By Peter Robison, James Nash and Alison Vekshin - Sun Mar 18 18:05:59 GMT 2012

March 16 (Bloomberg) -- John Henry Browne, a lawyer representing the U.S. army sergeant held in connection with the killings of 16 civilians in Afghanistan, discusses his communication with the soldier and his family. Emma Scanlan and Richard Adler also spoke at the news conference yesterday in Seattle, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, the soldier's home station. (Source: Bloomberg)

Robert Bales, the U.S. Army staff sergeant suspected of killing 16 Afghan civilians, was a decorated veteran who also experienced wounds in service and setbacks at home.

He once spoke of saving civilians when his infantry unit in the Iraq war found villagers and family members of Iraqi fighters after the 2007 Battle of Najaf, also known as the Battle of Zarqa, that left 250 insurgents dead. The American soldiers turned from fighting to saving lives, according to a military account.

Ive never been more proud to be a part of this unit than that day, for the simple fact that we discriminated between the bad guys and the noncombatants and then afterward we ended up helping the people that, three or four hours before, were trying to kill us, Bales said in an interview for the 2009 report.

Yet women and children were among the 16 victims of the March 11 shootings in two villages in southern Afghanistan, according to U.S. officials who on March 16 identified Bales, a 38-year-old married father of two, as the suspect. The killings threaten to erode U.S.-Afghan relations, drain remaining U.S. and European support for the war and add pressure to speed troop withdrawals.

Along with a career marked by military honors, a portrait emerged of Bales as a man who had faced financial troubles and brushes with the law. He was a soldier who had been injured twice in Iraq, spurned when he sought a promotion and deployed to Afghanistan even though his family opposed him going into combat again.

Bales was flown March 16 to a U.S. military prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Army Colonel James Hutton said in a statement. Bales was being held in a medium-security facility in his own cell and no charges had been announced in the killings. Baless attorney, John Henry Browne of Seattle, will meet with his client tomorrow at the prison, Brownes colleague Emma Scanlan said today in an e-mail.

The Army turned down a request from Bales for a promotion last year, his wife Karilyn wrote March 25 on a blog she maintained as an online family diary. She said her husband was very disappointed after all of the work Bob has done and all the sacrifices he has made for his love of his country, family and friends.

Continued here:
Afghan Suspect’s Life Marked by Honors, Personal Setbacks

SAN DIEGO A rain-shortened schedule did not prevent the BYU womens track and field team from producing several personal-best marks at the first meet of the outdoor season Saturday.

It rained so much that the drainage system on the track overflowed and caused some flooding in the competition area, BYU head coach Patrick Shane said. We did not get to compete as much as we wanted, but we still had some great performances and personal bests.

Junior Allyson Anderson had the best performance of the day when she topped her javelin personal record by nearly three meters with a toss of 49.82m (163-05). She finished first in the event. Amber Huntington placed fourth with a throw of 43.28m (142-00).

Also setting a new personal record was sophomore Martha Shephard. Shephard placed eighth in the hammer throw with a toss of 53.17m (174-05).

In the pole vault, Rachel Fisher competed for the first time in over a year. Fisher led BYU with a third-place finish in the event with a vault of 3.87m (12-8.25). Diana McAllister Perry and Nicole Naatjes tied for sixth with a jump of 3.72m (12-2.50).

Taylor Stapley led the way in the high jump with a third-place finish with a mark of 1.65m (5-5.00). Ada Robinson placed sixth with a jump of 1.60m (5-3.00) and Diana Blauer took 11th with a leap of 1.55m (5-1.00).

Taylor is really on a roll, Shane said. She performed great during the indoor season and is off to a good start here in outdoor.

Melissa Keltner finished fourth in the triple jump with a leap of 5.57m (18-3.25).

On the track, Angela Shields and Brooke Jensen both finished the 100m hurdles in 15.61 while Kassie Jensen nabbed third in the 100m in 12.27.

BYU will head back to California on Friday to compete in the USC Invitational.

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BYU women's track and field: Cougars earn several personal bests in San Diego

Lubrizol`s FixateTM Design Polymer for Ultimate Hair Mousse Formulation Flexibility

CLEVELAND, March 16, 2012 - The Lubrizol Corporation`s personal and home care business introduces FixateTM Design polymer (INCI: Polyacrylate-32) for ultimate formulation flexibility for clean, lustrous, long-lasting volume and hold in hair styling applications. The versatility of Fixate Design polymer provides formulators with creative options and degrees of freedom while maintaining superior performance in mousses, curling creams and sprays and a wide variety of other hair styling applications.

Fixate Design polymer is an anionic, multi-functional film-forming polymer that delivers excellent superior performance in hair styling applications and offers excellent formulation flexibility. When used in styling applications, Fixate Design polymer delivers high humidity resistance, tailored hold, exceptional shine, little to no flaking, enhanced volume and distinctive sensory.

Key formulation benefits of Fixate Design polymer: Enables enhanced style creation, volume and curl definition Provides excellent resistance to high humidity Delivers a clean, light wet feel and desirable dry feel Provides effective frizz control for smoother, silkier-looking hair Removes easily with shampoo Has a low viscosity response to neutralization and dosing concentration Is an efficient, easy-to-use liquid

To learn more about Fixate Design polymer, visit http://www.lubrizol.com/personalcare

About The Lubrizol Corporation

The Lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that produces and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, other transportation-related fluids and industrial lubricants, as well as fuel additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, Lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for personal care products and pharmaceuticals; specialty materials, including plastics technology and performance coatings in the form of specialty resins and additives. Lubrizol`s industry-leading technologies in additives, ingredients and compounds enhance the quality, performance and value of customers` products, while reducing their environmental impact.

With headquarters in Wickliffe, Ohio, The Lubrizol Corporation owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 7,000 employees worldwide. Revenues for 2011 were $6.1billion. For more information, visit http://www.lubrizol.com.

Media Contact Amy Dolzine 216-447-6117 Web Site: http://www.lubrizol.com/personalcare

The owner of this announcement warrants that: (i) the releases contained herein are protected by copyright and other applicable laws; and (ii) they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

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Lubrizol's New Fixate Design Polymer for Ultimate Hair Mousse Formulation Flexibility

Posted: Thursday, March 15, 2012 6:02 pm | Updated: 6:03 pm, Thu Mar 15, 2012.

Maggie Galle reached her goal for the track and field season at her first meet on Saturday.

The Half Moon Bay High School senior cleared 5 feet, 4 inches in the high jump to win that event at Saturdays K-Bell Track and Field Classic.

Galles performance was one of several highlights for the Cougars at the first big track meet of the season.

Mitch Martin finished fifth in the 1,600 meters in a personal best time of 4 minutes, 19.16 seconds.

Danielle Peranich took seventh in the triple jump, leaping 32-8.

Kylie Freeburg was fourth in her heat of the 400 meters, ninth overall at 1:02.60.

Galle started Saturdays competition at 4-6, easily clearing that height.

She went through the next few heights, uneventfully advancing to 5-2. By that time, 18 of the 21 other competitors bowed out of the competition. Galles clearance at 5-2 tied her personal best, set last year.

The four were ready for their three attempts at 5-4. Galle attempted that height several times last year, failing to clear it once. She came close a few times.

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Galle sets personal best, wins at K-Bell Classic

Reflecting on recent statements from United States Attorney Benjamin Wagner, Phototron Holdings, Inc. believes the rapid changes in the medical marijuana industry will contribute to a rise in small-scale home medical marijuana growing.

Gardena, CA (PRWEB) March 16, 2012

Phototron Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: PHOT) (OTCQB: PHOT), the hydroponic growing systems company behind the grow your own revolution, believes the continued crackdown, which has resulted in the closure of hundreds of dispensaries and seizures of numerous large-scale cannabis grow operations, is making personal indoor growing systems more attractive to medical marijuana patients.

Medical marijuana patients have fewer options for obtaining their medication safely, and in many places are faced with having to travel long distances or get untested medication off the street, said Craig Ellins, Phototrons CEO. So patients are increasingly growing their own medication, and Phototrons indoor systems are perfect for personal use.

Phototron says that growing indoor marijuana for personal use is easier than ever and cites many advantages, including:

#1 Growing Year Round

Being able to grow in a controlled environment is one of the greatest benefits of an indoor growing system. In addition to providing shelter from inclement weather like snow, frost, humidity and heat waves, gardeners can control the weather and the number of daylight hours.

#2 Growing in Small Areas

No need to clear out a closet or a roomevery Phototron hydroponic grow cabinet is only 21 inches wide and deep, so it takes up less than two square feet of indoor floor space. That means that they can be located almost anywhere, even a kitchen countertop.

#3 Protecting Plants from Invaders

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Personal Indoor Marijuana Growing for Medical Use Not the Target of Feds, Says Phototron

Steven Gerrard has described Liverpool's upcoming FA Cup quarter-final tie against Stoke City as like a "final" and hopes the Reds can become more clinical in front of goal following their 3-0 victory over rivals Everton.

With Champions League qualification for next season all but ruled out, the FA Cup is Liverpools sole aim for the remainder of the campaign.

"It feels good and it's nice to get a hat-trick but I'm not really interested in personal achievements," Gerrard told reporters following the Everton match.

"What's important to me is that we move up the league and we get to Wembley on Sunday in the FA Cup. It's a massive game and we need to treat it like the cup final, it's as simple as that.

"We need to put in a big performance because we want to take the supporters down to Wembley for a second time. It would be a fantastic achievement if we could get to Wembley twice."

Goalkeeper Pepe Reina, meanwhile, was also looking ahead to the FA Cup date and another opportunity to play at Wembley following Liverpool's League Cup victory over Cardiff City.

The Spaniard added that beating Everton so comprehensively would give Kenny Dalglish's team confidence going into another match at Anfield.

"Sunday's game is perhaps the most important game of the season for us," Reina admitted. "It will be a cup final for us.

"It is another opportunity for us to get back to Wembley [for the semi-finals], and that means a lot for us and for the club. To take one more step closer to a trophy is an opportunity for us. We have to play our best, and playing at Anfield is something we can take confidence from.

"This derby win came at a special moment for us. We have been through a weak spell in recent weeks, but that's what the Premier League is about.

Link:
Gerrard: Liverpool must take chances in 'massive' FA Cup tie against Stoke

There has been some debate regarding the Chicago Bears and whether or not they had prior knowledge about a recent incident involving their new wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Marshall is accused of punching a woman in the face outside of a nightclub. How much of an issue is this latest personal scandal for Marshall?

Brandon Marshall was acquired by the Bears to fill a gaping hole in the offense. The team has been in need of a top-notch wide receiver, and GM Phil Emery believes that he has found that in the former Miami Dolphin. The Dolphins saw this as an opportunity to get rid of a player who has a history of anger issues both on and off of the field. For his part, Brandon Marshall admitted last year that he has borderline personality disorder, and is seeking treatment. Still, his on-field antics have been nothing compared to those of, say, Detroit Lion Ndamukong Suh. As long as Marshall knows what to do with the ball and avoids excessive penalties, Bears fans will be happy with Marshall's talent.

Marshall had three years left on his contract in Miami, and the Bears traded two third-round draft picks in the deal. The question as to whether or not Emery knew of the incident involving Brandon Marshall outside of the nightclub is an important one, considering the player could face a season-long suspension as a result of the altercation. So far, the Bears and the Dolphins both say that everyone was aware before the trade took place.

Any punishment handed down by the NFL would be strict in Marshall's case because he has been in trouble before. He was involved in another incident at a Denver nightclub that ultimately led to the shooting that killed Marshall's former teammate, Darrent Williams.

As far as the accusation that Marshall punched a woman outside of that nightclub, not all of the facts have been made available. His wife was also involved in the incident, and he later brought her to the hospital to receive medical attention. It is possible that Marshall will be cleared of any wrong-doing, which is what Emery is banking on. If that is the case, the Bears have nothing to worry about. They will walk away from the whole issue with a talented wide receiver and a stronger team.

What if Marshall is found to be at fault and is sanctioned by the NFL? We could blame Phil Emery for taking a risk on a player with a questionable past, or we can sit out yet another season without a receiver. Having our newest player sit out the entire season due to something that happened off of the field is not something that anyone wants to think about. I have to believe that if Phil Emery knew about this and still went through with the trade, we should have some faith that Marshall will be in uniform and on the field for the first game of the season.

Whitney Levon is a Chicago native whose dedication to the Bears goes back to her first football memory; the Bears' 1985 Super Bowl victory

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Brandon Marshall's Latest Personal Troubles Shouldn't Affect Performance with Bears: A Fan's Take

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bd8c8f/personal_hygiene_i) has announced the addition of the "Personal Hygiene in Ireland" report to their offering.

Personal Hygiene in Ireland industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: market share, market size (value and volume 2006-10, and forecast to 2015). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the market. Essential resource for top-line data and analysis covering the Ireland personal hygiene market. Includes market size and segmentation data, textual and graphical analysis of market growth trends, leading companies and macroeconomic information.

Highlights

Features

Save time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the size, growth, major segments, and leading players in the personal hygiene market in Ireland

Use the Five Forces analysis to determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of the personal hygiene market in Ireland

Leading company profiles reveal details of key personal hygiene market players' global operations and financial performance

Add weight to presentations and pitches by understanding the future growth prospects of the Ireland personal hygiene market with five year forecasts by both value and volume

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bd8c8f/personal_hygiene_i

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Research and Markets: Personal Hygiene in Ireland

The high cost of health, life and auto insurance are serious issues in the U.S. Some think there's hope in "performance-based insurance," which provides policy rebates or reductions based on whether or not the policyholder meets or exceeds designated performance standards. When measuring performance, however, privacy issues emerge. The use of black boxes to track driver safety for auto insurance and apps that report lifestyle activities, such as diet and exercise routines for health insurance, are a couple of examples. Although advances in technology offer sci-fi-like monitoring capabilities, whether or not they'll be employed are two different things. In this interview, Richard Weber of the California Institute of Finance at California Lutheran University discusses performance-based policies, predictive medical tests and just how far consumers are willing to go to save money on insurance.

Performance-based insurance provides policy rebates or reductions based on whether or not policyholders meet or exceed designated performance standards. Do you foresee big business model disruption with a convergence of this technology with market forces, and how will this affect consumers?

I have no doubt that in the next few years, health policies will take into consideration factors such as those who lose weight, stop smoking and pursue a regime of physical activity. I think the question will be whether or not the consumer is sufficiently motivated to make these changes, and that will depend upon what the offered policy rate class looks like to begin with -- and whether the individual will receive the benefit of such changes -- or if they merely go to the credit of any employer or government program such as Medicare. And a key question is -- if I'm offered a preferred policy because of new behaviors -- what happens if I regress? In life insurance, once I qualify in a "preferred" risk class, I can subsequently begin to smoke, I could begin to overeat, I could get diabetes, I could fail to exercise and the insurance company is obligated to the original rate class determination.

Applying the analogy of accepting a black box in my automobile, the question for health or life insurance would be: If I subjected myself to periodic exams, would I, upon achieving a satisfactory score, receive a reward or perhaps, more applicable, a lower premium?

There are two considerations: One is industry acceptance and the other is the consumer's inclination and ability to work the system. I don't think the 50 states' Departments of Insurance who regulate this area would readily accept such dramatic changes, since they have generally resisted DNA testing as an underwriting factor. As far as consumers getting what they want, in a sense, that's already happening in some situations. For example, if I applied for life insurance and I'm offered a standard rating -- with the reason I'm not offered a more favorable rating because of my weight and lack of exercise -- I can change my lifestyle (lose weight and show physical signs of exercise) and then reapply to that or any other company and presumably get a better rate.

If affordable and accessible DNA tests could predict health factors a person is likely to manifest, those who can show they will have a relatively healthy future could request policy discounts. What barriers to this scenario do you see? What opportunities or challenges should insurance carriers consider?

First of all, I think that in the current environment, there would be an outcry from consumer advocates that would not allow that to happen.

On the other hand, employers are beginning to provide incentives and penalties for healthy lifestyle decisions. An employer providing health, disability and life insurance might pay a greater proportion of the overall premium for employees who make healthy choices and subsidize a lesser amount -- or provide less coverage -- for employees who maintain unhealthy lifestyles.

Incentive-based insurance began in the late 1960s when smoker/nonsmoker policy differentiation first took shape in underwriting life, health and disability policies. From there, insurance companies started to differentiate not just standard ratings but preferred, super-preferred and ultra-preferred. Ultra-preferred being, in theory, a status that could only be attained if both your parents are alive and healthy, you have never smoked, you have low body mass and fairly strict ratios of weight and height, and fairly low blood pressure and cholesterol, among other criteria. In effect, that transformed "standard" to substandard and made ultra-preferred and super-preferred the new norm for what was standard and standard-plus.

While I see more of this occurring in the life and disability types of insurance, I do not foresee any time in the near future that consumers would favor DNA or other objective testing-based criteria in employer-provided health insurance as well as for those receiving Medicare.

Excerpt from:
Save on Insurance, Compromise on Privacy

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --LendingTree, the nation's leading online lending exchange, announced the recipients of its annual lender awards which are based on business and customer service achievements of the lenders on the LendingTree network.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110518/MM04455LOGO)

"Our annual lender awards are an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of our lender partners," said Doug Lebda, LendingTree CEO. "Currently, we have over 200 exceptional lenders on our network, providing competition, choice and convenience to our customers. This year's award winners are excellent examples of how the lenders on the LendingTree network deliver great value and service to our borrowers. The success of the lenders on our network is a vital element to the success of LendingTree and we look forward to continued growth in the coming year."

The 2011 LendingTree award winners include:

"Customer Service is the foundation of Great Western," says Fred McDonald, CEO of Great Western Financial Services, recipient of the Excellence in Customer Service Award for two consecutive years. "The company realizes that when a customer chooses our company to finance his loan, he is expecting courteous, timely and efficient service, and this expectation is exactly what Great Western strives to achieve and even exceed. This award is a testament to our staff's continual commitment to provide the customer with an exceptional experience."

LendingTree provides more than 200 lenders from across the country a source of interested borrowers looking for home loans such as new purchase mortgage, refinance and home equity, as well as personal and auto loans. For information about the joining the LendingTree network of lenders, please contact Mark Fowler at (704) 943-8040 or visit http://www.lendingtree.com.

About LendingTree, LLC LendingTree, LLC is the nation's leading online lender exchange and personal finance resource, helping consumers take charge of all their financial decisions, from budgeting to money management to mortgages to credit cards and more.LendingTree provides a marketplace that connects consumers with multiple lenders that compete for their business, as well as an array of online tools to aid consumers in their financial decisions. Since inception, LendingTree has facilitated more than 28 million loan requests and $214 billion in closed loan transactions. LendingTree provides access to lenders offering mortgages and refinance loans, home equity loans/lines of credit, and more. LendingTree, LLC is a subsidiary of Tree.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: TREE - News). For more information go to http://www.lendingtree.com or 800-555-TREE.

MEDIA CONTACT:Megan Greuling (704) 943-8208 Megan.Greuling@tree.com

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LendingTree Recognizes Outstanding Lender Performance with 2011 Awards