baby registry: Law creates cord blood bank initiative

By Cynthia T. Pegram
cpegram@newsadvance.com
June 28, 2006



What some once considered medical waste may become a resource to save lives through the new Virginia Cord Blood Bank Initiative.

Cord blood is the blood that remains in the umbilical cord and the placenta after a baby is born and the cord is cut. The blood is rich with immature stem cells, which when donated to adult or child can move into the bone marrow and quickly begin to reproduce blood cells.

Stem cells are also a promising area of medical research for many disorders.

A law that creates the Virginia Cord Blood Bank Initiative goes into effect in July.

The concept had an odd birthing for a life-giving plan – a legislative sub-committee’s discussions about terrorism response.

The committee was looking at Virginia’s ability to react to terrorist attacks, “and discovered literature on collecting or treating radiation injuries from dirty bombs, using stem cells,” said Dr. David E. Suttle, director of the office of Family Health Services at the Virginia Department of Health.

Like some cancers, exposure to high levels of radiation can kill the body’s ability to produce blood cells, which normally arise from the bone marrow. Radiation could come from a dirty bomb, or be released with damage to a nuclear power station or from a nuclear weapon.

Stem cells from cord blood can be frozen for years and still be viable.

Because collecting and using umbilical stem cells does not involve the death of a fetus, said Suttle, the idea of storing the resource for use if needed was attractive.

The use of embryonic stem cells in research is a hotly debated issue.

The Health Department was designated as lead agency to establish the bank and to work with the state’s medical schools and other public and private organizations.

Dr. Roy C. Ogle, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Virginia, is director of the Center for Human Stem Cell Translational Research at the UVa Medical School.

“The intentions of the state were to help establish a cord stem cell bank or system throughout the state so we don’t throw away this precious resource,” said Ogle.

“Umbilical stem cells are one of the most promising types of multi-potent stem cells. They have far more potential than we (once) imagined,” he said.

Virginia has nearly 100,000 births a year. Every healthy expectant mother in the state will have the option to contribute to the cord blood bank. The law is very specific that it must be a voluntary donation by the mother.

Centra Health’s Virginia Baptist Hospital has more than 2,000 births a year. Right now, cord blood is seldom collected and usually only when needed to determine if RH factors will be a problem, said Glen McIver, director of the Centra Lab.

Dr. Howard Podolsky, Centra senior vice president and chief of the medical staff, said that the state’s cord blood bank initiative represents a wonderful opportunity for stem cell research on diseases that include Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as Type I and Type II diabetes.

Carolyn Jacques, a Centra Health vice president, said that setting it up would mean asking mothers a few more questions in order to get their permission to use the blood, “and make the mothers aware that it would be strictly voluntary.”

According to the National Cord Blood Registry, each year about 20,000 adults and children with potentially fatal illnesses need a stem cell transplant.

The state’s big medical school-affiliated hospitals already have blood banking facilities and the critical and the most costly component - a cell separator.

The device divides the blood into red cells, white cells, platelets and plasma. Should the school agree to host the cord blood bank, the state would most likely provide a freezer for storage, Suttle said.

Eventually private hospitals could be used if they had the space and high volume of births.

baby registry: Sex offenders to face tougher laws

June 26, 2006

Albany-- Sex offenders are fighting a tough new Georgia law that would put severe limits on where they work and live and they got some good news from a judge Monday. The law is supposed to go into effect Saturday. Critics say it's so restrictive, many sex offenders won't be able to find any legal place to live.

Complaints worked for 8 sex offenders in Georgia. Monday, a federal judge in Atlanta issued a ruling that temporarily blocks them from having to move. Lawyers will try to extend that ruling to all 10,000 Georgia sex offenders.

The sex offender baby registry lists more than 220 sexual offenders in Dougherty County. One could be living right next door.

"I see it on the tv, a lot of the time looking at the news and them talking about sex offenders in the neighborhoods and everything and I wondered well is there any around here anywhere," says Alma Tumer.

Alma Tumer wonders who's who in her Albany neighborhood because she has a seven-year-old son. "If one come in here messing with my baby, they're in trouble," says Tumer. She's not afraid to say she's overprotective so she wasn't thrilled when we showed her a picture from Georgia's sex offender registry.

We asked, "Have you seen him before?" "Let me see. Yeah, I seen him," says Tumer.

The registry shows a man convicted of 1st Degree Sexual Assault of a Child is one of Tumer's neighbors, not a good feeling for her. "That's bad. All these grown folks out here and you got to go and mess with a child," says Tumer.

District Attorney Ken Hodges hopes a new law restricting where offenders work or live will reduce the number of sexual offenses against children.

"These criminals are monsters and they need to be treated as such and if it means tracking them with GPS's, if it means limiting where they live, then I'm all for that," says Hodges. But Hodges admits enforcement will be difficult, especially in bigger counties that must keep hundreds of offenders a thousand feet away from thousands of school bus stops. Those against the law say it would be nearly impossible for offenders to find places to live.

"In Dougherty County, there will be places where they can live and still be in compliance with the law. I think it's restrictive but you have to be restrictive," says Hodges.

"They got to stay somewhere but what we got to do is keep our eyes on them wherever they stay if it's close to us," says Tumer. One is a little too close for comfort for Tumer so she now has her eyes open much more.

"You better believe it," says Tumer. She says she'll do anything or support any law to make sure her her little boy stays safe. "Im telling you. That little 7-year-old son of mine, boy let me tell you, let somebody mess with him, I'd have a holy fit," says Tumer.

Many also worry that the new law could draw more sex offenders to rural areas and Ken Hodges says it could cause more offenders not to report but more resources should be reallocated to beef up tracking.

Lawmakers began working on the law last year after two sex offenders were arrested for killing two girls in Florida.

A hearing is scheduled later this week on a complaint filed by a sex offender in Dougherty County who, according to the new law, would have to move from a home he just bought.

feedback: news@walb.com?subject=SexOffenderLaw

baby registry: Baby, Baby, Baby

6/20/2006 2:03 PM ET
By Mark Fightmaster (mfightmaster@sir-inc.com)


In the course of the next 17 days, my wife Valerie and I will send out cute little invitations, purchase a few toys, get a new outfit, bake a cake, and get the house ready, all for the impending one-year birthday for the Fightbaby, Tess Ryan. Yes, last July 7th our world was changed forever when we were blessed with a bouncing baby girl, and you never realize how fast time flies until you are a parent. Anyone that walks past my luxurious cubicle can tell you how I feel about the little Loch Tess Monster; it is hard to miss the shrine. Reflecting on the past year makes me smile, but it also makes me realize how much "stuff" we purchased and had purchased for us. People spend quite a bit of money on babies, be it through direct purchase or by people filling in a baby registry. Someone has to be making some money, right? Whilst spending last night caring for the Fightbaby, my mind wandered to today's observation, what companies are capitalizing on the never-ending need for baby stuff? Digging around a bit, I found four different companies that produce baby things, and I think there are some interesting investing opportunities here. Today we will look at Novartis, Carter's, Children's Place, and Johnson & Johnson.

Novartis: (NVS: sentiment, chart, options) What is this company doing on the list? One look at the first few lines of NVS's description in Hoover's states that the company produces drugs that are used in treatments for nervous system and ophthalmic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Granted, some babies may eventually have use for these drugs, but what immediate service does NVS provide the parent? Digging further down in the description of the company I find this line: "Novartis is also the proud parent of the Gerber baby." In fact, I was doing a search for Gerber when NVS was returned as a result.

So NVS produces Gerber products, a mealtime essential in the Fightmaster household. The company is responsible for that pink and green sippy cup that Tess turns into a projectile at every dinner. The branch of NVS is also responsible for the lovely chunk-filled, stage-three baby food that she is constantly turning her nose at, the little rubber-tipped spoon that she pushes away from her mouth, and the little fruit puffs that Gussie and Marley (our dogs) like to pick up off the floor after the Tessalump (yes, a play on Pooh's friend the Heffalump) eats. In fact, the company also produces the freezable teething ring that the toothless wonder uses to sooth her flaming gums on a nightly basis. If Gerber products are this integral in our household at meal time, I am sure that my colleague Joseph Hargett and his wife have a number of Gerber products in their house for their new daughter Isabella. The same goes for my brother, sister-in-law, and their 16-month old daughter Morgan. How can the company not be making a ton of money off of babies?

Technically, NVS is solid. The equity is in the process of pulling back to the support of its 80-week moving average. On three other occasions, this trendline has propped up the shares and eventually sent them on their way higher. Furthermore, I have drawn a line on the chart below to show that the stock is also pulling back to the lower rail of an uptrending channel that has helped guide it higher since November 2003. In reality, this is more of an extension of the 80-week moving average, but it should not be ignored.

Spanning out to a longer-term picture also shows a fair amount of technical support for NVS. The shares still enjoy the support of their 10-month and 20-month moving averages. In fact, the equity has not finished a month below this tandem support since October 2003. This double-barreled support helped propel NVS through resistance at the 44 level, which caused a double-top formation in 2001 and 2002. Yes, the stock has pulled back, as has the market as a whole, but its 20-month moving average is poised to help guide it higher again. Furthermore, it certainly looks as if the 52 level is going to try and help the equity rebound, as it did in November and December 2005.


When it comes sentiment, I would really like to see a bit more in the form of short-covering support for NVS. Less than 0.50 percent of the firm's float is sold short, and it would take roughly two days to cover these shorted shares. This configuration lessens the chance for short-covering support to boost the shares.

I would also like to see more pessimism from the analysts. According to Zacks, all eight analysts covering NVS rate it a "buy" or better. Should this glut of optimists have a change of heart and issue downgrades, the ensuing downward pressure should cause NVS to test the support of its 20-month trendline.

That said, the speculative options crowd is rather bearish on NVS. The company sports a Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio of 0.59, which is higher than 73 percent of those taken during the past 52 weeks. I like this kind of pessimism from the options players. Bottom line, NVS earns a 4.0 out of 10 on our Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard. This is a middle-of-the-road reading, and I think the firm's technical performance warrants a look on the bullish side.

Carter's: (CRI: sentiment, chart, options) One of my responsibilities around the house is getting the Fightbaby ready for bed. Sometimes there is much crying and gnashing of gums from the toothless wonder, other nights she falls asleep nearly instantly. One constant is the zip-up pajamas, complete with the feet that she wears on a nightly basis. More often than not, the tag will carry the name Carter's. CRI does not limit its offering to pajamas, and neither does Tess's wardrobe. New parents will find the Carter's name on layettes, clothes, and even on strollers, toys, and shoes.

The technical growth for CRI hasn't been as steady as NVS. In fact, the stock lost 10 percent earlier in the week, thanks to general market weakness, and increasing competition. An analyst at Goldman Sachs verbalized worries about broad-market issues, competition, and how higher gas prices may affect CRI's outlet stores. Suddenly, the stock plummeted through all known layers of support. The shares seem to have found a bit of support near the 24 level, but my how they have fallen.


CRI's Scorecard rating of 4.0 is exactly the same as NVS's, but these two are not identical twins. CRI's sentiment is weak (as is NVS's), but its technical outlook is not as promising as NVS. Give CRI some time; let's see if it can get back to the winning ways it enjoyed before the recent negative developments. If the stock can reclaim some of its past support, it may be worth a look.

The Children's Place Retail Stores: (PLCE: sentiment, chart, options) From one clothing company to another. The Lump (an unfortunate nickname that has stuck) also has some of PLCE's offerings in her wardrobe. It shouldn't be a surprise, as Hoover's credits some 800 plus stores in malls and outlet centers in the U.S. and Canada to the PLCE name, and the firm's store count is increasing by roughly 30 percent each year. In addition to its eponymous stores, PLCE owns roughly 315 Disney Stores, which it bought from Walt Disney.

Like CRI, PLCE sells baby, toddler, and children's clothes; unlike CRI, PLCE is performing well. Compared to the S&P 500 Index (SPX) on a monthly basis, PLCE has outstripped the shares for the better part of the past 3.5 years. Looking at the monthly chart below, notice that the equity's 10-month and 20-month moving averages have pushed it higher since February 2003. This support helped the shares advance through resistance at the 55 level, which now seems to be acting as support.

There is little in the way of options-related support or resistance in PLCE's path, so we have to look at any technical issues. There may be a bit of resistance ahead at the 62 level, so keep an eye out there.

Let's first deal with the aspects that I don't like about PLCE's sentiment. The speculative options crowd is nearly evenly split on PLCE, demonstrated by its SOIR percentile ranking of 51. Rather non-descript, but what bothers me a tad is analyst coverage. According to Zacks, PLCE receives four "buy" or better ratings, and one "hold." With nary a "sell" in sight, the risk of downgrades worries me.

With a Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard ranking of 5.0 out of 10, what possible reason is there to be bullish on PLCE? Other than solid long-term technical performance, not much; unless you take the potential for a short-covering rally into account. More than 10 percent of PLCE's float is sold short and it would take roughly six days to cover these shorted shares. This combination could provide the means for a substantial short-covering rally should good news cause the short sellers to buy back their bearish bets. I believe that PLCE deserves its own place on the bullish side of your portfolio.

Johnson & Johnson: (JNJ: sentiment, chart, options) Finally, we turn our attention to the baby behemoth, the maharaja of mamas, the Dalai Lama of dadas, the soother of all cries, JNJ. Bath time isn't bath time unless it is fueled by JNJ products. Baby shampoos, soaps, lotions, washes, and even pre-soaped washcloths are included in the firm's stable. Oh, and don't forget the JNJ baby powder after the bath, or you may need to use another JNJ product, Balmex, to cure the diaper rash. I like to call JNJ's lotion "baby potpourri," as it is the only reason that every new parent's house doesn't reek of baby poo.

Enough of that, technically, this Dow Jones component is solid. Let's look first at a weekly chart for JNJ. Yes, the stock spent the better part of 2005 in a downtrend, but notice that the situation seems to be turning to the better. The shares recently reclaimed the support of their 10-week and 20-week moving averages, pulling the former into a bullish crossover of the latter in the process. This technical formation often hints that there is further technical prosperity ahead. Of course, a bullish cross does not mean that the road is clear of obstacles. JNJ faces rather staunch options-related resistance at the 60 and 65 levels.

Some support may be found in the form of JNJ's 50-month moving average. Since this trendline's inception, the equity has finished below it only a handful of times. Of course, this trendline looks like it may be rolling over, which would send its support lower. On the other hand, the stock is currently above the 60 level. As prior resistance, this level may now switch roles and act as support. We will have to wait and see if this is the case.

JNJ faces a fair amount of technical resistance, but one should know that the Dow component has recently claimed its outperforming ways when compared to its blue chip brethren.

How does sentiment stack up on JNJ? The firm receives the requisite love from the speculative options bunch, as its SOIR of 0.65 is lower than 79 percent of those taken during the past 52 weeks. What's more, there isn't much in the way of short-covering support to help boost the stock.

What I find surprising is the level of apathy from the analyst community. According to Zacks, eight of the 17 analysts covering JNJ rate it a "hold" or worse. Yes, there is plenty of room for downgrades to push the equity lower, but upgrades could have the opposite affect.

JNJ earns a 7.0 out of a possible 10 on our Schaeffer's Equity Scorecard, indicating that it should find less resistance to an upside move. Will this be the case? Technical support is certainly in place, but overhead options-related resistance bothers me a tad. This does not mean that you shouldn't look at JNJ bullishly, I do, but a further rejection at 65 or 70 could send the shares reeling. Watch the stock carefully, the next major news event is next month's earnings report. Better-than-expected results could help break the overhead resistance and send the stock higher still.

Bringing today's observation to a close, let's review the stance I have on these four baby-related stocks from an Expectational Analysis ® point of view. I am bullish on NVS, PLCE, and JNJ, while CRI is left crying in the bearish pen all by itself. I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it, good luck and happy trading!

-Mark Fightmaster (mfightmaster@sir-inc.com)

baby registry: Island Pacific's Retail Pro Version 9.1 Now in Active Beta Use

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2006--Island Pacific, Inc. (Pink Sheets:IPIN), a global leader in retail POS and merchandising system software, announced today the beta release and implementation of Retail Pro(R) Version 9.1. This highly anticipated version of Island Pacific's Retail Pro(R) software is currently being installed in various retail locations; with the first being Huggable Me, a high-end boutique specializing in clothing, accessories, furniture and toys for infants and toddlers, in Elk Grove, CA.


Retail Pro(R) Version 9.1 is the most significant advancement in Island Pacific's industry leading POS system in nearly two years and contains many new features and functionality. Version 9.1 was developed from requests made across the entire Retail Pro(R) customer base. These requests were driven by the end user and industry proven best practices.

"We are committed to providing our customers the latest functionality and best business processes to fit their changing needs," says Darren Williams, COO of Island Pacific, Inc. "While in active beta use, we are able to 'kick the tires' with version 9.1 to ensure new features and functionality meet our expectations and those of our customer base."

Retail Pro(R) Version 9.1 introduces Retail Pro's powerful point of sale features and enhancements to the improved Version 9 series database and includes the integration of payment authorization services directly into Retail Pro(R). Also, Version 9.1 is more easily configured to work with specific hardware devices used at the point of sale.

"We especially like this new version of Retail Pro(R) for its ease of use, flexibility, open database and reports," said Megan Enos of Huggable Me. "We knew of Retail Pro's reputation for high reliability and have been very impressed with the quality and robust feature set of the product. We chose Retail Pro over Microsoft's Retail Management System, and it really works well."

Other exciting features new to Version 9.1 include:

-- Improved Receipt functionality for greater detailed customer data capture, enhanced customer purchase tracking, improved tendering for smoother transactions, gift receipts and more.

-- Enhanced Sales Order functionality eases the interface between Receipts and customer orders, layaways, special orders and gift registries.

-- Enhanced Opening and Closing procedures and X/Z Out Reports allow more detailed tracking of registers and modification of reports.

-- Enhanced Check In/Out easily tracks employee hours and more.

-- Improved KPI statistics available within Profile Reports allowing for greater flexibility in evaluating merchandise and vendor performance.

-- Improved security features help protect businesses from employee or customer transaction fraud.

-- CISP compliancy within the database, including secured credit card accessibility and automatic credit card encryption.

-- Improved capabilities in count recording for a variety of in-store and multi-store inventories.

-- New Technicians Toolkit provides easy access to a variety of tools for maintaining the database.

-- Improved reporting capabilities, including the ability to create custom reports and view reports while working offline.

Retail Pro(R) is currently available through a worldwide network of business partners in over 30 countries. Each is rigorously trained and certified to provide valuable local support and implementation of Retail Pro(R).

About Huggable Me

Huggable Me is Elk Grove's newest boutique for infants and toddlers, offering high quality, attractively priced shoes, clothing, wooden toys, stuffed animals, shower gifts, furniture and bedding. Huggable Me is known for great selection, exceptional customer service including free gift wrapping and baby registry in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. All merchandise in Huggable Me is hand-picked by owners Adam and Megan Enos. Clothing ranges from newborn to toddler (4T).

About Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R)

Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) is a global leader in retail Merchandising, Store Operations, Planning, and Multi-channel software solutions. For more than 25 years, Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) has developed a reputation for delivering high-quality, high-value, high-reliability software to the retail industry.

As a result, Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) is the definitive resource for scalable, flexible and affordable solutions for retailers around the world. Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) software solutions manage billions of transactions annually in more than 35,000 store locations worldwide, in 73 countries, and 18 different languages.

The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, has offices in the United States and the United Kingdom, and is represented by Business Partners in over 30 countries. For more information, please visit www.islandpacific.com.

Certain statements contained in this news release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. These statements are only predictions. Because such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Company's Form 10-KA for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004 and other risk factors identified from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. IPI undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

TRADEMARKS

Island Pacific, Retail Pro(R) and Synaro are registered trademarks of Island Pacific, Inc., and may not be used without expressed, written permission.

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 2006--Island Pacific, Inc. (Pink Sheets:IPIN), a global leader in retail POS and merchandising system software, announced today the beta release and implementation of Retail Pro(R) Version 9.1. This highly anticipated version of Island Pacific's Retail Pro(R) software is currently being installed in various retail locations; with the first being Huggable Me, a high-end boutique specializing in clothing, accessories, furniture and toys for infants and toddlers, in Elk Grove, CA.


Retail Pro(R) Version 9.1 is the most significant advancement in Island Pacific's industry leading POS system in nearly two years and contains many new features and functionality. Version 9.1 was developed from requests made across the entire Retail Pro(R) customer base. These requests were driven by the end user and industry proven best practices.

"We are committed to providing our customers the latest functionality and best business processes to fit their changing needs," says Darren Williams, COO of Island Pacific, Inc. "While in active beta use, we are able to 'kick the tires' with version 9.1 to ensure new features and functionality meet our expectations and those of our customer base."

Retail Pro(R) Version 9.1 introduces Retail Pro's powerful point of sale features and enhancements to the improved Version 9 series database and includes the integration of payment authorization services directly into Retail Pro(R). Also, Version 9.1 is more easily configured to work with specific hardware devices used at the point of sale.

"We especially like this new version of Retail Pro(R) for its ease of use, flexibility, open database and reports," said Megan Enos of Huggable Me. "We knew of Retail Pro's reputation for high reliability and have been very impressed with the quality and robust feature set of the product. We chose Retail Pro over Microsoft's Retail Management System, and it really works well."

Other exciting features new to Version 9.1 include:

-- Improved Receipt functionality for greater detailed customer data capture, enhanced customer purchase tracking, improved tendering for smoother transactions, gift receipts and more.

-- Enhanced Sales Order functionality eases the interface between Receipts and customer orders, layaways, special orders and gift registries.

-- Enhanced Opening and Closing procedures and X/Z Out Reports allow more detailed tracking of registers and modification of reports.

-- Enhanced Check In/Out easily tracks employee hours and more.

-- Improved KPI statistics available within Profile Reports allowing for greater flexibility in evaluating merchandise and vendor performance.

-- Improved security features help protect businesses from employee or customer transaction fraud.

-- CISP compliancy within the database, including secured credit card accessibility and automatic credit card encryption.

-- Improved capabilities in count recording for a variety of in-store and multi-store inventories.

-- New Technicians Toolkit provides easy access to a variety of tools for maintaining the database.

-- Improved reporting capabilities, including the ability to create custom reports and view reports while working offline.

Retail Pro(R) is currently available through a worldwide network of business partners in over 30 countries. Each is rigorously trained and certified to provide valuable local support and implementation of Retail Pro(R).

About Huggable Me

Huggable Me is Elk Grove's newest boutique for infants and toddlers, offering high quality, attractively priced shoes, clothing, wooden toys, stuffed animals, shower gifts, furniture and bedding. Huggable Me is known for great selection, exceptional customer service including free gift wrapping and baby registry in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. All merchandise in Huggable Me is hand-picked by owners Adam and Megan Enos. Clothing ranges from newborn to toddler (4T).

About Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R)

Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) is a global leader in retail Merchandising, Store Operations, Planning, and Multi-channel software solutions. For more than 25 years, Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) has developed a reputation for delivering high-quality, high-value, high-reliability software to the retail industry.

As a result, Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) is the definitive resource for scalable, flexible and affordable solutions for retailers around the world. Island Pacific/Retail Pro(R) software solutions manage billions of transactions annually in more than 35,000 store locations worldwide, in 73 countries, and 18 different languages.

The company is headquartered in Irvine, California, has offices in the United States and the United Kingdom, and is represented by Business Partners in over 30 countries. For more information, please visit www.islandpacific.com.

Certain statements contained in this news release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or the Company's future performance. These statements are only predictions. Because such forward-looking statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Company's Form 10-KA for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004 and other risk factors identified from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. IPI undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to the forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

TRADEMARKS

Island Pacific, Retail Pro(R) and Synaro are registered trademarks of Island Pacific, Inc., and may not be used without expressed, written permission.

baby registry: Health Calendar June 5-11 HEALTH CALENDAR

Classes, workshops, seminars

YOUR GUIDE TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: Christine M. Boutwell will discuss Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, available medications and considerations when caring for a person with the disease. 9-10 a.m. June 6, St. Luke’s South Hospital, 12300 Metcalf, Conference Rooms A&B, Overland Park. Free; register. www. saintlukes healthsystem.org (816-932-6220, Option 2)

EXPECTANT PARENT SEMINAR: “There’s a Baby on the Way: Packing Your Bag for the Hospital Stay.” Open to expectant parents, grandparents and caregivers. 6-7 p.m. June 7, Babies “R” Us, 8640 N. Madison. Free. Speak with a baby registry associate for more details. (816-420-8808)

KEEPING YOU IN STEP: Various orthopedic conditions and various surgical treatment options. Daniel Weed speaking. 9-10 a.m. June 8, St. Luke’s Northland Hospital, Barry Medical Park, 5844 N.W. Barry. Free; register. www.saintlukeshealth system.org (816-932-6220, Option 2)

SKIN CANCER AND AGING: Daniel Hurwitz will discuss common skin conditions and outline risk factors for skin cancer. Noon-1 p.m. June 8, University of Kansas Hospital, Westwood Campus, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission. Free; register. www.kumed.com (913-588-1227)

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: Designed for couples who want to learn the Creighton Model System of Natural Family Planning to avoid or achieve pregnancy. 7 p.m. June 8, Providence Medical Center, 8929 Parallel, Kansas City, Kan. $20. (913-281-7777)

BABY FEST EVENT: “Dad’s in Training,” featuring hands-on product demonstrations and fun games just for dads. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 10, Babies “R” Us, 8640 N. Madison. Free. Signing up is preferred. Speak with a Baby Registry Associate for more details. (816-420-8808)

PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND YOU: For mothers in their sixth through ninth month of pregnancy and interested coaches. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 11, Providence Medical Center, Keenan Education Center, 8929 Parallel, Kansas City, Kan. $40. Register. (913-281-7777)

HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER CPR RENEWAL: 9 a.m.-noon June 11, National American University, Room 105, 10310 Mastin, Overland Park. $35. Register. www.kumed.com (913-588-1227)

Health fairs, screenings

SKIN CANCER SCREENING: Screening by Gale Oleson. Sponsored by Blue Springs Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the American Academy of Dermatology. 9-10:30 a.m. June 6, Vesper Hall, 400 N.W. Vesper, Blue Springs. Free. Please call to make an appointment. (816-228-9099)

COMMUNITY HEALTH SCREENING: Blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose. Mental health screening questionnaires available. 9 a.m.-noon June 7, American Red Cross, 211 W. Armour. $1-$8. Call for additional screening sites available on same day. (816-931-6662, Ext. 293)

Other

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S HEART WALK: Noncompetitive 1- and 4-mile walking event. Raise money to fight heart disease and stroke. Free health screenings, food and family fun. Sponsored by Shawnee Mission Medical Center. 7:30 a.m.-noon June 10, Theis Park, 47th and Oak. .org/kansascity (913-648-6727)

FAMILY HEALTH FESTIVAL AND COMMUNITY GRAND OPENING: Health screenings and information for adults. Chair massage and car seat safety checks. Face painting, mini-hospital, craft, moonwalk and giant slide for children. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 10, St. Luke's East, 100 N.E. St. Luke's Blvd., Lee's Summit. Free. Lifeflight air ambulance available for tours from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (816-932-6220)


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Getting listed

E-MAIL: healthcal@kcstar.com

MAIL: Health Calendar, The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108

DEADLINE: Typed notices should be received at least two weeks before the Monday publication date.


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Compiled by Paula Staton | The Star Submit items for publication to healthcal@kcstar.com.

baby registry: Munchkin(R) Announces Launch of New Web Site at http://www.munchkin.com

Monday June 12, 12:00 pm ET
Celebrates 15 Years With Full Re-Brand Initiative Culminating With New Web Site Launch


NORTH HILLS, Calif., June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Munchkin, Inc. -- the maker of clever infant products that excite, delight and make life easier for parents and families -- announced today the launch of a new Web site at http://www.munchkin.com. The new Web site is part of the company's overall re-branding initiative that is designed to broaden its appeal to the modern mom, and highlight that it's the little things in her life that often make the biggest difference. The re-brand initiative comes as the company celebrates fifteen years of booming business.


"Our business has been extremely strong -- with revenues growing at approximately 25% per year for the last eight years. But we learned that while moms were loyal users of our products, they were not always familiar with our brand," said Steven Dunn, founder and chief executive officer, Munchkin, Inc. "This re-branding initiative is already showing results, and we believe it will help us take the company to the next level."

The Web site uses new technology to quickly bring resources and information to moms seeking the latest in time-saving (and stress-reducing) products. The site offers consumers multiple ways to browse for its clever products -- by their child's stage of development, product category or "best-sellers." Plus, to really make life easier for moms, the site features a store locator powered by cutting-edge Google® technology that helps them find the stores that carry the product they want using maps and satellite photos. There's even a feature to help new mothers build a baby registry, including easy access to products carried at Target and Wal-Mart and the ability to print UPCs to scan in stores.

Munchkin's re-branding initiative includes new packaging that prominently features the company's newly-designed logo and the "It's the Little Things" tagline -- set against a crisp, clean design that uses new bright, modern colors in contemporary color-blocks. Key products featuring the appealing new packaging have already seen up to a 30% increase in volume at top retail accounts.

A new print advertising campaign also launched to raise broad awareness of the Munchkin brand as the creator of clever, must-have products for today's moms. Each ad in the campaign, which appears in top national parenting magazines, highlights one of Munchkin's 150-plus clever products in a larger-than-life setting that reinforces the benefit of the item.

Munchkin partnered with creative agency THE UXB(TM) (www.theuxb.com) on the entire re-branding initiative. An award-winning advertising, branding, and interactive agency based in Century City and San Diego, CA, THE UXB(TM) has a long history of taking innovative companies to the next level.

About Munchkin, Inc.

A privately held company headquartered in North Hills, Calif., Munchkin, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets baby products that excite, delight and make life easier for families. Founded in 1991, Munchkin, Inc. has placed great emphasis on anticipating parents' needs and finding clever ways to address them. As a result of this focus on innovation, Munchkin has pioneered numerous concepts in the baby care industry including the Bottle & Nipple Brush (1995), White Hot technology (1996), Teething Blanket (1997), Teether Babies (1998), and the Insulated Spill-Proof Trainer Cup (2004). In addition, Munchkin has been granted more than 50 United States patents and has won over 30 industry awards, including the coveted Target Corporation Partner Award of Excellence in 2005. Endorsed and recommended by lactation consultants, medical professionals, toy specialists and parents, Munchkin products can be found at more than 25,000 retail outlets internationally. For more information, visit munchkin.com.


MEDIA CONTACTS:
Ashley Kirkendall, MS&L
(323) 866-6075

Doug Gillespie, Munchkin
(818) 221-4232




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Source: Munchkin, Inc.

baby registry: Oh, baby, that's expensive

By SEAN MUSSENDEN

Media General News Service


A buddy of mine just became a dad. Exciting stuff. I found out in an e-mail that came with a link to his Amazon.com baby registry, featuring a crib bedding set for $179.99.

Seriously, almost 200 bucks for six pieces of cloth. The baby-industrial complex knows newborns sleep on mattresses the size of postage stamps, right?

If you’re around 25, you’re at the age when the average mother has her first kid. Maybe you’re thinking about having one. Maybe your parents are pressuring you to give them a grandkid already.

It’s a huge decision. Lots of prospective young parents ask themselves if they’re emotionally ready, but too few figure out if they’re financially ready.

As my friend’s baby registry illustrates, kids are very expensive. It may take nothing but love (or too many bottles of Chianti) to make a kid, but it takes serious coin to raise one.

Jars of mashed peas, Barney videos, vaccinations, babysitter tips, Baby Gap jeans, car seats, diapers -- they add up quick.

How much? The federal government, which seems to keep statistics on everything, surveys thousands of parents every year to estimate how much it costs to raise a child from birth to age 18. Kids mean bigger houses, bigger grocery bills, bigger cars, clothing, health care, child care and toys and books and video games.

Here’s what it costs per year, according to the feds, keeping in mind that richer families, as you’d expect, spend more than poorer families:

Families making less than $42,000 a year spend about $9,050 for one kid or $14,600 for two. Families making more than $70,000 spend $18,835 for one or $30,380 for two. Families in the middle spend $12,670 for one or $20,440 for two. One perk of having multiple babies: Two or more kids is more cost effective than having just one.

Do the math. The total a husband and wife will spend on two kids born today until age 18 will run a family at the top $732,000; a family in the middle $501,000; a family at the bottom, $366,000, according to the feds.

These figures do not include college. At current tuition inflation rates, it will take $240,000 to put a kid born today through a four-year public school, double that for a private school.

Ouch. That’s the bad news.

There’s plenty of good news, which I’ll discuss in future columns. Babies bring tax breaks. Lots of kids get scholarships. Baby registries, like my buddy’s, help pass start-up costs to friends and families.

Most importantly, millions of people successfully rearrange their finances to have cute lil’ bundles of joy. It’s not impossible.

The first step is to take a look at your current budget. Have an extra $10,000 a year to throw around? If so, great. If not, look for ways to make room for a new member of the household.

Then, have an honest discussion with your significant other about whether you can afford a kid now, or you’d be better holding off for a few years.

It’s a conversation worth having. Before you uncork the Chianti.

(((BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM)))

NEW BLOG

Do you remember the first time your grandma said bling, and you realized you could never say that word unironically again? And then your grandma and 27 million other people got a blog, and you decided it was time the whole bloggin’ blogosphere died a quiet, mainstream death.

I bring this up because, um, we’re rolling out a First Steps blog this week, on this newspaper’s Web site or at firststeps.mgblogs.com. Before you scoff, we promise this one will be useful.

We’ll stick to personal finance issues, instead of rambling from the NBA Draft to the war in Iraq. We’ll offer tools and resources to go with the columns (this week: a baby cost calculator), all of which will be archived by topic on the site.

Sean Mussenden is a national correspondent in Media General's Washington Bureau. E-mail Mussenden at smussenden@mediageneral.com

baby registry: Potentially fatal cancer cases predicted to double by 2020

07/06/2006 - 18:08:54

The number of people suffering from potentially fatal cancer will double by 2020, a new report revealed today.

The National Cancer Registry issued the warning as a study showed the amount of people with forms of the disease will go up from 22,000 a year at present to 42,000 or 43,000.

The elderly, who are more prone to cancer are most at risk, while an increase in common forms like skin, lung or breast cancer will add to the huge incidence rate.

Dr Harry Comber, director of the Registry, said the baby boom generation, born in the late 1940s, would bear the brunt of it.

“The majority of the increases are really due to factors which are beyond our control which is that our population is ageing and the proportion of the population that is over 65 is going to increase quite significantly over the next 15 to 20 years,” he said.

“This is the part of the population where the vast majority of cancers occur.”

The total number of new cancers is predicted to increase by 90%, from 22,019 to 41,743 between 1998-2002 and 2020, with a larger increase occurring in men 97%, than in women, 83%.

Some of the largest rises are expected in prostate cancer, a 275% increase between 2000 and 2020, kidney, an increase of 160% for women and 200% for men and melanoma, a 130% increase in women and 170% increase in men.

For individual cancers, the largest projected increases for women are in cancers of the liver, kidney, breast, lung, melanoma and gallbladder, and for men in cancers of liver, prostate, kidney, melanoma and testis, the report noted.

Only cancer of the head and neck in men is predicted to fall in numbers.

The Registry warned that the anticipated rise will place a major additional burden on health services which must be considered when planning for staffing and funding.

The body noted improvements in cancer survival rates, along with the increasing number of elderly patients, will create a much greater need for aftercare services and require a more active approach to the management of cancer in older people.

The report added: “If this future cancer burden is to be reduced, action needs to be taken now, both to deal with known risk factors and to identify others, as cancer risk in 2020 will be largely determined by current exposures.

“However, reducing risk will only partly solve the problem, as most of the expected increase in cancer numbers will be caused by the growing number of older people in the population.”

The report said that since the Registry was set up in 1994 there has been a steady increase in the number of cancers diagnosed – almost 3% a year.

It noted that most cancer, 65% in men and 54% in women, occur in the population over 65, so any change in the size of this population gives an indication of the rates of the disease.

The Registry warned however, that the assumption that incidence rates will continue to rise at their current rate may not hold true for all cancers.

It said the recent rapid increase in prostate cancer incidence is likely to be a product of increased PSA blood testing and as in other countries should eventually level off.

New risk factors and unanticipated new trends may also emerge, the report said. For many cancers, however, there seems to be a trend of slowly increasing risk, which is likely to continue.

baby registry: First Steps: Cost of kids grows faster than they do

By Sean Mussenden
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE

>> a d v e r t i s e m e n t <<

>> w e b t o o l s <<
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JOURNALNOW EXTRAS



Sean Mussenden's "First $teps" blog offers personal finance advice for 20- to 30-year olds at firststeps.mgblogs.com. You can also read Mussenden's Sunday column every two weeks in the Winston-Salem Journal.

Got a personal finance question? Comment? Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com, 202-662-7668 or join in discussions at his blog.

First Steps Columns
June 4, 2006
Cost of kids grows faster than they do


A buddy of mine just became a dad. Exciting stuff. I found out in an e-mail that came with a link to his Amazon.com baby registry, featuring a crib-bedding set for $179.99.

Seriously, almost 200 bucks for six pieces of cloth. The baby-industrial complex knows newborns sleep on mattresses the size of postage stamps, right?

If you're about 25, you're at the age when the average mother has her first kid. Maybe you're thinking about having one. Maybe your parents are pressuring you to give them a grandkid already.

It's a very big decision. Lots of prospective young parents ask themselves if they're emotionally ready, but too few figure out if they're financially ready.

As my friend's baby registry illustrates, kids are expensive. It may take nothing but love (or too many bottles of Chianti) to make a kid, but it takes serious coin to raise one.

The costs of kids

How much? The federal government, which seems to keep statistics on everything, surveys thousands of parents every year to estimate how much it costs to raise a child from birth to age 18.

Here's what it costs a year, according to the feds, keeping in mind that richer families, as you'd expect, spend more than poorer families:

Families making less than $42,000 a year spend about $9,050 for one kid or $14,600 for two. Families making more than $70,000 spend $18,835 for one or $30,380 for two. Families in the middle spend $12,670 for one or $20,440 for two. One perk of multiple babies: Two or more kids is more cost effective than having just one.

Do the math. The total a husband and wife will spend on two kids born today until age 18 will run a family at the top $732,000; a family in the middle $501,000; a family at the bottom, $366,000, according to the feds.

These figures do not include college. At current tuition inflation rates, it will take $240,000 to put a kid born today through a four-year public school, double that for a private school.

Ouch. That's the bad news.

There's plenty of good news, which I'll discuss in future columns. Babies bring tax breaks. Lots of kids get scholarships. Baby registries help pass startup costs to friends and families.

Most important, millions of people successfully rearrange their finances to have cute lil' bundles of joy. It's not impossible.

The first step is to take a look at your current budget. Have an extra $10,000 a year to throw around? If so, great. If not, look for ways to make room for a new member of the household. Then, have an honest discussion with your significant other about whether you can afford a kid now, or you'd be better holding off for a few years.

It's a conversation worth having. Before you uncork the Chianti.

Come blog with me

Do you remember the first time your grandma said bling, and you realized you could never use that word again? And then your grandma and 27 million other people got a blog, and you decided it was time the whole bloggin' blogosphere died a quiet, mainstream death.

I bring this up because, um, we're rolling out a First Steps blog today. You can find it on this newspaper's Web site. Before you scoff, we promise this one will be useful.

We'll stick to personal-finance issues, instead of rambling from the NBA Draft to the war in Iraq. We'll offer tools and resources to go with the columns, all of which will be archived by topic on the site.

• Got a personal finance question? Comment? Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com, 202-662-7668 or join in discussions at his blog at http://firststeps.mgblogs.com.

In two weeks: Time is running out to save on student loans.

baby registry: Health Calendar June 5-11 HEALTH CALENDAR

Classes, workshops, seminars

YOUR GUIDE TO ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE: Christine M. Boutwell will discuss Alzheimer’s disease. Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, available medications and considerations when caring for a person with the disease. 9-10 a.m. June 6, St. Luke’s South Hospital, 12300 Metcalf, Conference Rooms A&B, Overland Park. Free; register. www. saintlukes healthsystem.org (816-932-6220, Option 2)

EXPECTANT PARENT SEMINAR: “There’s a Baby on the Way: Packing Your Bag for the Hospital Stay.” Open to expectant parents, grandparents and caregivers. 6-7 p.m. June 7, Babies “R” Us, 8640 N. Madison. Free. Speak with a baby registry associate for more details. (816-420-8808)

KEEPING YOU IN STEP: Various orthopedic conditions and various surgical treatment options. Daniel Weed speaking. 9-10 a.m. June 8, St. Luke’s Northland Hospital, Barry Medical Park, 5844 N.W. Barry. Free; register. www.saintlukeshealth system.org (816-932-6220, Option 2)

SKIN CANCER AND AGING: Daniel Hurwitz will discuss common skin conditions and outline risk factors for skin cancer. Noon-1 p.m. June 8, University of Kansas Hospital, Westwood Campus, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Mission. Free; register. www.kumed.com (913-588-1227)

NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: Designed for couples who want to learn the Creighton Model System of Natural Family Planning to avoid or achieve pregnancy. 7 p.m. June 8, Providence Medical Center, 8929 Parallel, Kansas City, Kan. $20. (913-281-7777)

BABY FEST EVENT: “Dad’s in Training,” featuring hands-on product demonstrations and fun games just for dads. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. June 10, Babies “R” Us, 8640 N. Madison. Free. Signing up is preferred. Speak with a Baby Registry Associate for more details. (816-420-8808)

PREGNANCY, BIRTH AND YOU: For mothers in their sixth through ninth month of pregnancy and interested coaches. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. June 11, Providence Medical Center, Keenan Education Center, 8929 Parallel, Kansas City, Kan. $40. Register. (913-281-7777)

HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER CPR RENEWAL: 9 a.m.-noon June 11, National American University, Room 105, 10310 Mastin, Overland Park. $35. Register. www.kumed.com (913-588-1227)

Health fairs, screenings

SKIN CANCER SCREENING: Screening by Gale Oleson. Sponsored by Blue Springs Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the American Academy of Dermatology. 9-10:30 a.m. June 6, Vesper Hall, 400 N.W. Vesper, Blue Springs. Free. Please call to make an appointment. (816-228-9099)

COMMUNITY HEALTH SCREENING: Blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose. Mental health screening questionnaires available. 9 a.m.-noon June 7, American Red Cross, 211 W. Armour. $1-$8. Call for additional screening sites available on same day. (816-931-6662, Ext. 293)

FAMILY HEALTH FESTIVAL: Health screenings include bone density, foot, hearing, blood glucose, body fat, cholesterol and blood pressure. Children’s activities include mini-hospital experience. Chair massage, prize drawings, health information and giveaways. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 11, First Baptist Church of Raytown, 10500 E. Missouri 350. Admission free; lunch for purchase. www.saint lukeshealthsystem.org (816-932-6220)

Other

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION’S HEART WALK: Noncompetitive 1- and 4-mile walking event. Raise money to fight heart disease and stroke. Free health screenings, food and family fun. Sponsored by Shawnee Mission Medical Center. 7:30 a.m.-noon June 10, Theis Park, 47th and Oak. .org/kansascity (913-648-6727)


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Getting listed

E-MAIL: healthcal@kcstar.com

MAIL: Health Calendar, The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, MO 64108

DEADLINE: Typed notices should be received at least two weeks before the Monday publication date.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compiled by Paula Staton | The Star Submit items for publication to healthcal@kcstar.com.