Yonkers, NY – Consumer Reports today released its latest Ratings of LCD and plasma televisions just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, when many Americans consider purchasing a new set. Those who are in the market will find a whole host of exciting features such as built-in Internet browsers, 3D, remotes with more interactivity, and bigger and wider screens to choose from.

“Although many TVs now come with the latest technologies, prices have still fallen considerably, making them an attractive purchase,” said Jim Willcox, Senior Editor for Electronics at Consumer Reports. “Shoppers who plan to purchase a new TV now, or in the next month or two, should expect to get a lot for their money.”

In the latest Consumer Reports Ratings of LCD and plasma TVs, there are 10 models with 60-inch or larger screens, including a 70-inch Sharp LCD TV. Additionally, the ranks of 3D-capable sets have grown, so too have models with full 1080p resolution and LCD TVs with 120Hz or higher refresh rates designed to reduce motion blur. And very good or excellent picture quality is nearly a given, with 135 of the 142 models tested by Consumer Reports achieving that level – even secondary brand models with relative low price points

The full report, which features Ratings of 142 LCD and plasma TVs, can be found at www.ConsumerReports.org.

LCD or plasma?

Both LCD and plasma TVs can offer top performance, but they have different characteristics that consumers should weigh. There’s a greater variety of brands and screen sizes to choose from with LCD models, and most have ultra-thin designs and tend to be better in very sunny rooms. However, they do have limited viewing angles, which might concern people who like to watch anyplace but front and center.

Plasma TVs, on the other hand, only come in sizes 42 inches and up – and they typically give consumers more screen for their money. They also offer unlimited viewing angles and blur-free motion with more movie-like picture quality. And both plasma and LCD models should deliver years of good service.

3D or not 3D?

Even if consumers don’t envision themselves using the 3D feature now, there are still good reasons to consider investing in a 3D-capable TV. Many of the 3D TVs in Consumer Reports’ latest Ratings are among the highest-scoring sets it’s ever tested, and many of them are top-notch for regular HD, too. Furthermore, they often have other attractive features such as Internet access and Wi-Fi. Internet-connected TVs significantly expand the viewing possibilities available to consumers.

Even more technology on the horizon

Perhaps the most important development that TV makers have in the works is OLED. It’s a new technology designed to combine the best attributes of LCD and plasma TVs: ultra-slim designs, vibrant colors, wide viewing angles, great energy efficiency and very deep blacks. Samsung and LG have announced 55-inch 3D OLED TVs, which are expected to cost upwards of $8,000, making them unlikely to be mainstream until their prices fall.

Ultra-definition (UD) TVs are also coming soon, with resolutions of 4K, or four times that of 1080p models. 4K could ultimately contribute to what many consider to be the ultimate, glasses-free 3D viewing experience. However, there’s virtually no UD content to watch at home as of now.

Tips on getting the right TV for the Big Game

Consumers who are shopping for a new TV for the Super Bowl should keep the following tips in mind:

• Go bigger. A big game deserves a big screen, especially when watching it with a crowd. The good news is that price drops have been greatest on larger screen sizes.
• Get 1080p resolution. Unlike smaller sets, a TV with a big screen will benefit from “full-HD” 1080p resolution. Viewers will not only be able to see the difference in fine details—say, the textures in players’ uniforms or individual blades of grass—they’ll also avoid the “screen-door effect” that comes when you sit close to a TV, especially a very big TV.
• Go wide when it comes to viewing angles. While plasma TVs offer virtually unlimited viewing angles, the picture quality of many LCD sets starts to suffer if viewers move off-angle—something to consider for those who will have the gang over to watch the game.
• Don’t blur the action. Some LCD TVs can blur during fast-moving scenes, such as those in many sports games. Sets with 120Hz or 240Hz technologies, which speed up the TV’s frame rate, can help. Motion blur typically isn’t an issue with plasma TVs.

More tips on getting the right TV for the big game can be found at www.ConsumerReports.org.

About Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports is the world’s largest independent product-testing organization. Using its more than 50 labs, auto test center, and survey research center, the nonprofit rates thousands of products and services annually. Founded in 1936, Consumer Reports has over 8 million subscribers to its magazine, website and other publications. Its advocacy division, Consumers Union, works for health reform, food and product safety, financial reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.

It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

HP Fax 1040 recalled due to fire and burn hazards.

Product Information

Name of Product: HP fax 1040 and 1050 machines

Units: About 928,000 in the U.S. and 240,000 in Canada and Mexico

Importer: Hewlett-Packard Co., of Palo Alto, CA.

Hazard: The fax machines can overheat due to an internal electrical component failure, posing fire and burn hazards.

Incidents/Injuries: Hewlett-Packard is aware of seven reports of fax machines overheating and catching fire, resulting in property damage, including one instance of significant property damage and one instance of a minor burn injury to a consumer’s finger. Six incidents were reported in the U.S. and one in Canada.

Description: This recall involves HP Fax 1040 and 1050 models. The HP logo and the model number are printed on the front of the fax machine. The fax machines are dark gray and measure about 11 inches high x 14 1/2 inches wide.

Sold at: Electronics, computer and camera stores nationwide, and online at www.shopping.hp.com and other websites from November 2004 through December 2011 for between $90.00 and $120.00. Some of the recalled fax machines were replacement units for a previous recall involving HP fax model 1010 in June 2008.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled fax machines, disconnect them from the electrical outlet and contact HP for a rebate on the purchase of an authorized replacement HP fax machine or a partial rebate of certain HP ink jet printers.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact HP toll-free at 888.654.9296 between 6:00am and 6:00pm MT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at http://www.hp.com/go/faxrecall/US-en

HP Fax 1050 recalled due to fire and burn hazards.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product recall or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on www.saferproducts.gov

CPSC is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of the thousands of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $900 billion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products – such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters, and household chemicals – contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 30 years.

Under federal law, it is illegal to attempt to sell or resell this or any other recalled product.

To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, go online to: www.saferproducts.gov, call CPSC’s Hotline at 800.638.2772 or teletypewriter at 800.638.8270 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain this news release and product safety information at www.cpsc.gov. To join a free e-mail subscription list, please go to https://www.cpsc.gov/cpsclist.aspx.

Washington, D.C. – When it comes to sodium levels in food, consumers are asking the food industry for just a pinch. Nearly 7,000 consumers joined Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy division of Consumer Reports, in a recent petition supporting regulatory efforts to set national, industry-wide targets to reduce sodium in processed and restaurant foods.

In comments filed today with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the consumer group commended the agency’s joint initiative with the Food Safety and Inspection Service to reduce sodium consumption in the United States. Highlighting the myriad of health risks linked to high sodium, Consumers Union urged the FDA to work towards a goal of limiting intake to 2,300 mg per day, while also encouraging children and those at risk for hypertension to consume no more than 1500 mg.

“Many American consumers are seeking a sensible solution to the growing levels of sodium in processed and restaurant foods” said Ioana Rusu, regulatory counsel for Consumers Union. “Unfortunately, the answer is not simply to put down the salt shaker, since an overwhelming majority of sodium intake comes from processed, pre-packaged foods.”

Americans’ excessive consumption of sodium has been linked to increased health risks. The Institute of Medicine estimates that as many as 32 percent of adult Americans have hypertension, and roughly another third have pre-hypertension. Research has also shown that an excess intake of sodium plays a major role in the development of hypertension-related diseases, such as stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, and kidney disease.

But it’s not as simple as picking healthier options over junk food. Sometimes lower-fat products can be higher in sodium than their full-fat counterparts to compensate for taste, making healthy grocery store choices even more difficult. Consumer Reports found that a serving of Ruffles Original Potato Chips had 10 grams of fat and 160 mg of sodium, while the baked version, with 7 fewer grams of fat, had 40 mg more sodium.

“Even consumers committed to a low-fat, healthier diet could inadvertently be consuming an excessive amount of salt. The health risks are too serious to continue the status quo of ever-increasing sodium. We look forward to working with the FDA to develop effective ways to reduce sodium levels and increase consumer choices,” said Rusu.

Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, which is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Stewart County, TN, provides one of the area’s best wildlife viewing hotspots.
The tour is $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for children. Registration is limited. Reservations and full deposits are required. Call 270-924-2020 to reserve your space. Meet at South Welcome Station. Dress for the weather and bring binoculars.

“Come join us as we explore this bottomland habitat in search of harriers, sandhill cranes, eagles, and thousands of migrating ducks,” said Sharon Waltrip, LBL’s Program Manager for Environmental Education and Interpretation. “Morning will be our best shot at catching some great wildlife viewing opportunities!”

About Land Between the Lakes

Come Outside and Play at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Land Between The Lakes provides outdoor recreation and environmental education for the public to enjoy. We encourage visitors to review LBL’s official website at www.lbl.org often for our Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, safety information, maps, and temporary trail and road closures.

Follow us on Twitter @LBLScreechOwl and on our blog at http://landbetweenthelakes.blogspot.com/. Additional LBL information can be found on our website or by calling 1.800.LBL.7077 or 270.924.2000.

The IRS would like you to know about six self-employment and self- employment tax tips.

Six Key Points

1. Self-employment can include work in addition to your regular full-time business activities, such as part-time work you do at home or in addition to your regular job.
2. If you are self-employed you generally have to pay self-employment tax as well as income tax. Self-employment tax is a Social Security and Medicare tax primarily for individuals who work for themselves. It is similar to the Social Security and Medicare taxes withheld from the pay of most wage earners. You figure self-employment tax using a Form 1040 Schedule SE. Also, you can deduct half of your self-employment tax in figuring your adjusted gross income.
3. You file an IRS Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, or C-EZ, Net Profit from Business, with your Form 1040.
4. If you are self-employed you may have to make estimated tax payments. This applies even if you also have a full-time or part-time job and your employer withholds taxes from your wages. Estimated tax is the method used to pay tax on income that is not subject to withholding. If you fail to make quarterly payments you may be penalized for underpayment at the end of the tax year.
5. You can deduct the costs of running your business. These costs are known as business expenses. These are costs you do not have to capitalize or include in the cost of goods sold but can deduct in the current year.
6. To be deductible, a business expense must be both ordinary and necessary. An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your field of business. A necessary expense is one that is helpful and appropriate for your business. An expense does not have to be indispensable to be considered necessary.

For more information see the Self-employment Tax Center, IRS Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business, IRS Publication 535, Business Expenses and Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, available at www.irs.gov or by calling the IRS forms and publications order line at 800.TAX.FORM (800.829.3676).

Links:

• Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business
• Publication 535, Business Expenses
• Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
• Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business and instructions
• Schedule C-EZ, Net Profit from Business
• Schedule SE, Self-Employment Tax and instructions
• Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals
• Understanding Your 1099-K

Knoxville, TN – Earning certification to prepare, manufacture and sell certain foods from a home kitchen is now more convenient for Tennesseans thanks to a new online training module from University of Tennessee Extension.

Domestic Kitchen Food Safety Training, which launched Wednesday, February 1st, provides instruction centered around the state’s Domestic Kitchen Rule. The rule allows people to commercially prepare, manufacture and sell non-potentially hazardous foods in the home while ensuring the public’s health is protected.

Examples of non-potentially hazardous foods include jams, jellies, candies and certain baked goods.

“We think that bringing the Domestic Kitchen Food Safety training online will improve accessibility to the required training for entrepreneurs who wish to produce non-potentially hazardous foods in their domestic kitchen,” said Dr. Faith Critzer, an assistant professor in the UT Department of Food Science and Technology and a UT Extension specialist.

Critzer — along with Dr. P. Michael Davidson, professor and head of UT’s Department of Food Science and Technology, and John Sanford, Tennessee Department of Agriculture administrator for food manufacturing — will teach the course.

Richard Karel with UT’s Office of Information Technology helped Critzer and Davidson transform the course from a traditional classroom format to the new online version. For those who prefer face-to-face training, Critzer and Davidson will continue to lead the course in a traditional classroom setting several times per year.

Participants who successfully complete the program earn certification from the University of Tennessee Food Science and Technology Extension program. Certification is the first step toward meeting requirements to manufacture non-potentially hazardous foods in a domestic kitchen.

Foods are considered non-potentially hazardous if they do not consist mainly of meat, poultry, liquid eggs, partially cooked egg products, fish, milk and milk products, shellfish, partially cooked bakery products, or other ingredients susceptible to the rapid growth of microorganisms when stored out of recommended temperature ranges for cold or hot foods.

Other prohibited foods include low-acid canned vegetables and acidified foods such as salsa or pickled vegetables.

Individuals interested in forming a catering business (made-to-order birthday cakes, wedding cakes, etc.) are not required to take the course and should contact a local health department for information regarding regulations.
In addition, individuals with an inside pet of any kind will not qualify as a food manufacturer under the Domestic Kitchen Rule.

Tennessee residents seeking the online certification should visit the UT Extension Online Learning website at http://tiny.utk.edu/kitchencert beginning February 1st. The course fee is $75.00, which is payable online. First-time site users must create an account.

For more information, contact Nancy Austin in the Department of Food Science and Technology at 865.974.7717 or naustin@utk.edu.

About the UT Extension Office

UT Extension provides a gateway to the University of Tennessee as the outreach unit of the Institute of Agriculture. With an office in every Tennessee county, UT Extension delivers educational programs and research-based information to citizens throughout the state. In cooperation with Tennessee State University, UT Extension works with farmers, families, youth and communities to improve lives by addressing problems and issues at the local, state and national levels.

Cardiovascular disease is still the No. 1 killer of men and women, killing about 800,000 Americans each year, and nearly 20,000 right here in Tennessee. That’s more than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.But up to 80% of cardiovascular disease may actually be PREVENTABLE through healthy lifestyle choices.

The American Heart Association recommends

• Healthy eating: Low salt (1500 mg/day), low fat, 3-5 cups vegetables a day
• Exercise 30 minutes a day
• Healthy body mass index
• Control blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose
• Go smoke-free
• Listen to your body! If you feel something is not right, get it checked out.

For tons of great information on how to beat heart disease, visit the American Heart Association website at www.heart.org.

And remember this Friday is National Wear Red Day: everyone wear red to support the fight against heart disease in women.

The cost is $20.00 per person and includes lunch. Early registration is $15.00 through February 6th. Reservations can be made until February 13th, by calling the Golden Pond Visitor Center at 270.924.2233. For questions or additional information, call 270.924.2000, or visit www.lbl.org and click on Alerts & Notices.Topics presented at the seminar will include the importance of a solid marketing plan, small business credit initiatives, and understanding key aspects of operating a business during an economic downturn. Presenters include experts from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, EntrePaducah, U.S. Small Business Administration, Murray State University Small Business Development Center, and Tennessee Department of Tourist Development.

“At Land Between The Lakes, we understand how important small businesses are to the local economy. To give back to our communities, we want to provide business owners with tools they can use to improve their current business strategies. It can be surprising how a small change in a business plan will often produce positive results, especially during a down economy,” said LBL Business Performance Manager, Scott Turner. Turner explained that, “people who attended our last seminar will want to attend.”

Come Outside and Play at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area. Managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Land Between The Lakes provides outdoor recreation and environmental education for the public to enjoy. We encourage visitors to review LBL’s official website at www.lbl.org often for our Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, safety information, maps, and temporary trail and road closures.

Follow us on Twitter @LBLScreechOwl and on our blog at http://landbetweenthelakes.blogspot.com/. Additional LBL information can be found on our website or by calling 1.800.LBL.7077 or 270.924.2000.

Nashville, TN – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam tonight delivered his 2012 State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly in which he shared his vision for the state and called upon those watching and listening to “Believe in Better.”

“We can believe in better for how state government serves Tennesseans,” Haslam said. “We can believe in better when it comes to the education of our children, and we can believe in better when we talk about a stronger, healthier economy for our state.”

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam delivered his State of the State address on January 30th.

During his speech, the governor emphasized the importance of Tennessee job growth, a continued focus on improving education, public safety, a more customer-focused, efficient and effective state government and keeping taxes low.

“Our role in state government is to provide services that Tennesseans aren’t able to get on their own – we build roads, offer higher education options, guard prisoners, help families adopt children, care for the mentally ill, patrol highways, serve veterans and perform hundreds of other services,” Haslam said. “My job as governor is to make sure we are providing those services in a customer-focused and effective way.”

Haslam also outlined his Fiscal Year 2012-2013 budget proposal, which reflects his priorities and includes strategic investments, necessary reductions and savings for the future.

Highlights of the Budget Include

Restoration of more than $100 million of the $160 million “core services” funding that was designated two years ago to be cut such as:

• The Coordinated School Health program;
• Extended teacher contracts;
• Alcohol and abuse treatment programs;
• Juvenile justice grants;
• Diabetes prevention;
• And matching dollars for state employee 401k programs.

Full funding for the Basic Education Program.

Nearly $264 million to fund long-deferred capital outlay projects in higher education including:

• A new science building at Middle Tennessee State University;
• A science lab at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville;
• A new patient diagnostic center at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis;
• And planning money for new buildings at Nashville State Community College, Northeast State Community College, the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee – Chattanooga.

A 2.5 percent pay increase for state employees.

$50 million to the Rainy Day Fund bringing it up to $356 million.

A continued commitment to the West Tennessee Megasite with $25 million.

More than $23 million to fund a new veterans home in Bradley County.

The budget also includes funding for the governor’s legislative proposals announced earlier in the month that include:

Tougher sentences for certain gang-related crimes and for gun possession by those with prior violent felony convictions along with mandatory incarceration for repeat domestic violence offenders;

Raising the exemption level on the estate tax in Tennessee from $1 million to $1.25 million to lower the tax burden on family farmers and family business owners;

And lowering the state portion of the sales tax on food from 5.5 percent to 5.3 percent with the goal of lowering it to 5 percent during the next three years.

“I promise to be relentless when it comes to providing the very best service to our taxpayers for the very lowest price. They deserve it,” Haslam said. “And on issue or policy, our administration will always work to get to the right answer, not just our own answer…Working together, we are going to achieve better for Tennessee.”

The complete text of the governor’s speech and an archived video of his speech are available at www.tn.gov/StateoftheState.

Market Commentary by Scott J. Brown, Ph.D., Chief Economist

Scott J. Brown Ph.D., Chief Economist Raymond James Investment Services

The Federal Open Market Committee left short-term interest rates unchanged and did not embark on another round of asset purchases. No surprise there. However, the FOMC lengthened the period it expects to keep rates exceptionally low: the FOMC “currently anticipates that economic conditions – including low rates of resource utilization and a subdued outlook for inflation over the medium run – are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through late 2014” (vs. the previous “through mid-2013”).

Keeping to its dual mandate (price stability and maximum sustainable employment) the Fed adopted an explicit inflation target (inflation in the PCE Price Index at 2% per year) and a soft target for employment (currently, an unemployment rate between 5.2% and 6.0%). In the post-meeting press briefing, Chairman Bernanke said that officials were still debating whether to increase the Fed’s asset purchases.

The economic data were mixed . Real GDP rose at a 2.8% annual rate in the advance estimate for 4Q11 – not far from expectations (+3.0%), but two-thirds of that was in inventories. Consumer spending rose at a moderate 2.0% annual rate, but business fixed investment advanced at a meager 1.7% pace (vs. +15.7% in 3Q11). Durable goods orders exceeded expectations in December, boosted by a further increase in aircraft orders – ex-transportation, orders were mixed across industries. New home sales disappointed, edging down in December. The dovish Fed stance pushed bond yields back down and weakened the dollar, but generated some confusion for the equity markets, as investors pondered why the Fed needed to extend the expected period of low short-term interest rates.

Next week, the January economic data will start to flow in. The focus should be on the Employment Report. Seasonal adjustment will be an important factor (as the economy typically loses more than 2.5 million jobs prior to adjustment). December’s increase in delivery personnel (up 42,200 after seasonal adjustment) should unwind in January. Note that the payroll figures will incorporate annual benchmark revisions, which are expected to lift the March 2011 level of payrolls by about 192,000 (or +0.1%).

Indices

Consumer Money Rates

Currencies

Commodities

Bond Rates

Treasury Yield Curve – 1/27/2012

S&P Sector Performance (YTD) – 1/27/2012

Economic Calendar

Important Disclosures

Past performance is not a guarantee of future results. There are special risks involved with global investing related to market and currency fluctuations, economic and political instability, and different financial accounting standards. The above material has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. There is no assurance that any trends mentioned will continue in the future. While interest on municipal bonds is generally exempt from federal income tax, it may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax, state or local taxes. In addition, certain municipal bonds (such as Build America Bonds) are issued without a federal tax exemption, which subjects the related interest income to federal income tax. Investing involves risk and investors may incur a profit or a loss.

US government bonds and treasury bills are guaranteed by the US government and, if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and guaranteed principal value. US government bonds are issued and guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by the federal government. Treasury bills are certificates reflecting short-term (less than one year) obligations of the US government.

Commodities trading is generally considered speculative because of the significant potential for investment loss. Markets for commodities are likely to be volatile and there may be sharp price fluctuations even during periods when prices overall are rising. Specific sector investing can be subject to different and greater risks than more diversified investments.

Tax Equiv Muni yields (TEY) assume a 35% tax rate on triple-A rated, tax-exempt insured revenue bonds.

Material prepared by Raymond James for use by its financial advisors.

The information contained herein has been obtained from sources considered reliable, but we do not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. Data source: Bloomberg, as of close of business December 26th, 2012.

©2012 Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. member FINRA / SIPC.