Liberty Global Gets Virgin Media

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Recently, Liberty Global Inc. (LBTYA) received a shot on its arm as the European Union Regulatory Authority cleared its proposed acquisition of Virgin Media Inc. (VMED). On Feb 2013, Liberty Global came out with a joint press statement with Virgin Media that the two companies have entered into an agreement par which, Liberty Global will acquire a 100% stake in Virgin Media, in a cash and equity deal. The deal is worth around $15.8 billion or an enterprise value of nearly $23.3 billion.

After the acquisition, Liberty Global will become the largest cable TV MSO (multi service operator) of the world, surpassing Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), the largest cable MSO of the U.S. Together, Liberty Global and Virgin Media will have approximately 25 million subscribers compared with nearly 22 million subscribers of Comcast. In U.K., the merged entity will become a formidable challenger to BSkyB, the largest pay-TV operator of the U.K. BSkyB is partially controlled by News Corp. (NWSA).

Liberty Global is gradually establishing a strong foothold in the European cable TV market. We believe that the long-term business fundamental of the company is very intriguing, primarily due to a strong demand for its digital cable-TV services, faster broadband and triple-play bundled offerings. Acquisition of Virgin Media will enable Liberty Global to explore U.K., which is one of the most lucrative markets in Europe.

In the coming years, we believe Liberty Globals revenue will continue to benefit from a triple play of video, broadband, and telephone, as it signs up more bundled customers in Europe. The triple-play customer base spurted 15.8% year over year in 2012. The company is also concentrating on its double play product, Internet and telephony, which has the potential to expand. Double play customer base penetration nudged by 5.6% year over year in 2012.

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Liberty Global Gets Virgin Media

Genesee County Libertarian Committee holds first meet-and-greet fundraiser

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Genesee County Libertarian Committee held its first meet-and-greet fundraiser over the weekend and it was a huge success.

Saturday night's Celebrate Liberty Night event was a great success! Not only did we raise money, but we had the pleasure of meeting many new people that will become new members! says Phil Ricci, county chairman.

It goes to show that anywhere you find the will to achieve something, you will find achievement! I would personally like to thank all of the members of the Membership Committee, their chair, Bob Brown, and everyone of you that added to the experience!

Approximately 70 people were in attendance at the event which was held at Batavia Downs Casino. A great dinner and excellent service accompanied the fun casino atmosphere and social vibe of the Grandstands Bar. A basket raffle was held also with 14 baskets donated by members and supporters. Thanks to all who attended and supported the local liberty movement.

Do you think these four people know how you should live your life?

Neither do they, that's why they are Libertarians.

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Genesee County Libertarian Committee holds first meet-and-greet fundraiser

New Pumpa | FREEZE (GO GUNG) [2013 US Virgin Islands Soca][Marvelous Production] – Video

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New Pumpa | FREEZE (GO GUNG) [2013 US Virgin Islands Soca][Marvelous Production]
Produced by: Marvelous Production(bass:Moziah Miller) , Engineered by: Beat Down Beats Follow Julian: http://www.facebook.com/JulianspromosFanpage [LIKE] Jul...

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New Pumpa | FREEZE (GO GUNG) [2013 US Virgin Islands Soca][Marvelous Production] - Video

Pacific Plan Review underway in Solomon Islands

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Pacific Plan Review underway in Solomon Islands

16th April 2013

An extensive programme of consultations lies ahead for the Pacific Plan Review in the Solomon Islands this week.

Beginning today with a meeting with the Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Hon. Gordon Darcy Lilo, and a roundtable discussion with Permanent Secretaries of various ministries, the Review Team will also consult throughout the week with senior civil servants, civil society, private sector and development partners.

Chair of the Pacific Plan Review, Rt. Hon. Sir Mekere Morauta, KCMG, welcomed the opportunity to consult widely, noting that broad views were necessary to map out a truly inclusive and comprehensive path ahead for the Pacific Plan.

We are here to listen, first and foremost, Sir Mekere said. We have gathered a wealth of insights on potential future directions for Pacific regionalism from the countries visited so far, and must continue to strive for such inclusivity during our consultations across the region.

Sir Mekere is accompanied by Review consultant, Dr Nick Poletti, on the Solomon Islands country consultations.

Sir Mekere added that submissions were also being received via the Pacific Plan Review website, http://www.pacificplanreview.org, and encouraged individuals, special interest groups and organisations to send in their views to the Review team online.

From the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Plan Review team will travel to Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Nauru, Kiribati, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and Fiji, before presenting its interim findings in late May.

ENDS

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Pacific Plan Review underway in Solomon Islands

Falkland Islands Holdings to report fall in annual profits

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LONDON (ShareCast) - Falkland Islands Holdings, a British conglomerate which owns logistics, warehouses and retail outlets on the islands, expects to report a fall in annual profits.

The company anticipates pre-tax profit of 3.0m for the year to March 31st 2013, compared to 3.2m a year earlier.

The group said trading was satisfactory at its division Falkland Islands Company (FIC), which provides services to retail, distribution, port services, shipping, hotels and mineral exploration.

Retail sales experienced growth while tourist activity declined with fewer cruise ship visits.

Preparations to ramp up activity at the Sea Lion discovery continued, including preliminary work on planning for related infrastructure projects.

"As a result, although turnover increased on the record levels seen last year, FIC's contribution is expected to be slightly lower," the company said.

Momart, the fine art and antiques shipping and storage company, delivered record revenues on the back of growth in large exhibitions and the global commercial art market.

Revenues at the Portsmouth Harbour Ferry Company were little changed on lower passenger numbers. Profits are expected to fall at the ferry company as a result of an increase in costs.

The Falkland Oil and Gas (Other OTC: FLKOF - news) arm's drilling campaign proved a working hydrocarbon system in the South and East Falklands Basins. An extensive 3D seismic campaign is now underway to de-risk further the prospectivity and identify the next prospects for drilling.

The group ended the period with cash balances of 11.5m and bank borrowings of 2.0m.

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Falkland Islands Holdings to report fall in annual profits

Business First: Expanded health care needed

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April 17, 2013 Updated Apr 17, 2013 at 7:59 AM EDT

Four counties in Western New York are among the areas of the state with the greatest need for expanded primary care resources, according to a new statewide report.

Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties are among 22 counties statewide and 16 neighborhoods in the New York City identified by the Community Health Care Association of New York State in a report on community health centers, supported by the New York State Health Foundation.

Already, the eight-county region is home to four federally-qualified health centers (FQHC), with another five sites slated to open or expand in the coming months. But changes in how centers operate are vital if the health care system is expected to meet the demand created by federal health reform, said Elizabeth Swain, CHCANYS president and CEO.

"Federal health reform makes FQHCs a cornerstone of its plan for expanding access to health care because they are proven to provide high quality and comprehensive care to underserved communities," she said, adding that the existing system of health centers will need to double its capacity to serve nearly three million patients by 2015.

"If you were to ask me a year and a half ago what our need is, it would be far more severe than it is now. We've had a lot of progress," said Ann Monroe, CEO at the Health Foundation of Central and Western New York, which provided grants and assistance to help two existing centers expand and three new sites gain federal approval.

A steering committee made up of representatives from hospitals, clinics and other safety net providers is now meeting to assess more precisely the needs for the region moving forward. Once that assessment is completed later this summer, the foundation will be in a better position to know what the next set of strategies will be, Monroe said.

"We'll look where there are gaps, and where the data supports having more capacity of any type," she said.

The five new sites approved last year address each of the four counties identified in the CHCANYS study: Buffalo Community Health Center is opening a site in Lockport, its third location; while the Buffalo Neighborhood Health Center has already opened its second site, this one on Buffalo's West Side. The first site in Chautauqua County is in the development stages now, while an existing clinic in Olean is now designated as an FQHC. And in Wyoming County, Oak Orchard Community Health Center is working to convert a county health department clinic into a new access point.

FQHCs in New York provide care to 1.5 million needy individuals every year, but hundreds of thousands more could be served if productivity were enhanced and improvements were made to recruitment and retention efforts. The report projects as many as 1 million more patient visits could be possible if existing health providers adjusted the way they schedule patients, while another 800,000 patient visits could be possible if vacant health care provider slots were filled or created.

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Business First: Expanded health care needed

Health Care REIT Hits 52-Week High

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Shares of Health Care REIT Inc. (HCN) touched a new 52-week high of $71.76 on Monday, Apr 15, 2013, as it gained momentum following an upgrade of the companys rating by Standard & Poors Ratings Services. The closing price of this healthcare real estate investment trust (:REIT) on Apr 15, 2013 was $70.31, representing asolid year-to-date return of 16.4%. The average trading volume over the last 3 months was 1.91 million shares.

Factors Driving Momentum

On Apr 4, Health Care REIT received a rating upgrade from Standard & Poors Ratings Services. Consequently, the company now enjoys a corporate credit rating to BBB from BBB- with a stable outlook. The rating upgrade came on the back of Health Care REITs diversified and quality portfolio. Moreover, the rating agency acknowledged the companys capacity to produce a stable cash flow as well as improve its credit metrics. This plays a major role in preserving investor confidence in the stock and helps boost its creditworthiness in the market.

Being one of the largest and oldest healthcare REITs in the U.S., the company boasts a strong portfolio of senior housing, long-term care and medical office facilities. Moreover, the completion of the acquisition of Sunrise Senior Living facility during the fourth quarter of 2012 boosted the companys high-quality senior housing portfolio and extended its reach in the high-barriers-to-entry affluent markets.

However, Health Care REITs fourth-quarter results were not very encouraging. On Feb 25, the company reported fourth-quarter results with normalized FFO (funds from operations) of 85 cents per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. However, this was lower than the year-ago FFO of 91 cents. The decrease in year-over-year FFO per share was primarily attributable to increased number of outstanding shares in the reported quarter. For full-year 2012, the companys normalized FFO came in at $3.52 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 3 cents and was significantly ahead of the year-ago figure of $3.41.

Health Care REIT is scheduled to report its first-quarter 2013 earnings on May 7. The company currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) and has an earnings ESP (Read: Zacks Earnings ESP: A Better Method) of 0.00%. Thus we are not sure about an earnings beat when it reports its first-quarter results.

Estimate Revisions

Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2013 has remained unchanged at $3.81 per share. On the other hand, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for full-year 2014 has marginally moved down to $4.02 per share.

Of late, a number of REITs crafted 52-week highs. They include DCT Industrial Trust Inc. (DCT), Federal Realty Investment Trust (FRT) and CBRE Group Inc. (CBG).

Note: Funds from operations, a widely accepted and reported measure of REITs performance, are derived by adding depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income.

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Health Care REIT Hits 52-Week High

Buy This Global Leader In Health Care At A Huge Discount

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In the next 30 years, the U.S. Census Bureau expects the number of people age 65 or older to double, jumping to 80 million. That domestic trend mirrors a larger global trend: By 2050, more people worldwide will be older than 65 than younger, according to the United Nations.

These are clear signals of a long-term shift in global demographics. And that trend has health care investors drooling over opportunities to invest in the growing demand for health care products and services.

Because of health care's importance, there is no shortage of great health care stocks to invest in. Cancer drug specialists like Biogen Idec (BIIB) and Celgene Corp. (Nasdaq: (CELG) have been posting huge gains. Medical equipment makers such as Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) have also performed well.

But there is one company that stands out because of its undervalued share price. Despite a bullish double-digit gain in the past six months, its shares still trade at a record-low valuation.

With a market cap of $25 billion, Stryker Corp. (SYK) is a global leader in medical products and devices. Although Stryker is up a market-beating 24% in the past six months, it's not too late to get in. This company is in a great position to cash in on the aging domestic and global population.

Stryker specializes in a wide variety of surgical tools and neurotechnology products. This diversified set of offerings protects Stryker against weakness in any single market. That is a far cry from branded drugmakers, which carry billions of dollars' worth of product risk in pending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals.

Stryker is also world-renowned, with dealers and distributors operating in more than 100 countries. That provides the company with an ideal foundation to expand its presence in developed economies such as the United States and Japan while entering high-growth markets in South America and Asia.

Stryker has been busy building on its market-leading position in the past few years, using its strong balance sheet to boost its product portfolio and geographic exposure. It completed its acquisition of Boston Scientific's neurovascular unit in January 2011 for $1.5 billion in cash.

In the second quarter of 2011, Stryker completed its acquisition of orthobiologic and biosurgery products maker Orthovita for $316 million. In January of this year, Stryker announced plans to buy China-based Trauson Holdings -- a competitor of Stryker's spine segment -- for $685 million.

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Baylor Health Care System Earns CEO Cancer Gold Standard Accreditation

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

The CEO Roundtable on Cancer recently accredited Baylor Health Care System with the CEO Cancer Gold Standard. The Gold Standard recognizes Baylors efforts to reduce the risk of cancer for its employees and covered family members by promoting healthy lifestyle choices, encouraging early detection through cancer screenings, and providing access to quality treatment.

Christopher A. Viehbacher, chief executive officer of Sanofi, chairs the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, the nonprofit organization of cancer-fighting CEOs who created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading health non-profit organizations and professionals. Today, more than 3 million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of the nearly 150 employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.

Baylor Health Care System is leading by example in promoting healthier behavior, said Viehbacher. I hope their vision and commitment to better health will encourage other employers in Texas and across all industries and geographies to become Gold Standard accredited.

The CEO Cancer Gold Standard calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and corporate culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to fight cancer in the workplace. To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy diet and nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages; and providing access to quality care, including participation in clinical trials.

In addition to Baylor Health Care System, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fifteen NCI-designated cancer centers and nearly 30 other hospitals and medical centers have earned Gold Standard accreditation. As a not-for-profit health system, Bayloris dedicated to improving the health of its community, and the organization has positioned itself in Dallas-Fort Worth as not only a provider of quality health care, but as a business that truly cares about people.

CEOs from across industries are keenly aware of the tremendous impact they can have in improving health, controlling health care costs and making a difference beyond their organizations walls in the fight against cancer and other chronic diseases. Other Gold Standard employers include insurers like Aetna, Cigna, State Farm and several Blue Cross affiliates; law firms, such as Hogan Lovells and Jenner + Block; technology companies such as Dell and SAS Institute; institutes of higher education and a range of leading employers including American Century Investments, Johnson & Johnson and Lowes.

About The CEO Roundtable on Cancer

The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to "do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families." The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard which calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and workplace culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to fight cancer in the workplace. For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard and the web-based accreditation process and support, please visit http://www.CancerGoldStandard.org.

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Baylor Health Care System Earns CEO Cancer Gold Standard Accreditation

Food For Thought – A Few Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering

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April 16, 2013

Brett Smith for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

While there are many advantages to the ability to modify genes, there are also a number of genetic engineering disadvantages. However, unlike the pros such as super-sized strawberries, drought-proof corn or fungus-resistant soybeans the cons of genetically engineered foods are sometimes a little harder to spot.

For starters, according to Washington Post columnist Dr. Peter Lind, genetically modified organisms (GMO) have proven inferior to their naturally occurring counterparts in terms of overall quality.

In every case of genetic engineered organisms, the product has been less naturally healthy overall than the original host organisms, he wrote in a March editorial. There may be a single trait that is superior, but the overall health of the organism is less than found in nature. From animals like the sheep Dolly, to the Flavr Savr tomato, to the products you are eating today and dont even know it, there are inherent problems consuming altered DNA.

Another of the principle genetic engineering disadvantages that Lind points out derives from the fact that DNA does not always fully break down during human digestion. This means that there is a chance that the bacteria in our intestines could incorporate parts of the genetically modified plants DNA such as the gene for super-resistance into their own, leading to new strains of super-bacteria.

Columnist Mark Bittman from the New York Times breaks down another unintended effect of genetic engineering in his recent column criticizing President Barack Obamas recent signing of the Monsanto Protection Act.

Monsanto has long been cited as being one of the biggest problems with genetic engineering. The agricultural company not only created a highly effective weed killer in RoundUp it also inadvertently engineered plants that are resistant to it. While RoundUp and the plants resistance to it have been a big financial hit for the company, they have also resulted in the emergence of several super weeds that are resistant to the herbicide.

Bittman argues that genetic engineering is a disadvantage in this case because after all the effort that went into developing the products and the extensive use of RoundUp which could have potentially leaked the stuff into the groundwater Monsanto and farmers have ended up right back where they started: fighting weeds.

According to the Times columnist, unnecessary waste is one of the biggest problems with genetic engineering, and the Monsanto Protection Act, which prevents the Department of Agriculture from stopping the production of GMOs once they are in the ground, only exacerbates the problem.

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Food For Thought – A Few Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering

BEAT BioTherapeutics Corporation Closes $2.5MM Seed Financing to Develop Its Gene Therapy Treatment for Heart Failure

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SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

BEATBio, a Seattle, Wash.-based biotechnology company focused on the development of a novel gene therapy to improve cardiac performance in the setting of heart failure, today announced the closing of a $2.5 million seed stage investment with funding provided by CET Capital Partners. Participating investors include the W Fund. The proceeds will be used to move BEATBios lead gene therapy product into clinical development.

BEATBios therapeutic strategy is based on our founders discovery that a small increase in a naturally occurring enzyme can act as a super-fuel to increase the pumping power of heart muscles and improve cardiac performance measures including speed and force of contraction as well as relaxation in both resting and stressed states. BEATBios technology was developed by an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Washington led by Charles Murry, Director of the UW Center for Cardiovascular Biology and was funded by significant federal grants from the National Institutes of Health. BEATBio holds an exclusive global license to a suite of cardiovascular technologies from the UW, including the gene therapy program.

This financing is an important milestone for BEATBio and will allow us to move rapidly forward with the development of our lead product. It is reassuring to know that high quality, promising but early stage companies can still be funded in todays investment environment. Its a testament to the founders scientific leadership and the investors willingness to fund the critical translational phase of biotech product development, said Michael Kranda, BEATBio CEO.

CET Capital Partners Managing Director, Craig E. Tall, who will join the BEATBio Board, said, The combination of the scientific foundation, the leadership team and the prospect of fundamentally transforming the treatment of heart failure patients presented a rare investment opportunity. I am pleased to have helped launch what I believe to be an important company.

SaidChad Waite, investment committee member of the W Fund and managing director at OVP Venture Partners,BEATBiois exactly the kind of early-stage investment that the W Fund was formed to make. It represents an impactful discovery from cutting edge research in Washington that could transform the prognosis for literally millions of Americans suffering from congestive heart failure. We hope this W Fund investment will help drive these groundbreaking results from a Washington laboratory toward a new and badly-needed cardiac therapy.

About BEATBio: BEATBio is a Seattle, Wash.-based biotechnology company focused on the development of a novel gene therapy for heart failure. BEATBios technologies were developed by a founding scientific team from the University of Washington. BEATBio holds an exclusive, worldwide license from the University of Washington to a suite of technologies and associated intellectual property involving cardiovascular medicine, including gene and cell therapy, bioengineered materials and biological pace-makers.

Please visit http://www.beatbiotherapeutics.com for more information.

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BEAT BioTherapeutics Corporation Closes $2.5MM Seed Financing to Develop Its Gene Therapy Treatment for Heart Failure

Freedom Shrine on display in St. Charles

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ST. CHARLES Each day, about a thousand people walk through the main hallway of the Kane County Court branch at 540 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. Now, visitors will be able to get a glimpse of the newly installed Freedom Shrine, dedicated by the Tri-Cities Exchange Club.

The Freedom Shrine is a permanently mounted collection of 30 of the most important and historic American documents, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Gettysburg Address.

We hope people will take the time to stop and study the words of our forefathers, often written in their own hands, and gain a renewed appreciation for our amazing historical heritage, said Mark Cecchi, ExchangeClub member and co-chair of the project.

Cecchi, of St. Charles, served 13 years as a U.S. Air Force officer and pilot with duty on seven continents, including four in hostile fire zones.

As part of the Exchange Clubs Americanism mission, Cecchi and fellow co-chair Charlie Brown, approached county officials about installing a Freedom Shrine at the court building. They logged many hours of planning and effort to complete the presentation.Attending last week's dedication ceremony were Chris Lauzen, Kane County Board chairman; Judge Judy Brawka, chief judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit; and Scot Warren, representing the National Exchange Club organization, along with about 20 other Exchange members and friends.

The Freedom Shrine originated from the Freedom Train that toured the nation in 1947, carrying an exhibit of historical documents. Thousands of shrines have been dedicated around the country in universities, libraries, schools, state capitals and city halls.

As Brawka noted, the court building is an ideal place for the Freedom Shrine, as it is these very documents from which the judicial system derives its authority to oversee the laws that guarantee freedom for all Americans.

Committed to making the community a better place, Tri-Cities Exchange Club is a volunteer service organization with a focus on patriotism and the prevention of child abuse. Local social service organizations supported by the groups fundraising efforts include: The Salvation Army, TriCity FamilyServices, Riverwoods Christian Center, Kane County CASA and Lazarus House.

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Freedom Shrine on display in St. Charles

South Africa: SA to Celebrate 20 Years of Freedom

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South Africa's historic 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy next year promises to be nothing short of spectacular, with government expected to pull out all the stops, says Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile.

Speaking to SAnews on Tuesday, Mashatile said government was planning a spectacular line-up of events in the build-up to the 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy in 2014.

The planning will start after President Jacob Zuma's address on Freedom Day later this month.

Freedom Day is an annual celebration of South Africa's first non-racial democratic elections of 1994 and since the dawn of democracy, the country has been commemorating Freedom Day on 27 April every year.

This year, President Zuma will give the keynote address at the Freedom Day celebration to be held at the Union Buildings under the theme: "Mobilising society towards our democracy and freedom," Mashatile said.

"Of significance is that we will use this year's Freedom Day celebrations to launch a year-long build-up programme leading up to the historic 20th anniversary of freedom and democracy.

"As we celebrate our 20th anniversary of liberation, we hope to be joined by the people of the world, many of whom have made it possible for us to achieve our freedom and to sustain it for two decades.

"This year during the Freedom Month, the President will [give us] an indication on how we are going to celebrate the 20th anniversary of freedom and that will be the beginning of planning for the major celebration next year, he said.

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South Africa: SA to Celebrate 20 Years of Freedom

Parkland rolls to 21-6 win over Freedom in LVC boys lacrosse

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Dylan Klusaritz scored five goals and contributed six assists to Parkland's lopsided 21-6 victory over Freedom on Tuesday in a Lehigh Valley Conference boys lacrosse contest. The performance individual and team appeared quite impressive.

The Trojans attacker was pleased with his and the team's effort. He, however, was hardly thrilled.

"We definitely need to tighten some things up on defense. That's usually our strong suit but today we weren't at our best," Klusaritz said flatly. "I played OK. But it wasn't my best game, not even close."

Reminded that his Trojans won with ease, invoking the mercy rule (a 13-goal lead) in the third quarter, Klusaritz smiled slightly.

"Yeah, that's a good thing," he admitted. "But the games are going to get harder and we need to be ready."

Parkland improved to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference. Coach Brad Schifko's Trojans remained tied for first place in the LVC with five-time defending champion Emmaus.

Freedom, in its second season as a varsity program, fell to 6-4 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

This one was all Parkland from the opening faceoff until midway through the fourth quarter. The Trojans led 3-0 in the first three minutes, with Klusaritz and Josh Pope both registering a goal and an assist in the early going. The score was 7-2 after the first period and 13-3 at intermission.

Klusaritz was Parkland's scoring star, but he had plenty of help on offense.

Sophomore Steven Chenworth enjoyed his finest game in a Trojans uniform, scoring four goals and adding an assist. Pope, Jake Billera and Alex DiPasquale all netted three goals. Brett Kudlak had six assists.

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Parkland rolls to 21-6 win over Freedom in LVC boys lacrosse

Waxman Urges Dems to Support Global Internet Freedom Bill

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By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/17/2013 9:57:27 AM The House Energy & Commerce Committee Wednesday unanimously approved a bill establishing a multistakeholder model of global Internet governance as the official policy of the U.S.

That came after a phrase was dropped from the bill that had stood in the way of Democrat support.

In opening statements on the mark-up Wednesday on H.R. 1580, the bill "to affirm the policy of the United States regarding Internet governance," Rep. Henry Waxman ((D-Calif.), ranking member of the committee, said that there remained some issues he hoped would be worked through in the process, but that the deletion of the "freedom from government control language" from Sec. 2, which is the actual legal statement of U.S. policy, was a major step, and he urged his colleagues to vote the bill out of full committee. It did.

Waxman had said last week when the Republican-backed bill was voted out of subcommittee that he could not support it, but did not object to that voice vote after he and ranking subcommittee member Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) secured assurances that their concerns would be discussed in meetings before the full-committee mark-up. Waxman had been concerned that the language could provide a back-door route to excising network neutrality rules.

The bill now says: "It is the policy of the United States to preserve and advance the successful multistakeholder model that governs the Internet."

Committee chairman Fred Upton, who did not have the same problem with that language, said in his opening statement that he had worked hard to address Waxman's and others' concerns and cited the "minor language changes" that he said still achieved "their shared objective," which is preserving that multistakeholder model. He also said the bill was still essentially the same as the bipartisan resolution both House and Senate approved unanimously.

That resolution, which did not have the force of law, passed in both House and Senate in the run-up to the WCIT telecom treaty conference in Dubai, which the U.S. ultimately declined to sign after language was inserted relating to the Internet that the U.S. saw as opening the door to possible top-down Internet governance pushed by countries including China, Russia and some Arab states.

Waxman and other Democrats had been concerned that making "freedom from government control" part of the policy definition could jeopardize both the FCC's ability to enforce its network neutrality rules and oversee the transition to IP delivery of video, voice and data.

Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) chair of the Communications subcommittee, said both last week and at Wednesday's hearing that he did not think the language created any statutorily mandated responsibilities and would have affected network neutrality rules or any others. But he said in a spirit of bipartisanship, the language had been dropped. But he added that he still opposed Internet neutrality rules, which he said regulated the Internet domestically.

"We appreciate the committee's effort to clarify that this legislation is directed at international concerns such as current attempts by Internet restricting countries to impose inter-governmental control over the content on the Internet," said the Computer and Communications Industry Association. "The legislation as now evolved should minimize any misuse of this policy statement here at home."

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Waxman Urges Dems to Support Global Internet Freedom Bill