BENTONVILLE, Ark., Dec. 3 - Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced today that it will collaborate with FIFA's exclusive worldwide master licensee, Global Brands Group (GBG), to operate 2010 FIFA World Cup Official Event Stores in nearly all of its retail markets around the world. Walmart will feature FIFA event branded shops inside select stores that will offer exclusive FIFA World Cup(TM) official licensed products and host special events leading up to the games.
"We want soccer fans around the world to participate in the world's most spectacular sporting event by giving them access to exclusive FIFA World Cup merchandise at a great price," said John Aden, senior vice president, Walmart International. ''This is a unique opportunity for us to leverage our global scale, bringing the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa(TM) experience to Walmart stores for our local customers."
The FIFA World Cup will begin June 11, 2010 and finish July 11, 2010. More than 26 billion cumulative viewers watched the 64 matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup(TM). Soccer is by far the biggest sport in Europe, South America, Africa and the majority of markets in Asia.
Jerome Valcke, FIFA Secretary General, said, "This is an important milestone in our goal to connect with fans around the world. Given Walmart's global leadership position in the retail industry, it is the ideal platform to showcase the world-class merchandise we have been developing specifically for the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM)."
Mark Matheny, CEO and Co-Chairman of Global Brands Group, said, "We are delighted to work with Walmart for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In the 105 year history of the association, this is the first time that such a coordinated retail presence with one retailer has been achieved."
All 2010 FIFA World Cup branded merchandise will be customized for the country where it will be sold. With everything from hats and bags, to soccer balls and T-shirts, fans who visit the shops will be able to support their team like never before. Walmart stores in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom and the United States are anticipated to participate.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Federal Court Shuts Down Kansas City Tax Preparer
Man Prepared 'Result-Based' Tax Returns in Kansas City Area Restaurant
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 - A federal court in Kansas City, Kan., has permanently barred Carlos Cruz, also known as Carlos Ruano-Cruz, from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The court found that Cruz's business, Carlos Income Tax Services, prepared federal income tax returns for customers that unlawfully understated tax liabilities by under reporting income and claiming improper deductions for employee business expenses and nondeductible personal expenses. The court said Cruz ignored customers' documents and prepared "result-based" tax returns "where the goal is to maximize refunds rather than accurately report his customers' actual income...." According to the court, Cruz prepared returns at a local restaurant.
The court also found that Cruz, who prepared more than 13,000 returns in the past five years, advised one customer to fabricate a business with phony income in order to increase the customer's earned income tax credit. The customer had to pay back tax, interest and a penalty when the IRS detected the inaccuracies. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audited at least 81 returns prepared by Cruz and found that 95 percent of them needed corrections. The court said the tax losses from Cruz's misconduct between 2003 and 2007 may exceed $25 million.
John A. DiCicco, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Tax Division, thanked Thomas Curteman, the Justice Department trial attorney who handled the case, and Roland Wallestad, the IRS revenue agent who conducted the investigation.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 27 - A federal court in Kansas City, Kan., has permanently barred Carlos Cruz, also known as Carlos Ruano-Cruz, from preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today. The court found that Cruz's business, Carlos Income Tax Services, prepared federal income tax returns for customers that unlawfully understated tax liabilities by under reporting income and claiming improper deductions for employee business expenses and nondeductible personal expenses. The court said Cruz ignored customers' documents and prepared "result-based" tax returns "where the goal is to maximize refunds rather than accurately report his customers' actual income...." According to the court, Cruz prepared returns at a local restaurant.
The court also found that Cruz, who prepared more than 13,000 returns in the past five years, advised one customer to fabricate a business with phony income in order to increase the customer's earned income tax credit. The customer had to pay back tax, interest and a penalty when the IRS detected the inaccuracies. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audited at least 81 returns prepared by Cruz and found that 95 percent of them needed corrections. The court said the tax losses from Cruz's misconduct between 2003 and 2007 may exceed $25 million.
John A. DiCicco, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Tax Division, thanked Thomas Curteman, the Justice Department trial attorney who handled the case, and Roland Wallestad, the IRS revenue agent who conducted the investigation.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wal-Mart Standards Fail in China, Worker Rights Abused, Report Shows
NEW YORK, Nov 25 - Workers making shoes, Christmas lights, tools, curtains and paper boxes sold at Wal-Mart stores labor in illegal and degrading conditions. China Labor Watch's latest investigation of five Wal-Mart supplier factories reveals that not a single factory has implemented Wal-Mart's basic standards, and a total of 10,000 workers included in the report suffer serious rights abuses.
"This is not about a single factory, but about Wal-Mart's inability to implement its standards," says CLW Executive Director, Li Qiang. In the report, CLW attributes this failure to ineffective auditing and a pricing structure that forces factories to sell goods at unsustainable prices. As the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart leverages its massive product orders to purchase goods at low prices, and workers suffer the financial burden.
As Wal-Mart gears up for holiday sales, workers at all five factories work at least 3 hours of overtime/day, for 100-140 total hours of overtime/month, and one factory routinely schedules overtime through the night. Two of the factories illegally underpay overtime wages at rates as low as $0.44/hour, and two withhold wages from workers who fail to meet production quotas. Workers' low wages are further undermined by excessive fines and unpaid days off or maternity leave, and some workers cannot even purchase social security!
Worker abuse extends beyond paychecks. Workers at two factories are denied gloves on the grounds that it will slow production. Dormitory conditions are so poor that at one factory, there is no running water in the bathrooms. Canteen meals are extremely poor and workers often complain of hunger pangs, and one factory forbids workers from leaving the factory to eat. Worst of all, two of the factories have rules forcing workers to lie to Wal-Mart auditors, forcing workers into silence as Wal-Mart turns a blind eye to sweatshop conditions.
Violations at these randomly selected factories represent poor conditions across Wal-Mart's supply chain in China. Wal-Mart has already pledged to remediate these five factories. But with tens of thousands of Wal-Mart supplier factories in China, CLW does not seek a piecemeal approach to factory remediation. Rather, CLW urges Wal-Mart to address its systematic failure to purchase goods made in legal conditions, according to its own basic standards.
"This is not about a single factory, but about Wal-Mart's inability to implement its standards," says CLW Executive Director, Li Qiang. In the report, CLW attributes this failure to ineffective auditing and a pricing structure that forces factories to sell goods at unsustainable prices. As the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart leverages its massive product orders to purchase goods at low prices, and workers suffer the financial burden.
As Wal-Mart gears up for holiday sales, workers at all five factories work at least 3 hours of overtime/day, for 100-140 total hours of overtime/month, and one factory routinely schedules overtime through the night. Two of the factories illegally underpay overtime wages at rates as low as $0.44/hour, and two withhold wages from workers who fail to meet production quotas. Workers' low wages are further undermined by excessive fines and unpaid days off or maternity leave, and some workers cannot even purchase social security!
Worker abuse extends beyond paychecks. Workers at two factories are denied gloves on the grounds that it will slow production. Dormitory conditions are so poor that at one factory, there is no running water in the bathrooms. Canteen meals are extremely poor and workers often complain of hunger pangs, and one factory forbids workers from leaving the factory to eat. Worst of all, two of the factories have rules forcing workers to lie to Wal-Mart auditors, forcing workers into silence as Wal-Mart turns a blind eye to sweatshop conditions.
Violations at these randomly selected factories represent poor conditions across Wal-Mart's supply chain in China. Wal-Mart has already pledged to remediate these five factories. But with tens of thousands of Wal-Mart supplier factories in China, CLW does not seek a piecemeal approach to factory remediation. Rather, CLW urges Wal-Mart to address its systematic failure to purchase goods made in legal conditions, according to its own basic standards.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Team General Tire Captures Multiple Podium Finishes During The 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Plus: Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart's Return to Baja
ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, Mexico, Nov. 24 - Battling one of the toughest courses to date, Team General Tire captured multiple podium finishes in Trophy Truck, Class 6, Class 7sx, Class 9 and Class 3, at the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, which hailed the return of Ivan "Ironman" Stewart to Baja racing.
Rick D. Johnson brought home a 3rd Place overall and class finish in the Trophy Truck class with a time of 15:02:36. The finish capped an outstanding 2009 season for Johnson, who also won the Baja 500 and the BITD Terrible's 250. He also took third place in the General Tire Mint 400.
"This is a banner day for Team General Tire. The Baja 1000 is the marquee event of the desert racing season, and to have multiple teams on the podium is a stellar accomplishment," said Travis Roffler, director of marketing, General Tire. "What makes this an even sweeter victory is that this is just General Tire's second season since its return to desert competition, so Rick's results -- not just in this race, but all season long -- really validate everything we've been working toward the past two seasons. We are very proud of Team General Tire drivers and all they have accomplished this year!"
One of the highlights of the race was Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's return to the Baja 1000, to race the new Toyota 4Runner in Class 3. The Toyota 4Runner was equipped with the General Grabber Competition tires. Stewart and his team were able to grab the 2nd place finish in Class 3, igniting a media frenzy around their completion at the finish line.
Marc Burnett in Class 6 secured a 3rd place finish, which set the stage for his 2nd place SCORE Championship in Class 6. Burnett's determination to finish the race despite overcoming transmission and axle issues was a true testament to the heart and drive this team has, to take on Baja and any other race. Burnett won the Baja 1000 in 2008, San Felipe 250 in 2009 and took 3rd place at Vegas to Reno.
Brandt Anderson, always a solid contender in Class 7sx, was able to hold onto a 2nd place finish for Synergy Motorsports.
Team GT's 1st place finishers were Team Trophylite in Class 7.2 and Pancho Bio in Class 9. General Tire is the spec tire on Trophylite vehicles, and having the Trophylite compete and win in Class 7.2 is a stellar accomplishment. Team GT has been working with the Bio teams for a couple of years and they always seem to make their mark on Baja.
"This course was brutal; one of the toughest Baja 1000 courses I can remember," Rick D. Johnson said. "It was very tough -- I was fighting the wheel at times, and we lost our GPS communication for the majority of the race. The truck performed great, the tires kept us on course, and we just held on to the finish. We're stoked to be here -- we'll take third!"
"Our hat's off to all of the Team General Tire members for an awesome effort," Roffler added. "We couldn't do this without their skill and dedication. This is a grueling race, but they made us all look good today!"
General Tire is again 'unleashing the fury' in off-road performance for 2009, in the second year campaigning its Grabber competition tire. Designed with a tough, three-ply Duragen(TM)-reinforced body construction to stand up to the rigors of off-road conditions, the Grabber also features a newly-developed competition-specific tread compound. In addition, the Grabber name and General Tire logo are prominently featured on the sidewall in red and white letters. The Grabber competition tires are designed in size 37x12.50R17 for class 8 and trophy truck/trick truck and 35x12.50R17 for class 1, 6, 7, 7 S, stock mini and Protruck.
General Tire also has a complete line of Grabber tires for the passenger and light truck market, including the new Grabber DOT-approved off-road tire (to be released in 2010); the Grabber HTS, which delivers the perfect synergy of comfort, durability and performance; the Grabber UHP, which sets a whole new standard in performance and ride quality for SUVs, light trucks and crossover vehicles; and Grabber AT2, designed for aggressive all-terrain traction in all weather conditions.
ENSENADA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, Mexico, Nov. 24 - Battling one of the toughest courses to date, Team General Tire captured multiple podium finishes in Trophy Truck, Class 6, Class 7sx, Class 9 and Class 3, at the 2009 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, which hailed the return of Ivan "Ironman" Stewart to Baja racing.
Rick D. Johnson brought home a 3rd Place overall and class finish in the Trophy Truck class with a time of 15:02:36. The finish capped an outstanding 2009 season for Johnson, who also won the Baja 500 and the BITD Terrible's 250. He also took third place in the General Tire Mint 400.
"This is a banner day for Team General Tire. The Baja 1000 is the marquee event of the desert racing season, and to have multiple teams on the podium is a stellar accomplishment," said Travis Roffler, director of marketing, General Tire. "What makes this an even sweeter victory is that this is just General Tire's second season since its return to desert competition, so Rick's results -- not just in this race, but all season long -- really validate everything we've been working toward the past two seasons. We are very proud of Team General Tire drivers and all they have accomplished this year!"
One of the highlights of the race was Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's return to the Baja 1000, to race the new Toyota 4Runner in Class 3. The Toyota 4Runner was equipped with the General Grabber Competition tires. Stewart and his team were able to grab the 2nd place finish in Class 3, igniting a media frenzy around their completion at the finish line.
Marc Burnett in Class 6 secured a 3rd place finish, which set the stage for his 2nd place SCORE Championship in Class 6. Burnett's determination to finish the race despite overcoming transmission and axle issues was a true testament to the heart and drive this team has, to take on Baja and any other race. Burnett won the Baja 1000 in 2008, San Felipe 250 in 2009 and took 3rd place at Vegas to Reno.
Brandt Anderson, always a solid contender in Class 7sx, was able to hold onto a 2nd place finish for Synergy Motorsports.
Team GT's 1st place finishers were Team Trophylite in Class 7.2 and Pancho Bio in Class 9. General Tire is the spec tire on Trophylite vehicles, and having the Trophylite compete and win in Class 7.2 is a stellar accomplishment. Team GT has been working with the Bio teams for a couple of years and they always seem to make their mark on Baja.
"This course was brutal; one of the toughest Baja 1000 courses I can remember," Rick D. Johnson said. "It was very tough -- I was fighting the wheel at times, and we lost our GPS communication for the majority of the race. The truck performed great, the tires kept us on course, and we just held on to the finish. We're stoked to be here -- we'll take third!"
"Our hat's off to all of the Team General Tire members for an awesome effort," Roffler added. "We couldn't do this without their skill and dedication. This is a grueling race, but they made us all look good today!"
General Tire is again 'unleashing the fury' in off-road performance for 2009, in the second year campaigning its Grabber competition tire. Designed with a tough, three-ply Duragen(TM)-reinforced body construction to stand up to the rigors of off-road conditions, the Grabber also features a newly-developed competition-specific tread compound. In addition, the Grabber name and General Tire logo are prominently featured on the sidewall in red and white letters. The Grabber competition tires are designed in size 37x12.50R17 for class 8 and trophy truck/trick truck and 35x12.50R17 for class 1, 6, 7, 7 S, stock mini and Protruck.
General Tire also has a complete line of Grabber tires for the passenger and light truck market, including the new Grabber DOT-approved off-road tire (to be released in 2010); the Grabber HTS, which delivers the perfect synergy of comfort, durability and performance; the Grabber UHP, which sets a whole new standard in performance and ride quality for SUVs, light trucks and crossover vehicles; and Grabber AT2, designed for aggressive all-terrain traction in all weather conditions.
UL Warns of Foam Liquid Concentrates With Unauthorized UL Marks
NORTHBROOK, Ill., Nov. 24 - UL is notifying consumers, distributors, regulatory agencies and authorities having jurisdiction that the Foam Liquid Concentrates, identified below, bear an unauthorized UL Mark for the United States. This product has not been evaluated by UL to the appropriate standards for safety and is not authorized to bear the UL Mark. It is unknown if this product complies with the United States safety requirements.
This product, a foam liquid concentrate, is added to water and mechanically mixed with air within a foam discharge device to produce a foam solution for use on fires. The product may be distributed in five-gallon pails, 275-gallon totes or 55-gallon drums.
Name of Product:
U.S. First Strike 3% AFFF-MS Type: US-FC3MS U.S. First Strike 3% AFFF Type: US-FC3 U.S. First Strike 3%-6% ATC Type: US-FCAR36 U.S. First Strike A/B Type: US-FC-FS U.S. The "A-B" "Foam Solution" Type: US-FC-FS U.S. 6% AFFF Type: US-FC6 U.S. 3%-3% AFFF Type: US-FCAR33
Units: Unknown
Manufacturer: Unknown
Dates of Manufacture: Unknown
Identification: On the container: A surface marking displays the unauthorized UL Mark and the following:
US-FC3MS (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
68P6
US-FC3 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
86R6
US-FCAR36 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
86R6
US-FC-FS (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
86R6
US-FC6 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
879G
US-FCAR33 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
879G
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 20 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each year. UL's worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries.
This product, a foam liquid concentrate, is added to water and mechanically mixed with air within a foam discharge device to produce a foam solution for use on fires. The product may be distributed in five-gallon pails, 275-gallon totes or 55-gallon drums.
Name of Product:
U.S. First Strike 3% AFFF-MS Type: US-FC3MS U.S. First Strike 3% AFFF Type: US-FC3 U.S. First Strike 3%-6% ATC Type: US-FCAR36 U.S. First Strike A/B Type: US-FC-FS U.S. The "A-B" "Foam Solution" Type: US-FC-FS U.S. 6% AFFF Type: US-FC6 U.S. 3%-3% AFFF Type: US-FCAR33
Units: Unknown
Manufacturer: Unknown
Dates of Manufacture: Unknown
Identification: On the container: A surface marking displays the unauthorized UL Mark and the following:
US-FC3MS (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
68P6
US-FC3 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
86R6
US-FCAR36 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
86R6
US-FC-FS (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
86R6
US-FC6 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
879G
US-FCAR33 (UL) Listed
Foam
Liquid
Concentrate
879G
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 20 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each year. UL's worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries.
Teamsters Call on House to Pass Hazmat Regulation
Union Supports Lithium Battery Restrictions, Restrictions on Wet Lines
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 - The Teamsters Union today urged the House of Representatives to swiftly pass legislation tightening safety requirements for the transportation of hazardous materials.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a hazardous materials safety bill last week. It requires lithium batteries on cargo airplanes to be stowed where the crew can reach them. Lithium cells and batteries can ignite on an airplane.
"If these batteries ignite on a cargo aircraft, the crewmembers need to be able to reach them to put out the fire," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa.
In 2006, lithium batteries ignited in a cargo plane as it approached the airport, nearly killing the crew and destroying the aircraft. There have been several similar, smaller fires this year.
The Teamsters represent 2,550 air cargo pilots at 15 cargo airlines.
The Teamsters Union also supports the bill's provision that bans the transportation of flammable liquid in the loading lines of tank trucks. The standard has to be met within two years for newly manufactured vehicles.
"These wet lines can be fatal to our drivers and to the traveling public when they're involved in an accident," said LaMont Byrd, Teamsters director of Safety and Health.
The committee amended the bill to extend the time for the existing fleet to meet the standard from 2020 to 2025.
"We oppose any further efforts to delay this important safety requirement," Byrd said. "Ten years was ample time for industry to comply with this rule, and 15 is more than sufficient."
Currently, 30 to 50 gallons of flammable liquid such as fuel can be transported in unprotected loading lines beneath tank trucks.
Byrd said the requirement would be worth the cost -- $2,000 to $4,000 on vehicles worth $80,000 to $100,000 - for equipment to purge the loading lines, known as "wet lines."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 24 - The Teamsters Union today urged the House of Representatives to swiftly pass legislation tightening safety requirements for the transportation of hazardous materials.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a hazardous materials safety bill last week. It requires lithium batteries on cargo airplanes to be stowed where the crew can reach them. Lithium cells and batteries can ignite on an airplane.
"If these batteries ignite on a cargo aircraft, the crewmembers need to be able to reach them to put out the fire," said Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa.
In 2006, lithium batteries ignited in a cargo plane as it approached the airport, nearly killing the crew and destroying the aircraft. There have been several similar, smaller fires this year.
The Teamsters represent 2,550 air cargo pilots at 15 cargo airlines.
The Teamsters Union also supports the bill's provision that bans the transportation of flammable liquid in the loading lines of tank trucks. The standard has to be met within two years for newly manufactured vehicles.
"These wet lines can be fatal to our drivers and to the traveling public when they're involved in an accident," said LaMont Byrd, Teamsters director of Safety and Health.
The committee amended the bill to extend the time for the existing fleet to meet the standard from 2020 to 2025.
"We oppose any further efforts to delay this important safety requirement," Byrd said. "Ten years was ample time for industry to comply with this rule, and 15 is more than sufficient."
Currently, 30 to 50 gallons of flammable liquid such as fuel can be transported in unprotected loading lines beneath tank trucks.
Byrd said the requirement would be worth the cost -- $2,000 to $4,000 on vehicles worth $80,000 to $100,000 - for equipment to purge the loading lines, known as "wet lines."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Lumeta Employees 'Lose to Win,' by Shedding Over Four Hundred Pounds and Supporting Local Food Bank
Thanksgiving Marks the Successful Conclusion of the Company's Healthy Living Initiative
SOMERSET, N.J., Nov. 24 - Lumeta Corporation, the leading provider of network discovery solutions for enterprise and government agencies, today announced the successful conclusion of its 2009 Lose to Win challenge, a healthy living program in which Lumeta employees lost a combined total of over 400 pounds.
For every pound that employees lost from January through Mid-November, the company donated $10.00 to the Somerset Food Bank of New Jersey. Employees also brought in non-perishable food goods and personal cash donations - for a total donation of $4,175, plus a large quantity of food. In addition, employees were offered cash incentives for the weight they have lost.
The program's genesis came out of a corporate offsite management meeting in December 2008. Employees were initially joking about how much they were eating - three big meals plus continual snacks every day. But when they began thinking about how they could make the company a better place to work and be a better global citizen, the ensuing discussion resulted in the "Lose to Win" as a contest.
"I'm very proud of what the company has accomplished with the 'Lose to Win' challenge," said David Hickey, CEO of Lumeta. "Everyone involved has a much more positive self image, and the program has brought employees closer together. We're proud that our efforts will not only benefit our own health, but will also benefit the Somerset Food Bank of New Jersey."
SOMERSET, N.J., Nov. 24 - Lumeta Corporation, the leading provider of network discovery solutions for enterprise and government agencies, today announced the successful conclusion of its 2009 Lose to Win challenge, a healthy living program in which Lumeta employees lost a combined total of over 400 pounds.
For every pound that employees lost from January through Mid-November, the company donated $10.00 to the Somerset Food Bank of New Jersey. Employees also brought in non-perishable food goods and personal cash donations - for a total donation of $4,175, plus a large quantity of food. In addition, employees were offered cash incentives for the weight they have lost.
The program's genesis came out of a corporate offsite management meeting in December 2008. Employees were initially joking about how much they were eating - three big meals plus continual snacks every day. But when they began thinking about how they could make the company a better place to work and be a better global citizen, the ensuing discussion resulted in the "Lose to Win" as a contest.
"I'm very proud of what the company has accomplished with the 'Lose to Win' challenge," said David Hickey, CEO of Lumeta. "Everyone involved has a much more positive self image, and the program has brought employees closer together. We're proud that our efforts will not only benefit our own health, but will also benefit the Somerset Food Bank of New Jersey."
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Patient Files Suit Against St. Vincent's Hospital in New York City
Alleged Use by the Hospital of an HIV Infected Device During a Routine Procedure
NEW YORK, Nov. 22 - Milvia Lopez, by her attorney MICHAEL STEWART FRANKEL, of New York City, recently filed suit, in Supreme Court, New York County, bearing Index # 112888/2009. The complaint alleges that while Ms. Lopez underwent a routine transesophageal echocardiogram ("TEE") at ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL, doctors used an HIV infected scope exposing her to HIV.
The complaint alleges that several hours after being discharged from the procedure and arriving back at her home, Ms. Lopez received a phone call from an employee of ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL in which she was asked to urgently return to the hospital. Upon returning to ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL by means of a limousine provided by the hospital, Ms. Lopez was told that non-sterile equipment had been used by ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL during her TEE procedure. It is alleged that Ms. Lopez was advised that she had been exposed to HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C due to the use of the non-sterile equipment during her procedure. This resulted in Ms. Lopez undergoing anti HIV treatment. Ms. Lopez is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
The complaint also alleges concealment of records by the hospital.
The Michael Stewart Frankel Law Firm has successfully represented many litigants in complex litigation over a period of decades and has been the attorney of record on precedent setting and reported cases including Juarez v. Wavecrest Mgt. Team, Ltd., 212 A.D.2d 38 (1st Dept.1995), rev'd 88 N.Y.2d 628 (1996); Cortes v. Riverbridge Realty Co., 227 A.D.2d 430 (2d Dept.1996); Public Service Mutual Insurance Co. v. Ayfas Realty Corp., 234 A.D.2d 226 (1st Dept.1996), lv. dism 90 N.Y.2d 844 (1997); Nwaru v. Leeds Mgt. Co., 236 A.D.2d 252 (1st Dept.1997) Calderone v. Levites Realty Mgt. Corp., 246 A.D.2d 458 (1st Dept.1998); Pena v. Classic Realty Mgt. Corp., 247 A.D.2d 215 (1st Dept.1998); Kelly v. New York City Housing Auth., 248 A.D.2d 594 (2d Dept.1998); Lopez v. No Kit Realty Corp., 254 A.D.2d 155 (1st Dept.1998) Cartegena v. Tang, 260 AD2d 337 (2d Dept 1999); Vargas v. Menorah Realty Corp., 274 AD2d 428 (1st Dept 2000); Tejeda v. 116 West Corp., 293 AD2d 261 (1st Dept 2002); Zaman v Patwary, 295 AD2d 424 (2d Dept 2002); Munoz v. Puretz, 301 AD2d 382 (1st Dept 2003); Perez v. New York City Housing Authority, 304 AD2d 736 (2d Dept 2003); Bligen v. Markland Estates, Inc., 6 AD3d 371 (2d Dept 2004).
The Michael Stewart Frankel Law Firm is located at 275 Madison Avenue, in New York City and can be reached at (212) 888-5100.
NEW YORK, Nov. 22 - Milvia Lopez, by her attorney MICHAEL STEWART FRANKEL, of New York City, recently filed suit, in Supreme Court, New York County, bearing Index # 112888/2009. The complaint alleges that while Ms. Lopez underwent a routine transesophageal echocardiogram ("TEE") at ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL, doctors used an HIV infected scope exposing her to HIV.
The complaint alleges that several hours after being discharged from the procedure and arriving back at her home, Ms. Lopez received a phone call from an employee of ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL in which she was asked to urgently return to the hospital. Upon returning to ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL by means of a limousine provided by the hospital, Ms. Lopez was told that non-sterile equipment had been used by ST. VINCENT'S HOSPITAL during her TEE procedure. It is alleged that Ms. Lopez was advised that she had been exposed to HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C due to the use of the non-sterile equipment during her procedure. This resulted in Ms. Lopez undergoing anti HIV treatment. Ms. Lopez is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
The complaint also alleges concealment of records by the hospital.
The Michael Stewart Frankel Law Firm has successfully represented many litigants in complex litigation over a period of decades and has been the attorney of record on precedent setting and reported cases including Juarez v. Wavecrest Mgt. Team, Ltd., 212 A.D.2d 38 (1st Dept.1995), rev'd 88 N.Y.2d 628 (1996); Cortes v. Riverbridge Realty Co., 227 A.D.2d 430 (2d Dept.1996); Public Service Mutual Insurance Co. v. Ayfas Realty Corp., 234 A.D.2d 226 (1st Dept.1996), lv. dism 90 N.Y.2d 844 (1997); Nwaru v. Leeds Mgt. Co., 236 A.D.2d 252 (1st Dept.1997) Calderone v. Levites Realty Mgt. Corp., 246 A.D.2d 458 (1st Dept.1998); Pena v. Classic Realty Mgt. Corp., 247 A.D.2d 215 (1st Dept.1998); Kelly v. New York City Housing Auth., 248 A.D.2d 594 (2d Dept.1998); Lopez v. No Kit Realty Corp., 254 A.D.2d 155 (1st Dept.1998) Cartegena v. Tang, 260 AD2d 337 (2d Dept 1999); Vargas v. Menorah Realty Corp., 274 AD2d 428 (1st Dept 2000); Tejeda v. 116 West Corp., 293 AD2d 261 (1st Dept 2002); Zaman v Patwary, 295 AD2d 424 (2d Dept 2002); Munoz v. Puretz, 301 AD2d 382 (1st Dept 2003); Perez v. New York City Housing Authority, 304 AD2d 736 (2d Dept 2003); Bligen v. Markland Estates, Inc., 6 AD3d 371 (2d Dept 2004).
The Michael Stewart Frankel Law Firm is located at 275 Madison Avenue, in New York City and can be reached at (212) 888-5100.
Leading Anti-Abortion Group Vows to Vigorously Fight the Senate Health Bill
"This bill provides for an unprecedented expansion of federally-funded abortion. What is health care about if it is not for preserving and protecting human life? If the bill is not amended, it must be defeated." Charmaine Yoest
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 - Americans United for Life Action President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest responded to tonight's vote in the Senate by releasing the following statement:
"This was a pro-abortion vote tonight because this bill provides for an unprecedented expansion of federally-funded abortion. Supporters argued that the debate needed to move forward - but life should be at the heart of any health care reform. There was no more important time for legislators to show their support for life than by leveraging their power now to demand that any health care reform bill genuinely respects life. What is health care about if it is not for preserving and protecting human life? Tonight the Senate failed to do just that. This legislation moves us toward redefining abortion as health care which is the ultimate objective of the abortion lobby led by Planned Parenthood. The flawed provisions in Reid's anti-life bill provide for federal funding for abortion, fail to protect medical providers who object to performing procedures that violate their conscience, and fail to prohibit federal funding of assisted suicide.
"In contrast to the Senate's partisan divide tonight, the House of Representatives demonstrated a bipartisan pro-life majority."
Americans United for Life Action is the legislative arm of Americans United for Life, the first national pro-life organization in America. In 1980, AUL successfully defended the Hyde Amendment before the U.S. Supreme Court in Harris v. McRae.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 - Americans United for Life Action President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest responded to tonight's vote in the Senate by releasing the following statement:
"This was a pro-abortion vote tonight because this bill provides for an unprecedented expansion of federally-funded abortion. Supporters argued that the debate needed to move forward - but life should be at the heart of any health care reform. There was no more important time for legislators to show their support for life than by leveraging their power now to demand that any health care reform bill genuinely respects life. What is health care about if it is not for preserving and protecting human life? Tonight the Senate failed to do just that. This legislation moves us toward redefining abortion as health care which is the ultimate objective of the abortion lobby led by Planned Parenthood. The flawed provisions in Reid's anti-life bill provide for federal funding for abortion, fail to protect medical providers who object to performing procedures that violate their conscience, and fail to prohibit federal funding of assisted suicide.
"In contrast to the Senate's partisan divide tonight, the House of Representatives demonstrated a bipartisan pro-life majority."
Americans United for Life Action is the legislative arm of Americans United for Life, the first national pro-life organization in America. In 1980, AUL successfully defended the Hyde Amendment before the U.S. Supreme Court in Harris v. McRae.
Randall Terry and Team to Go on 13-City Tour to Fight Health Care Bill
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 - Randall Terry and other pro-life advocates will take a 13-city, 7-state tour against child-killing in the "healthcare" bill from Nov. 23 through Dec. 4, 2009. They will hold rallies, protests, and press conferences and will perform skits.
Mr. Randall Terry states: "We are calling on Democratic Senators to make sure this is clear wording in the Senate bill which would prohibit tax-payer monies being used to kill children; we are calling on Republican Senators to filibuster the bill."
Also, there will be a stop at Notre Dame University to call upon Fr. Jenkins to drop the charges against Fr. Norman Weslin and Norma McCorvey. Both were arrested while protesting Obama speaking at graduation this spring.
What: Randall Terry and other pro-life advocates will take a 13-city, 7-state tour against child-killing in the "healthcare" bill. They will hold rallies, protests, and press conferences and will perform skits.
Who: Mr. Randall Terry and Fr. Norman Weslin (for several cities) and other pro-life advocates
When: Monday November 23 through Friday Dec 4, 2009
Where: Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Indianapolis, Indiana; Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney, Nebraska; Topeka, Kansas; St. Louis, Missouri; Granite City and Highland, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Monday 11/23
11:00 Protest - Sen. Evan Bayh, 1300 S. Harrison St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
2:30 Protest - Notre Dame Front Gate, intersection of Angela and Notre Dame Avenue
6:00/7:00 Dinner and Rally - Honkers Restaurant, 211 East Day Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545
Tuesday 11/24
2:30 Protest - Sen. Ben Nelson, 7602 Pacific Street, Omaha, NE
7:00 Rally - St. Cecilia's Catholic Cathedral, 40th and Cuming, Omaha, NE
Wednesday 11/25
10:00 Protest - Sen. Ben Nelson, 440 North 8th Street, Lincoln, NE
2:30 Protest - Sen. Mike Johanns, 4111 Fourth Avenue, Kearney, NE
Monday 11/30
12:00 Protest - Sen. Pat Roberts, 444 SE Quincy St, Topeka, KS
2:30 Protest - Sen. Claire McCaskill, 4141 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO
7:00 Rally - 3109 NW Oakcrest Dr, Kansas City, MO
Tuesday 12/1
12:00 Protest - Sen. Claire McCaskill, 5850 A Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO
1:00 Protest - Barnes-Jewish Hospital, intersection Kingshighway Blvd & Barnes-Jewish Hosp Plz, St. Louis
2:30 Witness - The Hope Clinic, 1602 21st St, Granite City, IL
6:00/7:00 Dinner/Rally - Blue Springs Cafe, 3505 George St, Highland, IL
Wednesday 12/2
2:30 Protest - Senator Evan Bayh, 1650 West Market Street, Indianapolis, IN
7:00 Rally - Location TBD (please check www.OverturnRoe.com)
Thursday 12/3
2:30 Protest - Sen. Sherrod Brown, 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH
4:30 Protest - Sen. Mitch McConnell, 601 West Broadway, Louisville, KY
7:00 Rally - Location TBD (please check www.OverturnRoe.com)
Friday 12/4
2:30 Protest - Sen. Robert Casey, 425 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
7:00 Rally - Location TBD
CONTACT: Kathy Veritas, Randall Terry, OverturnRoe.com,
+1-904-687-9804
Mr. Randall Terry states: "We are calling on Democratic Senators to make sure this is clear wording in the Senate bill which would prohibit tax-payer monies being used to kill children; we are calling on Republican Senators to filibuster the bill."
Also, there will be a stop at Notre Dame University to call upon Fr. Jenkins to drop the charges against Fr. Norman Weslin and Norma McCorvey. Both were arrested while protesting Obama speaking at graduation this spring.
What: Randall Terry and other pro-life advocates will take a 13-city, 7-state tour against child-killing in the "healthcare" bill. They will hold rallies, protests, and press conferences and will perform skits.
Who: Mr. Randall Terry and Fr. Norman Weslin (for several cities) and other pro-life advocates
When: Monday November 23 through Friday Dec 4, 2009
Where: Fort Wayne, South Bend, and Indianapolis, Indiana; Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney, Nebraska; Topeka, Kansas; St. Louis, Missouri; Granite City and Highland, Illinois; Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Monday 11/23
11:00 Protest - Sen. Evan Bayh, 1300 S. Harrison St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
2:30 Protest - Notre Dame Front Gate, intersection of Angela and Notre Dame Avenue
6:00/7:00 Dinner and Rally - Honkers Restaurant, 211 East Day Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545
Tuesday 11/24
2:30 Protest - Sen. Ben Nelson, 7602 Pacific Street, Omaha, NE
7:00 Rally - St. Cecilia's Catholic Cathedral, 40th and Cuming, Omaha, NE
Wednesday 11/25
10:00 Protest - Sen. Ben Nelson, 440 North 8th Street, Lincoln, NE
2:30 Protest - Sen. Mike Johanns, 4111 Fourth Avenue, Kearney, NE
Monday 11/30
12:00 Protest - Sen. Pat Roberts, 444 SE Quincy St, Topeka, KS
2:30 Protest - Sen. Claire McCaskill, 4141 Pennsylvania Ave, Kansas City, MO
7:00 Rally - 3109 NW Oakcrest Dr, Kansas City, MO
Tuesday 12/1
12:00 Protest - Sen. Claire McCaskill, 5850 A Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO
1:00 Protest - Barnes-Jewish Hospital, intersection Kingshighway Blvd & Barnes-Jewish Hosp Plz, St. Louis
2:30 Witness - The Hope Clinic, 1602 21st St, Granite City, IL
6:00/7:00 Dinner/Rally - Blue Springs Cafe, 3505 George St, Highland, IL
Wednesday 12/2
2:30 Protest - Senator Evan Bayh, 1650 West Market Street, Indianapolis, IN
7:00 Rally - Location TBD (please check www.OverturnRoe.com)
Thursday 12/3
2:30 Protest - Sen. Sherrod Brown, 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH
4:30 Protest - Sen. Mitch McConnell, 601 West Broadway, Louisville, KY
7:00 Rally - Location TBD (please check www.OverturnRoe.com)
Friday 12/4
2:30 Protest - Sen. Robert Casey, 425 Sixth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
7:00 Rally - Location TBD
CONTACT: Kathy Veritas, Randall Terry, OverturnRoe.com,
+1-904-687-9804
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Workers at Risk: New Report Documents Unparalleled Employer Abuse in Underreporting of Workplace Injury and Illness
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17 - America's workers suffer more workplace injury and illness than employers report, and medical professionals are under pressure from employers to misdiagnose and under-treat work-related health conditions, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report confirms what workers and worker advocacy organizations have known for a long time -- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics do not reflect the real risk workers face from workplace hazards.
"The consequences of misdiagnosis, missing medical treatment and misinformation are real and deadly for America's working families. Underreporting is not just a technical violation of the law. Resource allocation, from inspections to the targeting of specific hazards, depends on accurate reporting. Injuries and disease, that could have been prevented, needlessly take a toll in workers' lives and well-being as a result," according to Eric Frumin, Health and Safety Coordinator for Change to Win.
As the report indicates, the motivation for employer abuse is built into the system. There are few incentives or protections for workers or medical professionals who resist employer intimidation. For employers, fewer reported injuries often mean fewer OSHA inspections and lower workers compensation costs. For workers, seemingly benign employer-sponsored programs to reward work groups with the fewest reported injuries or illnesses are a thinly-veiled effort to discourage accurate reporting. And medical professionals report direct pressure from employers to under-diagnose or even withhold treatment in order to keep the severity of injuries and illnesses below the reporting threshold.
Most importantly, the report reveals the pervasive level of fear workers have in reporting an injury or illness. More than two-thirds of health professionals observed worker fear in reporting.
"This is an unparalleled abuse of a basic workplace law that is fundamental to the lives and health of America's working families. Congress should act now on the Protecting America's Workers Act. The Act would specifically prohibit current underreporting abuses, and give OSHA the means to correct the abuses. Workers must also have a voice at work. Too often employers can easily silence workers and suppress their rights. A worker voice means safer workplaces," said Frumin.
About Change to Win
Six million workers united in Change to Win to build a new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global economy and restore the American Dream in the 21st century: a paycheck that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity on the job. The partner unions are: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America, Service Employees International Union, United Farm Workers of America and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
"The consequences of misdiagnosis, missing medical treatment and misinformation are real and deadly for America's working families. Underreporting is not just a technical violation of the law. Resource allocation, from inspections to the targeting of specific hazards, depends on accurate reporting. Injuries and disease, that could have been prevented, needlessly take a toll in workers' lives and well-being as a result," according to Eric Frumin, Health and Safety Coordinator for Change to Win.
As the report indicates, the motivation for employer abuse is built into the system. There are few incentives or protections for workers or medical professionals who resist employer intimidation. For employers, fewer reported injuries often mean fewer OSHA inspections and lower workers compensation costs. For workers, seemingly benign employer-sponsored programs to reward work groups with the fewest reported injuries or illnesses are a thinly-veiled effort to discourage accurate reporting. And medical professionals report direct pressure from employers to under-diagnose or even withhold treatment in order to keep the severity of injuries and illnesses below the reporting threshold.
Most importantly, the report reveals the pervasive level of fear workers have in reporting an injury or illness. More than two-thirds of health professionals observed worker fear in reporting.
"This is an unparalleled abuse of a basic workplace law that is fundamental to the lives and health of America's working families. Congress should act now on the Protecting America's Workers Act. The Act would specifically prohibit current underreporting abuses, and give OSHA the means to correct the abuses. Workers must also have a voice at work. Too often employers can easily silence workers and suppress their rights. A worker voice means safer workplaces," said Frumin.
About Change to Win
Six million workers united in Change to Win to build a new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global economy and restore the American Dream in the 21st century: a paycheck that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity on the job. The partner unions are: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America, Service Employees International Union, United Farm Workers of America and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
ATR: Obama Lied, His Tax Pledge Died
Obama endorses House health bill loaded with pledge-breaking tax hikes
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 - The following was released today by Americans for Tax Reform:
By formally endorsing the House healthcare bill today, President Barack Obama effectively announced that the central promise of his 2008 campaign was a lie.
During the campaign, Obama made a "firm pledge" not to raise "any form" of taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year:
"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes" (September 12, 2008, Dover, NH) [Transcript] [Video clip]
"No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see one single penny of their tax raised," Joe Biden said, "whether it's their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax." (Joe Biden, Oct. 3, 2008, Vice Presidential Debate, St. Louis, MO) [Transcript] [Video Clip]
Further, on April 15, 2009, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked if the President's tax pledge applies "to the health care bill" to which Gibbs replied: "The statement didn't come with caveats." (White House Briefing) [Transcript]
Further, on August 3, 2009, Gibbs is once again asked about the President's tax pledge, to which Gibbs replied: "I am reiterating the President's clear commitment in the clearest terms possible, that he's not raising taxes on those who make less than $250,000 a year." (White House Briefing) [Transcript]
Yet today, Obama formally endorsed H.R. 3962, which is loaded with tax hikes on families making less than $250,000 per year. Here's how:
Health Insurance Mandate Taxes on Working Families
-- Individual Mandate Excise Tax (Page 296): If an individual fails to
obtain qualifying coverage, he must pay an income surtax equal to the
lesser of 2.5 percent of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) or the
average premium. MAGI adds back in the foreign earned income exclusion
and municipal bond interest. There is no exception for families making
less than $250,000.
-- Employer Mandate Payroll Tax (Page 275): If an employer does not pay
72.5 percent of a single employee's health premium (65 percent of a
family employee), the employer must pay an excise tax equal to the
following schedule:
Payroll Tax Rate Average Payroll Size
N/A Less than $500,000
2% $500,000-$585,000
4% $585,000-$670,000
6% $670,000-$750,000
8% Greater than $750,000
Small business owners pay their taxes on their owners' personal tax returns. Since this provision does not exempt business owners making less than $250,000 per year, this employer mandate tax will violate President Obama's promise in some cases.
Tax Hikes on Healthcare Spending Accounts
-- Cap on Flex-Spending Account (FSA) contributions at $2500 (Page 325):
Currently, the contribution level is unlimited
-- Medicine Cabinet Tax (Page 324): Americans would no longer be able to
purchase over-the-counter medicines with their FSA, Health Savings
Account (HSA), or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
-- Increase in the Non-Qualified HSA Distribution Penalty from 10% to 20%
(Page 326): This makes HSAs less attractive, and paves the way for HSA
pre-verification
There are 30 million Americans with FSAs. About 8 million Americans have an HSA. Virtually all of them make less than $250,000 per year. These are clear tax hikes on these families
Making Legal Tax Deductions Not So Legal
-- Codification of the "Economic Substance Doctrine" (Page 349): Empowers
the IRS to disallow a perfectly legal tax deduction or other tax
relief merely because the IRS deems that the motive of the taxpayer
was not primarily business-related.
There is no exception for families making less than $250,000 per year.
Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 - The following was released today by Americans for Tax Reform:
By formally endorsing the House healthcare bill today, President Barack Obama effectively announced that the central promise of his 2008 campaign was a lie.
During the campaign, Obama made a "firm pledge" not to raise "any form" of taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year:
"I can make a firm pledge. Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes" (September 12, 2008, Dover, NH) [Transcript] [Video clip]
"No one making less than $250,000 under Barack Obama's plan will see one single penny of their tax raised," Joe Biden said, "whether it's their capital gains tax, their income tax, investment tax, any tax." (Joe Biden, Oct. 3, 2008, Vice Presidential Debate, St. Louis, MO) [Transcript] [Video Clip]
Further, on April 15, 2009, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked if the President's tax pledge applies "to the health care bill" to which Gibbs replied: "The statement didn't come with caveats." (White House Briefing) [Transcript]
Further, on August 3, 2009, Gibbs is once again asked about the President's tax pledge, to which Gibbs replied: "I am reiterating the President's clear commitment in the clearest terms possible, that he's not raising taxes on those who make less than $250,000 a year." (White House Briefing) [Transcript]
Yet today, Obama formally endorsed H.R. 3962, which is loaded with tax hikes on families making less than $250,000 per year. Here's how:
Health Insurance Mandate Taxes on Working Families
-- Individual Mandate Excise Tax (Page 296): If an individual fails to
obtain qualifying coverage, he must pay an income surtax equal to the
lesser of 2.5 percent of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) or the
average premium. MAGI adds back in the foreign earned income exclusion
and municipal bond interest. There is no exception for families making
less than $250,000.
-- Employer Mandate Payroll Tax (Page 275): If an employer does not pay
72.5 percent of a single employee's health premium (65 percent of a
family employee), the employer must pay an excise tax equal to the
following schedule:
Payroll Tax Rate Average Payroll Size
N/A Less than $500,000
2% $500,000-$585,000
4% $585,000-$670,000
6% $670,000-$750,000
8% Greater than $750,000
Small business owners pay their taxes on their owners' personal tax returns. Since this provision does not exempt business owners making less than $250,000 per year, this employer mandate tax will violate President Obama's promise in some cases.
Tax Hikes on Healthcare Spending Accounts
-- Cap on Flex-Spending Account (FSA) contributions at $2500 (Page 325):
Currently, the contribution level is unlimited
-- Medicine Cabinet Tax (Page 324): Americans would no longer be able to
purchase over-the-counter medicines with their FSA, Health Savings
Account (HSA), or Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)
-- Increase in the Non-Qualified HSA Distribution Penalty from 10% to 20%
(Page 326): This makes HSAs less attractive, and paves the way for HSA
pre-verification
There are 30 million Americans with FSAs. About 8 million Americans have an HSA. Virtually all of them make less than $250,000 per year. These are clear tax hikes on these families
Making Legal Tax Deductions Not So Legal
-- Codification of the "Economic Substance Doctrine" (Page 349): Empowers
the IRS to disallow a perfectly legal tax deduction or other tax
relief merely because the IRS deems that the motive of the taxpayer
was not primarily business-related.
There is no exception for families making less than $250,000 per year.
Americans for Tax Reform is a non-partisan coalition of taxpayers and taxpayer groups who oppose all tax increases. For more information or to arrange an interview please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or by email at jkartch@atr.org.
Justice Department Resolves Lawsuit Alleging Disability-Based Housing Discrimination at 11 Multifamily Housing Complexes in Tennessee, Louisiana, Alab
WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 - The Justice Department today announced a settlement of its lawsuit alleging that those involved in the design and construction of 11 multifamily housing complexes discriminated on the basis of disability. The complexes are located in four states and contain more than 800 units covered by the Fair Housing Act's accessibility provisions.
Under the settlement, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, 11 defendants will pay all costs related to making the complexes for which they were responsible accessible to persons with disabilities and pay up to $117,000 to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing. The settlement requires all the defendants to undergo training on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act and provide periodic reports to the government.
"The Fair Housing Act requires equal access to housing for persons with disabilities," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "This comprehensive settlement ensures that these multifamily housing complexes will be retrofitted to comply with the Fair Housing Act, thus allowing persons with physical disabilities an equal opportunity to live in and visit these complexes."
The complaint was originally filed in Memphis, after the United States Attorney received a copy of a survey conducted by the Memphis Center for Independent Living of three of the Memphis properties indicating violations of the Fair Housing Act. In jointly announcing the filing of the Consent Order U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi said, "This Consent Order is an example of our office's commitment to enforcing the civil rights of all people and in particular highlights the high degree of cooperation between our office and the Civil Rights Division in enforcing the rights of individuals with disabilities."
The defendants responsible for the payments and retrofits are Steve Bryan, Bryan Construction Company, Patton & Taylor Construction Co., Taylor Gardner Architects, Looney-Ricks-Kiss Architects, Richard A. Barron, The Reaves Firm, Smith Engineering Firm, David W. Milem, Belz/South Bluffs and HT Devco. Two defendants, Steve Bryan and Bryan Construction Co., will also pay a civil penalty of $12,000 to vindicate the public interest. The defendants will retrofit the following complexes in Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas:
-- Sunset Bay at Bon Secour, Condominiums, Gulf Shores, Ala.
-- South Bluffs Apartments, 4 Riverview Drive West, Memphis, Tenn.
-- Island Park Apartments, 1440 Island Park Drive, Memphis, Tenn.
-- The Apartments on Harbor Town Square, Memphis, Tenn.
-- The Horizon, 717 Riverside Drive, Memphis, Tenn.
-- Grand Pointe Apartments, 3606 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette, La.
-- Highlands of Grand Pointe, 3601 Kaliste Saloom Drive, Lafayette, La.
-- Ashford Place Apartments, 107 Ashford Drive, West Monroe, La.
-- Island Park Apartments, 1105 Island Park Boulevard, Shreveport, La.
-- Reflections of Island Park, 2600 Celebration Cove, Shreveport, La.
-- Cumberland Place, 2088 Blue Mountain Blvd, Tyler, Texas
The retrofitting includes modifying walkways to eliminate steps, excess slopes and level changes, providing accessible curb ramps, and providing accessible parking and routes to site amenities, such as clubhouses, pools, mailboxes and trash facilities. The settlement also provides for the replacement of inaccessible knob door hardware, the widening of inaccessible narrow doorways, and the reconfiguration of bathrooms and kitchens to accommodate persons who use wheelchairs.
Persons who believe they may have been harmed by the lack of accessible housing at one of the complexes involved in this matter should contact the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, and select menu option 996.
Under the settlement, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, 11 defendants will pay all costs related to making the complexes for which they were responsible accessible to persons with disabilities and pay up to $117,000 to compensate individuals harmed by the inaccessible housing. The settlement requires all the defendants to undergo training on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act and provide periodic reports to the government.
"The Fair Housing Act requires equal access to housing for persons with disabilities," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "This comprehensive settlement ensures that these multifamily housing complexes will be retrofitted to comply with the Fair Housing Act, thus allowing persons with physical disabilities an equal opportunity to live in and visit these complexes."
The complaint was originally filed in Memphis, after the United States Attorney received a copy of a survey conducted by the Memphis Center for Independent Living of three of the Memphis properties indicating violations of the Fair Housing Act. In jointly announcing the filing of the Consent Order U.S. Attorney Lawrence J. Laurenzi said, "This Consent Order is an example of our office's commitment to enforcing the civil rights of all people and in particular highlights the high degree of cooperation between our office and the Civil Rights Division in enforcing the rights of individuals with disabilities."
The defendants responsible for the payments and retrofits are Steve Bryan, Bryan Construction Company, Patton & Taylor Construction Co., Taylor Gardner Architects, Looney-Ricks-Kiss Architects, Richard A. Barron, The Reaves Firm, Smith Engineering Firm, David W. Milem, Belz/South Bluffs and HT Devco. Two defendants, Steve Bryan and Bryan Construction Co., will also pay a civil penalty of $12,000 to vindicate the public interest. The defendants will retrofit the following complexes in Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas:
-- Sunset Bay at Bon Secour, Condominiums, Gulf Shores, Ala.
-- South Bluffs Apartments, 4 Riverview Drive West, Memphis, Tenn.
-- Island Park Apartments, 1440 Island Park Drive, Memphis, Tenn.
-- The Apartments on Harbor Town Square, Memphis, Tenn.
-- The Horizon, 717 Riverside Drive, Memphis, Tenn.
-- Grand Pointe Apartments, 3606 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette, La.
-- Highlands of Grand Pointe, 3601 Kaliste Saloom Drive, Lafayette, La.
-- Ashford Place Apartments, 107 Ashford Drive, West Monroe, La.
-- Island Park Apartments, 1105 Island Park Boulevard, Shreveport, La.
-- Reflections of Island Park, 2600 Celebration Cove, Shreveport, La.
-- Cumberland Place, 2088 Blue Mountain Blvd, Tyler, Texas
The retrofitting includes modifying walkways to eliminate steps, excess slopes and level changes, providing accessible curb ramps, and providing accessible parking and routes to site amenities, such as clubhouses, pools, mailboxes and trash facilities. The settlement also provides for the replacement of inaccessible knob door hardware, the widening of inaccessible narrow doorways, and the reconfiguration of bathrooms and kitchens to accommodate persons who use wheelchairs.
Persons who believe they may have been harmed by the lack of accessible housing at one of the complexes involved in this matter should contact the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, and select menu option 996.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Google Dashboard Is Small Step for User Control, Consumer Watchdog Says
Group Calls for 'Make-Me-Anonymous' Button On Home Page
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 5 - The new Google Dashboard touted by the Internet giant as offering users "transparency, choice and control" of user data stored by the company doesn't give consumers adequate control over protecting their information from Google's marketing machine, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Consumer Watchdog applauded the company for giving consumers a single place to go to manage data, but said Google needed to give consumers the ability to stop being tracked by the company and to delete information associated with their computer's IP address from the Google servers.
"If Google really wanted to give users control over their privacy it would give consumers the ability to be anonymous from the company and its advertisers in crucial areas such as search data and online behavior," said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog. "The Dashboard gives the appearance of control without the actual ability to prevent Google from tracking you and delivering you to its marketers."
"What the Dashboard does is list all the information linked directly to your name, but what it doesn't do is let you know and control the data directly tied to your computer's IP address, which is Google's black box and data mine," said Simpson "Google isn't truly protecting privacy until it lets you control that information."
Consumer Watchdog said Google should offer a simple "Make-me-anonymous" or "Don't track" button or icon on its home page, or at the very least in its Dashboard, that would prevent search information from being logged at the choice of the user.
"Google is maximizing the PR value of this feature in response to critics who have demanded online privacy guarantees," said Simpson. "They are letting a little light shine into the black box that is Google, but to claim that this is transparency is absurd."
The new feature does give users an eye-opening look at how much data Google collects. But Google still gives no explanation of how it uses the data it has accumulated. Moreover, Dashboard does not give the user any ability prevent search information from being logged or to prevent Google from tracking a user's online activity while surfing the web, said the nonprofit, nonpartisan Consumer Watchdog.
After signing into a Google account from the Google home page a user is able to access the Dashboard through the account's settings function. Clicking on link "View data stored with this account" next to the heading "Dashboard" asks for password verification and then displays a page with the various Google services like Gmail, Docs and Picasa. It shows what information is stored with the services listed and gives links to manage the data and various privacy settings for the service.
The group also said that the Dashboard, though useful, is not easy to find.
"If they want people to use this, why isn't there a direct link from the home page?" asked Simpson. "In other contexts Google likes to say competition is one click away. They've buried the Dashboard. The extra password verification is a good security measure, but why can't you get there with one click from a Dashboard link on the home page?"
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 5 - The new Google Dashboard touted by the Internet giant as offering users "transparency, choice and control" of user data stored by the company doesn't give consumers adequate control over protecting their information from Google's marketing machine, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Consumer Watchdog applauded the company for giving consumers a single place to go to manage data, but said Google needed to give consumers the ability to stop being tracked by the company and to delete information associated with their computer's IP address from the Google servers.
"If Google really wanted to give users control over their privacy it would give consumers the ability to be anonymous from the company and its advertisers in crucial areas such as search data and online behavior," said John M. Simpson, consumer advocate with Consumer Watchdog. "The Dashboard gives the appearance of control without the actual ability to prevent Google from tracking you and delivering you to its marketers."
"What the Dashboard does is list all the information linked directly to your name, but what it doesn't do is let you know and control the data directly tied to your computer's IP address, which is Google's black box and data mine," said Simpson "Google isn't truly protecting privacy until it lets you control that information."
Consumer Watchdog said Google should offer a simple "Make-me-anonymous" or "Don't track" button or icon on its home page, or at the very least in its Dashboard, that would prevent search information from being logged at the choice of the user.
"Google is maximizing the PR value of this feature in response to critics who have demanded online privacy guarantees," said Simpson. "They are letting a little light shine into the black box that is Google, but to claim that this is transparency is absurd."
The new feature does give users an eye-opening look at how much data Google collects. But Google still gives no explanation of how it uses the data it has accumulated. Moreover, Dashboard does not give the user any ability prevent search information from being logged or to prevent Google from tracking a user's online activity while surfing the web, said the nonprofit, nonpartisan Consumer Watchdog.
After signing into a Google account from the Google home page a user is able to access the Dashboard through the account's settings function. Clicking on link "View data stored with this account" next to the heading "Dashboard" asks for password verification and then displays a page with the various Google services like Gmail, Docs and Picasa. It shows what information is stored with the services listed and gives links to manage the data and various privacy settings for the service.
The group also said that the Dashboard, though useful, is not easy to find.
"If they want people to use this, why isn't there a direct link from the home page?" asked Simpson. "In other contexts Google likes to say competition is one click away. They've buried the Dashboard. The extra password verification is a good security measure, but why can't you get there with one click from a Dashboard link on the home page?"
Workers Must Be Heard
UNITE HERE's Efforts to Silence Workers Shut Down by Ontario Labour Relations Board
TORONTO, Nov. 5 - Yesterday, the Ontario Labour Relations Board handed Workers United/SEIU members of the Ontario Council a double-edged victory. Since March, UNITE HERE Local 75 has interfered with, harassed and misled Workers United members, going so far as to tell them that their union wasn't recognized in Canada. The Labour Board shot that down. The Labour Board -- which apparently is more willing than UNITE HERE is to recognize workers' democratic votes -- made it abundantly clear that Workers United Ontario Council is a recognized labor organization and has been since members voted to form in March 2009.
"We are thrilled by the Board's decision today," said Alex Dagg, Director of the Workers United Ontario Council. "Despite numerous claims by UNITE HERE that our union was illegal, the Board has recognized what the members of the Workers United Ontario Council have always known. We were a union on March 16th when our members voted to leave UNITE HERE and we have been a union every day since then, fighting to represent our members at work."
Wednesday's decision by the Ontario Labour Relations Board dismissed two motions by UNITE HERE designed to thwart the democratic choice of members of the Ontario Council. Along with recognizing the Workers United Ontario Council as a legal union, the Board also dismissed a motion UNITE HERE filed after a number of workplaces started voting in Board elections to confirm their representation by Workers United.
"Our members have been clear since March," said James Deane, an apparel worker from Hamilton, Ontario and President of the Workers United Ontario Council. "The Ontario Council voted to leave the failed UNITE HERE merger and join Workers United. Every local that made up the Ontario Council also voted and an overwhelming majority of members signed petitions. UNITE HERE refused to recognize this clear democratic choice and when members, frustrated by their tricks, turned to Board elections, they tried this motion to stop the workers' ballots from being counted but the Board has dismissed this as well."
The decision by the OLRB today means that 9 sealed ballot boxes, representing over 700 workers from a diverse group of industries including food service, manufacturing and hotels, will soon be counted. It is expected those ballot boxes will show workers overwhelmingly choosing Workers United over UNITE HERE, affirming the votes already taken in March 2009.
Workers United, which is affiliated with SEIU, is a union of 150,000 workers in Canada and the US who work in the laundry, food service, hospitality, gaming, apparel, textile, and manufacturing and distribution industries. Workers United includes members from predecessor unions like the ILGWU, ACTWU, UNITE and UNITE HERE.
CONTACT: Michelle Ringuette, +1-202-341-7057, or Wynne Hartviksen,
+1-416-510-0887 ext. 265, both of Workers United
TORONTO, Nov. 5 - Yesterday, the Ontario Labour Relations Board handed Workers United/SEIU members of the Ontario Council a double-edged victory. Since March, UNITE HERE Local 75 has interfered with, harassed and misled Workers United members, going so far as to tell them that their union wasn't recognized in Canada. The Labour Board shot that down. The Labour Board -- which apparently is more willing than UNITE HERE is to recognize workers' democratic votes -- made it abundantly clear that Workers United Ontario Council is a recognized labor organization and has been since members voted to form in March 2009.
"We are thrilled by the Board's decision today," said Alex Dagg, Director of the Workers United Ontario Council. "Despite numerous claims by UNITE HERE that our union was illegal, the Board has recognized what the members of the Workers United Ontario Council have always known. We were a union on March 16th when our members voted to leave UNITE HERE and we have been a union every day since then, fighting to represent our members at work."
Wednesday's decision by the Ontario Labour Relations Board dismissed two motions by UNITE HERE designed to thwart the democratic choice of members of the Ontario Council. Along with recognizing the Workers United Ontario Council as a legal union, the Board also dismissed a motion UNITE HERE filed after a number of workplaces started voting in Board elections to confirm their representation by Workers United.
"Our members have been clear since March," said James Deane, an apparel worker from Hamilton, Ontario and President of the Workers United Ontario Council. "The Ontario Council voted to leave the failed UNITE HERE merger and join Workers United. Every local that made up the Ontario Council also voted and an overwhelming majority of members signed petitions. UNITE HERE refused to recognize this clear democratic choice and when members, frustrated by their tricks, turned to Board elections, they tried this motion to stop the workers' ballots from being counted but the Board has dismissed this as well."
The decision by the OLRB today means that 9 sealed ballot boxes, representing over 700 workers from a diverse group of industries including food service, manufacturing and hotels, will soon be counted. It is expected those ballot boxes will show workers overwhelmingly choosing Workers United over UNITE HERE, affirming the votes already taken in March 2009.
Workers United, which is affiliated with SEIU, is a union of 150,000 workers in Canada and the US who work in the laundry, food service, hospitality, gaming, apparel, textile, and manufacturing and distribution industries. Workers United includes members from predecessor unions like the ILGWU, ACTWU, UNITE and UNITE HERE.
CONTACT: Michelle Ringuette, +1-202-341-7057, or Wynne Hartviksen,
+1-416-510-0887 ext. 265, both of Workers United
Man Sues Bay County Prosecutor for Ethnic and Religious Discrimination, Conspiracy, and Violation of His Constitutional Rights
TROY, Mich., Nov. 5- An Arab American filed suit yesterday in U.S. Federal Court in Detroit against the Bay County, Michigan Sheriff's Department, Prosecutors, Officers and other Defendants for ethnic and religious discrimination, false imprisonment, violation of his constitutional rights and conspiracy.
Fawaz Ghaith, a trucker by trade, and a father of 4, was wrongfully accused of extortion, and allegedly threatening to engage in the honor killing of his daughter.
After setting an unusually high bail based on the fabricated charges against him, a Judge declared a mistrial in Fawaz's first trial. Then, after Prosecutor, Richard Dresser produced evidence which was withheld from Fawaz during the first trial, the County Prosecutors Office dropped all extortion charges against Fawaz, and released him after wrongfully detaining him for nearly 6 months.
Fawaz is being represented by civil rights attorney, Shereef Akeel.
Shereef Akeel commented, "This is an abhorrent miscarriage of justice. Men and women in law enforcement deserve our highest honor and respect. So for any officer or prosecutor that violates the public trust by maliciously prosecuting an innocent man on the basis of his ethnicity or religion is simply unacceptable, undermines our trust in law enforcement, and has no place in America today."
CONTACT: Shereef Akeel of Akeel & Valentine, PLC, +1-248-269-9595
Fawaz Ghaith, a trucker by trade, and a father of 4, was wrongfully accused of extortion, and allegedly threatening to engage in the honor killing of his daughter.
After setting an unusually high bail based on the fabricated charges against him, a Judge declared a mistrial in Fawaz's first trial. Then, after Prosecutor, Richard Dresser produced evidence which was withheld from Fawaz during the first trial, the County Prosecutors Office dropped all extortion charges against Fawaz, and released him after wrongfully detaining him for nearly 6 months.
Fawaz is being represented by civil rights attorney, Shereef Akeel.
Shereef Akeel commented, "This is an abhorrent miscarriage of justice. Men and women in law enforcement deserve our highest honor and respect. So for any officer or prosecutor that violates the public trust by maliciously prosecuting an innocent man on the basis of his ethnicity or religion is simply unacceptable, undermines our trust in law enforcement, and has no place in America today."
CONTACT: Shereef Akeel of Akeel & Valentine, PLC, +1-248-269-9595
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Mortgage Fraud Surge Investigation Nets More Than 100 Individuals Throughout Middle Florida
TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 4 - United States Attorney A. Brian Albritton today announced the results of a nine-month-long Mortgage Fraud Surge investigation that has resulted in charges against more than 100 defendants and involves allegations concerning more than $400 million in loans procured by fraud and more than 700 properties. U.S. Attorney Albritton is holding events throughout the district this week to highlight the announcement.
There are currently mortgage fraud-related charges pending against approximately 500 defendants in federal mortgage fraud cases around the nation. The cases concern both mortgage schemes designed to defraud mortgage lenders and "foreclosure rescue schemes" which prey on distressed homeowners.
"This initiative sends a clear message that mortgage fraud will not be tolerated. We must protect the integrity of the real estate market in our communities, which is a major contributor to the health of our economy, here and throughout the country," said U.S. Attorney Albritton.
Florida's Mortgage Fraud Surge was launched in late January 2009 in response to the epidemic of mortgage fraud throughout the state, which began during Florida's real estate boom earlier this decade. To address this wide scale problem, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in both its Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions, began a nine-month intensive effort to identify, investigate, and prosecute mortgage fraud in all of its forms.
To accomplish the Surge, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida devoted significant additional personnel and resources to investigating and prosecuting mortgage fraud cases. All of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Ft. Myers, Orlando, and Jacksonville offices responsible for criminal matters handled mortgage fraud investigations, and in the District's largest office, Tampa, over half of the Criminal Division Assistant U.S. Attorneys were assigned mortgage fraud matters. In addition, FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven E. Ibison of the Tampa Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Casey of the Jacksonville Division established mortgage fraud task forces in their respective jurisdictions. A number of state and federal law enforcement agencies joined these mortgage fraud task forces, and the agents, investigators, and other law enforcement personnel from these participating agencies conducted an intensive and wide-ranging investigation into hundreds of mortgage fraud leads during this Surge phase. Along with the FBI, the agencies that joined in the Surge and who participated in the mortgage fraud task forces are: the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Financial Services/Division of Insurance Fraud, Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Lee County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only), Collier County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only) and Brevard County Sheriff's Office (Orlando Division only).
The U.S. Attorney's Office charged mortgage fraud defendants throughout the Middle District of Florida. The number of defendants charged by office breaks down as follows: Ft. Myers-32; Tampa-30; Orlando-19; and Jacksonville-24. Of these defendants, 7 are related to cases under seal and not in the public record at this juncture.
An indictment or complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The surge investigation completed on October 31, 2009, and the announcement today is the first phase of a continuing effort to investigate and prosecute not only mortgage fraud professionals and other individuals who have engaged in multiple fraudulent mortgage transactions, but also larger organizations and even financial institutions.
There are currently mortgage fraud-related charges pending against approximately 500 defendants in federal mortgage fraud cases around the nation. The cases concern both mortgage schemes designed to defraud mortgage lenders and "foreclosure rescue schemes" which prey on distressed homeowners.
"This initiative sends a clear message that mortgage fraud will not be tolerated. We must protect the integrity of the real estate market in our communities, which is a major contributor to the health of our economy, here and throughout the country," said U.S. Attorney Albritton.
Florida's Mortgage Fraud Surge was launched in late January 2009 in response to the epidemic of mortgage fraud throughout the state, which began during Florida's real estate boom earlier this decade. To address this wide scale problem, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in both its Tampa and Jacksonville Divisions, began a nine-month intensive effort to identify, investigate, and prosecute mortgage fraud in all of its forms.
To accomplish the Surge, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida devoted significant additional personnel and resources to investigating and prosecuting mortgage fraud cases. All of the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Ft. Myers, Orlando, and Jacksonville offices responsible for criminal matters handled mortgage fraud investigations, and in the District's largest office, Tampa, over half of the Criminal Division Assistant U.S. Attorneys were assigned mortgage fraud matters. In addition, FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven E. Ibison of the Tampa Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Casey of the Jacksonville Division established mortgage fraud task forces in their respective jurisdictions. A number of state and federal law enforcement agencies joined these mortgage fraud task forces, and the agents, investigators, and other law enforcement personnel from these participating agencies conducted an intensive and wide-ranging investigation into hundreds of mortgage fraud leads during this Surge phase. Along with the FBI, the agencies that joined in the Surge and who participated in the mortgage fraud task forces are: the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida Department of Financial Services/Division of Insurance Fraud, Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Lee County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only), Collier County Sheriff's Office (Ft. Myers Division only) and Brevard County Sheriff's Office (Orlando Division only).
The U.S. Attorney's Office charged mortgage fraud defendants throughout the Middle District of Florida. The number of defendants charged by office breaks down as follows: Ft. Myers-32; Tampa-30; Orlando-19; and Jacksonville-24. Of these defendants, 7 are related to cases under seal and not in the public record at this juncture.
An indictment or complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
The surge investigation completed on October 31, 2009, and the announcement today is the first phase of a continuing effort to investigate and prosecute not only mortgage fraud professionals and other individuals who have engaged in multiple fraudulent mortgage transactions, but also larger organizations and even financial institutions.
Ford Foundation Commits $100 Million to Transform Secondary Education in the Nation's Most Disadvantaged Schools
NEW YORK, Nov. 4 - The Ford Foundation today announced a new $100 million initiative to transform secondary education in urban schools across the country, saying it wants to help build the conditions and resources required to provide a great education to public school students. The seven-year, seven-city initiative will fund projects that address four basic elements of school infrastructure that have a decisive impact on the quality of education offered to the nation's most vulnerable student populations: sufficient and equitable school financing, quality teaching, additional and more useful learning time, and meaningful accountability.
Driven by widening gaps in educational opportunities as well as persistent gaps in achievement, the Ford initiative will invest in reforms and reformers whose visions of a just and fair public schooling system can galvanize all the players--parents, students, teachers, and community leaders, as well as scholars and policy experts.
"Improving our schools, and giving the most vulnerable young people real educational opportunities, benefits all of us," said Ford Foundation President Luis Ubinas. "With this initiative we want to shake up the conversations surrounding school reform and help spur some truly imaginative thinking and partnerships."
Dr. Jeannie Oakes, director of the Educational Opportunity and Scholarship unit at Ford, said the foundation does not presume to have the answers, but believes that effective solutions are far more likely when all the stakeholders come together rather than competing to push narrow special interests.
"The four areas of reform on which Oakes and her team are focusing are widely recognized as having the potential to make a significant difference in the education of all students, particularly those who are the least well served by the current school system," noted Alison Bernstein, vice president of Ford's Education, Creativity and Free Expression program.
-- Teaching quality: In addition to having a well-prepared teacher,
high-quality instruction is the product of teachers and other school
staff working together to create a robust learning environment. Ford
said it would support efforts that approach instruction and learning
as a collaborative process and a shared responsibility--where a
culture of excellence is cultivated and best practices are exchanged
across the school.
-- More learning time: There is broad agreement that extending the school
day and year are key to improving academic outcomes for students. How
that time is filled is essential. Ford will promote initiatives that
show how poorer school districts can offer high-quality learning
opportunities over a lengthened day and year.
-- Stronger accountability: The foundation argues that standardized tests
are a blunt and inadequate tool by which to gauge student learning and
school effectiveness, focusing accountability on only a small slice of
what parents and the public expects. The initiative will support
reformers advancing more meaningful methods of assessment and
accountability.
-- Robust school funding: Many state finance systems fail to allocate
enough resources to provide quality schooling for all students. Others
perpetuate inequality by relying on property taxes to fund school
districts, leaving poorer communities without adequate school
resources. Ford's initiative will advance policies that address these
vexing issues.
"The importance of each of these areas to the future success of our young people can't be underestimated," said Mr. Ubinas. "We can't expect young people from disadvantaged communities to be ready for 21st century life without giving them significantly more hours and days at school to benefit from innovative teaching and learning."
"Not only are these four areas essential, we must address them in ways that cut through the atmosphere of recrimination and dysfunction that often characterizes urban school reform efforts," said Jeannie Oakes. "Only then will we build a real movement for change that enables every public school in this country, and particularly those in the poorest districts, to offer an outstanding education to every student."
Oakes said the foundation's initiative would focus on New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Denver. The foundation is working with a wide range of local partners in these cities--parents, teachers, students, community organizations, and local funders--all of whom are working hard to bring about sustainable change in their public schools.
Early Grants from the Initiative
-- The American Institutes for Research in Behavioral Sciences to develop
new finance models to ensure that funds are allocated and dispensed in
fair and equitable ways that reflect the individual needs of school
districts and their students.
-- The Urban Residency United to establish program standards for teacher
residencies and to develop a new national teacher education model for
cohorts of teachers in their first year of teaching.
-- Generation Schools to refine and test their extended day model to
allow for greater learning opportunities and encourage teacher
collaboration.
-- Stanford University to write and distribute a series of papers
highlighting state-of-the-art assessments that measure a student's
critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving across a wide array
of subject areas.
-- To the new AFT Innovation Fund, a foundation-funded but union-led
initiative to make grants to AFT affiliates nationwide for innovative
efforts established jointly by teachers, administrators, and parents.
-- Public Interest Projects to support Communities for Public Education
Reform, a large-scale public engagement collaborative that seeks to
build grassroots support for improvements in teacher quality, fair and
adequate finance, and stronger accountability.
Driven by widening gaps in educational opportunities as well as persistent gaps in achievement, the Ford initiative will invest in reforms and reformers whose visions of a just and fair public schooling system can galvanize all the players--parents, students, teachers, and community leaders, as well as scholars and policy experts.
"Improving our schools, and giving the most vulnerable young people real educational opportunities, benefits all of us," said Ford Foundation President Luis Ubinas. "With this initiative we want to shake up the conversations surrounding school reform and help spur some truly imaginative thinking and partnerships."
Dr. Jeannie Oakes, director of the Educational Opportunity and Scholarship unit at Ford, said the foundation does not presume to have the answers, but believes that effective solutions are far more likely when all the stakeholders come together rather than competing to push narrow special interests.
"The four areas of reform on which Oakes and her team are focusing are widely recognized as having the potential to make a significant difference in the education of all students, particularly those who are the least well served by the current school system," noted Alison Bernstein, vice president of Ford's Education, Creativity and Free Expression program.
-- Teaching quality: In addition to having a well-prepared teacher,
high-quality instruction is the product of teachers and other school
staff working together to create a robust learning environment. Ford
said it would support efforts that approach instruction and learning
as a collaborative process and a shared responsibility--where a
culture of excellence is cultivated and best practices are exchanged
across the school.
-- More learning time: There is broad agreement that extending the school
day and year are key to improving academic outcomes for students. How
that time is filled is essential. Ford will promote initiatives that
show how poorer school districts can offer high-quality learning
opportunities over a lengthened day and year.
-- Stronger accountability: The foundation argues that standardized tests
are a blunt and inadequate tool by which to gauge student learning and
school effectiveness, focusing accountability on only a small slice of
what parents and the public expects. The initiative will support
reformers advancing more meaningful methods of assessment and
accountability.
-- Robust school funding: Many state finance systems fail to allocate
enough resources to provide quality schooling for all students. Others
perpetuate inequality by relying on property taxes to fund school
districts, leaving poorer communities without adequate school
resources. Ford's initiative will advance policies that address these
vexing issues.
"The importance of each of these areas to the future success of our young people can't be underestimated," said Mr. Ubinas. "We can't expect young people from disadvantaged communities to be ready for 21st century life without giving them significantly more hours and days at school to benefit from innovative teaching and learning."
"Not only are these four areas essential, we must address them in ways that cut through the atmosphere of recrimination and dysfunction that often characterizes urban school reform efforts," said Jeannie Oakes. "Only then will we build a real movement for change that enables every public school in this country, and particularly those in the poorest districts, to offer an outstanding education to every student."
Oakes said the foundation's initiative would focus on New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Denver. The foundation is working with a wide range of local partners in these cities--parents, teachers, students, community organizations, and local funders--all of whom are working hard to bring about sustainable change in their public schools.
Early Grants from the Initiative
-- The American Institutes for Research in Behavioral Sciences to develop
new finance models to ensure that funds are allocated and dispensed in
fair and equitable ways that reflect the individual needs of school
districts and their students.
-- The Urban Residency United to establish program standards for teacher
residencies and to develop a new national teacher education model for
cohorts of teachers in their first year of teaching.
-- Generation Schools to refine and test their extended day model to
allow for greater learning opportunities and encourage teacher
collaboration.
-- Stanford University to write and distribute a series of papers
highlighting state-of-the-art assessments that measure a student's
critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving across a wide array
of subject areas.
-- To the new AFT Innovation Fund, a foundation-funded but union-led
initiative to make grants to AFT affiliates nationwide for innovative
efforts established jointly by teachers, administrators, and parents.
-- Public Interest Projects to support Communities for Public Education
Reform, a large-scale public engagement collaborative that seeks to
build grassroots support for improvements in teacher quality, fair and
adequate finance, and stronger accountability.
FamilyLife Supports Military Marriages in Chicago Area
Organization offers reduced admission for military couples to marriage conference Nov. 13 - 15
CHICAGO, Nov. 4 - In response to rising suicide and divorce rates within the U.S. military, FamilyLife, a non-profit ministry dedicated to supporting marriages and families, will present its Weekend to Remember® marriage conference at a significant discount to military couples in Chicago from Nov. 13 - 15 at the Sheraton Chicago Northwest (3400 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights). Weekend to Remember is a marriage getaway aimed at strengthening healthy marriages and healing troubled ones in a fun, supportive and non-threatening environment.
While every couple is encouraged to attend, FamilyLife has invited local members of our armed forces and their spouses to attend the conference at a reduced rate in recognition of the sacrifices they make and the subsequent toll their jobs take on their marriages.
"We want to do whatever we can to support military marriages," said FamilyLife President, CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Dennis Rainey. "We recognize and revere the tremendous responsibility and stress placed on our servicemen and women, and that such a career can truly take a toll on one's marriage and family."
FamilyLife's military marriage initiative comes on the heels of reports of rising suicide rates within the United States military. One of the ways the military has chosen to combat this tragic trend is by encouraging soldiers and their spouses to participate in marriage enrichment programs offered by chaplains at military posts around the country. To provide resources to military marriages worldwide, FamilyLife has set up a dedicated website that offers resources specific to military marriages, as well as a downloadable sample of the HomeBuilders: Making Your Marriage Deployment Ready small group study, at www.FamilyLife.com/MilitaryMarriage.
"Making a marriage work is never easy, and it is difficult for any husband or wife to not 'bring the office home,'" said Major General (Retired) Robert Dees, executive director of Campus Crusade's Military Ministry, a FamilyLife partner ministry. "When 'the office' is a battlefield, and a couple isn't equipped with the necessary tools to deal with those experiences, such as separation and the fear of losing one's life or one's spouse, the results can be disastrous. In that spirit, FamilyLife and Military Ministry are committed to strengthening the bonds between the heroes who serve and the spouses they love."
Military couples can attend for a special military rate of $69 per person (a $120 savings per couple). To register, military couples may call 1-800-FL-TODAY or visit www.FamilyLife.com/MilitaryMarriage. Select "Donate" to give to the FamilyLife and Military Ministry partnership and thereby enable even more military couples to attend the Weekend to Remember conference on a scholarship basis.
For more than three decades FamilyLife®, a global, donor-supported, non-profit organization co-founded by Dr. Dennis and Barbara Rainey, has focused on the mission of using practical, biblical principles to build healthier marriages and families through conferences and media channels. FamilyLife, a 501c3, works in 100 countries around the world to help to transform lives and restore hope through its Weekend to Remember® marriage conferences, Homebuilders small group studies, FamilyLife Today(TM) radio broadcasts, Hope for Orphans® orphan care ministry, FamilyLife publications, and the internet. For more information, visit FamilyLife.com.
CHICAGO, Nov. 4 - In response to rising suicide and divorce rates within the U.S. military, FamilyLife, a non-profit ministry dedicated to supporting marriages and families, will present its Weekend to Remember® marriage conference at a significant discount to military couples in Chicago from Nov. 13 - 15 at the Sheraton Chicago Northwest (3400 West Euclid Avenue, Arlington Heights). Weekend to Remember is a marriage getaway aimed at strengthening healthy marriages and healing troubled ones in a fun, supportive and non-threatening environment.
While every couple is encouraged to attend, FamilyLife has invited local members of our armed forces and their spouses to attend the conference at a reduced rate in recognition of the sacrifices they make and the subsequent toll their jobs take on their marriages.
"We want to do whatever we can to support military marriages," said FamilyLife President, CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Dennis Rainey. "We recognize and revere the tremendous responsibility and stress placed on our servicemen and women, and that such a career can truly take a toll on one's marriage and family."
FamilyLife's military marriage initiative comes on the heels of reports of rising suicide rates within the United States military. One of the ways the military has chosen to combat this tragic trend is by encouraging soldiers and their spouses to participate in marriage enrichment programs offered by chaplains at military posts around the country. To provide resources to military marriages worldwide, FamilyLife has set up a dedicated website that offers resources specific to military marriages, as well as a downloadable sample of the HomeBuilders: Making Your Marriage Deployment Ready small group study, at www.FamilyLife.com/MilitaryMarriage.
"Making a marriage work is never easy, and it is difficult for any husband or wife to not 'bring the office home,'" said Major General (Retired) Robert Dees, executive director of Campus Crusade's Military Ministry, a FamilyLife partner ministry. "When 'the office' is a battlefield, and a couple isn't equipped with the necessary tools to deal with those experiences, such as separation and the fear of losing one's life or one's spouse, the results can be disastrous. In that spirit, FamilyLife and Military Ministry are committed to strengthening the bonds between the heroes who serve and the spouses they love."
Military couples can attend for a special military rate of $69 per person (a $120 savings per couple). To register, military couples may call 1-800-FL-TODAY or visit www.FamilyLife.com/MilitaryMarriage. Select "Donate" to give to the FamilyLife and Military Ministry partnership and thereby enable even more military couples to attend the Weekend to Remember conference on a scholarship basis.
For more than three decades FamilyLife®, a global, donor-supported, non-profit organization co-founded by Dr. Dennis and Barbara Rainey, has focused on the mission of using practical, biblical principles to build healthier marriages and families through conferences and media channels. FamilyLife, a 501c3, works in 100 countries around the world to help to transform lives and restore hope through its Weekend to Remember® marriage conferences, Homebuilders small group studies, FamilyLife Today(TM) radio broadcasts, Hope for Orphans® orphan care ministry, FamilyLife publications, and the internet. For more information, visit FamilyLife.com.
State Income Taxes Push Many Working-Poor Families Deeper Into Poverty
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 - Sixteen states taxed working-poor families deeper into poverty last year, according to a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Income tax bills on poor families in those 16 states ranged from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, which is a significant amount for a family struggling to make ends meet, the report said.
"Undermining families' efforts to work their way out of poverty is never a good idea," said Phil Oliff, the report's co-author. "But it's especially harmful in the current recession, when people are already struggling just to get by."
The report measures the "tax threshold" in each state -- the income level at which families begin owing income taxes. In 16 of the 42 states that levy an income tax, the threshold for two-parent families of four was below $22,017, the 2008 poverty line for such a family. The remaining states as well as the federal government do not tax working poor families.
Two fewer states taxed poor families than in 2007. Michigan adopted an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) that pushed its threshold slightly above the poverty line. Oklahoma made changes to its income tax deductions and rates, and expanded a credit for families with children, lifting its threshold above the poverty line for two-parent families of four. Although Hawaii and Louisiana made significant improvements to their tax systems, they remain among the 16 states that tax poor families. A number of other states made significant improvements.
In several states, income-tax treatment of the poor worsened as inflation eroded the value of provisions intended to protect the poor from taxation. This erosion coincided with a rising level of poverty and joblessness resulting from the recession.
Among the report's findings:
-- Sixteen states, out of the 42 with an income tax, taxed working-poor,
married couples with two children in 2008: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia,
Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and West Virginia.
-- Michigan and Oklahoma stopped taxing poor families in 2007, and eight
other states implemented changes to reduce low-income families' tax
bills. Hawaii and West Virginia, both of which in 2007 had levied
some of the highest taxes on low-income families, also made
improvements in 2008.
-- On the other hand, in 23 states the value of provisions that protect
low-income families from taxation eroded, in large part due to a
failure to adjust them for inflation. As a result, poor and/or
near-poor families' tax bills in those states rose.
-- The number of states taxing extremely poor families of four - those
with incomes below three-quarters of the poverty line ($16,513) -
decreased from nine in 2007 to six in 2008. Three states that
previously taxed such families began exempting them: Hawaii,
Michigan, and West Virginia. States still taxing extremely poor
families are: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, and Ohio.
Over the last two decades, state policymakers increasingly have viewed the exemption of poor families from taxation as a straightforward way to reduce poverty and support work. The number of states levying income tax on poor two-parent families of four decreased from 24 to 16 between 1991 and 2008. The federal government has exempted poor families from tax since the mid-1980s.
Even in a time of widespread state budget shortfalls, there are a number of relatively inexpensive, effective solutions for state policymakers to consider. These include state EITCs and other low-income tax credits, no-tax "floors" (an income level below which a family owes no tax), and adequate personal exemptions and standard deductions.
"Dire economic conditions are already reducing states' tax revenue. This makes it harder for states to enact new tax cuts targeted to poor families," said Oliff. "But doing so should still be a priority. Taxing people deeper into poverty runs counter to the goal of helping families achieve self-sufficiency."
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization and policy institute that conducts research and analysis on a range of government policies and programs. It is supported primarily by foundation grants.
CONTACT: Shannon Spillane of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,
+1-202-408-1080, spillane@cbpp.org
"Undermining families' efforts to work their way out of poverty is never a good idea," said Phil Oliff, the report's co-author. "But it's especially harmful in the current recession, when people are already struggling just to get by."
The report measures the "tax threshold" in each state -- the income level at which families begin owing income taxes. In 16 of the 42 states that levy an income tax, the threshold for two-parent families of four was below $22,017, the 2008 poverty line for such a family. The remaining states as well as the federal government do not tax working poor families.
Two fewer states taxed poor families than in 2007. Michigan adopted an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) that pushed its threshold slightly above the poverty line. Oklahoma made changes to its income tax deductions and rates, and expanded a credit for families with children, lifting its threshold above the poverty line for two-parent families of four. Although Hawaii and Louisiana made significant improvements to their tax systems, they remain among the 16 states that tax poor families. A number of other states made significant improvements.
In several states, income-tax treatment of the poor worsened as inflation eroded the value of provisions intended to protect the poor from taxation. This erosion coincided with a rising level of poverty and joblessness resulting from the recession.
Among the report's findings:
-- Sixteen states, out of the 42 with an income tax, taxed working-poor,
married couples with two children in 2008: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia,
Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi,
Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and West Virginia.
-- Michigan and Oklahoma stopped taxing poor families in 2007, and eight
other states implemented changes to reduce low-income families' tax
bills. Hawaii and West Virginia, both of which in 2007 had levied
some of the highest taxes on low-income families, also made
improvements in 2008.
-- On the other hand, in 23 states the value of provisions that protect
low-income families from taxation eroded, in large part due to a
failure to adjust them for inflation. As a result, poor and/or
near-poor families' tax bills in those states rose.
-- The number of states taxing extremely poor families of four - those
with incomes below three-quarters of the poverty line ($16,513) -
decreased from nine in 2007 to six in 2008. Three states that
previously taxed such families began exempting them: Hawaii,
Michigan, and West Virginia. States still taxing extremely poor
families are: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, and Ohio.
Over the last two decades, state policymakers increasingly have viewed the exemption of poor families from taxation as a straightforward way to reduce poverty and support work. The number of states levying income tax on poor two-parent families of four decreased from 24 to 16 between 1991 and 2008. The federal government has exempted poor families from tax since the mid-1980s.
Even in a time of widespread state budget shortfalls, there are a number of relatively inexpensive, effective solutions for state policymakers to consider. These include state EITCs and other low-income tax credits, no-tax "floors" (an income level below which a family owes no tax), and adequate personal exemptions and standard deductions.
"Dire economic conditions are already reducing states' tax revenue. This makes it harder for states to enact new tax cuts targeted to poor families," said Oliff. "But doing so should still be a priority. Taxing people deeper into poverty runs counter to the goal of helping families achieve self-sufficiency."
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization and policy institute that conducts research and analysis on a range of government policies and programs. It is supported primarily by foundation grants.
CONTACT: Shannon Spillane of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities,
+1-202-408-1080, spillane@cbpp.org
Edible Arrangements Plans to Hire Over 200 Local Representatives for Holiday Season
WALLINGFORD, Conn., Nov. 4 - Edible Arrangements, the pioneer and leader in hand-sculpted, fresh fruit arrangements is looking for talent to join one of the nation's fastest growing franchise systems. The company announced plans today to expand its local workforce by over 200 part time customer order team representatives for the holiday season, in addition to over 20 full time corporate positions. Open house interviews will be held from Monday, November 9th through Thursday, November 12th from 10 AM to 3 PM at 95 Barnes Road, Wallingford, CT for all interested applicants.
"We've built a solid franchise system over the last 10 years and even in a down economy, our company continues to grow and prove its universal and widespread appeal," said Tariq Farid, Founder and CEO, Edible Arrangements International, Inc. "With the holidays approaching we expect to have several busy months and are looking for talented, business-minded individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit to join our team this December."
Interested customer order team representatives would need to be available for training the week of December 6th and would work from Monday, December 14th through Wednesday, December 23rd. This short-term assignment for customer service representatives with strong communication and computer skills is an excellent way to make extra money during the holiday season. The company is also hiring a Franchise Attorney, General Manager, Store Manager, Commercial Real Estate Specialist, Franchise Customer Support Coordinator, and Project Manager, among other full-time corporate jobs. To learn more about the various job requirements or the open house please log onto www.ediblearrangements.com or email hr@ediblearrangements.com.
The company has experienced double-digit growth since January 2009, including the addition of 28 new franchises in 13 states coast-to-coast including Florida, New York, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, Massachusetts, and California, among others. Currently, Edible Arrangements has over 900 locations with the goal to reach 1,000 units by 2010. These recent signings are part of an aggressive growth strategy that includes expanding in existing markets and countries. In addition to finding qualified new franchisees, the company's growth strategy includes continuing to grow its existing franchise base into enterprise multi-unit operators.
"Unlike many other retail outlets that need to reduce their staff during the holidays, we have many positions that need to be filled and invite all qualified applicants to stop by our open house," said Farid.
Tariq Farid, recently the recipient of two Entrepreneur of the Year awards from the International Franchise Association and Ernst & Young in Metro New York, developed and launched Edible Arrangements in 1999 in East Haven, CT, after many years in the floral industry. He learned early that corporate support can make the difference between a struggling or thriving franchise. It is for this reason that Edible Arrangements offers its franchisees comprehensive corporate and onsite level training, unparalleled technology, national brand recognition and extensive customer order team support.
Since its inception, Edible Arrangements has earned countless accolades from the industry, including its ranking as first in its category by Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual "Franchise 500" Ranking in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, as well as one of the magazine's "HOT 100" franchises in 2008. In addition, the company has ranked for five consecutive years in Inc. Magazine's top 5,000 fastest growing privately-held companies and AllBusiness.com ranked Edible Arrangements as 23rd in overall growth and 65th in system size due to a doubling of units since 2006.
About Edible Arrangements
Edible Arrangements International, Inc., is the leading purveyor of delicious, high quality, artistically designed, fresh fruit arrangements that are practical and healthy gifts. Founded in 1999 in East Haven, CT. by Tariq Farid, Edible Arrangements earned the 27th spot on Entrepreneur Magazine's "2008 Hot 100 List of Fastest-Growing Businesses in America." With over 900 locations operating or opening soon worldwide, Edible Arrangements is rapidly expanding across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Italy, Turkey and Hong Kong. Customers may order arrangements by telephone at 1-877-DO-FRUIT, at one of the company's retail stores, or on-line at ediblearrangements.com.
"We've built a solid franchise system over the last 10 years and even in a down economy, our company continues to grow and prove its universal and widespread appeal," said Tariq Farid, Founder and CEO, Edible Arrangements International, Inc. "With the holidays approaching we expect to have several busy months and are looking for talented, business-minded individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit to join our team this December."
Interested customer order team representatives would need to be available for training the week of December 6th and would work from Monday, December 14th through Wednesday, December 23rd. This short-term assignment for customer service representatives with strong communication and computer skills is an excellent way to make extra money during the holiday season. The company is also hiring a Franchise Attorney, General Manager, Store Manager, Commercial Real Estate Specialist, Franchise Customer Support Coordinator, and Project Manager, among other full-time corporate jobs. To learn more about the various job requirements or the open house please log onto www.ediblearrangements.com or email hr@ediblearrangements.com.
The company has experienced double-digit growth since January 2009, including the addition of 28 new franchises in 13 states coast-to-coast including Florida, New York, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, Massachusetts, and California, among others. Currently, Edible Arrangements has over 900 locations with the goal to reach 1,000 units by 2010. These recent signings are part of an aggressive growth strategy that includes expanding in existing markets and countries. In addition to finding qualified new franchisees, the company's growth strategy includes continuing to grow its existing franchise base into enterprise multi-unit operators.
"Unlike many other retail outlets that need to reduce their staff during the holidays, we have many positions that need to be filled and invite all qualified applicants to stop by our open house," said Farid.
Tariq Farid, recently the recipient of two Entrepreneur of the Year awards from the International Franchise Association and Ernst & Young in Metro New York, developed and launched Edible Arrangements in 1999 in East Haven, CT, after many years in the floral industry. He learned early that corporate support can make the difference between a struggling or thriving franchise. It is for this reason that Edible Arrangements offers its franchisees comprehensive corporate and onsite level training, unparalleled technology, national brand recognition and extensive customer order team support.
Since its inception, Edible Arrangements has earned countless accolades from the industry, including its ranking as first in its category by Entrepreneur Magazine's Annual "Franchise 500" Ranking in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, as well as one of the magazine's "HOT 100" franchises in 2008. In addition, the company has ranked for five consecutive years in Inc. Magazine's top 5,000 fastest growing privately-held companies and AllBusiness.com ranked Edible Arrangements as 23rd in overall growth and 65th in system size due to a doubling of units since 2006.
About Edible Arrangements
Edible Arrangements International, Inc., is the leading purveyor of delicious, high quality, artistically designed, fresh fruit arrangements that are practical and healthy gifts. Founded in 1999 in East Haven, CT. by Tariq Farid, Edible Arrangements earned the 27th spot on Entrepreneur Magazine's "2008 Hot 100 List of Fastest-Growing Businesses in America." With over 900 locations operating or opening soon worldwide, Edible Arrangements is rapidly expanding across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Italy, Turkey and Hong Kong. Customers may order arrangements by telephone at 1-877-DO-FRUIT, at one of the company's retail stores, or on-line at ediblearrangements.com.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Anheuser-Busch Cleaners Out of Jobs
Company Looks the Other Way as Long-Standing Workers Are Replaced
NEWARK, N.J., Nov. 4 - Despite years of dedicated service at Anheuser-Busch's Newark brewery, the long-standing brewery cleaners found themselves without a job yesterday. The company's new cleaning contractors have refused to accept job applications from these men and women.
"Doesn't Anheuser-Busch get that we need to feed our families?" asked Luci Peralta, a cleaner who has worked at the brewery for six years. "With no income, I don't know how I'll put food on the table and make our house payments."
Although Anheuser-Busch's reported revenues were more than $23.5 million in 2008, the company has contracted with what seem to be low-end cleaning companies. Workers have been told the companies, US Metro and NJ-based Dawn Brite, will keep costs down by paying close to minimum wage and providing few, if any, benefits.
"We cannot watch multi-national corporations like Anheuser-Busch replace good Newark jobs with dead-end, low-wage jobs that force our families into poverty," said Kevin Brown, 32BJ New Jersey Director. "If Anheuser-Busch was truly committed to local communities and working people, the company would not stand by while the hard-working cleaners struggle to support their families."
The workers' union, 32BJ SEIU, has contacted Anheuser-Busch about the job loss, but the company has refused to intervene on the workers' behalf.
The brewery cleaners were earning $13.30 an hour and receiving employer-paid family health care - the same rate as most other area cleaners. Under a contract with 32BJ SEIU, many real estate owners and cleaning companies in New Jersey have agreed to standard wages and benefits for thousands of commercial cleaners in the state.
With more than 100,000 members in seven states and Washington, DC, including 8,000 in New Jersey, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.
NEWARK, N.J., Nov. 4 - Despite years of dedicated service at Anheuser-Busch's Newark brewery, the long-standing brewery cleaners found themselves without a job yesterday. The company's new cleaning contractors have refused to accept job applications from these men and women.
"Doesn't Anheuser-Busch get that we need to feed our families?" asked Luci Peralta, a cleaner who has worked at the brewery for six years. "With no income, I don't know how I'll put food on the table and make our house payments."
Although Anheuser-Busch's reported revenues were more than $23.5 million in 2008, the company has contracted with what seem to be low-end cleaning companies. Workers have been told the companies, US Metro and NJ-based Dawn Brite, will keep costs down by paying close to minimum wage and providing few, if any, benefits.
"We cannot watch multi-national corporations like Anheuser-Busch replace good Newark jobs with dead-end, low-wage jobs that force our families into poverty," said Kevin Brown, 32BJ New Jersey Director. "If Anheuser-Busch was truly committed to local communities and working people, the company would not stand by while the hard-working cleaners struggle to support their families."
The workers' union, 32BJ SEIU, has contacted Anheuser-Busch about the job loss, but the company has refused to intervene on the workers' behalf.
The brewery cleaners were earning $13.30 an hour and receiving employer-paid family health care - the same rate as most other area cleaners. Under a contract with 32BJ SEIU, many real estate owners and cleaning companies in New Jersey have agreed to standard wages and benefits for thousands of commercial cleaners in the state.
With more than 100,000 members in seven states and Washington, DC, including 8,000 in New Jersey, 32BJ is the largest property services union in the country.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Teamsters Protest U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Extreme Agenda
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 - Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today criticized the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for a failed policy agenda that has hurt working families.
Members of the Teamsters Union today demonstrated their opposition to the Chamber's extreme positions on climate change, health care reform, financial re-regulation, and workers' rights. They joined members of other unions and progressive groups at a rally outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's convention in Philadelphia.
"The Chamber's support of tax cuts, deregulation, bad trade deals and corporate welfare has resulted in economic disaster," Hoffa said. "It's time for the Chamber to join the 21st century and help move America forward again."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Members of the Teamsters Union today demonstrated their opposition to the Chamber's extreme positions on climate change, health care reform, financial re-regulation, and workers' rights. They joined members of other unions and progressive groups at a rally outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's convention in Philadelphia.
"The Chamber's support of tax cuts, deregulation, bad trade deals and corporate welfare has resulted in economic disaster," Hoffa said. "It's time for the Chamber to join the 21st century and help move America forward again."
Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Do You Know You Have Phantoms in Your House?
ComEd Educates Customers on How to Combat Phantom Power Pilferage
CHICAGO, Oct. 31 - There are power-hungry specters lurking in ComEd customers' homes, devouring energy and haunting electric bills.
These stealthy power stealers are masked as everyday household electronics and appliances. Whether the power is off or on they draw small amounts of electricity called phantom load. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when they are turned off, adding up to 10 percent to monthly electric bills.
"According to ENERGY STAR®, consumer electronics and appliances in the typical American home account for approximately 20 percent of power on electric bills," said Val Jensen, vice president, Marketing and Environmental Programs, ComEd. "One of the easiest ways customers can manage electricity costs is by taking simple steps to stop errant power consumption."
Many of the most common home electronics are also the biggest energy guzzlers -- computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos and some kitchen appliances. Most often left plugged in, these electronics continue to draw power and drain your wallet. ComEd has some easy weapons customers can use to kill the phantom load lurking in your home.
ComEd advises customers to beware and offers these tips to yield saving on their bills:
-- Use a power strip with an on/off switch to fully power down home
electronics while in standby mode.
-- Use a power strip for multiple battery chargers so it can be easily
switched off when not actively charging.
-- Unplug or switch off all nonessential devices when preparing to travel
out of town.
-- Unplug your charger for your cordless phone, portable music play or
other portable device after its recharged.
-- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips
and turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs
and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power). However,
while unplugging DVRs can save money, they will not be able to record
programs while turned off and program scheduling may need to be reset
when turned back on.
-- Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use. Alternatively, set
to hibernation or sleep mode rather than using screen savers, which do
not save as much energy.
-- Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home appliances, electronics and
other products. ENERGY STAR® products meet strict efficiency
guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
U.S. Department of Energy.
CHICAGO, Oct. 31 - There are power-hungry specters lurking in ComEd customers' homes, devouring energy and haunting electric bills.
These stealthy power stealers are masked as everyday household electronics and appliances. Whether the power is off or on they draw small amounts of electricity called phantom load. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when they are turned off, adding up to 10 percent to monthly electric bills.
"According to ENERGY STAR®, consumer electronics and appliances in the typical American home account for approximately 20 percent of power on electric bills," said Val Jensen, vice president, Marketing and Environmental Programs, ComEd. "One of the easiest ways customers can manage electricity costs is by taking simple steps to stop errant power consumption."
Many of the most common home electronics are also the biggest energy guzzlers -- computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos and some kitchen appliances. Most often left plugged in, these electronics continue to draw power and drain your wallet. ComEd has some easy weapons customers can use to kill the phantom load lurking in your home.
ComEd advises customers to beware and offers these tips to yield saving on their bills:
-- Use a power strip with an on/off switch to fully power down home
electronics while in standby mode.
-- Use a power strip for multiple battery chargers so it can be easily
switched off when not actively charging.
-- Unplug or switch off all nonessential devices when preparing to travel
out of town.
-- Unplug your charger for your cordless phone, portable music play or
other portable device after its recharged.
-- Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips
and turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs
and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power). However,
while unplugging DVRs can save money, they will not be able to record
programs while turned off and program scheduling may need to be reset
when turned back on.
-- Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use. Alternatively, set
to hibernation or sleep mode rather than using screen savers, which do
not save as much energy.
-- Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home appliances, electronics and
other products. ENERGY STAR® products meet strict efficiency
guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the
U.S. Department of Energy.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Diageo Workers Vote YES for Action to Save Jobs
LONDON, October 30 - Unite members at three leading Diageo sites in Scotland have today (Friday) voted overwhelmingly to back a ballot on industrial action.
The results of a consultative ballot conducted by Unite the union, show that the workers at the Kilmarnock, Shieldhall and Port Dundas plants have given a resounding thumbs up to a full strike ballot.
At the Kilmarnock plant, the historic home of Johnnie Walker where workers are battling to save 700 jobs and a 180-year distilling tradition, the workers voted by 87 percent to back a full industrial ballot. At Shieldhall, 75 percent voted for an industrial action ballot, while at Port Dundas, nine out of ten workers (90 percent) said yes to going ahead with a full ballot.
Jennie Formby, Unite national officer for the food and drinks sector, praised the workers' courage: "Diageo's management need to start listening because these workers are telling them very loudly that they are determined to fight for their jobs and a fairer deal. By effectively ending negotiations last week, Diageo gave our members very little option but to vote yes in this consultative ballot.
"Our members have taken a courageous stand today - they have stood up to a global giant and told it they won't stand by while Diageo throw hundreds of people on the scrapheap.
"Time and again, we have appealed to Diageo to think again on their drastic restructuring plans because there is another way forward. Once again, we urge Diageo's management to pull back from these plans. Act like a responsible business and put the jobs and communities of the people who built you before short-term greed."
Unite is now preparing to start the full industrial action ballot of the workforce at the three sites.
Kilmarnock 87% yes vote - 410 yes to action, 64 no
Shieldhall 75% yes vote - 258 yes to action, 86 no
Port Dundas 90% yes vote - 26 yes to action, 3 no
For further information, please contact Pauline Doyle on +44(0)7976-832-861
The results of a consultative ballot conducted by Unite the union, show that the workers at the Kilmarnock, Shieldhall and Port Dundas plants have given a resounding thumbs up to a full strike ballot.
At the Kilmarnock plant, the historic home of Johnnie Walker where workers are battling to save 700 jobs and a 180-year distilling tradition, the workers voted by 87 percent to back a full industrial ballot. At Shieldhall, 75 percent voted for an industrial action ballot, while at Port Dundas, nine out of ten workers (90 percent) said yes to going ahead with a full ballot.
Jennie Formby, Unite national officer for the food and drinks sector, praised the workers' courage: "Diageo's management need to start listening because these workers are telling them very loudly that they are determined to fight for their jobs and a fairer deal. By effectively ending negotiations last week, Diageo gave our members very little option but to vote yes in this consultative ballot.
"Our members have taken a courageous stand today - they have stood up to a global giant and told it they won't stand by while Diageo throw hundreds of people on the scrapheap.
"Time and again, we have appealed to Diageo to think again on their drastic restructuring plans because there is another way forward. Once again, we urge Diageo's management to pull back from these plans. Act like a responsible business and put the jobs and communities of the people who built you before short-term greed."
Unite is now preparing to start the full industrial action ballot of the workforce at the three sites.
Kilmarnock 87% yes vote - 410 yes to action, 64 no
Shieldhall 75% yes vote - 258 yes to action, 86 no
Port Dundas 90% yes vote - 26 yes to action, 3 no
For further information, please contact Pauline Doyle on +44(0)7976-832-861
Union Shows Support for Residential Advisers at Mars Home for Youth
MARS, Pa., Oct. 29 - The union seeking to organize the residential staff at the Mars Home for Youth (MHY) today held a public demonstration of support for five residential advisers who have been fired by MHY for engaging in union activities.
The demonstration was held to call attention to the firing of five residential advisers by the administration of the facility on Route 228 in Mars, PA. The residential advisers are part of a group of MHY employees who have been working for months with SEIU Local 668 in an effort to form a union.
During a series of hearings on the unionization effort by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) testimony revealed that MHY does not pay overtime until an employee reaches 42 hours of work time. SEIU Local 668 organizers contend that this practice violates federal wage and hour laws. The union announced at the demonstration that it has filed a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division of the NLRB on this matter.
Kevin Hunt, a representative of SEIU Local 668, claimed at the rally that the action by the MHY in firing the five residential advisers puts children at risk.
"The administration at MHY has been using every illegal delaying tactic in the book to prevent their employees from joining a union," said Kevin Hunt. "Taking retaliation against the five residential advisers for their union activities is not only unlawful, but it also puts the children that MHY is supposed to help at risk. The administration has replaced these experienced workers with new hires who do not have the training, experience or knowledge of the special needs of the residents."
SEIU Local 668 representatives and supporters at the rally promised to keep the pressure on MHY until these issues are resolved.
"This is no way to treat workers who are just trying to exercise their right to join a union," said Kevin Hunt. "Our Union is prepared to do whatever it takes to bring justice to the workers at MHY and improve the lives of both the workers and the residents at this facility."
The demonstration was held to call attention to the firing of five residential advisers by the administration of the facility on Route 228 in Mars, PA. The residential advisers are part of a group of MHY employees who have been working for months with SEIU Local 668 in an effort to form a union.
During a series of hearings on the unionization effort by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) testimony revealed that MHY does not pay overtime until an employee reaches 42 hours of work time. SEIU Local 668 organizers contend that this practice violates federal wage and hour laws. The union announced at the demonstration that it has filed a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division of the NLRB on this matter.
Kevin Hunt, a representative of SEIU Local 668, claimed at the rally that the action by the MHY in firing the five residential advisers puts children at risk.
"The administration at MHY has been using every illegal delaying tactic in the book to prevent their employees from joining a union," said Kevin Hunt. "Taking retaliation against the five residential advisers for their union activities is not only unlawful, but it also puts the children that MHY is supposed to help at risk. The administration has replaced these experienced workers with new hires who do not have the training, experience or knowledge of the special needs of the residents."
SEIU Local 668 representatives and supporters at the rally promised to keep the pressure on MHY until these issues are resolved.
"This is no way to treat workers who are just trying to exercise their right to join a union," said Kevin Hunt. "Our Union is prepared to do whatever it takes to bring justice to the workers at MHY and improve the lives of both the workers and the residents at this facility."
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Healthcare Through Women's Eyes
What Women Want, Think Should Be Done and at What Cost?
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 - A new poll released Wednesday by the Independent Women's Forum shows that only 16 percent of women believe that health care should be Congress's top priority and that a majority (51 percent) is unsatisfied with what they have read, seen, or heard about the proposals being considered today. The poll, conducted by WomanTrend, a division of the polling company(TM) inc., surveyed 800 women registered to vote and was conducted between October 19-25, 2009.
In this poll, women were given the opportunity to answer, in an open-ended fashion, what questions or advice they have for their Members of Congress and for the President on health care. Concerns about paying for reform, controlling costs, eligibility, and what is included and excluded from the actual legislative proposals dominated as some of the central "themes" for women.
Key findings:
-- Government is not the solution: 61 percent of women think the private
sector does a better job of providing choice in health care.
-- Change for thee, but not for me: 75 percent want few to no changes to
their own healthcare (40 percent -- be modified, but mostly left as
is; 35 percent -- be left as-is).
-- No egg timers: 43 percent of women say that Congress and the President
should enact healthcare reform "only when quality legislation is
developed, even if it means there is no deadline." Less than three in
ten think it needs to happen by the end of the year.
-- Too expensive: Only 10 percent say that $1 trillion or more should be
spent on health care reform. Most put the acceptable amounts in the
thousands (16 percent), millions (24 percent), or billions (16
percent).
-- Concerns with waste: 77 percent say government spends money in a
mostly inefficient way and 55 percent believe CBO projections
underestimate how much will ultimately be spent on health care
reform.
The Independent Women's Forum commissioned this poll to gain a better understanding of women's attitudes toward the health care system and proposed reform, and how they will affect women's health care choices.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 - A new poll released Wednesday by the Independent Women's Forum shows that only 16 percent of women believe that health care should be Congress's top priority and that a majority (51 percent) is unsatisfied with what they have read, seen, or heard about the proposals being considered today. The poll, conducted by WomanTrend, a division of the polling company(TM) inc., surveyed 800 women registered to vote and was conducted between October 19-25, 2009.
In this poll, women were given the opportunity to answer, in an open-ended fashion, what questions or advice they have for their Members of Congress and for the President on health care. Concerns about paying for reform, controlling costs, eligibility, and what is included and excluded from the actual legislative proposals dominated as some of the central "themes" for women.
Key findings:
-- Government is not the solution: 61 percent of women think the private
sector does a better job of providing choice in health care.
-- Change for thee, but not for me: 75 percent want few to no changes to
their own healthcare (40 percent -- be modified, but mostly left as
is; 35 percent -- be left as-is).
-- No egg timers: 43 percent of women say that Congress and the President
should enact healthcare reform "only when quality legislation is
developed, even if it means there is no deadline." Less than three in
ten think it needs to happen by the end of the year.
-- Too expensive: Only 10 percent say that $1 trillion or more should be
spent on health care reform. Most put the acceptable amounts in the
thousands (16 percent), millions (24 percent), or billions (16
percent).
-- Concerns with waste: 77 percent say government spends money in a
mostly inefficient way and 55 percent believe CBO projections
underestimate how much will ultimately be spent on health care
reform.
The Independent Women's Forum commissioned this poll to gain a better understanding of women's attitudes toward the health care system and proposed reform, and how they will affect women's health care choices.
Tips to Heat Your Home Safely This Winter
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28 - Most injuries from fires involving heating equipment occurred when the user was asleep or when a child under 10 was left unsupervised with the equipment, according to data released in September 2009, from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Portable electric heaters should be used according to the manufacturers' instructions so that injuries can be avoided.
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) urges consumers to follow these simple and important safety tips when using portable electric heaters. These tips are also found online at www.heatersafety.org:
1. Read the manufacturer's instructions and warning labels before using
your portable electric heater.
2. Do not leave an operating heater unattended and always unplug heater
when not in use.
3. Do not use your heater with a power strip or extension cord.
Overheating of a power strip or extension cord could result in a fire.
4. String out cords on top of area rugs or carpeting. Placing anything,
including furniture, on top of the cord may damage it.
5. Keep combustible materials, such as furniture, pillows, bedding,
papers, clothes and curtains at least three feet from the front of the
heater and away from the sides and rear. Do not block heater's air
intake or outlet.
6. Keep flammable materials, such as paint, gas cans and matches, away
from the heater.
7. Unless the heater is designed for outdoor use or in bathrooms, do not
use in damp or wet areas. Parts in the heater may be damaged by
moisture.
8. Check periodically for a secure plug/outlet fit. If the plug does not
fit snugly into the outlet or if the plug becomes very hot, the outlet
may need to be replaced. Check with a qualified electrician to replace
the outlet.
9. Unplug the heater when not in use by pulling the plug straight out from
the outlet. Inspect the heater's cord periodically. Do not use a heater
with a damaged cord.
10. Do not plug any other electrical device into the same outlet as your
heater. This could result in overheating.
11. Heaters should be kept away from children and not be placed in a
child's room without supervision.
12. Place heater on a level, flat surface. Only use heater on table tops
when specified by the manufacturer. Do not place your heater on
furniture. It could fall, dislodging or breaking parts in the heater.
AHAM's "Stay Safe! Top Tips for using your Portable Electric Heater Safely!" brochures are endorsed by the following safety groups: the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
You may order AHAM's free portable heater safety brochures in English and Spanish online at www.heatersafety.org or by calling (888) 785-SAFE. The Heater Safety Educator Tool Kit, which includes brochures, a coloring page and stickers for children, is available for purchase online at www.aham.org/safetyinfo. Stay warm, be smart and stay safe while enjoying your portable electric heater!
The Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM) urges consumers to follow these simple and important safety tips when using portable electric heaters. These tips are also found online at www.heatersafety.org:
1. Read the manufacturer's instructions and warning labels before using
your portable electric heater.
2. Do not leave an operating heater unattended and always unplug heater
when not in use.
3. Do not use your heater with a power strip or extension cord.
Overheating of a power strip or extension cord could result in a fire.
4. String out cords on top of area rugs or carpeting. Placing anything,
including furniture, on top of the cord may damage it.
5. Keep combustible materials, such as furniture, pillows, bedding,
papers, clothes and curtains at least three feet from the front of the
heater and away from the sides and rear. Do not block heater's air
intake or outlet.
6. Keep flammable materials, such as paint, gas cans and matches, away
from the heater.
7. Unless the heater is designed for outdoor use or in bathrooms, do not
use in damp or wet areas. Parts in the heater may be damaged by
moisture.
8. Check periodically for a secure plug/outlet fit. If the plug does not
fit snugly into the outlet or if the plug becomes very hot, the outlet
may need to be replaced. Check with a qualified electrician to replace
the outlet.
9. Unplug the heater when not in use by pulling the plug straight out from
the outlet. Inspect the heater's cord periodically. Do not use a heater
with a damaged cord.
10. Do not plug any other electrical device into the same outlet as your
heater. This could result in overheating.
11. Heaters should be kept away from children and not be placed in a
child's room without supervision.
12. Place heater on a level, flat surface. Only use heater on table tops
when specified by the manufacturer. Do not place your heater on
furniture. It could fall, dislodging or breaking parts in the heater.
AHAM's "Stay Safe! Top Tips for using your Portable Electric Heater Safely!" brochures are endorsed by the following safety groups: the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI).
You may order AHAM's free portable heater safety brochures in English and Spanish online at www.heatersafety.org or by calling (888) 785-SAFE. The Heater Safety Educator Tool Kit, which includes brochures, a coloring page and stickers for children, is available for purchase online at www.aham.org/safetyinfo. Stay warm, be smart and stay safe while enjoying your portable electric heater!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Watchdog Finds 20 States Charge for Alcohol Harm
SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Oct. 28 - According to a new online resource made available today by Marin Institute, there are a growing number of states collecting funds from the sale of alcoholic beverages and earmarking the dollars for programs that mitigate alcohol related harm.
The alcohol industry watchdog released the information at MarinInstitute.org to show examples of states wrestling with the immense financial burden caused by alcohol use. "Twenty states are already wisely collecting alcohol taxes or price markups on alcoholic beverages and dedicating them for alcohol-related programs," said Michele Simon, research and policy director at Marin Institute. "We urge political and public support for tax increases in the other 30 states to fund programs that mitigate the financial harm caused by alcohol," Simon added.
Twenty states dedicate funds collected through taxes or price mark-ups on alcoholic beverages and direct them in the following ways: (1) Education or prevention of problems associated with alcohol use; (2) Enforcement or administration of the state's alcohol control laws; and (3) Treatment or rehabilitation for people with alcohol or other drug problems.
Nationally, alcohol-related harm costs more than $200 billion annually in trauma care, hospitalization, treatment, prevention, lost productivity, and criminal justice costs. At least 85,000 people die in the U.S. every year from alcohol-related factors making alcohol the third leading cause of preventable death, behind smoking and poor diet.
"We applaud those states that are holding Big Alcohol accountable for their costs to government, stated Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of Marin Institute. "Bud Light and Coors Light are not so light on state government costs - it's time these global corporations pay the tab for the state health and safety programs that mitigate their harm," added Livingston.
In California, a state that suffers more than $38 billion in alcohol-related economic harm annually, there are alcohol fee proposals at both the state and county levels. AB 1019, authored by Assembly Member Jim Beall (D-San Jose), would establish the Alcohol-Related Services Program within the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. A $1.44 billion annual alcohol mitigation fee would fund the program and mark the first time the industry has paid its fair share of California's annual alcohol-related harm.
The City and County of San Francisco is currently conducting a nexus study to quantify its alcohol-related harm in preparation for imposing a local alcohol mitigation fee in 2010. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Monday supporting AB 1019 and asking for a state "charge for harm" fee program.
The alcohol industry watchdog released the information at MarinInstitute.org to show examples of states wrestling with the immense financial burden caused by alcohol use. "Twenty states are already wisely collecting alcohol taxes or price markups on alcoholic beverages and dedicating them for alcohol-related programs," said Michele Simon, research and policy director at Marin Institute. "We urge political and public support for tax increases in the other 30 states to fund programs that mitigate the financial harm caused by alcohol," Simon added.
Twenty states dedicate funds collected through taxes or price mark-ups on alcoholic beverages and direct them in the following ways: (1) Education or prevention of problems associated with alcohol use; (2) Enforcement or administration of the state's alcohol control laws; and (3) Treatment or rehabilitation for people with alcohol or other drug problems.
Nationally, alcohol-related harm costs more than $200 billion annually in trauma care, hospitalization, treatment, prevention, lost productivity, and criminal justice costs. At least 85,000 people die in the U.S. every year from alcohol-related factors making alcohol the third leading cause of preventable death, behind smoking and poor diet.
"We applaud those states that are holding Big Alcohol accountable for their costs to government, stated Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of Marin Institute. "Bud Light and Coors Light are not so light on state government costs - it's time these global corporations pay the tab for the state health and safety programs that mitigate their harm," added Livingston.
In California, a state that suffers more than $38 billion in alcohol-related economic harm annually, there are alcohol fee proposals at both the state and county levels. AB 1019, authored by Assembly Member Jim Beall (D-San Jose), would establish the Alcohol-Related Services Program within the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. A $1.44 billion annual alcohol mitigation fee would fund the program and mark the first time the industry has paid its fair share of California's annual alcohol-related harm.
The City and County of San Francisco is currently conducting a nexus study to quantify its alcohol-related harm in preparation for imposing a local alcohol mitigation fee in 2010. The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Monday supporting AB 1019 and asking for a state "charge for harm" fee program.
Casino Developers Pledge 90 Percent Local Jobs, Workforce That Reflects Community Diversity
CLEVELAND, Oct. 28 - Developers of the four casinos that would be authorized by passage of State Issue 3 pledged today that at least 90 percent of all jobs in the casinos will go to residents of the cities and their surrounding metropolitan areas, and that the casinos' workforces would reflect the diversity of the communities.
Dan Gilbert, whose Rock Ventures partnership will develop the Cleveland and Cincinnati casinos, personally gave Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson a letter with the hiring pledge at a "Vote Yes on Issue 3" rally today in Cleveland.
Similar letters are being prepared for the mayors of Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo by Rock Ventures and by Penn National Gaming, which would develop the Columbus and Toledo casinos.
"I am writing to provide you with assurance that, as developers of the casino that would be authorized under State Issue 3, we will make hiring of local residents to work in the casino our highest priority," the letter says.
"To that end, we commit to you that a minimum of 90 percent of employees hired to fill the permanent casino jobs will be residents of the city and its surrounding MSA.
"A significant part of our proposal is the job creation our development will bring to the communities that will host the casinos," the letter reads. "Maximizing that benefit relies heavily on the recruitment and hiring of local residents. We will also endeavor to make certain that our workforce reflects the diversity of the community."
At the rally, Gilbert told a crowd of 300 supporters at a downtown union hall that, "In America we build things. It all starts with us building stuff that creates long-term jobs and that's what we will do with the casinos."
Mayor Jackson said anyone who supports jobs in turn supports Issue 3.
"It will mean hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Cleveland. It's what we need to take care of our cities and our families. My support is about the construction jobs and the permanent jobs. This will help Cleveland become the center of activity in northeast Ohio," he said.
Steve Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, dismissed the myths about rising crime rates once a casino is built.
"We went to Detroit and talked to the cops on the street and we went to West Virginia. Crime does not go up. Don't believe the lies they're telling you," he said.
Terry Joyce, president of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council, told the crowd, "We haven't seen organized labor behind a casino issue like this one. This campaign will be won in this next week and Issue 3 will pass."
Similar rallies are planned for Columbus on Wednesday and Cincinnati on Thursday.
The Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that authorizes one first-class casino in each of the state's four largest cities (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo). The plan will generate $11 billion in economic impact during construction and the first five years of casino operations. It will create 34,000 new jobs for Ohioans, and will provide an estimated $651 million in tax revenues each year, with the vast majority of the money designated for all of the state's counties, its major cities and every public school district in the state. Annual tax revenues are projected to increase to $772 million by 2017.
Primary backers of the proposal are:
-- Penn National Gaming, Inc., a prominent operator of gaming facilities
and horse racing tracks, including Raceway Park in Toledo; and
-- Dan Gilbert, through his Rock Ventures partnership. Gilbert is
majority owner of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers and operator of Quicken
Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Lake
Erie Monsters, Veritix and Fathead, as well as Chairman and Founder of
Quicken Loans, which operates a 350-person Internet web center in
downtown Cleveland. Gilbert, who began investing in Ohio in 2005,
employs more than 2,500 people throughout the state.
Pd. for by Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, Bill Curlis, Treasurer, 865 Macon Alley, Columbus OH 43206
CONTACT: Bob Tenenbaum, +1-614-573-1377,
btenenbaum@themilenthalgroup.com, for Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan
Dan Gilbert, whose Rock Ventures partnership will develop the Cleveland and Cincinnati casinos, personally gave Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson a letter with the hiring pledge at a "Vote Yes on Issue 3" rally today in Cleveland.
Similar letters are being prepared for the mayors of Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo by Rock Ventures and by Penn National Gaming, which would develop the Columbus and Toledo casinos.
"I am writing to provide you with assurance that, as developers of the casino that would be authorized under State Issue 3, we will make hiring of local residents to work in the casino our highest priority," the letter says.
"To that end, we commit to you that a minimum of 90 percent of employees hired to fill the permanent casino jobs will be residents of the city and its surrounding MSA.
"A significant part of our proposal is the job creation our development will bring to the communities that will host the casinos," the letter reads. "Maximizing that benefit relies heavily on the recruitment and hiring of local residents. We will also endeavor to make certain that our workforce reflects the diversity of the community."
At the rally, Gilbert told a crowd of 300 supporters at a downtown union hall that, "In America we build things. It all starts with us building stuff that creates long-term jobs and that's what we will do with the casinos."
Mayor Jackson said anyone who supports jobs in turn supports Issue 3.
"It will mean hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Cleveland. It's what we need to take care of our cities and our families. My support is about the construction jobs and the permanent jobs. This will help Cleveland become the center of activity in northeast Ohio," he said.
Steve Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association, dismissed the myths about rising crime rates once a casino is built.
"We went to Detroit and talked to the cops on the street and we went to West Virginia. Crime does not go up. Don't believe the lies they're telling you," he said.
Terry Joyce, president of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council, told the crowd, "We haven't seen organized labor behind a casino issue like this one. This campaign will be won in this next week and Issue 3 will pass."
Similar rallies are planned for Columbus on Wednesday and Cincinnati on Thursday.
The Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan is a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that authorizes one first-class casino in each of the state's four largest cities (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo). The plan will generate $11 billion in economic impact during construction and the first five years of casino operations. It will create 34,000 new jobs for Ohioans, and will provide an estimated $651 million in tax revenues each year, with the vast majority of the money designated for all of the state's counties, its major cities and every public school district in the state. Annual tax revenues are projected to increase to $772 million by 2017.
Primary backers of the proposal are:
-- Penn National Gaming, Inc., a prominent operator of gaming facilities
and horse racing tracks, including Raceway Park in Toledo; and
-- Dan Gilbert, through his Rock Ventures partnership. Gilbert is
majority owner of the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers and operator of Quicken
Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic Courts, the Lake
Erie Monsters, Veritix and Fathead, as well as Chairman and Founder of
Quicken Loans, which operates a 350-person Internet web center in
downtown Cleveland. Gilbert, who began investing in Ohio in 2005,
employs more than 2,500 people throughout the state.
Pd. for by Ohio Jobs and Growth Committee, Bill Curlis, Treasurer, 865 Macon Alley, Columbus OH 43206
CONTACT: Bob Tenenbaum, +1-614-573-1377,
btenenbaum@themilenthalgroup.com, for Ohio Jobs and Growth Plan
Education Secretary Zahorchak Announces Pennsylvania's '2010 Teacher of the Year'
HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 28 - Michelle Switala, a mathematics teacher at Pine-Richland School District in Allegheny County, is Pennsylvania's 2010 Teacher of the Year, Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak announced today.
"Michelle inspires her students with her enthusiasm for teaching and love for mathematics and her job," Secretary Zahorchak said. "As our teacher of the year, she also will serve as an inspiration to her fellow educators."
Switala was chosen from among 12 finalists to represent Pennsylvania in the National Teacher of the Year presentation, scheduled for the spring.
She will serve as spokesperson for teachers across the state for the coming year, giving her the unique opportunity to represent the best in the education field.
"I come from a long line of teachers; my parents were public school teachers. There is nothing better than this profession; this truly is the best job," Switala said after receiving the Golden Apple award during a ceremony this morning.
Switala chairs the mathematics department at Pine-Richland High School, teaches a range of mathematics courses and is instrumental in working on curriculum mapping.
Each teacher of the year finalist was introduced at the awards ceremony by a former student who related how the teacher positively impacted his or her life. Switala was introduced by Tom Robinson, a high school senior, who talked about what distinguished his teacher as one of the great teachers in Pennsylvania.
"Ms. Switala is a great teacher that truly inspires her students to enjoy and learn math," Robinson said. "Not only does she expect her students to learn and challenge themselves, but she also expects the same of herself. She is currently taking classes to get a doctorate in mathematics education."
Pennsylvania has participated in the teacher of the year program since 1965. The program is co-sponsored by the state Department of Education and the Pennsylvania chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year.
A list of the finalists for the 2010 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year follows:
Michelle Switala, Mathematics, Pine-Richland SD, Allegheny Co. (winner)
Michael Bieber, 4th Grade, East Lycoming SD, Lycoming Co.
Barbara Cornibe, 3rd Grade, Pine-Richland SD, Allegheny Co.
Tammy Ficca, English, Manheim Township SD, Lancaster Co.
Stephanie Grande, Science, Abington SD, Montgomery Co.
Karen Kough, Kindergarten, Big Spring SD, Cumberland Co.
Michael Malthaner, Performing Arts/Music, Millcreek Township SD, Erie Co.
Rose McKevitt, First Grade, Centennial SD, Bucks Co.
William McWatters, Physics, Octorara Area SD, Chester Co.
Colleen Myers, 1st Grade, Purchase Line SD, Indiana Co.
Marcia Slaton, Reading/Literacy Coach, Shikellamy SD, Northumberland Co.
Jennifer Youmans, Business, Williamsport Area SD, Lycoming Co.
"Michelle inspires her students with her enthusiasm for teaching and love for mathematics and her job," Secretary Zahorchak said. "As our teacher of the year, she also will serve as an inspiration to her fellow educators."
Switala was chosen from among 12 finalists to represent Pennsylvania in the National Teacher of the Year presentation, scheduled for the spring.
She will serve as spokesperson for teachers across the state for the coming year, giving her the unique opportunity to represent the best in the education field.
"I come from a long line of teachers; my parents were public school teachers. There is nothing better than this profession; this truly is the best job," Switala said after receiving the Golden Apple award during a ceremony this morning.
Switala chairs the mathematics department at Pine-Richland High School, teaches a range of mathematics courses and is instrumental in working on curriculum mapping.
Each teacher of the year finalist was introduced at the awards ceremony by a former student who related how the teacher positively impacted his or her life. Switala was introduced by Tom Robinson, a high school senior, who talked about what distinguished his teacher as one of the great teachers in Pennsylvania.
"Ms. Switala is a great teacher that truly inspires her students to enjoy and learn math," Robinson said. "Not only does she expect her students to learn and challenge themselves, but she also expects the same of herself. She is currently taking classes to get a doctorate in mathematics education."
Pennsylvania has participated in the teacher of the year program since 1965. The program is co-sponsored by the state Department of Education and the Pennsylvania chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year.
A list of the finalists for the 2010 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year follows:
Michelle Switala, Mathematics, Pine-Richland SD, Allegheny Co. (winner)
Michael Bieber, 4th Grade, East Lycoming SD, Lycoming Co.
Barbara Cornibe, 3rd Grade, Pine-Richland SD, Allegheny Co.
Tammy Ficca, English, Manheim Township SD, Lancaster Co.
Stephanie Grande, Science, Abington SD, Montgomery Co.
Karen Kough, Kindergarten, Big Spring SD, Cumberland Co.
Michael Malthaner, Performing Arts/Music, Millcreek Township SD, Erie Co.
Rose McKevitt, First Grade, Centennial SD, Bucks Co.
William McWatters, Physics, Octorara Area SD, Chester Co.
Colleen Myers, 1st Grade, Purchase Line SD, Indiana Co.
Marcia Slaton, Reading/Literacy Coach, Shikellamy SD, Northumberland Co.
Jennifer Youmans, Business, Williamsport Area SD, Lycoming Co.
TSA Union to Celebrate Los Angeles TSA Workers With Thursday Event
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 28 - With more than 11,000 Transportation Security Administration members in 35 Locals nationwide, the American Federation of Government Employees will mark its role as the only real union for TSA workers with a celebration of Transportation Security Officers in Los Angeles on Oct. 29.
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Maria Elana Durazo will join AFGE in the celebration. While the powerful AFL-CIO has supported AFGE in its efforts at TSA for eight years, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in September extended that support.
"Right now, 40,000 TSA employees are on the verge of winning their collective bargaining rights. Our sisters and brothers in AFGE are going to organize them, and...I want you to know that the AFL-CIO will stand with them until every last one of those TSA employees are organized," Trumka said.
"Unlike stand-alone unions, AFGE enjoys the AFL-CIO's enormous political clout on Capitol Hill and across the country," said AFGE National President John Gage. "Being a part of the AFL-CIO is being a part of the rich and proud history of the U.S. labor movement--an institution that is critical to our country and its middle class."
In addition to food and fun, Thursday's event also will include a legal clinic, at which TSOs will have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with an AFGE attorney dedicated to TSA cases. Although TSOs are not afforded collective bargaining rights, AFGE does represent them before the EEOC and in court. AFGE court cases have resulted in TSA being held to the Rehabilitation Act, TSOs having the right to have constitutional issues heard in the courts, and countless TSOs getting their jobs back or demotions being overturned.
WHO:
The American Federation of Government Employees Local 1234
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Maria Elana Durazo
WHAT: AFGE will show its solidarity with, and appreciation for TSA employees with a luncheon and legal clinic
WHERE:
Los Angeles International Airport, Arrival Level between Terminal 1 and 2
In case of inclement weather, event will be at 5757 W Century Blvd, #700
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 29; 10 am - 4 pm
AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the
federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including
tens of thousands of DHS employees in Border Patrol, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Protective
Service, FEMA, Coast Guard and TSA.
CONTACT: Karina Quintana, +1-310-528-4263, or Emily Ryan,
+1-202-639-6421, both of AFGE
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Maria Elana Durazo will join AFGE in the celebration. While the powerful AFL-CIO has supported AFGE in its efforts at TSA for eight years, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka in September extended that support.
"Right now, 40,000 TSA employees are on the verge of winning their collective bargaining rights. Our sisters and brothers in AFGE are going to organize them, and...I want you to know that the AFL-CIO will stand with them until every last one of those TSA employees are organized," Trumka said.
"Unlike stand-alone unions, AFGE enjoys the AFL-CIO's enormous political clout on Capitol Hill and across the country," said AFGE National President John Gage. "Being a part of the AFL-CIO is being a part of the rich and proud history of the U.S. labor movement--an institution that is critical to our country and its middle class."
In addition to food and fun, Thursday's event also will include a legal clinic, at which TSOs will have the opportunity to talk one-on-one with an AFGE attorney dedicated to TSA cases. Although TSOs are not afforded collective bargaining rights, AFGE does represent them before the EEOC and in court. AFGE court cases have resulted in TSA being held to the Rehabilitation Act, TSOs having the right to have constitutional issues heard in the courts, and countless TSOs getting their jobs back or demotions being overturned.
WHO:
The American Federation of Government Employees Local 1234
Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Treasurer Maria Elana Durazo
WHAT: AFGE will show its solidarity with, and appreciation for TSA employees with a luncheon and legal clinic
WHERE:
Los Angeles International Airport, Arrival Level between Terminal 1 and 2
In case of inclement weather, event will be at 5757 W Century Blvd, #700
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 29; 10 am - 4 pm
AFGE is the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 workers in the
federal government and the government of the District of Columbia, including
tens of thousands of DHS employees in Border Patrol, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Protective
Service, FEMA, Coast Guard and TSA.
CONTACT: Karina Quintana, +1-310-528-4263, or Emily Ryan,
+1-202-639-6421, both of AFGE
Friday, October 23, 2009
Walmart U.S. Remodeling Success Leads to Accelerated Program International to Step Up Growth in Emerging Markets
BENTONVILLE, Ark., Oct. 23- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. today presented its global plans for store and club growth next year at its annual conference for the investment community and updated its projections for capital expenditures through the fiscal year ending on Jan. 31, 2011.
Total capital spending for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010, is projected to be in a range of $12.5 to $13.1 billion, up from approximately $11.5 billion in fiscal year 2009. Total capital spending for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2011 is projected to be in a range of $13.0 to $15.0 billion.
"Our plan for growth is clearly intended to increase shareholder value," said Tom Schoewe, executive vice president and chief financial officer. "In the U.S., we're building new stores and accelerating the pace of our remodels because they have been so successful at winning and retaining customers.
"We're stepping up growth in our International operations to take advantage of growing economies and opportunities in emerging markets, such as China and Brazil," Schoewe added.
Capital expenditures for all purposes are projected as follows and exclude the impact of any future acquisitions:
Capital Expenditure Detail (US$ billions)
Actual Projected
Segment FY09 FY10 FY11
Walmart U.S. $5.8 $6.6 - 6.8 $7.0 - 8.0
Sam's Club U.S. $0.8 $0.8 - 0.9 $0.7 - 1.0
Walmart International $4.1 $4.2 - 4.4 $4.5 - 5.0
Corporate $0.8 $0.9 - 1.0 $0.8 - 1.0
Total $11.5 $12.5 - 13.1 $13.0 - 15.0
If fiscal year 2009 were placed on a constant currency basis with fiscal year 2010, International capital expenditures in fiscal year 2009 would have been approximately $3.8 billion.
In the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010, the company expects to add approximately 38 million square feet globally, compared to approximately 44 million square feet added in the prior year (excluding square footage added by acquisition). Walmart expects to increase global square footage by approximately 37 million square feet in fiscal year 2011.
Square footage growth (excluding any acquisitions) is projected as follows:
Square Footage Growth by Segment (in millions)
Actual Projected
Additional Square Footage
for: FY09 FY10 FY11
Walmart U.S. 23 14 11
Sam's Club U.S. 2 1 1
Walmart International 19 23 25
Total Company 44 38 37
Walmart U.S. to Focus on Remodels and Accelerating Growth Through New, More Efficient Supercenters
In the U.S., Walmart will continue to focus on further improving the returns of its supercenter format through remodels of existing stores and by accelerating growth of new store designs capable of generating greater returns from current assets.
By November 2009, Walmart U.S. will have completed Project Impact remodels at more than 30 percent of its 3,538 stores. By the end of fiscal year 2012, approximately 70 percent of Walmart U.S. stores, including newly-constructed stores, are expected to be updated under the Project Impact initiative.
"As part of our plan to accelerate growth, we are investing capital in fiscal year 2011 for stores that are planned to open in fiscal year 2012, and we're stepping up the remodels of our existing store base," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice chairman, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "The remodeling of our existing store base is important because the investments are delivering strong sales performance, excellent customer response and higher returns."
Sam's Club Expanding and Remodeling
Sam's Club plans to add between five and 10 new, expanded or relocated clubs in fiscal year 2011 after adding a projected 15 clubs this fiscal year.
"We remain committed to opening and operating the optimal number of clubs, in the right sizes and formats, in locations that make the best use of our capital," said Brian Cornell, president and CEO, Sam's Club. "Sam's also is increasing its investment in remodeling to improve operating productivity and efficiency, based on a new club layout unveiled earlier today."
Sam's Club plans to remodel between 50 and 55 clubs by year-end, and expects to remodel between 70 and 90 clubs next fiscal year.
Investment outside the U.S. focused on Growth Markets
Walmart International plans aggressive investment, particularly in growth markets such as China and Brazil. The International portfolio includes a variety of formats, from supercenters to small grocery stores. New stores are expected to add approximately 23 million square feet in fiscal year 2010, and approximately 25 million more square feet in fiscal year 2011. These projections are based on the existing store base and do not include possible acquisitions.
"We will continue our organic growth strategy, with strong capital discipline and optimization of our portfolio of formats and brands worldwide," said Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart International. "We will allocate capital, by country and by format, to improve returns from these investments."
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,000 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune magazine's 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com
Total capital spending for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010, is projected to be in a range of $12.5 to $13.1 billion, up from approximately $11.5 billion in fiscal year 2009. Total capital spending for the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2011 is projected to be in a range of $13.0 to $15.0 billion.
"Our plan for growth is clearly intended to increase shareholder value," said Tom Schoewe, executive vice president and chief financial officer. "In the U.S., we're building new stores and accelerating the pace of our remodels because they have been so successful at winning and retaining customers.
"We're stepping up growth in our International operations to take advantage of growing economies and opportunities in emerging markets, such as China and Brazil," Schoewe added.
Capital expenditures for all purposes are projected as follows and exclude the impact of any future acquisitions:
Capital Expenditure Detail (US$ billions)
Actual Projected
Segment FY09 FY10 FY11
Walmart U.S. $5.8 $6.6 - 6.8 $7.0 - 8.0
Sam's Club U.S. $0.8 $0.8 - 0.9 $0.7 - 1.0
Walmart International $4.1 $4.2 - 4.4 $4.5 - 5.0
Corporate $0.8 $0.9 - 1.0 $0.8 - 1.0
Total $11.5 $12.5 - 13.1 $13.0 - 15.0
If fiscal year 2009 were placed on a constant currency basis with fiscal year 2010, International capital expenditures in fiscal year 2009 would have been approximately $3.8 billion.
In the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2010, the company expects to add approximately 38 million square feet globally, compared to approximately 44 million square feet added in the prior year (excluding square footage added by acquisition). Walmart expects to increase global square footage by approximately 37 million square feet in fiscal year 2011.
Square footage growth (excluding any acquisitions) is projected as follows:
Square Footage Growth by Segment (in millions)
Actual Projected
Additional Square Footage
for: FY09 FY10 FY11
Walmart U.S. 23 14 11
Sam's Club U.S. 2 1 1
Walmart International 19 23 25
Total Company 44 38 37
Walmart U.S. to Focus on Remodels and Accelerating Growth Through New, More Efficient Supercenters
In the U.S., Walmart will continue to focus on further improving the returns of its supercenter format through remodels of existing stores and by accelerating growth of new store designs capable of generating greater returns from current assets.
By November 2009, Walmart U.S. will have completed Project Impact remodels at more than 30 percent of its 3,538 stores. By the end of fiscal year 2012, approximately 70 percent of Walmart U.S. stores, including newly-constructed stores, are expected to be updated under the Project Impact initiative.
"As part of our plan to accelerate growth, we are investing capital in fiscal year 2011 for stores that are planned to open in fiscal year 2012, and we're stepping up the remodels of our existing store base," said Eduardo Castro-Wright, vice chairman, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "The remodeling of our existing store base is important because the investments are delivering strong sales performance, excellent customer response and higher returns."
Sam's Club Expanding and Remodeling
Sam's Club plans to add between five and 10 new, expanded or relocated clubs in fiscal year 2011 after adding a projected 15 clubs this fiscal year.
"We remain committed to opening and operating the optimal number of clubs, in the right sizes and formats, in locations that make the best use of our capital," said Brian Cornell, president and CEO, Sam's Club. "Sam's also is increasing its investment in remodeling to improve operating productivity and efficiency, based on a new club layout unveiled earlier today."
Sam's Club plans to remodel between 50 and 55 clubs by year-end, and expects to remodel between 70 and 90 clubs next fiscal year.
Investment outside the U.S. focused on Growth Markets
Walmart International plans aggressive investment, particularly in growth markets such as China and Brazil. The International portfolio includes a variety of formats, from supercenters to small grocery stores. New stores are expected to add approximately 23 million square feet in fiscal year 2010, and approximately 25 million more square feet in fiscal year 2011. These projections are based on the existing store base and do not include possible acquisitions.
"We will continue our organic growth strategy, with strong capital discipline and optimization of our portfolio of formats and brands worldwide," said Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart International. "We will allocate capital, by country and by format, to improve returns from these investments."
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) serves customers and members more than 200 million times per week at more than 8,000 retail units under 53 different banners in 15 countries. With fiscal year 2009 sales of $401 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.1 million associates worldwide. A leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity, Walmart ranked first among retailers in Fortune magazine's 2009 Most Admired Companies survey. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com and www.samsclub.com
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