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Business News: Management companies merge -- Mark and Christine Holder are melding their literary and talent management company Holder Management into Zero Gravity Management, the Los Angeles-based lit management company formed in 2003 by Eric Williams.

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Repurpose Compostables, Inc.®, a full service bioplastic manufacturing, sales and distribution company based in Los Angeles, announced today the debut of their brand new line of PLA cold cups and PLA cutlery at incredibly competitive prices. Repurpose products are high performance and can withstand heats of up to 220 degrees, however are able to biodegrade in 90 days. Repurpose products are also non-toxic, keeping harmful chemicals out of our food supply, environment and oceans. Repurpose Compostables, Inc. will also serve as one stop shopping for anyone in the food and beverage industry looking to transition off of petroleum based products to plant based, compostable alternatives, offering a full range of products including food carriers, hot cups, plates and napkins. Additionally, Repurpose is working with various businesses and municipalities to retrofit existing plastic based products with plant based alternatives. Check out the full line o

...monitors. AMD delivered several new computing platforms in the quarter. For the notebook market, global computer manufacturers including HP, Acer, Toshiba ( News - Alert ) , Asus and MSI announced plans to introduce more than 70 notebooks based on AMD's latest mainstream and ...

Amsterdam-based chat service eBuddy has announced a new alpha-version web messenger client today. The interface has been redesigned, a new way to set your profile images using your webcam, sound controls and major speed improvements. Another new feature in the messenger client are themes. From the announcement, “With Themes you can change the look of the Messenger [...]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - James and Maria Ivory's dreams of a relaxing retirement on Florida's Gulf Coast were put on hold when they discovered their new home had been built with Chinese drywall that emits sulfuric fumes and corrodes pipes. It got worse when they asked their insurer for help - and not only was their claim denied, but they've been told their entire policy won't be renewed. Thousands of homeowners nationwide who bought new houses constructed from the defective building materials are finding their hopes dashed, their lives in limbo. And experts warn that cases like the Ivorys', in which insurers drop policies or send notices of non-renewal based on the presence of Chinese drywall, will become rampant as insurance companies process the hundreds of claims currently in the pipeline. At least three insurers have already canceled or refused to renew policies after homeowners sought their help replacing the bad wallboard. Because mortgage companies require homeowners to insure t

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- 'The crippled commercial real estate market created opportunities for us to diversify our business beyond defeasance,' says John Church, a principal with Waterstone Capital Advisors. 'Waterstone Capital Advisors has expanded into the loan due diligence, REO asset management, and loan advisory businesses. In addition, lots of highly experienced commercial real estate professionals were displaced as a result of the downturn. We saw this as a great opportunity to assemble a strong team and use our collective skills to provide the broader services we now offer,' Church continued.

FRESNO, Calif., Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Warning that the federal government is mismanaging the delta smelt into extinction, the Council for Endangered Species Act Reliability (CESAR), a nonprofit public interest group, filed suit today to compel the United State Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to declare these tiny, embattled fish an endangered species with all of the protections that federal law provides. At present, delta smelt are only listed as a threatened species.

Youve heard of honorary doctorates, but honorary black belts? Bollywood czar Shahrukh Khan who has been appointed the Honorary Ambassador of Korea (Culture & Tourism) has been conferred the title Honorary Black Belt (5 Dan) of Taekwondo. The ceremony, a press release from the Korean National Tourism Organisation says, was held at the Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai. And in case you think SRK has just got the black belt for nothing, Koreas honorary ambassador said, according to the press release, that he had developed a keener interest in sports such as Taekwondo now because of his children son Aryan, who has won 10 gold medals in sports and daughter Suhana whos won 3 gold medals in sports activities at the school level. SRK also said that given the rising interest in sports in India, this was the right time to associate with Korea which is known for its strong base in sports.

YOKNEAM, ISRAEL--(Marketwire - October 15, 2009) - Syneron Medical Ltd. (NASDAQ: ELOS) today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Primaeva Medical, Inc., an aesthetic technology firm based in Pleasanton, CA. Primaeva developed a minimally invasive RF aesthetic device for the treatment of skin wrinkles and laxity. The proposed acquisition is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close before the end of calendar year 2009. Syneron expects to introduce the non-surgical skin tightening Primaeva technology in 2010.

Westrope General Insurance Agency, of Kansas City, Mo., has hired Chris Frost, who joins the company as a production underwriter in the company's office in Irvine, Calif. Chris has experience ...