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Peer-reviewed Surveys: Positive Impact of GM Crops

A summary of 49 peer-reviewed publicationsof farmer surveys shows that genetically modified crops have benefitted farmers especially in terms of increased yields. This was revealed in an article published in Nature Biotechnology on Peer-reviewed surveys indicate positive impact of commercialized GM crops by Janet Carpenter from Boylston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. Evidence from the surveys explain the widespread popularity of the technology, says Carpenter.

The studies compared yields and other indicators of economic performance for adopters and non-adopters of currently commercialized GM crops. Farmers in developing countries are achieving greater yield increases than farmers in developed countries. The first wave of GM crops to be commercialized had traits that reduced or improved pest management thus yield increases were not necessarily due to yield potential but to better field management.

Carpenter said tha tinterest in the future will be the assessment of the impacts of stacked traits and farmers’ experiences with GM crop technologies such as those being developed in cassava, cowpea, and rice, as those reach the commercialization stage.

Subscribers can access the article at http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/v28/n4/index.html
Email the author at janet.e.carpenter–at–gmail.com

Across from the EHA stand at the 16th H2 and FC Group Exhibit the ZSW of Ulm is demonstrating its Airport Scooter to pull luggage lorries through airports. Although not much of that is happening these days, ZSW  is looking at deploying these vehicles in all locations where indoor material handling requires zero emissions and extended ranges. DLR is demonstrating its paraglider equipped with a fuel cell that completed succesful test fligths.  These applications are just two of the many that are featureed in a new special demonstration area at the fair.  Despite the cancellation of oversees exhibitors due to flight restrictions as a result of the vulcano eruption in Iceland, this years’s 16th edition of the H2 and FC Group Exhibit at the Hannover Fair attracted many new exhibitors and  looks bigger, feels better and  is positioned now in the same hall as renewable energy systems and electro mobility solutions. The EHA stand features the new EHA strategy paper “Energy Infrastructure 21″ on the energy efficient use of primary energy sources in electric transport and the role of hydrogen and a presentation of historic moments in the EHA 10 year’s of promoting hydrogen in Europe. See the latest news of the fair, that takes place from April 19 -26, here.

NEW YORK, April 19 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — Morgans Hotel Group Co. (Nasdaq: MHGC) (“MHG”) today announced the opening of its acclaimed SKYBAR, at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.  The Las Vegas outpost of the renowned nightlife brand joins legendary SKYBAR destinations SKYBAR at Mondrian in Los Angeles and SKYBAR at Shore Club in Miami Beach. The Hard Rock venture released the following announcement:

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Morgans Hotel Group elevate the Las Vegas pool scene with the opening of SKYBAR. As part of the $750 million property expansion, the sophisticated lounge offers guests a new level of social relaxation.

Perched above the HRH Beach Club, the day-to-night pool deck creates an exclusive, chic atmosphere that SKYBAR is known for – a lifestyle experience and icon. The perfect complement to the all-new Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, sun-seeking guests enjoy the upper deck by day, while partygoers can escape the club scene to lounge under the stars by night.  The intimate daytime pool setting and sophisticated evening environment overlooks the glittering expanse of the Las Vegas Strip.

“The new SKYBAR is the ultimate blend of Morgans Hotel Group’s history of refined socializing and the evolution of the new Hard Rock,” said Phil Shalala, CMO of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. “It is a continuation of the premier service and unparalleled atmosphere that we are known for.”

SKYBAR features a distinctive acrylic-edged pool with three peek-a-boo cutouts in the floor that act as skylight windows to the lower HRH Beach Club. Guests can lounge on the plush bar seating, custom daybeds, couches and banquettes that pepper the teakwood plank floored area. The lower SKYBAR pool features 14 luxurious cabanas surrounding a circular infinity wading pool.  The cabana menu showcases the HRH Beach Club Bar & Grill including HRH Cheeseburger Sliders, Crispy Shrimp, Chilled Fruit Skewers, a variety of platters for sharing and much more.  SKYBAR features premium spirits, bottle service and signature cocktails such as the Manhattan LV, SKYBAR Margarita, Strip Cleanse and SKYBAR Smash.  SKYBAR and HRH Beach Club nearly double the overall size of the hotel’s pool area and offer guests a high-end and tranquil desert escape.

“SKYBAR has been a staple in the Los Angeles social scene for the past 14 years, entertaining celebrities from film, fashion, art, music, LA notables and hotel guests alike. We are looking forward to expanding our vision, brand and experience to yet another iconic property. The new HRH Tower is the perfect spot to further SKYBAR’s legacy.” Kendra Cole, SKYBAR in Los Angeles.

Achieving a little R&R will be easier than ever beginning April 19, which marks the first RELAX Monday at SKYBAR. Created as a means to pay tribute to the local industry crowd, RELAX is the hottest spot for the Vegas elite to congregate and unwind.  Various guest deejays will be spinning a variety of remixes, jungle and house music. 

During the day, SKYBAR will be open daily from noon – 8 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Nighttime hours will be 8 p.m. – midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Admission is complimentary for HRH Hotel guests and $20 for the public. Upscale beach attire is strictly enforced.

Boasting some of the finest views in Los Angeles, SKYBAR at Mondrian is an open air, ivy-covered pavilion located above the pool and outdoor living room. It has been the spot for the hottest Los Angeles nightlife from the day it opened.  SKYBAR at Shore Club, spans through the intense, electric, cobalt blue walls, fountains and pergolas, matching any mood and entertainment at any time within the deeply sensual background of the colorful tropical gardens.  

About Morgans Hotel Group

Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC) is widely credited as the creator of the first “boutique” hotel and a continuing leader of the hotel industry’s boutique sector.  Morgans Hotel Group operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, Morgans, Royalton and Hudson in New York, Delano and Shore Club in South Beach, Mondrian in Los Angeles and South Beach, Clift in San Francisco, Ames in Boston, and Sanderson and St Martins Lane in London. Morgans Hotel Group and an equity partner also own the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and related assets. Morgans Hotel Group also manages hotels in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  Morgans Hotel Group has other property transactions in various stages of completion, including projects in SoHo, New York and Palm Springs, California. For more information please visit www.morganshotelgroup.com.

Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements

This press release may contain certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, the operating performance of our investments and financing needs. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate” “believe,” “project,” or other similar words or expressions. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about future events and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and changes in circumstances that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Important risks and factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to economic, business, competitive market and regulatory conditions such as: a sustained downturn in economic and market conditions, particularly levels of spending in the business, travel and leisure industries; continued tightness in the global credit markets; general volatility of the capital markets and our ability to access the capital markets; our ability to refinance our current outstanding debt and to repay outstanding debt as such debt matures;  our ability to protect the value of our name, image and brands and our intellectual property;  risks related to natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes; hostilities, including future terrorist attacks, or fear of hostilities that affect travel;  and  other risk factors discussed in MHG’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, and other documents filed by MHG with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time.  All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, based upon information known to management as of the date hereof, and MHG assumes no obligations to update or revise any of its forward-looking statements even if experience or future changes show that indicated results or events will not be realized.

SOURCE Morgans Hotel Group Co.

http://www.morganshotelgroup.com

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

We at Consumerist have always warned of the downside to buying gift cards, but we never thought to tell you not to buy gift cards with stolen credit cards and then use those gift cards to buy $80,000 worth of electronics at Target. Because that’s exactly what a pair of gentlemen stand accused of doing at Target stores in Long Island.

Police in Nassau County, NY, arrested two men from Brooklyn on Friday, claiming that the alleged crooks first used stolen or fraudulent credit cards to purchase vast sums of Target gift cards at stores in the the NYC metro area. The gift cards were later converted into $80K worth of Target merchandise.

The men had been pulling the caper off for around five months when they were nabbed at the Target in Valley Stream, NY.

When arrested, police say the duo was in possession of several fake credit cards. They’ve been charged with grand larceny, possession of a forged instrument and scheme to defraud. One of the suspects was also charged it ID theft.

Cops: NYC Men Ripped Off Target in 80K Gift Card Scam [Long Island Press]

If you’ve been waiting to pick up a new 30-inch Apple Cinema Display, but were waiting until Apple released an LED-backlit version, there may be hope for you yet. Now, we don’t want to get your hopes up too much, but from the looks of things, the 30-inch Cinema Display have been pushed back. Typically, they would ship within 24 hours, but as of today, it is showing a 5-7 business day wait. Historically, when there is a large and sudden shipping delay like that, we’ve seen a product refresh follow soon thereafter. Now that Apple has worked out the 27-inch iMac LED display issues, maybe it’s finally time that the 30-inch display gets update (or replaced with a standalone LED-backlit 27-inch Cinema Display.)

Tags:
30 inch cinema display,
apple,
apple rumors,
cinema display,
displays,
led,
led backlit,
mac rumors,
monitors,
rumors,

Wade Roush wrote:

The organizers of the MIT’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition, which is celebrating its 20th year in 2010, announced last week the newest addition to their lineup of contests: a $500 Twitter pitch or “Twitch” competition. Anyone can enter by tweeting their business idea in 140 character or less, reserving 11 characters for the required hash tag “#100kTwitch”. Organizers say they’ll judge entries based both on creative quality of the pitches and their “virality”—ideas that get retweeted by Twitter users with lots of followers will earn more points. A winner will be announced May 12. The full rules for the Twitter pitch contest, which will kick off at 9:00 a.m. on April 20, are here.

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Water Department cuts connections to thousands of city’s poor

Image courtesy Michigan Welfare Rights Organization

In 2006 the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization picketed the houses of Detroit city council members to protest the water department’s decision to shut off water connections to people who could not afford to pay their bills.

By Brett Walton
Circle of Blue

Detroit’s water utility supplied 20 percent less water in 2009 than it did in 2003. The obvious reasons why are a steep decline in Industrial activity and population. Michigan’s largest city–home to 820,000 residents, 1 million less than in 1950–is losing 10,000 residents annually.

But a third important source of the department’s diminishing market is that many poor residents simply can’t afford the basic service. Thousands of Detroit residents have had their water connections cut by the city, forcing people to adopt informal methods to gain access to drinking water.

“I’ve been to some neighborhoods where they run a hose through the window from their neighbor’s house,” said Maureen Taylor, chair of the Michigan Welfare Rights Organization (MWRO), which educates low-income workers and welfare recipients on social services rights.

“I’ve seen hoses from house to house. I’ve seen people with big water canisters getting water from the neighbors. Most folks understand the situation and give a hand.”

More than 42,000 residences in 2005 lost their connection to the city’s water system, according to figures provided by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, Taylor said. The number of homes without access has decreased since then but, according to Taylor, the exact figure remains unknown because DWSD is reluctant to provide data about the shut offs.

DWSD officials, despite requests from Circle of Blue, were not available for comment.

The drop in Detroit’s water has prompted the city’s water utility to increase rates to compensate for lost revenue, a response that is almost certain to accelerate the decline in water demand as homeowners and businesses cut water use to save money. In 2008 the average annual bill increased by almost $55. Last year, the average annual bill rose to almost $83. The DWSD is considering another 9.2 percent increase in July.

Even with these changes, Detroit still has some of the least expensive water of the 20 major U.S. cities surveyed by Circle of Blue.

While many U.S. cities would see a decline in water consumption as an indication that conservation and efficiency programs are working, the drop in Detroit is one more measure of a city in peril. On average one in six Detroit workers is jobless and in some areas half of the population is out of work, according to Taylor, who has led MWRO since 1993. Many people who lost their job have not been able to keep up with their utility bills, even with city and state financial assistance.

As a result, DWSD–-the third largest municipal water department in the country–suffered a $50 million shortfall in projected revenue before the last rate increase in July 2009. Meanwhile rising costs for treatment chemicals, interest rates on debt the utility already owes, and a legal settlement requiring the city’s residents to fix sewer overflows that contaminated regional waterways have added to the utility’s financial woes.

The finance crisis will take years to solve. The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, the regional research and planning agency, predicts that Detroit’s population will hit bottom in 2020. Meanwhile, some city officials and academics think Detroit’s recovery can only start when it becomes smaller.

Mayor Dave Bing talked in February about the need to relocate people within the city. “If they stay where they are I absolutely cannot give them all the services they require,” Bing said according to Detroit News.

But the creative possibilities for reimagining the urban space are no consolation for those without access to water now. “The economy has wreaked absolute havoc in Detroit,” Taylor said. “We have tens of thousands of people in the city right now without water. It is unreal.”

Brett Walton is a reporter for Circle of Blue. Read the part one of his investigation on U.S. urban water rates here. Reach Walton at [email protected].

Brian Leslie of Wallingford, a state prosecutor picked by Gov. M. Jodi Rell as one of her 10 new nominees for Superior Court judgeships, abruptly asked Monday that the governor withdraw his nomination — and she did so, the legislature’s judciary committee co-chairman said. 

Leslie’s judicial hopes were put in serious jeopardy Sunday by Courant columnist Kevin Rennie, who reported that Leslie was passed over for a promotion in 2002 — and later began “subverting” the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the chief state’s attorney’s office, according to sworn testimony in a 2005 deposition by Deputy Chief State’s Attorney Paul Murray.
 
Rennie’s column — which said that Leslie’s nomination shows that Rell “has become an egregious hack” — can be read by clicking here.

Leslie had been scheduled for a confirmation hearing before the legislature’s judiciary committee Friday in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Rennie said legislators should reject the nomination. But now it will not come to that.

General Assembly judiciary committee co-chairman Michael Lawlor said Monday afternoon that Rell’s office had informed him of Leslie’s request and the governor’s response.

“There’s definitely something wrong with the governor’s vetting process,” Lawlor said. “Among other things, she does not reach out to people to solicit input — and I think if she had reached out, she would have had more input on this particular nomination.”

My Mom says it’s bad form to toot your own horn. Well, today I’m going to risk upsetting her and do exactly that. We — and by that I mean GigaOM — have been nominated for a Webby, one of five sites nominated in the Business Blog category. The nomination is all thanks to the hard work of the GigaTeam.

We would love to get your support and votes in order to win the People’s Voice award. We are up against some formidable names, including the New York Times’ DealBook, so every vote counts. Voting for the 14th annual Webby Awards ends April 29th. You can vote here. The final results will be announced on May 4th.

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday in two cases. In Christian Legal Society v. Martinez, the court heard arguments on whether a state law school may deny recognition to a religious student organization where the group requires its officers and voting members to agree with its core religious beliefs, thereby excluding gay students. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of the law school. Counsel for the petitioner argued that, ” public forum for speech must be open and inclusive, but participants in the forum are entitled to their own voice.” Counsel for the respondents argued that all organizations must abide by the school’s open membership policy. The justices appeared split along ideological lines, but much of their questioning focused on the facts of the case rather than the broader constitutional question.
In City of Ontario v. Quon, the court heard arguments on whether a special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team member has a reasonable expectation of privacy in text messages sent to and from his SWAT pager, where the police department has an official no-privacy policy, but a non-policymaking lieutenant announced an informal policy of allowing some personal use of the pagers. The Ninth Circuit ruled that the SWAT team member had a reasonable expectation of privacy and that a search of his text messages violated his Fourth Amendment rights. Counsel for the petitioners argued that, “nder the less restrictive constitutional standards applied when government acts as employer, as opposed to sovereign, there was no Fourth Amendment violation here.” Counsel for the US argued as amicus curiae on behalf of the city. Counsel for the respondents argued that, “he scope of the search was unreasonable.” Several of the justices appeared to side with the government employer, with Justice Steven Breyer saying, “I don’t see anything, quite honestly, unreasonable about.”

Duke Energy CEO Jim Rogers, a critic of the US Chamber of Commerce’s reactionary stance on climate policy, has left the lobbying giant’s board. Brad Johnson has the story in this repost. A Wonk Room review of the Chamber’s website found that six companies have left the board and thirteen joined since last year. Siemens USA’s George Nolen, another critic of the Chamber’s climate opposition, has also left the board. Duke and Siemens are members of the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which helped develop the Waxman-Markey climate legislation that the Chamber opposed. In October 2009, Rogers had indicated he still believed his board membership was worthwhile:

“I feel like the chamber is open to evolving their thinking,” Duke CEO Rogers said in an interview. He said he thought he could push the chamber “to the center” on the issue by staying on the board.

He has evidently decided otherwise.

Although both Duke and Siemens publicly criticized the Chamber’s stance on climate policy, neither publicly announced they were leaving the board. Last year the utilities PG&E, Exelon, PNM Resources, and PSEG ended their membership with the Chamber, unable to reconcile their support for climate action with the Chamber’s denial of the science and hard-line opposition to President Obama’s clean energy policies. The Wonk Room has not ascertained whether Duke and Siemens have left the Chamber entirely, although it appears Siemens is still an active member.

Last year, USCAP had eight members on the U.S. Chamber board. This number is down to four (Alcoa, Dow, Deere, and IBM), with Siemens and Duke Energy leaving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce board and ConocoPhillips and Caterpillar leaving USCAP.

Purported climate action advocates Pepsi and IBM, who were on the board in the beginning of 2009, have returned to the board in 2010. With the enactment of health care reform, the health care industry has stepped up its involvement with the nation’s largest lobbying group, as health insurance giant WellPoint, pharmaceutical maker Sanofi-aventis, and private hospital group Clarian Health have joined the board.

The US Chamber of Commerce has also become more sinful, with the addition of US Smokeless Tobacco’s CEO Peter Paoli and Michael Leven, the president of Las Vegas Sands, the casino owned by right-wing billionaire Shel Adelson.

Here are the changes from last year to now:

This analysis was assisted by the Public Accountability Initiative’s LittleSis.org project.

Related Posts:

• PG&E CEO: We left Chamber Of Commerce because they lied to us about climate policy; Chu says “it’s wonderful” companies are fleeing the Chamber
• NYT: US Chamber has not expressed support for any proposals to cap emissions
• The Chamber claims its “Board of Directors is the principal governing and policymaking body.” Nike says that’s false, and American Enterprise Institute agrees, calling the Chamber board “mostly ceremonial.”
• Apple shuffles off the nano-Chamber of Commerce over its ‘frustrating’ global warming denialism.
• Chamber of Overstated Horrors

The popular blog moves to The Chronicle of Higher Education and brings all its content along for the ride.

[Source: Chronicle of Higher Education]

By Tim Conneally, Betanews

In addition to its more traditional Mojo software development kit for WebOS, Palm introduced a novel browser-based development environment for webOS last December called Project Ares. Users can drag-and-drop to create apps in Ares, and then hit “launch” in the browser to package, upload and launch homemade apps on a USB-connected Pre or Pixi.

Today, Palm alerted developers that the first full version of Project Ares has launched.

Ares 1.0 includes, as Palm says, “lots and lots of new features.,” including Components, which are widgets that access low-level functions (service calls, sensors, etc.) without any user interface. These components can be dragged and dropped onto the design canvas where they become icons at the bottom of the screen that can be selected, configured, and called in a single line of code.

Registered Palm developers can simply sign in to the Ares website to start working with it. Having the full SDK installed is recommended, but not mandatory.

Copyright Betanews, Inc. 2010

Those holding out for the trackpad-equipped BlackBerry Bold 9650 should be happy to hear the news.  According to intel received by BGR, the device will be announced at WES 2010 next week, with availability on Verizon Wireless as early as May 1st.  PhoneDog will be live on location at WES 2010, so if a launch does in fact happen, we’ll be sure to bring you the news as it breaks!

Sprint, on the other hand, continues to be on track for a rumored May 16th release date, as the most recent “hotsheet” leak lends credence to the date (see picture above).  Looks like the two-year agreement price will be $299.99 out the door, with a $100 mail-in rebate dropping the price to $199.99 after 8-10 weeks of waiting (in case you can’t tell, I’m not a rebate fan).  Again, not set in stone just yet, but with the amount of leaksauce that’s spewing out onto the internet, it’s only a matter of time before the device hits the retail floor.

Via BGR, CrackBerry

Yikes, talk about kicking a fellow while he’s down. With Palm doing their best to hang on to their executive team whilst also reportedly looking for a buyer, they’re not exactly at a high point right now — and now, it looks like they might be about to lose a major distribution partner: RadioShack.

As crazy as it may seem to the hardcore-lot that hangs around these parts, RadioShack is a pretty important point-of-sales for the wireless market. It’s one of the few big chains that people know to turn to when they’re ready for a new phone, be it that no other authorized retailers are nearby or they’ve got something against the Internet. In short, it’s definitely not a bad place to be for anyone looking to sell some phones.

As John Paczkowski over at AllThingsD points out, searching for the Palm Pixi or Palm Pre on the Shack’s online store returns nil. Neither are listed in Sprint’s line up, either. It seems to be the same deal at the meatspace outlets: while most of them had a unit or two in stock, managers are indicating that no future shipments are on the way.

RadioShack’s comment on the matter doesn’t really help:

For competitive reasons we don’t comment on inventory numbers and distribution of specific devices. Palm has been a good partner. We expect that relationship to continue.

Great – but will the relationship continue immediately, or once Palm churns out some new handsets?

Update: Barron’s just got confirmation from Sprint that RadioShack is phasing out the Pre in favor of an unnamed BlackBerry device, and the Pixi in favor of an unnamed messaging device. It looks like this phase-out is RadioShack only; Sprint itself doesn’t appear to be ditching Palm.

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 19 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The Pennsylvania Department of Banking is warning consumers about a new wave of misleading marketing tactics designed to entice homeowners into refinancing their mortgages.

The department’s Office of Consumer Services says some homeowners are receiving letters that appear to be from their own lender or from the federal government and make reference to their home mortgage. In some cases, these letters have been sent from a company whose name is mentioned only in fine print on the letter. The homeowner may call the telephone number on the letter thinking they are contacting their own lender or a federal agency only to learn that they are calling a company competing with their lender for business.

“These communications are brazenly misleading and intended to frighten and confuse consumers,” says Secretary of Banking Steve Kaplan. “We are contacting the offending institutions as well as their marketing companies and ordering them to put an end to this practice.”

The Department of Banking urges consumers to “do their homework” before entering into business with any financial company, especially companies offering loan modifications or refinancing. 

Consumers can ask about financial transactions as well as learn about companies licensed or chartered by the Department of Banking at www.banking.state.pa.us or by calling 1-800-PA-BANKS.

Media contact: Ed Novak, 717-783-4721

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking

http://www.state.pa.us

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

PHILADELPHIA, April 19 /CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM/ — The clock is ticking for companies wishing to take advantage of the Pennsylvania Tax Amnesty Program (“Program”).  Companies can file within the Program’s 54-day grace period, which begins on April 26, 2010.  Organizations that comply with the Program’s requirements and pay their past amounts can avoid penalties and one-half of the interest owed on back taxes.

“This is a very complex program, and companies that wish to take advantage of the amnesty period should already be working with experts to evaluate the potential savings,” said Dennis J. Kolumber, Jr., Principal at Ryan.  ”Companies should also note that participating in the Program can limit their ability to obtain a refund for overpayment of taxes and abandons their opportunity for appeal.”

“The amnesty covers more than 30 different types of taxes covering dozens of industries. However, the Program includes new penalties for companies that have an outstanding tax liability and do not take advantage of the Program,” said Mr. Kolumber.  ”For all non-participants, at the conclusion of the tax amnesty period, a 5% non-participation penalty will be imposed on unpaid liabilities not paid in full during the tax amnesty period.”

According to the tax amnesty legislation, an eligible tax liability is any tax that is administered by the Department of Revenue and is delinquent as of June 30, 2009.  Among the categories of taxes eligible for the Program include:

• Corporate net income tax
• Employer withholding tax
• Fuel use tax
• Gross receipts tax
• Hotel occupancy tax
• Sales and use tax

The Program also includes a provision to require repayment of the amount forgiven in the amnesty period if the taxpayer becomes delinquent again.

“Amnesty programs have been successful in other states,” said Mr. Kolumber. “An amnesty program in New Jersey reportedly generated more than $600 million in additional revenue for the state.”

With state taxes becoming more complex, and collection efforts more aggressive as the states struggle with declining tax revenues, it’s important for companies to avoid both interest and penalties by ensuring they are compliant with the myriad of state tax laws.

About Ryan

Ryan is the leading tax services firm in North America, with the largest transaction tax practice in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides a comprehensive range of state, local, federal, and international tax advisory and consulting services on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including audit defense, tax recovery, credits and incentives, tax process improvement and automation, tax appeals, and strategic planning. With a multi-disciplinary team of more than 800 professionals and associates, Ryan serves many of the world’s most prominent Fortune 1000 companies.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

G. Brint Ryan

https://profnet.CHICAGOPRESSRELEASE.COM.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=30518

SOURCE Ryan

http://www.ryanco.com

Distributed via Chicago Press Release Services

Food Politics: What Everyone Needs to Know

– New book by Robert Paarlberg (Paperback), Oxford University Press,
USA (April 7, 2010) p 240. ISBN-13: 978-0195389593. Amazon price
$11.53; Kindle Edition $9.99

http://www.amazon.com/Food-Politics-What-Everyone-Needs/dp/019538959X

The politics of food is changing fast. In rich countries, obesity is
now a more serious problem than hunger. Consumers once satisfied with
cheap and convenient food now want food that is also safe,
nutritious, fresh, and grown by local farmers using fewer chemicals.
Heavily subsidized and under-regulated commercial farmers are facing
stronger push-back from environmentalists and consumer activists, and
food companies are under the microscope. Meanwhile in developing
countries, agricultural success in Asia has spurred income growth and
dietary enrichment, but agricultural failure in Africa has left one
third of all citizens undernourished. The international markets that
link these diverse regions together are subject to sudden disruption,
as noted when an unexpected spike in international food prices in
2008 caused street riots in a dozen or more countries.

In an easy-to-navigate, question-and-answer format, Food Politics
carefully examines and explains the most important issues on today’s
global food landscape, including the food crisis of 2008, famines,
the politics of chronic hunger, the Malthusian race between food
production and population growth, international food aid,
controversies surrounding “green revolution” farming, the politics of
obesity, farm subsidies and trade, agriculture and the environment,
agribusiness, supermarkets, food safety, fast food, slow food,
organic food, local food, and genetically engineered food.

Politics in each of these areas has become polarized over the past
decade by conflicting claims and accusations from advocates on all
sides. Paarlberg’s book maps this contested terrain through the eyes
of an independent scholar not afraid to unmask myths and name names.
More than a few of today’s fashionable beliefs about farming and food
are brought down a notch under this critical scrutiny. For those
ready to have their thinking about food politics informed and also
challenged, this is the book to read.

‘Political scientist Paarlberg calls on years of food-policy work and
casts his net far and wide in highly opinionated discussions of food
shortages and safety, organics, and obesity. He believes that the
unsuccessful farm bill labors under the weight of Congressional and
lobbyist interests who care only about profits, not good policy,
while the “green revolution” is largely perpetrated by zealots more
focused on idealism than science.

Factory farming is essential, Paarlberg argues, and, by the way,
international food aid is manipulated by everyone from the Department
of Defense to the shipping lobby. The facts and figures he provides
are dizzying, and the quick shifts in subject matter will likely
leave readers wishing Paarlberg had chosen to focus his attention on
a facet or two of this enormous subject. Ultimately Food Politics is
best used as source book for those uncertain where to begin but
desiring something more substantial than bland green guides. Consider
it a cram course in how the world eats, and then use this knowledge
to support further inquiry. –Colleen Mondor’

Broomfield, Colorado, RES Americas Inc

Description: The Biomass Developer will be responsible for day-to-day aspects of project development, from site prospecting through commencement of construction. The focus of this position will be to help screen, identify, secure and develop profitable site opportunities to meet RES development goals.

Responsibilities:
1. Responsible for biomass project development, identifying potential projects, fuel sources and off take for biomass projects
2. Works closely with energy resource engineers to identify optimum project sites and develops land acquisition strategies.
3. Works closely with legal counsel and senior members of the development team to draft land-rights documents.
4. Represents company in community settings and in front of large landowner groups.
5. Provides head office expertise to support development in regions.
6. Manages land acquisition consultants and other temporary contractors.
7. Participates in environmental and permitting work.
8. Participates in transmission/interconnection process.
9. Identifies business opportunities and helps form relationships with key utilities and other potential clients within a region.
10. Works with finance team to assess viability of emerging opportunities.
11. Manages all aspects of the land-rights acquisition process.
Requirements:
1. Identify up and coming technologies and how they can fit with RES’ project portfolio/land positions
2. Lead contact with biomass equipment providers
3. Participate in the permitting process for project development
4. Participate in the interconnection and off take processes for project development
5. 3-7 year experience in the energy industry, with at least 3 years of experience with biomass projects.
6. Able to successfully manage the full-spectrum of core responsibilities independently or with limited over-sight, and consistently solves complex problems to move the Development process forward at any given stage (land acquisition through financial closing).
Education:
Degree in Engineering or related discipline