Press Releases

Campaign for Liberty Unveils New Health Reform Ads Nov 11, 2009 12:11PM

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Campaign for Liberty is sponsoring a new advertising campaign about health care reform aimed at Senators Harry Reid of Nevada and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. The ads urge citizens to tell the lawmakers that they oppose further federal intervention into health care, directly referencing the legislation currently being considered in the Senate.

The spots point to the growth of government involvement in medical care likely to occur under provisions of the new bill, which includes a government-run public option, a version of which recently passed the House of Representatives in a close vote.

"Like most of what comes out of Washington, this legislation does not do anything to improve the condition of those it is meant to help; it may even make things worse," said John Tate, President of Campaign for Liberty. "We want to alert the public to the facts and ensure that they let the politicians know they are paying attention."

The ads will air November 9 through November 15 throughout each state.

For more information, visit: www.CampaignForLiberty.com

    Source: Campaign for Liberty

MasterCard Cancels Investment Community Webcast at the 2009 Piper Jaffray Financial Services Summit Nov 11, 2009 12:11PM

PURCHASE, N.Y., Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Joshua Peirez, Group Executive, Innovative Platforms for MasterCard (NYSE: MA), due to illness will not be participating in the Piper Jaffray Financial Services Summit in Boston, MA on Thursday, November 12. As a result, MasterCard will no longer host the investment community webcast as scheduled for 10:00 a.m. (Eastern) from the event.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20061031/MCLOGO )

About MasterCard Incorporated

MasterCard Incorporated advances global commerce by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, businesses, cardholders and merchants worldwide. As a franchisor, processor and advisor, MasterCard develops and markets payment solutions, processes approximately 21 billion transactions each year, and provides industry leading analysis and consulting services to financial-institution customers and merchants. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network and through its family of brands, including MasterCard® Maestro® and Cirrus® MasterCard serves consumers and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information go to www.mastercard.com.

SOURCE MasterCard Incorporated

Petrobank and PetroBakken Third Quarter 2009 Investor Conference Call Nov 11, 2009 12:10PM

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire - Nov. 11, 2009) - Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. ("Petrobank") (TSX: PBG) and PetroBakken Energy Ltd. ("PetroBakken") (TSX: PBN) announce that management of both companies will be holding a joint conference call for investors, financial analysts, media and any interested persons on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. (Mountain Time) to discuss Petrobank and PetroBakken's third quarter 2009 financial and operating results. The conference call details are as follows:

Live audio webcast:
http://events.digitalmedia.telus.com/petrobank/111209/index.php
Live call dial-in numbers:   416-340-2216 / 866-226-1792

Replay dial-in numbers:      416-695-5800 / 800-408-3053
Replay pass code:            5271156

PetroBakken Energy Ltd. is a premier light oil production company combining high growth, long-life Bakken reserves and production with legacy conventional light oil assets, delivering industry leading operating netbacks, strong cash flows and production growth. PetroBakken has a multi-year inventory of Bakken and light oil development locations, along with significant future development opportunities in the Horn River and Montney gas resource plays in northeast BC. Our strategy is to deliver accretive production and reserves growth, along with an attractive dividend yield.

Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. is a Calgary-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations in western Canada and Latin America. The Company operates high-impact projects through three business units and a technology subsidiary. The Canadian Business Unit, operated by Petrobank's 64% owned TSX-listed subsidiary, PetroBakken Energy Ltd. (TSX: PBN), is a premier light oil production company combining high growth, long-life Bakken reserves and production with legacy conventional light oil assets, delivering industry leading operating netbacks, strong cash flows and production growth. The Latin American Business Unit, operated by Petrobank's 67% owned TSX-listed subsidiary, Petrominerales Ltd. (TSX:PMG), is a Latin American-based exploration and production company producing oil in Colombia with 16 exploration blocks covering a total of 1.9 million acres in the Llanos and Putumayo Basins of Colombia and 2.6 million acres in the Ucayali Basin of Peru. Whitesands Insitu Partnership, a partnership between Petrobank and its wholly-owned subsidiary Whitesands Insitu Inc., owns 75 net sections of oil sands leases in Alberta, 36 sections of oil sands licenses in Saskatchewan and operates the Whitesands project which is field-demonstrating Petrobank's patented THAI(TM) heavy oil recovery process. THAI(TM) is an evolutionary in-situ combustion technology for the recovery of bitumen and heavy oil that integrates existing proven technologies and provides the opportunity to create a step change in the development of heavy oil resources globally. THAI(TM) and CAPRI(TM) are registered trademarks of Archon Technologies Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petrobank.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
        Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd.
        John D. Wright
        President and Chief Executive Officer
        (403) 750-4400

        Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd.
        Chris J. Bloomer
        Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Heavy Oil
        (403) 750-4400

        Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd.
        Corey C. Ruttan
        Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
        (403) 750-4400

        PetroBakken Energy Ltd.
        R. Gregg Smith
        President and Chief Operating Officer
        (403) 750-4400

Source: PetroBakken Energy Ltd.

Fitch Rates Chester County, PA GOs Series B & C 2009 'AAA'; Outlook Stable Nov 11, 2009 12:09PM

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Fitch Ratings has assigned 'AAA' ratings to Chester County, Pennsylvania's (the county) general obligation (GO) bonds $41.6 million series B of 2009 (Federally Taxable-Build America Bonds - Direct Payment) (BABs) and $61.735 series C of 2009 bonds (collectively, the bonds). The bonds are scheduled to sell via negotiated sale on or about Dec. 1, 2009 with the proceeds of the series B bonds used to finance county capital improvements and the proceeds of the series C bonds used to refund certain outstanding notes. The Rating Outlook is Stable.

The 'AAA' rating reflects the county's solid financial operations and reserve levels, fiscally prudent management, planning strategies and policies, as well as its high wealth and income levels. The county's large and diverse tax base continues to benefit from ongoing commercial development and is well anchored by its largest employers, including the Vanguard Group, QVC, Inc. and Siemens Medical Solutions. While the county's future capital needs are manageable, Fitch notes that the county's overall debt level which includes that of local school districts, are high for the rating category. This concern is offset by the county's low direct debt levels, and its limited exposure to pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) costs. Fitch expects that the county will continue to maintain its high degree of financial flexibility going forward by controlling operating expenses and deferring capital spending, if necessary.

The county is located 30 miles west of Philadelphia and is home to a population of approximately 491,000. Population grew 13.4% since 2000 and while some continued growth is expected, Fitch believes it will be at a slower pace. Wealth levels remain strong as demonstrated in the county's high market value per capita of $142,045 in 2008. The county's ongoing trend of positive employment growth is evidenced by current unemployment levels that rank below both the state and national averages. While the professional and business services and education and health care sectors dominate private employment, strong gains in the trade, transportation and utilities as well as the retail sectors are evident. The county benefits from a highly educated work force as approximately 42% of residents reportedly possess college degrees. The county's unemployment rate of 6.3% in September 2009 remains below the state and national averages of 8.3% and 9.5%, respectively.

Despite a small operating deficit in fiscal 2008, fund balances remain strong due to the county's conservative budget practices, expenditure controls, and healthy flow of revenue driven by an expanding property tax base. The 2008 unreserved fund balance totaled $35 million or 25% of expenditures following a small operating deficit of $3.7 million. The county's wealthy property tax base has expanded steadily as property values grew at double-digit rates from the beginning of the decade through 2006. However, the rate of growth declined to 8.4% in 2007 and 2.1% in 2008, due to an overall slowing in the local housing market. In 2009, growth was relatively flat, which the county expects to continue going forward. Despite the housing market pressures, the county continues to add new commercial development sites, including a new mixed-use project known as Uptown Worthington, which is scheduled to open several new retail stores in the upcoming months, including a Wegman's and Target.

The county's direct debt burden is low at $1,047 per capita and 0.74% of market value (MV). Debt levels are higher on an overall basis, with overall debt per capita at $5,181 and 3.65% of MV when adding in the debt of the county's local school districts. Fitch believes the county's higher overall debt levels are attributable in part to generally limited amount of available state monies for funding local school districts. As such, the debt issued by the local districts provides county students with high-quality education and facilities desired by district residents. In addition, the county's pension plan is adequately funded, and OPEB costs are limited due to the elimination of benefits beginning in 2006. Amortization rates are slightly below average with 44.2% retired in 10 years due to the bullet maturity structure of the current BAB issue.

Additional information is available at 'www.fitchratings.com'.

ALL FITCH CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://FITCHRATINGS.COM/UNDERSTANDINGCREDITRATINGS. IN ADDITION, RATING DEFINITIONS AND THE TERMS OF USE OF SUCH RATINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE AGENCY'S PUBLIC WEBSITE 'WWW.FITCHRATINGS.COM'. PUBLISHED RATINGS, CRITERIA AND METHODOLOGIES ARE AVAILABLE FROM THIS SITE AT ALL TIMES. FITCH'S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, AFFILIATE FIREWALL, COMPLIANCE AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE 'CODE OF CONDUCT' SECTION OF THIS SITE.

    Source: Fitch Ratings

Major Themes at MAPIC 2009 Nov 11, 2009 12:09PM

PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Key players in the international retail real estate business from 60 different countries will meet in Cannes for the 15th MAPIC from 18 to 20 November. The major topics to be covered at this event include the impact of consumer behavior on the sector, Germany's remarkable performance in the current crisis, tomorrow's markets, urban retailing planning, the investment agenda, and incorporating sustainable development into retail real estate projects.

The impact of changing consumer patterns

There has been a rapid change in consumer behavior in recent years, especially due to the crisis and how it affects purchasing power. As a result, retailers and developers are changing their growth strategies.

Conferences:

    --  Dan Stanek, Executive Vice President, Retail Forward(USA): Retail
        renewal: a new landscape emerges (Wednesday 18 November)
        Click here for more

    --  John Devine, President, Subway Real Estate Corp. (USA): A tenant's
        perspective on developing in today's challenging economic times
        (Thursday 19 November)
        Click here for more

Speed Matching Sessions: presentations of innovative retailer and shopping center projects tailored to these challenges

Click here for more

Professionals with innovation strategies attending MAPIC include:

    --  Retailers with innovative concepts attending MAPIC for the first time:
        Chronostock (France), Ekyog (France), Giovanni Galli (Portugal), It's
        Sugar (USA), KidZania (Mexico), Oxford Skin Clinics (UK), Unvisited
        World (UK), Waffle Factory (Belgium), and more.
        Click here for more

    --  Projects showcased in the exhibition area include:
        o Turawa Park developed by developer Helical Poland (Poland)
        o The Greencenter(R) developed in Madrid by Immobiliere Frey (France)
        o Das Neue Thier Areal developed by ECE Projektmanagement (Germany)
        o The center developed in Cracow by TriGranit Development Corporation
          (Hungary)
          Click here for more

Western Europe resists the crisis, especially Germany, the 2009 guest of honor

With a population of 82 million consumers enjoying above-average European purchasing power, Germany has a retail market that is somewhat complex but still competitive in terms of investment opportunities.

Conferences:

    --  German shopping centers: a safe haven for retailers - including a case
        study of the Spanish brand Desigual (Wednesday 18 November)
        Click here for more

    --  Retail development: what's in the pipeline in the Big 5? (Wednesday 18
        November)
        Click here for more

    --  A special Spotlight on Cities session focused on Germany, with an
        introduction to retailing planning in German cities, followed by a
        presentation from the city of Leipzig (Wednesday 18 November)
        Click here for more

Professionals attending MAPIC include:

    --  Developers: ECE Projektmanagement, Activ Immobilien
    --  Investors: Aareal Bank, Commerz Real, Deka Immobilien
        o Retailers: ready-to-wear brands Deichmann Group, Framode, Jack
          Wolfskin, Lerros Moden, Peek & Cloppenburg, S. Oliver B. Freier, Takko
          Fashion; the catering brand Tchibo; leisure brands Kaufland Stiftung
          and Media-Saturn Holding; the pet food and accessories brand Fressnapf
          Click here for more

Emerging markets: growth drivers for the future

MAPIC will look at such promising markets as Brazil, Argentina, India and China and explore their substantial retail real-estate potential for the sector.

Conferences:

    --  Brave new worlds: a tour of emerging markets (Wednesday 18 November)
        Click here for more

    --  A diamond in the rough: the Middle East retail industry (Thursday 19
        November)
        Click here for more

    --  Entering emerging markets: your questions answered (Thursday 19
        November)
        Click here for more

    --  New Look: winning strategies in developing markets (Wednesday 18
        November)
        Click here for more

Speed Matching Sessions presenting shopping center projects:

Paseo del Fuego (Argentina) presented by RETCO Commercial Developers

City Center, Shanghai (China) presented by Treasury Holdings China Ltd

Alzamar (Morocco) presented by BRE - Best Real Estate

Stadion Zilina (Slovakia) presented by DEVELON

Click here for more

Developers attending MAPIC:

    --  Palm Hills Developments (Egypt)
    --  Libyamall (Libya)
    --  Triland Development (Bosnia Herzegovina)
    --  Diogenes (Brazil)

Master franchises presented at MAPIC include:

ABC (Lebanon), Alshaya (Poland), Balfin Group (Albania), Delta Sport (Russian Federation), Fox (Bulgaria), KMK (Tunisia), Landmark Group (UAE), Morocco Retail Group (Morocco), NFI Empik (Poland), Sinteks (Azerbaijan).

The vital role of cities in tomorrow's real-estate projects

Cities are fully aware of the role retailing plays in attracting visitors and boosting their economies. They are therefore paying much closer attention to retailing development strategies.

Spotlight on Cities Conferences:

    --  Presentation of retailing planning projects (3 sessions) from European
        cities in Belgium (La Louviere and Tournai), the UK (London, Newport and
        Edinburgh), France (Lille), and the Italian regions (Piedmont, Liguria).
        Click here for more

Local authorities attending MAPIC include:

    --  From France: Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Mulhouse and Rouen
    --  From Belgium: Antwerp, Arlon, Charleroi, Ghent and the Province of
        Luxembourg
    --  From Italy: the regions of Emilia Romagna, and Lazio
    --  From the UK: Belfast, Derby, Edinburgh and Newport
    --  As well as: Barcelona (Spain), Stockholm (Sweden), and Kosice (Slovakia)

Investment: the current outlook in the retail real-estate market

Investment is a highly meaningful issue in today's economic environment.

Conferences:

    --  Looking ahead: post-crisis investment opportunities (Wednesday 18
        November)
        Click here for more

    --  Chris Igwe, Head of Retail, Senior Director, EuropeanRetail Leasing,
        EMEA, CBRE(France): Wrap up, a snapshot of the retail real-estate market
        from the investment perspective, and the professional mindset in this
        sector (Friday 20 November)
        Click here for more

Investors attending MAPIC include:

    --  Germany: Aareal Bank AG, Aberdeen Property Investors, Bayernlb Gf
        Immobilien, Commerz Real, Deka Immobilien
    --  Canada: CPP Investment Board
    --  France: Eurohypo AG, Natixis Asset Management Immobilier, Societe
        Generale Corporate & Investment Banking
    --  Poland: Ge Real estate Poland SP. Z O. O
    --  Czech Republic: ING Real estate
    --  UK: GIC Real estate International, Macquarie Capital (Europe) LTD

Incorporating sustainable development into the retail real-estate sector

The future of retail real-estate goes hand in hand with sustainable development.

Conference:

    --  Retrofit strategies for existing shopping centers (Wednesday 18
        November)
        Click here for more

The MAPIC Awards 2009 (Thursday 19 November):

The MAPIC Awards honor retail real estate excellence and include the Best sustainable retail development category where the finalists are:

    --  Cameleon Wolowe (Belgium)
    --  Ernest-August-Galerie (Germany)
    --  McDonald's (USA)
        Click here for more

Prepare yourself for MAPIC with:

- the conference programme and session descriptions

- the MAPIC Online Media Centre featuring MAPIC and customer press releases

Find more information on MAPIC at www.mapic.com

For editors:

Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organizer of professional, international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and digital content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia, MIPIM HORIZONS and MAPIC for the property and retail real estate sectors.

Reed MIDEM is a division of Reed Exhibitions, the world's leading events organizer, with over 470 events in 37 countries. In 2008 Reed brought together over seven million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 38 fully staffed offices.

Reed organizes a wide range of events, including exhibitions, conferences, congresses and meetings. Its portfolio of over 470 events serves 44 industry sectors, including: Aerospace & aviation, automobiles, broadcasting, building & construction, electronics, energy, oil & gas, engineering, manufacturing, environment, food service & hospitality, gifts, healthcare, interior design, IT & telecoms, jewelry, life science & pharmaceuticals, machinery, medical education, printing & graphics, property & real estate, security & safety, sports & recreation, travel.

For further information about Reed MIDEM visit www.reedmidem.com.

MAPIC(R) is a registered trademark, all rights reserved.

    Source: Reed MIDEM