SEATTLE, WA -- November 21, 2009 -- Michele Weingeist, a Seattle resident, has created a modern, spiral Christmas tree for the holiday season. Made from recycled and recyclable aluminum, tannenboing is Weingeist's solution for a fresh, hip take on an old tradition.

'Like many people, artificial Christmas trees, made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and shipped over from China, don't appeal to my aesthetic or my ethics. I wanted a modern, sustainable alternative and I couldn't find what I was looking for on the market. So I set about creating a modern, spiral tree for myself. As I started work on the aluminum tree, people loved it and it grew from being just a spiral Christmas tree for myself, to tannenboing for the public.' said Weingeist. 'tannenboing trees are made in Seattle, WA. They are sculptural, contemporary and reusable.'

With room for over 200 ornaments or display items, tannenboing makes a statement in the home, office, or store window. When expanded, the aluminum spiral tree is over 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide at the base, and weighs 20 pounds. tannenboing packs flat in a reusable box making for easy, space-efficient storage when not in use. Made in the USA, tannenboing's beautiful, sleek lines are crafted from recycled and recyclable aluminum. Each aluminum tree is hand finished by a skilled blacksmith, and is a true work of art.

This year, tannenboing will offer 100 signed and number 'first edition' aluminum, spiral Christmas trees for a retail price of $795. tannenboing can be purchased in Seattle, WA at Square Room in Capital Hill, One Earth One Design in North Seattle or online at www.tannenboing.com.

tannenboing's inception:
For years, Weingeist searched for an elegant, modern Christmas tree with no luck. Finally, she set out to make her own, encouraged along the way by people's enthusiasm for the aluminum Christmas tree, she turned her idea into a business. It was important to her that the work be done in the USA in order to keep jobs here and to reduce the carbon footprint of the tree. She is thrilled that almost all of the work has taken place within a 30-mile radius of her office. Now, after working for nearly two years with an industrial designer, a mechanical engineer, several blacksmiths and metal fabricators - the modern, spiral Christmas tree, tannenboing, has sprung to life.

About the creator:
Michele Weingeist is a former .com executive, (Vice President of Product Development at AdRelevance, now Nielsen NetRatings). tannenboing marks her return to business after three years off to be home with her daughter. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her husband and daughter.

— WebWireID108239 —

Denver, Colorado – The clock is ticking for taxpayers to secure their end-of-the year tax breaks and many Americans who qualify for a tax shelter are not utilizing it.

'That's because many people are completely unaware of a special retirement vehicle that offers the self-employed a way to make significant contributions,' said financial expert, Jeff Nabers, CEO of Nabers Group.

The Solo 401k account offers powerful features that are not available to those who invest in traditional IRA or 401k accounts.

'One special feature of the Solo 401k is that it can be run by the accountholder. You don't have to open it up at a Wall Street-focused firm. That means that you're not stuck to ordering your investments off of a menu that offers only stocks, bonds, and mutual funds,' explains Nabers.

The volatile stock market and significant losses that many investors suffered have caused them to look for alternative options. Nabers says that's where the Solo 401k can really be helpful. 'Using the Solo 401k, people can invest in real estate, gold, foreign annuities, foreign currency, small businesses, and much more,' said Nabers.

Even better, the Solo 401k allows accountholders to make large retirement contributions totaling more than $50,000.

'The maximum contributions are approximately ten times higher than with a traditional IRA,' said Nabers. Sole proprietors can contribute $49,000 per year or $54,500 per year if they are over the age of 50. If the spouse is part of the company, that person can contribute an additional $49,000 or $54,500.

'The frustrating part about the Solo 401k is that not enough self-employed people know about it or how it can help them,' said Nabers. Many self-employed find they're in need of cash but few know that this type of retirement vehicle offers a way to borrow the money and pay it back with interest to your own retirement account.

Solo 401k accountholders can borrow up to $50,000 or 50 percent of the account's value. Loans can be taken out for any reason and repaid over a period of five years.

This may sound like the perfect option for the self-employed but, for those who delay, the opportunity to create a tax shelter will be lost for 2009 tax returns. The clocking is ticking—sole proprietors and small business owners have until December 31 to open a Solo 401k account for 2009.

About the Jeff Nabers, CEO

Jeff Nabers is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nabers Group and is a renowned consultant, speaker, and educator. Nabers is an expert in the fields of Self Directed wealth management and personal finance. Nabers teaches seminars on understanding money, free market capitalism, inflation, Austrian economic theory, real estate investing, direct possession of gold and silver, income-producing assets, small business startup funding, and Self Directed IRA and Solo 401k investing. Additionally, Nabers is the chairman of the IRA Association of America and authored the book '5 Steps To Freedom'.

— WebWireID108237 —

She reveals her Top Internet Marketing Secret System used to build a large organization in less than a year. 'Why not write your own paycheck using the power of the Internet?' said Mergenthal. She is driven with passion and a mindset for success. She brings over ten years of experience in the computer field and is very exited about using those skills to improve her Internet Marketing business and help others achieve their dreams.

For a limited time, Mergenthal offers a Free Video Series which will cover the following:

•How to Generate 100's of Free Leads on a Budget
•How to Build a business Fast and on a Shoe String
•How to use a little known trick to maximize a marketing plan that most people never think about.

To get this Free Video Series, visit http://www.FreeLeadsMarketing.com

Mergenthal added, 'Internet Marketing is hands down the best way to promote your business today.' The Internet marketing system she promotes is for motivated marketers who are looking to blow the lid off their online sales records. Her turn-key business solution will help individuals use the power of the Internet to create endless numbers of leads and money for their businesses.

Madeleine Mergenthal
www.FreeLeadsMarketing.com
www.HikeYourBusinessProfits.com
www.EarnTopMoneySecrets.com
www.EarnTopMoneySecret.com
Madeleine@FreeLeadsMarketing.com

— WebWireID108179 —

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., November 20, 2009 -- Medelita®, maker of breakthrough medical apparel, today announced the launch of its men's lab coats, which are on display at Medica 2009, a leading international trade fair for the medical industry held in Dusseldorf, Germany. Medelita inaugurates its men's collection with three varying lab coat styles, all named after distinguished figures in medicine: The Osler (44 in.), The Laennec (40 in.) and The Fleming (30 in.).

'Sophisticated, prestigious, innovative — these are words that medical professionals do not typically associate with lab coats,' said Lara Manchik, founder, Medelita. 'But with the introduction of Medelita Men's lab coats, male clinicians can now enjoy the same designer tailoring, high performance fabrics and upgrades that our female customers have raved about in our lab coats. The arrival of our men's line is a natural evolution and we are thrilled to bring a product to market that's long overdue.'

All Medelita lab coats are hand sewn in the U.S. using 100 percent pre-shrunk cotton, representing a significant improvement over traditional polyester/cotton blend lab coats with limited breathability. The lab coats feature a modern tailored fit, with finished inside seams and advanced fabric technology for unparalleled soil, stain, fluid and wrinkle resistance. While each style of Medelita Men's lab coat is designed for a specific use, they are all available in contemporary menswear sizes 36-52.

The 44-inch Osler men's lab coat is the modern version of the classic, full-length lab coat. Featuring five total pockets, including a concealed pocket for a PDA or Smartphone, the Osler lab coat is named after Sir William Osler, MD, CM, a Canadian physician, pathologist, educator, bibliophile, historian, and author, who is described as the Father of Modern Medicine.

The 40-inch Laennec lab coat is Medelita's mid-length lab coat featuring abundant upgrades to this versatile physician lab coat. With a tailored, distinguished look and technically innovative features, this new men's lab coat was named for René-Théophile-Hyacinthe Laennec, a French physician who invented the stethoscope in 1816, while working at the Hôpital Necker and pioneered its use in diagnosing various chest conditions.

The 30-inch Fleming lab coat is a hip-length lab coat, often called a 'consultation' or 'student' length lab coat. The Fleming is named after Sir Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist who published many articles on bacteriology, immunology and chemotherapy. He is best-known for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for the discovery of penicillin, which he shared with two colleagues.

Just as athletes wear high-tech fabrics to achieve optimum performance levels, medical professionals deserve comfort, style and functionality that stands up to the rigors of their demanding workdays. Medelita delivers high performance and functionality while allowing for unrestricted movement, all-day comfort, and a crisp, confident, professional appearance.

DuPont™ Teflon® Advanced Dual Action fabric protector provides a repel-and-release technology that aggressively fights stains, helping lab coats maintain their crisp, white appearance and luxurious feel. Water- and oil-based spills are repelled by an invisible molecular barrier around the individual fibers, while liquid spills (including blood) bead up and roll off. Residue is wiped away easily or blotted with a clean cloth. Ground-in stains are quickly released during laundering or dry cleaning.

As a company, Medelita was established by its founder, Lara Manchik, PA-C, to challenge the notion that boxy, unisex lab coats are the only viable option for medical professionals. Clinician-turned-entrepreneur, Manchik created Medelita as an answer to the cheaply constructed, mass produced lab coats that often require frequent replacement due to staining and deterioration. Medelita men's and women's lab coats upend the idea that 'one-size-fits-all' when it comes to medical apparel.

About Medelita
Medelita has one purpose: to reinvent the way women and men of all healthcare professions present themselves at work by offering the highest quality, best fitting, and most comfortable medical apparel available, including lab coats, embroidered lab coats and medical scrubs. Medelita caters to medical professionals who want their uniforms to embody the poise and confidence already displayed from within. For more information, visit our websites at http://www.medelita.com or http://www.medelita-mens.com, or call 877.987.7979.

# # #

— WebWireID108258 —

NEW YORK,- American Express today announced the launch of American Express Business Insights, a new analytics and consulting organization that draws on the power and reach of the Company's global network to help business customers develop better-informed strategies to grow their business.

Unlike conventional research that relies on static, self-reported information or surveys, Business Insights combines fresh, real world aggregate trend analysis to provide unique business planning and marketing expertise. Business Insights will identify strategic opportunities drawn from the aggregate spending patterns on approximately 90 million cards in force across 127 markets. It will work with business clients to provide data-driven insights focused on specific customer segments that will help them to develop customized marketing and growth strategies.

Business Insights will be housed within the American Express Global Merchant Services unit. In keeping with American Express' privacy principles, all data analysis is done only on an aggregate level and does not disclose any personally identifiable information to merchants or partners for marketing purposes. At American Express, aggregate data involves pooling transactional data to create customer segments such as 'ultra-affluent' or 'large corporate' to better evaluate the purchasing patterns within a business.

'Our ability to interpret trend patterns across the American Express global network represents an unprecedented reserve of competitive insights for businesses that are fighting hard every day to improve their offerings and reach their customers more effectively,' said Bill Glenn, president, Global Merchant Services, American Express. 'Using the power of the American Express network, we can help companies make smarter, more rigorous, and more customer-focused decisions – delivering a real competitive advantage in a continually challenging market environment.'

Business Insights will deliver a range of potential consulting applications that includes:

* Identifying consumer spending trends
* New product innovation
* Geographic expansion
* Customer acquisition and retention
* Improved marketing and advertising strategies
* Customer relationship management
* Improved procurement processes

'We are most excited about being able to provide our over 450 hotels with customized reports that contain invaluable insight into their customers' purchasing behavior. The reports provided by American Express Business Insights afford our colleagues the ability to strategically and effectively manage the allocation of their resources,' said Claudia Kozma Kaplan, SVP, Marketing and Communications, The Leading Hotels of the World. 'In a global marketplace where precise communications are increasingly important, this type of information is essential.'

The approximately 90 million cards in force and more than four billion transactions that take place each year at American Express serve as the foundation for analyzing consumer, small business and corporate spending patterns. Business Insights will customize its analyses and also draw on publicly available market data to provide valuable advice that businesses can act on.

'Businesses constantly wrestle with thorny questions like which markets to enter or expand, where to open new stores and how to define their ideal customer by seeking answers from research that is usually an arm's length removed from real world behavior,' Mr. Glenn added. 'Business Insights brings an entirely fresh perspective to solving these age-old questions.'

Business Insights provides a tiered offering to customers with products and services that match the needs of any sized company. In addition to large-scale, global consulting projects, Business Insights also offers a suite of quarterly benchmarking reports that provide spending trend analysis among various customer segments, vertical industry trends, and specific merchants' market share and customer mix.

Business Insights services are available immediately to companies around the world. A current selection of products for U.S. businesses is available online at: www.americanexpress.com/businessinsights.

— WebWireID108254 —

The fitment for the popular Prius will be Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires in size P195/65R15. The 2010 Toyota Prius is recognized as one of the top fuel-saving automobiles available in North America.

The Assurance Fuel Max features a fuel-saving tread compound that helps reduce energy loss as the tire rolls. In addition, Wet and Dry Tread Zones enhance all-season traction. The Wet Tread Zone features dual Aquachannel grooves to help evacuate water away from the treadface when driving on wet roads. The Dry Tread Zone helps enhance handling and grip for confident maneuvering on dry pavement.

Assurance Fuel Max also is available as a replacement tire choice for many popular vehicles.

The selection of the new Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max as a standard tire for the 2010 Toyota Prius follows earlier announcements of the tire also being chosen for the 2010 Ford Fusion S and the exclusive fitment for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt.

Goodyear tires are original equipment on many vehicles from Acura, Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, GMC, Hummer, Infiniti, Isuzu, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Mazda, Mercury, Nissan and Toyota. Traditionally, more new vehicles in North America are equipped with Goodyear tires than any other brand.

— WebWireID108253 —

The free online games portal offers gamers hundreds of games across a range of genres – from Sports and Puzzles to Arcade and Driving – and is home to classic hit games including Blast Billiards, Parking Perfection and Death Penalty, to name but a few.

Up until now MouseBreaker – part of the IPC Ignite portfolio of brands which also includes Nuts, Loaded, NME and Uncut – has been a phenomenal web-based success, with ABCe audited figures showing a monthly average of over 4.5 million unique users.*

The new partnership with Cobra Mobile will begin with the development of Blast Billiards for iPhone/Touch, due for launch before Christmas.

IPC Media head of mobile development Miles Ross adds: "Games are at the heart of the revolution that has been the AppStore on the iPhone, therefore Mousebreaker games are at the heart of IPC's mobile applications strategy. The iPhone is a phenomenal games platform and Mousebreaker has some phenomenally popular games, the two will be fantastic combination. We are lucky to be working with a company as experienced and creative as Cobra Mobile."

Cobra Mobile's Mark Ettle adds: "It's been a joy to bring the fun and crazy game-play of Blast Billiards to the iPhone and iPod Touch. The game perfectly suits the device and is going to offer all the wide appeal of the web-based version with all new features and levels coming to the iPhone version to make this a must have iPhone casual game. This includes five all-new arcade levels, five all-new trick shot levels and two game mechanics: Classic and Real Cue."

* ABCe audited average monthly unique users, January to June 2009

— WebWireID108252 —

EMI is first major label group to make concerts, music videos available on Hulu

Los Angeles, EMI Music has reached an agreement with Hulu, an online video service that offers hit TV shows, movies and clips at Hulu.com and other online destination sites — anytime in the U.S., making EMI the first major music company to offer concerts and music videos from its artists to Hulu viewers. The deal, which will include content from artists on EMI's labels including Virgin, Capitol and Blue Note, begins today with exclusive content from Norah Jones, whose highly-anticipated new album, The Fall debuts this week.

The Norah Jones page on Hulu is available at www.hulu.com and will feature multiple concerts in their entirety, including her show at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, which featured guests Dolly Parton and Gillian Welch. Also available is the entire repertoire of Norah Jones music videos, including her latest, Chasing Pirates, videos from her 2007 release, Not Too Late, as well as those from quadruple platinum 2004 release Feels Like Home and her landmark debut album, Come Away With Me. An interview with Jones is available on the Hulu blog: http://blog.hulu.com.

"We think Hulu is an excellent, high-quality environment and a great place to connect with fans. We look forward to making more content available from other artists as well," said Ronn Werre, President, EMI Music Services and COO, EMI Music North America. "We're delighted to add Hulu to the growing number of platforms EMI is working with to give fans more of what they're looking for."

Since the release of her debut album Come Away With Me in 2002, Norah has become one of the most influential and biggest-selling artists of the decade, reaching the #1 spot in the US and across the globe for each of her three previous albums, racking up a staggering 37 million in sales worldwide, and receiving 9 Grammy Awards.

The Fall, which is being released this week around the world, finds Jones experimenting with a new set of collaborators, including Jacquire King, a noted producer and engineer who has worked with Kings of Leon, Tom Waits, and Modest Mouse among others. Jones enlisted several songwriting collaborators, including Ryan Adams and Okkervil River's Will Sheff, as well as her frequent partner Jesse Harris. King also helped Jones put together a new group of musicians to perform on the album, including drummers Joey Waronker (Beck, R.E.M.) and James Gadson (Bill Withers), keyboardist James Poyser (Erykah Badu, Al Green), and guitarists Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello) and Smokey Hormel (Johnny Cash, Joe Strummer).

— WebWireID108251 —

Baltimore, Maryland, USA -- With support from the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ Youth Action Grants program, 20 youth-led initiatives in 12 countries will expand the impact of their social change work. The grants, ranging from US$7,500-$10,000, will support youth-led projects such as efforts to influence the legislative agenda in Kenya, equip disadvantaged women in the Philippines with income-generating skills, and raise awareness of solutions to climate change.

The Youth Action Grants program is a key component of the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ commitment to communities. Grant recipients were chosen by Starbucks and the International Youth Foundation (IYF) in order to make funding available to young leaders who have completed IYF's YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship. The Fellowship seeks to develop a new generation of socially-conscious global citizens who create positive change in their communities, their countries, and the world.

'The diversity of projects led by this year's grant recipients testify to the tremendous drive, creativity, and compassion of today's young social entrepreneurs,' said IYF President and CEO William S. Reese. 'Through this much-needed support, Starbucks is enabling these youth to realize their visions of a better world – and inspire others in the process.'

'We congratulate each of these young leaders for their hard work and innovative solutions to local challenges,' said Ben Packard, Starbucks vice president, Global Responsibility. 'Through Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ commitment to communities, we seek to celebrate, support, and spread this spirit of innovation and service in addressing community needs.'

Among the 20 projects to receive a total of US$200,000 in StarbucksTM Shared PlanetTM Youth Action Grants are:

Family in Need Trust, Zimbabwe: The Trust, established by Jack Bbabbie Mukulu, 29, will provide vocational training and HIV/AIDS prevention education to 50 women caretakers of orphans and vulnerable children.

Human Artificial Vision, Mexico: Developed by Luis Octavio Ortigoza Ayala, 27, Human Artificial Vision will train 500 visually-impaired individuals in the use of a prosthesis enabling them to perceive images.

Sri Arunodayan Charitable Trust, India: Under the leadership of Iyyappan Subramanyan, 29, the Trust will construct a physiotherapy room serving 90 children with intellectual disabilities.

Youth Action for Change (YAC), Italy: Founded by Selene Biffi, 26, Youth Action for Change will publish an online youth magazine, Young Innovations Europe, aimed at showcasing youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship, and creativity.

Fired Up Media, United States: Launched by Richard Graves, 26, Fired Up Media will form seven new media teams, one from each continent, to report on the most compelling climate change stories in the world related to the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009.

A committee comprised of IYF staff and Starbucks partners (employees) selected the final grant recipients. To learn more about the Starbucks™ Shared Planet™ Youth Action Grants program and the planned activities of all 20 grant recipients, visit www.youthactionnet.org.

— WebWireID108250 —

'Following these simple travel tips will help expedite the screening process at airports and keep travelers healthy and safe throughout the holiday travel season,' said Secretary Napolitano.

TSA's holiday travel tips will help decrease the amount of time passengers spend in line at airport security checkpoints, increase the overall efficiency of airport operations and enhance security by engaging passengers in the shared responsibility of watching out for suspicious activity at airports across the nation.

TSA Travel Tips

* Pay attention to your health before traveling
o The best way to prevent the spread of the flu is to stay home if you're sick or have flu-like symptoms.
o The CDC recommends you get both H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines.
* Practice good hygiene while traveling
o Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing.
o Wash your hands regularly to help prevent the spread of germs and illness.
* Ensure your government-issued ID and boarding pass are out and ready
o Getting all travel documents together and ready before you get in line will help security officers quickly verify that you, your identification, and your boarding pass match and are valid.
* Wear easily removable shoes and jackets
o Wearing footwear that can be easily removed helps speed the process for X-ray screening. Be prepared to remove all shoes, jackets and other outerwear for screening.
* Take out liquids and laptops
o Remember the 3-1-1 rule for liquids, gels and aerosols at the checkpoint:
+ 3-ounce bottles or less for all liquids, gels and aerosols;
+ 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic zip-top bag; and
+ 1 bag per passenger placed separately in a security bin for X-ray screening.
o The liquid restriction applies only to carry-on bags. Passengers can pack larger quantities of liquids and gels in checked baggage.
o Be prepared to remove your laptop from its case and place it in separate bin for X-ray screening.
* Use TSA Family Lanes if you or your family needs extra time or assistance
o Last year, TSA expanded its popular Family Lanes to every security checkpoint in the United States.
o Family Lanes allow infrequent travelers, those with small children or passengers who need additional assistance to move through security at their own pace. Officers in these lanes work with passengers to screen medically necessary items like baby formula and insulin.
* Keep an eye out for suspicious activity
o Transportation security is a shared responsibility. The traveling public plays an important role in keeping holiday travel safe.
o Travelers should report all suspicious activities or items to airport security personnel.
* Remember TSA's new Secure Flight program when booking new airline tickets
o Fulfilling a key 9/11 Commission recommendation, TSA is working with airlines to implement Secure Flight.
o Secure Flight prescreens passenger name, date of birth and gender against government watch lists for domestic and international flights—making travel safer and easier by keeping known or suspected terrorists from obtaining a boarding pass.
o In addition, Secure Flight helps prevent the misidentification of passengers who have names similar to individuals on government watch lists.
o When booking airline tickets, use your name as it appears on the government ID you plan to use when traveling—along with your date of birth and gender. Providing this information will clear 99 percent of travelers to print boarding passes at home.
o Airlines are phasing in this program; if you are not prompted for this information when booking travel or if there are small variations between your name and your reservation, don't worry—you will still be able to travel.

For more information on these and other helpful travel tips, please visit www.tsa.gov.

— WebWireID108249 —

WASHINGTON, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists and their colleagues have completed a four-year effort to sequence the genome of corn, an achievement expected to speed up development of corn varieties that will help feed the world and meet growing demands for using this important grain crop as a biofuel and animal feed. The results represent the largest and most complex plant genome sequenced to date, and are the cover story in the November 20 issue of the journal Science.

"Sequencing the corn genome will help researchers in the United States and around the world develop corn varieties to confront critical global challenges like climate change, hunger, and renewable energy," said Edward B. Knipling, administrator of USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency. "This effort will provide scientists a preliminary blueprint for identifying genetic pathways that will lead to a better understanding of corn and enable scientists to improve corn in a number of ways."

The sequencing will help researchers uncover the relationships between corn genes and traits, develop an overall picture of the plant's genetic makeup, and broaden understanding of how the complex interplay of genetics and environment determines the plant's health and viability. The work also is expected to lead to development of corn varieties with higher yields and better tolerance of droughts, pests and diseases. It also should help scientists produce varieties with fibers, stalks and cellular structures that will make corn a better source of biofuel.

The team, which included Doreen Ware, a computational biologist at the ARS Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health in Ithaca, N.Y., has released the most comprehensive draft sequence to date, providing the most detailed look thus far at the functional portions of the corn genome. Ware led the computational effort and is a lead author of the report along with Richard Wilson of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., and Patrick S. Schnable of Iowa State University at Ames. Other key participants in the project included the University of Arizona at Tucson and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York. USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, along with the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, jointly funded the $29.5 million effort.

Edward Buckler, an ARS geneticist at the Holley Center, and Ware also have used next generation sequencing data to assemble a haplotype genetic map of the corn genome that lays out portions of the genome shared by 27 diverse inbred lines of corn. A haplotype is a combination of alleles-alternative forms of genes-that are located closely together on the same chromosome and tend to be inherited together. The corn lines in the haplotype genetic map were selected specifically because they represent the vast majority of the genetic diversity in corn. By searching through these lines, researchers and breeders can unlock corn's genetic potential and significantly accelerate the breeding of plants to meet the demands of the growing world population and the challenges of global climate change. Buckler's "HapMap," which also is published today in Science, shows a 30-fold variation in recombination rates, which are the rates that genetic material from parents mix to show up in the progeny. The map is designed to function like the human genome HapMap, making it easier to link genes and genetic patterns with significant traits, Buckler said. The researchers already are linking the HapMap to the basis of hybrid vigor.

Corn, known among scientists as maize, is one of world's most important crops. Corn was a $47 billion crop in the United States last year. It is the largest production crop worldwide, providing not only food for billions of people and livestock, but also critical feedstock for production of biofuels. Ware said the work should serve as a foundation for understanding and improving on other agricultural crops as well. Plants previously sequenced include rice, sorghum, poplar, grape and Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant widely studied as a model organism.

— WebWireID108248 —

— WebWireID108247 —

This order is the second production contract for Rolls-Royce as part of its involvement in the JSF programme. The previous contract, for LRIP 2 and signed in December 2008, was for $131m.

The Rolls-Royce LiftSystem comprises a LiftFan, Roll Posts and 3 Bearing Swivel Module. Rolls-Royce will provide these through the propulsion system prime contractor Pratt & Whitney, with module deliveries having already commenced in July 2009 under the Long Lead provision within the contract. The scope of the contract also includes spare hardware, production investment and sustainment planning.

Simon Henley, Director for New Product Introduction at Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace, said:

'This new contract, together with the imminent first flight of the F-35 in STOVL mode, shows the Rolls-Royce LiftSystem programme is now generating real momentum and that Rolls-Royce technology is helping to bring a step change in air combat technology.

'As the LiftSystem programme continues to gain momentum on both sides of the Atlantic we are looking forward to supporting the flight trials with the LiftSystem engaged in the F-35B at the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River'.

Orders for the LiftSystem are expected to total over 600, with leading customers including the US Marine Corps, The UK Armed Forces and the Italian Navy. The F-35B variant is expected to remain in service well after 2050.

Rolls-Royce engineers in Bristol, UK and Indianapolis, US, are involved in design and assembly of the LiftSystem, with component manufacture also taking place at the Hucknall and Bristol sites in the UK.

This production contract follows on from the $1.1bn contract signed with Pratt & Whitney in 2001 to develop the F135 STOVL Propulsion System.

— WebWireID108246 —

KIT Munich is a project being run by the Worker's Samaritan Federation (ASB), Munich/Upper Bavaria chapter, in which specially qualified voluntary emergency rescuers help, advise and support people immediately after serious incidents. The project is mainly financed by donations and funds from the ASB. Support for KIT Munich has originated out of Qualcomm's Munich office, once again underlining Qualcomm's worldwide commitment to social responsibility.

'The previous donation by Qualcomm last year marked the inception of the KITz project, an initiative aimed at children. What's more, we were able to make long overdue investments, among them a new uniform and repairs to our emergency vehicle,' says Peter Zehentner, head of KIT Munich. 'The renewed support from Qualcomm has enabled us to finally buy a new emergency vehicle so that we are always ready to go into action. The donation also ensures that KITz can continue to provide special support and advice for children who need uncomplicated help after traumatic events, as well as for their parents and guardians.'

'At Qualcomm, we believe that by supporting worthwhile local organizations such as KIT we can have a major impact on their success,' says Thomas Nindl, business development director at Qualcomm Germany. 'As an honorary employee of the ASB, I know the organisation very well. They have done an exceptional job meeting the needs of children suffering from extreme shock and traumas.'

Qualcomm's dedication to being a socially responsible company reaches beyond company borders. Among other achievements, it has been named among FORTUNE magazine's lists of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and Most Admired Companies for 10 years in a row.

— WebWireID108245 —

EPIX is the leading next-generation, multi-platform entertainment service, delivering the latest movie blockbusters, new releases, library classics and original content across its premium, HD television channel, video-on-demand service and EpixHD.com Web site. Viewers with an EPIX subscription have access to everything - great entertainment anytime, anywhere, on every platform.

EPIX supported a successful public launch of its service last month by leveraging a full suite of Akamai solutions, including launching as one of the first customers on Akamai's deployment of Adobe® Flash® Media Server 3.5 with support for dynamic streaming. Also integral to the launch were Akamai Professional Services, Akamai NetStorage, Akamai's Open Video Player, Akamai EdgeScape for geotargeting and Akamai Media Analytics.

With the launch, EPIX is now delivering more than 150 full-length HD movie experiences online with the quality, speed and convenience demanded by today's consumers of digital media. With Akamai's dynamic streaming for Adobe Flash, movie playback on EPIX seamlessly adapts to end-user machines with different capabilities, such as lower processing powers or slower Internet connections, giving consumers a smooth, uninterrupted playback experience online without sacrificing viewing quality.

"EPIX is leading the next generation of entertainment and Akamai is a key technology partner for us in this mission," said Thomas Carpenter, VP Operations. "As drivers of this evolution, we have an imperative to provide seamless, high-quality video delivery in conjunction with our core brand promises of exceptional content, programming and user experience. Akamai's ability to seamlessly deliver our movies, concerts, comedy specials and events in HD allows us to fulfill on our promise of a quality, TV-like experience in the broadband medium."

"Consumers are increasingly seeking out HD video and gravitating toward the destination sites that offer them the highest quality content and experience," said Robert Hughes, Executive Vice President of Global Sales, Services and Marketing at Akamai. "Feature length movies provide the perfect opportunity to be viewed at full 1280x720 resolution content in full screen. To handle that type of resolution, our customers are increasingly taking advantage of adaptive bitrate streaming, a key requirement to ensure consistency and a high-quality, TV-like experience for viewers. Akamai's full suite of HD streaming products, including Adobe FMS 3.5, are designed to offer these benefits."

— WebWireID108244 —

Midland, MI.

* Insulation is one of the most important elements of green homes and buildings.
* STYROFOAM SIS™ Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing and the THERMAX™ Wall System seen by experts as contributing the most value to builders, remodelers and architects.
* Dow Building Solutions is the first company to win multiple green product awards in the same competition.

Dow Building Solutions (DBS) has brought home the "green" from Building Products magazine's second annual Green Product Awards contest.

DBS earned the coveted awards for two different continuous insulation (ci) wall systems - STYROFOAM SIS™ Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing and the THERMAX™ Wall System. This is the first time in the competition's history that a company has won for two products in the same year.

"Builders, contractors and architects recognize the value of insulation in making a structure greener and more energy efficient," said Mike McGaugh, vice president and general manager, Dow Building Solutions, North America. "At Dow, we are helping to make green-built homes and buildings even better by developing and bringing to market new technologies that perform better, save more energy and are easier to install."

The winners of the 2009 Green Product Awards represent product introductions that excelled in three areas: sustainability, value to the contractor, and innovation. The ultimate award winners were those deemed to contribute the most to green-built homes and buildings, and offer the most value to builders, remodelers and architects.

STYROFOAM SIS™ Structural Insulated Sheathing from Dow combines a structural layer, a moisture barrier, and foam insulation, providing R-values of 3.0 at ½ inch or 5.5 at 1 inch. Made of up to 80 percent post-consumer recycled content by weight, STYROFOAM SIS™ Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing is ENERGY STAR-qualified. And, at one-third the weight of OSB†, it is easier to handle and quicker to install. One judge summed up the products benefits as, "This appears to be an excellent product, providing wall bracing, energy performance, and the potential for weatherization all in one. The labor savings alone is huge."

"Builders who have switched from un-insulated sheathing, such as OSB, to STYROFOAM SIS™ like the fact that they only need one product to deliver structure, water resistance and thermal insulation," said John Hammer, residential market manager, Dow Building Solutions, North America. "It's an easier way for them to build greener homes. Homeowners benefit too, saving anywhere from $200-$500 on their energy bills‡."

The THERMAX™ Wall System by Dow is a new approach to steel stud wall design that makes it easier to minimize a building's energy usage in a cost-effective manner. The system integrates continuous rigid foam insulation and flashing on the exterior, and spray polyurethane foam on the interior. It provides an R-value of up to 28.8, blocks air infiltration, and helps prevent moisture intrusion.

"THERMAX™ is truly innovative because it reduces the number of trades involved in erecting the wall assembly and, because of the spray-applied interior wall insulation, the smallest penetrations are eliminated," said Birmingham, Michigan, architect Victor Saroki of Victor Saroki & Associates, in a testimonial.

"When we calculated the tremendous energy loss in steel stud construction that used traditional gypsum and batt insulation, we decided to create a wall system that provides thermal protection and prevents air and moisture penetration without adding steps," said Doug Todd, commercial market manager, Dow Building Solutions, North America. "With some recent projects, our customers have reported energy savings of 30 to 40 percent over the original design, and capital cost reductions for materials and labor of up to $60,000."

— WebWireID108242 —

'Global Entry expedites the customs and security process for trusted air travelers through biometric identification while helping DHS ensure the safety of all airline passengers,' said Secretary Napolitano. 'Making Global Entry permanent will improve customer service at airports across the country and enable law enforcement to focus on higher-risk travelers.'

Global Entry—currently available as a pilot program at 20 U.S. international airports—allows pre-approved members a streamlined, automated alternative to regular passport processing lines. The program currently reduces average wait times by more than 70 percent, with more than 75 percent of travelers using Global Entry processed in under five minutes.

The proposed rule published today poses federal regulations that would end the current pilot and make Global Entry permanent—allowing CBP to expand the program to additional U.S. international airports. Those members currently participating in the pilot will have their time credited to the five year membership as proposed in the rule, so there will be no break in membership or need to re-apply when the program becomes permanent.

At Global Entry kiosks, members insert their passport or lawful permanent resident card into a document reader, provide digital fingerprints for comparison with fingerprints on file, answer customs declaration questions on the kiosk's touch-screen, and then present a transaction receipt to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers before leaving the inspection area.

To date, there have been approximately 100,000 admissions with Global Entry by 27,000 members. Global Entry is currently open to citizens of the United States and lawful permanent residents of the United States. Citizens of the Netherlands may also apply under a special reciprocal arrangement that links Global Entry with the Privium program in Amsterdam.

In August, Secretary Napolitano announced the expansion of the Global Entry pilot program to 13 additional airports across the country.

Citizens interested in commenting on this rulemaking—identified by docket number USCBP-2008-0097—may submit written comments by one of the following methods:

* The Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov
* Postal Mail:

Border Security Regulations Branch
Regulations and Rulings
Office of International Trade
Customs and Border Protection
799 9th Street, NW, 5th floor
Washington, DC 20001-4501

Comments must be received by Jan. 19, 2010.

— WebWireID108241 —

ROME, Italy, On the sidelines of the 36th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations Ministerial Conference, Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan met with Josette Sheeran, Executive Director of the World Food Program (WFP), and Akram Musa Hadi Al Hakim, Iraq's Acting Minister of Agriculture.

"The World Food Program works tirelessly to fight hunger and food insecurity around the world," said Merrigan. "This meeting was an opportunity for me to thank the WFP on behalf of USDA and the entire U.S. government and reiterate how much the United States values its partnership with this important organization."

As the United States finalizes its global hunger and food security strategy, it will rely on the WFP's resources and expertise in safety nets, storage, transportation and logistics to ensure its efforts have the most impact in developing countries.

Merrigan also met with Iraq's Acting Minister of Agriculture to discuss USDA's contributions to help rebuild and reconstruct Iraq's agricultural sector.

"We discussed the numerous initiatives being implemented by USDA's Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) agricultural advisors to revitalize Iraq's agricultural sector and the various USDA programs and activities helping to strengthen the Iraqi government in the areas of rebuilding agricultural markets and improving management of natural resources," said Merrigan. "Among USDA advisors' initiatives, we both noted the impressive progress that the Green Mada'in Association for Agricultural Development east of Baghdad has made in less than a year to become a sustainable and dynamic force in Iraq's efforts to employ modern agricultural techniques."

In December, the farmer's cooperative will celebrate the grand opening of its new office and warehouse facilities and the first meeting of its board of directors. The cooperative owes its success in part to the oversight of two USDA PRT agricultural advisors; the support of other agricultural associations in the region, Iraq's Ministry of Agriculture and Iraq's Prime Minister; and the funding obtained through contributions by cooperative members, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Commanders' Emergency Response Program. In addition to rebuilding Iraq's agriculture sector, the United States continues to be among Iraq's leading suppliers of agricultural commodities and products, helping to bridge the gap between Iraqi demand and domestic production.

Merrigan is the first woman to chair the FAO conference, which was last chaired by the United States 20 years ago. As chair, Merrigan is overseeing discussions on the ongoing FAO reform effort and officiated as heads of delegations presented their country's view of the state of food and agriculture at the conference's plenary session.

The Conference is the supreme governing body of FAO and meets in regular session every two years. Its main functions are to determine the policies of the organization, approve the program of work and budget and make recommendations to members and international organizations. In addition to being attended by all members and associate members of the organization, it is also attended by observers from non-member nations, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. Members include 191 nations, one member organization, the European Community, and one associate member, the Faroe Islands.

— WebWireID108240 —

Deutsche Börse is expanding the offering of its Market Data & Analytics segment by acquiring the US financial news service Need to Know News. A purchase agreement was signed on 20 November 2009. For a US$ amount in the one digit million range including a performance-related payment, Need to Know News will become a 100 percent subsidiary of Market News International (MNI), a Deutsche Börse Group company.

'The acquisition of Need to Know News reflects our growth strategy with globally relevant information for algorithmic traders. We see an increasing demand from market participants pursuing automated trading strategies to integrate financial news and other event data into their algorithms, in addition to real-time market data', said Holger Wohlenberg, Managing Director of Deutsche Börse Market Data & Analytics.

With this transaction, Deutsche Börse acquires a pioneer in the delivery of machine readable news for algorithmic trading. The acquisition allows Deutsche Börse to combine its expertise in the development of ultra high speed data feeds with content provided by Market News International and with the proven market experience of Need to Know News. Together, the businesses aim to assume a leading role in the delivery of real-time data to the growing number of market participants with automated trading applications. At the same time, Deutsche Börse is expanding its client base for its offering of real-time news relevant to financial markets.

Based in Washington D.C., Need to Know News has 25 employees and delivers trading relevant news to market participants in the US and Europe.

About Market Data & Analytics
Deutsche Börse Market Data & Analytics collects, refines and disseminates independent capital market relevant data and information. The product range includes price data, trading statistics, analyses, master data, financial news and over 3,000 indices which document market movements and bring transparency to international financial markets. With the acquisition of Market News International (MNI) in January 2009, Market Data & Analytics extended its services with trading relevant macroeconomic real-time news. MNI has employees in 12 locations in Europe, Asia and the USA.

— WebWireID108238 —

Dallas, Texas, Good little boys and girls across the country can text their holiday wish-list to Santa and track Santa's sleigh journey faster than ever this year, thanks to the bearded man in red and some of his helpers, including AT&T.* According to the North Pole, Santa has decided to use the latest digital tools to spread holiday cheer through a holiday texting campaign and a special app on AT&T U-verseSM TV.

AT&T customers who text SANTA to 1224 between now and Dec. 24 will receive an invitation from jolly old St. Nick himself to text back their wish-lists for this holiday season. Thanks to a special agreement between Santa and AT&T, text messages sent to this short code – and the reply text messages from Santa – will be offered at no charge.

Families can also keep up with Santa and enjoy holiday fun for the whole family with a new interactive Santa Tracker app and on-demand holiday entertainment on AT&T U-verse TV. This year, U-verse TV families will be able to visit the North Pole and follow Santa's every move on Christmas Eve with Santa Tracker. The app is now available to all U-verse TV and High Speed Internet customers at no extra charge on channel 98 for the holiday season.

'If you think Santa and the elves are fast at making toys, you should see them texting! It was clearly the season to go digital,' said Susan Bean, North Pole representative for Santa Claus. 'We wanted to give children out there more ways than ever to send Santa their wish-lists and watch what's going on at the North Pole. So when AT&T offered to make it easy for their customers to text the North Pole and keep dibs on the crew on U-verse TV, we knew we had to jump on it.'

With Santa Tracker, families will be able to read bios for Santa's reindeer; get holiday arts and crafts project ideas; play sing-a-longs for popular holiday music; read facts about the North Pole; play 'Gingerbread Man' and 'Repeat' holiday games; and view a countdown to Christmas Eve. You will also be able to vote on whether your family deserves a visit from Santa in the 'Naughty and Nice' poll, and you can see instant polling results from other U-verse TV families. And on Christmas Eve, you can watch live reports from the Santa News Network to see if Santa has left the North Pole and track his sleigh as he travels around the globe.

AT&T U-verse TV also has a new 'Happy Holiday Movies' section in the On Demand library featuring classic holiday movies. The movies range from $2 to $7 per rental, and are available in Standard Definition (SD), High Definition (HD) or both. From Dec. 14 through Dec. 20, U-verse TV customers can get $1 off their rental of 'Nothing Like the Holidays' by entering coupon code '15001' for SD and '115001' for HD in the Offers On Demand app on channel 199.

For details on how to keep up with Santa this holiday, tips and hot deals on gifts that don't come from the North Pole, and ways to personalize your wireless experience, AT&T invites you to visit www.att.com/holidaygifts — especially if you have made Santa's 'Nice' list.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verseSM and AT&T | DIRECTVSM brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T's Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

© 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements
Information set forth in this news release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update or revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

— WebWireID108236 —