Monthly Archives: July 2012

Liberty Mutual Insurance Schedules Second Quarter 2012 Earnings Conference Call

Posted: July 12, 2012 at 1:12 pm

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Liberty Mutual Holding Company Inc., the parent corporation of the Liberty Mutual Insurance group of entities (the Company), is scheduled to review its second quarter financial results on July 25, 2012. At 11:00 a.m. EDT that day, David Long, Liberty Mutual Insurance President and CEO, will host a conference call to discuss the Companys financial results.

The earnings release, financial results and other supplemental information will be available on the website http://www.libertymutual.com/investors prior to the call.

To listen to the call and participate in the Q&A, please dial 8008572190, providing the pass code Liberty when prompted. A replay will be available until 5:00 p.m. on August 1, 2012 at 800-934-9450.

For further information, please contact Alison Erbig, Vice President and Director, Investor Relations, at 617-574-6655 or email investor_relations@libertymutual.com.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance

"Helping people live safer, more secure lives" since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2011 direct premiums written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 84th on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the U.S. based on 2011 revenue. As of December 31, 2011, Liberty Mutual Insurance had $117.1 billion in consolidated assets, $99.3 billion in consolidated liabilities, and $34.7 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

Liberty Mutual Insurance offers a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation, property, commercial automobile, general liability, global specialty, group disability, reinsurance and surety. Liberty Mutual Insurance (www.libertymutualinsurance.com) employs over 45,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

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

Posted: at 1:12 pm

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

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Combat Arms Gameplay – Fan Mail #1 (The Second Amendment) – Video

Posted: at 1:11 pm

11-07-2012 19:00 You guys have weird questions. Not being able to answer all your questions, I do apologize for that. Another fan mail video can be released as soon as Nexon releases another weapon. I do appreciate all the questions, though, and I look forward to communicating more with my viewers. Cats... I like cats. -Kagaen

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Combat Arms Gameplay - Fan Mail #1 (The Second Amendment) - Video

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Malaysia to repeal sedition law curbing free speech in latest reform ahead of general election

Posted: at 1:11 pm

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia Malaysia's leader has announced plans to repeal a colonial-era law curbing free speech in the latest political reform ahead of general elections, but critics warned Thursday that his reform efforts so far have not improved the country's human rights record.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said late Wednesday that the Sedition Act represented a "bygone era" and will be replaced with a new law to prevent incitement of religious or racial hatred. It will be the latest repressive law to be annulled as part of his pledge to protect civil liberties. Opposition leaders claim the reforms are a ploy to gain public support ahead of polls that must be called next year at the latest.

"We mark another step forward in Malaysia's development. The new National Harmony Act will balance the right of freedom of expression as enshrined in the constitution, while at the same time ensuring that all races and religions are protected," Najib said.

The government earlier this year revoked a draconian security law allowing detention without trial and eased public assembly rules in a massive overhaul of strict security laws. Critics said the reforms were a sham as the laws were replaced with legislation that is just as repressive.

"The replacement legislation has been as bad or worse from a rights perspective," said Phil Robertson, Asia deputy director for Human Rights Watch. "The government should realize that change for change's sake is not enough."

Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of opposition-ruled Penang state, said the sedition law has long been used as a convenient political tool to silence opposition voices. Lim himself was jailed for 18 months under the law in 1998 for allegedly making seditious remarks in his defense of a rape victim.

Lim urged Najib to withdraw current sedition charges against opposition leaders to prove his move is genuine.

Najib's coalition has led Malaysia since independence in 1957 but suffered its worst electoral performance ever in 2008. It now has slightly less than a two-thirds majority in Parliament and is working hard to claw back support.

Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has said he is confident his three-party alliance can win a comfortable majority in upcoming polls amid widespread public unhappiness over the government's handling of corruption and racial discrimination.

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Hate Speech Case Stirs Free Speech Debate in Kenya

Posted: at 1:11 pm

The acting chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said his agency is committed to protecting the rights of all Kenyans.

But, Samuel Tororei said, while every Kenyan has the right to free speech, the exercise of such a right cannot be at the expense of other Kenyans.

His comments came as three Kenyan musicians await trial after being charged with hate speech under new laws adopted following the countrys post-election violence in 2008.

The National Cohesion and Integration Commission said the musicians songs were intended to cause hatred and hostility between the countrys Kikuyu and Luo ethnic groups.

Acting chairman Tororei said his commission awaits the courts ruling on the issue.

For the Kenya National Commission for Human Rights, our brief is to ensure that whatever actions we take are within the purview that allows the maximum enjoyment of human rights. But remember, that enjoying human rights entails on a citizen, whether private or corporate, the duty, the responsibility to respect other peoples rights, too. So, provided that that generally agrees we will just keep watch and see how the court handles the issue, he said.

Kenyas National Cohesion and Integration Commission said songs by musician Kamande wa Kioi, Muigai Wa Njoroge and John DeMathew promoted hate speech by belittling rivals of deputy prime minister Uhuru Kenyatta, whose ethnicity is Luo.

Tororei said the music would qualify as political expression protected by free speech only if the court determines it to be.

In the meantime, what the National Cohesion and Integration Commission is doing is to test that paradigm. Does it meet the threshold of hate speech or can it be construed to be just a political expression paid for and supported for a favorite candidate? Where is the boundary? Tororei said.

Widespread violence after the 2008 disputed presidential election killed an estimated 1,300 Kenyans and displaced about 300,000.

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Malaysia Plans to Repeal Free-Speech Law Before Next Elections

Posted: at 1:11 pm

By Barry Porter - 2012-07-12T07:51:47Z

Malaysian leader Najib Razak plans to repeal legislation that curbs free speech and has been used against opposition politicians, the latest colonial-era law to be scrapped or replaced before elections due by early next year.

The Sedition Act, enacted under British rule in 1948, will be replaced with legislation aimed at preventing incitement of religious or ethnic hatred, Najib said late yesterday.

Its encouraging, Ong Kian Ming, a political analyst at Kuala Lumpurs UCSI University, said by phone. Primarily, it has been used against opposition politicians. This is part of Najibs larger political transformation agenda. Hes trying to regain momentum.

Lim Guan Eng, leader of the opposition Democratic Action Party, was jailed under the act in the 1990s after criticizing the governments handling of rape allegations against a former chief minister. Karpal Singh, chairman of Lims party, is currently being tried under the law after threatening to sue the sultan of Malaysias Perak state.

The Sedition Act represents a bygone era in our country, Najib said in an e-mailed statement. The new National Harmony Act will balance the right of freedom of expression as enshrined in the constitution, while at the same time ensuring that all races and religions are protected.

This is the latest in a series of decades-old laws Najib has said hell change as he seeks to boost his partys popularity in the face of a resurgent opposition led by Anwar Ibrahim. His National Front coalition is fighting to hold onto power after five decades of unbroken rule, having won re- election in 2008 by its narrowest margin since independence.

The government earlier this year repealed the Internal Security Act, first introduced in the 1960s to combat communist insurgents, with new legislation curbing how long police can hold suspects without trial. Najib has also revamped media laws after promising to boost personal freedoms.

His changes to public assembly rules have proved more controversial with the introduction of a ban on street protests. About 50,000 people challenged this by holding an illegal demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in April to campaign for cleaner and fairer elections. Three opposition leaders, including Anwar, have since been charged under the new law after allegedly participating in the march.

Reform will only be fulfilled if the Malaysian government ensures the proposed National Harmony Act is consistent with international human rights standards, Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at New York-based Human Rights Watch, said in an e-mailed statement. To date, Najibs law reform efforts have been mixed.

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Holiday Systems International Nominated for the Department of Defense Freedom Award and Recipient of the Patriotic …

Posted: July 11, 2012 at 4:17 pm

LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire -07/11/12)- Holiday Systems International was one of a handful of Southern Nevada employers that were nominated for the Department of Defense Freedom Award. According to an article in The Las Vegas Sun, sixteen local employers received a nomination for providing exceptional employer support to members of the National Guard or Reserve military. Additionally, Holiday Systems International was the recipient of the Patriotic Employer Award recognizing their track record for "Contribution to National Security and Protecting Liberty and Freedom by Supporting Employee Participation in America's National Guard and Reserve Force."

Craig Morganson, CEO of Holiday Systems International, stated, "We are very proud to be nominated for the Freedom Award and to have received the prestigious Patriotic Employer Award. We appreciate, respect and honor what the men and women in our military risk for our great nation. We are proud to be a 'Military-Friendly Employer.'"

The Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers. The Patriotic Employer Award is given to employers who demonstrate exceptional support for their Guard and Reserve employees. These awards were created to publicly recognize employers that implement employment policies and practices that are supportive of their employees' participation in the National Guard and Reserve.

For additional information on the Las Vegas Sun, visit http://www.lasvegassun.com.

For additional information on the Freedom and Patriot Awards, visit the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve website.

For additional information on Holiday Systems International, visit sales.holidaysystems.com.

About Holiday Systems International (HSI)

HSI was founded in 1993 by still President and CEO, Craig Morganson. Mr. Craig Morganson is a leader in the travel & tourism industry and manages HSI with a firm commitment to consumer value and customer service. HSI has a long history of providing sophisticated technology, exclusive products/services and generous value to its private clientele.

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Free-software activists hope for detained engineer's freedom

Posted: at 4:17 pm

Bassel Khartabil, a volunteer with copyright licensing nonprofit Creative Commons, was reportedly detained by the Syrian government on March 15.

Computer engineer Bassel Khartabil has dedicated himself to making software free and open for years, and now his friends are asking for his freedom from the Syrian government's detention.

Khartabil was reportedly taken in an ambush on March 15 -- the first anniversary of the Syrian uprising -- during massive arrests. And while it's unclear why Khartabil was detained, activists say the government is known to take people randomly and without reason. It a scary time, particularly for those who are willing to gather and share information, according to activists.

The 16-month old Syrian crisis has claimed many lives with activists estimating more than 17,000 people killed.

Khartabil's friends and family are hopeful they can raise awareness through a blog launched to campaign for his freedom.

"Since his arrest, Bassel's valuable volunteer work, both in Syria and around the world, has been stopped," Khartabil's supporters wrote in the blog launched last week. "His absence has been painful for the communities that depend on him. In addition, his family, and his fiancee whom he was due to marry this past April, have had their lives put on hold."

Khartabil's family and friends don't know how the detention happened and only discovered the government had taken him after other detained people reported seeing Khartabil before they were released. Khartabil's supporters are still working on a timeline of what happened and a map of where they think he is held. They've heard from other activists that it's a place called branch 291 in the Damascus area, where the government allegedly tortured detainees.

Jon Phillips -- the founder of Fabricatorz, an open-source software and hardware company Khartabil is connected to -- said Khartabil's supporters have started the campaign to bring attention to the situation. They hope they can get him out.

"The state of Syria is very complicated," Phillips told CNET. "Our goal is to free our friend."

The campaign includes a petition that has been signed by by hundreds of supporters, from dozens of countries, including Harvard professor and political activist for the free-software movement Lawrence Lessig, who posted about Bassel's campaign on his blog on July 4:

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BP Suspends Liberty Venture

Posted: at 4:16 pm

BP Plc (BP) has decided to suspend its ambitious offshore oil project in Alaska owing to prohibitive costs and technical setbacks.

Following an 18-month company review, the British behemoth concluded that the project cannot be pursued as planned. BP said that the venture would have taken longer than planned to commence production, which was initially slated for 2011.

BPs Liberty offshore oilfield is located four miles off the northern coast of Alaska in Foggy Island Bay in the Beaufort Sea. The $1.5 billion Liberty project was anticipated to generate 40,000 barrels of oil a day with a recoverable oil reserve of 100 million barrels. Field production was anticipated to last for 20-40 years.

Earlier, BP had stated that Liberty would set standards for Arctic oilfield development being the primary oilfield located exclusively in Federal waters offshore Alaska. As per Reuters, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has nonetheless confirmed that BP had informed the regulatory authority about its intention to redesign the development plan.

Notably, this project has been in the news for years for reported delays and technical glitches. The first well of the Liberty oilfield was discovered by BP in May 1997. A plan initiated way back in 1998 for the development of the offshore field was put on hold in 2002 due to cost overruns. In 2007, a redesigned plan was proposed to the Federal regulator, Minerals Management Service. Representatives of the North Slope Borough and other local organizations considered the plan as innovative and began construction work in 2009 at Endicott for Liberty development.

However, the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 held back the Liberty project. It called for a fresh inspection of the project, amid regulatory changes and rig-design problems already hindered by delays.

BP holds a Zacks #4 Rank (short-term Sell rating). Longer term, we maintain our Neutral recommendation on the stock. It faces competition from oil majors like ExxonMobil Corporation (XOM) and ConocoPhillips (COP).

Read the Full Research Report on COP

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BP Suspends Liberty Venture

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Liberty fall to Fever in closing seconds

Posted: at 4:16 pm

INDIANAPOLIS Tamika Catchings scored 23 points, including the winning free throws with 8.4 seconds left, to give the Indiana Fever an 84-82 victory over the Liberty on Tuesday.

Katie Douglas scored 20 points and Shavonte Zellous added 12 as the Fever (10-6) squandered a 12-point lead and trailed by four in the final minutes before rallying.

We did a good job holding our composure down the stretch, Catchings said. When you look at it there are things that youre happy about and things you arent happy about. Just continuing our quest to be a good team. We made some great defensive stops.

Indiana finished 53 percent from the field, including 9 for 18 on 3-pointers.

Cappie Pondexter scored a season-high 33 points and Essence Carson added 14 for the Liberty (6-11), who have lost two straight and six of nine.

[I] felt like we could have won the game, Pondexter said. We had a chance. It seems like we battle this team back and forth, playoffs, regular season, for the past three years ever since Ive been in New York.

Trailing 73-70 midway through the fourth quarter, the Liberty scored seven consecutive points to take their biggest lead. Leilani Mitchell made 3 to tie the score, Pondexter hit a technical free throw called on Indianas Briann January for arguing and then Pondexter made a 3 to put the Liberty up 77-73 with 3/ minutes to go.

Catchings came back with a 3-pointer nearly a minute later and hit another one with 1:53 remaining to give the Fever a 79-77 lead.

Pondexter hit a tying jumper, and Douglas and Pondexter traded 3-pointers 14 seconds apart to leave the score tied at 82 with 35.5 seconds to go.

The Fever passed inbounds with 17.5 seconds left in the game and six seconds to go on the shot clock. The ball went all the way to the backcourt, where January tracked it down, hustled upcourt and missed a desperation shot. Catchings rebounded and was fouled. She made both free throws to put Indiana ahead.

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Liberty fall to Fever in closing seconds

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