July 6, 2010
1. Business: Most Important Patent Decision of Decade is Welcome News for Innovators
2. Business: The Cost to Small Businesses When Banks Restrict Access to Capital
3. Careers: A Few Simple Steps to Jumpstart Your Job Search
4. Careers: Growth Projected in Allied Health Careers
5. Careers: Personal Branding: How to Stand out in a Job Interview
6. Careers: What You Need to Think About When Considering a Career Change
7. Finance: The Financial Reform's Impact on Consumers
8. Real Estate: Does a Pool Add Value to Your House?
9. Tax Planning: IRS Wants its Share of BP Payments to Oil Spill Victims
**1. BUSINESS: MOST IMPORTANT PATENT DECISION OF THIS DECADE IS WELCOME NEWS FOR INNOVATORS. Dr. Alex Poltorak, chairman and CEO of General Patent Corporation; founder and president of American Innovators for Patent Reform (AIPR), a nonprofit industry group advocating modernization of the U.S. patent system; co-author of two books on intellectual property; and U.S. patent expert: "The Bilski case speaks to the fundamental question of what is patentable. It tackles the question of patentability of so-called 'business method' or software patents. Nobody seriously expected the Supreme Court to allow the Bilski patent to stand -- the only question was how far the Supreme Court would go. While affirming the earlier decision of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) not to allow the Bilski patent on other grounds, the Supreme Court found the machine-or-transformation test promulgated by the Federal Court too rigid. Although useful, the test was never intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. Patents for methods of doing business are not new. With approximately 15,000 patents classified as business methods in fields as diverse as medicine, finance and industrial engineering, it would have been profoundly unfair to retroactively take away their patent protection. So, business patents get to live another day. And, while the Supreme Court refused to address the patentability of software, by and large, software is likely to remain patentable." For up-to-the minute comment on where things now stand, Poltorak is available to discuss specifics based on this latest Supreme Court decision. News Contact: Joel Strasser, [email protected] Phone: +1-732-415-7556
**2. BUSINESS: THE COST TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN BANKS RESTRICT ACCESS TO CAPITAL. Jeffrey Sweeney, CEO and managing director at US Capital Partners, a lender and financial services firm in San Francisco: "With the FDIC reporting a record number of bank failures, securing traditional financing through banks and other financial organizations remains highly challenging for many businesses. More institutions in flux are restricting available capital due to internal changes or re-organization. As a result, your business may suffer due to external circumstances that have nothing to do with your own company's performance. As banks pull back more traditional commercial and industrial lending, they are often unable to lend even to small businesses with solid financials -- which can push companies into distress or leave them unable to take advantage of commercial growth opportunities. When a bank makes their problems your problem, you need to turn to cost-effective alternative financing options that are available for refinancing your line of credit and increasing borrowing availability to support your company's continued domestic and international growth. Don't let your business fall victim to high pricing and/or reduced growth capital due to circumstances at the bank that have nothing to do with your business." Editor's Note: Sweeney has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Emilia Doerr, [email protected] Phone: +1-310-709-4620 Website: http://uscapitalpartners.net
**3. CAREERS: A FEW SIMPLE STEPS TO JUMPSTART YOUR JOB SEARCH. Chasity Trzop, director of career services at Brown Mackie College - Louisville, and a career development expert: "A record number of people are looking for work these days. If you're not one of them, chances are you know someone who is. An Employment Situation Summary, issued June 4 by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported 15 million people were unemployed in May. That's a 9.7 percent national unemployment rate, which has changed little since the beginning of 2010. These frustrating economic conditions make it easy to get discouraged. For anyone feeling stalled in their job search, a few simple steps could put the wind back in their sails. The work starts when the job search begins." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**4. CAREERS: GROWTH PROJECTED IN ALLIED HEALTH CAREERS. Ronette Messer, allied health faculty member at Brown Mackie College – Merrillville, located in Merrillville, Ind.: "Many Americans are evaluating career directions and considering other options in today's competitive job market. One industry consistently reported as growing is health care. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's 2010-11 Edition of the Career Guide to Industries, 10 of the 20 fastest-growing occupations are health care-related. It further states that health care will generate 3.2 million new jobs between 2008 and 2016. Even if patient care does not appeal to you, you should not disregard looking into health care opportunities. Not all health care workers are directly involved in patient care. Many health care career options are available. 'Allied health care' is an umbrella term that covers more than 200 careers, employing people with skills in many different areas. Employment options in this growing industry range from doctors and nurses to office managers and insurance coders, phlebotomists and nutritionists. What's more, most health care employment opportunities require less than four years of college." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**5. CAREERS: PERSONAL BRANDING: HOW TO STAND OUT IN A JOB INTERVIEW. Martha Schottelkotte, director of career services at Brown Mackie College - Cincinnati: "A record number of people across the nation are unemployed and looking for work. As competition among candidates grows, it becomes more and more difficult to stand out in a crowd. Career development professionals are creating new strategies to help clients increase the chances of getting noticed among the throngs of job applicants vying for positions. My team introduces students to the concept of personal branding, the process of distinguishing the essence of an individual's relevant career attributes, and communicating them consistently throughout the resume and interview. For a truly effective resume, you must know who you are and what you stand for." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**6. CAREERS: WHAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN CONSIDERING A CAREER CHANGE. Suzanne Crouch, career services advisor at Brown Mackie College – Findlay, located in Findlay, Ohio, and a seasoned career counselor: "In this time of economic uncertainty, people of all ages are considering career changes. According to Kiplinger.com, an online magazine dedicated to business and finance, people are forced into exploring other career options because of layoffs. Others seek a new direction as they experience declining satisfaction with a job they once found exciting. Still others simply opt out of high-stress positions. For those at a career crossroads, there are insights and helpful considerations to reflect upon." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**7. FINANCE: THE FINANCIAL REFORM'S IMPACT ON CONSUMERS. Jennifer Openshaw, founder of Family Financial Network; author who has appeared on "Oprah" and CNN; and chief consumer advisor for Lending Club, the leading U.S. peer-lending network: "Financial reform will be huge for consumers who may now have the potential to be protected by a watchdog bureau within the Federal Reserve. There are also potential consequences to be aware of. One of the consequences (both good and bad) is that it will be a whole lot harder to get credit when you need it. Credit cards have been hit hard and they're hitting back. Consumers will need to get out their magnifying glasses to read the fine print, and seek out new sources of cheaper credit. Banks are still not able to 'turn the corner' in lending because of heightened rating agency oversight, high infrastructure costs, and moves to reduce risk overall. Free checking may not be so free -- consumers will need to watch for the move by banks to raise revenue by increasing monthly banking fees, check-printing fees, statement fees and servicing fees on accounts. Also, the cost of credit will likely rise for most Americans -- we may see increases in application fees and annual fees to offset other lost fee income, and card issuers will be competing more than ever for those with high credit scores." News Contact: Katherine Madariaga, [email protected] Phone: +1-415-593-1400
**8. REAL ESTATE: DOES A POOL ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOUSE? Kelly O'Ryan, a real estate professional for Coldwell Banker in Lexington, Mass.: "Does a pool add value to your house? It really depends on a few things. First, it depends on where you live. If you live in a warm climate area, a pool is more of a necessity then an amenity. In these areas, pools are used year-round and most homes are expected to have one, so not having one may hurt you. In cooler climate areas where pools are used for only a few months, pools may be seen more as a burden. The opening and closing process can be a hassle, and when not in use, closed pools will limit yard space. The second thing to consider is your neighborhood. Do your research and check to see if your neighbors have pools. If you live in a community where most of your neighbors have pools, then not having one may make your home less marketable. If they do not, you will not add value to your home by adding a pool." News Contact: Stacey Rudy, [email protected] Phone: +1- 508-450-8405
**9. TAX PLANNING: IRS WANTS ITS SHARE OF BP PAYMENTS TO OIL SPILL VICTIMS. Brian Compton, president of Los Angeles-based Tax Resolution Services, Co., one of the nation's leading tax negotiation and mediation firms: "As residents of the Gulf Coast struggle to cope with the impact and financial hardships of the catastrophic disaster, the IRS says it wants its share of the $20 billion fund BP has created for oil spill victims. Under current law, BP payments for lost wages are taxable -- just like income from any business would be taxed. And it comes as no surprise that the IRS -- the most aggressive collection agency on the planet -- wants its cut from disaster victims struggling to stay afloat who need the BP checks to pay off bills and buy much-needed supplies and groceries. It just goes to show that no one is safe from the IRS. It's no secret that the government is growing increasingly desperate for revenue. In addition to more tax hikes in 2010, taxpayers can expect heightened IRS collection efforts in response to our government's staggering deficit. Make no mistake, if you owe money to the IRS -- even if you are experiencing great hardship -- they are going to take every step they can to collect what's due." Editor's Note: Brian Compton has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Debbie Edwards, [email protected] Phone: +1-866-477-7762, ext. 326 Website: http://www.taxresolution.com
PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To submit a request for experts: http://budurl.com/profnetquery To consult the ProfNet Experts Database: http://profnet.prnewswire.com To contact ProfNet by phone: +1-800-PROFNET, ext. 1 To share a thought on Expert Alerts: [email protected]
/PRNewswire -- July 6/
SOURCE ProfNet
1. Business: Most Important Patent Decision of Decade is Welcome News for Innovators
Advertisement
2. Business: The Cost to Small Businesses When Banks Restrict Access to Capital
3. Careers: A Few Simple Steps to Jumpstart Your Job Search
Advertisement
4. Careers: Growth Projected in Allied Health Careers
5. Careers: Personal Branding: How to Stand out in a Job Interview
6. Careers: What You Need to Think About When Considering a Career Change
7. Finance: The Financial Reform's Impact on Consumers
8. Real Estate: Does a Pool Add Value to Your House?
9. Tax Planning: IRS Wants its Share of BP Payments to Oil Spill Victims
**1. BUSINESS: MOST IMPORTANT PATENT DECISION OF THIS DECADE IS WELCOME NEWS FOR INNOVATORS. Dr. Alex Poltorak, chairman and CEO of General Patent Corporation; founder and president of American Innovators for Patent Reform (AIPR), a nonprofit industry group advocating modernization of the U.S. patent system; co-author of two books on intellectual property; and U.S. patent expert: "The Bilski case speaks to the fundamental question of what is patentable. It tackles the question of patentability of so-called 'business method' or software patents. Nobody seriously expected the Supreme Court to allow the Bilski patent to stand -- the only question was how far the Supreme Court would go. While affirming the earlier decision of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) not to allow the Bilski patent on other grounds, the Supreme Court found the machine-or-transformation test promulgated by the Federal Court too rigid. Although useful, the test was never intended to be exhaustive or exclusive. Patents for methods of doing business are not new. With approximately 15,000 patents classified as business methods in fields as diverse as medicine, finance and industrial engineering, it would have been profoundly unfair to retroactively take away their patent protection. So, business patents get to live another day. And, while the Supreme Court refused to address the patentability of software, by and large, software is likely to remain patentable." For up-to-the minute comment on where things now stand, Poltorak is available to discuss specifics based on this latest Supreme Court decision. News Contact: Joel Strasser, [email protected] Phone: +1-732-415-7556
**2. BUSINESS: THE COST TO SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN BANKS RESTRICT ACCESS TO CAPITAL. Jeffrey Sweeney, CEO and managing director at US Capital Partners, a lender and financial services firm in San Francisco: "With the FDIC reporting a record number of bank failures, securing traditional financing through banks and other financial organizations remains highly challenging for many businesses. More institutions in flux are restricting available capital due to internal changes or re-organization. As a result, your business may suffer due to external circumstances that have nothing to do with your own company's performance. As banks pull back more traditional commercial and industrial lending, they are often unable to lend even to small businesses with solid financials -- which can push companies into distress or leave them unable to take advantage of commercial growth opportunities. When a bank makes their problems your problem, you need to turn to cost-effective alternative financing options that are available for refinancing your line of credit and increasing borrowing availability to support your company's continued domestic and international growth. Don't let your business fall victim to high pricing and/or reduced growth capital due to circumstances at the bank that have nothing to do with your business." Editor's Note: Sweeney has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Emilia Doerr, [email protected] Phone: +1-310-709-4620 Website: http://uscapitalpartners.net
**3. CAREERS: A FEW SIMPLE STEPS TO JUMPSTART YOUR JOB SEARCH. Chasity Trzop, director of career services at Brown Mackie College - Louisville, and a career development expert: "A record number of people are looking for work these days. If you're not one of them, chances are you know someone who is. An Employment Situation Summary, issued June 4 by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, reported 15 million people were unemployed in May. That's a 9.7 percent national unemployment rate, which has changed little since the beginning of 2010. These frustrating economic conditions make it easy to get discouraged. For anyone feeling stalled in their job search, a few simple steps could put the wind back in their sails. The work starts when the job search begins." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**4. CAREERS: GROWTH PROJECTED IN ALLIED HEALTH CAREERS. Ronette Messer, allied health faculty member at Brown Mackie College – Merrillville, located in Merrillville, Ind.: "Many Americans are evaluating career directions and considering other options in today's competitive job market. One industry consistently reported as growing is health care. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's 2010-11 Edition of the Career Guide to Industries, 10 of the 20 fastest-growing occupations are health care-related. It further states that health care will generate 3.2 million new jobs between 2008 and 2016. Even if patient care does not appeal to you, you should not disregard looking into health care opportunities. Not all health care workers are directly involved in patient care. Many health care career options are available. 'Allied health care' is an umbrella term that covers more than 200 careers, employing people with skills in many different areas. Employment options in this growing industry range from doctors and nurses to office managers and insurance coders, phlebotomists and nutritionists. What's more, most health care employment opportunities require less than four years of college." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**5. CAREERS: PERSONAL BRANDING: HOW TO STAND OUT IN A JOB INTERVIEW. Martha Schottelkotte, director of career services at Brown Mackie College - Cincinnati: "A record number of people across the nation are unemployed and looking for work. As competition among candidates grows, it becomes more and more difficult to stand out in a crowd. Career development professionals are creating new strategies to help clients increase the chances of getting noticed among the throngs of job applicants vying for positions. My team introduces students to the concept of personal branding, the process of distinguishing the essence of an individual's relevant career attributes, and communicating them consistently throughout the resume and interview. For a truly effective resume, you must know who you are and what you stand for." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**6. CAREERS: WHAT YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHEN CONSIDERING A CAREER CHANGE. Suzanne Crouch, career services advisor at Brown Mackie College – Findlay, located in Findlay, Ohio, and a seasoned career counselor: "In this time of economic uncertainty, people of all ages are considering career changes. According to Kiplinger.com, an online magazine dedicated to business and finance, people are forced into exploring other career options because of layoffs. Others seek a new direction as they experience declining satisfaction with a job they once found exciting. Still others simply opt out of high-stress positions. For those at a career crossroads, there are insights and helpful considerations to reflect upon." News Contact: J. Stephen Dobbins, [email protected] Phone: +1-513-830-2005
**7. FINANCE: THE FINANCIAL REFORM'S IMPACT ON CONSUMERS. Jennifer Openshaw, founder of Family Financial Network; author who has appeared on "Oprah" and CNN; and chief consumer advisor for Lending Club, the leading U.S. peer-lending network: "Financial reform will be huge for consumers who may now have the potential to be protected by a watchdog bureau within the Federal Reserve. There are also potential consequences to be aware of. One of the consequences (both good and bad) is that it will be a whole lot harder to get credit when you need it. Credit cards have been hit hard and they're hitting back. Consumers will need to get out their magnifying glasses to read the fine print, and seek out new sources of cheaper credit. Banks are still not able to 'turn the corner' in lending because of heightened rating agency oversight, high infrastructure costs, and moves to reduce risk overall. Free checking may not be so free -- consumers will need to watch for the move by banks to raise revenue by increasing monthly banking fees, check-printing fees, statement fees and servicing fees on accounts. Also, the cost of credit will likely rise for most Americans -- we may see increases in application fees and annual fees to offset other lost fee income, and card issuers will be competing more than ever for those with high credit scores." News Contact: Katherine Madariaga, [email protected] Phone: +1-415-593-1400
**8. REAL ESTATE: DOES A POOL ADD VALUE TO YOUR HOUSE? Kelly O'Ryan, a real estate professional for Coldwell Banker in Lexington, Mass.: "Does a pool add value to your house? It really depends on a few things. First, it depends on where you live. If you live in a warm climate area, a pool is more of a necessity then an amenity. In these areas, pools are used year-round and most homes are expected to have one, so not having one may hurt you. In cooler climate areas where pools are used for only a few months, pools may be seen more as a burden. The opening and closing process can be a hassle, and when not in use, closed pools will limit yard space. The second thing to consider is your neighborhood. Do your research and check to see if your neighbors have pools. If you live in a community where most of your neighbors have pools, then not having one may make your home less marketable. If they do not, you will not add value to your home by adding a pool." News Contact: Stacey Rudy, [email protected] Phone: +1- 508-450-8405
**9. TAX PLANNING: IRS WANTS ITS SHARE OF BP PAYMENTS TO OIL SPILL VICTIMS. Brian Compton, president of Los Angeles-based Tax Resolution Services, Co., one of the nation's leading tax negotiation and mediation firms: "As residents of the Gulf Coast struggle to cope with the impact and financial hardships of the catastrophic disaster, the IRS says it wants its share of the $20 billion fund BP has created for oil spill victims. Under current law, BP payments for lost wages are taxable -- just like income from any business would be taxed. And it comes as no surprise that the IRS -- the most aggressive collection agency on the planet -- wants its cut from disaster victims struggling to stay afloat who need the BP checks to pay off bills and buy much-needed supplies and groceries. It just goes to show that no one is safe from the IRS. It's no secret that the government is growing increasingly desperate for revenue. In addition to more tax hikes in 2010, taxpayers can expect heightened IRS collection efforts in response to our government's staggering deficit. Make no mistake, if you owe money to the IRS -- even if you are experiencing great hardship -- they are going to take every step they can to collect what's due." Editor's Note: Brian Compton has a profile listed in the ProfNet Experts Database. To view the profile, go to http://www.profnet.com and, after logging in, click on "Search Expert." News Contact: Debbie Edwards, [email protected] Phone: +1-866-477-7762, ext. 326 Website: http://www.taxresolution.com
PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. To submit a request for experts: http://budurl.com/profnetquery To consult the ProfNet Experts Database: http://profnet.prnewswire.com To contact ProfNet by phone: +1-800-PROFNET, ext. 1 To share a thought on Expert Alerts: [email protected]
/PRNewswire -- July 6/
SOURCE ProfNet
