More Than 400 'Life of Pi' Visual Effects Artists Protested The Oscars

"Life of Pi" may have been a big Oscar winner Sunday night, but those responsible for bringing the CGI-filled film to life aren't celebrating.  
During one of the oddest moments of the awards, VFX supervisor Bill Westenhofer was played off the Oscar stage to the "Jaws" theme while accepting his award for "Life of Pi."

The gesture came off overtly rude to critics and VFX artists considering Westenhofer was only 45 seconds into his speech.  

The average speech of the past decade has clocked in at closer to two minutes.  

The "Jaws" music began playing during his mention of Rhythm & Hues VFX studio.  

Rhythm & Hues is the studio responsible for bringing the CGI-filled "Life of Pi" to the big screen. It took 600 of its artists to animate Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, in the film.  

It's also known for its work on "Snow White And The Huntsman" and bringing a pig to life in "Babe." 

Earlier this month, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and laid off more than 200 employees without pay. 

It's not the first VFX company to have trouble in the past few months. 
Digital Domain Media Group (DDMG), the company responsible for helping to bring "Titanic" to life on the big screen, filed for bankruptcy back in September. They were soon bought for $37 million by Beijin's Galloping Horse and  Mumbai-based Reliance Capital. 

Later in the press room, Westenhofer said he was trying to address a bigger issue on stage regarding the importance of VHX in films. 

" It’s ironic that when visual effects are dominating the box office, visual effects are struggling," said Westenhofer. "We’re artists, and if we don’t fix the business model we may lose something.” 

Earlier in the day, while the primary focus during the Oscars was on the red carpet, not far off, more than 400 VFX professionals protested the event. 
Called the "Piece of Pi" protest, plan, protestors held signs with slogans including "End The Subsidies War" and the one below:

VFX artist Todd Vaziri  created two images  showing how the film would look without its special effects. Here's one of them:

The image quickly caught on and began  spreading around the Internet , and has inspired more artists to illustrate visuals conveying a similar message.

Now the band of artists are calling for a possible world wide walk out of VFX professionals on March 14—known as "Life of Pi Day."  

Among the four awards for "Life of Pi" Oscar night, two of them were for Cinematography and Visual Effects.  

Pacific Life Announces a New Solution for De-Risking Pension Plans: Pacific Secured Buy-In

Pacific Life has launched Pacific Secured Buy-In, adding yet another dimension to the company’s already comprehensive portfolio of pension risk-transfer products.

“We’re very excited to announce this complement to our pension de-risking product suite,” says Richard Taube, vice president, Institutional & Structured Products for Pacific Life. “Pacific Secured Buy-In enables plan sponsors to de-risk their pension obligations and stabilize their corporate balance sheets and income statements without affecting plan termination. For plan sponsors who want to de-risk and without recognizing settlement losses, this is the solution they may need.”

Pacific Secured Buy-In also provides plan sponsors with flexibility for the future. The product allows the plan sponsor to convert to a Pacific Transferred Buy-Out℠ contract at any time and at no additional cost. The conversion completely transfers all future benefit obligations from the plan sponsor to Pacific Life.

With the addition of Pacific Secured Buy-In, Pacific Life's suite of risk-transfer products provides solutions for a wide range of pension de-risking scenarios. The product suite includes Pacific Insured LDI℠, a first-of-its-kind guaranteed alternative to best-efforts liability-driven investing strategies. Launched last year, Pacific Insured LDI provides plan sponsors with a unique guaranteed match of plan assets to plan liabilities. It does not require up-front payment like a buy-in or buy-out product, and it does not trigger settlement losses.“With our full suite of pension de-risking products, we have seen an increased interest from plan sponsors, consultants, and brokers,”adds Taube.“Regardless of a plan’s funded status and whether or not the ultimate goal is plan termination, Pacific Life can offer a pension de-risking solution.”

Life Partners Holdings, Inc. Announces Quarterly Dividend

Life Partners Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq GS: LPHI), parent company of Life Partners, Inc., announced that it would pay a quarterly dividend of $0.10 per share to be paid on or about March 15, 2013 for shareholders of record as of March 8, 2013.

Life Partners is the world’s oldest and one of the most active companies in the United States engaged in the secondary market for life insurance, commonly called “life settlements.” Since its incorporation in 1991, Life Partners has completed over 147,000 transactions for its worldwide client base of over 29,000 high net worth individuals and institutions in connection with the purchase of over 6,500 policies totaling approximately $3 billion in face value.

Life, love, adventure are home's decor

Life is an adventure for Joanne Good. Take a look around the home she shares with Ted Good, her husband of 62 years. Memories of the life they built together are woven into the fabric of their comfortable home.

Traveling through Europe with their two children in a green Porsche. Summers spent in their Minnesota log cabin. All that Joanne Good has loved in life is evident throughout her home.

Now, as she serves as a 24/7 caregiver for her husband, Good is fortified by the memories that surround her.

"Everything has a memory," said Good, a retired interior designer who lives with her husband in SaddleBrooke, just north of Catalina.

The Goods traveled the globe before Ted suffered a stroke 35 years ago at age 55, and retired from Sears Foundation in Chicago. Joanne Good, who studied theater in college, had raised her children and was returning to theatrical pursuits when Ted fell ill.

"I thought I'd better get a day job," Good recalled. She got a degree in interior design, and launched her new career at age 55. She was a member of the American Society of Interior Designers before the Goods retired to SaddleBrooke 15 years ago.

She loved making the homes of others beautiful. Now she enjoys filling every corner of her home with memories of her many adventures.

"I like things that make you happy when you look at them," she said, as snow fell outside her living room window in large, soft flakes.

Among her favorite pieces are two folding space dividers, one in the family room, one in the master bedroom. Good turned the basic pieces into memories of the family's travels. Using Mod Podge, she covered them with maps, photos, postcards, tickets and other memorabilia from their journeys.

"We brought our children to Europe three times," said this great-grandmother.

"They make me happy when I walk by," she said of the customized dividers. "It brings back a memory."

Good is always working on a project, and there isn't much she cannot do with a little paint and fabric. From his wheelchair, Ted Good watches his wife work.

"Just try it," is Good's motto. "If it doesn't work out, so what. What have you got to lose?"

Fabric is an important feature in each room. Good uses yards of fabric and even tablecloths to create draperies, valances, covered headboards, throw pillows, chair coverings and lampshades.

"I have shown all of my granddaughters how to make curtains," she said.

Good started painting about 20 years ago, and her art fill the home. Her paintings are very personal - a still life of her grandmother's treasured silver coffee service purchased in 1912, angels in a desert sky, a glimpse of her dream bedroom.

In her dining room, Good painted the words "Life is an adventure" in English, Spanish, French, Italian and Norwegian.

Family history is found in every room. Good, who has no fondness for traditional end tables, uses a metal Railway Express Agency delivery truck that was her husband's childhood toy, circa 1930, as an end table. Her mother's toddler chair and her own silver baby cup adorn the room.

A silver box embellished with angels holds treasures on the coffee table, including a handwritten letter from her mother. Photos of loved ones fill a silver bowl.

Down the hallway, a third bedroom opens into a casita that the Goods added on. Some of the plans were drawn up by Joanne Good.

Included in the guest quarters are a living room, full kitchen and private patio with a stunning mountain view.

Good added a whimsical white chandelier with red accents over the kitchen sink, making washing dishes a bit more tolerable. The chandelier is stunning against the red wall and matching red window shade.

Memorabilia from World War II, where Ted Good served as a B-24 pilot, are found in the casita.

Joanne Good finds great joy in her handiwork in the master bedroom. She used fabric and paint to coordinate the retreat, complete with a cozy table and chairs - a perfect spot for an afternoon cup of tea.

Always the practical child of the Depression, Good uses inexpensive items that she personalizes to dress up a room. She created a stand for her television in the bedroom.

Good topped two file cabinets with a wooden board, covered with fabric that drapes to the floor and topped with glass for a pretty place for the television to sit.

She purchased two inexpensive white armoires and projected a floral image that she painted. A white chest at the end of her bed is painted with her father's family crest, as well as a painting of the family's log cabin in Minnesota.

But perhaps most striking in the bedroom is a brightly-colored mural that was painted in 1978 in the Good's Chicago home by muralist Betty Sitbon, before she became well-known.

The mural was painted on wallpaper, and the Goods were able to move it to their home here.

The mural tells the story of their lives. Joanne Good, in only her birthday suit, looks out her boudoir window at a young, debonair Ted. Playing in the distance are their children, Stephen and Susie. Far off in the distance is their Minnesota cabin, and an airplane, representing Ted's love of flying. Included in the mural are family photo albums, passports, favorite books and other cherished items.

"All of those things make me happy to look at," Good said.

Another mural moved from Chicago is a scene from a family expedition through Europe in a green Porsche.

The memories embedded in the home serve as a bit of diversion as Good provides full-time care for her husband.

Life Technologies to Present at Barclays Global Healthcare Conference

 Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) today announced it will present at Barclays Global Healthcare Conference on March 13 at 11:15 a.m. ET. Ron A. Andrews, Life Technologies' President of Medical Sciences, will present on behalf of the company. The company will webcast the presentation, which will be available for three weeks following the conference, on the Life.

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology company with customers in more than 160 countries using its innovative solutions to solve some of today's most difficult scientific challenges. Quality and innovation are accessible to every lab with its reliable and easy-to-use solutions spanning the biological spectrum, with more than 50,000 products for agricultural biotechnology, translational research, molecular medicine and diagnostics, stem cell-based therapies, forensics, food safety and animal health. Its systems, reagents and consumables represent some of the most cited brands in scientific research including: Ion Torrent™, Applied Biosystems®, Invitrogen™, Gibco®, Ambion®, Molecular Probes® and Novex®. Life Technologies employs approximately 10,400 people and upholds its ongoing commitment to innovation with more than 4,000 patents and exclusive licenses. LIFE had sales of $3.8 billion in 2012.

Canada's Great-West Lifeco buys Irish Life for $1.7 billion

Canadian life insurer Great-West Lifeco bought state-rescued insurer Irish Life for 1.3 billion euros ($1.7 billion) on Tuesday in a deal that increases its presence in Ireland and lightens the Irish government's debts.

Ireland last year paid the same amount to take over Irish Life, formerly the insurance arm of bailed-out Irish Life & Permanent, after the euro zone debt crisis forced the suspension of its sale in late 2011.

Great-West Lifeco, which was the lead candidate to buy the group before pulling out of the original sale process, said it would merge Irish Life, the country's largest life and pensions company, with its own Irish unit, Canada Life.

"It allows us to achieve - with a single transaction - the leading position in life insurance, pensions and investment management," Great-West Lifeco chief executive Allen Loney said in a statement.
The Winnipeg-based company, which will fund the deal via an issuance of around $1.25 billion subscription receipts, said it would add approximately C$215 million ($212.90 million) or 10 percent to its consensus forecast earnings in 2014.

The sale, expected to close in July, will also help push the Irish government's debt to just below 120 percent of GDP this year from an estimate in December that it would peak above 121 percent, the country's finance ministry said.

It follows a 1 billion euro sale of debt in part-owned Bank of Ireland last month as the government begins to cut its exposure to the financial sector that it bailed out with 64 billion euros when a property crash ravaged the economy.

The deal provides Irish taxpayers with a full return on their investment in Irish Life, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said, adding that an additional dividend of 40 million euros would be paid to the state prior to completion.
"Today's investment by a company of their stature is a significant vote of confidence in the Irish economy and I am sure that this will lead to further investment," he said.

New group accident insurance plan from Colonial Life helps provide financial protection from the unexpected

Colonial Life has introduced a new group accident insurance plan that helps provide financial protection to working Americans who have an accidental injury. The new product, available to employers with 10 or more eligible employees, features optional coverage that pays for 24 health screening tests for employees or pays benefits if employees are hospitalized.

Accident insurance can help offset today’s rising deductibles and out-of-pocket medical costs.

Every 10 minutes, more than 700 Americans suffer an injury severe enough to seek medical help.1 And medical help comes with an expensive price tag.
Today’s employee bears a greater financial responsibility for medical costs with increased deductibles, bigger copayments and shrinking coverage. In fact, the number of employees with a $1,000 or greater annual deductible in their health plans has tripled in the past six years.2

Accident insurance provides lump-sum and daily benefits for covered accidents that can help pay nonmedical expenses and medical costs not covered by major medical insurance, such as lost income from not being able to work, rehabilitation, caregiver fees, travel costs, deductibles and coinsurance. Accident plans typically cover services such as doctor’s office visits, hospital admissions, emergency treatment, fractures, dislocations, surgery, rehabilitation, occupational therapy, X-rays and medical imaging.3 Benefits are paid directly to individual policyholders unless they specify otherwise, regardless of any other insurance they may have.

Battling life-threatening illness has changed Colleen Jones’s view on life

Watching her during this week's Scotties Tournament of Hearts Jones still has the drive and determination that helped her win three Canadian women's curling championships and two world titles. But a brush with death has given her a different perspective on the world.

Life changed for the veteran curler from Halifax back on Dec. 4, 2010, when she was struck with bacterial meningitis. That's an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

According to the Centers for Disease Control in the United States most people will recover but it can cause brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disabilities. It can also be fatal.

"I think there was the pre-meningitis me and the post-meningitis me," said the 53-year-old who is the second and vice-skip on Mary-Anne Arsenault's Nova Scotia rink. "I am less an A-type personality. I'm now A-minus, maybe a B-plus."

Jones is making a record 21st appearance at this week's Scotties. It's also is her first time back at the Canadian women's championship since 2006.

"I'm glad to be back," she said. "By the same token if it hadn't worked out, that's sort of life. It's not every day that when you are 53 you get an opportunity to come back and play in this event. You know time is no longer on your side. That's the reality."

For Arsenault, having Jones on her rink is like slipping on a pair of comfortable shoes.
"She is very spunky," said the massage therapist who played second on Jones's 2004 world championship team. "She adds a flavour for sure and a lot of years of ice calling.

"It's nice to have her in my corner."
Jones now looks at life through the eyes of someone who almost had everything taken away. That's brought some things into focus.

"Like any person that is going through an illness the last thing you ever think about is anything but let's survive," said the veteran television announcer.

"After that you come back with a new perspective on everything . . . enjoying the small moments and living more moment to moment, staying present all the time. Do I do that every day? No. But I try to do that every day. I try to live a less stressful life. I try to take time for the things that are really important."
Jones said she will never lose her competitive spirit, but it might be more controlled.

"I think you are born with that fire and it never goes away," said the mother of two sons. "When I step on the ice I'm excited, I'm nervous and I really want to win. That drive, I don't know if that will ever leave me.

"That's always been a battle for me, to have this perspective of balance and blissfulness. I want that but it's a total polar opposite to what I need to compete well. That polar opposite leaves in me the drive to win, that killer instinct."

Jones likes the person she has become. There was nothing really wrong with the old one, it's just the new model is a little more finely tuned.

"I didn't mind the old one but I do like living life with awareness and living with a mindfulness," she said. "I buy into the fact having more isn't important. Just being is what matters."

Jones accepts this year's Scotties could be her last. At the same time she won't stop believing the Arsenault rink has a chance to qualify for the 2014 Winter Games and she could add an Olympic medal to her collection.

"There's lots of room for pushing to do more," Jones said. "I think age is really just a number. Experience is a powerful tool. We're lucky enough to play in a sport where you could play a long time.

"As an old country tune by Toby Keith says, I'm as good once as I ever was."

Life in prison for rights violators in Argentina

Seven retired military officers were sentenced to life in prison for rights abuses committed during Argentina's 1976-1983 military dictatorship, officials said Saturday.

The seven were found guilty of kidnapping, torture and homicide in the case of 69 people who were held at navy bases in the city of Mar del Plata, 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Buenos Aires.

The case was brought by relatives of victims and rights groups including the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.

Sixteen people were originally indicted, but two died before the trial could end and a third was absolved for health reasons, the Center of Judicial Information, an office attached to Argentina's Supreme Court, said in a statement.

Retired army general Alfredo Arrillaga and six retired navy officers -- Juan Jose Lombardo, Raul Alberto Marino, Roberto Pertusio, Rafael Guinazu, Jose Lodigiani and Mario Forbice -- were all sentenced to life in prison..

Four other members of the navy were sentenced to 25, 14, 12 and three years respectively, while two top civilian police prefects were sentenced to 14 and 10 years respectively.

The sentence was handed down on Friday, the Judicial Information office said.
Some 30,000 people were kidnapped, tortured and killed in what became known as Argentina's "dirty war," according to rights groups. Victims included Montonero guerrillas, labor union activists, students, leftist sympathizers and in some instance, their relatives and friends.

A blanket pardon for crimes committed during the dictatorship was overturned in 2003, paving the way for scores of lawsuits.

The 28th March of Resistance of Mothers and Grandmothers of the Disappeared on December 11, 2008 at Plaza de Mayo square in Buenos Aires. Seven retired military officers were sentenced to life in prison for rights abuses committed during Argentina's 1976-1983 military dictatorship, officials said Saturday.

Life Time Fitness Announces Date for Release of Fourth Quarter 2012 Financial Results

Life Time Fitness, Inc. (LTM), The Healthy Way of Life Company, today announced that the Company is scheduled to release its fourth quarter and full-year 2012 financial results on Thursday, February 21, 2013. A conference call to discuss the results will be held at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Bahram Akradi, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Michael Robinson, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and John Heller, senior director, investor relations and treasurer, will host the call.

The conference call will be webcast live and may be accessed via the Company's Investor Relations section of its website at lifetimefitness.com. A replay of the call will be available beginning at approximately 2:00 p.m. ET on February 21, 2013.

Life Technologies Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2012 Results

Life Technologies Corporation (LIFE) today announced results for its fourth quarter for the year ended Dec. 31, 2012. Non-GAAP revenue for the fourth quarter was $999 million, an increase of 3 percent over the $970 million reported for the fourth quarter of 2011. Excluding the impact of currency, revenue growth for the quarter was 4.5 percent compared to the same period of the prior year. Full year 2012 revenue was $3.8 billion, an increase of 2 percent over 2011. Excluding currency, revenue growth was also about 2.2 percent over the prior year.

"We started the year with a promise to our shareholders to grow our underlying business, invest in growth markets and regions, deliver on a balanced capital deployment strategy and introduce innovative new products to serve our customers even better. I am extremely pleased that our team remained focused and delivered against this promise, growing revenue and earnings for the thirteenth year in a row," said Gregory T. Lucier, chairman and chief executive officer of Life Technologies.

"We finished the year strong with fourth quarter revenue growth ahead of our expectations at 4.5 percent driven by strength in our Ion Torrent business, which recorded its highest revenue quarter ever. We also achieved a solid return to growth in our Research Consumables business and continued strong performance in our Bioproduction business. We expect the strength we saw across all regions and end markets as we exited 2012, including continued double digit growth in emerging markets, to provide momentum in 2013."
"With $662 million in free cash flow, we were able to return a significant amount of capital to shareholders. We ended the year having repurchased $635 million, or 13.8 million shares in total, well above our 50 percent target.  Additionally, we have already repurchased $105 million, or 2 million shares, year-to-date in 2013."

"Looking ahead to 2013, we expect another significant increase in our Ion Torrent business sales for the third consecutive year and expansion in our applied and emerging markets to drive revenue growth of 3 to 5 percent over 2012 results of $3.8 billion.  If sequestration is implemented, we estimate it would reduce our revenue by approximately 1 percent and we would expect to be at the low end of our guidance range, at 3 percent growth for 2013. We are guiding to non-GAAP EPS in a range of $4.30 to $4.45, which would result in 8 to 12 percent growth over 2012 results."

Life Technologies reported results compared to the quarter and fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2011. Results are non-GAAP unless indicated otherwise. A full reconciliation of the non-GAAP measures to GAAP can be found in the tables of today's press release.

Analysis of Fourth Quarter and Fiscal 2012 Results
Fourth quarter revenue increased 3 percent over the prior year, or 4.5 percent excluding the impact of currency. Full year 2012 revenue increased 2 percent to $3.8 billion. Revenue growth for the quarter and the full year were driven by strong sales from the Ion Torrent business and growth in the company's Research Consumables and Bioproduction businesses, partially offset by expected declines in SOLiD® sales and qPCR royalty revenue.

Gross margin in the fourth quarter was 64.6 percent, a 20 basis point increase compared to the same period of the prior year primarily driven by manufacturing productivity, partially offset by a higher mix of instrument sales and unfavorable currency rates. Full year gross margin was 65.6 percent, an increase of 40 basis points, primarily due to improved product mix and higher realized price, offset by the decrease in qPCR royalties and unfavorable currency rates.

Operating margin was 29.9 percent in the fourth quarter, approximately 70 basis points lower than the same period of the prior year. Operating margin was primarily impacted by unfavorable currency rates and expenses related to our acquisitions in molecular diagnostics. Full year operating margin increased 20 basis points to 29.2 percent. The increase was driven primarily by an increase in gross margins and improvement in currency, partially offset by higher expenses related to our acquisitions in molecular diagnostics.

The tax rate was 27.2 percent for the fourth quarter and 27.6 percent for the full year.
Fourth quarter EPS increased 6 percent to $1.11. Full year EPS increased 7 percent to $3.98.  Fourth quarter and the full year were negatively impacted by $(0.03) due to the timing of the 2012 federal R&D tax credit benefit being moved from the fourth quarter of 2012 to 2013. The company's fourth quarter and full year 2012 guidance had assumed the reinstatement and benefit of the federal R&D tax credit by the end of 2012.

Diluted weighted shares outstanding were 175.8 million in the fourth quarter, a decrease of 8.8 million shares over the prior year. The decrease was a result of the continuation of the company's share repurchase program, partially offset by shares issued for employee stock plans. The company repurchased $100 million or 2.0 million shares in the fourth quarter.

Cash flow from operating activities for the fourth quarter was $221 million. Fourth quarter capital expenditures were $48 million, resulting in free cash flow of $173 million. The company ended the quarter with $276 million in cash and short-term investments.

Business Group Highlights
Research Consumables revenue was $409 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 2 percent compared to the prior year. Excluding the impact from currency, revenue for the business group grew 4 percent. Full year revenue increased 1 percent to $1.6 billion, or 2 percent excluding the impact from currency. Growth for the quarter and full year was mainly driven by strong performance in our cell culture, sample prep and benchtop products.

Genetic Analysis revenue was $401 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 2 percent over the same period last year. Excluding the impact from currency, revenue increased 4 percent. Full year revenue was flat at approximately $1.5 billion, or up 1 percent excluding the impact from currency. Growth for the quarter and the full year was primarily driven by a substantial increase in our Ion Torrent business, including sales of the Ion PGM™ instruments and Ion Proton™ System, partially offset by an expected decline in SOLiD instrument sales and in qPCR royalty revenue.

Applied Sciences revenue was $190 million in the fourth quarter, an increase of 8 percent over the same period last year. Excluding the impact from currency, revenue increased 10 percent. Full year revenue increased 7 percent to $719 million, or 8 percent excluding the impact from currency. Growth for the quarter was primarily driven by increased sales in Bioproduction and Forensics products. Growth for the full year was primarily driven by increased sales in Bioproduction.

Regional revenue growth rates excluding currency for the fourth quarter compared to the same quarter of the prior year were as follows: the Americas were flat, Europe grew 5 percent, Asia Pacific grew 18 percent and Japan grew 6 percent. Full year growth rates excluding currency were as follows: the Americas declined 1 percent, Europe grew 2 percent, Asia Pacific grew 13 percent and Japan grew 3 percent.

Fiscal Year 2013 Outlook
Subject to the risk factors detailed in the Safe Harbor Statement section of this release, the company provided its expectations for fiscal year 2013 financial performance. The company expects revenue growth, excluding currency, of 3 to 5 percent over 2012 revenues of $3.8 billion. If sequestration is implemented, it would reduce revenue by approximately 1 percent and the company would expect be at the low end of the guidance range, at 3 percent growth for 2013. The company expects non-GAAP EPS to be in a range of $4.30 to $4.45.  At December month end rates, currency negatively impacts revenue by $(2) million and non-GAAP EPS by about $(0.01). The company will provide further detail on its business outlook during the webcast today.
Webcast Details

The company will discuss its financial and business results as well as its business outlook on a webcast at 4:30 p.m. ET today. This webcast will contain forward-looking information that includes a discussion of "non-GAAP financial measures" as that term is defined in Regulation G. For actual results, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures and information reconciling these non-GAAP financial measures to the company's financial results determined in accordance with GAAP, as well as other material financial and statistical information to be discussed on the webcast will be posted on the company's investor relations website at https://ir.lifetechnologies.com.

Irish Life offers free €500m of life cover

Irish Life plans to give up to €500m of life assurance for free for up to 20,000 adults to highlight the importance of having cover.

The company will give cover of €25,000 for a year to 20,000 adults.

Irish Life has also published its findings from a study on customer attitudes to life assurance. Key findings from the survey of 1,000 people include:

* 60% of adults in Ireland do not have life insurance which often means that dependants could face significant financial problems in the event of their death;

* 56% of people say they could struggle financially in the event that something would happen to them. This is an increase of 10% (from 46% to 56%) from March 2011.

* 34% of adults assume the cost of cover is significantly more expensive than it typically is — they assume that €100,000 of cover will cost more than €50 a month.

Gerry Hassett, chief executive, Irish Life Retail, said: "In fact, for €100,000 cover with our Term Life Insurance plan, the price could be less than a third of that amount — just €15 per month for an adult aged 40 or younger, over a 10-year term who is a non-smoker and is in good health.

"Life insurance should be at the core of every family’s financial planning. Last year, Irish Life paid out €83m in death claims to 1,168 families. However, what may surprise people is that over half of this amount, €45m, was paid in respect of people younger than 55 years old, which is the upper age limit on our Free Parent Insurance promotion."

Now Browsing | The L.A. Art Book Fair

New Yorkers who love books and art look forward each year to Printed Matter’s N.Y. Art Book Fair. Now the event has a West Coast companion: Printed Matter’s first L.A. Art Book Fair opens today, at the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Geffen Contemporary space in downtown Los Angeles. The fair’s director, AA Bronson, is an artist who is the former president of Printed Matter, a nonprofit organization devoted to publications by artists, and who conceived the original fair in 2005.

Bronson has long wanted to bring the art book fair to L.A., because it is where so many of his New York exhibitors are based. “Los Angeles is a hotbed of alternative publishing,” he says, “even though many people in the art world might not think of L.A. as a serious place for publishing.” Putting to rest once and for all the notion that Angelenos don’t read and that they all spend their time surfing or perfecting their tans, Bronson has assembled an impressive roster of exhibitors (220 from over 21 countries), events and special installations for the fair’s L.A. debut.

The online bookshop Book Stand’s display focuses on books about plants, including “the southwest,” a new booklet featuring the artist Ye Rin Mok’s photographs of unusual vegetation that she encountered on an impromptu drive through Utah and Arizona. Marc Jacobs’s Bookmarc, one of L.A.’s few independent bookstores, will host a book signing with the illustrator Jean-Philippe Delhomme for “The Unknown Hipster Diaries,” and small Los Angeles publishers like Iko Iko, other wild, and the L.A. Forum for Architecture and Urbanism will display their wares alongside those of many of the city’s museums. Because L.A. is considered “the center of the zine universe,” says Bronson, he invited the curator Darin Klein to organize “Zine World,” a series of exhibitions and events focusing on cult classics like “Skate Fate” and “Bedwetter,” while Printed Matter added an exhibition of pioneering zine makers like Raymond Pettibon, Dash Snow, Mark Gonzalez and Ari Marcopoulos.

The L.A. Art Book Fair is a “smorgasbord for sure,” says Bronson, who hopes it will become an annual event. “It’s become its own thing. We knew it would be very different from the N.Y. fair and we didn’t try to shape it, but allowed it to take its own shape. There are lots of layers to the city’s art book world that are waiting to be discovered.”

The fair is free and open to the public from Feb. 1 through Feb. 3 at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles. See the book fair’s Web site for detailed event schedules as well as a list of neighborhood restaurants.