX, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

The Freedom Bank of Virginia (Bank) (Bulletin Board:FDVA.OB) announces a six for five stock split. Shareholders will receive one additional share of common stock for every five shares of common stock owned. The Bank expects to distribute the new shares to shareholders of record as of February 16, 2012. For fractional shares created by this action, shares over 0.49 will be rounded up; otherwise, shares will be rounded down. The Bank completed a second year of strong profits in 2011. According to CEO Craig Underhill, “Our decision to increase our outstanding shares was driven by our strong financial performance. We expect this will have a positive impact on our valuation over time.”

This release contains forward-looking statements, including our expectations with respect to future events that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations include: fluctuation in market rates of interest and loan and deposit pricing, adverse changes in the overall national economy as well as adverse economic conditions in our specific market areas, maintenance and development of well-established and valued client relationships and referral source relationships, and acquisition or loss of key production personnel. Other risks that can affect the Bank are detailed from time to time in our quarterly and annual reports filed with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. We caution readers that the list of factors above is not exclusive. The forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release, and we may not undertake steps to update the forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of any circumstances or events that arise after the date the forward-looking statements are made. In addition, our past results of operations are not necessarily indicative of future performance.

Excerpt from:
Freedom Bank Announces Stock Split

Article updated: 2/21/2012 11:52 PM

Host Christian Liberty almost saw a 16-point fourth-quarter lead go by the wayside before hanging on to edge Yeshiva from Skokie 54-49 in Tuesday night?s Class 1A boys basketball regional semifinal in Grace Gymnasium in Arlington Heights.

The win sends the 18-10 Chargers, who have won 5 of their last 6, against an old nemisis in North Shore Country Day in Thursday?s 7:30 p.m. regional final.

The top-seeded Purple Raiders defeated Chicagoland Jewish 63-51 in Tuesday?s first semifinal. No. 2 Christian Liberty defeated NSCD 57-56 last week but lost to the Raiders in last year?s regional finals.

The Chargers built a 43-27 lead with 6:49 left in the game following center Ben Thomas? (season-high 15 points, 10 rebounds) putback basket.

?Thomas is a presence for us in the middle,? said Christian Liberty coach Jed Bennett. ?He?s doing it at both ends of the court.?

Yeshiva (13-11) then went to a trapping defense which paid dividends.

?Their traps were very effective,? said Bennett. ?We turned the ball over a few times and then their No. 3 (Meechael Kohananoo) got hot and made it a ball game. We hurt ourselves at the free-throw line (7-of-13 in the fourth quarter) and normally we hit about 70 percent.?

Yeshiva whittled away at the lead thanks to four 3-pointers by Kohananoo (23 points) in the final quarter. He had six 3s for the game.

With 1:16 left Yeshiva closed to 49-45 on Kohananoo?s last basket. Thomas connected on 2 free throws and Luke Comerouski (15 points) hit one to extend the lead to 52-45 with 36 seconds left.

Two free throws by Ami Schawartz and a basket by Tzachi Kahn made the score 52-47 Chargers with five seconds left.

David Colbert threw a fullcourt pass to Comerouski for a layup as time expired.

Thomas also had 11 points in last week?s win over North Shore. He missed the first 16 games because of injury.

?I just play as hard as I can,? said Thomas. ?I?ve really improved the last few days. The coaches have helped me get more determined. I?ve got more motivation.?

Kyle Moriarty was a unsung hero, scoring 13 points, including a key 3 in a 8-0 run to end the third quarter that put the Chargers up 39-26.

?We had a good flow in that stretch,? said Moriarty. ?We need to keep playing with that kind of flow for extended periods. If we play well together I think we can go far in the tournament.?

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Christian Liberty holds on

BOSTON, Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Marijuana use is on the rise among teens and is currently at its highest level among eighth- to-12th-graders in 30 years.(1) Perhaps equally disturbing is that one-in-five (19 percent) teen drivers reports that they have driven under the influence of marijuana, according to the most recent teen driving study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions).  In fact, marijuana influence is significantly more prevalent among teen drivers than alcohol, as compared to the 13 percent of teens surveyed who report that they have driven after drinking. 

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110607/NE15669LOGO)

The study, which Liberty Mutual and SADD have regularly conducted since 2000, highlights a dangerous misconception:  many teens don't even consider marijuana use as a distraction to their driving.  More than one-third (36 percent) of teens who have driven after using marijuana say the drug presents no distraction to their driving.  Also alarming, among the teens who say they have driven after drinking, 19 percent of them believe alcohol use does not present a driving distraction. 

“Marijuana affects memory, judgment, and perception and can lead to poor decisions when a teen under the influence of this or other drugs gets behind the wheel of a car,” said Stephen Wallace, Senior Advisor for Policy, Research, and Education at SADD.  ”What keeps me up at night is that this data reflects a dangerous trend toward the acceptance of marijuana and other substances compared to our study of teens conducted just two years ago.”

Indeed, in a prior Liberty Mutual Insurance/SADD study in 2009, 78 percent of teens were at the other end of the spectrum, characterizing marijuana use as “very” or “extremely” distracting to their driving.  However, in the most recent study two years later, the percentage of teens who felt this high level of concern declined to 70 percent.

“Teens are faced with potentially destructive decisions everyday and don't always make the best ones,” said Dave Melton, a driving safety expert with Liberty Mutual Insurance and managing director of global safety.  ”It's our job as mentors, parents, role models or friends to effectively communicate with them to ensure they are armed with the right information and aware of the dangers of marijuana and other substances, especially while driving.”

Power of the Passenger
Friends do play a significant role, as most teen drivers say they would stop driving under the influence of marijuana (90 percent) or alcohol (94 percent) if asked by their passengers.  Yet even teen passengers are seemingly less concerned about riding in a car with a driver who has used marijuana than with one who has used alcohol.  While a significant majority (87 percent) of teen passengers would speak up and ask the driver to refrain from getting behind the wheel after drinking, only 72 percent of teen passengers would do the same for a driver who has used marijuana.  Girls are far more likely to speak up to the driver than boys are in either circumstance.

Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD have been working together since 1991 to help empower parents and teens to communicate openly about the critical issues young people face every day.  Helpful information on how to effectively communicate, including tips on how to be a safe and responsible driver, can be found at www.LibertyMutual.com/TeenDriving.  The website also provides guidelines from SADD and Liberty Mutual on how to have good family communication,  information about distracted driving, state-by-state teen driving laws, practice permit tests, and video demonstrations of safe driving techniques including parallel parking.  Other important safety information can be found at www.sadd.org.

About the Study
Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD commissioned ORC International to conduct a qualitative and quantitative study to measure teen driving attitudes and behaviors.  The study was initiated with a series of four focus groups held in Harrisburg, Pa., and San Francisco, Calif., in October 2010, followed by a survey of 2,294 teens in eleventh and twelfth grades from 28 recruited high schools across the country in January 2011.  Overall findings for the study can be interpreted with a 95 percent confidence interval with an error margin of +/- 2.02 percent. 

About Liberty Mutual Insurance
“Helping people live safer, more secure lives” since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on A.M. Best Company's report of 2010 net written premium.  Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 82nd on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2010 revenue.  The company has over 45,000 employees located in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

The eighth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual Insurance (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance.  The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 13,500 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.

About SADD
SADD, the nation's leading peer-to-peer youth education, prevention, and activism organization, is committed to empowering young people to lead initiatives in their schools and communities. Founded in 1981, today SADD has thousands of chapters in middle schools, high schools, and colleges.  SADD highlights prevention of many destructive behaviors and attitudes that are harmful to young people, including underage drinking, other drug use, risky and impaired driving, and teen violence and suicide. To become a Friend of SADD or for more information, visit sadd.org, parentteenmatters.org or follow SADD on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

(1) According to the University of Michigan and National Institute on Drug Abuse's 2011 Monitoring the Future Study.

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Hazy Logic: Liberty Mutual Insurance/SADD Study Finds Driving Under the Influence of Marijuana a Greater Threat to …

In a new line of attack on the Obama administration, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said on Tuesday that the administration has fought “religious liberty” in the country, prompting the Obama campaign to call the comments “disgraceful.”

“I will make sure that we never again attack religious liberty in the United States of America,” said Romney, in response to a question about protecting religious freedom at a campaign stop in Michigan. “You expect the president of the United States to be sensitive to that freedom and protect it and unfortunately — perhaps because of the people the president hangs around with, and their agenda, their secular agenda — they have fought against religion.”

Those words prompted a stern rebuke by the Obama campaign, which linked the remarks to earlier statements by Republican candidate Rick Santorum, who has said that Obama espouses a “phony theology.” “These ugly and misleading attacks have no place in the campaign,” said Liz Smith, an Obama campaign spokeswoman.

Religious liberty has been a burning topic over the past few weeks in the wake of the Obama administration’s decision to mandate that insurance companies cover birth control costs even for people employed at church-affiliated institutions. In campaign appearances, Romney has typically steered clear of hot-button social issues.

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Romney: Obama Opposes 'Religious Liberty'

Liberty Join or Die, a new t-shirt company with focus on apparel that reinforces the founding of America.

Orlando, Fl (PRWEB) February 22, 2012

Liberty Join or Die is a new T-Shirt company that is focusing on Shirts that reinforce the founding of America. We create apparel that is up lifting and patriotic. Our goal is to provide patriotic apparel that is fun and thought provoking.

    Looking at T-shirts, mainly patriotic shirts, we could find plenty of shirts with the flag, supporting the military, etc. What we could not find was patriotic shirts that reinforced the founding of America or its values. We wanted designs that were for everyone, for all Americans. So we started Libertyjoinordie.com as the place for that.

    We decided to go with Direct to Garment printing for the shirt production. This is a remarkable process that gives lots of flexibility in how we design shirts and products. We work with a printer, Printfection, that prints the shirts right here in the USA and ships directly to you. We print on Gildan shirts, great quality shirts with a wide selection of colors and sizes.    To reinforce the American theme, we have decided to use Old Glory Flag colors that were the colors of the flag from the founding. Many of the designs use images to build metaphorical or allegorical references to America. The best example is our logo, The Liberty Tree.

    The Liberty Tree, was an American Elm tree in Boston where the Sons of Liberty met. The Liberty Tree is a part of American history that is not well known, but is a vital part of the fabric of this country.    Our logo has a representation of the Liberty Tree with the Sons of Liberty motto, Liberty Join or Die and the 13 Stars of the colonies all underneath the trees' branches.

    On this President's day, February 20, 2012, we are letting everyone know about Libertyjoinordie.com. We are a small and new company making patriotic shirts that reinforce the Founding of America and its values. We just want to promote Liberty and Freedom and the values that make America great by using a simple T-shirt.

###

Ivan
Liberty Join or Die
622-2500
Email Information

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Liberty Join or Die – Patriotic T-Shirts for American pride

As part of the marketing and promotions of the spy-thriller, the makers have tied up with a fast-food giant to launch an exclusive comic book. If that wasn't all, Saif also plans to launch a Playstation 3 game, all of which revolve around AGENT VINOD, much like what Shahrukh did for his dearly made film RA.ONE.

Talking about the concept of the game says Saif Ali Khan, an avid gamer himself, ''At each level, the gamer will be provided with clues to nail the bad guy, who could range from a 'chaalu' (street smart) knife-wielding dada (don) from Mumbai's dark underbelly to an international mafia kingpin. If the baddie is killed in the shootout, the gamer earns points and moves on to the next level,' he adds, 'When the first CDs came out, I was hooked. I was lost in this dark virtual space.''

CHECK OUT: Saif Ali Khan- AGENT VINOD is not a copy of James Bond films

Ready to bring to Indian audiences slick, fast paced cinema on par international standards Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor starrer AGENT VINOD has already created quite a wave in the industry with its breathtaking promo.

''If the film works, we are planning to build AGENT VINOD into a brand,'' adds Saif.

Shot in over 12 countries including Morocco, Russia and Latvia, the highly anticipated action-adventure AGENT VINOD also starring Adil Hussain, Ram Kapoor, Prem Chopra and Gulshan Grover, is all set to release on the 23rd of March 2012.

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Saif follows Shahrukh's path for AGENT VINOD

Two P.E.I. islands that were earmarked for protection in the early 1970s have been acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the organization announced Wednesday.

The NCC has obtained Governor's Island, located in Hillsborough Bay, and Reynold’s Island off Murray Harbour.

The islands were acquired with help from private and business donors, the provincial government and a $225-million federal Natural Areas Conservation Program, which helps non-profit organizations secure ecologically sensitive lands.

The islands were recommended for protection by the Maritime Panel of the International Biological Program in 1972, said Linda Stephenson, NCC Atlantic regional vice-president.

“I wish to thank each and every one of our partners who contributed to this major conservation success,” said Stephenson.

“All of P.E.I.’s offshore islands are important for waterfowl and other species and are necessary for the movement of certain colonies of birds and for shallow water feeding sites.”

The 84-acre Governor’s Island contains woods and wetland areas and has some of the oldest geological formations in P.E.I. Its waters are extensively used by one of the province’s largest great blue heron colonies, and numerous migrating ducks, including Canada geese.

Reynold's Island has salt marshes, sandy beach and wooded areas that are popular with colonial nesting birds such as terns, gulls, herons and several species of waterfowl. Harbour seals frequent the sand spit in the northeast of the 31-acre Island.

Fred and Shirley Hyndman contributed toward securing Governor’s Island, while the provincial government help fund Reynold’s Island. Other contributors include Tim Banks and Carrie McNabb, and Dr. Regis and Joan Duffy, Amalgamated Dairies Ltd., Maritime Electric and P.E.I. Mutual Insurance.

“This acquisition marks another achievement under our government's Natural Areas Conservation Program,” said Canada’s Environment Minister Peter Kent.

“We continue to take real action across Canada to protect our ecosystems and sensitive species for present and future generations. Your actions today will help to protect the abundance and variety of life that will constitute our natural heritage tomorrow.”

The NCC has conserved more than 4,500 acres on P.E.I. and 2.2 million acres across Canada since 1962.

Originally posted here:
P.E.I. islands secured by Nature Conservancy

Over the course of four albums, the Montreal indie-pop band Islands has developed a personal, soulful breed of art-rock. The group — which includes members of the broken-up and beloved lo-fi rock band The Unicorns — has honed its live act over the course of seven years of touring. Islands' instrumentation is deep but never overdone, while frontman Nicholas Throburn's vocals sound soulful but restrained; he's expressive, but he never lets his lyricism be obscured.

Islands' most recent album, A Sleep & A Forgetting, is out now. Return to this page at noon ET Friday to hear the band perform live at WXPN's World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

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Live Friday: Islands In Concert

Editor's note: This is one in a series on the Book of Mormon translations and translators.

The Pacific Islands span multiple languages and a variety of translation stories. From Tongan to Maori, from as early as the 1840s through today, translating the Book of Mormon for faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on these hundreds of islands has been a constant work in progress.

According to the Deseret News’ 2011 Church Almanac, the first missionaries to venture into the Pacific were called in 1843 for the first non-English proselytizing in the history of the church — only 13 years after the LDS Church was organized. Aiming for the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii), they wound up in Tubuai, part of French Polynesia.

In “Translation and Transculturation in the Pacific,” an article by Lowell Bishop and Bruce Van Orden part of a collection in the book “Pioneers in the Pacific,” Bishop and Van Orden called one of the Tubuai missionaries, Addison Pratt , a hero among early missionaries. Pratt learned and adopted the cultural ways of the Polynesian people, but was unable to translate the Book of Mormon into Tahitian due to a lack of printing facilities in Tubuai. However, Pratt had a Tahitian Bible thanks to a translation by the London Missionary Society.

The first major stride in translation, the article says, came from another missionary hero, then-Elder George Quayle Cannon, as he served in Hawaii. Cannon began translating the Book of Mormon when he was 25 years old and it was officially published in 1855 — the sixth non-English translation behind Danish, French, Welsh, German and Italian.

The next large push for Book of Mormon translation in the Pacific Islands was for a Maori edition in the 1880s. Because of the church’s fast growth in New Zealand, a makeshift translation was published in 1889.

An Ensign article in October 2004 details the story of Matthew Cowley, a young missionary with an immense love of the people of New Zealand and a particular knack for the language. Cowley provided a cleaner translation that was published in 1917. He was asked soon after to translate the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price, too.

Other landmark translations included the Samoan edition in 1903, Tahitian in 1904, Tongan in 1946 and Fijian in 1980.

“It has never been easy for church missionaries and leaders to make appropriate adjustments to new languages and cultures,” Bishop and Van Orden wrote. The Pacific Islands were no exception.

Most of these languages, for example, do not have a word to distinguish between hills and mountains, nor do they have a word for snow thanks to the terrain and weather of the islands.

The First Presidency approved a policy of very literal translation — not word-for-word, but maintaining the basic characteristics of the original text. The resulting translations, Bishop and Van Orden explain, are only as difficult for islanders to understand as the English Book of Mormon is for English-speakers not accustomed to scriptural language.

Email: hbowler@desnews.com

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Book of Mormon translation: Pacific Islands

Migration Service Helps Maintain Organic Rankings

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 22 February 2012

Seo.co.uk, a company which helps clients improve search engine rankings through SEO, today announced the launch of their new website migration service.

Having worked with numerous companies SEO.co.uk brings the best website developers and SEO consultants together to advise on the migration process from an SEO standpoint.

Hitesh Patel, MD of SEO.co.uk, commented “Too many companies leave SEO considerations until the last moment when developing a migration strategy, this often leaves them with serious losses in organic rankings and as a result business. Our team can guide companies through the process whilst improving the SEO of the destination site at the same time.”

Seo.co.uk has confirmed this service is available to SME’s as well as large corporates and can also be tailored to fit in with their web development services, if a client requires a new website to be provided.

About Seo.co.uk

About seo.co.uk: seo.co.uk is an SEO company in London providing expert SEO services to business of all sizes. Because we know that a strong and enduring online presence comes from an SEO strategy that looks at the ‘big picture’, we provide a full range of comprehensive services, from on-page SEO to PPC management and link building. As a SEO services company in London we are in an ideal position to meet with clients based in the capital. However we offer our customer-focused bespoke SEO solutions to businesses throughout the UK and further afield. Contact us today at info(at)seo(dot)co(dot)uk to find out how we can help your business.

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SEO.co.uk Launches Website Migration Consultancy Service

Billy Jack and his grand-daughters Madison Burns, Darcy Brown and Tayla Wang and Sam the dog find plenty to do at Town Beach.

Tony Martin

MACKAY residents love to take advantage of the beautiful beaches our town boasts, especially as there are no immediate costs apart from petrol.

Beach-lover Billy Jack said he spent his days at Mackay Town Beach for little to no cost while searching for yabbies with his grand-daughters.

“We only live close by so it doesn't cost as much at all to get to this beach (Mackay Town Beach),” he said.

“We come to the beach most days and spend a few hours down here.

“We either spend our afternoons and weekends here (at Mackay Town Beach) or Mackay Harbour Beach.

“We take Sam (the dog) for a walk too.”

CQUniversity researchers Professor John Rolfe and Daniel Gregg surveyed 133 Mackay residents last year and found that Mackay beach visits were worth $95.7?million due to travel costs.

Professor Rolfe said the study showed residents were spending up to $30 each time they travelled to the beaches, specifically on petrol costs.

“Aussies love that our beaches are free of charge to use, but they don't often consider the huge economic value of beaches themselves,” Prof Rolfe said.

“The maintenance of beaches in good condition, with appropriate access and safety, are important goals for local authorities and other public bodies responsible for natural assets and public safety.

“However, it is difficult to judge how much funding needs to be allocated to protect and maintain beaches without some information on the recreation values involved.

He said Mackay Harbour beach was the most popular beach followed by Mackay Town Beach.

Reasons residents travelled to the beaches varied, Prof Rolfe said.

“But most people said they liked to walk on the beach, especially with their dogs, and have stinger nets present.”

BEACH VISITS

Trips to Cairns beaches cost $24 and Townsville beaches cost $33 The study showed more than 300,000 people visited Mackay beaches last year Residents aged 15-74 were surveyed

Originally posted here:
Hidden value in beaches

CHANDLER, Ariz., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Vomaris Innovations, Inc., a leading regenerative medicine company focusing on wound care with bioelectric technology, has named Michael P. Nagel as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Nagel will also join Vomaris Innovations, Inc.'s Board of Directors. Mr. Nagel brings more than 26 years of sales, marketing and management experience in the medical device industry along with a visionary leadership approach. Before joining Vomaris, Nagel served as Chief Commercial Officer of Neomend. He has also served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Incisive Surgical and was co-founder and Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Vascular Solutions (VASC).

At Neomend, Nagel oversaw the commercial launch of a PMA device, Progel®, a pleural air leak sealant that quickly penetrated more than 1,200 hospitals and experienced rapid sales growth in the United States and Europe. He helped take Vascular Solutions from inception to IPO in 39 months and led the launch of a novel, biological vascular closure device into the interventional marketplace. With Incisive Surgical, Nagel led the launch of a new, absorbable skin closure technology, INSORB, built the entire distribution channel, sold INSORB to more than 1,000 U.S. hospitals and then launched the technology in Europe.

“With expertise ranging from diagnostics to cardiovascular devices, Nagel's proven leadership skills in commercializing biological sealants, hemostats and biomaterials will drive the regenerative technology at Vomaris forward,” said Paul Foster, Chairman of Vomaris. “Mike brings the proven experience and leadership needed to accelerate the continued development and commercial launch of an innovative wound care technology. In addition, he brings unparalleled expertise in launching new technology into the medical marketplace that will help Vomaris expand its reach and become a global company,” continued Foster.

“I value the opportunity to work with an elite, highly focused team including employees and leading physicians who are dedicated to redefining wound care advancements,” Nagel said. “Driven by the increasing number of patients suffering from full-thickness wounds, there is a need to provide an advanced technology that will help expedite wound healing while reducing the associated pain and scarring. Vomaris is changing how wounds are managed, which will enhance the quality of patient care worldwide,” continued Nagel.

The Company's product Procellera® is the first totally self-contained, comfortable, cut-to-fit, electrically active wound dressing in the world. The technology is extremely versatile and scalable and spans multiple healthcare specialties. For more information about Procellera®, please visit www.vomaris.com.

About Vomaris Innovations, Inc.

Vomaris Innovations, Inc., based in Chandler, Arizona, is a regenerative medical device company specializing in the emerging bioelectrical field, generating innovative technologies for the wound care market. FDA cleared, Procellera® Wound Dressing is the world's first wireless, self-contained antimicrobial wound dressing that generates a sustained electrical microcurrent at its surface when activated with a conductive fluid. Procellera® is indicated for professional use for partial and full-thickness wounds such as pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, diabetic ulcers, burns, surgical incisions, and donor/recipient graft sites. Randomized controlled trials are in process to obtain clinical data for supporting expanded indications for use, including faster healing, reduced pain and decreased scarring. A recently published study in the Journal of Burn Care and Research on skin graft donor site wounds concluded that Procellera® healed wounds 35% faster and resulted in a significant decrease in scar appearance and improved patient subjective outcomes as compared to semi-occlusive control wound dressings. Vomaris' ongoing research efforts are focused on evaluating additional benefits associated with emerging bioelectrical field generating technologies. For more information, visit www.vomaris.com or call 480.921.4948.

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Vomaris Innovations, Inc. Names New CEO

UPLAND – Although it is now illegal to openly carry unloaded handguns in California, two open-carry advocates are fighting the city over a confrontation with Upland police officers.

Christopher Hacopian of Ontario and Scott Gibb of Adelanto filed a complaint last year in federal court in Los Angeles, accusing two officers of violating their First, Second and Fourth Amendment rights. They are also accusing the officers of battery.

Lawyers from the city and for the advocates have been in discussions about the complaint.

Video and audio recordings of the incident show Hacopian and Gibb being detained, ordered to put their hands up and get on their knees. The men were then handcuffed and searched without consent. Both men were eventually let go.

“My guys immediately complied,” said Jonathan Birdt, an attorney representing Hacopian and Gibb.

“If they had checked the weapons and uncuffed them, the situation would have been over. You never would have heard another thing, but they didn't. They kept them in handcuffs for 15 minutes and berated them.”

Hacopian and Gibb were both openly carrying unloaded handguns – which was legal at the time – in July at the Colonies Crossroads shopping center. They were passing out pamphlets on the Second Amendment when Officer Maurice Duran and Sgt. Barry Belt approached them to check if their weapons were unloaded.

“These guys are zealous advocates that were passing out

fliers on the Second Amendment. It's a controversial issue, and these officers were idiots,” Birdt said.

Carrying an unloaded handgun in plain sight was legal until January, when a bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown made open carry of handguns illegal.

It is still legal to openly carry unloaded rifles and shotguns.

The City Council discussed the lawsuit in closed session during a meeting earlier this month. There was no reportable action.

Birdt said he had offered to settle for $100,000, which the city turned down. If the case goes to trial, he said he will ask for up to $250,000 in damages.

“The complaint in this case taken directly from what happened on the video. Whether the plaintiffs acted improperly or not or one of them ran his mouth, he complied with every order he was given,” Birdt said.

“The police did not have the power and do not have the power to just have a temper tantrum and cuff somebody for 10 minutes because they feel like it. It's an abuse of power.”

City Manager Stephen Dunn said he believes the advocates could have been looking for a loophole in the system.

“Unfortunately, our officers fell into that loophole and now it's looking like it could potentially cost the city some money,” he said.

Duran and Belt were responding to a call made by a jewelry store employee stating there were two men with guns near the store.

The jewelry store had been robbed in the past, Dunn said.

“Of course, they were very nervous so they called for service and police responded and I think they reacted like I think you would expect them to react if they saw people with sidearms, only to find out in a sense it was a set-up.”

When officers go out on calls reporting men with guns, their approach is different than if they know the men are just openly carrying, Capt. Ken Bonson said.

“I think the best we can do is we train our officers on how to handle the open-carry people when they know that's what they're dealing with and train our officers how to handle these more high-risk situations of possible robbery suspects, man-with-a-gun type of things,” Bonson said. “What we hope for (from) this is that at the point where they become aware of this appearing to be an open carry situation that the officer de-escalates.”

Bonson said officers were re-trained on the open-carry law immediately after the incident in July.

“The training was a big part of it just reminding everybody that some of these `man-with- a-gun' calls we go on might be open-carry people,” Bonson said. “We need to be prepared to address that appropriately.”

Often, open-carry advocates inform the Police Department before they pass out fliers or hold a demonstration, but they are not required to do so.

“People involved in open carry know that there's always the potential for members of the public to get scared,” Bonson said. “If members of the public call the police, if we're notified ahead of time when we get that call, the officer knows and they're going there with that mindset.”

Reach Sandra via email, call her at 909-483-8555, or find her on Twitter @UplandNow .

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Open carry advocates battle Upland

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012

By ROBERT J. SAMUELSON

WASHINGTON — The emergence of super PACs shows once again that “campaign finance reform” has failed abysmally. After nearly four decades, it has achieved none of its goals. It has not purged politics of big donations, nor cured public cynicism about the influence of the rich, nor made elected leaders more trusted. What it has done is compromise basic First Amendment rights, clutter politics with baffling laws and regulations, and actually deepen cynicism.

Except for contribution disclosures, campaign finance laws should be scrapped. If there were no limits on individual contributions to candidates (the basic limit is $2,500 per candidate per election, meaning $5,000 for a primary and general election together), there would be few — if any — super PACs. The wealthy would give to candidates directly instead of resorting to some contorted alternative. Super PACs are merely the latest of many contortions born of a muddled Supreme Court.

On the one hand, the court has blessed limits on direct contributions to candidates and political parties. The rationale: to prevent corruption and its appearance — undue influence by big contributors. On the other, the court has also said that the First Amendment guarantees Americans the right to spend unlimited amounts to elect anyone they wish. It's free speech. In Buckley v. Valeo (1976), the court tried to reconcile the contradictions by saying people could make unlimited “independent expenditures” not “coordinated” with the candidates or their campaigns.

The unsurprising result is that both parties searched for new ways to maximize spending without violating the letter of the law. These have included PACs (political action committees), so-called 527 groups, “soft money” and now super PACs, which can accept unlimited contributions and make “independent expenditures” (mainly media advertising). The trouble is that these various responses, though legally clever, seem ethically suspect to many Americans. The press generally adopts the same attitude.

The perception that political operatives and wealthy donors are skirting contribution limits — as they are — creates the aura of corruption and even criminality. Super PACs also seem to make candidates' campaigns less accountable. The fact that all this is an exercise of First Amendment rights is simply ignored. The paradox is that campaign financial “reform,” far from allaying public suspicion of the political system, deepens it.

What started as an understandable reaction to Watergate abuses now imposes a tangle of rules on free speech and political activity. Go to the Federal Election Commission's website and download its summary of regulations on “coordinated communications and independent expenditures.” It's 11 single-spaced pages of legalese. This is not what the Founders imagined when they said Congress “shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech” or the right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Three myths buttress the status quo.

Myth One: The rich and corporate interests rule government through campaign contributions and lobbying.

This is absurd. In 2009, $2.1 trillion (60 percent) of federal spending went for “payments for individuals.” This included 52.5 million people receiving Social Security; 46.6 million on Medicare (many of the same people); 32.9 million on food stamps; 47.5 million on Medicaid; 3.9 million with veterans benefits. Almost all these benefits go to the poor and middle class. Meanwhile, the richest 5 percent of American pay 44 percent of federal taxes.

Does this look like government for the rich? Of course, businesses and wealthy individuals support candidates that share their interests. This is their right. But many super-rich contributors (George Soros and the like) are focused on political philosophies, not their net worth.

Myth Two: Political spending is out of control.

Not so. In 2008, spending for federal elections (the president, Congress) totaled $5.3 billion, up 27 percent from 2004. Over the same period, the economy grew 21 percent. By comparison, Americans spent $297 billion in 2008 on mobile and landline phones. Neither party has a permanent fundraising advantage over the other. In the last seven elections, Republicans raised more money in four, Democrats in three.

Myth Three: Spending isn't speech.

Well, try “getting your message out” without spending. If money is necessary to disseminate campaign themes, then limits on spending (“independent” or otherwise) restrict speech.

The widespread belief in these myths makes campaign finance regulation seem respectable. It's always convenient to blame the nation's problems on moneyed “special interests” and to pretend that controlling them will advance obvious solutions. This is usually a delusion. Solutions aren't always obvious, and the most powerful constituencies are not those with big bags of money but those with huge blocs of voters. AARP outguns the American Petroleum Institute.

The greater threat to our democracy arises from the well-intentioned effort to curb traditional First Amendment political freedoms under the guise of cleansing the system of the evils of money. There lies the true corruption of the U.S. Constitution.

© 2012 Washington Post Writers Group

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Campaign finance reform fails to reach goals

February 21, 2012 11:59 PM

”Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

— The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Three words: Freedom of religion. Individually, such clear definitions. Collectively, open to interpretation. The debate over that First Amendment guarantee has raged for more than 200 years — and with slim chance of easing up.

Back in the news over the Supreme Court’s recent decision not to hear an appeal of a Forsyth County case, the latest debate over the meaning of “freedom of religion” springs from a lower federal court ruling that Forsyth’s county commissioners cannot offer prayers endorsing a specific religion.

Now, the American Civil Liberties Union claims the General Assembly is on the wrong side of the ruling with prayers favoring Christianity. The same could be said of many elected boards around the state. The Alamance Board of Commissioners earlier this month changed its policy regarding prayers that open its meetings to conform to court and ACLU guidelines. From this point forward, a general prayer without references to Christianity or Jesus will be used. For Alamance County, it was a logical and well-considered move that protects the right to pray without choosing one religion over another. Individuals may then choose to pray in whatever way they wish quietly.

Republican leaders in the Legislature don’t see it that way. They say the ACLU is “out of touch” and, according to House Speaker Thom Tillis, “has an affinity for pushing a radical, far-left agenda.”

The issue here is not the ACLU, although that is the organization making a point about General Assembly prayers in a letter to state Attorney General Roy Cooper.

The issue is whether a government body is promoting a particular religion.

We live in an area where there’s no question that Christianity is the dominant religious belief and where few flinch when prayers are said in Jesus’ name at a public meeting. It’s generally accepted, if not strictly legal.

That’s the question that fuels the ongoing debate over the meaning of “freedom of religion.”

Our founding fathers based the guarantee of religious freedom on what they saw back in England — persecution based on one’s religious beliefs. It was the very thing that brought the Pilgrims to this continent, and the founders took no chances that America would follow that path. They wrote the guarantee of freedom of religion into the First Amendment.

While for 200 years there has been tension between the “free exercise” and the “establishment” clauses, it’s clear that our country’s governing document guarantees that any person is free to practice any religion. And that the government must never favor one religion over another.

That is a guarantee of freedom all Americans should work endlessly to preserve no matter how long the debate goes on.

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Religious freedom a right to be protected

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal Tuesday from a former high school student who sued his history teacher, saying he disparaged Christianity in class in violation of the student's First Amendment rights.

The high court denied Chad Farnan's written demand for a review of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision last year that exonerated Capistrano Valley High School teacher James Corbett.

High school history teacher James Corbett, pictured speaking at a 2010 meeting of the high IQ society Mensa, rocketed into the national spotlight when a federal judge found he violated a student's First Amendment rights by disparaging Christianity in class. An appeals court subsequently tossed out the lower court's ruling, and the appellate court ruling became final after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case.

TEXT BY SCOTT MARTINDALE, FILE PHOTO: KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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“It was not at all surprising that the Supreme Court denied review,” said Corbett's attorney, Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of UC Irvine's law school and a constitutional scholar. “The 9th Circuit decision was sound … and made it clear he could not be held liable.”

The Supreme Court's decision not to hear the Mission Viejo case – in legal terms, denial of Farnan's petition for a writ of certiorari – puts a final lid on a legal battle that spanned more than four years and raised fundamental questions about the limits of what a public school teacher can say about religion in the classroom.

Farnan's attorneys, Jennifer Monk and Robert Tyler of the Murrieta-based Christian legal group Advocates for Faith & Freedom, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

NATIONAL HEADLINES

The Corbett case received a high-profile boost into the national spotlight in 2009, when a federal judge in Santa Ana ruled that Corbett violated his student's First Amendment rights by referring to creationism as “religious, superstitious nonsense” during a fall 2007 classroom lecture.

A three-judge 9th Circuit panel in Pasadena reversed the lower court's decision in August 2011, ruling that Corbett could not have known he might be breaking the law.

“I think Dr. Corbett's victory is a really important victory for teachers,” Chemerinksy said Tuesday. “Had Dr. Corbett been held liable, it could have opened the door for other teachers to be held liable. The 9th Circuit said there is no clear law that he violated. That means for any teacher, there is no clearly established law that says he can't do this.”

Legal experts not connected to the case interpreted the 9th Circuit's ruling a different way, telling the Register last year that the appellate court decision side-stepped the core constitutional question of whether Corbett violated his student's First Amendment rights with his purportedly anti-Christian commentary.

“This is an example of a systemic problem in constitutional litigation,” Douglas Laycock, a University of Virginia law professor who is an expert on the law of religious liberty, told the Register last year. “They can't hold the teacher liable because the law was not clearly settled. Because they can't hold him liable, the law will never become clear on what teachers can say in class.”

At the time of the appellate ruling, the legal experts also said the case likely would never be accepted by the Supreme Court because the underlying constitutional issues did not appear to be a systemic problem among teachers nationwide.

Farnan took Corbett's Advanced Placement European history class in 2007 and graduated from the Mission Viejo high school in 2010.

Farnan is now a student at Pepperdine University in Malibu; Corbett remains in his teaching position at Capistrano Valley High.

ORIGINS OF THE LAWSUIT

Corbett was sued in 2007 by Farnan, then a sophomore, who alleged 22 statements Corbett made during a fall Advanced Placement European history course were disparaging to Christians.

Farnan argued in his lawsuit that Corbett violated the First Amendment's establishment clause, which has been interpreted by U.S. courts to bar government workers such as public school teachers from displaying religious hostility.

In 2009, U.S. District Court Judge James Selna in Santa Ana ruled that Corbett violated the establishment clause with his “religious, superstitious nonsense” remark about creationism. But Selna dismissed more than 20 other statements cited in a lawsuit brought by Farnan.

Selna also granted Corbett qualified immunity, a federal protection that shields government workers from financial liability if they've violated someone's constitutional rights.

Farnan appealed, seeking to toss out the immunity and get the appeals court to reconsider all 22 comments; Corbett's team, which grew to include Chemerinsky, appealed as well.

In August 2011, the three-judge appellate panel overturned Selna's ruling, emphasizing there was “no prior case” alerting Corbett he had violated the law.

Contact the writer: 949-454-7394 orsmartindale@ocregister.com

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Supreme Court won't hear appeal of student's anti-Christian lawsuit

Farragut elected officials took aim at the farragutpress editorial page during a strategic planning session Saturday, Feb. 18, at Turkey Creek Medical Center.

Alderman Ron Honken called for the ?end of presstalk? in its current form, amid agreement from other members of Farragut?s Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

?I think it creates an air of divisiveness and it makes our community look bad,? Honken said, later calling the page ? which allows readers to call or e-mail in anonymous comments ? an ?avenue of bitching.?

For complete story, please see our print edition.

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First Amendment draws fire