Archive for October, 2009

Strongco Announces Third Quarter 2009 Results

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Strongco Announces Third Quarter 2009 Results

Market Wire, October, 2009

Strongco Income Fund (TSX: SQP.UN) -

Summary (i)

- In the third quarter, the markets that Strongco serves were down year over year similar to the declines experienced throughout 2009. Overall, for the first nine months of 2009, markets were off 50%-60%, with largest decline in Alberta

- Total revenues in third quarter decreased 24% from 2008 to $74.6 million; year to date the decrease was 22%

- Gross margin as percent of revenue improved to 19% from 16% in third quarter of 2008; increased to 21% from 17% for nine-month period

- Expenses decreased 10% to $13.5 million in third quarter; down 9% year to date

- Earnings from continuing operations for third quarter increased to $0.3 million from a loss of $0.3 million in 2008; for nine-month period increased to $3.6 million from $2.0 million in 2008

(i) All comparative figures have been restated to reflect treatment of Strongco Engineered Systems as a Discontinued Operation.

Strongco Income Fund (TSX: SQP.UN) today released financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009.

“We continue to operate profitably, improve results over last year and maintain a strong market position in a difficult ongoing economic climate,” said Robert Dryburgh, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fund. “We are, nevertheless, disappointed in our third quarter results. Our margins in the quarter, while an improvement over last year, have been squeezed compared to earlier in 2009. This was partially the result of aggressive pricing in the marketplace as some dealers attempted to reduce inventories and partially the result of the recent strength of the Canadian dollar. In guy gets girl addition, our costs were higher in a number of areas including bad debt write-offs, a loss on the sale of a closed branch and higher inter-branch freight costs resulting from our inventory management.”

Mr. Dryburgh added: “We continue to refine and improve our business operations, which reflects in the year over year improvement of our operating results

Monitoring your carbon tyre-print

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Monitoring your carbon tyre-print

0 Comments | Birmingham Post (England), The, Oct 16, 2009

Smart technology is making it possible for motorists to monitor the carbon footprint of their cars on their home computer.

Coverbox, a pay-as-you-drive insurer, claims the GPS-based system that allows drivers to monitor time, distance and cost of their journeys minnesota auto insurance quotes online now also provides a readout of carbon emissions directly from the vehicle’s onboard computer.

“Drivers who can see how motoring costs can be reduced by the time they travel and combining several journeys into one will also find that changing driving habits also cuts tailpipe emissions,” says spokesman Paul Stacy. Coverbox allows drivers to take out insurance cover by the mile, with the price varying according to the time of travel. A personal website tracks their costs.

Castle was king of campy horror flicks

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Castle was king of campy horror flicks

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 30, 2009 | by Chris Hicks Deseret News

when it was released in 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s classic horror film “Psycho” came to theaters with a promotional gimmick of the old- fashioned ballyhoo variety.

A large standee with a photo of Hitch was outside each theater, warning that no one would be seated once the picture started and also urging moviegoers not to reveal the ending to their friends.

But Hitch was a piker compared to William Castle.

A veteran B-movie director, Castle became the king of horror hype in the mid-20th century, starting with his 1958 fright flick “Macabre,” at which moviegoers received $1,000 insurance policies from Lloyds of London — just in case anyone died of fright during the movie. There were even nurses stationed in the lobby!

Castle’s next project was the black-and-white Vincent Price classic “The House on Haunted Hill” (1959), which featured a new process, “Emergo” — actually just an inflated rubber skeleton that dangled from the ceiling at the moment a walking skeleton appears onscreen.

He followed that with another Price picture, “The Tingler” (1959), for which he actually wired theater seats for electric jolts — hailed as yet another new process, “Percepto.” Actually, there were only a few seats set up that way, and it was really just a variation on the old handshake joy buzzer.

In 1960, he came up with “13 Ghosts” in “Illusion-O,” a variation on 3-D with special glasses fitted with two rows of lenses — through which viewers could choose to see or not see the ghosts.

And in 1961, there was “Homicidal,” which bears a not-so-subtle resemblance to “Psycho.” For this one, each patron received a money- back-guarantee certificate — anyone leaving the film before the ending would receive a full refund.

Near the end of “Homicidal,” the soundtrack picks up a heartbeat that gradually becomes louder and louder, then a 45-second countdown clock appears on the screen as Castle’s voice explains that anyone who is too frightened to colorado auto insurance quotes see the end of the picture should leave now!

Naturally, no one did. Genius.

Castle has often been characterized as a “low-rent Hitchcock,” but when I was a kid, he was the king of horror movies. Oh, I loved Hitch. But he only made a couple that could be classified that way (”Psycho,” “The Birds” ..

Weather can’t stop trio from league success

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Weather can’t stop trio from league success

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Oct 29, 2009

DESPITE extremely unpleasant weather conditions, the Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League got off to a bright start – much to the relief of the new team at the helm.

Record fields turned out at Temple Park, South Shields for the Sherman Cup and Davison Shield competition which could have been a major headache for Alan Wears, Vicki Thompson and Simon Smith who have been eased into the role of league secretaries for this season.

However, the trio came through with flying colours having results available just a short time after the completion of each race.

After three years in charge, in which the league has grown from strength to strength, Steph and Hugh Bingham, of Tynedale Harriers, have stepped down but they were on hand at the weekend to give the new team any help that was required, but at the end of the day only a few minor hiccups were encountered vertical training and they were corrected immediately.

Thompson, like Wears, a member of the Jarrow and Hebburn club, was delighted that things went so relatively smoothly. “Naturally, we were all a bit apprehensive for we hadn’t done anything like this before,” said Thompson, winner of the Chronicle Sunshine Run in 2008.

“Steph and Hugh gave us all the support we needed before Saturday’s event and even though we had a dummy run prior to the day it’s not the same as having to get things right when you are under pressure.

“After it was all over we were quite pleased with the way things went and we would like to thank everyone, especially Hugh and Steph, who have supported us, we truly appreciate it.

“Now that we have got the first one out of the way we can’t wait for the next fixture to come round at Farringdon on November 28.”

Once again South Shields Harriers, with the support of Sunderland Strollers, did a superb job in putting out a challenging course and, while they were fortunate that the weather was kind in the morning when they assembled the course, when it came to dismantling it those who had the job got a real soaking.

So, from the athletes who took part, the spectators who braved the elements and the officials who stood at their post for around three hours, everyone would like you all to know how much they appreciated your excellent efforts.

CAPTION(S):

LEADER OF THE PACK: Vicki Thompson

Johnny Royal to Address Executive MBA Class of UNLV on Social Media 3.0

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Johnny Royal to Address Executive MBA Class of UNLV on Social Media 3.0

Market Wire, October, 2009

LSI — Luthier Society CEO and Chairman,
Johnny Royal , will
address the executive MBA class of UNLV on Saturday, October 31, groom wedding speech 2009 at
11:30am on the UNLV campus in Las Vegas, NV on the future of social media
and emerging technologies. The executive MBA program at UNLV is an
advanced MBA program for executives and decision makers from around the
world that range from small business owners to international corporate
board members.

Johnny Royal will address
the audience on the incessant developments behind social media and where
the future of viral marketing is heading. After publishing the world’s
first white paper on social
media 3.0 , Royal was
asked to expand his research into a book on the future of viral marketing
and the emerging technologies that are helping to shape the means of
delivering media to the masses in the digital age.

Luthier Society made the
preemptive strike on the inability to quantify social media marketing by
spending the past three years building Archimedes 1.0 ; the
world’s first online weighted value system of analysis for marketing
campaigns that are deployed online. Recently, Luthier Society released the
first viral video for the company’s proprietary ROI weighted-value software
platform, Archimedes
1.0 that is set for release in 2010.

Luthier Society , Inc

First Patient in United Kingdom Treated With AcceleDent

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
First Patient in United Kingdom Treated With AcceleDent

PR Newswire, Oct 29, 2009

HOUSTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ — OrthoAccel Technologies, Inc., developers of the AcceleDent System, which is an acceleration device for orthodontics, has just completed the sale of the product to several key opinion leaders in the United Kingdom. Doctors Gerry Bellman, Angelos Alvanos, and Asif Chatoo are in private practice in the London area while Dr. Lars Christensen is in private practice in Oxford.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091029/DA01250LOGO)

AcceleDent is a simple, removable dental device that patients wear in the mouth for twenty minutes daily. It generates a light microvibration force which modulates the bone tissue remodeling process and accelerates orthodontic tooth movement. The device is hands-free and allows the user flexibility to carry out most routine tasks during the twenty-minute use session.

Dr. Bellman, an orthodontic specialist, is the first to treat a patient outside of the USA where the Company has been conducting human clinical trials. The patient is a 28-year old female initially being treated with a fixed orthodontic appliance, with a treatment plan to later include a clear aligner (Invisalign). The doctor and patient gas fireplace inserts were very excited by how easy the AcceleDent System is to use and look forward to a significantly reduced treatment time. Dr

New DVD releases include 'Aliens'

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
New DVD releases include ‘Aliens’

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 30, 2009

The following DVDs will be released Tuesday, unless otherwise specified:

“Aliens in the Attic” (Fox, $29.99) — ** — Stupid movie. But kid-friendly.

Special features: Blu-ray combo pack ($39.99) includes Blu-ray and standard DVD versions of the film, digital copy for home- electronics devices.

PG (violence, vulgarity, profanity) — Roger Moore, The Orlando Sentinel

“Eddie Izzard: Live From Wembley” (Vivendi, $19.99) — Comedy concert special featuring the British actor-comedian.

Not rated, probable R (profanity, vulgarity)

“Food, Inc.” (Magnolia, $26.98) — *** — The documentary expose of America’s food industry is powerful, disturbing stuff.PG (drugs, vulgarity)

“G.I. Joe: Resolute” (Hasbro, $19.99) — Animated feature produced for television, featuring the popular toy and Saturday morning cartoon characters.

Not rated, probable PG-13 (violence)

“G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” (Paramount, $29.98) — * — The action-figure thriller is so silly it almost comes across as a live-action cartoon.

Special features: Two-disc edition ($34.98) includes digital copy of the film; Blu-ray combo pack ($39.99) includes both Blu-ray and standard DVD versions of the sony bdp-s560 film, digital copy for home- electronics devices.

PG-13 (violence, profanity, drugs, gore, torture, vulgarity, slurs, nude art)

“I Love You, Beth Cooper” (Fox, $27.98) — * — A painfully unfunny comedy that unsuccessfully tries to re-create the John Hughes comedies.

PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity, violence, brief sex, slurs, brief drugs, nudity, brief gore)

“Lemon Tree” (MPI, $19.98) — ** — This Israeli import is so dry it might as well be described as “barren.” With English subtitles.

Not rated, probable PG (profanity, slurs, violence, vulgarity)

“Not Forgotten” (Anchor Bay, $26.97) — Kidnapping/suspense- thriller with supernatural elements and starring Simon Baker and Paz Vega.

R (violence, gore, sex, nudity, profanity)

“The Storm” (Rhi Entertainment, $19.95) — Made-for-television disaster movie starring Treat Williams and James Van Der Beek.

Not rated, probable PG-13 (violence)

“The Taking of Pelham 123″ (Sony, $28.96) — ** — This version of the subway hijacking tale is pretty messy. Denzel Washington stars.

R (violence, profanity, gore, vulgarity, slurs, brief drugs)

“Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series” (Warner, $12.98) — Direct-to-DVD “prequel” featuring characters from the theatrical feature “Terminator: Salvation.”

Not rated, probable PG-13 (violence)

“Will Ferrell: You’re Welcome, America. A Final Night With George W. Bush” (HBO, $19.97) — One-man comedy concert, originally produced for pay-cable and featuring Ferrell as the former U.S

Speaking of LeRoy Carhart, four of his former employees have reported unsafe and illegal practices at his abortion clinic in Bellevue, Nebraska–including unsanitary conditions and unlicensed staff starting IVs and dispensing medication.(While We’re At It

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Speaking of LeRoy Carhart, four of his former employees have reported unsafe and illegal practices at his abortion clinic in Bellevue, Nebraska–including unsanitary conditions and unlicensed staff starting IVs and dispensing medication.(While diabetes treatments We’re At It)(Brief article)

First Things: A Monthly Journal of Religion and Public Life, November, 2009

Speaking of LeRoy Carhart, four of his former employees have reported unsafe and illegal practices at his abortion clinic in Bellevue, Nebraska–including unsanitary conditions and unlicensed staff starting IVs and dispensing medication. “Ex-Employees Aid Abortion Foes,” declares the headline of the angry story in the Omaha World-Herald.

Those faithless employees! Praise of whistleblowers seems to depend on whose whistle it is.

Petty's Garage Now Turning Out Custom Machines

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Petty’s Garage Now Turning Out Custom Machines

Market Wire, October, 2009

The change at 311 Branson Mill Road in
Level Cross, N.C., a facility inflatable boats that has produced more race winners than any
other shop in the history of NASCAR, is amazing. The employees of a
newly-formed Petty’s Garage are transplanting that legacy of success into a
new endeavor producing performance automobiles there. The first car from
the historic garage will be a custom 2009 Dodge Challenger to be sold for
charity at the Barrett-Jackson
Auction in January 2010.

“For 61 years, Petty Enterprises built, engineered and raced some of the
most-historic cars in all of NASCAR right from this shop,” said ‘The King’
Richard Petty. “You’re talking about Plymouth Belvederes, Superbirds, Road
Runners, Torinos and Dodge Chargers. When racecars went from being a
purely production car to a car built from the ground up, or modified,
solely for racing, many of them came out of Level Cross. We are proud of
what we were able to accomplish here and it was important for us to keep
this place going.”

Over the years, Petty Enterprises garnered 268 wins in what is now the
Sprint Cup Series, ten championships and nine Daytona 500 wins from this
facility. Now, Petty’s Garage will focus on the manufacturing of
performance vehicles, including the “museum-quality” restoration of vintage
race vehicles, custom cars and high performance street vehicles. The first
complete car project is the build of a Dodge Challenger to be sold at the
Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in January of 2010 by the Petty
Family Foundation (PFF). The proceeds of the sale will benefit the PFF and
the charities it supports.

Established in 1971 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Barrett-Jackson
specializes in providing products and services to collector car owners,
astute collectors and automotive enthusiasts around the world. The company
produces “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions(TM)” in Scottsdale,
Palm Beach, Fla., Las Vegas and Orange County, Calif. Barrett-Jackson also
endorses a one-of-a-kind insurance offering for collector vehicles and
other valued belongings.

“Richard Petty made a huge impact at our Scottsdale event earlier this year
when he helped sell another MOPAR for charity,” stated Steve Davis,
president of Barrett-Jackson. “We’re pleased that he chose one of our
world class automotive lifestyle events to showcase the shop’s talents and
raise money for such a fantastic charity. It will be truly a historic
event where someone will get to own a well-documented car built by the one
and only, Richard Petty.”

The 2009 Dodge Challenger was completely disassembled and placed on a
rotisserie so it could be painted the trademark Petty Blue by BASF R-M.
Reassembly included a Late Model 426 Hemi by Arrington Engines with 585 hp,
Pedders suspension upgrades, Brembo Gran Turismo brakes, a new Corsa
Exhaust system with a Petty’s Garage custom center exhaust exit and
refinished all of the suspension to Petty Parts Blue by BASF R-M

All Weather Tite Roofing Achieves Exclusive Status of Master Elite(TM) Weather Stopper(R) Roofing Contractor With North America's Largest Roofing Manufacturer

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
All Weather Tite Roofing Achieves Exclusive Status of Master Elite(TM) Weather Stopper(R) Roofing Contractor With North America’s Largest Roofing Manufacturer

Market Wire, October, 2009

All Weather Tite Roofing, a fully licensed
and insured professional roofing contractor serving central and eastern
Massachusetts, today announced it has achieved the exclusive status of
Master Elite(TM) Weather Stopper Roofing Contractor with GAF-ELK, North
America’s largest roofing manufacturer. Only 3% of roofing contractors in
the U.S. have achieved Master Elite status.

To become a Master Elite roofing contractor, All Weather Tite Roofing had
to meet stringent standards and compete with other roofing companies for a
spot in the exclusive Master Elite contractor program. Master Elite
contractors receive extensive training in the latest roof installation
techniques and GAF-ELK factory-certified status, therefore roofs installed
by Master Elite contractors qualify for special warranties such as the
GAF-ELK Weather Stopper Golden Pledge, the best roof warranty in the
industry. By choosing a Master Elite roofing contractor, home and
commercial building owners are assured they will be dealing with a quality,
reputable and dependable contractor using high-quality materials providing
the best protection against a full range of roof problems.

“Achieving the Master Elite status is important to our company, mainly
because we want to protect homeowners by offering the assurance that when
they hire us, they are working with a legitimate and professional roofing
company that is licensed, insured and trained,” states Kelly Shepard, owner
and operator, All Weather Tite Roofing. “Most homeowners don’t know they
should get a roofer that is insured, uses warranty materials, and has
obtained a permit, so as a result, they find themselves getting ripped off
or in a costly situation. All-Weather Tite Roofing cares about the
homeowner and wants to change that scenario by proving we have the
documentation and training to install a roofing system that is secure and
long-lasting.”

To be considered for the GAF-ELF Master Elite roofing contractor program,
roofing contractors must meet the following criteria:

--  Hold all licenses required by their state or local area to perform
    roof work;
--  Possess adequate insurance for protecting customers;
--  Establish a reputation for providing quality roofing services to
    customers and throughout the community; and
--  Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional training to ensure
    quality roof installation.
    

GAF-ELK started the Master Elite roofing contractor program to reward
customers best homeowners insurance who use GAF-ELK products with the best tools and installers in
the industry. Approximately 20 roofing contractors in Massachusetts and
Rhode Island are Master Elite roofing contractors.

About All Weather Tite Roofing

All Weather Tite Roofing, located in Marlborough, MA, is a fully licensed
and insured professional roofing contractor specializing in roofing,
gutters, siding and windows