• Dems unhappy with proposed tax in latest health care bill
• U.S. replaces Bush-era plan for Europe missile shield
• Lab technician charged with Yale grad student's murder
• 45,000 U.S. deaths linked to lack of insurance, study says
• Beck vs. Limbaugh: Who's the top right-wing media voice?
• Where's the coldest place in the solar system? Right nearby
• Paleontologists discover tiny version of T. rex

Story

• NFL · MLB · NCAA Football · Soccer · Tennis · NASCAR

March 16,2010- Bloomberg- U.S. stock rose,with the Standard & Poor\'s 500 Index reaching a 17 month high, as Greece\'s credit rating was affirmed and investors speculated the Federal Reserve will leave interest rates low for an extended period.

The S & P 500 increased 0.4 percent to 1,155.29 at 12:53 p.m. in New York, above its highest close since October 2008. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 18.97 points, or 0.2 percent to 10,661.12 and is up 2.2 percent in 2010. The Ferderal Open Market Committee\'s statement is schedule for 2:15 p.m.

\"Momentum has been positive,\"said Hank Smith, who helps oversee $6 billion as chief investment officer of Haverford Trust Co. in Radnor, Pennsylvania. \"We don\'t expect any material change in language in the FOMC statement other than maybe confirmation that the recovery is showing more signs of sustainability. In addition to that, Greece\'s rating being affirmed had a psychological effect on the market.\"

Washington, DC, Nov. 12, 2009--Initial jobless claims fell by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 502,000 in the week ended Nov. 7, the Labor Department reported Thursday.

Initial jobless claims have hovered above 500,000 for 52 straight weeks.

Economists expected initial claims to drop to about 510,000. Continuing state claims declined 139,000 to a seasonally adjusted 5.63 million, the lowest since March.

Irvine, CA, Nov. 12, 2009--Foreclosure filings dipped in October, the third straight monthly decline, as foreclosure prevention programs helped more borrowers.

But filings are still up 19 percent from a year ago, RealtyTrac Inc. said, and rising job losses continue to threaten the stabilizing trend.

More than 332,000 households, or one in every 385 homes, received a foreclosure-related notice in October, such as a notice of default or trustee\'s sale. That\'s down 3 percent from September.

Banks took back more than 77,000 homes last month, down from nearly 88,000 homes in September.

New state programs have helped stem foreclosure activity, said Rick Sharga, senior vice president at RealtyTrac.

Also, anecdotally, lenders are delaying foreclosure as they evaluate which borrowers might qualify for the federal loan modification program, he said.

Bloomberg-Housing starts fell in February as record snowfall in parts of the U.S. hampered construction, while fewer building permits signaled the recovery in real estate will take longer to unfold.

Builders broke ground on 575,000 homes at rate, down 5.9 percent from 611,000 in January, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. February starts reflected declines in the Northeast and South, which experienced winter storms. Prices of goods imported into the U.S. fell more than anticipated in February, another report showed.

\"Some of the numbers reflect the severe snowstorms,but apart from the weather,there\'s no evidence of a pickup in activity,\" Michael Feroli,an economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co.in New York, said about the real estate market. \"If we see the job market pick up, it\'ll eventually feed through to housing.\"

Washington, DC, March 18, 2010-The index of leading economic indicators rose 0.1% in February,marking 11 consecutive gains, following an increase of 0.3% in January. The interest rate spread and real money supply made the largest positive contributions in February, while average weekly manufacturing hours and stock prices made the largest negative contributions.

June 16 Bloomberg- Apple Inc. said it logged more than 600,000 early orders for the iphone 4 yesterday, a record, imposing a strain on computer systems that prompted carrier AT&T Inc. to suspend sales of the device before its June 24 debut.

AT&T the exclusive U.S. carrier for the iphone, said yesterday was the busiest online sales day in its history.The carrier will withhold orders for the phone indefinitely, depending on how soon it can replenish inventory. Apple said many customers abandoned efforts to preorder the device after growing frustrated with the process.

Job market recovery depends where you live. Despite signs that the national economy is getting back on its feet, Americans who lost their jobs to the recession are having a harder time getting back on theirs. Of the 384 metro areas tracked by msnbc.com\'s Adversity Index, only two are in full-blown econonmic expansion,according to the latest figures from Moody\'s Econonmy.com. Until more regions join them,expect local and regional jobs rates to remain stubbornly high.

There have been some hopeful signs of improvement in the latest government jobs data. Though private sector hiring was much slower than expected in May, employers boosted the number of hours worked and temporary workers hired. That is often a precursor to the creation of permanent, full -time jobs.

But the outlook for a pickup in hiring is decidedly mixed- depending on where your job hunt takes you.

In general, jobs markets in the Midwest have fared better than on the coasts. That\'s due partly  to the reliance of those regions on agriculture and energy production,said Andrew Gledhill,an economist at Moody\'s Analytics. They also didn\'t get hit as hard by the housing bust that dragged many regions deep in recession. That helps explain why North and South Dakota have the lowest unemployment rates in the nation-below 5 precent.

Since the financial panic of September 2008 sent bankers scrambling for cover, the leanidng industry has been slowly rebuilding the damage inflicted by historic wave of bad mortgages. But progress remains slow among many regional and community banks.

Tight lending is having the biggest impact on local economies that rely on smaller business. Unlike large corporations that can borrow in the credit markets,smaller companies are reliant on their local banker for funding.

\"A large proportion of them tend to be in construction and retail trade,said Gledhill.\"And neither of these two industries are expected to hire in any siginificant numbers in the near term. Typically,in past recession housing is one of the dirver industries.\"

Electric car backers launch new ads as energy votes loom. A corporate coalition seeking Capitol Hill support for bills that expand the market for electric vehicles is ramping up and ad campaign that promotes the technology as a cure for reliance on oil imports.

The lastest ad from the Electrification Coalition comes ahead of Senate debate on far-reaching energy legislation that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) plans to bring to the floor before the August congressional recess.

The coalition formed last year includes Nissan Motor.Co. - which is rolling out a plug - in car called the Leaf- as well as NRG Energy Inc., PG & E Corp., lithium ion battery company A123 Systems Inc.m FedEx. Corp. and GridPoint Inc., which provides software to enable a \"smart \" power grid.

The Ad lauched Monday opens with images of gasoline lines from the 1970, officials from Middles Eastern nations, and shots of oil fires from the first Gulf War.

\" It dosesn\'t have to be this way. Our economy or our values. Energy or security. Now, arrives a new path,\" the narrotor states as the images shrink to fit in the side-view mirror of a car being charged with an electric cord.

\"The promise of electric vehicles: Job creation, reduced emissions. National Security. The past is behind us. Let\'s move forward, \" the ad continues , ending with the vehicle speeding away.

J.R. Ewing ( Larry Hagman) is a major proponent of alternative energy.Hagman will be at the Intersolar industry conference at San Francisco\'s Moscone Center  pontificating the importance of solar power. The passionate thespian is a guest of Oregon photovaltaics company SolarWorld. He will encourage consumers to go with domestically made solar panels, \"made here by Americans,for Americans.\"

\"It\'s keeping jobs here, \" he said in an earlier interview. \" This can turn things around.\" Not to mention , he said , that using clean power could be a powerful hedge against rising electricity rates and surging oil prices.

John Stumpf, chief executive officer of Wells Fargo & Co. said  customers, not just the bank, will bear the financial burden  for U.S. regulations that cover services ranging from home loans to credit cards.

\" I can\'t guarantee that we won\'t pass on some of those costs,\" Stumpf, 56, said in an interview at his San Francisco office. \" We\'ll try to tighten our belt and absorb some of the costs of compliance, but some costs may change and customers might pay for their financial services in new ways.\"

Wells Fargo, with the biggest U.S. branch network, is already passing on costs by charging for checking accounts and raising interest rates on credit cards and loans, said Richard Bove, a banking analyst at Rochdale Securities LLC. The bank ended free checking last month by adding a $5 monthly fee for customers who don\'t meet certain conditions.

\" This bank does not intend to sit there and get nailed, \" said Bove, who resently upgraded Wells Fargo shares to a \" buy\" \" Wells Fargo has moved wel ahead of the crowed, and everyone will follow.\"

New Rules

President Barack Obama signed into law las week a 2,300 page overhaul of financial regulation that gives the government authority to unwind failing financial firms, imposes new rules on derivatives markets and creates a consumer-protection agency to monitor loans and services. Stumpf said it\'s too early to judge the costs for Wells Fargo, in part because the bank is looking for ways to offset expenses and lost revenue.

Even with the bill\'s shortcomings, Congress got many parts of it right, Stumpf said in the July 22 interview. The creation of a systemic risk regulator will prevent another crisis from being sparked by the collapse of a large financial firm, he said. The Financial Stability Oversight Council, a super -regulator, will monitor Wall Street\'s largest firms and other market participants to spot emerging systemic risks.

\" Too -big- to fail has been dealt with, said Stumpf, whose bank holds $1.2 trillion of assets. \" Regulators needed a way to understand risk at the top of the house and opine on that risk. They did it in a way that makes a lot of sense.\"

Not Enough

Some of the new consumer protections don\'t go far enough because they contain too many exemptions, Stumpf said. Auto dealers and banks with less than $10 billion in assets may be exempt from some curbs.

Consistent consumer protection rules are \"good for Americans and it\'s good for us as providers because we know the playing field is level,\" Stumpf said. \" Does it become less level because the consumer-protection agency has direct involvement with certin compaines and not others, and will rely on other regulations to do it? I don\'t know. That\'s where the trickiness comes up.\"

Durbin Amendent

Stumpf singled out new curbs on debit interchange fees for criticism. Under the so-called Durbin amendment, the Federal Reserve gets authority to limit interchange, or \"swipe\" fees, that merchants pay for each debit-card transaction. The measure pushed by Senator Richard Durbin lets retailers refuse credit cards for purchases of les than $10 and offer discounts based on the form of payment.

\" That is a dispute between banks and merchants and it somehow found its way into regulatory reform, \" Stumpf said. He told analysts on July 22, \" I don\'t see how debit card fees between banks and merchants had anything to do with what happened in the last couple of years.\"

Stumpf isn\'t the only financial leader voicing displeasure. Card industry executives say the legislation amounts to price controls, and American Express Co. Vice  Chairman Ed Gilligan said June 15, before the language was finalized, that the Durbin amendment \" provides no benefit to consumers.\" The largest payment networks, Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc., also opposed the amendent.

Derivatives

New rules on derivatives will mandate that swaps between banks and major users like hedge funds and asset managers be backed by clearinghouses. Stumpf said moving those trades to clearinghouses would help show the true size of the derivatives market, but doesn\'t address whtat happens when a borrower doesn\'t pay or a member of the clearinghouse collapses, he said.

\" Somebody\'s got to take the credit risk,\" Stumpf said. His concern was echoed by Joel Telpner, a partner with the law firm Jones Day in New York, who spoke in a July 26 interview.

\" Maybe we are creating new entities that are too big to fail and setting up a scenario in the future where we\'re going to be arguing and anguishing about bailing out the clearinghouses, \" Telpner said.

A resolution recognizing the importance and substainability of the United State hardwoods industry and urging that United States hardwoods and the products derived from United States hardwoods be given full consideration in any program to promote construction of environmentally preferable commercial, public, or private buildings.

The Resolution specifically identifies hardwood trees grown in the U.S. as an abundant, sustainable, and legal resources as documented annually by the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program of the U.S. Forest Service.

The Department of Agriculture analysis shows that inventory fo U.S. hardwood has more than doubled during the past 50 years.

The legislation was supported by the Hardwood Federation, a coalition  of more than 30 associations, including the National Wood Flooring Association.

This resolution has been passed in the Senate, which is the end of the legislative process for simple resolutions. The resolution now takes effect.

Aug. 5, 2010: Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill

Washington, DC, Nov. 10, 2009--Most states continued to experience rising existing-home sales in the third quarter, with prices moderating in many metro areas, according to the latest survey by the National Association of Realtors.

Total state existing-home sales, including single-family and condo, increased 11.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.30 million units in the third quarter from 4.76 million units in the second quarter, and are now 5.9 percent above the 5.01 million-unit pace in the third quarter of 2008.

Sales increased from the second quarter in 45 states and the District of Columbia; 28 states and D.C. saw double-digit gains. Year-over-year sales were higher in 32 states and D.C.

During the third quarter, 123 out of 153 metropolitan statistical areas reported lower median existing single-family home prices in comparison with the third quarter of 2008, while 30 areas had price gains.

The national median existing single-family price was $177,900, which is 11.2 percent below the third quarter of 2008. Distressed sales – foreclosures and short sales – accounted for 30 percent of transactions in the third quarter, which continued to weigh down median home prices because they sell at a discount relative to traditional homes.

Washington, DC,March 18, 2010- Mortgage applications slid last week despite the lowest mortgage rates in more than three months, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. The industry group\'s market index,which includes purchase and refinance applications, fell a seasonally adjusted 1.9 percent to a three-week low despite improving borrowing costs. Average 30 year mortgage rates dropped 0.10 percentage point to 4.91 percent. The MBA\'s index of refinancing applications dropped 1.7 percent last week and its purchase loan demand index fell 2.3 percent.

The Environmetal Protection Agency (EPA) will delay enforcement of the Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule\'s firm certification requirement until Oct. 1. In addition, the agency will not enforce against individual renovation workers for violation of the rule\'s renovation worker certification requirement if the person has applied to enroll in, or has enrolled in, a certified renovator class by no later than Sept.30; the training must be completed by Dec. 31. For mor information on the rule, visit www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/renovation.htm#requirements. According to an agency statement, \"EPA is simply giving firms more time to file the apporpriate paperwork demostrating they are following the lead-safe work pratices. Moreover, EPA is also giving individual contractors more time to enroll in and take the required training courses.\" Industry groups has lobbied to extend the deadline for compliance due to the lack of training opportunites for certification. The rule applies to all contractors - including wood flooring contractors -disturbing more than 6 square feet of coating in homes built prior to 1978.

When people  talk about green flooring options, they often think about the flooring materials itself wood, stone, vinyl, carpet, etc. but there are other major components used in any flooring installation that impact the environment as well. These can include things like adhesives, stains, sealers, paints and other similar products. These types of products emit gases called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These VOCs are made up of a variety of organic chemicals that may be dangerours to both humans and our enviroment. Because these gases are potenially hazardous, recent regulations have been implemented that govern their porduction and use.

Products that are affected by VOC regulations are far reaching for the wood flooring industry. They can include, but not limited to,stains, sealers, finished, paints, and adhesives. In the United States, there are a variety of organizations that regulate VOC emissions. In California, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) was established to  monitor air quality for the state of California, but in other areas of the U.S. , such as the North East , regulations are governed by the Ozone Transport Commission (OTC). Generally speaking, these organizations have implemented regulations to reduce the overall VOC emissions from products in an effort to reduce both environmental impact and human exposure.

As an example, substances classified as varnishes , which includes both oil modified and water based finishes, currently have a U.S. national VOC limit set at 450 grams per liter. OTC states places more stringent standards, establishing a ratio of 350 grams per liter, while CARB standards are even more stringent at 275 grams per liter. Other products used in wood flooring, such as conversion varnishes,tung oil, stain, sealer, and lacquer, have different regulations and different compliance ratios.

The responsibility for compliance generally lands in the lap of the manufacturer of the product. They are required by law to manufacture their products to meet regulations and must clearly label their products to include required compliance information on the container. It is important to note, however, that while the bulk of the reponsibility falls upon the manufacturer, ignorance of the regulations will not excuse a contractor from fines and repecussions, which can be severe.

Although many areas have not yet established VOC compliance legislation, implementaion dates have been established through 2012 for many areas. It is also important to note that there is activity in Washington, D. C., to pass federal legislation for a national VOC regulation. Although this legislation is not yet imminent, it is  likely to impact our industry in the near future.

After skidding for four straight sessions, stocks staged a comeback yesterday even as economic data continued to paint a dismal picture. Disappointing housing and durable goods numbers sent stocks lower in the first hour of trading, with the Dow average plunging more than 100 points, but some bargain hunting towards the close helper stocks manage modest gains on the day.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed with a gain of 19.61 points, or 0.2% and the broader S&P 500 stock index added 0.3%. The tech-laden Nasdaq Composite index climbed 0.8% to 2141.54. On the New York Stock Exchange, three stocks advanced in price for every two tht fell.

Improving risk sentiment sent crude prices up 89 cents to $72.52 even as a government report showed a greater-than-expected 4.1 million barrel build in crude oil stockpiles. The market\'s measure of volatility, the CBOE Vix, fell 2.8% to 26.70. Treasuries lost some ground. The 10-year note dropped 14/32 in price as its yield jumped to 2.53%, well above Tuesday\'s ninteen-month low of 2.49%. The Treasury auctions $29 billion 7-year notes today.

Although safe-havens lost some sheen, gold price continued their recent advsnce, rising to an eight-week high of $1241.30 Shares in Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX-Analyst Report ) jumped 3.1% and Newmont Mining (NYSE: NEM-Analyst Report) gained 2.8%.

Homebuilder shares continued higher despite the dismal housing data as a number of brokerages suggested the sector was looking attractive. Home Depot (NYSE:-HD-Analyst Report), a DJIA component, climbed 2% and was on top of the DJIA\'s list of gainers. Shares in Toll Brothers (NYSE:-TOL-Snaphot Report) jumped 5.8% after the firm returned to profitability. DF Horton (  NYSE: DHI - Analyst Report ) gained 4.6%. United Technologies ( NYSE: UTX- Analyst Report ) was the Dow\'s leading decliner.

Shares in Asia and Europe rose today, drawing strength from yesterday\'s advance in U.S. equity markets. Mining companies helped push Chinese shares higher. Meanwhile, a day after S & P downgraded Ireland\'s credit rating to AA-, citing costs associated with bailing out the country\'s financial institutions, a well-bid auction of Irish treasuries surprised many participant and helped send European shares higher today.

June 16- Flooring News- Mohawk Raises Prices 6 Percent. Mohawk Industires ( Dallas) will increase prices by an average of 6 percent on select hardwood flooring and accessories with shipments and orders made July 5 or after. Mohawk has attributed the move to increases in lumber and transportation costs brought on by reduced supply, according to a release.

BR-111- Will sell direct. BR- 111 Imports & Exports Inc. ( Medley, Fla) has altered its sales model to includee dealer-direct and online consumer-direct sales, according to a press release. The move were attributed to a glut of products on the market, increasing costs and consumer demand for more affordable prices. BR-111 says it has developed a sales program that \"provides retailers with hot sales leads, aggressive marketing exposure and much higher margins.\" For the first time, the company is also giving its products an MSRP to \"legitimize dealer pricing and enhance overall credibility\" in the marketplace, according to the release.

Q.E.P. Co. Inc.-( Boca Raton, Fla.) owner of the Harris Wood Floors brand, along with Capitol -branded products, recently donated more than $300.000 of new products to Habitat for Humanity and other non-profit organizations, schools and churches throughout the United States.

Washington, DC, Nov. 6, 2009--The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved an extension of jobless benefits and a tax credit for home buyers, sending the measure to President Barack Obama for signature.

The bill, approved unanimously by the Senate late Wednesday, extends unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks.

It also keeps a first-time home buyer tax credit alive until next spring, and expands it to include some people who already own a house.

The bill extends jobless benefits in all states for 14 weeks, and for up to 20 weeks in states where the unemployment rate is above 8.5%.

An $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers now set to expire this month is extended through April 30 under the bill.

The bill also allows people who have lived in a home for at least five years to claim a $6,500 credit if they purchase a new home.

The bill also includes a tax provision allowing small businesses to write off losses they incurred during the recession.

Washington, DC, Nov. 11, 2009--The multifamily sector of the housing market showed signs of improvement in the third quarter, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

NAHB’s Multifamily Market Rental Indices for the third quarter showed increases compared to a year earlier. The index for current starts of low-rent apartments rose from 22.2 to 30.4, while the index for low-rent starts in the next six months rose from 20.3 to 41.3.  The index for current starts of market-rent apartments also rose from 15.7 to 19.4, and from 19.1 to 32.7 for future starts.

The current condo index rose to 24 from 8.1 a year earlier. The future index for condo starts gained more than 20 points to reach 30.4. The index measuring traffic of prospective condo buyers rose to 41.3 from 13.8 a year ago.

Numbers below 50 indicates more multifamily builders reported that market conditions were weaker since the previous quarter. All the multifamily supply indexes have been running below 50 since the third quarter of 2007.
 

New York, NY Dec. 29,2009- The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, rose again in December. The index now stands at 52.9, up from 50.6 in November. The Expectations Index increased to 75.6 from 70.3 last month. The Present Situation Index,however declined to 18.8 from 21.2 in November. The Consumer Confidence Survey is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households. Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center, said, \"Consumer Confidence posted yet another moderate gain in December as expectations for the short-term future increased to the highest level in two years.

Washington, DC, March 18-2010- Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency called on French shipping company Delmas to cancel a shipment of hundreds of tons of rosewood from a port of Vohemer, in northeastern Madagascar. The Delmas-operated vessal Kiara arrived in Vohemar on March 11 and is currently being loaded with containers filled with rosewood. The groups accuse the company, a division of shipping group CMA-CGM, of facilitating the destruction of Madagascar\'s last remaining forests. Since June of 2009, Global Witness,EIA, and other organizations have repeatedly advised Delmas of the situation and urged the company not to ship illegal wood from Madagascar. Political turmoil in early 2009 trigged an invasion of Madagascar\'s national parks by thousands of illegal loggers. A report by Global Witness and EIA in November 2009 estimated that the trade in illegal rosewood and ebony was worth up to $460,000 per day. Most of the wood that is exported comes from Masoala National Park, a World Heritage Site, and other protected areas in the northeast. Although almost all harvest and export of precious woods has been bannded in Madagascar since 2006, local and national officials have been known to issue illegitimate export permits. Madagascar\'s cash-strapperd transitional government lacks both the political will and the resources to effectively control the trade in illegal wood. Timber shipped by Delmas usually ends up in China, the largest market for the illegal Malagasy wood, but U.S. and European consumers have also been known to purchase it. 

July 13 - Bloomberg U.S. and European stocks climbed for a 6th day, commodities rallied and Treasuries declined as Alcoa Inc.\'s  ( the largest U.S. aluminum producer ) forecast of growing global demand and Greece\'s sale of debt bolstered optimism in the economic outlook.

All 10 industries in the S & P 500 advanced as Alcoa\'s earnings topped estimates and the company forecast global aluminum consumption will grow 12 percent this year, higher than a previous estimate of 10 precent. Equities also rallied as Greece sold 26 - week Treasury bills at an interest rate below the 5 precent charged in the European Union\'s rescue, signaling growing confidence.

\" We\'re kicking off earnings season with Alcoa out with numbers that beat--there were a lot of folks who felt Alcoa was going to lose money.,\" said Hayes Miller, the Boston based head of asset allocation in North America at Baring Asset Management, which manages $43.8 billion. \" Greece being able to sell Treasury billls below the ECB rate suggets a bit of relief about what\'s going in sovereign debt markets.\"

New York, NY, Dec. 30, 2009—Twenty percent of employers plan to increase the number of full-time, permanent employees in 2010,up from 14% in 2009, according to CareerBuilder\\\'s 2010 Job Forecast.\\\"There have been many signs over the past few months that point to the healing of the U.S. economy, especially the continued decrease in the number of jobs lost per month,\\\" Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder, said in a press release. Only 9% of the employers surveyed said they plan to decrease headcount in 2010, down from 16% last year, while 61% do not plan to change staff levels and 10% are unsure. Hiring is expected to increase in information technology, manufacturing, financial services, professional and business services and sales in the coming year, CareerBuilder said.

New York, NY Dec. 28, 2009 - A prominent economist believes the U.S. economy will expand 3.5% in 2010. Dean Maki of Barclays Capital Inc. told Bloomberg News that rising stocks and rising incomes will spur consumers to spend more money and lift the economy. If his predicitions comes true, it would be the best economic performance since 2004. He said the recovery would be similar to past recoveries. Bloomberg noted that Maki had the most accurate predictions for GDP for the first three quarters in its survey. It also said that Maki\'s projection was one of the higest in its survey.

Washington, DC - March 17, 2010- Lower energy cost pushed the U.S. producer price index to a drop of 0.6% in February, the Labor Department said. Core producer prices,excluding volatile food and energy,rose 0.1%. Economists had been anticipating a decline of 0.1%. February\'s decline in the headline PPI was the largest since a fall of 1.2% last July. In January,the PPI rate had jumped 1.4% while the core rate had risen 0.3%. Tame inflation could allow the Fed to be patient in exiting its policy of keepng the benchmark U.S. interest rate near zero. The Fed reiterated in its statement that it believes rates can remain extremely low \"for an extended period. Energy prices fell 2.9% at the wholesale level in February, the Labor Department\'s data showed. It marked the first drop in four months and the biggest since last July. Gasoline prices fell 7.4% on the month.

Jean Chatzky- June 16- Social Security and Government payments go all-electronic. Today the Treasury Department will announce that all payments from the U.S. government will be made electronically to consumers. So people receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income,Veterans, Railroad Retirement and U.S. government benefit recipents will receive benefits either through direct deposit into a bank account or through Treasury\'s Direct Express debit card.

\" Today\'s announcement is a win-win for the American public because it makes government more convenient and cost-effective while generating significant savings for the country,\" says OMB Director Peter Orszag about the program that is estimated to save the government $303 million in the first five years-including $48 million annually on postage.\" This is precisely the type of smart, steamlined improvement that this Administration is committed to making across government to boost efficiency and modernize how we do business.\"

Some experts wonder, however, how easy adapting will be, particularly for those seniors who haven\'t gravitated to direct deposit or debit on their own.

June 16- 2010 - NWFA introduces website for finiding wood flooring installers. The National Wood Flooring Association (NWF) has developed a new web site to help consumers find professional wood flooring installers in their area. The new site,woodflooringinstallers.com,allows consumers to search for professional installers using a variety of options.

The benefit of using this site is that consumers can be assured that the individuals and companies listed are members of a professional trade association dedicated to educating installers about proper installation techniques. Individuals or companies that are NWFA certified installers and /or sand and finishers are identified as well.

Emeryville, CA, Nov. 6, 2009--More than four of every 10 homes listed for sale in 27 major U.S. housing markets reduced their listing prices in October, according to a report of homes listed on Multiple Listing Services (MLS) in the markets surveyed by ZipRealty, a national real estate brokerage.

The number, 43.5 percent, is down slightly from September.

According to the survey, MLS-listed properties with reduced prices have had their prices cut an average of twice, but sellers are not knocking quite as much off as they did earlier this year.

Home owners slashed listing prices by an average of $24,718 in October, just slightly less than the average reduction of $24,960 in September.

The median list price across all 27 markets decreased slightly to $281,416, down 2.02 percent compared to September.

Horsham, PA, Nov. 11, 2009--Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers, Inc. said its fourth-quarter net signed contracts of approximately 765 units and $430.8 million rose 42% in units and 62% in dollars compared to 2008\'s fourth-quarter totals.

Toll said the total also exceeded 2007\'s fourth-quarter net signed contracts by 17% in units and 18% in dollars.

The increases were achieved despite having fewer selling communities, Toll said.

However, Toll said its fourth-quarter home building deliveries and revenues of approximately 860 units and $486.6 million declined 20% in units and 30% in dollars, and its fourth-quarter-end backlog of approximately 1,531 units and $874.8 million declined 25% in units and 34% in dollars, compared to last year.

Toll said that home buyers began to emerge in late March and the market continued to gain momentum up to Labor Day. Since then, he said, demand has been volatile, which he said is likely due to concerns about unemployment and the overall economy.

New York,Ny, Dec. 30, 2009- Mortgage delinquencies are still on the rise,which could put a damper on a rebounding housing market. Although investors appeared to take a report on the flat U.S. home prices in stride Tuesday, rising mortgage delinquencies signal more foreclosures are ahead. More strapped borrowers are falling behind on their monthly payments during the recession as unemployment hovers around 10%. Late Monday Fannie Mae said serious delinquency rates in its conventional single-family home mortgage portfolio rose to 4.98% in October from 4.72% the previous month. A year ago, the rate stood at 1.89%. Home values have rebounded somewhat in recent months, with some economists attributing the bounce to the expiration of the $8,000 tax credit for new homebuyers. The credit has been expanded and extended to spring. Recent evidence suggets housing is rebounding, but many mortgage holders who face finicial problems because of the recession have a tough climb to modfiy their loans and keep their homes out of foreclosure.

While the world stands to attention for the FIFA World Cup, Brazil and the City of Rio are preparing for the 8th Homeless World Cup. From 19-26 of September 2010, 64 national teams of homeless players-including 16 women\'s teams will be united on Copacabana Beach, Brazil for the week long, annual football tournment aimed at beating homelessness globally.

Over 300,00 homeless players around the world are aiming for the chance to stand pround and represent their country on the global stage in Rio. A street soccer stadium with 3 pitches holding a crowd of 5,000 will be built on Copacabana Beach with the statue of Christ the Redeemer on Corovado Mountain as the remarkable, iconic backdrop.

Mel Young, president,Homeless World Cup said, \" Brazil and the City of Rio have the courage to take positive steps to address proverty and serious social issues with football, a sport in which they lead the world.\" The Homeless World Cup is an opportunity for homeless people to move from the invisble margins to the center of Rio, stand proud on a global stage, true ambassadors for their country, and change their lives. A ball can change the world.\"

Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva , \"it is with great satisfaction that the Brazilian Ministry of Sports supports the Rio 21010 Homeless World Cup. I\'m convinced that gathering people from the whole world in a great sports movement for peace and social change will creat a strong impact and contribution.\"

The first Homelss World Cup took place in Graz 2003 uniting 18 national teams, 5 years on and the tournament had grown siginificantly to unite  56 nations at Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup, which included the first Women\'s Cup and a $3 million legacy of 30 street soccer programes to address homeless across Australia. 

Christina Manca Designer and founder of Drawing Board Design. Gives you tips and reviews to help you select the wood flooring that\'s right for you.

There\'s something really special about a hardwood floor and there are more possibilities than ever before from exotic woods to floors that look like wood but aren\'t wood at all. With so many options it can be difficult to choose so Christina Manca reviews tips on how to select the wood flooring that\'s right for you:

Wood flooring is loved fro several reasons, It\'s one of the oldest flooring products so there\'s a level of comfort with it and it\'s very durable. It\'s also so verstile that it offers an infinite number of possibilities from different species to adding borders and inserts.

A soild strip hardwood floor uses strips of wood about 3/4\" thick , 2-1/4\" wide and anywhere from 12 to 84 inches long. North American hardwoods like red oak, maple and walnut are taditional favorites, but there\'s a trend toward using more exotic woods today.

Solid hardwood floors come either unfinished or pre-finished. The latter is nice because if avoids the dust and fumes that come with refinishing/finishing a floor.

Believe it or not, you can get the look of hardwood without solid wood. Engineered wood flooring is a veneer of hardwood in the species of you choice on top of three to five thin sheets of wood. Whereas solid wood will expand or contract with heat and moisture, engineered wood flooring doesn\'t do that as much so there won\'t be as many cracks between the strips, which makes it particulary good for kitchens and basements where moisture is a factor. Solid wood flooring will last until somone removes it and engineered wood flooring will last anywhere from 10 to 20 years, depending on the level of traffic.

Plastic laminate flooring is not a wood product at all, but it looks like wood. The plastic layer on top is attached to plastic boards and it last about 10 to 15 years.

The three things to consider when choosing a new wood floor are budget, the application (how much traffic is going to be on the floor ane where it will go ) and the lifecycle of the floor (how long you want it to last).

St. Louis, MO - The National Wood Flooring Association has started a voluntary Accepted Product Program for its members to help market their products.

The program establishes criteria by which all companies can manufacture their products for optimal performance.

For customers, the program offers the assurance that the products meets or exceeds industry performance standards.

Once approved, the manufacturer will be able to display a product seal on its approved products.

The wood flooring categories to be evaluated include abrasives, engineered wood flooring, fasteners, finished, and underlayment.

Lexington, MA, Sept. 23, 2009--U.S. construction spending is likely to fall 12 percent this year and 4 percent next year, according to IHS Global Insight Third Quarter Construction Briefing.

However, the firm predicts double-digit growth on an annual basis in 2011 and 2012.

“The mixed outlook for the construction market mirrors the mixed outlook for the broad economy,” IHS Global Insight noted in its report.

“While the outlook for nonresidential construction is weak for this year and next, residential construction – driven by a single-family market verging on recovery – is expected to expand in the second half of 2009, climbing 2.1 percent, quarter-on-quarter, in the third quarter and 4.8 percent in the fourth.\\\\\\\"

Commercial construction is expected to fall 27.9 percent this year, while occupancy rates in commercial properties – such as office buildings, hotels and retail stores – are falling and rents continue to drop.

Total spending on hospitals and other health care buildings continues to increase steadily, driven particularly by rapid expansion in public health care construction.

Washington, DC, Sept. 23, 2009--Mortgage application volume rose 12.8% last week from the the week before, boosted by greater activity in refinancings, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported on Wednesday.

The survey also showed that the average interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages dropped below 5% for the first time since the middle of May in the week ended Sept. 18.

The seasonally adjusted 12.8% increase last week was a reversal from the 8.6% drop seen in overall filings for the week ended Sept. 11.

In the latest week, applications filed to refinance home loans increased 17.4% from the week before, as applications for mortgages to purchase homes were up a seasonally adjusted 5.6%, driven mainly by an increase in filings for government-insured loans, including those backed the Federal Housing Administration.

Government-insured mortgages made up 45.7% of all purchase applications last week -- the highest proportion since November 1990.

Refinance applications accounted for 63.8% of all applications, up from 61% the previous week, while adjustable-rate mortgages rose to 6.7% from 6.0%.

Thirty-year fixed-rate mortgages carried an average rate of 4.97% last week, down from 5.08% the previous week. The average rate for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages stood at 4.41%.

President Obama today will head to a Tastee sub shop in New Jersey to sell his jobs agenda to small business owners, but a bill specifically for that purpose has been stymied in the Senate for the last month.

With the country\'s unemployment rate hovering near 10 percent and its economic recovery \"unusually uncertain\" as Federal Reserve charirman Ben Bernanke put it, one of the most obvious moves to boost job creation would be to help the small businesses that account for around two - thirds of new job growth.

But for the past month the Senate has yet to pass the bill that emerged in June from the House of Representatives, setting it aside time and time again.

\" I hope that in the coming days we\'ll once again find common ground and get this legislation passed,\" President Obama said Tuesday at the White House.\"We shouldn\'t let America\'s small businesses be held hostage to partisan politics-and certainly not at this critical time.\"

This afternoon in New Jersey, the President will again urge the Senate to act. Back in Washington, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he hopes the Senate can finish work on the bill by late today.

The bill would establish a $30 billion small business lending facility run by the Treasury Department and provide another $12 billion in tax relief. Smaller banks - those with under $10 billion in assets-would use the Treasury fund to extend loans to small businesses, helping get them back on their feet and hiring new workers.

However, the small business measure has gotten stuck in the Senate, stymied by partisan gridlock and a focus on more high-profile legislation such as Wall Street reform.

Republicans have denounced the small business lending facility as a \"mini-TARP,\" referring to the government\'s $700 billion financial -system bailout program. Democrats have elected to work on other bills, including the financial regulatory overhaul, unemployment benefits, and campaign finance reform.

In typical Beltway politics, both parties have blamed one another for the lack of action on the small business front.

Washington, DC - U.S. construction spending unexpectedly rose in April as the housing slump eased and more commercial projects got underway. The 0.8 percent gain was the biggest since August and followed a revised 0.4 percent increase the prior month.

Washington, DC - Consumer confidence jumped in May by the most in six years, fueling speculation the economy will recover later this year. The Conference Board\'s sentiment index surged to 54.9, higher than forecast, according to figures from the research group. A report from S&P/Case-Shiller showed home prices continued to plunge. The 28-point jump in confidence over April and May is the biggest two-month rally since records began in 1967. The measure reached its lowest point ever in February, with a reading of 25.3. Consumer confidence was projected to rise to 42.6, according to economists. The Conference Board revised the April reading to 40.8, from an originally reported 39.2.

Washington, DC, Nov. 6, 2009--The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 10.2% in October, topping the 10% mark for the first time in 26 years, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Nonfarm payrolls dropped by 190,000 in October, bringing to total number of jobs lost in the recession to 7.3 million.

Economists were forecasting a rise in the unemployment rate to 10%, with 150,000 lost payroll jobs. The unemployment rate was the highest since April 1983. An alternative gauge of unemployment, which includes discouraged workers and those forced to work part-time, rose to 17.5%, the highest on record dating to 1995.

Record Lula Bank Loans overwhelm pust to weaken real as rates surpass 10% - By Tal Barak Harif and Andre Soliani. A five week rally in the Brazilian real is limiting President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva\'s efforts to make the country\'s exports more competitive in international markets. Lula himself is partly to blame, according to Harvard University Professor Ricardo Hausmann.

Record lending by the state development bank, known as BNDES, is contributing to the fastest economic growth in 15 years, prompting the central bank to raise the benckmark overnight rate 1.5 percentage points this year to 10.25 percent, Hausmann said. The higher rates are luring capital to Brazil\'s fixed -income assets and fueling gains in the real that Lula,64,sought to curb by implementing a 2 precent tax on foreigners\' investments in stocks and bonds in October.

\"BNDES should be ordered to slow credit growth,\" Hausmann, the director of Harvard\'s Center for International Development in Cambridge, Massachusetts, said in a June 23 telephone interview. \"While the central bank is trying to responsibly control inflation, BNDES is expanding lending. That means the central bank will have to raise rates that much more.\"

The real is the second -biggest gainer in emerging markerts since May 20, climbing 4.7 percent to 1.7984 per dollar. Fitch Ratings said yesterday that the growth in BNDES lending is also slowing Brazil\'s reduction of debt as a percent of gross domestic product, creating a concern as it considers raising the government\'s rating from BBB-,the lowest investment -grade ranking.

Fitch shifted the rating outlook to positive from stable, citing the country\'s \"growth dynamics\" and \"resilience\" during last year\'s global recession.

\'Additional Burden\'

\"These are the positives that we noted, however we do believe that Brazil needs to exercise some fiscal restraint,\" Shelly Shetty, a Fitch analyst in New York, said in a telephone interview. \"BNDES activities are placing additional burden on monetary policy to curb excessive domestic demand.\"

Bethesda, MD- Population 56,763 Median family income (per year ) $172,541 Median home price  $725,000. There\'s a party for every season in this commuter town: Enjoy concerts and ice sculpting in the winter and Taste of Bethesda in October; schmooze with Pulitzer Prize winning authors at April\'s literary festival; and enjoy the strains of delta blues, soul and swing in the summer.

Year-round a dozen art galleries and hundreds of diverse restaurants woo suburbanites away from cul-de-sac comforts for days and nights downtown. An abundance of home fashion stores and gradutes degrees (one in tow residents has one) sets a swanky tone for this small community with big city style.

Greenwich, CT- Population 60,089 Median family income (per year) $153,615 Median home price $1,180,000. Palo Alto is awah in high tech prosperity. Stanford professors, Facebook engineers and venture capitalists are neighbors in this Silicon Valley town. It\'s home to the historically preserved garage where David Packard and Bill Hewlett launched the HP empire in 1938, as well as eight -figure Tuscan-inspired manors with pinot noir and chardonnay grapes out back.

Natural beauty is another of its keystones. Named for its tall trees, Palo Alto boasts spectacular nature trails, preserves and gardens, many of which offer it well-heeled residents Peninsula views and bird watching.

This tony town is the epitome of coastal chic, with beaches and yacht clubs lining roughly 30 miles of shore. Wealthy residents enjoy lavish penthouse condos and multi-acre estates overlooking the Long Island Sound. Home prices soar into the millions of dollars.

But luxurious nests are only part of Greenwich\'s appeal. A well endowed arts scene includes the Greenwich Library, Bruce Museum, and two symphonies.

Gorgeous,untamed landscapes;sexy,festive carnivals, sizzling food and people. We got the memo. Brazil is hot! This rich South American nation is famous for attracting flocks of adventure seekers but another thing Brazil excels at is in producing some of the world\'s most beautiful exotic wood. Species like Ipe (Brazilian Walnut ), Jatoba (Brazilian Cherry), Cumaru (Brazilian Teak ), Muiracatiara (Brazilian Tigerwoood ) and Sucupira (Brazilian Chestnut ) are ideal in creating exquisite looking and long-lasting hardwood floors people covet and no one knows this better than Brazfloor. The Brazilian - owned and operated company boasts the most extensive collection of Brazilian wood products available, and their friendly attitude and ability to anticipate your needs will make you feel just like you were on holiday in Rio.

Bloomfield Hills, MI, Aug. 4, 2009-Pulte Homes Inc. and Centex Corp., which plan to combine to form the country\\\'s largest homebuilder, both reported that orders increased during the first half of the year.

Industry-wide, new home sales are up almost 17 percent from January, and construction of homes and apartments is almost 20 percent higher, according to Commerce Department reports. Still, builders continue to face headwinds from foreclosed homes, high inventory levels, tight homebuyer credit, low consumer confidence and job losses.

Michigan-based Pulte lost $189.5 million, or 74 cents a share, in the three months ended June 30. That compares with a loss of $158.4 million, or 63 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.
Total revenue dropped by 58 percent to $679 million.

Pulte\\\'s completed home sales dropped by more than half from a year ago to 2,500 homes. The average selling price of its homes fell by 9 percent to $261,000.

New home orders dropped by 34 percent from a year ago to 3,367, but jumped 11 percent since the first quarter.

Dallas-based Centex, meanwhile, posted a profit in its fiscal first quarter of $85 million, or 68 cents a share, thanks to a hefty $407 million tax gain. Excluding the one-time tax gain, the builder lost $322.2 million, or $2.63 a share. In the year-ago period, Centex lost $150 million, or $1.21 a share. Revenue declined by nearly half from a year earlier to $573.9 million.

New home orders slipped 32 percent from a year earlier to 2,871, but improved slightly over the 2,843 orders in the three months ended in May. Completed home sales fell by 42 percent to 2,297 homes, while the average price of a Centex home slipped 10 percent to $237,085.

The National Wood Flooring Association has announced that two US wood flooring manufacturers have begun the audit process to become certified under the NWFA\'s Responsible Procurement Program for Hardwood (RPPH).
Anderson Hardwood Floors in Clinton, S.C. and Mullican Flooring in Johnson City, Tenn., currently are participating in pilot programs to test the audit phase of the RPPH.

The audits are being conducted by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a leading third-party provider of certification, auditing and testing services. SCS is an accredited certifier with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which is recognized in the US as setting the highest standard of environmental and social performance in the forest products industry.

SCS will work with both Anderson and Mullican to design, develop and test the audit process for the NWFA RPPH.

The program is supported by the Forest Stewardship Council-US and the FSC Family Forests Alliance, which recognize the NWFA RPP as a valid incremental approach toward socially and environmentally responsible forestry.

London, England - World stock markets rose strongly Monday after closely-watched manufacturing surveys reinforced hopes that the global economy may start to recover by the second half of the year. The bright start to the week was sparked by surveys in Europe and Asia showing that the manufacturing sector was on the mend if not quite in full recovery mode. A similar survey later from the U.S. is also expected to echo findings elsewhere. In China, brokerage CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets said its monthly purchasing managers index -- a broad gauge of activity -- rose to 51.2 in May from April\'s 50.1. Anything above 50 indicates an expansion. The state-sanctioned China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said its own PMI eased slightly to 53.1 from April\'s 53.5 but still showed activity expanding. Meanwhile, data provider Markit found that its manufacturing purchasing managers\' index for 16 countries that use the euro was revised up to a seven month high of 40.7 in May from the previous estimate of 40.5, while the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply said its purchasing managers index for Britain rose for the third month running to 45.4 in May from 43.1 in April. Economic news could well be the main driver this week, culminating in Friday\'s closely-watched U.S. non-farm payrolls report for May where investors will be looking to see if the recent better than expected U.S. economic data is being translated into more modest job losses.

New York, NY - Analysts at Fitch Ratings say home improvement spending is down for the second straight year. And it\'s expected to decline again this year. In 2008, sales of home improvement products market were $290.5 billion, down 4.5 percent from the previous year. The figures are from the Home Improvement Research Institute. Residential home repair and alterations continue to decline along with home equity. The average existing home price in March 2009 was $217,300, a 12.1 percent decrease from the previous March, says the Fitch report.

Despite the negative housing trends, the Fitch report said contractors are getting more calls for estimates. Homeowners are looking for affordable, eco-friendly repairs, such as replacing windows and siding. Homes bought in foreclosure may also present a silver lining.

St. Louis, MO - The National Wood Flooring Association announced its 2009 Golden Mallet award recipients during its convention in Long Beach, Calif. April 28 - May 1. NWFA Golden Mallet awards are presented to individuals who recruit four or more members during a given year. Once a member has achieved Golden Mallet status, additional awards are presented for each year in which two additional members are recruited. During the past year, three NWFA members achieved Golden Mallet status. They include Dan Blake with Hardwood Flooring Institute in Hoschton, Georgia, Drew Kern with Flooring Works in Milton, Ontario, Canada, and Charles Peterson with CP Wood Floors in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. Currently, the NWFA has more than 3,700 member companies in all 50 states, as well as 55 countries throughout the world.

Conditions for the nation\'s manufacturers continued to improve in July, the Institute for Supply Management reported Monday. The ISM index rose to 48.9% in July from 44.8% in June. The July index is the strongest since September. The consensus forecast of estimates was for the index to rise to 46.2%. Readings below 50 indicate contraction. Below the headline, the report was strong. The data is showing that the manufacturing downturn is coming to an end. Both production and new orders rose above 50%. The ISM index has been improving slowly since hitting a low of 32.9% in December. The index was last above 50% in January 2008.