A report from Reuters released on Jan. 22, 2009 states that gasoline prices have climbed for three consecutive weeks now, rising 6.3 cents per gallon.

According to the federal Energy Information Administration, the average national price for regular unleaded gasoline is $1.85 per gallon. This is said to be the highest since November 24; however, this figure was down $1.17 a year earlier.

Based on the agency’s weekly survey, gasoline price was at its highest on the West Coast jumping 7.5 cents at $2.02 per gallon since the last half of January. San Francisco had the highest city price at $2.06, up 4.9 cents while Los Angeles was at $2.04, up 7.6 cents.

The Rocky Mountain States had the lowest regional price at $1.61 per gallon, which was up 4.4 cents. (At $1.61 a gallon, Denver had the lowest city pump cost but also suffered an increase of 7.9 cents.) Gas prices in other states seemed to soar as well. Miami was at $1.97 per gallon, up 9.6 cents while New York City was at $1.78 per gallon, up 4.7 cents. Chicago was at $2.01 a gallon, up 4.5 cents while Cleveland was at $1.91 per gallon, down 0.6 cent.

Boston was at $1.74, up 5.5 cents. According to a Boston Globe report dated January 24, 2009, data obtained from AAA Southern New England and the Department of Energy Resources have revealed that the gasoline price in Massachusetts now averages at $1.75 per gallon, up 12 cents in the past two weeks.

Meanwhile, diesel prices seemed to have swerved to the opposite direction when the average price for diesel dropped 1.8 cents at $2.30 per gallon, which was down 97 cents from the previous year. The Gulf Coast region had the least expensive diesel which went down 1.7 cents at $2.23, while the New England states had the most costly diesel at $2.61 a gallon, down 0.8 cent.

The government explained that the price jump is due to higher crude oil costs. (Note that crude oil price usually determines the price of gasoline.) However, in an article from Boston Globe, Arthur Kinsman, spokesman for AAA Southern New England, stated that crude oil prices have stayed low in general, despite the recent fluctuations that can be seen on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

With this said, the relatively low crude oil price in the world market does not seem to match with the current rising trend of gasoline prices in the nation. An article from Times News confirms this scenario as it illustrates the situation in Tennessee, wherein despite the low demand for gasoline and the moderate gains in crude oil prices, gasoline prices still continue to increase; an unlikely trend as mentioned by Don Lindsey, spokesman for the AAA East Tennessee.

Still in the same article from Boston Globe, it was reported that crude oil price rose to $2.80, up 6.4%, following reports regarding plans to cut production from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

On Jan. 23, 2009, Geron Corporation was granted clearance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start its human clinical trial of GRNOPC1, a human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based therapy for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury. This trial is said to be the first in the world.

Geron Corporation considers this development as one of its most significant accomplishments so far because through this, they are now able to conduct the world’s first federally approved study of hESC-based therapy for humans. If successful, this will be a major milestone not just for the company but also for the fields of embryonic stem cell research and medical therapeutics.

According to Geron Corporation president and CEO Dr. Thomas Okarma, the clearance of the GRNOPC1 trial serves as a gateway to a new level of healing wherein restoration of organs and tissues is achieved through the injection of healthy replacement cells. Dr. Thomas Okarma added that the goal for the use of GRNOPC1 is “to achieve restoration of spinal cord function by the injection of hESC-derived oligodendrocyte progenitor cells directly into the lesion site of the patient’s spinal cord.”

The initial phase I study will focus on the safety of the cell therapy, although researchers will also try to find signs whether the therapy works. The company has selected seven medical centers to participate in the trial, with the study subject to approval from their internal review boards.

Geron Corporation is an American biotechnology company that specializes in the development of biopharmaceuticals designed to treat cancer and chronic degenerative ailments including heart failure, diabetes, and spinal cord injury. Headquartered in Melo Park, California, Geron Corporation was founded by Dr. Michael D. West. It was incorporated in 1990 and began its operations in 1992. Geron Corporation is considered to be the leading embryonic stem cell developer in the world as it holds exclusive rights on several cell types. Since its incorporation, Geron Corporation has been granted more than 260 patents.

The corporation also helped fund the researchers at the University of Wisconsin when human embryonic stem cells were first isolated in 1998.

Geron Corporation has subsidiaries, namely: Geron Bio-Med Limited, which is wholly owned and located in Edinburgh, Scotland; and TA Therapeutics, Limited in Hong Kong, which is majority-owned.

Geron Corporation is centered on the creation of drugs based on telomere and stem cell research. Geron Corporation is currently advancing an anti-cancer drug (GRN163L) that inhibits the enzyme telomerase. Geron Corporation is also conducting multiple trials at Duke University Medical Center in its efforts to develop a telomerase vaccine (GRNVAC1) for the treatment of prostate cancer in patients. Additionally, Geron Corporation is developing cell-based therapeutics derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to treat different health conditions associated with cell aging, injury, and degenerative diseases. Moreover, Geron Corporation is engaged in the initial development of telomerase-based treatment for HIV named TAT0002 and taken from Astragalus plant.

Due to Geron Corporation’s advancement in telomerase drugs, the pharmaceutical company Merck invested considerably in the biotechnology corporation in 2005.

Major Upgrades to iPhoto, iMovie & GarageBand

SAN FRANCISCO—January 6, 2009—Apple® today introduced iLife® ’09, which features major upgrades to iPhoto®, iMovie® and GarageBand®, and includes iDVD® and an updated version of iWeb™. iPhoto ’09 builds on the ability to automatically organize photos into Events by adding Faces and Places as breakthrough new ways to easily organize and manage your photos. iMovie ’09 expands on the revolutionary super fast movie creation introduced in iMovie ’08 by adding the depth users want through powerful easy-to-use new features such as the incredible new Precision Editor, video stabilization, advanced drag and drop, and animated travel maps. GarageBand ’09 introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar with 18 basic lessons and optional lessons from top artists such as Sara Bareilles, John Fogerty, Norah Jones and Sting. iLife ’09 is included with every new Mac® purchase and available as a $79 upgrade for existing users.

“iLife continues to be one of the biggest reasons our customers choose to get a Mac,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “With iLife ’09, we’ve made working with photos, making movies and learning to play music a lot more fun, and iMovie users are especially going to love the advanced but easy-to-use new features.”

iPhoto ’09 makes it even easier to browse and search photos, not only by when they were shot (Events), but by who appears in them (Faces) and where they were taken (Places). iPhoto automatically scans photos to detect people’s faces and when you assign a name to any face iPhoto will automatically find more pictures of that person. The library can be searched by name or browsed using the new Faces View. Places automatically imports photo location data from a GPS-enabled camera or any iPhone™ or you can manually assign a location to any photo, group of photos or event. Once iPhoto knows where photos were taken, you can easily explore them with a simple search or an interactive map. iPhoto ’09 lets you easily publish photos to Facebook or Flickr. Photos published to Facebook include assigned names, and name tags added on Facebook sync back to iPhoto. You can also share photos by creating a themed slideshow to play on your Mac, iPhone or iPod®, or create a beautiful travel book, complete with customized maps of your journey.

iMovie ’09 adds powerful, yet easy-to-use new features to let you create a movie quickly, or add refinements and special effects to your project if you have more time. Drag and drop one clip on top of another to reveal new advanced editing options, including replace, insert, audio only, and even picture-in-picture or green screen. With the revolutionary Precision Editor, you can skim and click on a magnified filmstrip to view clips up close and fine tune any edit, like identifying precisely how much to keep, where to cut, use sound from one clip with video from another and more. iMovie ’09 analyzes video and reduces camera shake in clips when added to your project. New titles, transitions, cinematic effects, speed changes and animated travel maps add professional polish to your movie.

GarageBand ’09, the updated version of Apple’s popular software used by millions to play and record music, now gives budding musicians a fun new way to learn to play piano and guitar. Basic Lessons let you learn the fundamentals at your own pace with Apple instructors in beautiful HD video synchronized to animated instruments and notation. Artist Lessons feature original artists showing how to play their hit songs with everything from finger positions and techniques to the story behind the song. Choose from lessons by popular artists including: Sara Bareilles, Colbie Caillat, John Fogerty, Ben Folds, Norah Jones, Sarah McLachlan, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, OneRepublic’s Ryan Tedder and Sting. Artist Lessons are sold separately at the new GarageBand Lesson Store, available inside the GarageBand ’09 application. GarageBand ’09 also includes exciting new guitar amp and stomp-box effects, and Magic GarageBand Jam that lets you play along with a virtual band that you create.

iLife ’09 includes iWeb ’09 for authoring custom websites and iDVD ’09 for creating DVDs. iWeb ’09 adds new iWeb Widgets, such as iSight® video and photos, a countdown timer, YouTube video and RSS feeds. New integrated FTP publishing allows you to publish your website to virtually any hosting service and updates to your site can now be automatically added to your Facebook profile.

Pricing & Availability
iLife ’09 will be available this month for a suggested retail price of $79 (US) through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. The iLife Up-To-Date upgrade package is available to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after January 6, 2009 for a shipping and handling fee of $9.95 (US). Artist Lessons are available through the GarageBand Lesson Store for $4.99 (US) each.

iLife ’09 requires Mac OS® X version 10.5.6 or later, a Macintosh® computer with an Intel processor, a PowerPC G5 or 867 MHz or faster PowerPC G4, 512MB of RAM (1GB recommended), QuickTime® 7.5.5 or later (included), a DVD drive for installation and 4GB of available disk space. iPhoto print services and GarageBand Artist Lessons are available in select countries. Full system requirements and more information on iLife ’09 can be found at www.apple.com/ilife.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

Related Articles | Apple Inc.:

• PCWorld recently reported “Apple may be considering suing Palm for ripping-off the iPhone design, if recent comments by Apple’s chief operating officer are anything to go by.”
• Time Magazine reports the top 10 Apple moments.
• Apple’s 17inch MacBook Pro has been labeled as “the most powerful MacBook yet.”

Company’s “Technology-Focused Solution” Recognized Among Social Media Listening Firms

SEATTLE, WA

• Visible Technologies, an industry leading provider of social media analysis and engagement solutions, today was named a “strong performer” with a “strong technology backbone” in the January 2009 report, “The Forrester Wave™: Listening Platforms, Q1 2009.”

• The report marks the first time Forrester Research defines the category as “Listening Platforms.” Previously called “brand monitoring,” the new market definition reflects the need for brands to understand the increasing influence of consumer conversations and peer reviews on a company’s ability to engage with and market to customers.
• Providing an in-depth look at how well vendors mine traditional, online and social media sources to extract and deliver insights for marketers, the report gives top score to Visible Technologies for its product strategy.
• Forrester writes in the report, “Visible Technologies, a new entrant to the listening platform category, offers an impressive technology stack. Visible Technologies delivers strong reporting capabilities and is the vendor best positioned to extend social media analysis data and attributes into CRM systems.”
• Visible Technologies helps brands, including Microsoft, Panasonic and Hormel, bolster brand reputation, build revenue and measure the success of social media engagement. The company’s TruCast®2.0 social media analysis and engagement platform launched in May 2008.
• Cited for its “technology-focused solution set,” the Visible Technologies team is also increasing the frequency of product release cycles to deliver client-requested enhancements and provide deeper insight into online conversations and influence.
• A Webcast hosted by Visible Technologies featuring the Forrester report author Suresh Vittal, Microsoft social media practitioners and the American Marketing Association, titled “Navigating the Groundswell: Marketing in a Consumer Controlled World,” is scheduled for February 17. Additional information and registration is available at https://cc.readytalk.com/r/12slb60ssbkhz.

Quotes

“Visible Technologies is a good fit for the self-sufficient and socially aware marketer.” – The Forrester Wave™: Listening Platforms, Q1 2009, by Suresh Vittal

“We think it’s important companies listen to, learn from and engage with their customers online to glean actionable business insight. Many marketers grapple with the notion of social media, its enormity and its velocity, and we’re pleased Forrester has included us in the latest Wave analysis as the market continues to progress.” – Adam Selig, CEO, Visible Technologies

“Smart companies are increasingly incorporating the real-time data of social media across the enterprise. This 360-degree view of consumer conversations yields business intelligence that can be used to gain further visibility, measure marketing investment and see the success of customer service initiatives. This integration begins to fulfill on the promise of customer-centric business transformation and CRM environments.” – Blake Cahill, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Visible Technologies

Supporting Resources

• Free Forrester Wave “Listening Platforms Q1 2009″ Report Download
  http://www.visibletechnologies.com/solutions/request_fw09.php
• AMA Webcast featuring Forrester report analyst Suresh Vittal
  https://cc.readytalk.com/r/12slb60ssbkhz
• Visible Technologies
  http://www.visibletechnologies.com
• TruCast®
  http://www.visibletechnologies.com/solutions/trucast.php
• VisInsights Blog
  http://www.visinsights.com

About Visible Technologies

Visible Technologies helps companies listen and learn what consumers are saying about them online, and it enables brands to participate in the right conversations with the right influencers at the right time. With this real-time business insight and response, companies build relationships with customers, bolster their brands and grow revenue. Its innovative TruCast® platform is the industry’s first complete solution for social media analysis and participation. Visible Technologies also helps brands and individuals manage and protect their online reputations with the powerful TruView™ search engine solution. For more information, go to http://www.visibletechnologies.com, or follow the blog at http://www.visinsights.com.

Related Articles | Visible Technologies:

• Microsoft’s Bill Baker joins Visible Technologies as the company’s CTO.  Baker lead the development of SQL Server, PerformancePoint Server and Master Data Management at Microsoft.
• Wunderman leverages Visible Technologies’s TruCast Solution as a listening platform to “build greater brand equity and drive measurable business results for its clients.”
• MediaPost published the recent alliance between Spring Creek Group and Visible Technologies.
• Visible Technologies was nominated for Best Commercial Product or Service of the Year by the Washington Technology Industry Association.

Company previews simpler, better Windows operating system and highlights connected entertainment offerings at CES.

LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2009 — In a keynote address at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft Corp. Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer announced the beta availability of the Windows 7 operating system as well as the availability of the latest version of the Windows Live, a suite of personal communications services and applications.

“I’m thrilled to announce the availability of the Windows 7 beta, which is on track to deliver simplicity and reliability,” Ballmer said. “Windows 7 and Windows Live are part of an incredible pipeline of consumer technology that is making it easier than ever for people to communicate, share and get more done.”

The beta version of Windows 7, Microsoft’s next-generation PC operating system, can be downloaded today by MSDN, TechBeta and TechNet customers. Consumers who want to test-drive the beta will be able to download it beginning Jan. 9 at http://www.microsoft.com/windows7.

Microsoft also announced the global availability of Windows Live, a free suite of communications and sharing applications. Windows Live makes it easy for people to communicate, share and keep their online lives in sync and in one place with one login. The new and enhanced Windows Live services — including PCMag.com 2008 Editors’ Choice winner Windows Live Messenger — along with Windows Live Mail and Windows Live Photo Gallery are designed to work seamlessly with more than 50 popular Internet services. Ballmer also announced new alliances with the following companies:

• Dell Inc. In February, to offer a comprehensive experience for consumers to connect, share and personalize their content, Dell will offer preloaded Windows Live Essentials (a free suite of applications for instant messaging, e-mail and photos that complement Windows Live on the Web) and Live Search on a majority of its new consumer and small-business PCs globally.

• Facebook. In the coming months, Facebook users can choose to share content they post on Facebook, including photos, directly into Windows Live.

• Verizon Wireless. Under a new five-year relationship that covers mobile search and advertising, Verizon subscribers in the U.S. will be able to use Live Search to search for local business and shopping information; access maps and directions; perform general Internet searches; and find ring tones, games, wallpaper and other online mobile products and services.

Together with Internet Explorer 8, currently in beta and releasing soon, Windows Live helps make the things people do most on the Web (searching, sharing and communicating) faster and less complex with fewer clicks, logins and customizations. Windows Live is now available for download at http://www.windowslive.com/explore, or automatically via Microsoft Update for current customers.

Windows 7 Consumer Features Showcased

Microsoft demonstrated new features and key improvement in Windows 7 based on listening to the needs of customers. Windows 7 is designed to do the following:

• Work the way consumers want. With Windows 7, Microsoft paid special attention to performance, reliability, security, compatibility and battery life. The company is on track to deliver a great experience that will allow customers to spend more time doing the things they want to do, without the operating system getting in the way.

• Make everyday tasks faster and easier. The more streamlined and intuitive design of Windows 7 is intended to simplify the things people do every day on their PCs. Desktop improvements make using the PC easier and provide immediate access to the applications and files people use most often through features such as Jumplists, Previews and the new Taskbar. The new Home Group feature makes it easier for consumers to connect multiple home PCs together to share printers and access files, music, photos and videos. Device Stage makes connecting and working with devices easier than ever with a single interface to manage devices and run common tasks. New multitouch technology in Windows 7 will enable people with touch-screen monitors to use multiple fingers to interact with their PC screens in a more intuitive way.

• Offer a better entertainment experience. Consumers today have access to more digital media and are increasingly using the PC as the hub of their electronic experiences. The “Play-to” feature in Windows 7 allows easier streaming of music, video and photos to devices in a home network. Windows Media Player and Windows Media Center in Windows 7 have built-in support for more media formats so people can use their PC to play more media content and sync it to a broader range of devices. As an alternative to monthly digital video recording (DVR) fees, Windows Media Center, available in some editions of Windows 7, with a TV tuner and improved user interface, makes recording TV free and easy.

Entertainment That Extends Across Devices; New Xbox Experiences Previewed

Microsoft’s president of the Entertainment & Devices Division, Robbie Bach, shared the stage at CES with Ballmer. Bach addressed Microsoft’s unique ability to deliver entertainment on virtually any screen that consumers commonly use today, including the PC, TV and mobile phone.

Despite a tough holiday and economy, Xbox 360 registered its biggest year ever, driven by record sales at retail with 28 million consoles sold to date, an 84 percent jump in online consumer spending, and Xbox LIVE membership that has grown to 17 million active members.

“Not only is Xbox 360 one of the world’s leading next-generation gaming consoles, but with partners like Netflix, it is one of the world’s leading entertainment devices, period,” Bach said. “With 28 million consoles sold worldwide, an active online community of 17 million members, and more than $1 billion spent on Xbox LIVE since the launch of the Xbox 360, it’s clear that consumer demand for these great entertainment experiences has never been higher. We’re only beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible with Xbox.”

Bach shared how consumer demand for connected TV experiences is growing and announced the Mediaroom platform has reached nearly 2.5 million subscriber homes worldwide, an increase of more than 1.5 million new connections in the past year alone. The award-winning Microsoft Mediaroom is driving the future of television by enabling broadband service providers to deliver new connected TV and entertainment experiences to consumers around the world. Bach also unveiled a groundbreaking feature called Mediaroom Anytime that lets subscribers access previously aired shows directly from the Interactive Program Guide without any pre-planning or prior DVR recording.

Bach discussed how Microsoft is making it easier than ever for people to synch their entertainment content across the screens in their lives. This month, Microsoft and Netflix, the world’s largest online movie rental service, will offer software that enables Windows Mobile customers to update and view their Netflix movie queue. Changes will appear instantly on Netflix on Xbox LIVE, extending the existing service that launched in November. Xbox 360 is the only game system that lets people instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix, many in HD.

Bach also spoke about how Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are transforming the way people enjoy interactive entertainment at home. This spring, Microsoft will introduce a new interactive entertainment genre with the premiere of the Xbox LIVE Primetime channel, which brings together the best of TV and gaming. Xbox LIVE Primetime will debut with an online version of the popular TV show “1 vs. 100” that enables thousands of gamers to play together with real hosts and compete for real prizes.

In addition, Bach talked about the outpouring of creativity from the Xbox community since the announcement of Community Games in November, with over 100 new games available for anyone to play. He highlighted an upcoming Xbox LIVE Community Game called “Kodu,” launching in the spring, designed to help anyone from age 7 to 70 create their own video games.

Additional information about Microsoft at CES 2009 is available on the Microsoft CES Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/ces.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft’s corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

Related Sources | Steve Ballmer and Microsoft:

• Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, was featured in Time Magazine.
• Read more about Microsoft’s Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer on their corporate site.
• Steve Ballmer was featured on Forbes Online.

Intelius Boosts Charitable Contributions in 2008
Wednesday, 21 January 2009

In 2008, while many corporations were cutting back on charitable giving because of the tight economy, Bellevue-based Intelius, a search, screening and identity protection provider, was ramping up its contributions.
The six year-old Intelius gave nearly $210,000 to over a dozen local and national nonprofit organizations in 2008. With just 191 employees, 2008 contributions set a new corporate giving record for the company.
“Our country is facing an unprecedented number of people in need and we felt it was our responsibility to step up when the economy forced others to step back,” said Naveen Jain, co-founder and CEO of Intelius. “I am inspired by the amazing work done by the nonprofit groups we work with, and I want to instill that passion not only within Intelius, but as an example for others to follow.”

Groups who received 2008 gifts from Intelius include an eclectic mix of nonprofits supporting education, healthcare, youth and family issues. One such organization is Hopelink, a nonprofit whose mission it is to help low-income people move to self-sufficiency.
“Despite the unusual and unfortunate economic challenges we’re all facing right now, Intelius continues to step forward in a spirit of generosity and compassion to enable others who are not as fortunate,” said Linda Benson, director of development for Hopelink. “As one of our major partners of our Reaching Out Luncheon and End Summer Hunger campaign, Intelius continues to lead the way for others to follow.”
Trish Carpenter, Director of Fundraising & Development, at Overlake Service League knows firsthand how vital the support of community members and corporations is to its programs serving children, families and seniors in need. Her organization, like many others, does not receive city, state or federal funding.
“Intelius stands out as a significant community partner of Overlake Service League because at all levels of the company they believe in and care about community. Intelius knows and understands that being involved can and does make a difference in lives,” said Carpenter. “In addition to the important funding Intelius contributes to our organization, their employees and management have personally volunteered their time and energy at Overlake Service League projects in meaningful, hands on ways. The dedicated support and friendship of Intelius is vital and invaluable to us serving our mission.”
Intelius has also established a scholarship endowment program at the University of Washington. The endowment was created to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students in Business and Computer Science & Engineering. To date Intelius has contributed $170,000 to the endowment.
Other charitable partners for 2008 included Children’s Hospital, Treehouse, Bellevue Boys & Girls Club, Eastside Domestic Violence Program, and the Bellevue School Foundation.
For 2009, Intelius hopes to match or increase its contributions as a corporation while encouraging the giving spirit in its employees. In order to achieve this Intelius has developed programs to help employees own a personal stake in the philanthropic success of the company. These include:
• A corporate matching program. Employees can donate and Intelius will match up to $250 annually to a qualified charity of the employee’s choice.
• Paid volunteerism. Intelius will grant employees paid leave to volunteer with their favorite charities.
“Like any company we want to be financially successful, but more important than that—we never want to lose sight of our core values and the understanding that we are only as good and productive as the communities we do business in,” said Naveen Jain. “It is with this knowledge that we work every day to be the best neighbors we can be.”

For Naveen Jain giving back doesn’t stop at a corporate level, he and his wife Anu Jain have donated an estimated $1 million to charity in the last two years.

Related Sources | Naveen Jain – Intelius:

• Naveen Jain, CEO of Intelius, was interviewed by CNET. Naveen Jain relayed his experiences regarding InfoSpace.
• Intelius won the 2006 Stevie Award for Best New Company in The American Business Awards 2006. Read more about Intelius and the company’s CEO Naveen Jain.
• Forbes published a profile about the CEO of Intelius Naveen Jain.
• Intelius mentioned in Huffington Post piece about the dangers of identity theft. Writer Robert Siciliano recommends Intelius for identity security needs.
• Naveen Jain‘s personal website

Affinion Group Awarded Prestigious Information Security Certification

Global Marketer One of Only 50 U.S. Companies to Attain World-Class Credential

NORWALK, Conn., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire/ Affinion Group, a leading global affinity marketer, has been awarded the prestigious ISO 27001 certification, the highest international standard for information security management globally. There are only approximately 50 companies in the United States carrying this leading-edge credential, and 4,100 companies worldwide.

Affinion is the only affinity marketer with this designation in the industry, and shares the certification with such leading U.S. companies and organizations as Bechtel Corp., Citigroup Technology, EDS, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and San Francisco, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Reuters America, Ricoh Electronics, Sun Microsystems, The World Bank Group, UNISYS, and Xerox Corp.

“This certification reaffirms Affinion’s longstanding commitment to establishing ourselves as leaders in information protection as we continuously seek to raise the bar for the practices in our industry,” said Robert G. Rooney, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Affinion Group. “We place the utmost priority on the protection of our customers and our clients, and taking this step demonstrates how important this is to us.”

ISO certification signifies that a company has implemented an information security management system that exceeds the most stringent security standards globally.

“Receiving this certification signals to the world that we proactively make information security a top business and management priority,” said Scott vonFischer, chief information security officer for Affinion. “By adopting the highest security standards in the industry we are leading the way as a world-class data security company for our clients, customers and partners.”

Affinion received the certification on Dec. 12. Certification lasts three years, but can only be retained through completion of comprehensive surveillance audits performed by BSI Americas, the certifying body, every six months.

Key attributes of Affinion‘s information security management system include:
– Adoption of best practice across all information security domains
– Effective and efficient risk management
– Establishment of a robust security framework including operation, monitoring, review, maintenance and development
– Management’s commitment to continuously comply with security requirements
– Proactive security management, rather than reactive
– continuous evaluation through the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) model
– Systematic management of incidents with clear and timely escalation paths
– Independent evaluation of the Information Security Management System by external certification auditors
– Ease of understanding — a published international standard.

As the company continues to position itself on the leading-edge of information security in the direct marketing industry, it has established a solid foundation to build best practices in data protection in 2008 and beyond. A key priority in maintaining the highest standards of privacy is to work closely with current and future partners to insure that all information — either supplied or created through product development — is treated with the utmost confidentiality, integrity and protection. As part of this commitment, Affinion will leverage its stringent risk management strategies in the design, implementation and maintenance of an advanced information security management system.

Affinion is also dedicated to complying with all regulatory, voluntary and corporate standards, while establishing consistent policies that support its industry-leading information security position around the globe.

About Affinion

As a global leader with nearly 35 years of experience, Affinion Group
(www.affinion.com) enhances the value of its partners’ customer relationships by developing and marketing valuable loyalty, membership, checking account, insurance and other compelling products and services. Leveraging its expertise in product development and targeted marketing, Affinion helps generate significant incremental revenue for more than 5,200 affinity partners worldwide, including many of the largest and most respected companies in financial services, retail, travel, and Internet commerce. Based in Norwalk, Conn., the company has approximately 3,000 employees throughout the United States and in 14 countries across Europe. Affinion holds the prestigious ISO 27001 certification for the highest information security practices, is PCI compliant and Cybertrust certified.

Contacts:
Todd Smith, Office, +1-615-764-2598, Mobile, +1-615-202-7944; or Andrea Lindsley, Office, +1-615-780-3315, Mobile, +1-615-415-8886,

Related Affinion Business News

• Affinion announces recent change in management on PRNewswire.
• Affinion Group has a webinar regarding “Driving Consumer Demand in Volatile Economy.”
• Boston.com recently published a report about Affinion Group’s latest advances in data privacy and protection.
• Affinion subsidiary Trilegiant secures patent for online loyalty program

American International Group’s newest Chief Executive Officer Edward M. Liddy is in charge of steering the now government-financed finance and insurance investment company after being affected by the global economic crisis. Edward Liddy, who replaced Robert Willumstad at the AIG CEO spot, is looking for deals which the company can work on.

Experts have speculated that if the AIG Financial Advisors Group is not sold soon, then the organization will have to deal with issues concerning manpower shortage. American International Group’s 7,000 registered representatives and advisers produced $1.3 billion in revenues for American International Group last year, 2007.

Jonathan Henschen, president of the Minnesota-based recruiting firm Henschen and Associates, figured that American International Group will need to sell some of its assets quickly in order to constantly and significantly improve its position/situation.

AIG Financial Advisors head honcho Jeff Auld wrote a letter to the employees of the said group, urging them to stay steadfast with the company amidst possible efforts from American International Group’s competitors to recruit them. Jeff Auld added that their competitors might promise the representatives and executives of AIG Financial Advisors greener pastures and more stable careers, but any big career move should be set aside for the moment until clearer options emerge and are visibly defined.

Edward Liddy, who is now in charge of American International Group operations, intends to keep intact the company’s US-based businesses and properties, as well as some foreign general insurance investments. The AIG Advisor Group is one of the business ventures Edward Liddy wants to let go.

About Edward Liddy

Born on January 28, 1946, Edward Liddy worked for the Allstate Corporation and served as its CEO, Chairman and President prior to joining American International Group. He also served as the CEO of Goldman Sachs. Edward Liddy was also the Chief Financial Officer of G. D. Searle & Co., where former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld held the Chief Executive Officer position.

Aside from the American International Group, Edward Liddy is currently working with 3M and The Kroger Company, serving as a member of the board. Edward Liddy reportedly receives a salary of $1 as AIG CEO, aside from equity grants.

Mitchell Habib has joined the Nielsen Company as Executive Vice President of Global Business Services. Mitchell Habib was appointed to this role in March 2007. In this capacity, Mitchell Habib has worldwide responsibility for all operations, production, Sourcing, Real Estate and IT services across all Nielsen businesses and functions. This includes systems that support information development and delivery to Nielsen’s global client base as well as applications, IT infrastructure and facilities associated with day-to-day operations of the company.

About Mitchell Habib

Mitchell Habib joined Nielsen from Citigroup, where he served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Citigroup’s North America Consumer Businesses and, before that, as CIO for Citigroup’s North America Credit Cards Division. Prior to joining Citigroup in 2004, he was Chief Information Officer for several major divisions at General Electric, from 1997-2004, including GE Healthcare, GE Employers Reinsurance Company, GE Information Technology Services and GE Aircraft Engines Services.

Mitchell Habib holds a Masters of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from the University of Florida.

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View information on Mitchell Habib’s career and Citigroup.

After a series of special appearances, a TV program, and selling $400,000 houses, Martha Stewart signed with Wal-Mart to expand her Martha Stewart Brand. Wal-Mart, the largest retail store chain in the United States, has agreed to launch the Martha Stewart Crafts line.

The product line will carry two assortments – Martha Stewart Create and Martha Stewart Celebrate, both of which are now in Wal-Mart Stores in the United States and Canada. The partnership between Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, the company that created the Martha Stewart brand, and Wal-Mart, influenced the rise of Stewart’s company’s shares to 3% after suffering heavy losses when Kmart started experiencing financial woes. K-mart has been a retailer of the Martha Stewart Everyday home line since 1997.

Martha Stewart received a double degree in History and Architectural History from Barnard College. During her college years, she met her future husband Andrew Stewart, a student at the Yale Law School in 1961. They got married and Martha Stewart gave birth to Alexis in 1965.

Martha Stewart’s strong affinity and familiarity with domestic activities prompted her to establish a catering business, which proved to be a hit. Her cooking prowess facilitated her entry to the publishing business, as her company was signed to provide catering services to parties her husband was attending.

She was introduced to Alan Mirken, the head of Crown Publishing Group, who was impressed with her talent that he immediately signed her up to develop a cookbook.
Stewart also ventured into writing for magazines and newspaper columns. Most of Martha Stewart’s articles were centered on homemaking. Aside from print exposure, Martha Stewart also enjoyed airtime appearing in The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live.

In 1997, Martha Stewart established the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, where she served as its president, chairwoman, and CEO while her business partner, Sharon Patrick, functioned as the company’s Chief Finance Officer.

In 2001, Ladies Home Journal named Stewart America’s 3rd most powerful woman. A few years later, in 2005, Martha Stewart added several more to her list of achievements when she started Martha Stewart Living along with a string of successful television shows and public appearances.

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Wal-Mart was founded by the late Sam Walton. The Wal-Mart fortune now rests with Walton’s heirs Helen Walton, S Robston Walton, Jim Walton, and Alice Walton. Alice Walton worked for Wal-Mart as a buyer and broker for a spell, but now does charity work. Alice Walton is the founder of Crystal Bridges museum. Alice Walton also raises horses.

Billionaire and entrepreneur Mark Cuban’s story is one of the prime examples of the rags-to-riches type of tales. And rise to riches he did with flair. Though most people know Mark Cuban as the owner of NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, people should also know that he has a good side and a big heart.

After the September 11 attacks and United States’ active participation in the second war against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, US military casualties were piling up. Though many groups advocated and rallied to support US troops, only a meager few thought about the families and loved ones who were left behind. Cuban, together with his wife, created the Fallen Patriot Fund to provide financial and other forms of support to the families of US soldiers and other military personnel who were killed or gravely injured in Iraq.

The Fallen Patriot Fund receives most of its finances from the Mark Cuban Foundation. As of late, the Fallen Patriot Fund has given away more than $3,540,053 worth of financial aid. Cuban is very passionate about this particular venture, stating that such effort of his is a personal matter to him and his wife, though he does not know any US soldiers personally.

Mark Cuban entered the world of business selling garbage bags at the young age of 12 to raise the money he needed to buy an expensive pair of athletic shoes. The son of a car upholsterer, Cuban worked his way through college.

Mark Cuban’s partnership with Todd Wagner, a fellow Indiana University alumnus, marked both men’s entry to the World Wide Web with the creation of Audionet in 1995.

A wise Mark Cuban then diversified the profits from the sale to shield himself in case of a market crash, which eventually happened during the dot-com bubble burst.

Today, Mark Cuban is listed as one Forbe’s richest people in the world, with a net worth of $2.8 billion as of 2007. Cuban is now involved with the film industry, actively participating in the activities of 2929 Entertainment, a movie enterprise he created with Todd Wagner, and Landmark Theaters, a chain of 58 arthouse movie theaters. Mark Cuban is also the Chairman of HDNet.

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On Nov. 06, 2008, International Business Times reported that Rep. Rahm Emanuel has accepted President-elect Barack Obama’s offer to be his White House Chief-of-Staff. Obama’s selection of Emanuel was the first major decision he made in public after being elected as president.

Rahm Emanuel made his decision after weighing important issues like public service and what he wanted to do as a parent. He also revealed that he has taken it upon himself to devote his life to public service. Rahm Emanuel also believes his knowledge about the White House is one of the reasons why President-elect Obama chose him.

Born on November 29, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois, Rahm Emanuel graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 1981 and received his master’s degree in speech and communication in 1985 from Northwestern University. As an undergraduate, Emanuel worked for the congressional campaign of Chicago’s David Robinson.

Rahm Emanuel is notable for his “take-no-prisoners attitude” so much so that some people have taken to calling him “Rahm-bo”.

The new chief-of-staff’s political career began with an organization called Illinois Public Action. Then in 1984, he joined Paul Simon’s campaign for a seat in the U.S. senate. In 1988, he became the national campaign director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The following year, he played an important role – as senior advisor and chief fundraiser – for the victorious mayoral campaign of Richard M. Daley.

Rahm Emanuel’s vast knowledge about fundraising; including the identification of the country’s top donors as well as potential donors within the Jewish community. He helped Bill Clinton’s presidential primary campaign raise a whopping $72 million.

When Clinton assumed the presidency, Rahm Emanuel became the senior advisor to the president; a role which he diligently played from 1993 to 1998.

In 1988, Rahm Emanuel resigned from his White House post and took on the job of an investment banker at Wasserstein Perella (presently known as Dresdner Kleinwort).

Prior to running for congress, Rahm Emanuel was one of the Board of Directors for the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, or Freddie Mac. Rahm Emanuel is the Democratic Caucus Chairman of the United States House of Representatives.