Press Releases

SAINT PAUL, Minn., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The votes are in and the results show that the 45,000 Republican National Convention (RNC) attendees, media representatives and delegates used wireless devices to access the Internet and to send and deliver e-mail and picture and video messages in record numbers in the downtown Saint Paul area this week. The Verizon Wireless cell site at the Xcel Energy Center and those cell sites in the surrounding downtown area of Saint Paul completed more than 4 million additional data transmissions, an increase of more than 245 percent, during the five days of the convention week than during a normal week. These same cell sites also carried 1.8 million additional voice calls, 82 percent more than a normal week.

"It's clear that wireless devices are an essential communications tool for convention-goers, and our network was ready," said Nancy B. Clark, president -- Great Plains region, Verizon Wireless. "Our customers in downtown Saint Paul shared the convention week's historical events by text, e-mail, picture and video messaging and on the Internet over our high-speed network. This usage reflects a trend for communicating by data as well as voice calls."

Verizon Wireless invested $6.4 million in network improvements for the RNC, including deploying four portable cell sites in high-demand locations and adding in-building cell sites at the Xcel Energy Center and the Minneapolis Convention Center. The company has invested more than $45 billion since it was formed -- more than $5.5 billion on average every year -- to increase the coverage and capacity of its national network and to add new services. Through mid-year 2008, more than $475 million has been invested on network improvements in Minnesota since 2001.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

SOURCE Verizon Wireless

NEW YORK & DUBLIN, Ireland & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Wordfast LLC, the second largest provider of translation memory software, and Translations.com, a world leader in enterprise-wide translation workflow solutions, today announced an expansion of their existing alliance. Under the new agreement, the two companies, which began developing compatible tools 24 months ago, will begin a new era of cooperation that will include joint marketing programs, a tighter integration of products, and collaboration with Alchemy Software Development.

This alliance will achieve the common goal of fostering innovation and choice in translation memory and translation workflow solutions. In the near future, corporate customers, agencies, and end-users can expect a far better user experience than the translation-related software tools market currently offers. By providing the three development teams a new level of openness, and enabling them to work more collaboratively, Translations.com, Alchemy, and Wordfast expect to accelerate the pace at which new, compelling, and compatible translation software solutions are made available to consumers. With a combined customer-base of over 30,000 licensed end-users and over 100 enterprise-level corporate clients, the alliance is expected to bring a roadmap of unprecedented clarity to the future of software development in the translation industry.

"This partnership will help unleash the potential of next-generation TM solutions to users around the world. A fresh approach, boosted by the market's desire for choice, will help shape a new computing environment," said Yves Champollion, Chairman and CEO of Wordfast. "Today's announcement is ambitious. Our vision is to develop software that works together in such a way that enterprise customers can employ next generation workflow solutions, while end-users can choose the platform they are most comfortable working in. It's an exciting time for the translation industry."

As part of the agreement, Champollion of Wordfast will work with Translations.com to enhance its existing suite of TM tools. In return for his advisory work, Wordfast will receive an economic interest in future sales of certain Translations.com products.

"Together, we boast 16 technology products that drive innovation to all points of the life-cycle of global content. Not only do we have a collaborative roadmap for product integration, but many customers are actually already running joint solutions," added Tony O'Dowd, President of Alchemy Software Development.

Combined software offerings in the Translations.com/Alchemy and Wordfast alliance include:

    The GlobalLink Product Suite

    --  GlobalLink Content Director

    --  GlobalLink Project Director

    --  GlobalLink OneLink

    --  GlobalLink On-Line Review

    --  GlobalLink Portal

    --  GlobalLink Term Manager

    --  GlobalLink TM Server

    --  GlobalLink TransStudio

    ABREVE Content Authoring Environment

    --  ABREVE for Microsoft Word

    The Alchemy Product Suite

    --  Alchemy CATALYST

    --  Alchemy PUBLISHER

    --  Alchemy Language Exchange

    Wordfast

    --  Wordfast Classic (for Microsoft Word)

    --  Wordfast 6.0

    --  Wordfast +Tools

    --  Wordfast VLTM

The expanded alliance will further leverage the leadership position of partners with different specialties. Translations.com, Alchemy, and Wordfast all share a long tradition of serving clients that range from the world's leading companies to the individual translator.

"Competition has always fueled innovation and resulted in better, faster, and higher-value solutions for customers. Today, much of the language industry still operates on a code base started roughly 20 years ago for working on DOS. In our relatively small corner of the world that we call the language industry, the high finances of public companies can actually stifle competition and innovation by acquiring promising technology to simply take it off the market. With the strengthening of our alliance, we will provide customers the best choice for their technology investments," concluded Phil Shawe, the CEO of Translations.com.

About Wordfast

Wordfast LLC is the world's second largest provider of translation memory software solutions. The company currently has over 15,000 active customer deployments in the marketplace. Driven primarily by the positive reviews of users and industry experts, Wordfast's client base has grown to include the United Nations, NASA, McGraw-Hill, Nomura Securities, a wide array of educational institutions, and thousands of freelance linguists. For more information, please visit www.wordfast.com.

About Alchemy Software Development

Alchemy Software Development is the developer of Alchemy CATALYST, Alchemy PUBLISHER and Alchemy Language Exchange. Alchemy CATALYST is the world's most popular visual localization technology. Eighty percent of the world's largest software companies use it to accelerate entry into international markets, improving revenue growth opportunities, and reducing their costs. With over 20,000 licenses worldwide, Alchemy CATALYST is the dominant choice among professional development companies, localization service providers, and global technology leaders such as Siemens, Corel, Philips, Canon, and Oracle. Alchemy Software Development has offices in Ireland, Germany, and the United States. For more information, please visit www.alchemysoftware.com.

About Translations.com

Translations.com is a leading provider of software, website, and enterprise-wide localization services, as well as localization-related technology products. Translations.com solutions allow customers to conduct business more effectively in international markets. The company has a global presence on four continents and services a variety of clients with dedicated practice groups for every major industry. Translations.com is part of the TransPerfect family of companies. For more information, please visit www.translations.com.

Source: Translations.com

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fitch Ratings assigns an 'AA-' rating to $500 million State of Connecticut second lien special tax obligation (STO) refunding bonds, transportation infrastructure purposes, 2008 series 1. The bonds will sell via negotiation on or about Sept. 17th, and will mature Feb. 1, 2010-2022. Optional redemption provisions will be determined upon final negotiation. Fitch also affirms the 'AA-' rating on outstanding senior lien and second lien STO bonds. The Rating Outlook is Stable.

Connecticut's STO bonds are issued under a senior and second lien, and are secured by pledged revenues deposited to the state transportation fund. Pledged revenues include taxes and fees on motor vehicle fuel, used vehicle sales, licenses, a fixed share of tax on oil companies' gross earnings and other transportation-related revenues. The 'AA-' rating for the second lien bonds, on par with the senior lien, reflects an additional bonds test requiring 2 times (x) coverage of principal and interest on both liens. Moreover, the state covenants under the second lien that any senior issuance must meet all second lien requirements, both senior and second lien bonds are subject to an annual 2x debt service coverage test, and the bonds are backed by an aggregate debt service reserve funded at maximum annual debt service.

At present, $2.2 billion in senior lien bonds and $569 million in second lien bonds are outstanding. Second lien bonds have been issued periodically to refund outstanding senior lien STO bonds under a 1990 resolution. With the exception of one series, the outstanding second lien bonds' variable rate debt service is swapped to fixed, with swap-related payments, including termination, on parity with debt service. The new bonds will refund three of the four outstanding series.

The STO bond program features conservative forecasting and budgeting, twenty year maturity and flexibility to slow capital projects as necessary. Offsetting these strengths are debt service growth that is faster than pledged revenues, interdependence with the state's general fund that has led to revenue or cost shifts during periods of fiscal stress, and large needs for transportation capital spending. Fiscal 2008 estimated pledged revenues covered combined senior and second lien debt service by 2.6x. After funding senior lien debt service and reserves, followed by second lien debt service and reserves, funds are available for transportation-related general obligation bonds and operating expenses for the departments of transportation and motor vehicles.

Although the special transportation fund built a large fund balance in recent years, the impact of economic weakness on revenue collections combined with rising needs is leading to projected annual deficits from fiscal 2008 through the fiscal 2012 planning period. Fiscal 2008 is estimated to have ended with a deficit of $15 million and a fund balance of $178 million, or 17% of revenues. STO debt service consumed 39% of revenues. Motor fuels tax, which constitutes an estimated 46% of pledged revenues in fiscal 2008, grew an average of 1.8% per year over 10 years, but collections have declined since fiscal 2006 as higher prices curb consumption; the state projects average annual gains of only 0.8% through fiscal 2012. Oil companies tax deposits to the fund are statutorily determined by the legislature, and are scheduled to increase to support planned borrowing. Prior legislation guarantees that underperformance in the oil companies tax will be made up by supplemental general fund transfers. Despite planned transfers, fund balance in the current forecast is depleted in fiscal 2011.

Fitch issued an exposure draft on July 31, 2008 proposing a recalibration of tax-supported and water/sewer revenue bond ratings which, if adopted, may result in an upward revision of this underlying rating (see Fitch research 'Exposure Draft: Reassessment of the Municipal Ratings Framework').

Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, 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

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Fitch Ratings assigns the following U.S. residential servicer ratings to MetLife Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, NA (MHL):

    --Primary servicer rating for prime product at 'RPS2';

    --Primary servicer rating for Alt-A product at 'RPS2'.

    The ratings are placed on Rating Watch Evolving.

On Aug. 31, 2008, First Horizon National Corporation (FHN) completed the sale of its mortgage origination and servicing platforms to MetLife Bank, NA, a wholly owned subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. MetLife has renamed the servicing division formerly known as First Horizon Home Loans, a Division of First Tennessee Bank, National Association (First Horizon) to MetLife Home Loans, a division of MetLife Bank, NA. The rating actions reflect the operational capabilities of the existing servicing platform, and the financial strength of MHL's ultimate parent, MetLife, Inc. (rated 'A+' by Fitch).

The Rating Watch Evolving indicates that a further rating action of a downgrade, upgrade or affirmation may occur based on Fitch's operational review of the servicing platform planned for the fourth quarter of 2008. Fitch will continue to monitor MHL's ability to maintain performance while integrating its business processes with the MetLife culture, management and operations.

Fitch rates residential mortgage primary, master, and special servicers on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest rating. Within some of these rating levels, Fitch further differentiates ratings by plus (+) and minus (-) as well as the flat rating. For more information on Fitch's residential servicer rating program, please see Fitch's report 'Rating U.S. Residential Mortgage Servicers', dated Nov. 29, 2006, which is available on the Fitch Ratings web site at www.fitchratings.com.

Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, 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

SEATTLE, Sept. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Taking home more awards than any other company in the cruise category, Holland America Line has won nine Magellan Awards -- three gold and six silver -- from Travel Weekly Magazine.

"We are proud of our accomplishments and winning this number of awards is a testament to our leadership position in the premium market," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "We are honored to win in nine different categories. Our mission is to provide guests with a once in a lifetime experience, every time."

Holland America won three gold awards: ms Eurodam, Premium Ship category; 2007/2008 Campaign, Advertising/Marketing Campaign category; ms Prinsendam, Mid-Size Cruise Ship category.

Six silver awards were won: Verandah Balcony Stateroom, Premium Ship Cabin Design category; Penthouse Verandah Suite, Premium Ship Suite Design category; Tamarind, Premium Ship Restaurant Design category; Greenhouse Spa & Salon, Premium Ship Spa Design category; Website, Cruise Marketing Website category; and Grand World Voyages, Cruise Marketing Direct Mail category.

"These awards reflect our commitment to offer an unparalleled cruise experience," said Meadows. "And, our investment in Signature of Excellence is growing with more enhancements planned across the fleet including new amenities and innovative programs."

The industry-leading Signature of Excellence initiative announced nearly five years ago in November 2003 has evolved into an ongoing and comprehensive review of every aspect of the Holland America Line experience. The line recently announced another $200 million investment bringing the total to $525 million.

This marks the first year of Travel Weekly's Magellan Awards honoring the best in travel. The travel trade magazine caters to travel professionals. The magazine employed an independent panel of travel professionals as judges for the awards. Less than 10% of entrants were selected for gold medals. Award winners receive a statuette and will be featured in the September issue.

Holland America Line is consistently rated as a top cruise line by Conde Nast Traveler readers and Travel & Leisure magazine. The line has won a Best Overall Cruise Value award for the past 16 years from the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society's Ocean & Cruise News and has been recognized for multiple awards over the years by readers of Porthole Cruise Magazine. Last year, the line received a Green Planet award for outstanding environmental practices from Kuoni Switzerland.

-- hollandamerica.com --

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]

Holland America Line's fleet of 14 ships offers nearly 500 cruises to 314 ports in more than 100 countries, territories or dependencies. Two- to 108-day itineraries visit all seven continents, and highlights include Antarctica, South America, Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; a Grand World Voyage; and popular sailings to ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal. A 15th ship is scheduled to join the fleet in 2010.

Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $525 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine -- a state-of-the-art onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes -- Explorations Cafe powered by The New York Times, teens-only activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds.

World's Leading Cruise Lines

The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world, Holland America Line is a member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line and Costa Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value, these lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The World's Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations.

     CONTACT:  Rose Abello
     PHONE:    800-637-5029
     FAX:      206-262-5934
     EMAIL:    pr@hollandamerica.com

SOURCE Holland America Line