After a widespread lull in 2011, foreclosures have been on the rise again across the country, and many experts predict the trend to continue. According to a recent report from foreclosure listing firm RealtyTrac Inc., the number of U.S. homes entering foreclosure for the first time has been increasing in recent months compared to last year's figures. In June 2012, for instance, foreclosure actions were initiated against 1,509,015 homes nationwide, an increase of 18 percent over June 2011. Robo-Signing Controversy Slowed Foreclosure Rates The recent spike in foreclosures ...

In 1993, Congress passed the Family Medical Leave Act in an effort to help people balance the demands of work and family. The law allows people to take time off from their jobs for certain life events without worrying whether they will lose their positions. In 2012, the United States Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division issued proposed amendments to the FMLA. Employees and employers should be aware of how the proposed amendments, if implemented, may impact them. FMLA Protections Pursuant to the FMLA, qualified employees can take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave ...

Beautiful Brands International (BBI), a Tulsa-based fast-casual restaurant innovation company, today reported record franchise unit sales and store openings of its franchised brands for the first and second quarter of 2012. This includes a record breaking 63 units opened in the first and second quarters, 84 new stores under construction and and a total of 231 locations open around the globe. "I'm very excited about these numbers and the growth we're seeing worldwide," says David Rutkauskas, BBI Founder and CEO. "Each year we continue challenge ourselves, ...

Leading e-commerce and CMS platform Web Cube has announced the launch of an advanced software integrator with Celigo, the cloud-based platform for enterprise-class integrations. The new Celigo Integrator for Web Cube allows businesses to seamlessly integrate their e-commerce stores with the ERP system NetSuite. The Celigo Integrator for Web Cube creates an advanced integration with the full back-office functionality of NetSuite and maintains an automatic line of communication between the two systems. Orders, returns, and credits captured in Web Cube are automatically ...

BKD, LLP Regional Managing Partner Mike Burlew is pleased to announce BKD Technologies, a division of BKD, has been named to the 2012 President's Club for Microsoft Dynamics. This achievement is a direct result of BKD's outstanding dedication to customer satisfaction and innovative business solutions. The Microsoft Dynamics President's Club honors high-performing Microsoft Dynamics partners committed to helping customers grow their business and achieve success. This prestigious group represents the top 5 percent of Microsoft Dynamics partners worldwide. Members were ...

"Chan Kim" is the dramatic story of a young Cambodian mother with rare psychic abilities, who survives the 1974 Killing Fields to be recruited by Amery, a man who heads a tiny group of gifted souls dedicated to saving humanity. The tale spans a decade and three continents as Chan Kim faces triumph and calamity, love and betrayal, while she learns how to harness her unique powers and struggles to satisfy her mortal needs. Ilan Herman is a music teacher/producer who lives in the Sierra Foothills of California. Other credits include the novel The Gravedigger ...

Florida Bridal Expos Announces Bridal Expo in Orlando, Florida On September 23, 2012 the latest wedding fashions, colorful wedding decorations, and aroma of tantalizing cuisine will fill the halls of the Hilton Orlando Hotel. Florida Bridal Expos will host Bridal Expo, where brides can plan a wedding in just one afternoon. The Expo will feature over 30,000 square feet of incredible exhibits, where vendors, such as wedding decorators, clothing and jewelry, boutiques, photographers, venues, and florists, will showcase the latest in wedding trends. Attendees can sample ...

The Gotcha Group has signed on as the newest University partner to The University of Alabama, making Tuscaloosa their fifth campus location for their free ride service to be offered to students and faculty. Currently operating at Florida State University, The University of Florida, Auburn University and Georgia Technical University, the company will bring five of their proprietary 100% electric, six-seater "Gotcha Rides" to the campus by September, just in time for football season. The vehicles are street legal and can be driven on any road 35mph and below ...

Brookfield Homes' Rockrose, voted #1 New Home Community in San Diego, continues to address the needs of north county homebuyers by providing spacious, amenity-rich and eco-friendly new homes. Currently, Brookfield is featuring a stunning Rockrose residence at 3443 Four Peaks St. in Carlsbad, which just underwent additional upgrades. The featured home offers the most spacious floor plan at Rockrose with approximately 3,167 square feet including four bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and a two-car garage plus storage. One of the bedrooms is downstairs. The English Country architectural-style ...

After 10 years of promoting and supplying gas analysis instruments to the Asian market, Systech Illinois established a sales and support office in Shanghai in 2009. Due to continued expansion, the company has now relocated to nearby offices, which have been fitted out to its specification. Managing Director Bryan Cummings says, "It is wonderful that Frank Liu, General Manager and the rest of the staff at Systech Illinois, China have been so successful that they have outgrown the office space." Systech Illinois has manufacturing facilities in the UK and U.S., ...

The 23rd Annual Mariposa Charity Figure Skating Gala is pleased to announce Yuzuru Hanyu and Jeffrey Buttle as this year's headliners scheduled to perform on Friday, August 10th at the Barrie Molson Centre at 7 p.m. Yuzuru Hanyu is this year's newest addition to the Gala and is well-known to have mastered the complex triple axel and quadruple toe-triple axel jumps. His accomplishments include being named the 2012 bronze medal World Champion, a silver medal in the 2011 Four Continents competition, as well as the title of 2009-10 Junior Grand Prix Final Champion. Hanyu ...

The Pics4Learning image library is now integrated into the SNAP search product for education from Tek Data. Pics4Learning is an education-friendly source for over 30,000 copyright-friendly photos teachers and students can use in classroom projects. Students and teachers view over a million images from Pics4Learning every month. The initial request for Pics4Learning images to be included came from the Los Angeles County Office of Education Multimedia Services (http://media.lacoe.edu). Multimedia Services uses Tek Data's SNAP to provide members with "affordable, ...

Adrian Hibbs, will be featured on the upcoming Compilation, "Indie Anthems" with his track, "Like No Other". The compilation will be produced by WiFiPR Group to showcase the new artists they have recently signed to their client roster. It will come out as digital release only and will be distributed at upcoming music festivals and industry events including Lollapalooza, Indie Entertainment Summit and CMJ. Adrian Hibbs was the keyboardist and back up singer for the well-known and famous alternative rock group Panic! at the Disco, who left the group ...

Some people may have not heard about Gameday Boots yet, but they will soon. They are definitely a unique spin on the classic cowboy boot, and Rocky Top Leather has just started carrying them. They are made specifically for the sports fan who absolutely loves college football and basketball because they have the actual NCAA licensed logos beautifully embroidered on each and every one of them. Gameday Boots is a company that just started at the beginning of 2012 because they realized that many sports fan also love western-wear. So, they wanted to fill that need and created ...

- Isola Pizza Bar, Little Italy's newest specialty pizza restaurant featuring an oak wood-burning oven in a chic urban setting, is now open at 1526 India Street. The 2,500-square-foot Italian pizzeria, highlighted by an open kitchen bar and elongated back patio, offers 15 pizzas, authentic Italian appetizers and home-made desserts by Chef Massimo Tenino of Piemonte, Italy. Specialties including the gamberetti (shrimp, asparagus, goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella), ricotta (shiitake mushroom, fresh ricotta, mozzarella, basil) and 4 stagioni a modo mio (mozzarella, ...

The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) announced Datrose has been named as one of the world's best outsourcing providers for the seventh consecutive year. The top services provided by Datrose include Human Resource Management, Financial Management, and Document Management within the Retail/Consumer Goods, Entertainment/Media, and Health Care industries. "This year's rankings for the Global Outsourcing 100 and World's Best Outsourcing Advisors represent the best in outsourcing, hailing from every corner of the globe," said IAOP CEO ...

There has been a growing trend of personalization of shelter and transportation devices at outdoor festivals, in particular with the use of glow technology. As most events are held at night, high performance glow materials offer a way to stand out and be safe while enjoying the event. Lunabrite Light Technology is one solution to being seen without the use of batteries, bulbs or wires. A solar activated illumination technology, it charges in the sun during the day, for a long lasting glow at night. Lunabrite can be used to create a glowing atmosphere, illuminating cars, ...

The Economic Development Collaborative-Ventura County is leading the launch in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties of Kiva Zip, a Kiva.org pilot program that enables small businesses to access peer-funded micro-loans of up to $5,000. The program is built on Kiva's mission of connecting people globally through lending to support business entrepreneurship. As a Kiva Zip field partner, EDC-VC will identify small businesses within the region that are a good fit for the program. "This is an excellent resource for small-businesses in the earliest stages of growth," ...

Home owners, construction workers, sub-contractors, and small business owners can now enjoy a seamless business experience, thanks to the first step taken by Bidslist. Bidslist provides a solution for all parties in a residential or commercial related construction project- those seeking services as well as the service providers. According to Derick Downs, CEO of BidsList, "People often undergo a bitter experience while working with professionals. The primary reason is that they don't have a proper process in place when hiring a service professional. Many times, ...

The historic French Quarter hotel Chateau LeMoyne recently launched a brand new independent website. The new site plays heavily into their coveted French Quarter address and impressive history. Famed New Orleans architect James Gallier is credited with designing some of New Orleans' most significant buildings and in 1847 began designing pieces of what would one day be Chateau Le Moyne. At the time most buildings and homes were constructed to the line of the banquette along the Vieux Carre, while the future home of Chateau LeMoyne was set back several feet. This unique ...

BABYSITTING SUGARPAW, with its child-centered plot on getting to know others, is the perfect book for little ones scared of being left alone with a babysitter for the first time. This book delights young readers, ages three-to-eight-year-old, especially those who like to create mischief. The book is all about a little bear named Sugarpaw hopes to get rid of his babysitter, Bonnie Whiskers, by getting her into trouble after making changes to his rules chart. As the story unfolds, Sugarpaw learns about honesty and friendship, in this fun loving story. BABYSITTING SURARPAW VS ...

Gary Benjamin, owner of The Art Attraction, announced today the relaunch of the hospitality and hotel art service for luxury interior design projects offered by The Art Attraction. Along with the relaunch of the framing and professional fine art service, discounted prices will be provided to interior designers seeking quality art to meet the latest interior design trends. The Art Attraction provides quality art for interior designers working within the hospitality and hotel industry. The Art Attraction ensures their framing and professional fine art will meet project ...

LiveRez.com, the leading provider of end-to-end, cloud-based vacation rental software, has announced that it will start offering mobile websites to its more than 600 property manager partners. Optimized for the smaller screens typical of today's smart phones, these websites will make navigating LiveRez-powered websites and booking online faster and more convenient for mobile users. "Mobile phone users are the fastest growing demographic of travelers, and LiveRez is well positioned to lead the industry through this mobile revolution," said Tracy Lotz, ...

ARS, a leading brand of American Residential Services L.L.C, and one of the premier heating and air conditioning service companies nationwide, is now the local provider of a revolutionary hybrid air conditioning system in Orange County and the Inland Empire. AquaChill, engineered and manufactured by Sacramento-based Beutler Corporation, produces air colder than regular air conditioning systems when temperatures are at their peak. According to the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, AquaChill is designed to use up to 29 percent less energy than traditional systems. The ...

Auntie Anne's Pretzels, the world's largest soft pretzel franchise,is partneringwith The Coca-Cola Company, Millennial Media (NYSE: MM) and SparkflyIncto pilot a mobile advertising campaign that will offer consumers a mobile deal that can be measured and tracked seamlessly through the point of sale, down to specific consumer purchases at the item level. The mobile ad campaign will be running during the heart of Back-to-School shopping season. The mobile ad creative will test different combinations of Auntie Anne's and Coke itemsfor purchase at ten Atlanta-area Auntie ...