2009
10.31
Published Study Demonstrates Clinical Accuracy and Ease of Use of TRUE2go Blood Glucose Monitoring System from Home Diagnostics

Business Wire, Oct 21, 2009

Peer-Reviewed Study Demonstrates System Accuracy, Precision,
Simplicity and Convenience; Encourages Patient Self Monitoring, Improved
Diabetes Management

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Home
Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ:HDIX), a leading developer, manufacturer,
and marketer of blood glucose monitoring systems, today announced the
results of a TRUE2go clinical performance study published in the
October 2009 issue of the journal Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics.
The study, Clinical Performance of the TRUE2go Blood Glucose System A
Novel Integrated System for Meter and Strips, demonstrated the accuracy
and precision of the TRUE2go system and found that it was both easy and
convenient to use by patients. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics
is a peer-reviewed journal written for clinicians with the goal of
promoting communication between developers and users of new diabetes
treatment, monitoring, diagnosis and prevention technologies.

This study is significant in that it clearly proves that TRUE2go is a
system designed with user convenience in mind and instructions and
features that make it easy for people living with diabetes to
consistently and accurately self-monitor their blood glucose levels,
said Joe Capper, president and chief executive officer of Home
Diagnostics. As one of the best predictors of good glycemic control and
overall management of diabetes, self monitoring is a critical element of
living well with diabetes.

As the number of people with diabetes continues to grow around the
world, it is increasingly important to minimize the complications of
diabetes by encouraging the achievement and maintenance of glycemic
control. To help people with diabetes control their blood glucose
levels, manufacturers need to develop products that are simple, easy to
use and accurate. As a result, the TRUE2go is a no-coding meter about
the size of a quarter that easily attaches to the top of a vial of test
strips. The TRUE2go system requires a small 0.5 microliter of blood and
produces accurate results in as fast as four seconds. manifesting abundance TRUE2go offers
people with diabetes convenience and ease of use that, in turn,
encourages more frequent blood glucose monitoring and improved glycemic
control. In addition, TRUE2go offers unparalleled value and performance
the system retails, on average, for $9.99 for the meter with 10 test
strips included eliminating another key barrier to consistent
monitoring.

The purpose of the TRUE2go study was to test the accuracy and precision
of the TRUE2go system and to evaluate whether lay people could use the
system as easily as healthcare professionals. The study was also
designed to assess lay users understanding of and compliance with the
TRUE2go systems instructions for use and to evaluate users
satisfaction with the test system.

Key study findings include:

  • TRUE2go is accurate and convenient to use and its instructions are
    easy for lay users to understand;
  • TRUE2go features offer convenience for the user and could improve
    compliance of testing for people with diabetes;
  • 100 percent of glucose test results fell within ISO-recommended limits
    for glucose concentrations ranging from 24 mg/dL to 549 mg/dL;
  • Lay users understanding of and compliance with TRUE2go system
    instructions were excellent, as was their satisfaction with the system.

Study subjects were male and female adult patients with type 1 or type 2
diabetes from varied educational levels. The study was performed at four
clinics in the United States and designed to comply with International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15197:2003, a performance
standard for self-testing blood glucose monitoring devices that includes
evaluations for accuracy and is an FDA-recognized consensus standard.

The Clinical Performance of the TRUE2go Blood Glucose System A Novel
Integrated System for Meter and Strips study was authored by Mark S.
Kipnes, M.D., Hal Joseph, R.P.A.-C., C.D.E., Harry Morris, D.O., M.P.H.,
Jason Manko, B.S., and Douglas E

2009
10.31
BestWeek: Competition Among Insurance Domiciles Heats Up

Business Wire, Oct 30, 2009

OLDWICK, N.J. — Competition among domiciles is heating up as many countries and U.S.
states vie to host insurance companies and their related business,
according to the Nov. 2 BestWeek U.S./Canada. Regulating insurers
is a good business for governments. Insurance business brings jobs
new jersey auto insurance quotes without pollution and boosts tax revenue. In 2007, Vermont, the top
captive domicile in the United States, and third-largest in the world,
said its busy captive market brought in just about as much revenue as
the state lottery.

In BestWeek Europe, over the past two decades, the number of
captives around the world has almost doubled, growing from 2,535 in 1989
to 5,211 at year-end 2008. Guernseys position in the global captive
marketplace is well established. The island is home to nearly all of the
protected cell companies in Europe, BestWeek reports.

And in BestWeek U.S./Canada, capital and surplus for the top 25
U.S. health writers comprised mainly of nonprofit Blue Cross Blue
Shield companies declined 11.6% to $46.1 billion at year-end 2008, an A.M.
Best Statistical Study shows

2009
10.31
Commentary: Growth of a quasi-legal enterprise

Colorado Springs Business Journal, Oct 30, 2009

Like King Canute commanding the tide to recede, the Colorado Springs City Council evidently believes that it can slow down and control the de facto legalization of marijuana in Colorado.

During 2000, Colorado voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing marijuana to be prescribed for eight specific health conditions. Since then, the number of people for whom marijuana has been prescribed has steadily climbed, and now includes nearly 15,000 Coloradoans.

Clearly, the categories are broad enough, or physicians are lax enough, to prescribe the demon weed to almost anyone who cares to ask.

In Denver, the new marijuana boom is in full swing.

This week’s issue of Westword, Denver’s long-established alternative weekly newspaper, contains seven and a half color pages of marijuana-related ads, more than for any other business category. Dozens of growers and marketers, loosely disguised as “clinics” or “professional caregiving services” tout their wares to would-be puffers.

One offers “Denver’s best selection of medicine, over 30 strains to choose from!!! Meds starting at $25.” A competitor offered even more selections, luring medical connoisseurs with “Colorado’s largest clone room — over 200 strains,” not to mention a “wide variety of edibles,” as well as the opportunity to “safely medicate on-site.”

Last Sunday’s Denver Post took note of the phenomenon, reporting that the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, which processes applications for medical marijuana cards, has been receiving 400-600 such applications daily.

Theoretically, the sale, cultivation and use of marijuana are against the law. In practice, it’s not.

As we pointed out in these pages some time ago, the illicit production, distribution and sale of marijuana in Colorado Springs alone is a $70 million business. Thousands of users and sellers risk criminal penalties by participating in the trade. Moreover, many large-scale suppliers are linked to murderous transnational cartels.

Would society’s interests be best served by allowing adults to purchase marijuana just as they purchase liquor? Appropriately licensed and regulated providers would replace today’s lawless marketplace. Disputes among buyers and sellers would be resolved by the courts, not at the point of a gun. Prices would fall, and marijuana might lose its once-romantic appeal to the young.

Tellingly, that seems to be what’s happening in Denver, where marijuana merchants compete with each other on price, quality and convenience. What was once unthinkable is now just another growth business (pun intended).

However, our city has a notable history of drug prohibition.

Colorado Springs founder Gen. William Palmer included ironclad restrictive covenants which cure bacterial vaginosis prohibited the sale or manufacture of “intoxicating liquors” on any property within the boundaries of Colorado Springs

2009
10.30
SES ASTRA to provide increases HD capacity to Sky aerials essex Deutschland

Telecomworldwire, Oct 29, 2009

TELECOMWORLDWIRE-29 October 2009-SES ASTRA to provide increases HD capacity to Sky Deutschland(C)1994-2009 M2 COMMUNICATIONS http://www.m2.com

Direct-to-Home (DTH) satellite system in Europe SES ASTRA, an SES company (Paris:SESG) (LuxX:SESG), announced today that Sky Deutschland, the German TV entertainment platform, has contracted three additional transponders on ASTRA’s prime orbital position 19.2 degrees East.

Under this new contract, of undisclosed financial terms, Sky Deutschland will use the additional capacity primarily to offer more HD channels.

The first of the three transponders will be brought into use in mid-2010, with the other two transponders expected to follow in mid-2011 and mid-2012.

Including the newly contracted capacity, Sky Deutschland will now use a total of 10 ASTRA transponders. Sky Deutschland currently broadcasts seven HD channels in the German-speaking market.

((Comments on this story may be sent to tww.feedback@m2.com))

2009
10.30
Overweight Teen Girls and Their Moms Say, ‘Help.’ Fitsmi and Fitsmi for Moms Come Up With an Answer

PR Newswire, Oct 27, 2009

Leading Obesity Experts and Entertainment Industry Executives Develop fitsmi.com for Teen Girls and fitsmi.com/moms for their Moms to Fight the Teen Obesity Epidemic

WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ — Professionals from the entertainment industry have teamed with leaders in obesity treatment to create the first web destinations that offer affordable and accessible weight management support to overweight teen girls and their mothers. By combining social media with fashion, food, exercise and fun, Fitsmi (http://www.fitsmi.com/) helps teen girls make healthy behavioral changes and improve their self-esteem. Fitsmi for Moms (fitsmi.com/moms) gives mothers of overweight teens the advice and support they need to help their daughters. These new services are debuting tony robbins seminar at The Obesity Society annual meeting in Washington, DC.

“After listening to many teens and their moms talk about the help they wish they had, our team created a destination that treats an overweight teen girl first as a teenager and helps her feel better about herself in a world that makes being overweight an emotionally painful experience. It’s designed to help a teen girl feel connected, supported, motivated and inspired to make healthy changes,” says Fitsmi’s founder and CEO Linda Frankenbach, who herself was a teen who struggled with her weight

2009
10.30
First-time DUI fees can top $10,000

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 17, 2009 | by Linda Thomson Deseret News

In the midst of this recession, probably the last thing anybody needs is a new batch of bills that can easily add up to thousands of dollars.

In that case, it might be smart to rethink taking that next drink, or if you do have “just one more,” handing the car keys to someone else.

All lecturing and moralizing aside, many Utahns may be surprised at how expensive it is for just one DUI. A first-time misdemeanor DUI can cost a bundle, risk your driver’s license, hike your car insurance for a decade and consume hours of time.

“I have to tell you, it’s huge,” said Jason Schatz, a Salt Lake attorney with specialized training who handles many DUI cases.

A basic first-time DUI can end up costing a minimum of more than $3,000 from the start — and that is calculated with a straight-up guilty plea, no attorney texas auto insurance quotes costs and no figures added in for higher insurance rates.

That amount easily could rise to $10,000 or even much, much more, if an individual were to include such things as attorney fees, a higher fine imposed by the judge and more expensive car insurance, which often can be the most costly part of a DUI.

The figure would jump alarmingly higher than that if an individual ends up needing in-patient alcohol treatment or loses a job because of a DUI conviction.

Schatz has many clients who want to fight DUIs in court and retain their driver’s licenses, and he pursues these cases vigorously. But even for the person who simply wants to plead guilty, take the penalty and get it over with, the financial repercussions are still rugged.

From his perspective, Utah is too tough on the first-time offender who may never have broken the law before.

“In my opinion, it’s going a little bit too far,” Schatz said. “I can understand much harsher penalties for repeat offenders

2009
10.30
Allotment claim? I’m losing the plot! Your money problems solved

0 Comments | Daily Mail (London, England), The, Oct 28, 2009

Byline: Dear Margaret

I’M THE secretary of our local allotment society. In December, a car smashed into the gates. The georgia auto insurance quotes accident was reported and the police took details. I contacted the driver’s insurance company, Swiftcover, and sent details of the estimated cost of repairs in writing as requested, but have heard nothing since. We need this settled as the gates are in a dangerous state.

J. D., Manchester. SWIFTCOVER says it was not told that the driver had damaged the gates until May, five months after the incident.

It contacted the driver, but he didn’t respond to inquiries. It then asked for the police report to verify your version of events and says that had this confirmed what you said, it would have met the claim in full.

Though Swiftcover still doesn’t have these details, in view of the relatively small amount involved, it has decided to pay your claim — which is for [pounds sterling]300 plus [pounds sterling]45 VAT. It’s also giving your society [pounds sterling]100 to spend on equipment and seeds as a goodwill gesture.

I BOOKED a steam train journey for my sister, brother-in-law and I. We are all pensioners and two of us are disabled. The trip, arranged by the Railway Touring Company of King’s Lynn, was on the Royal Scot from Lichfield to Carlisle and cost [pounds sterling]119 each for first-class tickets — a total bill of [pounds sterling]357. My daughter phoned Lichfield Station and was told there was disabled access

2009
10.30
MOODY’S EXPLAINS USE OF CREDIT BUREAU DATA IN EMEA RMBS AND ABS ANALYSIS

Info-Prod Research (Middle East), October, 2009

In a new Special Comment, Moody’s InvestorsService explains how
it views credit bureaus in Europe, the Middle Eastand Africa (EMEA)
and how the bureaus are taken into account, eitherdirectly or
indirectly, your credit score in its residential mortgage-backed securities(RMBS) and
asset-backed securities (ABS) methodologies.

In the report, entitled
“Use of Credit Bureau Data in Moody’s EMEA RMBSand ABS Analysis”,
Moody’s notes that credit bureaus are an essentialpiece of
infrastructure in the consumer lending sector in mostjurisdictions,
given that they help lenders to assess thecreditworthiness of
potential borrowers by providing key historicalinformation on their
credit behaviour. This report has no ratingimplications for EMEA
RMBS and ABS transactions. “Credit bureaus in EMEA are diverse and…

2009
10.30
Smile – you’re marrying my daughter; uk newsbulletin

0 Comments | Western Mail (Cardiff, Wales), Sept 9, 2009

A DENTIST told yesterday how he only gave his approval to his daughter’s wedding on the condition that his future son-in-law agreed to fix his terrible teeth.

Years of neglect had left Gordon Taylor’s teeth stained and crooked. plano cosmetic dentist So when the 32-year-old asked Dr Philip Lewis for his daughter’s hand in marriage, he was given the ultimatum of having his smile sorted.

Mr Taylor is beginning extensive dental surgery but for the wedding with 36-year-old Sarah he wore a cosmetic tooth cap to give him a nice smile for the big day in Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

2009
10.29
Number crunching: might as well jump

Flex, Dec, 2009 by Jim Stoppani

This graph shows that when subjects do bodyweight jump squats, they have more power than when they use a barbell loaded with 15%, 30% or 40% of their one-rap max squat. Jump squats can help you gain more muscle power and can ultimately lead to greater muscle growth, and doing them without a loaded bar puts the least amount of stress on your spine and your hip, knee and ankle joints. So, to build the buy generic phentermine most power, skip the bar and just jump. Do 2 or 3 sets of 3-8 reps of jump squats at the very beginning of your leg workout.

–Jim Stoppani, PhD