Liberty homeowners suspicious of project

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By Leonard Sparks

Published: 2:00 AM - 07/12/12

LIBERTY A group of Town of Liberty property owners continued its campaign to derail a metal-recycling project on Tuesday, clashing with other residents and town officials who say the project promises much-needed jobs.

Youngs Hill Road homeowners Jeffrey Cohen and Howard Perez took turns criticizing Owego-based Ben Weitsman and Son Inc.'s plans to build a recycling facility on Sheehan Road off Exit 99 of Route 17. Both have also joined two other property owners in filing suit to have a judge overturn a Town Board approved zoning change they claim was done to directly benefit Ben Weitsman and Son Inc.

"I never say something smells funny, but something smells funny," Cohen said.

Ben Weitsman's plan calls for construction of a facility on Sheehan Road. Up to 20 people would be hired to prepare metals for daily shipping to the company's shredding operation in Owego. No shredding will take place in Liberty, owner Adam Weitsman said. And the plans call for new brick buildings, paved parking and landscaping, he said.

"I understand the public but the public's never seen a scrap yard like ours," Weitsman said.

The recycling facility would be located in a six-parcel area that was zoned residential under a revised zoning map approved by the town in 2011.

Town officials said a zoning review committee had intended to zone the parcels as industrial. The Town Board approved a local law in December, "correcting" what it said was a mistake after the recycler showed interest in the land.

"That strip of land is not suitable for much else," Liberty Supervisor Charlie Barbuti told the Planning Board Tuesday.

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Liberty Power named Largest Hispanic-owned Energy Company in United States

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FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Liberty Power, the nation's largest independent retail electric provider, today announced that it was named the largest Hispanic-owned energy company in the country by Hispanic Business Inc.The company was alsorecognized as the eighth largest Hispanic-owned company overall. The Hispanic Business 500 list which ranks, by revenue, the 500 largest Hispanic-owned companies in the United States isnow celebrating its 30th year. The2012 list wasofficially released on June 27thon Hispanic Business.com.

(Logo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120712/FL38325LOGO )

With $655 million in revenues in 2011, Liberty Power is significantly larger than its counterparts, accounting for more than 36% of the total revenues for the Top 10 Hispanic enterprises in the energy sector. In total, there are nine categories: Automotive, Energy, Finance, Manufacturing, Retail, Service, Transportation, Construction, and Wholesale. The Energy Industry rankings by Hispanic Business were first established in 2009, when Liberty Power ranked as the third largest in that sector based on previous year's revenues of $302 million. That same year the company ranked 21st overall.

Over the last three years, Liberty Power has more than doubled its revenues by expanding its customer base and delivering the offers and exceptional service valued by customers and channel partners alike.The independent energy retailer also experienced significant year-over-year growth as the company grew by 25%, outpacing the Hispanic Business 500 enterprises, which grew by 19% in reaching $38 billion in total revenues.

"Liberty Power is honored to be recognized as the top energy company and the eighth largest Hispanic-owned company on this distinguished list. We would like to thank our team members, our customers, and our business partners. Our achievements over the last decade have been a direct result of working together," said David Hernandez, CEO of Liberty Power.

About Liberty Power Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Liberty Power is the largest independent retail electric provider in the United States based on 2012KEMArankings of retail energy providers. The company is also the first minority-owned, retail electric provider with a national footprint. Currently serving over 170,000 accounts, Liberty Power provides large and small businesses, government agencies, and residential customers, with low-cost electricity and exceptional customer service.

For more information on Liberty Power, please visit http://www.libertypowercorp.com.

Liberty Power is a registered trademark of Liberty Power Corp. LLC encompassing Liberty Power Holdings LLC, Liberty Power Delaware LLC, Liberty Power Maryland LLC, Liberty Power District of Columbia LLC, and LPT LLC, dba LPT SP LLC.Liberty Power is certified and licensed by the Public Utilities/Service Commissions of: CA, CT, DC, DE, IL, ME, MD (IR793), MA (CS-057) MI, NJ (ESL-0001), NY, OH, PA, RI, TX (10118) and VA; as well as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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Our View: Political parties earn freedom more fans

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July 11, 2012 11:23:34 PM

Is libertarianism, the philosophy of voluntary arrangements, free markets and individual liberty, en vogue? After years of overreaching government by the Republican and Democratic parties, there are signs that a freedom movement is beginning to bristle.

The Associated Press moved a story on Saturday with the headline: "With 'freedom' in fashion, is libertarianism back?" AP reporter Pauline Arrillaga wrote: "Something's going on in America this election year: a renaissance of an ideal as old as the nation itself that live-and-let-live, get-out-of-my-business, individualism vs. paternalism dogma that is the hallmark of libertarianism." She is correct.

Those yearning for a liberty movement in the United States often cite the 2010 mid-term elections, where voters, some reacting to the passage of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, ousted Democrats from office throughout the country and gave control of the House of Representatives to the Republicans. But even before that, liberty-minded voters began rejecting intrusive government policies.

In 2006, Republicans lost control of the House and Senate and a majority of the contested governorships. In 2008, Democrats won the White House, and increased their majorities in both chambers of Congress.

Those discouraging reversals for Republicans were due, at least in part, to the disenfranchisement felt toward the GOP by freedom-focused voters and the libertarian wing of the Republican Party. Too many policies enacted by the GOP during the George W. Bush presidency, especially when the GOP controlled both houses of Congress, were suspect. Republicans went along with bailouts, stimulus packages, unpopular wars and an arguable precursor of Obamacare, the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.

Every time politicians of either major party step on liberty, which they do far too frequently, voters react. Now, with the odious requirement in Obamacare that all Americans buy government-approved health insurance or pay what a Supreme Court majority decided to call a tax, the libertarian streak within many American voters may play a deciding role in the presidential election, now less than four months away.

Judging by this week's annual FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas, the liberty movement is gaining momentum. Thousands will pour into Nevada, a key swing state, to promote all things free-market and pro-liberty. FreedomFest provides insight into what liberty-leaning voters are thinking. This year's event could even turn out as the unofficial kickoff of a push that decides the winners in November.

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Our View: Political parties earn freedom more fans

Libertarian candidate having trouble getting on November ballot

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July 11, 2012 Updated Jul 11, 2012 at 7:42 PM CDT

PEORIA, Ill -- Chad Grimm is a Libertarian vying for the 92nd district seat and has encountered some trouble preventing him from getting on the November ballot.

He says a select group volunteering for the Democratic party helped him gather around 1,800 signatures to get on the November ballot.

Grimm says the problem is that the people who helped him, also gathered signatures for State Senator Dave Koehler during the primary election, which may be against the law during the same election cycle.

"I don't know their motivations behind doing this but I asked them very specifically in the beginning have they circulated for any other candidate and I was told no," said Grimm.

Another hearing is set for July 24th in front of Peoria city election officials.

At that time a decision is expected to be made whether Grimm will be on the ballot.

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Libertarian candidate having trouble getting on November ballot

Islands spat with Tokyo flares again

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Thursday, July 12, 2012

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba in Phnom Penh where he "reaffirmed China's principled position" on the islands, known as Senkaku in Japanese, and Diaoyu in Chinese.

"He stressed the Diaoyu Islands and their affiliated islets have always been China's territory since ancient times, over which China has indisputable sovereignty," the Chinese delegation said.

Japan summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo as three patrol boats approached the chain of islands.

The crew of the vessels, which have since left the islands' immediate vicinity, initially rebuffed Japanese orders to leave.

"We are conducting official duty in Chinese waters. Do not interfere. Leave China's territorial waters," the crews said, according to Japan Coast Guard.

The waters around the disputed islands, which are close to oil reserves, have been the scene of previous rows, including the arrest of a Chinese trawlerman in late 2010.

Yesterday's spat is the latest clash over disputed territory between China and its neighbors that threatens to overshadow attempts to smooth regional relations at an Asian security summit in Cambodia this week.

The 10 members of Southeast Asian regional body ASEAN have been trying to agree a long-stalled "code of conduct" for the South China Sea that would help settle overlapping claims in the resource-rich waterway.

The Philippines is leading a push for ASEAN to unite to persuade China to accept a code based on a United Nations law on maritime boundaries that would delineate the areas belonging to each country.

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Islands spat with Tokyo flares again

Hominins did not need boats to settle islands

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The early human colonisation of islands might not have been plain sailing. Instead of using boats to deliberately settle on Indonesian islands, hominins may have arrived as castaways, carried on floating debris after floods.

David Wilkinson of Liverpool John Moores University and Graeme Ruxton of the University of St Andrews, both in the UK, used population estimates from the early settlement of Polynesia to model the likely success of island settlement attempts in human prehistory.

They found that five young couples had a 40 per cent chance of giving rise to a population of 500 or founding a population that survived for 500 years. Ten random castaways had only a 20 per cent chance of similar success. But throwing in between one and four additional castaways every 50 years raised the chances of an accidental settlement succeeding to 47 per cent.

Stone tools show that hominins possibly Homo erectus reached Flores 1 million years ago. The famous Homo floresiensis may have descended from this population of H. erectus. Meanwhile, a study earlier in the year concluded that Neanderthals had access to boats 100,000 years ago, which they used to reach the Greek islands of Lefkada, Kefallonia and Zakynthos, where their stone tools have been found.

The new finding suggests that in both cases the hominins could have reached the islands without boats. We already know that other mammals managed the feat: rats and Stegodon, an extinct relative of the elephant, crossed the deep-water channel between the Indonesian islands of Java and Flores. Elephants are strong swimmers, and rats could have travelled on storm debris.

Accidental colonisation of Flores by hominins would have been difficult, but not impossible, says Mike Morwood of the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. However, he adds, "the rapid colonisation of Greater Australia and major islands of western Melanesia 45,000 to 50,000 years ago indicates deliberate colonisation voyages by people using directed craft".

Journal of Human Evolution, DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2012.05.013

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China media: Islands sovereignty

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12 July 2012 Last updated at 01:24 ET

Newspapers continue their coverage on the East China Sea islands dispute after Japan protested at the entry of Chinese patrol boats into disputed water.

Three Chinese fishery patrol boats entered the waters near the disputed islands - known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China - early on Wednesday and have since left, reports say.

Both People's Daily and its subsidiary the Global Times ran reports on their front page, saying the Chinese boats were conducting "routine patrols".

Hong Kong's Ming Pao Daily News said official Chinese media such as the Xinhua news agency had run prominently featured reports on the patrol on Tuesday, almost immediately after the boats had reached the area.

Reports in Beijing News said the Chinese boats had asked intercepting Japanese coast guard boats to leave.

Japan summoned the Chinese ambassador in Tokyo to lodge a protest over the incident, but Beijing rejected the complaint, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in Beijing on Wednesday.

China Daily reported that Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi met his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba in Phnom Penh, on the sidelines of the Asean regional forum.

Mr Yang reaffirmed China's stance on the disputed islands, and urged Tokyo to "get back to managing differences through dialogue and reconciliation," the report said.

The Beijing Times said that academics had accused the Japanese government of collaborating with right wing activists to create an impression that Tokyo has been in actual control of the islands.

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Democrats: GOP Health Care Vote Will Go Nowhere – Video

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11-07-2012 13:10 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Whip Steney Hoyer said Wednesday that a planned vote by congressional republicans to repeal President Barack Obama's health care law has "no chance of going anywhere." (July 11) Subscribe to the Associated Press: Download AP Mobile: Associated Press on Facebook: Associated Press on Twitter: Associated Press on Google+:

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Democrats: GOP Health Care Vote Will Go Nowhere - Video

House Votes to Repeal Obama’s Health Care Law – Video

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11-07-2012 15:41 The Republican-led US House votes to repeal President Obama's health care law, but the effort is doomed to fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate. (July 11) Subscribe to the Associated Press: Download AP Mobile: Associated Press on Facebook: Associated Press on Twitter: Associated Press on Google+:

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House Votes to Repeal Obama's Health Care Law - Video

Jimmy Kimmel Mocks CNN Over Gallup Poll, Health Care Ruling Mistake (VIDEO)

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Nancy Pelosi Speaker John Boehner Jerrold Nadler

"Today, in upholding the Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court has shown that, even at a time when Washington seems to have reached a new level of dysfunction, there remains a respect for the rule of law, for precedent, and for the ability of Congress to legislate on matters that affect the American people," Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. "By not caving in to the most craven political calls, it appears the Court has stood by more than 70 years of legal precedent to ensure that: some 32 million Americans will have access to health insurance; we stop the unnecessary deaths of 42,000 Americans annually who die simply because they lack health insurance; insurers can no longer deny a child health care because of pre-existing conditions; millions of young adults receive coverage on their parents' plans until age 26; insurers can no longer impose lifetime limits on coverage; millions of Americans receive free preventive care; and, seniors save billions of dollars on prescription drugs. "The Affordable Care Act will now assume its rightful place, along with Social Security and Medicare, as powerful testimony to what our nation can achieve to benefit the lives of all Americans. Today's decision will, I truly hope, put to rest the partisan attacks from the Right against the law and many of its provisions. Republicans have threatened to continue their attempts to repeal these provisions, but let us all hope that they will respect the Court's ruling and put the health and wellbeing of the American people ahead of insurance companies."

"Today's decision makes one thing clear: Congress must act to repeal this misguided law," said Sen. Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. "Obamacare has not only limited choices and increased health care costs for American families, it has made it harder for American businesses to hire. Today's decision does nothing to diminish the fact that Obamacare's mandates, tax hikes, and Medicare cuts should be repealed and replaced with common sense reforms that lower costs and that the American people actually want. It is my hope that with new leadership in the White House and Senate, we can enact these step-by-step solutions and prevent further damage from this terrible law."

Republican Governors Association Chairman Bob McDonnell issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: "Today's ruling crystallizes all that's at stake in November's election. The only way to stop Barack Obama's budget-busting health care takeover is by electing a new president. Barack Obama's health care takeover encapsulates his Presidency: Obamacare increases taxes, grows the size of government and puts bureaucrats over patients while doing nothing to improve the economy. It's never been more important that we elect a President who understands the marketplace and will make job creation his top priority. By replacing Barack Obama with Mitt Romney, we will not only stop the federal government's healthcare takeover, but will also take a giant step towards a full economic recovery."

"Dr. Coburn will be reviewing the ruling and will respond with an updated plan to repeal and replace this unworkable law. The Court affirmed Congress' power to tax people if they don't eat their broccoli. Now it's up to the American people to decide whether they will tolerate this obscene abuse of individual liberty," said John Hart, a spokesman for Sen. Coburn.

"Today's Supreme Court decision sets the stakes for the November election. Now, the only way to save the country from ObamaCare's budget-busting government takeover of health care is to elect a new president," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. "Under President Obama's signature legislation, health care costs continue to skyrocket, and up to 20 million Americans could lose their employer-based coverage. A panel of unelected bureaucrats now has the unprecedented authority to come between elderly patients and their doctors. Meanwhile, the rules and regulations placed on job creators and small businesses make it nearly impossible to hire new workers at a time when Americans desperately need jobs. "We need market-based solutions that give patients more choice, not less. The answer to rising health care costs is not, and will never be, Big Government. "We must elect a president who understands the economy, respects free enterprise, and can provide the leadership we now so desperately need. On Election Day, we must elect Mitt Romney and put America on the path toward a brighter economic future and successful health care reform."

Today, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) released the following statement on the Supreme Court ruling on the President's health care law: "The Supreme Court's decision to uphold ObamaCare is a crushing blow to patients throughout the country. ObamaCare has failed to keep the President's basic promise of allowing those who like their health care to keep it, while increasing costs and reducing access to quality care for patients. In this tough economy, jobs and economic growth are on the minds of most Americans, but ObamaCare has increased uncertainty for small businessmen and women and forced them to put their hiring decisions on hold. "During the week of July 9th, the House will once again repeal ObamaCare, clearing the way for patient-centered reforms that lower costs and increase choice. We support an approach that offers simpler, more affordable and more accessible health care that allows people to keep the health care that they like. "The Court's decision brings into focus the choice the American people have about the direction of our country. The President and his party believe in massive government intrusions that increase costs and take decisions away from patients. In contrast, Republicans believe in patient-centered, affordable care where health care decisions are made by patients, their families and their doctors, not by the federal government."

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the Supreme Court's decision on the Affordable Care Act: "Our highest court has weighed in, and its decision to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is a victory for all Americans who have ever worried about being able to access or afford the care they need. Democrats are proud to have worked hard to pass this landmark legislation in 2010 and of our efforts to make sure it is implemented in a way that continues to yield new benefits for patients, employers, and care providers. "The Affordable Care Act made it illegal for insurance companies to discriminate against patients on the basis of pre-existing conditions, allowed young people to remain on their parents' plans until age 26, and prohibited insurance companies from charging women higher premiums than men. The Medicare Part D 'donut hole' is closing, and seniors on Medicare now have access to free preventive services like mammograms and colonoscopies. Moreover, the Affordable Care Act provides deficit savings of more than $1 trillion over the next two decades. The Affordable Care Act further brought peace of mind to the 30 million uninsured Americans who will finally be able to access affordable coverage once the law is fully implemented. "Republicans have been trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act since the day it was enacted, and they have been eagerly awaiting today's ruling. But they must now accept that the Affordable Care Act will remain in place and that the time for litigation and partisan posturing on this issue ought to come to an end. Republicans now have a responsibility to work with Democrats to implement the Affordable Care Act, and I call on them to do so in order to make care affordable and accessible to Americans."

Following the Supreme Court's decision affirming the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, former Governor and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine today released the following statement: "The Affordable Care Act is an important first step in curbing discriminatory insurance company practices and increasing access to health care, but more needs to be done to bring down costs. Our government, businesses, and citizens cannot continue to spend more than any other nation on health care while getting second-rate results. As Senator, I am committed to working with all stakeholders to find additional improvements to the Affordable Care Act that give all Americans affordable access to high quality services. "While there is more work to do, it is worth noting what has already been accomplished under the Affordable Care Act. Nearly 63,000 more young people in Virginia have health coverage, more than 800,000 Virginia seniors have received free preventive care, millions of small businesses are now eligible for tax credits, and twenty million American women have access to cancer screenings and contraception without co-pays. And we've put an end to the egregious abuses by insurance companies that denied coverage to children with preexisting conditions, charged women higher premiums for the same coverage, and dropped folks when they got sick. "My opponent regularly calls for a full repeal of this law, despite the positive results it's already delivering for Virginia. In the decade encompassing George Allen's six years as a U.S. Senator, the average insurance premium for families more than doubled and over 12 million more Americans were uninsured. Clearly, inaction was not a solution, and neither are continued calls for repeal. Instead we must work together to strengthen this existing program and improve cost controls."

"In passing health reform, we made history for our nation and progress for the American people. We completed the unfinished business of our society and strengthened the character of our country. We ensured health care would be a right for all, not a privilege for the few. Today, the Supreme Court affirmed our progress and protected that right, securing a future of health and economic security for the middle class and for every American."

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Jimmy Kimmel Mocks CNN Over Gallup Poll, Health Care Ruling Mistake (VIDEO)

6 reasons health care costs keep going up

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There are many reasons health costs keep going up. Bigger ticket items in hospital care and doctor visits are among the reasons why.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Health care reform will help millions more Americans get insurance.

But experts say the Affordable Care Act itself won't stop the cost of health care from continuing to rise and consumers from paying bigger bills.

Insurance premiums -- the monthly fees consumers pay to get coverage -- continue to rise much faster than the 2% rate of overall inflation. In 2011, average premiums rose 8% for individual coverage and 9% for family coverage, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

There are many reasons costs are going up; some apply to all patients, and others only to patients who get insurance through big insurance plans. But experts identify six main drivers.

Hospital care: Hospital care accounts for nearly one-third of the nation's annual health care expenditures.

According to the American Hospital Association, factors driving up hospital costs include the rising cost of goods and services used for patient care -- such as workers, equipment and information systems. Other factors are rising demand for care and compliance with regulatory requirements.

An increasingly significant issue for hospitals is the increase in patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid -- 60% of all admissions. Neither program fully reimburses the cost of hospital care, the hospital association said.

Hospitals are also seeing a jump in the cost of care for patients who can't pay, which averages about 6% of hospital expenses. Hospitals assume those costs as part of their legal duties to provide "charity care."

Doctor visits: According to the American Medical Association, the cost of physician care, both to insurance and patients, has risen 1.3% during the past year.

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Kimberly-Clark Health Care Receives FDA Clearance For KIMGUARD ONE-STEP Sterilization Wrap Portfolio With One-Year …

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ROSWELL, Ga., July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Kimberly-Clark Health Care announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market the KIMGUARD ONE-STEP portfolio with one-year maintenance of package integrity (MPI) for KC300 to KC600 for Pre-vacuum Steam and Ethylene Oxide (EO). Users can now have confidence that their instruments wrapped with KIMGUARD ONE-STEP Sterilization Wrap will maintain sterility on the shelf for at least 365 days.

The KIMGUARD family of sterilization wrap is now the most validated sterilization wrap with the longest shelf-life on the U.S. market.These additional clearances will assist facilities in complying with TheJoint Commission's sterilization processing guidelines.

"We are the only manufacturer with sterilization wraps that has been validated and FDA cleared for at least 365 days post-sterilization processing shelf-life. In fact, KIMGUARD ONE-STEP shelf-life is currently 12 times longer than any other sterilization wrap's shelf-life that has been previously cleared and marketed.This is especially significant for surgical trays that aren't used on a regular basis," said Tom Gonzalez, VP Quality Assurance & Regulatory Affairs, Kimberly-Clark Health Care.

"The extensive testing conducted to obtain MPI one-year 510(k) clearance illustrates Kimberly-Clark's commitment to providing our customers with sterilization solutions that meet their needs while offeringthe optimum balance of properties including lint and flame resistance, and high bacterial filtration efficiency (BFE), to provide our customers with confidence in sterility," added Mr. Gonzalez.

With the most recent FDA clearance for Amsco V-PRO maX Low Temperature Sterilization System (Flexible Cycle), the KIMGUARD ONE-STEP Sterilization Wrap is now FDA cleared for use with all cycles in the three Amsco V-PRO Sterilization Systems.With this announcement, KIMGUARD Sterilization Wrap has the most 510(k) clearances than any other sterilization wrap including use with:

These are some of the commonly used sterilization modalities, making One-Step the most widely compatible sterilization wrap on the market.

Kimberly-Clark has also completed testing that supports use of KIMGUARD ONE-STEP Sterilization Wrap with additional low temperature sterilization systems. This data has been submitted to theFDA for acceptance.

Confidence with KIMGUARD ONE-STEPKIMGUARD ONE-STEP Sterilization Wrap consists of two layers of wrap thermally sealed along the sides to provide protection of double-wrapping in one step. This feature cuts the wrapping and unwrapping time in half compared to sequential wrapping, saving valuable time in Sterile Processing, as well as sterility assurance in the operating room (OR).The most recent addition to the KIMGUARD ONE-STEP Wrap portfolio,QUICK CHECK Sterilization Wrap, securely joins a blue wrap layer with a white layer so users can quickly and easily identify if sterility has been breached - ensuring patient safety.In addition, KIMGUARD Sterilization Wrap, manufactured in the US, features PowerGuard Technology to provide superior protection against contamination, making it one of the best microbial barriers available.

Commitment to Managing Wrap WasteLaunched earlier this year, Kimberly-Clark Health Care offers a wrap recycling program called Blue ReNew to bring interested hospitals a systematized approach to wrap recycling. The program is designed to help hospitals organize the process of recycling their wrap into five achievable stages and can be customized to meet the specific needs of each facility.The Kimberly-Clark Blue ReNew Team works with hospitals to identify key recycling partners, train OR teams and measure results to achieve a sustainable wrap recycling program.

Kimberly-Clark in the Healthcare EnvironmentAround the world, medical professionals turn to Kimberly-Clark Health Care for a wide portfolio of solutions that improve the health, hygiene and well -being of patients and hospital staff. As part of their healing mission, caregivers rely on Kimberly-Clark Health Care to deliver clinical solutions and educational resources that they can depend on to prevent, diagnose and manage a wide variety of healthcare-associated infections. As a global enterprise with more than $1 billion in annual sales, Kimberly-Clark Health care holds the No. 1 and No. 2 market share positions in several categories including; infection control solutions, surgical solutions, pain management and digestive health. Throughout the care continuum, patients and staff alike trust Kimberly-Clark medical supplies and devices, KLEENEX tissues, Kimberly-Clark Professional skin care products and SCOTT towels for day-to-day needs. For more information, please visit http://www.kchealthcare.com.

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Kimberly-Clark Health Care Receives FDA Clearance For KIMGUARD ONE-STEP Sterilization Wrap Portfolio With One-Year ...

Ray Kurweil's Immortality Cocktail; And a Student Loan Skeptic

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By: Paul Solman

Wednesday we feature the second of our interview outtakes with inventor/author/futurist Ray Kurzweil. (Tuesday's installment: the melding of man and machine.) In our broadcast story, which debuted on Making Sen$e Monday, Kurzweil explained that his recipe to combat aging entails taking 150 pills a day. You can find more details at a supplements business he runs, rayandterry.com, which features, we were excited to see, items like "healthy chocolates." You can also read yourself into old age with his three books on nutrition: "The 10% Solution for a Healthy Life," "Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever" and "Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever."

But in case you still think your time is of some value, this video is a more economical look at Kurzweil's daily regimen.

Name: Bob Fults

Question: Saw your piece on student loans. One trillion dollars owed by 37 million? That's an average of $30,000 per student. That's not a crisis. It's a car. Buy a used car. Put your SUV payment against your loan and you're out in five years. Why are you people making this look like more than it is?

Paul Solman: Partly because we in the media like to dramatize things to make them seem important and get your attention. And partly because student loan debt is actually a crushing burden for many, especially in the current jobless maybe-it-is/maybe-it-isn't recovery. We talked to several folks so crushed by student loan debt, they've been forever scarred. We were all set to interview one debt-beset woman in her 70's, but she pulled out at the last minute, too embarrassed to talk on camera or even let us publish the details of her case here.

Look, an average is just a statistic. If the average is $30,000, then there's a person who owes $45,000 for every one who owes $15,000.

Joel Bernanke expects to owe a reported $400,000 by the time he graduates. I don't suppose we should worry about the son of Fed Chairman Ben (and besides, he's becoming a doctor). But as we reported here on July 6, students who carry a heavy debt load are not taking public service jobs they would have otherwise sought. The evidence is well summarized here.

The main point, though, is that we're talking 37 million Americans in total. The fact that journalists have a penchant for drama should not obscure the fact that millions of them are struggling with student debt, including young people who work at our own program. And the irony is that the most responsible among them -- those who pay their debts diligently -- are the most burdened.

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Ray Kurweil's Immortality Cocktail; And a Student Loan Skeptic

Ron Paul-inspired Freedom Festival planned before Republican National Convention unravels

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Freedom Festival is dead.

It never secured a contract to bring tens of thousands of people to Fantasy of Flight just before the Republican National Convention. It suspended ticket sales. Its spokesmen stopped returning calls.

And this week, its website started automatically redirecting visitors to the Liberty Avengers, a new group with plans for its own pre-RNC event.

The avengers include some of the same Ron Paul-inspired organizers who started with Paul Festival 2012 still on track for three days of music and activism at the Florida State Fairgrounds and who later moved on to Freedom Festival over differences with the Paul Festival team.

Now that Freedom Festival has fizzled, some activists have transferred their efforts to an event called Liberty Unplugged.

"We just really wanted something to happen this weekend, so we don't lose all the momentum that's been created," Liberty Avengers co-founder David Foster of Tallahassee said.

Story here.

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Ron Paul-inspired Freedom Festival planned before Republican National Convention unravels

Nightwing and Cyborg coming to Injustice: Gods Among Us

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Comic-Con just opened up its show floor for Preview Night, and in among the booths is a new playable version of Injustice: Gods Among Us , with two new heroes. Nightwing and Cyborg have joined the fight in Netherrealm's gritty fighting game. Nightwing (aka Dick Grayson, the original Robin) is a nimble staff-wielding fighter, and Cyborg is a heavy hitter, with strong close attacks backed up with ...

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Nightwing and Cyborg coming to Injustice: Gods Among Us

Nightwing And Cyborg Join Cast Of Injustice

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Batman's ex-sidekick Dick Grayson, AKA Nightwing, and Robocop wannabe Cyborg will be joining the roster of fighters in NetherRealm Studios new DC fighting game Injustice: Gods Among Us. Comic Con 2012 just kicked off with a preview night, and Warner Bros. had two new fighters on demo at their Injustice kiosk. Nightwing is a very nimble fighter who makes use of his arsonal of tools while Cyborg ...

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Nightwing And Cyborg Join Cast Of Injustice

All beaches open for swimming this weekend

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Tribune Staff Reports

HURON COUNTY Test results issued Wednesday found all beaches are safe for swimming, according to the Huron County Health Department.

The results issued for all 13 area beaches tested have revealed they are well below the 300 E. coli colonies per 100 ml of water for swimming safety.

There has only been one beach closure since testing started eight weeks ago. That closure was at Port Crescent State Park Day-Use during the third week of testing.

The summer beach testing program is funding by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

The following are this weeks test results (in geometric means):

Bird Creek County Park 0.022

Caseville County Park 1.7325

Harbor Beach City Park 11.2926

Jenks County Park 16.7536

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All beaches open for swimming this weekend

Replacing beaches could cost $20 million

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By TED JACKOVICS | The Tampa Tribune Published: July 11, 2012 Updated: July 11, 2012 - 7:16 PM

Pinellas County officials know where Tropical Storm Debby deposited the sand stripped from local beaches. The eroded material wound up piled not far offshore, where it might provide some protection from the next storm.

They also know how much it will cost to replace the sand: $15 million to $20 million.

What they don't know is whether the state and federal governments will fund beach renourishment as they have in the past.

Renourishment projects - bringing in sand dredged from offshore and spreading it on Pinellas beaches, where the sand eventually is pulled back out to sea - has long been controversial.

In the past, the federal government has chipped in 60 percent and the state and county governments 20 percent each for certain beach re-nourishment projects in Pinellas County, said Andy Squires, Pinellas County's coastal manager.

But national political fallout in recent years that has eliminated earmarks to special projects in federal budgets has changed the unwritten funding rules that stretch from Washington to Pinellas County.

"Beach renourishment does cost a lot," Squires said. "But it can be the most cost-effective option."

Officials estimate restoring the beaches at Sand Key, Treasure Island and Long Key and several others that traditionally receive federal renourishment funding would cost $15 million to $20 million. It would cost another $866,000 to help restore beaches that don't normally receive federal funding. Those beaches would include Fort De Soto Park and Mullet Key.

Beaches are a mainstay of the county's tourism industry, which drew $3.4 billion in visitor spending in 2011.

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Replacing beaches could cost $20 million