This business relationship introduces the first phase of a total data protection product portfolio which includes unrestricted uploads and downloads of unlimited data from desktop and laptop computers and with provision for backing up smartphones and tablets. Chit Chat Mobile continue its mission of being a value priced provider by offering significantly discounted subscription services, with two payment options: 12, 24 and 36 monthly payment plans starting at $3.95 per month or the best priced 1, 2 and 3 year single payment starting at $39.95 per year.

This service that will allow all Chit Chat Mobile consumers across the U.S. to have the peace of mind that they will never lose that special photo, or spontaneous video clip that could never be replaced; and to enjoy the freedom of a mobile life where all their data, music, photos, or videos they want to share or enjoy are available, whenever and wherever they choose, using the browser connected device they prefer. Additional products and functionality information from CWSSecureDrive® will be released by the companies in the coming months.

"When you consider the core elements the parties bring to the mobility market - our powerful brands; our national footprints; our anytime, anywhere network presence; and our mutual commitment to customer-focused innovation - it's clear that Chit Chat Mobile and CWSSecureDrive® are a new emerging powerful team in this market," said James Gentry, Director of Operations of Chit Chat Holdings, USA.

Consumers rely on Chit Chat Mobile for high quality flexible voice and data mobile services, and either new or reconditioned mobile phones, at great value prices. Chit Chat Mobile has positioned itself to be a market leader at both, and is expanding that value proposition to include other innovative products and services to be a single source mobile service value based provider.

"CWSSecureDrive® is an important addition to the portfolio of services that will enable CWS to provide a Total Digital Life Protection Plan to mobile customers, and this joint offering with Chit Chat Mobile affords the opportunity to provide this protection at a even greater value to their mobile customers, This alliance is the result of a strategically deliberate process to identify a partner who shares our commitment of delivering innovative solutions to consumers. We look forward to rolling out the shared benefits this venture will bring to consumers, retailers, and our respective shareholders, said Paul Rosenthal, VP of Marketing for Computer Warranty Services."

This venture between Chit Chat Mobile and CWSSecureDrive® will create the kind of national multi-services offering that customers require and expect from their mobile phone service providers, for companies that still understand economic value and outstanding customer service are what their customers deserve. It will leverage Chit Chat Mobile's industry-wide relationships, equipment supplies, and international network providers, along with CWSSecureDrive's® advanced cloud computing technologies and state-of-the-art IP network infrastructure to provide fast, safe, and secure uploading of files to be backed up and downloading of data, music, and video on-demand to its customers.

"The business venture will combine the accessibility and value of Chit Chat Mobile with CWSSecureDrive's® vision for a borderless mobile lifestyle - where consumers can quickly, easily, and securely protect or access all of their data content, through the power of cloud computing," "Together with Chit Chat Mobile, we are removing the limitations of being tethered to a stationary computer, freeing people to spontaneously enjoy the full communication and entertainment of all the content they have accumulated in their digital life, whenever and wherever they choose, using whatever device they prefer," said Paul Rosenthal.

This is taking full advantage of mobility by offering instant availability to new fresh new content online, through the Chit Chat Mobile data plans, or immediate access to the customers full library of content in the CWSSecureDrive® cloud, everything is available now! This is combined with the access to physical support and repairs through Computer Warranty Services, Chit Chat Mobile, and CWSSecureDrive uniquely positions Chit Chat Mobile to deliver the best of both worlds - digital and physical - to consumers across the country.

About Chit Chat Mobile

Chit Chat Holdings, LLC. and its principal owner have been in the wireless cell phone business for over 15 years. During the month of September, 2012 Chit Chat Holdings, LLC. became an Mobile Virtual Network Operator to provide messaging, voice, data products and services to above 250 million individuals in the United States. With plans beginning at 9.99/month for limited talk and text and $19.99 for unlimited talk and text, while adding data and other features as add-ons. Chit Chat Mobile has presented a new notion to prepaid wireless, to construct your plan to compliment your way of life.

Chit Chat Mobile network services are provided on the Nationwide Sprint® Network. Although Sprint provides Chit Chat Mobile subscribers access to its wireless network and to its wireless services, Chit Chat Mobile is responsible to the Chit Chat Mobile subscribers for the service. Their website is: www.ChitChatMobile.com

* Sprint is a trademark of Sprint.

About CWSSecureDrive

CWSSecureDrive is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Computer Warranty Services, LLC which offer service plans of all digital equipment with same day and next day on site repair services covering all costs for parts, labor and incidentals throughout North America and several foreign countries. For more information, visit www.computerwarrantyservices.com

SOURCE ChitchatMobileUSA

Larry Jacobs

2508 W. Grayrock St, Springfield, MO 65810

417-882-9697

"Bill's track record of success and expert knowledge in electron microscopy is an important addition to the team, as we make ready to bring our technology to market", said William R. Glover, III, CEO and Vice President of Research & Development. "With the strategic addition of Bill, I look forward to focusing on these final developmental stages of the Technology Roadmap", said Glover.

"We are very pleased to have Bill joining the team, he has been a long-time advisor providing valued guidance and initiative", said Thomas D. Abert, CFO and Vice President of Finance & Administration. "Bill brings a wealth of expertise and experience both in advanced technology and in the successful development of early stage companies", said Abert.

Bill Ward was the founder, president, and chief executive officer of ALIS Corporation, a premier developer and supplier of a new generation of focused-ion-beam (FIB) microscopes for the semiconductor, materials science and life sciences industries until the acquisition of ALIS by Carl Zeiss Corporation in 2006. Formerly, Bill was a founder of Micrion Corporation (NASDAQ: MICN), a global leader in FIB systems, where he served as senior vice president and chief technical officer for eighteen years. Prior to his experience at Micrion, he founded Ion Beam Technologies, the first ion microscope company in the U.S. Earlier, Bill was on the founding team and R&D manager at Varian's E-beam Lithography division. Earlier contributions in his field also include the automation design efforts of the early Ion Implanters.

A serial entrepreneur with many successes to his credit, Bill is considered one of the premier scientists and business leaders in the charged particle microscopy community. He has authored numerous scientific articles for a number of professional journals and has lectured throughout the world. Numerous patents have been granted to Bill for his breakthroughs in microscopy and semiconductor-related technology--still considered some of the most important innovations in his field. Recently, his inventive skills and patents were focused on the stabilization of the Gas Field Ion Source making possible a new generation of scanning charged particle microscopes, the Helium Ion Microscope.

About ZS Genetics

ZS Genetics is a privately held Massachusetts start-up that has developed the components and Intellectual Property for the next generation of DNA sequencing. This patented approach combines the power of electron beam microscopy with a proprietary nucleic acid labeling processes to read DNA sequences directly from digital images. ZS Genetics' long-read, single-molecule technology offers the prospect of significant advancements in genetic analysis, with applications in the DNA sequencing and diagnostics markets.

ZS Genetics, Inc.

Thomas D. Abert

603.847.9143

tda@zsgenetics.com

www.zsgenetics.com

Cambridge, MA (MMD Newswire) February 1, 2013 -- Tenrox, the leading cloud-based solution for professional services automation and project workforce management, today announced the availability of its new Quick Connect integration platform. Quick Connect will enable seamless and easy-to-configure integrations between Tenrox and any leading third party accounting, ERP, payroll, project planning, and CRM software package.

Tenrox helps professional services organizations and dispersed project workforces manage billable projects from opportunity, to execution, to billing, to close. In such environments, projects often have a direct impact on top-line revenue, so the ability to share information with other systems is critical to the enterprise. The Quick Connect integration platform will allow clients to help easily generate bi-directional connectors that will simplify and improve the data exchange between Tenrox and any 3rd party system.

"This platform greatly enhances our ability to meet client integration requirements" explained Kevin Sequeira, Director of Product Management for Tenrox. "With Quick Connect, we can offer a broader range of interfaces that are more reliable and easy to maintain, while at the same time providing them to customers more quickly and inexpensively than before."

Quick Connect is part of Tenrox's long term integration strategy to enable pre-configured integrations at the click of a button, but with the flexibility to meet each client's specific needs. Early results from the field confirm the powerful benefit Quick Connect delivers. "Enterprise customers with whom we have piloted Quick Connect have realized more than a 30% reduction in average implementation time," observed Doug Riseberg, Vice President of Professional Services.

About Tenrox

Tenrox is the leading cloud-based Professional Services Automation (PSA) solution for managing billable projects from pipeline management, to execution, to billing, to close. Tenrox is the only workflow-driven project management solution that automates project requests and approvals, resource scheduling and management, time and expense tracking, and project billing and invoicing. Tenrox also includes configurable cost and billing rules with full support for your time and material, fixed bid, recurring, and milestone-based projects. For more information, visit www.tenrox.com.

# # #

For additional information:

Matthew Barnett

617-995-5749

Product or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

- Caracas tiene los precios de alquiler más altos para departamentos de tres dormitorios en América

- Hong Kong sigue siendo la ubicación más costosa para alojarse a pesar de la caída en alquileres

February 5, 2013 (MMD Newswire) -- La capital venezolana, Caracas, ha destronado a New York al convertirse en el sitio más costoso para un alojamiento de alquiler de tres dormitorios en las Américas de acuerdo con la última información de alojamiento de ECA International, el proveedor de conocimiento y soluciones líder a nivel mundial en profesionales de Recursos Humanos. Los alquileres se incrementaron en este lugar en más del 30% en el 2012. A nivel mundial, Caracas está en el puesto 2do después de Hong Kong.

"Una persistente falta de propiedades adecuadas, a pesar de la alta demanda impulsada por el crecimiento de la industria del petróleo y una posterior inversión extranjera, ha hecho que los alquileres continúen incrementándose dramáticamente en la capital venezolana," explicó Lauren Smith, Gerente General, ECA International.

Un departamento de tres dormitorios en Santiago cuesta aproximadamente USD$ 3.740 en arrendarse. Esto es un 16% más alto que el año pasado. Dentro de las Américas, Santiago tiene el 8avo puesto en alquileres más altos. A nivel mundial está en el puesto 27.

"La economía chilena cada vez más fuerte implica que continúa en Santiago la demanda de propiedades de lujo por parte de expatriados," continúa Smith. "Sin embargo, la oferta no abastece la demanda, habiendo una carencia de trabajadores de construcción calificados lo que significa que los inventarios han permanecido agotados dos años después del terremoto."

Los precios de alquiler en Río de Janeiro también tuvieron un agudo crecimiento con alquileres de departamentos de tres dormitorios de aproximadamente USD$ 5.070 por mes, un 22% de incremento en relación a la cifra del año anterior.

A pesar de que New York está detrás de Caracas en el ranking de alquileres en los EEUU la ciudad (Catalogada como 3era a nivel mundial) incrementó sus alquileres aproximadamente en un 9% de acuerdo a encuestas.

El costo promedio en las Américas para un alojamiento de alquiler de tres dormitorios es de USD$ 3.240 por mes -un 7% más alto que el promedio mundial de USD$ 3.030 por mes.

Para ayudar a las compañías a escoger cuál política de alojamiento adoptar y qué nivel de concesión de vivienda proporcionar a los empleados internacionales, ECA International produce Informes de Alojamiento para más de 130 localidades. Publicados de manera anual, estos informes proporcionan información sobre los tipos de alojamiento y áreas geográficas favorecidas por lo general por representantes internacionales. A menudo los expatriados gravitan hacia áreas particulares de las ciudades debido a la ubicación de escuelas internacionales, embajadas o puntos de reunión social. Estas tienden a ser áreas más costosas y prestigiosas en una ciudad.

Impacto de los tipos de cambio

Las fluctuaciones de la moneda también pueden tener un impacto en el costo al proveer una concesión de alojamiento a un representante internacional y las compañías necesitan calcular esto al diseñar su paquete de alojamiento.

"Cuando convertimos el costo alquilar un departamento en Río a dólares americanos para hacer una comparación en realidad observamos una pequeña disminución del 3% en el precio de alquiler," continuaba Smith. "Esto contrasta completamente con el año pasado cuando el Real era mucho más fuerte contra el Dólar americano de lo que es hoy en día: entre el 2010 y el 2011 fuimos testigos de incrementos de más del 29% en alquileres una vez que se convertía en billete de banco. Claramente, estas fluctuaciones tienen un impacto significativo en el costo de proveer una concesión de alojamiento a un representante internacional y las compañías necesitan calcular esto al diseñar su método de beneficios de vivienda que proporcionan."

Aunque el Peso se ha debilitado contra el Dólar americano, no lo ha hecho en la misma medida que se ha observado con los alquileres en Santiago, los cuales se convierten en dólares: los precios de alquileres en dólares son un 12% más altos en el 2012 en relación al 2011.

El resto del mundo

A nivel mundial, los precios de alquileres para un departamento de tres dormitorios han caído ligeramente desde el año pasado de un promedio de USD$ 3.080 por mes a USD$ 3.030 por mes. Siendo precarios muchos de los importantes mercados financieros del mundo, refiriéndonos en particular a la Eurozona, de alguna manera se han estancado muchos mercados de alquileres.

Asia - Hong Kong la localidad para alquiler de propiedades más costosa del mundo

Hong Kong sigue siendo el hogar de los alquileres más caros del mundo: los alquileres para un departamento de tres dormitorios sin amoblar en un área demandada de Hong Kong promedian USD$ 11.550 por mes. Sin embargo, aunque esta cifra es la más alta del mundo, los alquileres han bajado aproximadamente en un 2-3%.

Dentro de Asia, las propiedades de lujo más costosas después de Hong Kong se encuentran en Tokio (5tas a nivel mundial) seguidas por Singapur (8avas), Shanghái (11avas) y Seúl (14th). Karachi, Pakistán tiene los alquileres más bajos del continente en este segmento.

El costo promedio de un alojamiento de alquiler de tres dormitorios en Asia es de USD$ 3.640 por mes -un 20% más alto que el promedio mundial de USD$ 3.030 por mes.

"Las localidades asiáticas encabezan la lista de las 20 localidades más costosas en alquiler de propiedades," dice Smith. "Al aumentar el número de compañías que establecen operaciones en la región se ha incrementado también la necesidad de proporcionar el tipo de vivienda apropiada para representantes internacionales. Sin embargo, con una oferta a menudo limitada de dichas propiedades en muchos países aquí, la demanda sobrepasa de manera significativa la oferta, haciendo subir los alquileres."

En China y la India se han observado algunos de los más altos incrementos de precios en alquileres debido a la expansión de operaciones de las compañías en estos países. Tanto en Beijing como en Bangalore, los alquileres subieron más del 12% entre el 2011 y el 2012.

Por otro lado, a pesar de que Tokio tiene los segundos alquileres más altos en Asia, los alquileres en este sitio están un 5% más bajos en relación al año pasado. La demanda cayente debido a que muchas compañías internacionales reducen sus operaciones en Japón para bajar costos ha hecho que disminuya la presión en la disponibilidad y por consiguiente en los precios de alquiler.

Australia

Alquilar un departamento de tres dormitorios en Australia cuesta en promedio USD$ 3.530 por mes. Aunque esto es ligeramente mayor a la cifra del año pasado, la tasa de incremento ha bajado.

Sídney, la localidad australiana más costosa para alquiler de propiedad, está en 12avo lugar a nivel mundial, seguido de Perth (25ava) y Melbourne (33ava). Los incrementos más grandes observados en Australia según encuestas se registraron en Perth en donde la demanda de alquiler de propiedades se mantiene particularmente fuerte al continuar la fiebre de la minería. Los alquileres aquí se han incrementado en casi un 9% en la moneda local y en más del 7% en Dólares americanos. Los alquileres han caído tanto en Melbourne como en Adelaide.

Europa

Nuevamente Moscú es la localidad más costosa de Europa para alquiler de propiedades de lujo, la cual está en cuarto lugar. Una población creciente de expatriados en conjunto con una continua oferta ajustada han llevado al incremento de precios en la ciudad en los últimos tres años. La capital rusa es seguida de Londres (6ta a nivel mundial) y Ginebra (13ava).

Los incrementos más grandes en los precios de alquiler en Europa se observaron en Vilnius, Ljubljana y Oslo. Los alquileres cayeron más en Atenas.

Dentro de la región, los precios de alquileres para departamentos de tres dormitorios promediaron los USD$ 2.660. Esta cifra ha bajado en relación al promedio del año anterior de USD$ 2.860.

Medio Oriente y Asia

Aunque los alquileres continúan bajando en Abu Dabi, sobrepasando significativamente la oferta a la demanda, la ciudad sigue siendo la más costosa en el Medio Oriente para alquiler de propiedades con tres dormitorios. Está en el puesto 23, seguida de Dubái (35ava a nivel mundial). A diferencia de Abu Dabi, los alquileres en Dubái se han incrementado este año a medida que el mercado muestra signos de recuperación en este sitio luego de una caída en los tres años anteriores. En África, los alquileres en Nairobi han continuado incrementándose de manera aguda debido a que la entrada de compañías extranjeras y expatriados han desencadenado incrementos excepcionales en los precios.

Las localidades más costosas para alquiler de departamentos lujosos de tres dormitorios en las Américas

Las 20 localidades más costosas a nivel mundial para alquiler de departamentos lujosos de tres dormitorios

Notas a los editores

Informes de Alojamiento de la ECA

Este ranking está basado en datos de los informes de Alojamiento de la ECA. Estas son guías completas de los costos e intrincaciones de alojamiento de alquiler para expatriados, y están disponibles para más de 130 localidades alrededor del mundo. La ECA ha estado produciendo informes de Alojamiento desde 1996.

Para asegurar una imparcialidad y para mantener la exactitud de la información, se utiliza información de un número de fuentes para compilar cada informe de Alojamiento. Las principales fuentes son datos de fuentes de la ECA, encuestas especialmente recolectadas e información de representantes de arrendamiento de y reubicación.

Los precios de arrendamiento se obtuvieron de septiembre del 2012 y se han convertido a dólares americanos para facilidad de comparación utilizando el tipo de cambio de septiembre del 2012.

# # #

Sobre ECA International

ECA es un líder mundial en desarrollo y abastecimiento de soluciones para la gestión y transferencia de profesionales en todo el mundo. Al proporcionar datos, conocimientos, sistemas y soporte en formatos que asisten a sus clientes, la oferta de ECA incluye un paquete externo integral de cálculos, asesoría y servicios para empresas con poca experiencia o recursos para la gestión de transferencia internacional; suscripciones para información exhaustiva en línea y sistemas de software para empresas con mayores exigencias; y una política y proyectos de desarrollo de sistemas personalizados para empresas que manejan a miles de representantes internacionales en todo el mundo.

Para mayor información o para una entrevista con un vocero de ECA International sobre esta información, contactar a:

Síganos en Twitter: @ECAintl

Para mayor información contactar a:

Lauren Smith
Gerente General
ECA International LLC
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 730
New York, NY 10020
EUA
lauren.smith@eca-international.com
Tel.: +1 212 582 2333

• Hong Kong continua a região mais cara do mundo para moradia apesar da queda nos aluguéis

February 5, 2013 (MMD Newswire) -- A capital venezuelana, Caracas, ultrapassou Nova Iorque tornando-se o lugar mais caro para aluguel de imóveis de três dormitórios no continente americano de acordo com os últimos dados de alojamento da ECA International, líder no fornecimento de conhecimento e soluções para profissionais internacionais de RH. Aluguéis nesta região aumentaram acima de 30% em 2012. Globalmente, Caracas posiciona-se me 2º. lugar, após Hong Kong.

"Uma deficiência persistente de imóveis apropriados, a despeito da grande demanda ocasionada pelo crescimento da indústria petrolífera e subsequente investimento estrangeiro, levou os aluguéis na capital da Venezuela a uma elevação drástica e contínua", explicou Lauren Smith, gerente geral da ECA International.

Os preços de aluguéis também se elevaram bruscamente no Rio de Janeiro nos apartamentos de três dormitórios para aproximadamente US$5.070/mês, um aumento de 22% nos valores do ano anterior. No continente americano, o Rio de Janeiro tem o 4º. aluguel mais caro. Mundialmente está em 10ª. posição.

"A demanda para propriedades de alto padrão prossegue à medida que as empresas vêm para o Brasil", continua Smith "Isto, juntamente com o interesse no Rio gerado pela concessão à cidade de sediar a Copa do Mundo e os Jogos Olímpicos, teve um efeito de elevação nos preços dos aluguéis".

São Paulo está em 7ª. na região e 22ª., mundialmente. Os aluguéis médios de apartamentos de três dormitórios na região são US$3.950.

Apesar da queda de Nova Iorque posicionando-se abaixo de Caracas no ranking, os aluguéis na cidade dos EUA (situada em 3º. lugar globalmente) ainda aumentou aproximadamente 9% nas pesquisas.

O custo médio no continente americano para aluguéis de imóveis de três dormitórios é US$3.240 por mês - 7% mais alto que a média global de US$3.030 por mês.

Para assessorar as empresas na decisão da política de alojamento a ser adotada e no nível de moradia para fornecer aos funcionários internacionais, a ECA International produz Relatórios de Alojamento para mais de 130 localidades. Publicados anualmente, estes relatórios disponibilizam informações sobre os tipos de imóveis e áreas geográficas geralmente procuradas pelos funcionários internacionais. Expatriados normalmente gravitam em torno de áreas específicas das cidades devido à localização de escolas internacionais, embaixadas e pontos sociais importantes. Estas tendem a ser áreas mais caras e de maior prestígio na cidade.

Impacto da taxas de câmbio

As flutuações da moeda podem também ter um impacto no custo do fornecimento de provisão de alojamento para um executivo internacional e as empresas precisam determinar estes fatores quando projetam seus pacotes de acomodação.

"Quando convertemos o custo do aluguel de um apartamento no Rio em US (dólar americano) para comparação, de fato observamos uma pequena queda de 3% no preço do aluguel", continuou Smith. "Isto contrasta enormemente com há um ano atrás quando o real estava muito mais forte que o dólar americano do que é hoje: entre 2010 e 2011 testemunhamos aumentos de mais de 29% nos aluguéis convertidos para o dinheiro americano. Claramente, tais flutuações podem ter um impacto significativo no custo do fornecimento de acomodação para um funcionário internacional e as empresas precisam determinar estes fatores quando projetam seus pacotes de alojamento".

No resto do mundo

No mundo todo, os preços de aluguéis de apartamentos de três quartos caíram ligeiramente da média no ano passado de US$3.080/mês para US$3.030. Com muitos dos principais mercados financeiros internacionais apreensivos, particularmente na zona do euro, muitos mercados de aluguéis de alguma forma estagnaram.

Ásia - Hong Kong é a região mais cara para aluguel de imóveis no mundo.

Hong Kong continua a região com os mais caros aluguéis no mundo: aluguéis para um apartamento de três dormitórios não mobiliado em uma das áreas mais procuradas de Hong Kong custam uma média de US$11.550 por mês. Entretanto, enquanto estes números ainda são os mais altos do mundo, os aluguéis estão aproximadamente 2-3% mais baixos do que há um ano atrás.

Na Ásia, imóveis de alto padrão mais caros para alugar após Hong Kong são encontrados em Tóquio (5o. mundialmente) seguido de Cingapura (8º.), Xangai (11º.) e Seul (14º.). Karachi, no Paquistão, tem os aluguéis mais baixos do continente neste seguimento.

O custo médio para a Ásia para aluguéis de imóveis de três dormitórios é US$3.640 por mês - 20% mais alto que a média mundial de US$3.030 por mês.

"As localidades na Ásia dominam a lista das 20 regiões mais caras para aluguel de imóveis", afirmou Smith. "Com mais e mais empresas implantando operações na região, a necessidade para o tipo de moradia apropriado para um executivo internacional aumentou. Além disso, com uma oferta frequentemente já limitada de tais imóveis em muitos países aqui, a demanda ultrapassa significativamente a disponibilidade dos aluguéis."

Alguns dos maiores aumentos nos preços dos aluguéis na região foram observados na China e Índia à medida que as empresas expandem suas operações nestes países. Em Pequim e Bangalore, os aluguéis subiram mais que 12% entre 2011 e 2012.

Por outro lado, apesar de Tóquio ter o segundo aluguel mais alto na Ásia, os aluguéis nesta cidade estão 5% mais baixos do que há um ano atrás. A demanda em queda, conforme as empresas internacionais diminuem suas operações no Japão para reduzir custos, abaixou a pressão na disponibilidade e, desse modo, os preços de aluguel.

Austrália

Alugar um apartamento de três dormitórios na Austrália custa em média US$3.530/mês. Enquanto isto é ligeiramente mais alto que os números do ano passado, o ritmo de aumento ficou mais lento.

Sydney, a região mais cara na Austrália para aluguel de imóveis, está em 12º. lugar mundialmente, seguida de Perth (25º.) e Melbourne (33º.). As maiores altas observadas na Austrália nas pesquisas foram registradas em Perth, onde a demanda para aluguel de imóveis permanece particularmente forte à medida que o boom na mineração continua. Os aluguéis aumentaram quase 9% na moeda local e pouco mais de 7% em dólar americano. Os aluguéis em Melbourne e Adelaide caíram.

Europa

A região mais cara para aluguel de imóveis de alto padrão na Europa é ainda Moscou. Mundialmente, está em quarto. Uma elevação na população de expatriados juntamente com a contínua escassez na oferta levou a aumentos de preço na cidade nos últimos três anos. A capital russa é seguida de Londres (6º. mundialmente) e Genebra (13º.).

Os maiores aumentos em preços de aluguel na Europa foram observados em Vilnius, Ljubljana e Oslo. Os aluguéis caíram principalmente em Atenas.

Nesta região, os preços de aluguéis para apartamentos de três dormitórios custam em média US$2.660. Este valor está menor que a média de US$2.860 do ano anterior.

Oriente Médio e África

Embora aluguéis em Abu Dhabi continuem a cair, com a oferta de imóveis para aluguel superando a demanda, a cidade permanece a mais cara no Oriente Médio para aluguéis de imóveis de três dormitórios. Mundialmente, está em 23º. lugar, seguido de Dubai (35º. , globalmente). Diferentemente de Abu Dhabi, os aluguéis presenciaram aumentos neste ano à medida que o mercado nesta região mostra sinais de recuperação seguindo a quedas nos três últimos anos. Na África, os aluguéis em Nairobi continuaram a elevar-se bruscamente uma vez que a entrada de companhias estrangeiras e expatriados precipitou aumentos extraordinários nos preços.

Notas aos editores

Relatórios de Alojamento da ECA

Este ranking é baseado nos dados de relatórios de Alojamento da ECA Estes são guias abrangentes de custos e implicações de aluguel de imóveis para expatriados e estão disponíveis para mais de 130 localidades no mundo todo. ECA vem produzindo relatórios de Alojamento desde 1996.

Para garantir a imparcialidade e manter a precisão das informações, dados de diversas fontes são usados para compilar cada relatório de Alojamento. As principais fontes são os dados de pesquisa da ECA, pesquisas e informações especialmente coletadas dos corretores de imóveis sobre serviços de locação e de relocação.

Os preços de aluguel foram coletados em setembro de 2012 e foram convertidos em dólar americano para facilitar a comparação usando a taxa de câmbio setembro de 2012.

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Sobre a ECA International

ECA é líder mundial no desenvolvimento e fornecimento de soluções para a gestão e transferência de funcionários ao redor do mundo. Ao fornecer dados, conhecimentos, sistemas e suporte em formatos que atendem a seus clientes, a oferta da ECA inclui um pacote externo completo de cálculos, assessoria e serviços para empresas com pouca experiência ou recursos para a gestão de transferência internacional; assinaturas para informações abrangentes online e sistemas de software para empresas com exigências maiores; e uma política e projetos de desenvolvimento de sistemas personalizados para empresas que gerem milhares de agentes internacionais em todo o mundo.

Para mais informações ou para uma entrevista com um porta-voz da ECA International sobre esta pesquisa, entre em contato com:

Siga-nos no Twitter: @ECAintl

Para mais informações, entre em contato com:

Lauren Smith
Gerente Geral
ECA International LLC
Rockefeller Center
1230 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 730
Nova Iorque, NY 10020
EUA
lauren.smith@eca-international.com
Tel.: +1 212 582 2333

Mr. Mayer, 54, has a thirty-four year history in the orthopaedic industry with extensive entrepreneurial experience in sales, distribution, and business development. Since starting his successful orthopaedic sales career with Depuy in 1977, he has founded and/or co-founded Lake City Medical, a contract manufacturer of orthopaedic instruments and implants, DVO, an extremity based orthopaedic company acquired by Tornier, Inc., and most recently, Del Palma Orthopedics, a product development company. Mr. Mayer serves on the boards of Articulinx and Conventus Orthopaedics.

"Nextremity Solutions has achieved over 2000 implants in 2012 with very good early clinical results," said Dr. Stuart Katchis, a founder of Nextremity Solutions and Section Chief of Foot and Ankle Surgery at Lennox Hill Hospital in NYC. "Rod brings to the management team the strategic business development leadership skills necessary to deliver the next stage of growth for the Company. We are encouraged also in his proven ability to be able to capitalize on our strong pipeline of clinically relevant forefoot and midfoot future products."

The Nextra System is 510(k) cleared and CE Marked. Sales in the US and Europe reached 2,000 implants and over $2 million in 2012. The Company is recently in a beta-launch of three additional single use, sterile implant and instrument systems, called Precision Ready. These include feature-rich cannulated compression screws, internal drive mini-screws and snap-off staple technology to complement the highly successful Nextra System.

About Nextremity Solutions, Inc.

Nextremity Solutions is a privately held medical device company offering a novel approach to the surgical reconstruction of small bone deformity, degeneration and trauma. Founded by surgeons, Nextremity Solutions is committed to the development of technologically advanced and precise medical implant systems for repeatable and superior clinical outcomes. For further information, visit www.nextremitysolutions.com or call 732-383-7901.

Nextra® Hammertoe Correction System and Precision Ready™ are trademarks of Nextremity Solutions, Inc.

Contact: Greg Kowalczyk, 732-882-6633

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Meagan Johnson, CSP, will kick off SynGas 2013 on Tuesday morning with a highly charged, participatory presentation on Generations Inc. - from Boomers to Linksters, Managing the Friction between Generations. You will learn how to move from conflict to collaboration and create a multi-generational team that is effective, productive and profitable.

Kristine Sexter will guide SynGas Attendees through a Step-by-Step Checklist to Ensure you Hire the Best! in a jam-packed, two-part program. This program is high-energy, interactive and solution filled. You will be able to solve the specific challenges you and your company are facing when you return to work and implement the checklist.

Dr. Loren C. Scott will address the important economic and energy price issues that affect the SynGas industry today and in the future. This is a don't miss keynote for all of you in the syngas industry who are wondering, "What Now?"

Robert (Bob) Williamson will show us how to pursue 100% reliability of critical equipment and facilities with lessons from the top NASCAR teams. You will learn how to take the NASCAR race team approach to improving your plant performance; and, how to apply all of the proven NASCAR race team reliability principles in your organization.

Plan to join our industry producers and suppliers at the leading show in the SynGas industry. You'll experience top notch speakers, exceptional education and networking events, latest trade show that showcases the new products, superior golf outing, famous Hospitality Suites, and back in Baton Rouge Cajun Crawfish Boil on Wednesday evening.

You'll network, discover new ideas, have lots of fun, bring back tools to guide you through implementing all of the new techniques you learned, and, you'll earn CEU credits too!

For more information on SynGas 2013, check out our website at www.syngasassociation.com or call Betty Helm @225.922.5000 or Co-Chairman, Marc Gilbertson @ 620.252.4325 & Frank Wolfe @ 918.543.6310.

Media Contact:
Betty Helm
Phone:  225-922-5000
E-mail Address:  bettyhelm@cox.net

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Media Contact:
Jill W. Nesting
jill@williscommunications.com
281-740-1188

Houston-based Research Center Doubles Lab Space

Shale Water Research Center Adds 2,000 Square Feet to Meet Growing Business Needs

HOUSTON, TX (MMD Newswire) February 7, 2013 -- The Shale Water Research Center (SWRC) announces the expansion of its research lab by nearly 2,000 square feet to accommodate the rapid growth and the ability to better serve its membership's research needs. In addition to doubling its laboratory space, the expanded space at 8285 El Rio St., Suite 100 will provide capacity to increase its current projects and services.

"The Shale Water Research Center's new lab space will allow us to better serve our member company's research projects," said Ross Tomson, director of the SWRC. "We are committed to meeting our member's needs and this expansion demonstrates our commitment to building on our current success."

About the Shale Water Research Center (SWRC)

The SWRC works to measure describe and model full-cycle water and chemical additives used in shale oil and gas production. Our primary goal is to systematically research with the aim of increasing water reuse, reducing water costs and increasing oil and gas production from each well. Find out more at ShaleWaterCenter.com.

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February 8, 2013 (MMD Newswire) -- "We believe this is an abuse of the New gTLD Program and it poses great risk of harm to consumers, business, and internet users globally." declares Tom Gilles, NewgTLDsite.com TLD-vangelist and petition organizer. "These generic category top level domain names such as .app, .book, .music, and others should be open for the general public, not monopolized and closed off for use by one large corporation exclusively at their sole discretion."

ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the organization that governs the Domain Name System (DNS) of the internet is poised to release over 1000 New Top Level Domains (TLDs) starting this year. These new website name endings will occupy the space that 'com' takes in website name addresses today. There will be 'not-com' website name address endings to represent brands (.Google, .Gucci), cities (.NYC, .Vegas, .London), consumer niches (.book, .music, .baby), interests (.art, .recipes, .game) and hundreds more. Once approved, a business could register and use 'not-com' names like www.sightseeing.london, or www.hiphop.music as their website name, for example. See the list of proposed new domain endings.

But large companies, such as Amazon are attempting to exploit loopholes in the process to acquire and monopolize large swaths of website names for their exclusive use. The companies seek to close off some of the most popular niche category domain extensions from the public. Consumers, users and small businesses would be prohibited from using these new website name endings if these companies are succesful in their attempts. See a list of controversial TLDs.

"If companies like Amazon and L'oreal have their way, there will be no .music website names for musicians and bands, no .salon domain names for real salon owners, no .APP web addresses for app developers." states NewgTLDsite.com's Tom Gilles "There are literally millions of possible innovative and commercial uses for website names that end with.shop, But Amazon wants them all. - Amazon should not be sole arbiter and beneficiary of this valuable public resource."

ICANN is charged with protecting the public interest when awarding stewardship of the new domain names, which should begin shortly after the global meeting of the organization in Beijing April 2013. The petition is hoped to demonstrate strong public sentiment toward preserving open generic namespaces, compelling ICANN to reject these takeover attempts.

Mr. Gilles hopes to deliver 100,000 petition signatures to the Board and Government Advisory Committee of ICANN at the meeting in April to achieve this.

The petition can be found here.

The Supplier Recruitment Program (SRP) award is given annually to a business that plays an important role in area development. The awards program is aimed at increasing the involvement of private sector professionals in providing leads for new economic development projects and to advance the supply chain in the region. It is a cooperative effort between several regional economic development organizations that include the Regional Growth Partnership (RGP), Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority (Port Authority), and NORED.

Isofoton North America selected a site in Henry County for its first production facility in North America. The parent company, Isofoton, is a global manufacturer of solar panels that has invested approximately $31 million in its new operations in Napoleon, Ohio. Isofoton North America worked closely with the Henry County Community Improvement Corporation, Regional Growth Partnership, University of Toledo Innovation Enterprises, and many others in the area on this large project.

Isofoton North America was selected for this recognition as a result of the process that it used to put the new plant in place. The company went to extra efforts to recruit suppliers in the area to support the business during the construction phase at its new facility.

The solar panel manufacturer is leasing an existing building, so most of the construction has been related to the machinery and equipment needed in the production process. Joe Garton, vice president of plant operations for the company, advised that it was part of Isofoton North America's strategy to attempt to utilize as many businesses in the area as possible to support its needs.

At the start of the construction project, the company retained Rupp/Rosebrock, Inc., a construction manager and general contractor in Liberty Center in Henry County. Rupp/Rosebrock pulled in additional local subcontractor support for various aspects of the project.

In addition, Isofoton North America recruited a number of local companies for the development and construction of some of the equipment that has now been installed in the facility. The company alerted businesses in the area of key needs that it had and its preference to use local suppliers.

Garton further advised that the company is currently examining an Ohio business to supply parts needed for the panels. These parts are currently being supplied from overseas. Isofoton North America's strategy of supporting local businesses may present opportunities in the future for companies located in the area to become additional suppliers to this manufacturer that is new to the region.

Isofoton North America's plant management met and selected an area nonprofit organization to receive the $3,000 payment that accompanies the annual Supplier Recruitment Program award. The nonprofit organization is the Maumee Valley Guidance Center located in Defiance, Ohio. Isofoton North America has requested that the money go to the center's Supportive Services for Veteran Families program. Isofoton North America has put significant effort into recruiting veterans of the US armed forces for employment in the new operations.

The SRP award and the $3,000 payment will be presented at NORED's Annual Meeting on March 14th at the Holiday Inn French Quarter in Perrysburg, Ohio.

Contact: Jerry Arkebauer

Northwest Ohio Regional Economic Development Association (NORED)

(419) 480-9656

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WHAT: Mayor Debates on the Future of LA for Business and Civic Leaders, sponsored by LA5 The Rotary Club of Los Angeles, the leading business and civic organization in Los Angeles, serving LA for over 100 years.

WHO: LA5 The Rotary Club of Los Angeles, the "LA5" All Five Mayoral Candidates, Former California Governor Gray Davis as Moderator along with Frank Mottek, "the voice of LA Business" from KNX News Radio

ERIC GARCETTI

City Councilman for the 13th District and former City Council President

WENDY GREUEL

City Controller and former City Councilwoman for the 2nd District

KEVIN JAMES

Talk radio host and attorney

JAN PERRY

City Councilwoman for the 9th District

EMANUEL PLEITEZ

Chief Strategy Officer at Spokeo and former Mayor Villaraigosa aide

WHEN: Friday, February 8, 2013, 11 AM to 1 PM; Lunch is served at 11:30 AM; Debates start at approx. 12 Noon

WHERE: JW Marriott at LA Live, 900 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, 90015

Valet parking, $16 at the hotel. Self parking available at LA Live or surface lots nearby.

MORE INFO: Tickets are $50 per person and the public is invited to attend. Approx. 500-600 LA5 members and guests are expected. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.rotaryla5.org or call (213) 624-8601 x 103.

Rowlett, Texas (MMD Newswire) January 28, 2013 -- The Vapor Bar is a Professional Electronic Cigarette Store (already operating in McKinney, TX and Grapevine, Tx) that will concentrate on community education regarding professional grade electronic vaping units, the ease of switching from traditional analog to electronic cigarettes , and finding the right equipment that will get the customer to switch, save money and gain freedom from smoking. The retail store is located at 8301 Lakeview Parkway Suite 103 in Rowlett.

Schell Hammel, the owner of The Vapor Bar, has a personal drive. "I have two Grandfathers and a Grandmother that all died of lung cancer. This is personal for me! I want others to learn that they can enjoy their habit, but in a non-offensive way to others and save hundreds per month while doing it. If I can educate the public and improve the quality of life for many, then I am making a difference."

The Vapor Bar will carry only high quality units that have been tried and tested by the staff. They will also only carry US made liquids, which are used to fill the units. When asked what makes her store different from local mall stores or those found on television she responded, "These are only professional-grade units., the ones that allow the user to lay down cigarettes immediately and easily! You won't find these in any mall or convenience store. And our customer care and customer service sets us apart from everyone else. Come in to the store, ask a ton of questions and test the different units and over 120 different liquid flavors with confidence that all of the liquid has been tested for nicotine content and all units have been tried and true."

A Customer's Reaction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6WMZTdRutg

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One hard lesson learned by all this was, when opportunity knocks, I need to seize upon that moment and take immediate action or I will be left standing at the station still waiting for my turn at windfall profit. Well this time, I am not missing this one. Such an opportunity can be seen at the World of Concrete, February 5-8th at the Las Vegas Convention Center. In an obscure booth, N968, there will be on display this generation's greatest new product. It represents a new paradigm in one of the world's largest market place. Here, again you and I can find out about the next great opportunity knocking at our door. It will be hidden amongst the giant banners of others and the extravagant displays of the multinational cement companies. But there, amongst that backdrop of opulence, a little company from South Florida will announce their discovery in science and technology to the World.

This company, without the benefits of great laboratories, huge academic grants or government research funds, discovered a new paradigm in building materials which will single handedly change the cities we live in, the highways we drive upon, and even the air we breathe. The company is called Blue World Crete. "God gave us the answer to many questions and embedded it right in front of our eyes; it's called Nature", said Art Galietti, COO. Blue World Crete's scientists, through years of research, have broken the code of bio-mineralization used by crustaceans for untold centuries to form their shells. Utilizing the natural raw material of algae, Blue World Crete scientists have discovered a proprietary methodology that encourages bio-mineralization to occur quickly in real time, resulting in a cementitious building material superior to traditional Portland cement.

Mr. Galietti further stated, "We discovered one of the most perfect binders of all time". Developed from an algae extract, it creates a covalent bond with other materials such has not been seen in the Cement Industry. And best of all, this cement is inexpensive to manufacture and does not require kilns to bake limestone as in the Portland process. There is no release of CO2 or carcinogens such as heavy metals. It only requires a mix of natural materials containing alumina, silica and/or many other Pozzolan materials. Water is the catalyst, any water, even salt water. This is the day of a new building material. This new cement is called Geo-Blue Crete™. Blue World Crete Inc. licenses its technology to manufacturers and distributors worldwide. Their concrete is superior and surpasses Portland on ASTM standards. License fees are very modest as compared to the entry cost of Portland Cement manufacturing which is typically controlled by a few large international companies. Geo-Blue Crete is impressively less expensive than even Geo polymers, yet having many of the same superior characteristics without the problems.

Now the door is swung wide open to the opportunity of those who want to manufacture their own cement. Geo-Blue Crete is an elastopolymer which has superior tensile strength. Imagine a general purpose concrete that cures at 6,000 psi. Imagine a concrete that is acid resistant, alkali resistant and will not allow for the rusting of embedded metals. It will bond to any surface even old Portland and not delaminate. It has a coefficient of expansion close to zero. It is self insulating with an R f actor of 70 at a ½ inch. Imagine a concrete that can remain plastic from 3 hours to eight hours.

I may have missed out on bottled drinking water, bottled tea and GPS, but I don't think you or I want to miss out on this opportunity. I hope to see you at that inconspicuous booth, N968, at the World of Concrete, February 5th - the 8th, 2013. If you can't make it, you may want to contact Mr. Galietti yourself, 561-929-8384, info@blueworldcrete.com, or check out their web site at www.blueworldcrete.com.

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The company is the brain child of CEO and one of four founders, Patrick Bishop. "We recognized that with an economic rebound on the horizon in construction, there would be a great emphasis on hiring talent. We wanted to create a system where people that wanted to know about career opportunities could do so without having to post a resume on line," says Mr. Bishop.

"Too many times people that are currently employed and aren't looking are never aware that there might be a fantastic career opportunity available to them right down the street. They don't want to post a resume and let the world know that they may be in the market," Bishop says. The key for the company is that it allows candidates to remain anonymous throughout the process. By identifying sectors, geography, current title and more, hiring companies can be as specific as they want when searching for possible candidates.

Once profiles are selected, an email is generated to the candidate and notification is sent to them through an anonymous email feature. An alert is then sent to a candidate's phone and personal email notifying them that based on their profile; a specific company would be interested in speaking with them about an opportunity at their firm. At this point, the candidate can decide whether to respond to the opportunity or not.

Constructioncandidate.com will roll out in the greater Washington, D.C. market and expand throughout the Eastern Seaboard within the first few months with the goal of capturing the entire US market by year end.

Headquartered in Naples, FL, Constructioncandidate.com, LLC combines over 50 years of construction operations and hiring experience.

For additional information or for interview requests please contact Patrick Bishop anytime by email at patrick@constructioncandidate.com.

General Inquiries may also be made by contacting Danielle Francioso at 800-401-9140

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"The Acsellerate team is proud of our accomplishments last year," said Steve Sabatini, President of ECi Acsellerate. "We not only reached a significant milestone of more than 500 clients, but we also made substantial feature enhancements and introduced new offerings to support our loyal customer base. We are pleased that the market continues to recognize our dedication to strengthening independent businesses."

2012 was another successful year for Acsellerate. In December, the organization officially introduced Expert Intelligence, a new consulting service designed to help dealers take calculated action to accomplish key initiatives. Several sales teams participated in an Expert Intelligence pilot program and experienced quantifiable improvements with fast results. Acsellerate also partnered with manufacturers to provide additional sales analytics for specific product lines, and made aggressive customer-driven enhancements to its CRM module.

"We chose Acsellerate because we wanted a solution to help us work smarter and become more profitable," said Randy Siebert, Business Manager of Northern Office Supply. "We needed a tool like Acsellerate to focus our energy and easily measure our business performance, ultimately helping us grow our sales and profitability."

"Northern Office Supply is one of our new customers that chose Acsellerate to help provide valuable information to its sales and management teams," says Sabatini. "We are committed to making ongoing enhancements to all of our products, so that we can continue to be the best solution for independent businesses. Acsellerate is working on some great new enhancements and offerings that we know our customers will really love in 2013."

About ECi

The ECi Software Solutions family of companies provides business and e-commerce solutions, offering on-premise and cloud-based technologies. For 30+ years, ECi's companies have served the manufacturing, office equipment, office supplies, contract office furniture, lumber and building materials, hardware and jan/san sectors. Privately held, ECi is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, with offices and companies throughout the U.S., Australia, England and the Netherlands. For information, email info@ecisolutions.com, visit www.ECiSolutions.com, or call (800) 959-3367.

About ECi Acsellerate

Acsellerate is the market leader in on-demand sales and business intelligence, providing web-based analytic, advanced reporting and integrated CRM solutions. The interactive information empowers executives, managers and sales professionals to easily understand the effectiveness of their customer relationships and turn that insight into bottom-line results. As a business unit of ECi Software Solutions, Acsellerate is able to arm distributors in a variety of industries with an effective, affordable suite of services designed to help them compete successfully in today's market without requiring a significant technology or financial investment. For more information visit www.acsellerate.net, sales@acsellerate.net or call (571) 266-6420.

The existing peptide cGMP facility (60,000 sq ft) has been already inspected by US-FDA multiple times and is ISO 9001/ISO 13485 certified to fully comply with cGMP guidelines for peptide drug manufacturing. Multiple numbers of isolated peptide synthesis and purification suites in the new facility enable several commercial projects at the same time. High end equipments such as large scale solid phase and liquid phase reactors, HPLC columns and tray lyophilizers will allow CPC to manufacture hundreds of Kilograms of different peptides with improved delivery options and reduced costs.

"With the completion and commissioning of our new cGMP facility, we are poised to be the largest peptide manufacturer in the industry" says Dr. Shawn Lee, Chairman and CEO of CPC group. "Along with the existing GMP facility the combined capability will be critical in offering our valued customers with flexibility, sustainability and increasing demands for scale up and commercial scale manufacturing".

About CPC Scientific

CPC scientific is a trusted provider of high quality peptide based products to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and academic researchers. CPC offers catalog peptides, custom peptide synthesis, peptide arrays and libraries, cGMP manufacturing of peptide APIs and Generics and is a world leader in complex peptide modification services. CPC provides FFS and FTE services as well as process development and validation, stability studies, regulatory support and documentation. Its R&D center and Headquarters is located in Sunnyvale, California. For more information please visit us at www.cpcscientific.com

Media Contact

Dr. Jyothi Thundimadathil

Director

CPC Scientific Inc

E-mail: Jyothi@cpcscientific.com

Web: www.cpcscientific.com

Ashlyn Shockley
The Satcher Group
202.285.5570
ashockley@satchergroup.com

www.satchergroup.com

Launch of The Satcher Group

New firm to provide public health consulting and government affairs services

Atlanta, GA (MMD Newswire) January 29, 2013 -- The Satcher Group announced its official launch today. The firm provides government affairs services to Atlanta-based organizations and helps develop communication strategies for public health-related issues. Led by principals with extensive government experience, The Satcher Group core strategic philosophy is based on the fact that local organizations can be better represented in Washington by partners who are locally accessible and therefore have a deep understanding of the organization and the environment in which it operates. Additionally, The Satcher Group helps support efforts to bridge the gap between good public health science and the audience in need of that information.

"I am pleased to be a part of this effort," said Daraka Satcher, who serves as CEO and is also a partner with the Pendleton Group. "We saw a need and decided to develop an initiative to respond. I also look forward to enhancing our offerings by partnering with strategic allies."

The Satcher Group is already working closely with the Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse School of Medicine to develop initiatives to address the growing problem of head injuries and concussions in the competitive sports.

"We see this as a holistic initiative to deal with an array of public health issues on many levels," said David Satcher, Director of SHLI and Satcher Group senior advisor.

Helping companies navigate the government will be a hallmark of The Satcher Group. With over 20 years of combined Washington DC experience on Capitol Hill and in the Executive branch, its principals understand that in-depth knowledge of clients is more important to adequate representation than proximity to the Capitol. "We will focus on becoming a part of our client's culture so that we can make the most of partnerships with governmental entities," said Terri Winston, President of Government Affairs. "Those who understand DC know how to produce without unnecessarily walking the halls of Congress everyday. We'd rather be close to our clients than congressional offices. And when the time comes to do face-to-face meetings, Washington is only a little more than an hour away."

For additional information, contact: Ashlyn Shockley, 202.285.5570

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Obamacare will affect hundreds of businesses and employees, as it imposes penalties to young workers who choose to have cheap health insurance rather than an expensive one. To adjust with the policies stipulated in the act, companies and employees will be given one year to prepare.

One of the provisions entailed in the new law on healthcare commands open market creation for the healthcare industry. Healthcare insurance exchanges will permit uninsured employees to buy affordable healthcare plans. It is expected that there will be a stiff competition among healthcare insurance companies, so the consumers will emerge as winners.

In due course, employees may also choose to provide subsidies for employees to look for coverage through the exchanges instead of providing plans sponsored by the company. As of now, it is still not clear as to how the newly enacted law will affect the insurance's cost once it is officially implemented next year. Some expect that the prices will rise as more ill individuals will enter the pool of health insurance. On the other hand, some expect that it will be more affordable as a higher number of healthy people will buy health insurance.

There is also a possibility that the health benefits will be reduced, as Obamacare will make individuals pay more for their company-sponsored health insurance. To deal with this, individuals must have a spending account or health savings account that goes along with their health plans. This will permit them to pay for their medical expenses with pre-tax money, so they can save 20%-30% on a portion of their health expense.

The implementation of Obamacare is fast approaching. This is the reason why the government currently urges companies and employees to prepare for this act before it is finally implemented. There are several ways on how to prepare for Obamacare. Individuals just have to know the step-by-step procedures for them to reap its benefits.

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For more information about Obamacare and its provisions, send a message to harald.pfennig@gmail.com or call +49 163 4343695. Interested individuals can also visit Zenner Street 981379 Munich, Germany or visit http://www.credit-and-insurance.com/.

Ottawa, ON (MMD Newswire) January 30, 2013 -- The Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has chosen MeterSense and CustomerConnect, Harris Utilities' meter data management (MDM) solution and customer engagement solution (CES), to enhance its engineering, billing and service processes and encourage further consumers involvement in key conservation programs.

MeterSense is an advanced MDM solution that transforms raw smart meter data into valuable business intelligence and enables utilities to improve business process and enhance customer service. CustomerConnect is a web-based data presentment tool that enables consumers to access and interpret their consumption patterns, which helps them to make smarter choices about resource use, reduce their bills and support utility conservation goals.

MeterSense helps interpret a wide array of grid data

Located in southern Michigan, Coldwater BPU delivers water and electric services across 12,500 meters to a population of approximately 10,200 residential and commercial and industrial (C&I) consumers. The utility launched a pilot project to test advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) in January 2012. The project's aim was twofold. First, to test the capacity of the AMI software to interpret data derived from the polyphase meters used by the utility for its large C&I accounts. Second, to entirely replace its enterprise residential meters with smart meters. Shortly into the project, Coldwater BPU officials judged they needed an MDM application to gather, store and analyze smart meter data derived from the residential AMI, and to extract usage and billing data from the utility's polyphase meters.

Charles Bauschard, engineering manager with Coldwater BPU, said that once the utility realized an MDM was essential to the successful implementation of its smart metering solution, it temporarily suspended its AMI pilot project.

"Once we understood that we required an MDM solution, we began to develop a list of functions we required from that application," he said. "On our large C&I accounts, for example, the process of reading meters, reporting billing determinants and inputting data into our customer information system is long and detailed. An MDM that can automate that process and ensure it's done accurately every time is extremely valuable to us."

Coldwater BPU chose MeterSense in part because the solution's rules engine could be configured to manage the influx of data coming from the polyphase meters, and in part because of the solution's capacity to fully automate billing processes across all meters. The utility also saw value in MeterSense's potential to enhance its meter reading processes. Coldwater BPU currently reads most of its water and electric meters using automatic meter reading technology. It plans to use MeterSense to fully automate that function and free up field personnel to perform other, more complex tasks. The utility also expects to draw on MeterSense's native analytics functions to detect grid losses, manage service disconnects and augment its service team's capacity to respond to end users' billing questions.

"Harris Utilities' track record of support was another key benefit for us," said Bauschard. "We're not a large utility, so it was important for us to work with a partner that offered hosted services and stood behind small customers such as ourselves."

With MeterSense in place and expected to go live in the summer, Coldwater BPU expects to resume its AMI pilot project soon.

CustomerConnect to help all end users manage consumption

While Coldwater BPU is eager to realize operational benefits from MeterSense, it is also excited to introduce CustomerConnect to its end users. The utility hopes the solution will create a direct link for consumers between consumption and usage costs, and thereby empower users to change their energy and water usage habits. Specifically, the HomeConnect and BillConnect modules will enable Coldwater residents to access their smart meter data online at any time of the day via mobile or wired devices, and view and pay their bills online. The SiteConnect module will enable Coldwater BPU to offer rich analytic and reporting tools that enable its C&I end users to study consumption patterns and compare their usage to other performers on the grid.

"We want to encourage all our customers to use CustomerConnect to see their interval data and make informed decisions about their energy and water usage," said Bauschard. "We will also use the application to educate more customers about our local and state-mandated conservation programs."

MeterSense and CustomerConnect offer benefits to all types of consumers and all sizes of utilities

Norm Daigle, executive vice-president of Harris Utilities SmartWorks--the innovation engine of Harris Utilities that created MeterSense and CustomerConnect--said this implementation demonstrates the usefulness of the two solutions for C&I consumers as well as regular residential accounts.

"Utilities such as Coldwater BPU that manage large commercial and industrial accounts can benefit greatly from MeterSense and CustomerConnect," he said. "While MeterSense helps utilities service their large C&I accounts more efficiently than ever before, CustomerConnect--and in particular, its SiteConnect module--will help utilities encourage these end users to change their consumption patterns and save money."

Regardless of utility size, commodity focus or organizational objectives, MeterSense and CustomerConnect offer the potential to realize significant business-process efficiencies and provide new tools to promote conservation.

About Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (BPU)

The Coldwater Board of Public Utilities delivers water and electric services to nearly 10,200 residential, commercial and industrial consumers in southern Michigan. The utility currently provides electricity via more than 6,800 meters and delivers water and wastewater services across 5,000 more. Coldwater BPU has earned a Reliable Public Power Provider recognition from the American Public Power Association for providing the highest degree of reliable and safe electric service.

For more information, please visit coldwater.org.

About Harris Utilities SmartWorks

SmartWorks is the innovation engine of Harris Utilities. Its portfolio includes two key solutions. The first is MeterSense, a scalable, configurable and powerful meter data management (MDM) solution that quickly manages and intelligently interprets growing volumes of critical smart meter data. The second, CustomerConnect, is a customer engagement solution that gives consumers direct, web-based access to account information and unprecedented insight into resource use, which helps utilities demonstrate the value of, and power behind, their smart infrastructure investments.

For detailed product information, please visit metersense.com and custconnect.com.

Contacts

Harris Utilities

Anna Jackson

Vice-president, Marketing and Communications

T: +1-613-226-5511, ext. 2085

C: +1-613-986-9189

ajackson@harrisutilities.com

DAE Europe saw membership growth of 21% for the year compared to 2011 levels, with a 10.1% growth rate in exchange transactions and 17.1% improvement in Bonus Week transactions - defined as late breaks available within six weeks of check-in without the need to use exchange credits.

This strong growth has led to rapid expansion in the European operation, with new DAE service centres opening in 2012 in both Italy and Bulgaria, allowing many more timeshare and holiday property owners to benefit from DAE's philosophy of fantastic customer service coupled with low cost exchanges.

"Our service centre based in Bulgaria will serve members across Eastern Europe, including Russia, Greece and Turkey, with the ability to service those customers in their native languages," said Oliver Green, Managing Director of DAE Europe. "With these new service centres, we will have the opportunity to reach out to new customers and it is anticipated that our membership growth will continue at pace."

In 2012, DAE Europe entered into 23 new resort agreements, where resorts and resort groupings agree to promote DAE services to their owners. These resorts are located across Europe, from well-established resorts in the U.K., Italy and Spain through to point of sale agreements at resorts in various locations including the U.K. and Portugal.

"DAE Europe believes in the right of the timeshare owner to transact with whichever exchange company best suits their requirements," added Green. "Because of this belief in consumer choice, we do not actively pursue a policy of exclusively affiliating specific resorts. That said, we do of course work with resorts to ensure that their owners can maximise the potential of their timeshare investment."

DAE offers free membership for timeshare owners looking for a cost-effective way to exchange their product and explore the world of possible holiday options available through the DAE website. The company does not charge upfront membership fees, with payment required only after confirmation and processing of the request.

For more information about how to book a fantastic holiday with DAE, please visit http://daelive.com

About Dial An Exchange

DAE has grown significantly since it first opened its doors in 1997. A strong focus on quality customer service has led to their continued growth as over 50% of their new memberships have been the result of personal referrals. Today, the company is approaching 450,000 members worldwide and is a truly viable option for all timeshare owners to exchange their weeks and points or credits products. DAE's robust set of membership benefits makes it easy for timeshare owners to truly enjoy their vacation ownership experience. Their simple, flexible and innovative direct to consumer approach has evolved into a range of business development and support tools for their business partners such as resorts, management companies and Home Owners Associations who are looking for a competitive edge to support their rapid growth.

Membership benefits include a FREE membership option, Gold Advantage membership option, low exchange fees, a 3-year credit for every banked week, 24/7 live access to exchange weeks, personalized customer service, worldwide vacation availability, discounted rental weeks in prime locations and informative monthly e-Newsletters providing travel tips, destination ideas and money saving promotions and offers. At DAE, the timeshare owners' needs come first and foremost and quality of service is never compromised. For more information, please visit http://daelive.com.

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Contact:

Steve Luba

PerspectivePR for Perspective Group

Ph: 407-792-2343