Lew Hay, chairman and CEO of NextEra Energy (http://www.nexteraenergyresources.com/content/environment/environment.shtml), the parent company of Florida Power and Light, said, “After years of debate and half measures, the United States still lacks a long-term national energy strategy, leaving us behind other countries in building and exporting the clean energy economy of the future. If we are to continue to lead the world in technological advances, job creation and economic security, we need a new approach. The most essential step – which is at the heart of the American Power Act – is to set a price on carbon dioxide emissions.”

In recent years, thousands of American companies have called on Congress to pass climate and clean energy legislation that puts a firm limit on fossil fuel pollution. These businesses employ nearly 5.7 million workers and include 53 Fortune 500 and 20 Fortune 100 companies, according to a recent analysis (http://www.worldwildlife.org/climate/act-for-our-future/business-leaders.html) by David Gardiner and Associates that was commissioned by World Wildlife Fund. The companies have issued their calls for a cap on carbon emissions through advertisements, letters to the Senate or via membership in organizations that are advocating specifically for climate legislation that includes a cap on carbon.

“This analysis demonstrates that Levi Strauss & Co. (http://www.levistrauss.com/sustainability) stands with this broad coalition of businesses calling for a new direction in energy policy,” said Amy Leonard, Senior Vice President, Product Development and Sourcing at Levi Strauss & Co. “We must seize this critical moment to pass legislation that will unleash American innovation and entrepreneurship so we can reaffirm our leadership in the world. Levi Strauss & Co. can build that technological innovation, energy efficiency and emissions reduction into our business, strengthening our company and reinforcing our commitment to restoring the health of our planet.”

John Matthews, Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs at Diversey (http://www.diversey.com/sustainability), a leading provider of commercial cleaning and sanitation solutions, said, “It’s clear from these statistics that business has embraced climate legislation, and we at Diversey are no exception. The private sector must lead the way to a clean energy economy, but we need leadership from government to create certainty for long-term investments. Under the right market conditions, businesses can establish the clean energy economy.”

Additional calls for action come from Tetra Pak, Inc. (http://www.tetrapak.com/environment/pages/default.aspx), a leading global food packaging and processing company. “Delaying further action on a comprehensive clean energy policy would be an unnecessary step backwards, undermining private sector momentum toward positive change, green-job creation and long-term economic growth,” said Ed Klein, Tetra Pak’s Vice President for Environmental Affairs.

With China and Europe capturing an increasing share of the clean energy market, America’s business leaders have become increasingly outspoken in urging Congress to pass a bill that limits fossil fuel pollution and thereby creates the market signals that they view as critical to a thriving clean energy economy in the US.

The call for a comprehensive climate and clean energy bill is not limited to major corporations. An analysis recently released by American Businesses for Clean Energy lists more than 6,000 American employers, many of them small businesses that support a comprehensive solution that includes a limit on fossil fuel pollution.

IRS Notice Advisor was developed by New River Innovation, Inc. as a self help tool for their groundbreaking website www.easyIRS.com . It is a free and easy application that interprets IRS letters based on the codes printed in the top right hand corner. easyIRS has compiled a database with thousands of IRS notice codes. When someone types a code into the Notice Advisor, it instantaneously serves up an explanation of the letter with details that include:

-    Letter name

-    Urgency

-    Why did you receive this letter?

-    What does this letter mean?

-    Which section of the IRS sent this notice?

-    What should you do?

Jim Buttonow, co-founder of New River Innovation and a 19 year IRS veteran, describes the Notice Advisor as “a completely free service that is designed to educate people about appropriate ways to respond to any IRS letter.” Mr. Buttonow says “we hope people will use this as a research tool before they respond directly to the IRS. It only takes a few seconds to run, but it can save people untold hours of trying to navigate the IRS all by themselves.”

The beta version of IRS Notice Advisor is currently available online at www.easyIRS.com. New River Innovation plans to routinely update the tool as IRS procedures and letter codes change.

Biopsy—the removal of cells or tissue for microscopic examination—has a long history in medicine. The first percutaneous needle biopsy of the liver was reported in 1923, and the technique developed into an invaluable diagnostic tool in many organ systems.

The development of computed tomography (CT), ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), allowed physicians to use advanced imaging guidance with biopsies. Imaging-guided percutaneous needle biopsies achieve greater precision in targeting lesions, resulting in high sensitivities and low complication rates.

For the study, researchers looked for biopsy trends in Medicare claims data from 1997 through 2008 for 10 anatomical regions. Biopsy procedures increased from 1,380 per 100,000 Medicare enrollees in 1997 to 1,945 biopsies in 2008, representing a compound annual growth rate of 3 percent. In 2008, 67 percent of all biopsies were performed percutaneously, compared to 59 percent in 1997.

“We also found that the use of imaging guidance increased over this time period, most likely because the technique enables more efficient and safe targeting of lesions,” said the study’s lead author Sharon W. Kwan, M.D., radiology resident at the University of California in San Francisco.

The increased percentage of imaging-guided percutaneous biopsies corresponded to decreases in the percentages of the more invasive open biopsies and non-imaging-guided percutaneous biopsies.

The only two anatomical regions for which percutaneous needle biopsies did not represent the majority were superficial lymph nodes and musculoskeletal soft tissues. Open biopsies are more feasible for these superficial regions, and the areas of concern are more likely to be palpable and less in need of imaging guidance.

Performance of biopsies by radiologists increased from 35 percent to 56 percent during the study period. However, the annual rate of growth in biopsies performed by radiologists slowed from 8 percent in the first half of the study period to 6 percent in the second half. Dr. Kwan suggested that one contributing factor was the increasing number of imaging-guided biopsies performed by physicians of other specialties.

“There is no reason to think that one physician specialty, as a whole, is better than another at performing biopsies,” Dr. Kwan said. “However, in the case of imaging-guided biopsies, radiologists, who are specifically trained in the use and interpretation of imaging, should be the most qualified to perform these procedures.”

Despite rapid increases in imaging utilization in the last decade, the growth in overall biopsy utilization was a modest 3 percent. Dr. Kwan noted that the finding could assuage fears over increased imaging utilization leading to additional costly workups, including biopsies.

“Effect of Advanced Imaging Technology on How Biopsies Are Done and Who Does Them.” Collaborating with Dr. Kwan were Mythreyi Bhargavan, Ph.D., Robert K. Kerlan Jr., M.D., and Jonathan H. Sunshine, Ph.D.

Radiology is edited by Herbert Y. Kressel, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., and owned and published by the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. (http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/)

“As is clear from the disaster in the gulf, it’s time to make the switch to a clean energy future,” said Keya Chatterjee, Director of WWF’s climate change program in the US. “Subsidizing dirty, dangerous oil on the backs of struggling taxpayers is outrageous and it will not end our addiction to fossil fuels and it undermines our efforts to prevent catastrophic levels of climate change and ocean acidification.

“The American people are struggling to make ends meet and yet they are expected to further line the pockets of Big Oil, Big Coal and the rest of the fossil fuel industry? We’re talking some of the most profitable companies in the history of the world taking handouts from taxpayers and exploding the federal debt. It is totally unsustainable and it needs to end now. We need comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation that limits fossil fuel pollution, not more taxpayer bailouts of Big Oil and Big Coal,” Chatterjee said.

Recent studies have estimated that, globally, more than $500 billion goes into subsidizing fossil fuel production and consumption – an amount that is roughly ten times the annual amount estimated as adequate to meet global Millennium Development Goals for eradicating poverty.

At last year’s G20 summit in Pittsburgh, finance ministers of the world’s largest economies were directed to report to their leaders meeting in Toronto, Canada in late June 2010 with implementation strategies and timetables. With that deadline now imminent, countries are waffling about their commitments to remove what they themselves referred to as ‘inefficient fossil fuel subsidies [that encourage wasteful consumption, reduce our energy security, impede investment in clean energy sources, and undermine efforts to deal with the threat of climate change.’

“We are looking to leaders to ensure that their fine words of a year ago are not allowed to degenerate into a debate on how to define fuel subsidies.”

The G20 nations account for close to 90 percent of global GDP and nearly 80 per cent of global CO2 emissions.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) reported the number of technical denials among disability applications has grown from a little over 100,000 in 1999 to more than 650,000 in 2007.1 Technical denials are applications denied for nonmedical reasons. The most common reason for technical denials, the SSA said, is “insufficient number of recent work credits.”

“Work history plays an important part in your application for Social Security disability benefits,” said David Bueltemann, manager of senior claims representatives at Allsup. “Though you have a disability, the type of work you’ve done before will factor into the SSA’s determination about your disability claim. First and foremost, you must have worked long enough and recently enough to be eligible to apply for SSDI (http://www.allsup.com/about-ssdi/why-you-want-ssdi.aspx?=PRW10-7).”

SSA follows a five-step sequential process to evaluate applications for disability benefits, and examiners make decisions based on medical documentation, age and work history, among other factors. “Allsup often helps claimants with questions about work history because it can be a confusing area when applying for Social Security disability (http://www.allsup.com/about-ssdi/ssdi-guidelines-by-disability.aspx?=PRW10-7) benefits,” Mr. Bueltemann said.

SSDI is a federally mandated insurance program overseen by the SSA that operates separately from the retirement and SSI programs. SSDI provides monthly benefits to individuals who are under full retirement age (age 65-67) and who can no longer work because of a disability (injury, illness or condition) that is expected to last for at least 12 months or is terminal. Individuals must have paid FICA taxes to be eligible. Find more about Social Security disability applications on Allsup.com.

Social Security Disability Benefits and Work History

To help applicants, Allsup explains four areas where work history plays a role in someone’s claim for Social Security disability benefits.

1.    Work history documents that you are currently insured. Working taxpayers contribute to the federal Social Security Disability Insurance program through their Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes. You paid these payroll taxes through your employer or as a self-employed worker. “You are probably aware that a portion of your taxes paid goes to the Social Security retirement and Medicare programs, as well as the SSDI program,” Mr. Bueltemann explained.

To be eligible for SSDI (http://www.allsup.com/about-ssdi/free-ssdi-evaluation.aspx?=PRW10-7) benefits, you must be “currently insured,” which means that you have made recent FICA payments. Specifically, you must have paid for 20 quarters in the past 10 years to qualify. You can “buy a quarter” by earning a certain amount during a specific calendar year. In 2010, workers buy a quarter if they earn $1,120; with a maximum of four quarters in one year. Those who experience disability and must quit working before age 31 have lesser requirements.

2.    Work history documents that you are fully insured. This is a second qualifier used to determine if you are eligible for SSDI benefits, and it’s also based on your quarters of coverage. If you have 40 quarters of coverage, you are fully insured. (Note: You can earn up to four quarters a year.) The SSA uses another calculation for younger workers—using six quarters of coverage, plus one quarter of coverage for each year after the year you reach age 21. For example, a person age 27 likely only needs 12 quarters of coverage to be fully insured.

3.    Work history details also factor into the SSA’s determination of whether you are disabled. “The disability examiner will look at your disability, medical condition and your work experiences when deciding your case,” Mr. Bueltemann said. They evaluate your ability to perform work you did in the past, as well as any type of work you may be capable of performing. Employment experiences from the past 15 years are relevant to your application. Read about general disability guidelines (http://www.allsup.com/about-ssdi/ssdi-guidelines-by-disability/general-guidelines.aspx?=PRW10-7) on Allsup.com.

4.    Work history also factors into your amount of benefits. The SSA tracks your earnings and taxes paid over time in order to determine your Social Security retirement and, separately, your SSDI benefits. This is based on records filed by your employer, who is required to send the SSA a copy of your W-2 form each year. Find more information about understanding your Social Security statement (http://www.allsup.com/about-us/news-room/current-news/understanding-social-security-statements-.aspx?=PRW10-7) on Allsup.com.

If you’re not certain you are eligible for SSDI based on your work history, contact the Disability Evaluation Center (http://www.allsup.com/about-ssdi/free-ssdi-evaluation.aspx?=PRW10-7) at (800) 279-4357 for a free evaluation. An Allsup professional can help you determine if your work history and medical condition(s) may qualify you for SSDI benefits.

“All too often, business owners assume their business won’t be affected by a hurricane, and if they are, they can easily recover lost information and records,” said Marshall Stevens, co-owner of Stevens & Stevens Business Records Management (http://www.ssbrm.com), a full-service records storage and management center specializing in disaster recovery planning. “The truth is, we never know who or what will be affected by a hurricane. Losing information could mean the loss of your business, no matter how big or how small a company is, so developing a plan to protect your data is crucial.”

Stevens says business owners with an executable disaster recovery plan should consider the following questions:

•    Can I access my information no matter the day or time? – If the building you’re storing records in is locked during certain hours, make sure you have a key so you can still access the information. For extra reassurance, seek out a solution that will convert hard copy files into an electronic format that can be accessed through a secure online “virtual” file room.

•    Do I have back-ups of all important information? – Typically, the more effort that a business owner puts into preparing and storing back-ups of both hard copy and electronic files, the easier it will be to recover from a storm.

•    Are my back-up files and plan stored in multiple locations? – Hurricanes have the potential of wiping out entire buildings and towns, so store back-ups in multiple locations and regions.

•    Are files and my disaster recovery plan in a secure location? – Find a location that will not only withstand high sustained winds but also protects information from falling into the wrong hands.

•    Do enough people know about the plan and where it’s stored? – If only one person knows about the plan and where it’s stored, your company could still be at great risk. Make sure information about your plan is communicated frequently with key personnel.

During disaster recovery planning, Stevens says business owners may want to consider speaking with a firm that specializes in disaster recovery and document protection. “Seek out a firm that can not only give you ideas on how and what to protect, but also has a records storage facility that can withstand high sustained winds, is equipped with motion detection and can provide an electronic-conversion solution. This way, if you choose to house your disaster recovery plan and information with the firm, you know it’s safe,” he said.

Remember, hurricane season doesn’t have to be an uneasy period for business owners. “By taking the time now to develop a disaster recovery plan, you can focus on resuming operations after a storm has hit, rather than wondering whether your business will even survive,” said Stevens.

Stevens & Stevens Business Records Management is a full-service records storage and management center providing services throughout the Tampa Bay area. For more information, visit www.ssbrm.com and follow Stevens & Stevens on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/StevensBRM or on Facebook at: http://facebook.com/ssbrm.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, together with the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), are working together to help educate future tribal leaders on energy resource development and environmental evaluations by offering several hands-on learning opportunities such as Tribal Energy Internships (http://www.dep.anl.gov/p_undergrad/TribalInternships/) and the Indian Education Renewable Energy Challenge (http://www.dep.anl.gov/indianed_energychallenge/).

To recruit and train the next generation of tribal energy and natural resource management professionals, Argonne hosts a unique summer internship program – now in its second year – specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native college students. This year’s program includes interns participating from the following tribes: Quapaw, Navajo, Shoshone Bannock, Seneca Nation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai, and Eastern Shoshone, Cherokee.

“Energy production is fundamental to our quality of life and economic security,” said Tony Dvorak, director of Argonne’s Environmental Science division (http://www.evs.anl.gov/). “Despite being rich in renewable resource potential, many tribes struggle with poverty and soaring unemployment. This program helps develop renewable energy resources locally that can create jobs and revenue opportunities for tribal communities.”

Students spend their summer working at Argonne on a variety of research projects that focus on both renewable and non-renewable energy sources as well as environmental evaluation and analysis. From developing wind and solar energy to learning about fuel cells and hydrogen storage, students have the opportunity to work directly with Argonne mentors on a wide range of technologies while analyzing their potential impacts and economic opportunities.

For example, three students from Little Big Horn College and their instructor completed a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) internship to determine potential sites for a coal to liquids (CTL) plant on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Two other students, one from the University of New Mexico and one from San Juan College, compared costs and environmental impacts associated with coal, natural gas, wind and solar energy generation technologies, including land use, water use and greenhouse gas emissions.

“Our mission is to inspire and educate our nation’s future scientists and engineers,” said Harold Myron, director of Argonne’s educational programs division (http://www.dep.anl.gov/). “We are thrilled to be a part of such an important program and to provide the hands-on training and experience that will help increase the use of clean energy technologies and promote energy independence.”

The internship program also led to the creation of the Indian Education Renewable Energy Challenge. This year’s contest focused on designing and building an efficient portable wind turbine system; prizes were awarded at both the high school and college level.

“This is a great way for students to translate what they are learning in the classroom to real-world applications for developing renewable energy sources,” said Myron. “It’s a fun and exciting way for teachers and students to learn more about energy and the environment.”

The winning teams and their tribes were also invited to present their projects to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar at a special awards ceremony held in Washington D.C. In attendance were students from the Oneida Nation High School located in Oneida, WI, which won the high-school prize, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI) from Albuquerque, NM, and the College of Menominee Nation from Keshena, WI, which tied for first place at the college-level.

Another important, freely available resource is the Tribal Energy and Environmental Information Clearinghouse (http://teeic.anl.gov/) (TEEIC), which can be accessed online at teeic.anl.gov (http://teeic.anl.gov/). The portal creates a knowledge base to help tribes and tribal organizations develop environmental analysis and evaluation programs and processes that further their energy and economic goals.

“Energy development must evolve in a manner that maximizes effective use of available energy resources while ensuring the preservation of our natural and environmental resources,” Dvorak said.

In addition to environmental best practices, links to federal and state laws and guidelines for conducting environmental assessments, the site also includes information on the impacts of different traditional and renewable energy development and infrastructure projects.

These programs are funded by the DOI Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development (IEED) (http://www.bia.gov/WhoWeAre/AS-IA/IEED/index.htm) to support American Indians and Alaska Natives in managing their natural resources and tribal energy opportunities. In accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005, there are several resources available to promote tribal energy sufficiency and economic growth and employment on tribal lands through the development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology. The nation’s first national laboratory, Argonne conducts leading-edge basic and applied scientific research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne researchers work closely with researchers from hundreds of companies, universities, and federal, state and municipal agencies to help them solve their specific problems, advance America ’s scientific leadership and prepare the nation for a better future. With employees from more than 60 nations, Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC (http://www.uchicagoargonnellc.org/) for the U.S. Department of Energy (http://www.energy.gov/)’s Office of Science (http://www.sc.doe.gov/).

Watching the current debacle in the Gulf of Mexico and the culture that created it, you have to wonder: Had Cox and the other women stayed, would BP be in its current mess?

In a public address at Stanford University in 2009, Hayward said that BP had too many people “trying to save the world” — a reference to the “Beyond Petroleum” green vision developed in the John Browne era. They had forgotten, Hayward said, that the company’s “primary purpose was to create value for our shareholders.” But now the company has shattered that purpose as well as its green vision. It’s tragic that the company didn’t see how linked the two subjects are.

This all has shades of déjà vu. Last year many questioned whether Lehman Brothers would have failed had it instead been Lehman Sisters. Like petroleum, investment banking is a highly male-dominated sector whose culture – and bonus system — is designed to encourage extremely risky behavior. If BP had kept some of its environmentally leaning female execs on board, would gender balance have proved a safeguard in the company’s risk and environmental management?

Go to www.20-firstblog.com/?p=374 for the FULL ARTICLE by AVIVAH WITTENBERG-COX.

About 20-first

20-first is one of the world’s leading gender consultancies. 20-first works with progressive companies interested in diversifying their leadership teams and optimising both halves of the talent pool and both halves of the market – the female and male halves. The firm’s renowned Building Gender Balanced Businesses programmes and suite of online tools help companies harness the talent and market opportunities of the 21st century. More at www.20-first.com

During the last part of 2009, US households received 398.5 million credit card offers, a 46% increase from the 272.5 million offers received during third quarter of 2009. However, volumes are still fairly low when compared to 668.1 million offers mailed during the same time in 2008.

Why the increase in credit offers? Lenders are once again targeting the subprime and risky lender. Persels & Associates wants consumers to take a hard look at what kind of offers are out there?

Research shows that there is an increase of direct mail marketing to the subprime consumers – consumers with poor credit. These offers come with slick packaging and allow borrowers to choose their own design and pay by dates but buyers beware of the fine print. A personalized card with a puppy or dandelion on the front can’t disguise the 26% interest rate or the $99 membership fee charged right off the bat. That means before you even buy your first purchase you’re paying 26% interest on a $99 membership fee. Without being careful that balance will skyrocket up and your card will be maxed out on interest payments for the original $99.

How do these lenders find their consumers? Industry experts say the mailbox is still the most popular way for issuers to reach consumers, despite recent response rates as low as 0.6 percent. According to the direct mail researchers — mail is still the No. 1 method for acquiring new credit card consumers.

So what should consumers do?

1. Read the Fine Print – the devil is in the details and often just taking a moment to read the fine print can enlighten consumers on what sort of pact with the devil they’re making. A 12% fixed rate is a good rate according to creditcards.com. Creditcards.com lists comparative rates and industry averages. A rate of 26%, what lenders offer those with subprime credit, is not good.

2. Stop the Mailings - The Direct Marketing Association estimates that listing with their mail preference service will stop 75% of all national mailings. They process 50,000 requests a month and requests are kept active for five years. If you fill out the post office change of address form, the DMA will track the new address (you’ll get a few months of mailings to the new address before they catch up to you). It can take up to six months for your request to be fully processed. You can also opt-out online, but they charge $5. The best way is to fill out their online form, then mail them a printout.

Hold the Phone: The major credit agencies all sell aggregate credit information any bidder. Direct mail and credit companies generate mail based on demographics including zip code, income band and credit payment patterns. Stopping this is easy, you just need your address, former address within two years, and social security number. One call does it all for agencies Equifax, Trans Union, Experian and Innovis. Dial 1-888-5 OPT OUT (or 1-888-567-8688) 24 hours a day.

Check the box – Whenever you fill out a form, entry, or buy something online – CHECK THE BOX that says you do not want your information sold to other companies.

Remember the Feeling of Freedom – American consumers have short memories. Take a moment, before you fill out that offer and remember how good it feels to be debt free. Ask yourself if you really want to get back in the cycle of credit card debt. Are those harassing phone calls and sleepless nights really worth it?

“Our clients have worked really hard to gain financial freedom,” said Joe Cosentini, Director of Operations for Persels & Associates. “We want them to have access to credit – but the right kind of credit. The kind that comes with a low interest rate and no joining fee.”