"Jumpstart to Green" Launches One-Purchase Green Product Kits for Eco-Living

Packages contain green ideas, tools and products that help consumers make simple but meaningful ‘green’ improvements to their lifestyles and homes.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) September 30, 2008 — Jumpstart to Green (JumpstartToGreen.com) announces the launch of its one-purchase kits for living a greener life. Each kit contains essential green products, green ideas, resources and clever green tools to help consumers make simple but meaningful changes to their lifestyles and homes.

"There are 110 million households in the U.S., and our research tells us that most of them want to live a greener lifestyle. They just don’t know where to start," said Doug Donovan, co-founder of Jumpstart to Green.

Public education and the green movement have generated tremendous interest in eco-living. And while there are hundreds of great Web sites, innovative products and informative books, the choices and decisions can be overwhelming.

"Our company was born to counteract the perception that greener living requires a Herculean effort and great expense. We give people an easy, fun way to jumpstart their movement toward greener living," said Donovan. "These simple eco-living changes, undertaken by many, can make a huge collective difference."

Jumpstart to Green offers two greener living kits full of environmentally friendly products for the home:

Jumpstart Essential™ ($59.99)

4 best-on-the-market compact fluorescent bulbs (75w equiv)
1 zip-top insulated grocery bag
1 Klean Kanteen™ water bottle
1 toilet tank bank
1 shower timer
3 Euro Sponge cloths
1 junkmail reducer kit: 4 stamped, addressed envelopes and forms
1 Guide to Green: 6 laminated pages brilliantly organized for easy use
1 Jumpstart Tracker: track your bills, waste and progress
5 clever around-the-house reminders
1 car static sticker to subtly encourage your friends to jumpstart their green living

Jumpstart Complete™ ($89.99)

All of the above PLUS:
1 Smart Strip™ powerstrip
1 refrigerator thermometer
1 hot water temperature card
1 additional zip-top insulated grocery bag

About Jumpstart to Green

Save a little. Save a lot. Save the planet. That’s what Jumpstart to Green is all about. As part of our commitment to green, Boston-based Jumpstart to Green is a virtual company with no climate controlled corporate office, no internal memos filling the recycle bin and no commuter workforce. Like you, we want to reduce our carbon footprint, preserve resources, encourage eco-friendly living and make the world a healthier place for our kids. Jumpstart to Green was founded in 2008.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1401154.htm

Real Estate Domain Name TrustDeeds.com Up For Auction

Attention real estate professionals: the Trustdeeds.com domain name is now available for sale. This valuable generic domain name will be an asset for any company that specializes in buying, selling, or brokering Trust Deeds in the secondary market.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 30, 2008 — StrictlyDomains, a Los Angeles based domain name investment and development firm, announced today that ‘TrustDeeds.com’ has officially opened for bidding through Moniker’s T.R.A.F.F.I.C. New York extended online auction, being hosted on the SnapNames® auction platform.

Interested parties may now place bids online via the SnapNames® Auction platform until close October 2, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. (EDT). Potential bidders who do not already have a SnapNames® account will be prompted to register in order to participate in the auction.

The Moniker Live auction at T.R.A.F.F.I.C. New York concluded with 102 domain names changing hands out of 228, for an unofficial grand total of $2,967,500 in sales, with an average sales price just over $29,000 per domain name. The highest sale during the Live event went to ‘FinancialAid.com’ that sold for $800,000.

As of Monday morning, bidding in the Extended Online Auction has thus far produced well over $35 million dollars in bids for domain names such as "CharityAuction.com", bid at $5.8 million; "OnlineHomes.com", bid at $882,000; "HomeRefinancing.com", bid at $705,000; "asset.com", bid at $470,000; "Mortgaging.com" bid at $234,000; and "MortgageService.com" bid at $176,000.

"Financial related, category specific, generic domain names remain the most coveted domains on the Internet," says Mr. Shawn Kaye, founder of StrictlyDomains. The mortgage meltdown sweeping America at the moment has forced many financial companies to write-down the value of mortgage-backed securities (also called "trust deeds") and in some cases liquidate their entire portfolios for as little as $0.22 on the dollar. Rules requiring financial companies to value assets at current market prices called mark-to-market has created enormous mispricing conditions that have created a massive opportunity for able and willing investors looking for a piece of the pie, valued at over $1 trillion dollars.

Ranked #1 on Yahoo! when searching with the term "trust deeds" out of a whopping 15 million results, Mr. Kaye adds, "it’s pretty clear that whoever purchases TRUSTDEEDS.COM will gain an instant and significant strategic advantage over their competitors on the Internet for as long as their business remains viable, which could be for a very long time," continues Mr. Kaye "this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own the category-defining domain in a multi-billion dollar industry".

To learn more about bidding options for this event, see a complete list of rules and procedures for all Moniker auctions or review all live and online domain auctions throughout the year, visit the Domain Auction page on the Moniker website at http://www.moniker.com/auction. Bidders may also contact sales@moniker.com or call (800) 688-6311.

You may also visit StrictlyDomains.com

All company names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/09/prweb1396744.htm

MapsAlive Offers Free SmartDraw 2009

Create interactive floor plans, maps, and diagrams with MapsAlive® and SmartDraw®.

Waitsfield, VT (PRWEB) September 30, 2008 — AvantLogic, developers of MapsAlive, the premier interactive map and floor plan application, is now offering a free copy of SmartDraw 2009 with a MapsAlive purchase. SmartDraw 2009, the popular visual productivity software, contains dramatically enhanced functionality and exclusive new features that help business people improve communications, better organize ideas, refine their operations and simply work smarter. SmartDraw is ideal for creating the floor plans, maps, and diagrams that can be made interactive with MapsAlive.

"If you can create it with SmartDraw, you can make it interactive with MapsAlive. SmartDraw includes thousands of templates and examples that make it easy to create maps, graphics, and floor plans," said George Soules, President of AvantLogic Corporation. "SmartDraw and MapsAlive compliment each other well – both products let ordinary computer users get professional results."

SmartDraw 2009 floorplans include "smarter" walls and easier manipulation of shapes, as well as easy snap-on windows and doors. New dimension lines and area measurements make creating accurate floor plans easier than ever. Because SmartDraw draws for them, real estate professionals, building managers, and contractors can easily create a professional, accurate and detailed landscape or interior plan, which saves time and brings the property to life for the customer.

With SmartDraw and MapsAlive, users can quickly create high-impact graphics and turn them into compelling interactive tours. Interactive floor plans and maps can be embedded directly into web pages for seamless presentations, and informative and appealing websites. Any MapsAlive purchase of $247 or more is eligible for a free copy of SmartDraw.

To try MapsAlive for free, visit www.mapsalive.com.

About AvantLogic:
AvantLogic is the creator of MapsAlive, a web application that can make any map interactive for use on web pages. A map can be any image such as a diagram, floor plan, photo, or geographic map. Interactive maps allow viewers to move their mouse over markers to quickly gather information and see images and text associated with locations on the map. MapsAlive is popular among residential and commercial real estate professionals, and is also used to create interactive location maps and web content for travel and tourism, education, and law enforcement.

Based in Waitsfield, Vermont, AvantLogic was founded in 1999 as a software consulting company specializing in web applications, commercial grade software, and safety-critical computer systems. Clients include ABC Television, Bombardier, DaimlerChrysler and the New York Power Authority. AvantLogic launched MapsAlive in 2007, and is now focused on making MapsAlive the premier tool for creating online interactive map tours.

About SmartDraw.com:
SmartDraw is the world leader in visual productivity software, creating the first program that empowers ordinary computer users to create presentation-quality business graphics in minutes. Realizing that a "picture is worth a thousand words," more than three million people annually install and use SmartDraw to help improve communications, better organize ideas, refine operations and simply work smarter. In addition to SmartDraw 2009 for general business, education and home use, the company also offers SmartDraw Healthcare and SmartDraw Legal editions which include graphics and applications unique to their respective fields. The company’s loyal customers include more than half of the members of the Fortune 500, nearly 2,000 K-12 schools and universities, and thousands of law firms, police departments, health systems and private enterprises of all sizes. Founded in 1994, SmartDraw.com is privately-held and based in San Diego, CA. For more information on the company or to download a free trial of SmartDraw, please visit www.smartdraw.com.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/interactive_maps/mapsalive/prweb1385404.htm

Universal Forest Products Plants Earn FSC Certification

Universal Forest Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: UFPI) today announced that eight of its plants have met rigorous standards to earn Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Business Wire EON) September 30, 2008 — FSC Chain of Custody Certification means the Universal plants meet strict tracking requirements for ensuring the lumber the Company uses in the manufacture of products comes from well-managed forests. The certification was awarded following a third-party review by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), an independent organization accredited by the FSC to certify operations to its standards.

The Universal plants that earned certification are in Ranson, WV; Windsor, CO; Chandler, AZ; San Antonio, TX; New Waverly, TX; Woodburn, OR; Thornton, CA and Riverside, CA.

With the certification, Universal will be better able to provide customers with FSC-certified products, which is a requirement for participating in LEED® and other green building projects.

"Demand for FSC-certified lumber has increased, and we’re ensuring we’re well-positioned to answer that demand and meet our customer’s needs. FSC certification helps us do that," said Vice President of Marketing Dick Gauthier. "FSC certification is a great distinction that will help drive our business, and that illustrates Universal’s history of responsible procurement practices."

With a vested interest in a healthy environment in which trees can thrive, Universal’s practices and values have carefully considered the environment. In addition, the majority of the lumber it sells is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®).

UNIVERSAL FOREST PRODUCTS

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, with approximately 90 facilities throughout North America, Universal Forest Products engineers, manufactures and markets wood and wood-alternative products for DIY retail home centers, structural lumber products for the manufactured housing industry, engineered wood components for the site-built construction market, and specialty wood packaging and components for various industries. The Company also provides framing services for the site-built market, and forms for concrete construction. For 2007, the Company reported sales of more than $2.5 billion. For information about Universal Forest Products, visit www.ufpi.com.

Please be aware that: Any statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company’s management as well as on assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company at the time such statements were made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect facts, circumstances, assumptions or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. Actual results could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements are the following: Adverse lumber market trends, competitive activity, negative economic trends, government regulations and weather. Certain of these risk factors and additional information are included in the Company’s reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/universal_forest/forest_products/prweb1408594.htm

Universal Forest Products Plants Earn FSC Certification

Universal Forest Products, Inc. (NASDAQ: UFPI) today announced that eight of its plants have met rigorous standards to earn Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certification.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (Business Wire EON) September 30, 2008 — FSC Chain of Custody Certification means the Universal plants meet strict tracking requirements for ensuring the lumber the Company uses in the manufacture of products comes from well-managed forests. The certification was awarded following a third-party review by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), an independent organization accredited by the FSC to certify operations to its standards.

The Universal plants that earned certification are in Ranson, WV; Windsor, CO; Chandler, AZ; San Antonio, TX; New Waverly, TX; Woodburn, OR; Thornton, CA and Riverside, CA.

With the certification, Universal will be better able to provide customers with FSC-certified products, which is a requirement for participating in LEED® and other green building projects.

"Demand for FSC-certified lumber has increased, and we’re ensuring we’re well-positioned to answer that demand and meet our customer’s needs. FSC certification helps us do that," said Vice President of Marketing Dick Gauthier. "FSC certification is a great distinction that will help drive our business, and that illustrates Universal’s history of responsible procurement practices."

With a vested interest in a healthy environment in which trees can thrive, Universal’s practices and values have carefully considered the environment. In addition, the majority of the lumber it sells is certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®).

UNIVERSAL FOREST PRODUCTS

Headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI, with approximately 90 facilities throughout North America, Universal Forest Products engineers, manufactures and markets wood and wood-alternative products for DIY retail home centers, structural lumber products for the manufactured housing industry, engineered wood components for the site-built construction market, and specialty wood packaging and components for various industries. The Company also provides framing services for the site-built market, and forms for concrete construction. For 2007, the Company reported sales of more than $2.5 billion. For information about Universal Forest Products, visit www.ufpi.com.

Please be aware that: Any statements included in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of the Company’s management as well as on assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company at the time such statements were made. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect facts, circumstances, assumptions or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. Actual results could differ materially from those included in such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainty. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements are the following: Adverse lumber market trends, competitive activity, negative economic trends, government regulations and weather. Certain of these risk factors and additional information are included in the Company’s reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/universal/products/prweb1408594.htm

The Design People, Inc. Announces Client Success Program

Client Success Representatives help real estate agents, brokers, contractors and small businesses worldwide gain awareness through Web marketing tools and stay cutting edge.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) September 30, 2008 — Leading the way as a top provider of small business website solutions, The Design People, Inc. announces its Client Success Program and commitment to free, ongoing coaching of its clients. The company’s Client Success Representatives (CSRs) are responsible for proactive communication to its customers, sharing best practices and ensuring that they achieve full adoption and value from the company’s website products.

The Design People’s approach to customer success is based on a collaborative and personalized web development process. As part of its formalized Client Success Program, CSRs get involved at the beginning of the design process to make sure there is a clear understanding of client objectives. From there, the Client Success Program enables full management of the client life cycle from the lead phase, through the sales pipeline, site design and post-launch maintenance and marketing.

"Keeping up with changes in the world of online advertising is nearly impossible and often confusing, particularly when customers are dealing with fast-moving technology companies like Google™, Yahoo!® and Microsoft®," said Mike Ralls, client success manager. "It is a Client Success Representative’s job to stay informed. Our Client Success Program is designed to cut through the noise and deliver the targeted marketing and branding advice that our clients need, helping them make the most informed decisions. We do the thinking for them so they can focus on gaining awareness and growing their business, not learning website code."

Throughout website production, CSRs work hand in hand with dedicated project managers and the design team to make sure clients are exposed to branding and marketing consultation. After site launch, the relationship continues. CSRs provide ongoing advice to clients to help them market to new potential customers, including Client Success Program tools that might be beneficial to them such as search marketing, content optimization, landing pages, keyword advertising and interactive flash presentations.

"When we decided to build HILTON & HYLAND, we needed a web design studio that could help us represent our brand to our discriminating clients. They listened to our ideas and implemented the necessary technical expertise and direction to create an exceptional website and an aggressive marketing program," said Ed Leyson from HILTON & HYLAND of The Design People’s real estate division, Agent Image.. "The site is very easy to use for our agents and high-end clientele which include Paris Hilton, Madonna, Paula Abdul, Barbara Streisand, Lionel Ritchie, Sharon Stone, Johnny Depp, Bruce Willis and Halle Berry. Best of all, our site has been ranked #1 for ‘Beverly Hills real Estate’ on Google since we signed on with them. We highly recommend them to our agents and will continue to consult with them on how to market and grow our business on the web."

The Design People, Inc. is an authorized reseller of Google™ Adwords, a Yahoo! Search Marketing Ambassador and a Microsoft® ad Excellence Member. Client Success Representatives and Internet marketing team members are trained on the latest web strategies and search marketing programs provided by top search providers. A good understanding of how search engines work is an absolute prerequisite for members of these teams.

"We’re one of a handful of a web design companies with the ability to launch hundreds of branded, visually attractive websites every month. If you can do that well on a consistent basis, that’s customer satisfaction," says Tiger Bitanga, CEO of The Design People, Inc. "We take it further than we ever have before by combining great art direction with customized marketing programs — all delivered by personal Client Success Representatives that are with you every step of the way. That’s client success. "

About The Design People, Inc.:
The Design People Inc. is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) developer of online web applications for real estate agents, brokers, contractors and small businesses worldwide. It provides web development, hosting, branding and Internet marketing services for companies of all sizes.

Based in Los Angeles, The Design People, Inc. licenses and maintains websites for thousands of customers.

For more information, please call 1-800-979-5799. Or, visit http://www.thedesignpeople.com or Agent Image, its real estate division, at http://www.agentimage.com.

©2008 The Design People, Inc. All rights reserved. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/thedesignpeople/clientsuccessteam/prweb1400294.htm

Four Seasons Resort Vail Names General Manager : 30-Year Four Seasons Veteran to Open the First Four Seasons in Colorado

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and project developer Black Diamond Resorts – Vail LLC are pleased to announce that 30-year Four Seasons veteran Hans Willimann has taken the helm as the property’s general manager. Willimann will oversee the opening of the Resort in late 2009 when Four Seasons Resort Vail debuts as the first Four Seasons in Colorado and the third mountain property for the company.

VAIL, Colo. (Business Wire EON) September 30, 2008 — "As a native of Switzerland and an avid skier, relocating to Vail is a dream come true for me," said Willimann. "I’m looking forward to living and working here, and to making Four Seasons Resort Vail a vibrant member of this mountain community."

Prior to his post in Vail, Willimann held the position of general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, starting before the Hotel’s opening in March 1989. Under his leadership, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago quickly became one of the country’s top hotels, setting a new standard of excellence in the city. Willimann’s reputation for finely-tuned attention to detail made every aspect of the guest experience memorable – from personal, gracious service, and dining excellence, to impeccably imagined surroundings. This focus garnered the hotel and its team numerous accolades, including both the Mobile Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond awards, after less than three years of operation. During Willimann’s tenure, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago was consistently recognized with many prestigious international and national awards.

Willimann joined Four Seasons in 1979 as executive assistant manager of Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. From 1981 to 1989 he held several senior management positions including general manager of Four Seasons Inn on the Park Houston, and Four Seasons Hotel Boston, before transferring to Chicago.

Willimann is fluent in Swiss-German, German, French, English and conversational Spanish. He graduated from the École Hôtelière in Lausanne and attended the Commercial School in Zurich, as well as the Swiss Mercantile College in London.

During his 20-year tenure in Chicago, Willimann contributed greatly to the community and his involvement earned him the affectionate title of "Mayor of Chicago." He was recognized by the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association with the "Hotelier of the Year" and the "Ambassador of Hospitality" awards in recognition of his achievements and contributions over the past two decades.

Willimann and his wife, Louise, have settled in the Vail Valley. They both enjoy the outdoors and look forward to becoming active within the Eagle County community. Having grown up in Switzerland, Willimann is especially excited about the area’s abundant winter activities.

Situated at the main entry to Vail Village, Four Seasons Resort Vail is a multi-use resort featuring a 121-room hotel, a Four Seasons Residence Club – 19 fractional residences sold at 1/12 interests – and 16 private residences. Owners will enjoy an incomparable level of luxury living with full access to Four Seasons services and amenities, including a spa and fitness club, lap pool, fine dining restaurant, dedicated ski and snowboard valet service, and the signature "Kids For All Seasons" program.

Real estate sales for Four Seasons Residence Club Vail are managed by Playground Destination Properties Inc. For further information, contact Jeff Meier at (877) 748-VAIL (8245) or visit www.fourseasons.com/ownvail.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/four_seasons/seasons_hotel/prweb1406784.htm

Four Seasons Resort Vail Names General Manager : 30-Year Four Seasons Veteran to Open the First Four Seasons in Colorado

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and project developer Black Diamond Resorts – Vail LLC are pleased to announce that 30-year Four Seasons veteran Hans Willimann has taken the helm as the property’s general manager. Willimann will oversee the opening of the Resort in late 2009 when Four Seasons Resort Vail debuts as the first Four Seasons in Colorado and the third mountain property for the company.

VAIL, Colo. (Business Wire EON) September 30, 2008 — "As a native of Switzerland and an avid skier, relocating to Vail is a dream come true for me," said Willimann. "I’m looking forward to living and working here, and to making Four Seasons Resort Vail a vibrant member of this mountain community."

Prior to his post in Vail, Willimann held the position of general manager of Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, starting before the Hotel’s opening in March 1989. Under his leadership, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago quickly became one of the country’s top hotels, setting a new standard of excellence in the city. Willimann’s reputation for finely-tuned attention to detail made every aspect of the guest experience memorable – from personal, gracious service, and dining excellence, to impeccably imagined surroundings. This focus garnered the hotel and its team numerous accolades, including both the Mobile Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond awards, after less than three years of operation. During Willimann’s tenure, Four Seasons Hotel Chicago was consistently recognized with many prestigious international and national awards.

Willimann joined Four Seasons in 1979 as executive assistant manager of Four Seasons Hotel Toronto. From 1981 to 1989 he held several senior management positions including general manager of Four Seasons Inn on the Park Houston, and Four Seasons Hotel Boston, before transferring to Chicago.

Willimann is fluent in Swiss-German, German, French, English and conversational Spanish. He graduated from the École Hôtelière in Lausanne and attended the Commercial School in Zurich, as well as the Swiss Mercantile College in London.

During his 20-year tenure in Chicago, Willimann contributed greatly to the community and his involvement earned him the affectionate title of "Mayor of Chicago." He was recognized by the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association with the "Hotelier of the Year" and the "Ambassador of Hospitality" awards in recognition of his achievements and contributions over the past two decades.

Willimann and his wife, Louise, have settled in the Vail Valley. They both enjoy the outdoors and look forward to becoming active within the Eagle County community. Having grown up in Switzerland, Willimann is especially excited about the area’s abundant winter activities.

Situated at the main entry to Vail Village, Four Seasons Resort Vail is a multi-use resort featuring a 121-room hotel, a Four Seasons Residence Club – 19 fractional residences sold at 1/12 interests – and 16 private residences. Owners will enjoy an incomparable level of luxury living with full access to Four Seasons services and amenities, including a spa and fitness club, lap pool, fine dining restaurant, dedicated ski and snowboard valet service, and the signature "Kids For All Seasons" program.

Real estate sales for Four Seasons Residence Club Vail are managed by Playground Destination Properties Inc. For further information, contact Jeff Meier at (877) 748-VAIL (8245) or visit www.fourseasons.com/ownvail.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/seasons/willimann/prweb1406784.htm

EESA Warrant Coverage was Key to Early Bailout Costs: Liquid Scenarios — Using the Merrill Lynch Bank of America Transaction as an Example, Liquid Scenarios Estimates That Immediately Setting Exercise Prices on Shares of CDO / Mortgage Sellers Could’ve Easily Covered 1+ Years of Interest Costs on the Federal Reserve’s Plan

The dollar amount of stock warrant coverage granted, as a percentage of mortgage securities sold under the proposed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), could have been one of the most important factors impacting the net cost of the bailout plan within the first 6 months of the program, according to Liquid Scenarios estimates. Depending on how exercise prices were set, stock warrant coverage of just 10% of Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) sold could have funded 163% of the first year of interest expenses on US Treasuries used to finance the purchases.

BOULDER, Colorado (Business Wire EON) September 30, 2008 — Terms and Stock Warrant Issuer Accounting Rules Would Have Had to be Set Quickly – Key Factors Would Be

LOCK IN APPRECIATION: The exercise price of warrants on shares of institutions participating should be based on very recent pre-bailout averages DON’T USE CASH: The stock warrants should allow for cashless, or "net", exercise by the holder DON’T HURT THE BALANCE SHEET: The issuer should be allowed to apply special accounting rules to how they treat the stock warrants on their balance sheet Mortgage Securities Sold

  $10 Billion

  Stock Warrant Coverage @ 10% of Securities Sold

$1 Billion

  Divided By Exercise Price of $17.05, based on grant price of options to Bank of America

58.65 Million Sh.

  X ($29.50 Merrill Lynch (MER) Close 9/19/08 minus $17.05 warrant exercise price)

$12.45 / Sh.

  Potential Gain (24.75 million Merrill Lynch shares net)

$730 Million

As an example, Liquid Scenarios created a model that assumed Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) had participated in the government proposed bailout, as opposed to agreeing to merge with Bank of America (NYSE:BAC). Under that hypothetical scenario, Merrill Lynch takes $10 billion of CDOs and other mortgage assets and sells them under the rejected EESA plan. If the stock warrant coverage was just 10% of the transaction amount and the exercise price was, for instance, the same price stock options were granted to Bank of America ($17.05 strike price) by Merrill on September 15, EESA could have exercised its stocks warrants and received around 24.75 million shares of Merrill Lynch, or $730 million of value, without investing any more cash four days later. That would have more than cover one year of interest on the debt incurred to finance the purchase. It would also decrease the speed with which the CDOs or other mortgage securities acquired had to perform, allowing the patience to resell them when the market recovers.

"20% warrant coverage is not at all extreme," according Lorenzo Carver, CEO and inventor of the Carver Import Algorithm. "To put that figure into perspective, Warren Buffet’s recent investment in Goldman Sachs essentially proposed 100% warrant coverage. Also, in venture capital transactions involving bridge debt, 20% to 25% initial warrant coverage is typical, with that coverage growing over time if certain triggers occur. Applying this same logic to the prospective EESA transactions could have afforded the same benefits and protections the government, even if the industry standard stock warrant coverage was cut in half."

About LIQUID SCENARIOS (BPCENTRAL, INC.)

Liquid Scenarios (bpCentral, Inc.) allows venture capitalists, investors, founders and ventures to conquer uncertainty through application and software that reduces complex financial and business relationships to a single screen anyone can interactive with, challenge and understand. To see Liquid Scenarios perform complex modeling in seconds, watch the Liquid Scenarios Minute on Vator.tv. For more about information, please visit www.liquidscenarios.com

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/liquid_scenarios/merrill_lynch/prweb1405774.htm

EESA Warrant Coverage was Key to Early Bailout Costs: Liquid Scenarios — Using the Merrill Lynch Bank of America Transaction as an Example, Liquid Scenarios Estimates That Immediately Setting Exercise Prices on Shares of CDO / Mortgage Sellers Could’ve Easily Covered 1+ Years of Interest Costs on the Federal Reserve’s Plan

The dollar amount of stock warrant coverage granted, as a percentage of mortgage securities sold under the proposed Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (EESA), could have been one of the most important factors impacting the net cost of the bailout plan within the first 6 months of the program, according to Liquid Scenarios estimates. Depending on how exercise prices were set, stock warrant coverage of just 10% of Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) sold could have funded 163% of the first year of interest expenses on US Treasuries used to finance the purchases.

BOULDER, Colorado (Business Wire EON) September 30, 2008 — Terms and Stock Warrant Issuer Accounting Rules Would Have Had to be Set Quickly – Key Factors Would Be

LOCK IN APPRECIATION: The exercise price of warrants on shares of institutions participating should be based on very recent pre-bailout averages DON’T USE CASH: The stock warrants should allow for cashless, or "net", exercise by the holder DON’T HURT THE BALANCE SHEET: The issuer should be allowed to apply special accounting rules to how they treat the stock warrants on their balance sheet Mortgage Securities Sold

  $10 Billion

  Stock Warrant Coverage @ 10% of Securities Sold

$1 Billion

  Divided By Exercise Price of $17.05, based on grant price of options to Bank of America

58.65 Million Sh.

  X ($29.50 Merrill Lynch (MER) Close 9/19/08 minus $17.05 warrant exercise price)

$12.45 / Sh.

  Potential Gain (24.75 million Merrill Lynch shares net)

$730 Million

As an example, Liquid Scenarios created a model that assumed Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) had participated in the government proposed bailout, as opposed to agreeing to merge with Bank of America (NYSE:BAC). Under that hypothetical scenario, Merrill Lynch takes $10 billion of CDOs and other mortgage assets and sells them under the rejected EESA plan. If the stock warrant coverage was just 10% of the transaction amount and the exercise price was, for instance, the same price stock options were granted to Bank of America ($17.05 strike price) by Merrill on September 15, EESA could have exercised its stocks warrants and received around 24.75 million shares of Merrill Lynch, or $730 million of value, without investing any more cash four days later. That would have more than cover one year of interest on the debt incurred to finance the purchase. It would also decrease the speed with which the CDOs or other mortgage securities acquired had to perform, allowing the patience to resell them when the market recovers.

"20% warrant coverage is not at all extreme," according Lorenzo Carver, CEO and inventor of the Carver Import Algorithm. "To put that figure into perspective, Warren Buffet’s recent investment in Goldman Sachs essentially proposed 100% warrant coverage. Also, in venture capital transactions involving bridge debt, 20% to 25% initial warrant coverage is typical, with that coverage growing over time if certain triggers occur. Applying this same logic to the prospective EESA transactions could have afforded the same benefits and protections the government, even if the industry standard stock warrant coverage was cut in half."

About LIQUID SCENARIOS (BPCENTRAL, INC.)

Liquid Scenarios (bpCentral, Inc.) allows venture capitalists, investors, founders and ventures to conquer uncertainty through application and software that reduces complex financial and business relationships to a single screen anyone can interactive with, challenge and understand. To see Liquid Scenarios perform complex modeling in seconds, watch the Liquid Scenarios Minute on Vator.tv. For more about information, please visit www.liquidscenarios.com

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://eon.businesswire.com/releases/warrant/liquid/prweb1405774.htm