Washington, Jan 10 (IANS) India and China are ranked 119th and 136th respectively and both termed "unfree" according to the 2013 Index of Economic Freedom published annually by The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation.

The Asia-Pacific region is home to the world's freest economy, and its most repressed, according to the index released here Thursday.

For the 19th consecutive year, Hong Kong maintained its top position, while North Korea languishes at the bottom.

However, the Asia Pacific region's "foundations for long-term economic development continue to be fragile in the absence of effectively functioning legal frameworks", the index's editors write.

"Progress with market-oriented reforms has been uneven and has often backtracked under the influence of those with a political interest in maintaining the status quo".

Singapore, Australia and New Zealand finished 2-3-4 respectively, while the US is ranked 10th in the index that evaluates countries in four broad areas of economic freedom -- rule of law, regulatory efficiency, limited government, and open markets.

Based on its aggregate score, each of 177 countries graded in the 2013 index was classified as "free" (i.e. combined scores of 80 or higher), "mostly free" (70-79.9), "moderately free" (60-69.9), "mostly unfree" (50-59.9), or "repressed" (under 50).

Europe, the second-freest region and the world's most improved, narrowed the gap with North America in the 2013 index.

The scores of 32 countries improved, while just nine lost economic freedom.

Switzerland continues to be the only "free" economy in the region, which has only two "repressed" economies that score below 50 -- Ukraine and Belarus.

More here:

India, China termed 'unfree' in economic freedom index

ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, is encouraging Guardsmen and Reservists to nominate their civilian employers for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award before the January 21 deadline. The Freedom Award is the nations highest recognition for employers supporting Guard and Reserve members. Employers of every size and industry are eligible to receive the honor. Guard and Reserve members, or a family member acting on their behalf, may nominate their employers at http://www.FreedomAward.mil.

"With today's evolving missions of the Reserve Component, as we adapt to the current national security policy, America's employers continue to provide steadfast support to the more than one million men and women serving in the National Guard and Reserve at home and abroad. The Freedom Award is your opportunity to honor your employer for their critical support," said James Rebholz, ESGR National Chair. "As a member of the Guard or Reserve who has received outstanding support from your civilian employer, take the time to nominate them for the 2013 Freedom Award."

Any civilian employer who has not previously received the award is eligible. Service members who have previously nominated their employers are encouraged to do so again. The Department of Defense will recognize nominees, semi-finalists and finalists. The 2013 recipients will be announced in early summer and honored in Washington, D.C. during a ceremony in the fall. Past recipients have met with the President of the United States, Secretary of Defense and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

About ESGR and the Freedom Award:

The Freedom Award was instituted in 1996 under the auspices of ESGR to recognize exceptional support from the employer community. In the years since, 175 employers have beenhonoredwith the award. Established as a DoD agency 40 years ago, ESGRdevelops and maintains employer support for Guard and Reserve service. ESGR advocates relevant initiatives, recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of applicable laws, and resolves conflict between service members and employers. Paramount to ESGR's mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.

For questions or interviews regarding the Freedom Award, please contact Beth Sherman, ESGR Public Affairs, at 571-372-0705 or by email atESGR-PA@osd.mil.

Continue reading here:

Time Running out to Nominate Employers for 2013 Freedom Award

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan 8, 2013) - Canada ranks fourth overall for its level of personal freedoms, tied with Ireland and Australia, while New Zealanders have the most freedom in the world, according to the most complete index of human freedom yet available, released today by the Fraser Institute, Canada''s leading public policy think-tank, and Germany''s Liberales Institut.

The index is contained in a new book, Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom, which examines the characteristics of "freedom" and how it can best be measured and compared between different nations.

"Our intention is to measure the degree to which people are free to enjoy classic civil liberties-freedom of speech, religion, individual economic choice, and association and assembly-in each country surveyed. We also look at indicators of crime and violence, freedom of movement, legal discrimination against homosexuals, and women''s freedoms," said Fred McMahon, Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom (Fraser Institute) and editor of Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom.

"The classical ideas of freedom from the time of the Enlightenment included economic freedom as essential to other freedoms, yet all the indexes available up to now either measure civil and political freedoms, often confusing what freedom actually is, or economic freedom alone. This is the first index that brings together these classic ideas of freedom in an intellectually consistent index."

The book is the first publication of the Human Freedom project sponsored by the Cato Institute (United States), as well as the Fraser Institute and the Liberales Institut.

New Zealand offers the highest level of human freedom worldwide, followed by the Netherlands then Hong Kong. Australia, Canada and Ireland tied for fourth spot, with the United States and Denmark tied for seventh, Japan and Estonia tied for ninth overall. The lowest-ranked countries are Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Syria.

Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom also highlights the evolution of economic, political, and social freedoms from the ancient world to the present day over the course of 10 chapters by 13 academics and economists from Canada (Fraser Institute, Canadian Constitution Foundation), the United States (Cato Institute, Emory University), Germany (Liberales Institut, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main), and Russia (Institute of Economic Analysis). Chapters of note include:

"From Pericles to Measurement" by Fred McMahon (Fraser Institute)

This article traces the concept of freedom back to the classical world and examines more recent discussions of freedom from the Enlightenment through to modern analytical scholarship. McMahon concludes that modern indexes are incomplete and often inconsistent. He argues for a complete measure of freedom that is consistent with the most common sense idea of freedom-Isaiah Berlin''s concept of "negative" freedom, meaning the absence of restraints on individual actions.

"An Index of Freedom in the World" by Ian Vsquez (Cato Institute) and Tanja tumberger (Atlas Economic Research Foundation)

Read the original post:

The Fraser Institute: Canada, Australia and Ireland Tied for Fourth in New Comprehensive Index of Human Freedom; New ...

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The UpTake has been selected by the prestigious new Freedom of Press Foundation as one of the first four independent organizations to receive crowd-funding help for journalism that brings transparency to government and demands accountability of those in power. The UpTake joins WikiLeaks, MuckRock News and the National Security Archive as one of the first four organizations to be helped in raising funds by the new foundation through Jan. 31, 2013.

Co-founded by Daniel Ellsberg, the whistle-blower who gave the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times in 1971, the Freedom of Press Foundation is headed by a Whos Who of press freedom pioneers, including civil liberties journalist Glenn Greenwald, actor John Cusack, and Internet information leaders ranging from John Perry Barlow of the Electronic Frontier Foundation to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and Xeni Jardin, co-founder and editor of Boing Boing.

We are interested in supporting organizations that bring more transparency to government, hold power to account and stand for the publics right to know, says Josh Stearns, a member of the board of directors of the Freedom of the Press Foundation. The UpTake has shown, again and again, that they are willing to do the long, hard, grueling and often tedious work required to do those things. Whats more, they have shown they also are willing to train others to do them.

We are very proud to be acknowledged for our work, said Jason Barnett, The UpTake Executive Director and co-founder. Weve been doing on-the-ground transparency coverage since Day One, and we have the potential to do more, to expand to other regions and focus on the work of transparency and civic engagement you need for citizens to understand what is happening. Exposing the truth and revealing the information being held by the powerful are the core values of journalism.

We want to create a new base of support for non-profit journalism organizations so they dont have to always be trying to get a million small grants, said Stearns. We hope to help them become more resilient and more stable by becoming a sort of one-stop shopping center for average citizens who want to come forward and support innovative journalists who are willing to take risks.

The ways in which people consume news now have changed, said Barnett. They pick and choose from a buffet of sources, so it is hard to develop a relationship with a consistent audience and develop a reliable fund-raising stream. Getting recognition from the Freedom of the Press Foundation will be incredibly important to our plans for the future, to grow and to expand and continue to fight for transparency and accountability. People have to get used to journalism being part of their philanthropy plans.

About The UpTake

Founded in 2007, The UpTake gained national attention for its hard-nosed street coverage of the protests at the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, its inside-the-walls coverage of the long recount in the U.S. Senate election contest between Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken, its principled demand for press working space and credentials in the Minnesota State Capitol in 2009 and 2010, and its continuing coverage of Occupy Minnesota, racial justice issues and labor protests. The UpTake hopes to expand its model into other regions and currently is working to develop a community reporter training program aimed at training and empowering reporters in communities of color, minority and neglect often overlooked by mainstream media. For more information on The UpTake, visit http://www.theuptake.org.

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Freedom of Press Foundation Names The UpTake Among the First Four Independent Organizations Promoting Government ...

Protesters rallied Tuesday for a second day to call for press freedom in China, as social media users and celebrities backed a campaign which poses a test for the nation's new leaders.

Scores of people, some carrying mourning flowers, gathered outside the Guangzhou offices of the Southern Weekly, a popular liberal paper which had an article urging greater protection of rights censored.

"The government is using the media for their purposes," said a 24-year-old man surnamed Leung. "If we don't step out now to support this newspaper and call for greater freedom, our society will have less and less space for freedom."

Some demonstrators wore masks depicting British revolutionary figure Guy Fawkes, adopted as an anarchist symbol internationally after being popularised in the film "V for Vendetta" -- which was recently broadcast on state television.

Police stood by, allowing the rally to proceed. As it dispersed for the day a lone woman demonstrator stood outside the building, holding a white rose and raising one hand, making a victory sign with her fingers.

Some protesters traded insults with around a dozen rivals who showed support for the authorities. A few held up portraits of Mao Zedong, the founding father of communist China.

Protests about explicitly political issues such as rights are very rare in China. The dispute comes after the ruling party's new leadership headed by Xi Jinping took over in November, raising expectations of a more open style of governance.

The second day of demonstrations came after bloggers and celebrities -- some with millions of followers -- voiced support online for freedom of the press.

Yao Chen, an actress who has 32 million followers, posted the paper's logo on China's Twitter-like Weibo service and quoted Russian dissident Alexandr Solzhenitsyn: "One word of truth shall outweigh the whole world".

Fellow actor Chen Kun, who has 27 million followers, replied: "I am not that deep, and don't play with words, I support the friends at Southern Weekly".

See more here:

China press freedom campaign swells with new rally

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan 8, 2013) - New Zealand leads the world in human freedom, followed by the Netherlands then Hong Kong with the United States and Denmark tied for seventh, according to the most complete index of human freedom yet available, released today by the Fraser Institute, Canada''s leading public policy think-tank, and Germany''s Liberales Institut.

The index is contained in a new book, Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom, which examines the characteristics of "freedom" and how it can best be measured and compared between different nations.

"Our intention is to measure the degree to which people are free to enjoy classic civil liberties-freedom of speech, religion, individual economic choice, and association and assembly-in each country surveyed. We also look at indicators of crime and violence, freedom of movement, legal discrimination against homosexuals, and women''s freedoms," said Fred McMahon, Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom (Fraser Institute) and editor of Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom.

"The classical ideas of freedom from the time of the Enlightenment included economic freedom as essential to other freedoms, yet all the indexes available up to now either measure civil and political freedoms, often confusing what freedom actually is, or economic freedom alone. This is the first index that brings together these classic ideas of freedom in an intellectually consistent index."

The book is the first publication of the Human Freedom project sponsored by the Cato Institute (United States), as well as the Fraser Institute and the Liberales Institut.

The initial freedom index ranks New Zealand as offering the highest level of human freedom worldwide, followed by the Netherlands then Hong Kong. Australia, Canada and Ireland tied for fourth spot, with the United States and Denmark tied for seventh, Japan and Estonia tied for ninth overall. The lowest-ranked countries are Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Syria.

The index was created by Ian Vsquez of the Cato Institute and Tanja tumberger of the Atlas Economic Research Foundation. They developed the initial draft of an objective measurement of overall human freedom, combining for the first time economic freedom with other forms of freedom. Such a measure will enable researchers to answer important questions on the impact (good and bad) of negative freedom and what supports freedom or undermines it.

Towards a Worldwide Index of Human Freedom also highlights the evolution of economic, political, and social freedoms from the ancient world to the present day over the course of 10 chapters by 13 academics and economists from Canada (Fraser Institute), the United States (Cato Institute, Emory University), Germany (Liberales Institut, Goethe-University Frankfurt am Main), and Russia (Institute of Economic Analysis). Chapters of note include:

"From Pericles to Measurement" by Fred McMahon (Fraser Institute)

This article traces the concept of freedom back to the classical world and examines modern discussions of freedom from the Enlightenment through to modern analytical scholarship. McMahon concludes that modern indexes are incomplete and often inconsistent. He argues for a complete measure of freedom that is consistent with the most common sense idea of freedom-Isaiah Berlin''s concept of "negative" freedom, meaning the absence of restraints on individual actions.

More here:

The Fraser Institute: New Zealand Ranked No. 1 in New Comprehensive Index of Human Freedom; U.S. and Denmark Tied for ...

BURNABY, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Viscount Systems (OTC Markets : VSYS), a leading-edge, high technology supplier of security systems and software, is pleased to announce that Viscounts Freedom access control system has been installed at U.S. Federal Government facilities in two additional states. The systems include both Freedom Encryption bridge technology as well as Viscounts new Freedom security user and card enrollment platform. At the request of the government the nature of the facilities and agency involved cannot be identified.

We continue to make progress in making Freedom the new defacto standard for securing Federal Government facilities, commented Stephen Pineau president and CEO. Following successful pilot projects that demonstrated our ability to save agencies up to 80% of the cost of traditional access control systems, while providing significantly higher levels of security, we are now moving to ongoing projects that are specifying Freedom as the required product.

An important aspect of the new contracts is the inclusion of our new enrollment platform, continued Mr. Pineau. Early on the IT departments of these agencies identified our ability to expand the capabilities of Freedom with features control panel suppliers normally dont provide. For example, other suppliers typically rely on expensive third party software for user and card enrollment. We worked closely with the agencies to build these functions into our core Freedom software platform and we now provide savings of over 50% versus third party providers. This is particularly important for thousands of smaller agency sites throughout the U.S. where the cost of the enrollment software has been a serious cost impediment to system deployments. Freedom provides the perfect platform to expand security to all agency sites at a dramatically reduced cost per door.

About Viscount Systems

Viscount Systems Inc., designs unified IT and physical security software platforms for building security and emergency planning. Recent awards include SIA Convergence Solution of the Year 2011 and Homeland Securities Platinum Award for Emergency Response and Gold Award for Access Control at GOVSEC 2011.

Safe Harbor Statement

Forward looking statements: This press release and other statements by Viscount Systems Inc. may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act with respect to the outlook for earnings and revenues, other future financial or business performance, strategies and expectations. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words or phrases such as "believe," "expect," "estimate," "position," "assume," "potential," "outlook," "continue," "remain," "maintain," and similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "will," "would," "should," "could," or similar expressions.

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Viscount’s Freedom Security Software Installed at Additional U.S. Government Facilities

By JUSTIN DARGAHI | Tribune correspondent Published: January 09, 2013 Updated: January 09, 2013 - 10:45 PM

No matter how hard the Freedom boys basketball team tried, it wasn't able to shake Armwood until the final buzzer sounded.

The Hawks missed two game-tying attempts from beyond the arc in the closing seconds, allowing the Patriots to escape with the 50-47 win on Wednesday night.

The game was close throughout, as neither team led by more than six points.

"I knew it would be a close game," Freedom coach Cedric Smith said. "We played them during the summer, and both games came down to the end. They've got some good players and are well coached."

Early in the fourth quarter, it looked like the Patriots would finally get some breathing room, but consecutive jumpers by Marcus Hill cut the Freedom lead to 38-37 with five minutes to play.

Patriots forward Stephen Odunna answered with two straight lay-ups to give his team a five-point lead.

Armwood (13-6) was able to cut the lead to two with less than a minute to go but could get no closer.

Freedom (12-1) was led by Odunna's 13 points. Andrew Mcpherson had 10 points, as did Brandon Patchan (including his team's final five points to preserve the win).

"We needed him tonight towards the end," Smith said. "And we're going to need him even more on Friday night."

View original post here:

Freedom boys escape against Armwood

The future looks bleak. Government grows bigger, debt grows, and politicians constantly pass new regulations.

But there is good news. Technology helps us avoid clumsy government. Developments like the Internet bring us what I call "Freedom 2.0."

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales - who cites Hayek as an inspiration for creating Wikipedia - tells me about how the fewer rules he imposed on the site, the better it did. Economist Ed Stringham argues that the Internet proves we don't need much government regulation.

The Internet will also make it easier for us to keep an eye on what government does, although Chris Horner says that our government uses every trick it can to avoid scrutiny.

"Hating Breitbart" producers Maura Flynn and Evan Coyne Maloney say cell phone cameras create "Freedom 2.0" by empowering citizen journalists to expose groups like ACORN. And Instapundit.com blogger Glenn Reynolds discusses scandals exposed by what he calls "An Army of Davids" on the internet.

And what if there were also a website that helped you buy illegal things, without government being able to stop you? Actually, there is, and it uses a nearly-anonymous online currency called Bitcoin to shield users' identities. Katherine Mangu-Ward explains.

What will the future bring? Economist Jim Miller, the author of "Singularity Rising", says that genetics and smart robots could make us beautiful and wealthy - or lead to robots that destroy humanity.

Freedom 2.0 starts tonight at 9pm on the Fox Business Network.

Originally posted here:

Freedom 2.0 (airs tonight at 9pm ET on Fox Business)

Several months ago, former Charlotte-Mecklenburg school board chair Arthur Griffin shared with me the fruits of his quest to trace his ancestry. The genealogist he hired all but gushed at the treat it was to delve into the background of his grandfather Laurens Griffin. It is unusual, he said, to have the opportunity to work on an African American research case in which there are only three generations back to the pre-emancipation days of slavery.

You read that right. Griffins grandfather - long dead by the time of Griffins birth was a slave.

Slavery is the past many Americans dont want to remember but its not so distant, and its getting some attention these days. Two movies with different perspectives are spotlighting it: Steven Spielbergs fact-based Lincoln focuses on President Lincolns determination to get the 13th amendment, outlawing slavery, passed. Quentin Tarantinos fictional DJango Unchained tells the tale of a freed slave turned bounty hunter.

The more seminal event though is the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. The commemoration this week kicks off a yearlong celebration the proclamations sesquicentennial - Lincoln signed it on Jan. 1, 1863. More important the commemoration spotlights the most critical freedom movement in this country since its founding. Thats something all Americans can take pride in, and is worth celebrating. Its a shame so many dont.

The National Archives, where the proclamation was on rare display this week, has dubbed it one of the great documents of human freedom. But though the document declared slaves thenceforward, and forever free, that decree only applied to enslaved persons in states that were in rebellion against the United States. That meant slaves in the Confederacy. For all practical purposes, the document didnt of itself free most slaves.

Yet, the significance of Abraham Lincolns bold move was and still is evident. Lincoln himself said it would be what history would remember him for. It is the central act of my administration and the great event of the nineteenth century, he said. And Lincoln, staunchly against slavery, told friends he would rather die than take back a word of it.

Still, debates over Lincolns true motives for issuing the proclamation and disputes over his complex some say evolving views about blacks (he once contended differences between blacks and whites in the United States were too stark and advocated relocating freed slaves to other countries) plus the discomfort many Americans even now feel when talking about slavery and the war that ended it in this country have nearly relegated the proclamation to an historical dust-bin.

With yearlong sesquicentennial events this year, that may change.

It should. The proclamation helped the country confront the inconsistencies in U.S. slavery and the tenets in Americas founding document, the Declaration of Independence. Lincoln in a debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858 said that though the founders could not have reached agreement on the Constitution without permitting slavery to remain, that did not change the standard of liberty raised in the Declaration : So I say in relation to the principle that all men are created equal, let it be as nearly reached as we can.

The reach of the proclamation was profound even if it was not the widespread liberation many wished for.

Read the original post:

America’s worthy freedom journey

The future looks bleak. Government grows bigger, debt grows, and politicians constantly pass new regulations.

But there is good news. Technology helps us avoid clumsy government. Developments like the Internet bring us what I call "Freedom 2.0."

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales - who cites Hayek as an inspiration for creating Wikipedia - tells me about how the fewer rules he imposed on the site, the better it did. Economist Ed Stringham argues that the Internet proves we don't need much government regulation.

The Internet will also make it easier for us to keep an eye on what government does, although Chris Horner says that our government uses every trick it can to avoid scrutiny.

"Hating Breitbart" producers Maura Flynn and Evan Coyne Maloney say cell phone cameras create "Freedom 2.0" by empowering citizen journalists to expose groups like ACORN. And Instapundit.com blogger Glenn Reynolds discusses scandals exposed by what he calls "An Army of Davids" on the internet.

And what if there were also a website that helped you buy illegal things, without government being able to stop you? Actually, there is, and it uses a nearly-anonymous online currency called Bitcoin to shield users' identities. Katherine Mangu-Ward explains.

What will the future bring? Economist Jim Miller, the author of "Singularity Rising", says that genetics and smart robots could make us beautiful and wealthy - or lead to robots that destroy humanity.

Freedom 2.0 starts tonight at 9pm on the Fox Business Network.

Continued here:

Freedom 2.0 (airs Saturday at 3pm ET on FNC)

Gary Hamilton joins New Freedom Management

CORRECTION...by New Freedom

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.

The corrected release reads:

NEW FREEDOM INC. TAPS TOP INVESTMENT BANKER

Gary Hamilton joins New Freedom Management

New Freedom Inc., a developer, manufacturer and marketer of nutritional and personal care products, today announce that the Company has appointed Gary Hamilton as Executive Vice President of Finance. Hamilton has a background of financing and developing national and inter-national companies coupled with over 30 years in the financial industry. He has worked with large institutions across several different industries on securing financing in the form of equity, debt and other financial structures. He was at a senior management position with firms such as Merrill Lynch, UBS PaineWebber, and large regional firms such as Janco Partners and W.G. Nielsen & Co.

Hamilton began his career with Merrill Lynch, after developing and honing his financial skills in the financial industry. He was recruited by UBS PaineWebber to open a regional boutique firm designed to work with senior professionals and institutional and high net worth individuals.

In 1999, Hamilton joined the investment banking firm of Janco Partners, Inc. Part of his responsibility was the developing and funding of their private investment fund, Janco Capital L.P. a investment banking firm that specializes in media, telecommunications, and technology. Hamilton then joined as Managing Director of W.G. Nielsen & Co. in March of 2003 which is an investment banking firm specializing in mergers, acquisitions, structured and leveraged financing, private financing, and private placements of equity. While at W.G. Nielsen & Co he was responsible for the funding of several private and public companies as well as leading the investment banking team in several mergers and acquisitions.

Gary Hamilton earned a BS in Finance from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1972.

View post:

New Freedom PLC Taps Top Investment Banker

by Michael Dixon Thepress.Net

Freedom guard Bria Greenhouse puts up a shot during the Topaz Division final game against Drake at last weekends West Coast Jamboree. The Falcons won their division for the first time in 13 years of hosting tournament games. Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr.

Carondelet guard Amy Harioka tries to shoot over Heritage center Sabrina Engelstad during the Cougars' 68-57 win at the West Coast Jamboree. Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr

Freedom power forward Cydnee Kinslow shoots during the Falcons' 73-33 win over Mt. Diablo on day one of the West Coast Jamboree. Photo by Angelo Garcia Jr.

The Falcons won the Topaz Division of the worlds most prestigious high school basketball tournament, which was held at eight high schools around the Bay Area. Freedom, Deer Valley, Heritage and Antioch all competed from the Bay Valley Athletic League in the field of 120 teams from around the nation.

Senior guard Elsa Ross led Freedom throughout the tournament. Freshman center Cydnee Kinslow, sophomore guard Bria Greenhouse and junior forward Candra Smith also came up huge for the Falcons. Sophomore Kailyn Brown added versatility to propel Freedom to victory.

Its a good morale boost, said Freedom head coach Albert Nunez. Its been long overdue. I hope we use this to turn a corner and finally compete with some of these top teams.

Freedoms offense was in top shape. The Falcons beat Mt. Diablo 77-33 and Las Lomas 61-39 before downing Drake 62-58 to claim the championship.

Antioch, which has also struggled at the tournament in the past, finished in second place in the Agate Division, beating Rio Vista 47-39 and Contra Costa Christian 52-45 before falling to Encinal 52-16 in the final.

While 104 teams were put in eight-team brackets, the tournaments best were put in a prestigious 16-team bracket.

Read this article:

Freedom wins title at West Coast Jamboree

Partnering with the Salvation Army for a second year, Freedom Mortgage successfully surpassed its philanthropic goal this year by broadening its Holiday Angel Gift Program on a national level.

Mount Laurel, NJ (PRWEB) January 04, 2013

More than 400 families in communities throughout the US were able to enjoy holiday cheer this year, thanks to the generosity of Freedom Mortgage and its employees.

We at the Salvation Army are so blessed and grateful to have Freedom Mortgage as a partner in the Holiday Angel Gift Program. There are so many gifts collected from the various Freedom Mortgage locations nationally that we can provide many, many families in need this year including those affected by Hurricane Sandy, said Field Division Representative- Virginia Evans of the Salvation Army. We are thankful that Freedom Mortgage helped us exceed expectations and made holiday dreams come true for many families in need nationwide.

In the coming years, Freedom Mortgage hopes to use the strength and presence of the organization nationally to help support families in need wherever possible.

About Freedom Mortgage:

Freedom Mortgage Corporation is an established, approved lending institution maintaining an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is a member of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Fully licensed and privately held, Freedom Mortgage provides a wide range of loan choices at competitive rates to new and existing customers.

Freedom Mortgage has been serving residential homeowners throughout the Nation since 1990, is an Equal Housing Lender and an Equal Opportunity Employer with its corporate headquarters located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.

Forward-Looking Statements

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Freedom Mortgage Announces Success with its National Holiday Angel Gift Program

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Please replace the release with the following corrected version due to multiple revisions.

The corrected release reads:

NEW FREEDOM INC. TAPS TOP INVESTMENT BANKER

Gary Hamilton joins New Freedom Management

New Freedom Inc., a developer, manufacturer and marketer of nutritional and personal care products, today announce that the Company has appointed Gary Hamilton as Executive Vice President of Finance. Hamilton has a background of financing and developing national and inter-national companies coupled with over 30 years in the financial industry. He has worked with large institutions across several different industries on securing financing in the form of equity, debt and other financial structures. He was at a senior management position with firms such as Merrill Lynch, UBS PaineWebber, and large regional firms such as Janco Partners and W.G. Nielsen & Co.

Hamilton began his career with Merrill Lynch, after developing and honing his financial skills in the financial industry. He was recruited by UBS PaineWebber to open a regional boutique firm designed to work with senior professionals and institutional and high net worth individuals.

In 1999, Hamilton joined the investment banking firm of Janco Partners, Inc. Part of his responsibility was the developing and funding of their private investment fund, Janco Capital L.P. a investment banking firm that specializes in media, telecommunications, and technology. Hamilton then joined as Managing Director of W.G. Nielsen & Co. in March of 2003 which is an investment banking firm specializing in mergers, acquisitions, structured and leveraged financing, private financing, and private placements of equity. While at W.G. Nielsen & Co he was responsible for the funding of several private and public companies as well as leading the investment banking team in several mergers and acquisitions.

Gary Hamilton earned a BS in Finance from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1972.

It is a privilege to have such a top investment banker on our management team such as Gary Hamilton. His depth and knowledge on international and US markets on mergers and acquisitions as well as financing will be a powerful asset to the company as we move forward to execute our business model for New Freedom. I look forward to working with Gary on all aspects of mergers and acquisitions as well as future financing, said Ted Farnsworth, Chairman and Founder.

View post:

CORRECTING and REPLACING New Freedom Inc. Taps Top Investment Banker

Freedom Riot of Voice - Alerion and I Used to Have A Best Friend.3GP
nice bro

By: fachriza byoka

View original post here:

Freedom Riot of Voice - Alerion and I Used to Have A Best Friend.3GP - Video

FILE - This Feb. 18, 2005 file photo shows the original Emancipation Proclamation on display in the Rotunda of the National Archives in Washington. As New Year's Day approached 150 years ago, all eyes were on President Abraham Lincoln in expectation of what he warned 100 days earlier would be coming _ his final proclamation declaring all slaves in states rebelling against the Union to be "forever free." A tradition began on Dec. 31, 1862, as many black churches held Watch Night services, awaiting word that Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation would take effect as the country was in the midst of a bloody Civil War. Later, congregations listened as the president's historic words were read aloud. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Associated Press

Today marks the sesquicentennial of the Emancipation Proclamation revered today as a major milestone in America's long path of freedom but derided by many at the time of its implementation.

As millions of Americans this holiday season have flocked to Steven Spielberg's stunning film "Lincoln," they have been reminded it was not the Emancipation Proclamation that abolished slavery in the United States, but rather the ratification of the 13th Amendment.

But the 13th Amendment would not have been possible were it not for the measures undertaken by the Emancipation Proclamation, a wartime executive order granting unconditional freedom to slaves who resided in those areas of the country still in rebellion and employment within the Union armed forces to able-bodied freedmen.

There was much to question about the Emancipation Proclamation at the moment of its signing.

For those critical of Lincoln as ineffectual, the proclamation was criticized as a purely symbolic gesture because it only tried to free slaves in those areas where the United States had no meaningful influence.

For those seeking swift reconciliation with the Confederacy it seemed an unnecessary provocation because of how it could fan the flames of violent slave rebellion.

And for ardent abolitionists it did not go far enough because it didn't address the practice of slavery in the Union slave states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland and Missouri and specifically exempted regions of the South under Federal control.

But the order allowed for immediate emancipation of slaves held by Northern troops as contraband of war. Inasmuch as slaves continued to bolster production in the South, the rapid word-of-mouth news of the proclamation disrupted the Southern economy as slaves saw genuine hope for their own freedom from a Union victory. It provided an efficient means for fresh recruits into the Union armed forces. And it eviscerated French and British support of the Confederacy.

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Editorial: A new birth of freedom

by Philip Kiew, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 2, 2013, Wednesday

LAWAS: Freedom of worship in Malaysia is precious and should be appreciated by all communities.

Lawas MP Datuk Henry Sum Agong said this when officiating at the earth-breaking ceremony of Methodist Church Indigenous Students Welfare Centre and Sarawak Annual Coronation Conference (SCAC) led by Rev Dato Dr Su Chii An in Lawas recently.

This is in contrast to countries which do not allow places of worship of non-official religions to be built, he said.

Henry said religious teachings inculcated good moral values, and urged Christians in the district to continue upholding inter-racial and inter-religious harmony.

We appreciate the fair leadership in Lawas which do not oppress other religions, he said.

The Lawas MP said cooperation between Christians and non-Christians contributed towards a harmonious society under the BN government.

He warned against any form of extremism caused by fanatical sects hiding behind the cloak of religion to justify wrongdoings.

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Appreciate freedom of worship — MP

Secrets from Breaking Nicotine Addiction

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 31, 2012

Freedom Laser Therapy is announcing the release of the 10 Most Common Reasons Why Smokers Fail at Quitting to help people who are making quitting smoking their New Year's Resolution. Smokers who desire to quit can also watch powerful anti smoking videos online at http://www.freedomquitsmoking.com to educate them about their nicotine addiction. Nabat says, "In Freedom's effort to help people quit smoking nationwide, we are now offering a 14 day free trial to anyone interested in trying the new Freedom Quit Smoking System, they'll just need to pay processing and handling. Contact Freedom directly through freedomquitsmoking.com to inquire about this free trial offer."

10 Most Common Reasons Why Smokers Fail at Quitting

1) Peer pressure or negative influence from other smokers.

2) Believing that smoking just one cigarette again can ever be an option for the smoker today or in the future.

3) Envying smokers, instead of pitying them. Don't envy nicotine addicts.

4) Thinking a cigarette is a go-to when something bad occurs in life.

5) The former smoker feeling each day they are sacrificing something monumental when quitting smoking. Smokers should look at quitting smoking as if they are regaining health, peace of mind, freedom, cleanliness and saving money.

6) Thinking that smoking cigarettes is a coping mechanism for a stressful situation; on the contrary, it only makes a person a slave to nicotine all over again. Smoking blocks the arteries and veins from receiving more oxygen causing more stress throughout the body.

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Freedom Laser Therapy Releases the 10 Most Common Reasons Smokers Fail at Quitting

The Rev. Mark Whitlock will be donning a tuxedo Monday night for a joyful New Years Eve celebration, ringing in 2013 from the pulpit of his Orange County church.

For many African American Christians, such as Whitlock, New Years Eve is a time to gather in Watch Night services commemorating their ancestors vigil150 years ago over whether President Lincoln would sign the Emancipation Proclamation. Because Lincoln did sign it on Jan. 1, 1863, declaring all slaves in confederate states forever free, the evening became a time of prayer, song, dance and celebration, Whitlock said.

For us, its about the birth of freedom in 1863, said Whitlock, pastor of Christ Our Redeemer Church, an African Methodist Episcopal congregation in Irvine. And in 2013, we shall seek freedom from oppression and inner conflicts.

The pastor of the 2,800-member congregation said festivities would start at 9 p.m. with dinner, followed by a 10 p.m. worship service featuring gospel music and an 11:30 p.m. sermon. Putting a modern twist on the freedom message, congregants will share stories of their liberation this year from alcoholism, drug abuse, poverty, poor health and other crippling conditions, Whitlock said.

Congregants will dramatize watchmen awaiting news over Lincolns decision, then break into celebration at the stroke of midnight. The church is at 46 Maxwell in Irvine.

A 10 p.m. service is also scheduled at the cathedral of West Angeles Church of God in Christ, 3600 Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Watch Night services will also be held in the United Methodist Church, whose co-founder, John Wesley, first popularized them in the 18th century. Bishop Minerva G. Carcao of the denominations Los Angeles Episcopal area, said Wesley began the Watch Nights as an opportunity to renew congregants covenant with God for the new year.

Wesley had a deep sense that we have come this far by the grace of God and the only appropriate response is to recommit our lives to God, she said.

Several Methodist congregations have scheduled Watch Nights, including a 7 p.m. service at Claremont United Methodist Church, 211 West Foothill Blvd. In the Episcopal denomination, a 7:30 p.m. service is scheduled at All Saints Church, 132 N. Euclid Avenue in Pasadena.

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Watch Night services to celebrate New Year, freedom from slavery