FORT WAYNE, Ind., May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (Pink Sheets: FDMF.PK) CEO, Brian Kistler, today announced that DME SECURITIES, LLC a New York Stock Exchange Member, has secured a commitment for $800,000 from Kodiak Capital Group, LLC, a Newport Beach-based private investment fund.

Brian Kistler stated, "As we continue to grow and diversify our interests, Kodiak is the perfect partner for Freedom Energy Holdings as we continue to make inroads into the most suited markets for the deployment of our proprietary technologies KC 9000 and Patent Pending SR-139."

Ryan Hodson, Managing Director, Kodiak Capital Group, LLC, commented, "Freedom Energy is a perfect match for our interest in the oil and gas industry as well as the renewable energy. We are especially interested in the SR-139 process for the recovery of the hydrocarbons from the over 11 million tons of asphalt shingles disposed annually. The potential market for Patent Pending SR-139 is very exciting and we at Kodiak see the advantages of making this sizable commitment into Freedom under Mr. Kistler's direction."

Kistler continued, "With assistance from Kodiak I will be able to start the development and creation of the mechanical process that will allow us to recover the over 2 million tons of hydrocarbons being thrown away each year in landfills. I am thankful for their confidence and the guidance I have received from DME. With this team in place we will no longer be captivated by the inability of others to perform."

"Further, I am happy to report that the KC 9000 shipped to the Middle East has been cleared through customs and is in the control of our agent. Bench tests have begun and even though there have been delays, all is on track and I look forward to bringing further updates as they are made available," concluded Kistler.

ABOUT KODIAK CAPITAL GROUP, LLC Kodiak is an institutional investor headquartered in Newport Beach, CA. Kodiak's experienced professionals manage a portfolio of investments in public and private entities. These investments are in a wide range of companies and industries emphasizing life sciences, energy and technology. Kodiak's investments range from multiyear financial commitments to fund growth to special situation financings to long-term strategic capital offering companies certainty, flexibility and consistency. For more information, visit http://www.kodiak-capital.com

ABOUT DME SECURITIES, LLC DME SECURITIES, LLC, headquartered in New York, is a member of the New York Stock Exchange, National Association of Securities Dealers, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. DME is a full service financial firm providing comprehensive financial advice and superior service to the individual and institutional investors and serves clients through a network of professionals.

ABOUT FREEDOM ENERGY HOLDINGS, INC: Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF.PK) is a publicly traded company that specializes in the identification and development of technologies with commercial applications in the energy industry sector. The company's original primary focus is the commercial development of its proprietary, heavy oil technology. KC 9000, a breakthrough technology, provides an effective and cost efficient system to enable heavy oil deposits to flow without heat. Recent research has developed and shown SR-139 to be effective at breaking down asphalt shingles allowing the recovery of hydrocarbons.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT This press release contains certain "forwardlooking" statements, as defined in the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Statements, which are not historical facts, are forwardlooking statements. The Company, through its management, makes forwardlooking public statements concerning it expected future operations, performance and other developments. Such forwardlooking statements are necessarily estimates reflecting the Company's best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company. They include, but are not limited to, the Company's ability to develop operations, the Company's ability to consummate and complete the acquisition, the Company's access to future capital, the successful integration of acquired companies, government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, sales and other factors that may be identified from time to time in the Company's public announcements.

Contact: Brian Kistler CEO, 260-490-9990 Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. Investor Relations Steven Marcus DME Capital LLC 917-648-0663 http://www.freedomenergyinternational.com

Read more from the original source:

Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. Secures $800,000 Investment Commitment

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Freedom Imaging Systems, a document management pioneer, has chosen Online Techs HIPAA compliant data center for colocation services to store their clients data and image files.

Before using Online Techs colocation services, Freedom only installed a server on-site with the client to house and manage their patient and business files. By teaming with Online Tech, Freedom is able to offer cloud-based hosting services while obtaining HIPAA, SOX and PCI compliant colocation solutions. Their clients receive the peace of mind and security of independently SAS 70, SSAE 16 (SOC 1), SOC 2 & 3, HIPAA, and PCI audited data centers to protect data from external threats while meeting privacy standards.

Freedom provides a paperless environment and implements digital workflow for healthcare and small and medium-sized businesses. Their paperless platform supports a wide variety of file types, including TIFF, PDF, Microsoft Office files, and PACS images, along with many others. Further Freedom can interface with nearly any information system via health Level 7 (HL7), ANSI standard files, XML or other interface formats.

Many of Freedoms clients store sensitive information such as ePHI (electronic protected health information) in their files, so security was a critical factor for Freedom in their selection of a hosting partner.

"When it came to searching for a hosting provider, I was looking for a known entity with a positive reputation," said Dave Gillis, CEO and President of Freedom Imaging Systems. "I found Online Tech to be a company I could work with and trust."

Were proud of setting the national standard in our commitment to independent auditing across mission critical industries. But were not too proud to roll up our sleeves and problem solve with each client to find the best balance of security, compliance, and affordability for their unique needs, said Mike Klein, President and COO of Online Tech.

Online Tech is the only independently HIPAA audited data center hosting provider offering colocation, managed dedicated and cloud servers, and disaster recovery. A HIPAA audit by an independent Certified HIPAA Practitioner (CHP) and Certified HIPAA Security Specialist (CHSS) foundOnline Tech to be 100% compliant with the technical, physical, and administrative safeguards of all 54 HIPAA citations and 19 standards stipulated in HIPAA version 1.2.1 of the Security Rule.

Online Tech fully owns and operates all of their data centers located in areas with historically low risk natural disasters. Their high availability IT framework ensures that critical data and applications are always secure and always available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The top tier data centers are geographically separated to meet natural disaster risk management guidelines, but interconnected with dedicated Gigabit fiber for Internet traffic failover and routing of backup and disaster recovery data between data centers.

About Online Tech

Read this article:

Freedom Imaging Preserves Client Data Files in Online Tech’s HIPAA Compliant Data Center

Freedom Communications Inc. in Irvine today announced the sale of its Texas newspapers to AIM Media Texas LLC. Freedom owns The Orange County Register.

Terms of the Texas deal were not disclosed. Freedom said the sale is expected to close in 30 days.

Freedom Communications Inc. is based in Irvine.

CINDY YAMANAKA, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ADVERTISEMENT

The papers sold include The Brownsville Herald, El Nuevo Heraldo, The Harlingen Valley Morning Star, The Monitor in McAllen, The Odessa American and The Mid Valley Town Crier in Weslaco.

"The attractiveness of these properties is entirely due to their strong performance and the hard work of their associates," said Mitch Stern, Freedom's chief executive. "The sale furthers our goal of providing value to our shareholders while at the same time increasing the financial strength of Freedom."

It was Freedom's second announcement of a sale of a group of regional papers in as many days.

On Thursday, Freedom said it sold its four Midwestern papers to an affiliate of Versa Capital Management LLC, a Philadelphia-based private equity

Freedom has been in the process of selling off its properties since exiting bankruptcy reorganization in April 2010.

Read more:

Freedom Communications sells Texas papers

MAY 19 – Malaysia is ranked 43rd in the 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index (www.prosperity.com), an index that measures prosperity not just by money but by overall quality of life as well. To arrive at a particular ranking, Legatum assesses 110 countries, accounting for over 90 per cent of the world’s population, and is based on 89 different variables, ...

Visit link:

Fear of Freedom – Thomas Fann

A convicted rapist on Friday lost his bid to gain more freedom from a Minnesota program that confines more than 600 of the state's most dangerous sex offenders after they leave prison.

Read more:

Minn. judges block rapist's bid for more freedom

Freedom Communications has sold off The Brownsville Herald, the Odessa American and four other Texas newspapers to newly formed AIM Media Texas.

See original here:

Freedom Communication sells off 6 Texas newspapers

MADISON, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Freedom Group, Inc., the worlds leading designer and manufacturer of firearms, ammunition and related products, announces that it has released its first quarter fiscal 2012 financial results. A copy of the Companys Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2012 is posted on http://www.freedom-group.com in the investor information section.

Ron Kolka, the Companys Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call on Tuesday, May 22, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss the financial results of the first quarter ended March 31, 2012, and answer questions from the investor audience. Interested parties may participate by dialing 1-888-211-9951 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-913-312-0832 (International), and providing the conference ID number: 5568842.

A telephonic replay will be available beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, and will last through May 29, 2012. The replay may be accessed by dialing 1-877-870-5176 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-858-384-5517 (International) and providing the same conference ID number listed above.

About Freedom Group, Inc.

Freedom Group, Inc., headquartered in Madison, N.C., is the worlds leading innovator, designer, manufacturer, and marketer of firearms, ammunition, and related products for the hunting, shooting sports, law enforcement, and military markets. As one of the largest manufacturers in the world of firearms and ammunition, we have some of the most globally recognized brands including Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS/Panther Arms, Marlin, H&R, NEF, Dakota Arms, LC Smith, Parker, AAC, Barnes Bullets, EOTAC, INTC and Mountain Khaki.For more information download the Freedom Group Brochure, located on http://www.freedom-group.com.

Excerpt from:

Freedom Group, Inc. Announces First Quarter Fiscal 2012 Financial Results Conference Call

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Freedom Communications announced today that it has reached agreement to sell its Texas print and online newspaper publishing assets, The Brownsville Herald, El Nuevo Heraldo, The Harlingen Valley Morning Star, The Monitor in McAllen, The Odessa American and The Mid Valley Town Crier in Weslaco, to AIM Media Texas, LLC.

Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close within the next 30 days, were not disclosed. In conjunction with the transaction, AIM announced that all Freedom employees at these publications in Texas will continue in their respective jobs and positions with the new company.

The attractiveness of these properties is entirely due to their strong performance and the hard work of their associates, said Freedom CEO Mitch Stern. The sale furthers our goal of providing value to our shareholders while at the same time increasing the financial strength of Freedom.

The papers will be in good hands. The leadership of AIM Media Texas has an intimate understanding of the Texas media landscape and is acutely aware of the key role newspapers play in the lives of the communities they serve, said Mark McEachen, Freedom EVP, COO and CFO. They share our view that a newspaper must be strong in its dedication to localism by providing accurate and timely information and by serving as an active steward of the values of the community.

Freedom Communications is one of the most respected and admired publishing organizations in the United States, said Jeremy L. Halbreich, Chairman and CEO of AIM and the former Chairman and CEO of Sun-Times Media LLC, former Founder, Chairman, President and CEO of American Consolidated Media, and former President and General Manager of The Dallas Morning News. I have had the pleasure and good fortune of knowing many of the family members, Board members and senior executives at Freedom and so we are very flattered to have this opportunity to become directly involved with these important, high-quality, local journalism organizations, he added.

About Freedom Communications

Freedom Communications, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications and interactive businesses. The Companys print portfolio includes approximately 100 publications, including 24 daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, plus ancillary magazines and other specialty publications. The Companys news, information and entertainment websites and mobile applications complement its print properties. For more information, visit http://www.freedom.com.

About AIM Media Texas, LLC

AIM Media Texas is an acquisition entity formed by Halbreich for the purpose of purchasing the print and online publishing assets in Texas from Freedom Communications. The new operating companys headquarters will be in McAllen, Tex., and it will be managed by AIM Media Texas Management of Dallas, Tex. where Halbreich serves as Chairman and CEO and William R. (Rick) Starks serves as President and COO.

See the rest here:

Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Its Texas Newspapers to AIM Media Texas, LLC

FLORENCE, Ky. - Twenty four baseball players with big league dreams are stepping out on the field for the first time Thursday night at the home of the Florence Freedom.

The Florence Freedom are preparing for opening night Thursday and many players are hoping the independent league team will help them hit it big. The players only make $600 to $1,600 a month, but many play for the exposure.

"All these guys are very fresh, very hungry to get to the affiliate level to make their major league debut," said General Manager Josh Anderson.

Anderson says at any given game, there could be a few major league scouts looking for the next big player.

He says there's more than just baseball action kicking off at the ball park Thursday.

"There's so much else going on besides the game itself. Kind of a circus breaks out in a baseball game, so to speak," said Anderson.

On Thursdays, the team is offering dollar beers, dollar hot dogs, and dollar sodas.

On Fridays, expect a free fireworks show.

And after every Saturday game this summer, a live local band will entertain you. The concert is free with regular admission to the game.

Anderson says the team also has a new program for families. On Saturdays, parents can enjoy some alone time listening to a live band while the Florence Freedom entertains your kids on the baseball field for free.

Read more:

Florence Freedom prepares for opening night

For more than 60 years, the Freedom Trail has told the story of Americas struggle for freedom. About 1.5 million people walk the faded red brick trail each year, visiting such storied sites as Faneuil Hall, Old North Church, and the Paul Revere House.

But there is another Boston-based story of a struggle for freedom, one told by the lesser-known Black Heritage Trail, which explores the history of the African-American community on Beacon Hill in the 1800s and the abolitionist movement that was rooted there.

Now, thanks to a newcomer to Boston who saw this history with fresh eyes and found a way to reinterpret it, the trails have undergone a 21st century rebranding.

Beginning Memorial Day, when the citys new $7 million visitors center opens at Faneuil Hall, the trails will be jointly known as Bostons Trails to Freedom.

The idea came from Cassius Cash, who moved to Boston two years ago to become superintendent of two of Bostons national parks - the Boston National Historical Park, which includes some of the sites on the Freedom Trail, and the Boston African American National Historic Site, which includes the Black Heritage Trail. The 1.6-mile walking tour illuminates Bostons significant connections to the abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad.

By Cashs admission, he was a long shot for the job. He grew up in Memphis and had never been to Boston. He didnt work for the National Park Service; he was trained as a wildlife biologist and worked for the US Forest Service.

Though he is African-American, until he started the job in Boston he knew nothing about the citys rich African-American back story: that the African Meeting House was a nexus for abolitionist activity, for example, or that Massachusetts was one of the first states to declare slavery unconstitutional.

I did not know there was a free black community at the time, said Cash, 43, a compact man in a gray and green National Park Service ranger uniform and flat hat who likes to be called Cash.

I didnt know about the various characters and the boldness and courage they had to do the things they did - to take on this institute we now call slavery. The end of slavery started here, said Cash, who two years later still seems energized by the story. It happened here in the 1800s.

Cassius Marcellus Cash came to Boston - with his wife, Vonda, a dental assistant, and two daughters - from a very different world. Born in 1968, he was named for the legendary boxer and activist Cassius Marcellus Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali.

Here is the original post:

Blazing the other freedom trail

President George W. Bush had plenty to say about freedom during a rare public speech Tuesday he uttered the word about two dozen times but noticeably absent was a single mention of Afghanistan or Iraq, or of President Barack Obama.

No advance of freedom is inevitable. And any gain can be lost. But there is a reason for the momentum of liberty across the centuries: Human beings were not designed for servitude. They were created for better things. And the human soul is forever restless until it rests in freedom, Bush said at a George W. Bush Presidential Center event titled A Celebration of Human Freedom.

Speaking just a block away from the White House, Bush made no mention of the buildings current occupant, or of the two wars he launched while in office. Instead, the former president spoke in generalities, cautiously greeting the Arab Spring the broadest challenge to authoritarian rule since the collapse of Soviet communism, he said while warning of its challenges, and also promoting freedom as an American value that should be universal.

America does not get to choose if a freedom revolution should begin or end in the Middle East, or elsewhere. It only gets to choose what side it is on, the 43rd President of the United States said one of 23 times he uttered the word freedom, according to prepared remarks.

In promoting freedom, our methods must be flexible. Change comes at different paces in different places. Liberty often arrives not in leaps, but in steps. Yet flexibility does not mean ambiguity. The same principles must apply to all countries, he added.

Bush appeared relaxed, and even opened with a joke about his own freedom.

I actually found my freedom from leaving Washington, but its good on occasion to be back and see old friends, quipped Bush. The members of the Bush administration the mighty Bush administration thanks for showing up.

Bush made his remarks before an introduction, by former first lady Laura Bush, of Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi . The pro-democracy activist, recently sworn in to the Burmese parliament, appeared via Skype video-conference.

Suu Kyi said she doesnt oppose Sen. John McCains (R-Ariz.) suggestion to suspend sanctions against Burma.

Im not against the suspension of sanctions I do advocate caution though, I sometimes feel that people are too optimistic about the scene in Burma, said Suu Kyi.

Visit link:

Bush: Freedom not just another word

Paying down debt more important than saving for retirement for many homeowners Debt-freedom expectations change as people age Many Canadian homeowners will continue to work until they achieve debt freedom before retiring Manulife Bank surveyed 2,003 Canadians Audio clips and infographic attached

TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFCSEHK:945

WATERLOO, ON, May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - Nearly nine in 10 Canadian homeowners (87%) indicate that "being debt-free" is very important to their definition of a successful retirement according to a recent debt and retirement survey conducted by Manulife Bank of Canada. This is second only to "having good health" (94%) and slightly higher than "having sufficient income to maintain my current lifestyle" (85%).

This is the first time that Manulife Bank has focused on surveying Canadians about debt in the context of retirement planning. The survey found that half of Canadians - more women (54%) than men (46%) - would find it extremely stressful to reach retirement age with debt still outstanding.

Interestingly, many non-financial factors such as "living near family" (62%), "keeping busy with a hobby or volunteer work" (64%), and "having a broad group of friends" (43%) were deemed much less important to a successful retirement than being debt-free.

"The results from this survey strongly support the fact that, for a successful retirement, people need to pay close attention to not just their retirement savings, but debt repayment as well," stated Doug Conick, President and CEO of Manulife Bank of Canada.

Similarities and differences across Canada

While Canadians are relatively consistent in their views on debt, some regional differences stood out:

Debt-freedom expectations change as people get older

Manulife Bank's debt and retirement survey found that three in four Canadian homeowners consider debt-freedom to be among their top financial goals - a finding that is relatively consistent with Manulife Bank's past consumer debt studies. However, their expectation about when they will actually achieve debt-freedom appears to be largely dependent upon their age.

Read the rest here:

Wanted for a Successful Retirement: A Debt-Freedom Plan

An 18-year-old Freedom High School student allegedly found with a pellet gun and drugs in his backpack hopes to enroll in a first-time offender program, according to court proceedings today.

Khalid Webb now lives with his grandparents in Allentown. Webb waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges of possessing a weapon in school, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia during a quick court session before District Judge Joseph Barner in Lower Nazareth Township.

Webbs attorney, Robert Patterson, said his client will enroll in the accelerated rehabilitative disposition program.

If he successfully completes between six to 12 months of probation, Webb could walk away from the incident without any charges on his record, Patterson said.

Webb was allegedly found with a pellet gun and marijuana on April 3 at the Bethlehem Township, Pa., high school.

He also pleaded guilty today to disorderly conduct in connection with a separate case involving a high school student who struck a school resource officer after not paying for his lunch on March 29. Webb agreed to pay a $164 fine for his summary-level disorderly conduct charge.

Webb said after his court appearance he intends to join the military, but his grandparents say his expulsion from Freedom High School has made things difficult.

His grandmother said the justice system has been fair to Webb so far. She hopes the ARD program helps him move on.

Jahad Crowell, 19, the student charged with assaulting the school resource officer, waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday, setting the stage for the case to move to trial, according to court records.

It was not clear if Crowell intended to enter or was eligible for the ARD program. A call to the person listed in court documents as his attorney was not immediately returned.

The rest is here:

Freedom High School student allegedly found with pellet gun, drugs seeks probation

For BC, focus on debt-freedom as a condition for retirement is in line with the rest of Canada About one third of BC homeowners seek some kind of professional advice to manage debt and day-to-day cash flow Manulife Bank surveyed 2,003 Canadians Audio clip and infographic attached

TSX/NYSE/PSE: MFCSEHK:945

Retiring from Debt in British Columbia (CNW Group/Manulife Financial Corporation)

WATERLOO, ON, May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - Eighty-five per cent of British Columbian homeowners indicate "being debt-free" is very important to their definition of a successful retirement according to a recent debt survey by Manulife Bank of Canada . It ranks second only to "good health" (92%) and slightly higher than "sufficient retirement income to maintain my current lifestyle" (83%).

When asked to imagine that they had reached their planned retirement age and still had debt outstanding, 52% indicated that they would find this scenario extremely stressful. This aligns closely with the national average, where the survey found that fully half of Canadians - more women (54%) than men (46%) - would find it stressful to reach retirement age with debt not yet paid off.

BC homeowners judge many non-financial factors such as "living near family" (60%), "keeping busy with a hobby or volunteer work" (66%), and "have a broad group of friends" (47%) much less important to a successful retirement than being debt-free.

"Like most Canadians, BC homeowners understand that a stress-free retirement relies not only on sufficient savings, but also on being debt-free," noted Stuart Kirk , a Retirement Planning Specialist with Precision Wealth Management in Parksville, BC. "Understanding the importance of paying off debt is the first step to a successful retirement. The next step is putting a plan in place to help get there. And that's where a financial advisor can help."

Across Canada , debt-freedom expectations change as people get older

Manulife Bank's debt and retirement survey found that three in four Canadian homeowners consider debt-freedom to be among their top financial goals - a finding that is relatively consistent with Manulife Bank's past consumer debt studies. However, their expectation about when they will actually achieve debt-freedom appears to be largely dependent upon their age, a finding that is consistent across the country.

Most Canadian homeowners in their 30s (73%) who reported having debt expect to be debt-free before they turn 60. That number decreases to two-thirds for homeowners in their 40s. Just one third of homeowners in their 50s expect to be debt-free before they turn 60, with one in five indicating they either don't know when they'll be debt-free (14%) or don't expect to ever be debt-free (7%).

More:

In British Columbia, Debt-freedom is a High Priority for those Looking to Retire

The tactics of nonviolence can be a frustrating path for those who seek freedom. In Tibet, for example, many young people have lately given up on the Dalai Lama’s peaceful means against Chinese rule, while some have even resorted to self-immolation in public.

See the original post here:

Nonviolent tactics may be Syria's only path to freedom

Former President George W. Bush on Tuesday praised the Arab spring movement and said the U.S. shouldn't fear the spread of freedom, even if it doesn't know what policies newly liberated countries will pursue.

Read this article:

Bush touts Arab spring, says US can't fear freedom

Syrian refugee camps: Lives in limbo

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Read more entries about the situation in Syria at "Anderson Cooper 360"

Syria-Turkey border (CNN) -- The dead are everywhere.

Nonexistent until last June, the encampment of about 1,600 people now is a haven of peace compared with the terror experienced in the country just 300 yards away. Housed in neat, white tents in southern Turkey, with cooking stations in between, people here do not have to worry about being silenced, tortured, arrested or killed.

In other words, they don't live in fear of what they say happened all around them on a daily basis -- and still happens -- in their war-torn nation of Syria.

EU slaps new santions on Syria

They are, however, left with the memories of people killed. And they share them freely, in the form of grainy videos showing their loved ones' funerals, pictures on cell phones of their missing sons and stories about the horrors they escaped but many of their countrymen still endure.

"They want the world to understand them. They want the world to bear witness," Fouad Ajami, a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, said Monday from the camp. "They also see the camera as a way of holding onto the memory of this lost world, a world that is very achingly close."

The fighting has prompted thousands to flee Syria, setting up new lives in a number of makeshift camps in neighboring nations. The United Nations estimates at least 9,000 people have been killed over the past 14 months in Syria.

Read more here:

Syrians vow to fight for freedom

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

AxioMed Spine Corporation (www.axiomed.com) announces the receipt of CE Mark approval for its FreedomCervical Disc, an elastomeric total spinal disc replacement device. The CE Mark approval was received as a result of an accredited European Notified Body conformity assessment of the Companys complete portfolio of biocompatibility and biomechanical cervical disc testing and supporting data regarding the Freedom technology. AxioMeds first product was the FreedomLumbar Disc which received CE Mark in 2009. The CE Mark clears AxioMed for the introduction of the Freedom Cervical Disc into the EU Market. AxioMed is an ISO 13485:2003 certified manufacturer of the Freedom Lumbar and Cervical Discs.

Patrick McBrayer, AxioMeds President and CEO stated, With the Freedom Lumbar and Cervical Discs now both CE Marked, we will be able to provide a complete next generation elastomeric disc product line for patients and surgeons in the EU. Our EU lumbar clinical data, published in peer reviewed spine journals, demonstrate that Freedom technology has been shown to provide patients pain relief, reduced disability and improved lifestyle, based on monitored outcomes and feedback. We are also active in our multi-center pivotal clinical study under an Investigational Device Exemption for our Freedom Lumbar Disc with both efficacy and economic endpoints. Our goal is to have the most advanced and complete total disc product line in the US and EU.

Jim Kuras, the Companys Chief Operating Officer added, The Freedom Cervical Disc was developed by an experienced team of surgeons and engineers, taking advantage of the attributes of the lumbar technology and advancing the technology platform into the cervical spine. The cervical discs unique asymmetrical design and biomechanics evolve beyond first generation total disc technologies, better accommodating the cervical anatomy and spinal function. Complementing the differentiated design, multiple footprints and heights with wedge angles provide the surgeon with an array of implants to address the patient specific surgical requirements.

Neal Defibaugh, AxioMeds Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, went on to comment, AxioMeds extensive pre-clinical and clinical experience with the Freedom technology was instrumental in providing a solid regulatory foundation for achieving a CE Mark approval on our Freedom Cervical Disc. We have leveraged our Freedom technology for the cervical disc regulatory pathway and timing in obtaining the CE Mark and we anticipate a similar advantage for our future US FDA IDE approval efforts.

The Freedom Cervical Disc is a viscoelastic one-piece, next generation total disc replacement featuring a polymer core, designed with the goal of restoring function of the spine and reducing pain and disability. CE Mark approval allows for the commercial distribution of the Freedom Cervical Disc throughout the European Union. AxioMeds Freedom Lumbar Disc has also attained a CE Mark, is commercially available in select countries in the EU and is under evaluation in an ongoing multi-center US and EU IDE pivotal clinical study designed with efficacy, safety and economic endpoints.

About AxioMedSpine Corporation

AxioMeds mission is to develop products focused on spinal function for patients with degenerative spine disease, thus advancing the standard of care beyond fusion and first generation discs. The Freedom Lumbar and Cervical Discs have been developed and designed by a team of clinicians and experts in the fields of biomechanics, pathology, spinal surgery and polymer science. Focusing on restoration of the natural function of the spine, AxioMed will enhance human health through research, innovation, development and service world-wide. For more information about AxioMed, please visit our web site at http://www.axiomed.com.

Go here to read the rest:

AxioMed Spine Corporation Receives CE Mark for Freedom® Cervical Disc

This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. The Avengers' huge success in its first week of release may represent the pinnacle of the superhero takeover of mainstream culture. Superhero comics have long been comparable to video games' bigger brother, with many of the same criticisms and stereotypes and similar slow paths to respectability. There's always been a great deal of crossover between the two, especially in terms of games based on comics. Most of these were platformers or brawlers, and most, like licensed games generally, were mediocre at best with a few exceptions.

Roleplaying games especially seemed to be a natural fit for superhero games. Both usually have origin stories, over-the-top villainy, straightforward morality and, most importantly, characters overcoming adversity by gaining more strength and greater power, with single characters or small party dynamics. There were a few attempts of varying success, like the simple RPG/adventure hybrid Superhero League Of Hoboken, but it still took until 2002 for a great superhero RPG to be released: Freedom Force.

Each hero is introduced through comic-style cutscenes, done in the style of 1960s-era "Silver Age" comics. An over-the-top voice delivers campy, Stan Lee-esque narration, and the hero's voices are all entertainingly overdone. Freedom Force feels silly, but in a way that's respectful of the playfulness of the source material.

Freedom Force is a top-down, party-based action/RPG, much like the later X-Men Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance titles, but it plays quite differently. Freedom Force is slower-paced, less action-oriented, and built more for the indirect control of the mouse than the later Marvel games. Ultimate Alliance feels like Diablo mixed with Gauntlet, but Freedom Force is its own thing. In pace, it's closer to Baldur's Gate, but it's both less chaotic than the Infinity Engine games and more character skill-based.

This isn't an accident: the manner of skill-based fighting both games use is well-served by this setup. With small parties, you can use a variety of different characters and skill-sets, but there aren't so many that it becomes difficult to control. The skills themselves are spaced out by time more than anything, which fits perfectly with the superhero theme and the logical consistencies between superhero and traditional roleplaying narratives. It just feels right to play a real-time RPG with this kind of engine.

That's not the only thing that Freedom Force gets right, though. One of its most impressive feats is its use of three dimensional, polygonal technology to create a superhero playground. Most every object within the game world can be interacted with: you can pick up rocks, trees, and cars. You can demolish every building in your way though sometimes you have to protect buildings from attack as well. Putting a ranged character on a rooftop for a fight may be wise, but if one of your super-strong characters throws a car into the building, there may be trouble.

Freedom Force was well-received upon its release, but it has lost its place in the discussion of great roleplaying games. A sequel, Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich, was released a few years later, but by then Marvel's licensed games were proving to be crossover hits and may have overwhelmed Freedom Force. But it's a great and important game that deserves to be remembered and still played. Happily, it's fairly easy to acquire: GamersGate and Steam have both games, while GOG.com has the sequel. If The Avengers gave you an itch for some classic roleplaying superhero fun, this is a good way to scratch it.

Originally posted here:

Freedom Force: Superhero role-playing done right

CHARLESTON, South Carolina (Reuters) - Descendants of Civil War hero Robert Smalls are celebrating the ex-slave who 150 years ago this weekend commandeered a Confederate steamship and evaded batteries overlooking Charleston harbor to reach a Union blockade and freedom. Calling themselves the "family of cousins" and ranging in age from 3 months to 94 years old, Smalls' descendants came to the ...

Read the original post:

South Carolina marks ex-slave's daring sail to freedom