Stories about poverty and famine are often in the news.  Can one person make a difference? A new children's book, The Good Garden: How One Family Went from Hunger to Having Enough (Kids Can Press), gives kids a way to understand these stories and learn how they can help.  Written by author and non-profit consultant Katie Smith Milway, the book raises kids' awareness of the important global issue of food security, one of the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals to end poverty by the year 2015.

The Good Garden is the story of one poor farming family in Honduras, who, like their neighbors, cannot be sure they'll have enough to eat.  From a new teacher, young Maria learns farming methods and ways to sell crops that help give her family greater food security. As Maria's community sees the success of her "good garden," the new practices spread. The Good Garden is inspired by the work of teacher Don Elias Sanchez, who devoted his life to helping small farmers in Honduras.

Seventy-five percent of the poor in developing nations are farmers like Maria's family. Without food security, these farmers not only lack food, but money for necessities like health care. The Good Garden includes information about non-profit organizations that help poor farmers. Kids learn how to volunteer, fundraise, create gardens, and take political action. Learn more at www.thegoodgarden.org.

The Good Garden is another book in Kids Can Press' CitizenKid™ collection, which includes Katie Smith Milway's award-winning book about microloans, One Hen, as well as books about global community, biodiversity, and water conservation, such as If America Were a Village, If the World Were a Village, and One Well. Visit www.kidscanpress.com for teaching resource materials.

Katie Smith Milway has coordinated community development programs in Latin America and Africa for Food for the Hungry International and was a delegate to the 1992 Earth Summit. She is co-founder of One Hen Inc., a non-profit that uses microfinance stories, interactive games and downloadable classroom resources to teach children financial responsibility and giving back.  Katie's adult book on sustainable development, The Human Farm: A Tale of Changing Lives and Changing Lands, documents the work of Don Elias Sanchez and Milton Flores.

SOURCE Kids Can Press

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The Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog is one of L.A.'s most-beloved culinary icons and now Angelenos can make it official.  Local food company Farmer John has teamed up with Los Angeles Dodger and self-proclaimed foodie Andre Ethier to launch a campaign to make the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog the Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles.  Beginning today, Ethier will kick off a whistle stop tour to rally the people to sign the petition at www.votelahotdog.org, and in return, for every signature collected in support of the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog, Farmer John will make a donation -- up to 25,000 pounds -- to local food banks.

"As a long-standing part of the Southern California community Farmer John has been dedicated to providing delicious products to the residents of Los Angeles for nearly 80 years, and we are thrilled to partner with a food lover like Andre to make the pairing of two great foods, hot dogs and bacon, an official part of Los Angeles history," said Ian Lavallee, senior product manager of Farmer John. "We think this is a campaign that all Angelenos can stand behind."

Ethier, a 2010 MLB All-Star and avid philanthropist, was drawn to the campaign, not only for the opportunity to make a local fan favorite hot dog the Official Hot Dog of Los Angeles, but also for the charitable aspect.  For every vote received, Farmer John has committed to donate one pound of food(1) to various Los Angeles-based food banks, including Union Rescue Mission, in an effort to give back to those in need.

"From the amazing people to world-class food, I love everything about the great city of Los Angeles," said Ethier. "That is why I chose to partner with Farmer John on its campaign to make the Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog an official part of our city's history, while at the same time, providing food to people who need it the most."

The campaign begins today, and the petition will be open through November 2nd, Election Day, when the official results will be announced and Los Angeles will learn if its beloved Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog will take its rightful place in city history.  Fans should go to www.votelahotdog.org to make their vote heard.

About Farmer John

Farmer John, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE: HRL), is headquartered in Los Angeles. Farmer John produces more than 1,200 items for the retail and foodservice channels in the western United States. Offering an array of fresh and value-added protein products, the Farmer John® Brand holds leadership positions in many categories. The world-famous Dodger Dogs® are one of the many products marketed under the Farmer John® Brand. The company employs more than 1,500 people in Southern California. For additional information, please visit www.farmerjohn.com.

About Andre Ethier

Andre Ethier made his Major League debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006 and quickly established himself as a major contributor to the Dodger lineup. He has since become a key offensive spark for the Dodgers and in 2009, was awarded the NL Silver Slugger and was voted MLB's Pepsi Clutch Player of the year. In 2010, Ethier was voted in as a starter in his first MLB All-Star game. Andre's enormous popularity off the field stems from his many charitable activities as well as his wildly popular MLB blog called 'Dining with Dre,' where he reviews many of the restaurants he discovers during his travels.

(1) Up to 25,000 pounds

SOURCE Farmer John

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Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I) today announced the acquisition of Brazilian glassmaker Companhia Industrial de Vidros (CIV), significantly expanding O-I's reach in South America's largest container market.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050412/CLTU028LOGO )

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050412/CLTU028LOGO )

CIV is the leading glass container producer in northeastern Brazil, one of the country's fastest-growing regions. The acquisition includes two plants in the state of Pernambuco and one in the state of Ceara and boosts O-I's capacity in Brazil by approximately 50 percent. The plants employ approximately 1,300 people and produce glass containers for the beverage, food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as tableware.  

Under the terms of the agreement, O-I is purchasing CIV's glass container business for $603 million, which includes future tax benefits with an estimated present value of $140 million. These tax benefits include federal and state incentives for development in Brazil's northeastern region. The all-cash transaction closed today.

In the first full year of operation, O-I expects the acquisition will boost regional net sales by approximately $200 million. The return on investment is expected to exceed O-I's cost of capital. The purchase price reflects a 5.8 times EBITDA multiple for the first year of operation, excluding the present value of future tax benefits and including estimated net cost savings.

"The acquisition of this well-managed company in South America – our fastest-growing and most profitable region – directly supports our strategy of expanding our presence in emerging markets with robust earnings growth potential," said Al Stroucken, O-I chairman and CEO. "Our recent expansions in Argentina, China, Malaysia and Vietnam, as well as the opening of new furnaces in Peru and New Zealand, clearly demonstrate our commitment to these rapidly growing regions and the opportunities they offer."  

O-I South America President Andres Lopez says the expanded Brazilian footprint also aligns with unfolding consumer trends and customer growth plans. "Economic development and increased consumer purchasing power is driving significant growth in the Brazilian container market. Our customers are expanding their operations, and this acquisition enables us to serve them, as well as new customers, more effectively. After we've implemented our advanced technology and lean manufacturing principles, we fully expect to boost productivity in the new plants," said Lopez.  

Highlights of the acquisition and additional market-related data are available on the

O-I Web site at  www.o-i.com/investorrelations.

About O-I

Millions of times a day, O-I glass containers deliver many of the world's best-known consumer products to people all around the world. With the leading position in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America, O-I manufactures consumer-preferred, 100 percent recyclable glass containers that enable superior taste, purity, visual appeal and value benefits for our customers' products. Established in 1903, the company employs more than 22,000 people with 78 plants in 22 countries. In 2009, net sales were $7.1 billion. For more information, visit www.o-i.com.

Regulation G

EBITDA consists of earnings before interest income, interest expense, provision for income taxes, noncontrolling interests, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA is not a measurement of financial performance under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and should not be considered as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or as a measure of liquidity or an alternative to net income as indicators of the Company's operating performance or any other measures of performance derived in accordance with GAAP. The most directly comparable GAAP financial measure to EBITDA is earnings from continuing operations attributable to the Company. EBITDA, as calculated by the Company, may not necessarily be comparable to other similarly titled captions of other companies due to potential inconsistencies in the method of calculation. Management uses this non-GAAP measure principally for internal reporting, forecasting and budgeting and believes that investors may use it as supplemental information to evaluate a company's ability to service its indebtedness.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectations and projections about future events at the time, and thus involve uncertainty and risk. It is possible the Company's future financial performance may differ from expectations due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to the following: (1) foreign currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar, (2) changes in capital availability or cost, including interest rate fluctuations, (3) the general political, economic and competitive conditions in markets and countries where the Company has operations, including disruptions in capital markets, disruptions in the supply chain, competitive pricing pressures, inflation or deflation, and changes in the tax rates and laws, (4) consumer preferences for alternative forms of packaging, (5) fluctuation in raw material and labor costs, (6) availability of raw materials, (7) costs and availability of energy, (8) transportation costs, (9) the ability of the Company to raise selling prices commensurate with energy and other cost increases, (10) consolidation among competitors and customers, (11) the ability of the Company to integrate operations of acquired businesses and achieve expected synergies, (12) unanticipated expenditures with respect to environmental, safety and health laws, (13) the performance by customers of their obligations under purchase agreements, and (14) the timing and occurrence of events which are beyond the control of the Company, including events related to asbestos-related claims. It is not possible to foresee or identify all such factors. Any forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments, and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from expectations. While the Company continually reviews trends and uncertainties affecting the Company's results of operations and financial condition, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or supplement any particular forward-looking statements contained in this news release.

SOURCE Owens-Illinois, Inc.

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Scanbuy, Inc. (www.scanbuy.com), the global leader in mobile barcode solutions, and Lion Nathan Wine Group (www.lionnathanusa.com), owner and importer of fine wines from around the world, announced today the launch of Cellar Key, the most integrated 2D mobile barcode marketing platform that provides users fast and easy mobile access to information on Lion Nathan's esteemed wine brands.

With the ScanLife mobile app, users can scan the Cellar Key "QR" Code featured on a bottle's neck tag, shelf display, wine menu or other location to point their mobile phone camera at it and instantly read reviews, meet the winemaker, take a video tour of the winery and explore food and wine pairings. Mobile users can also instantly share their experience on social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter.

"Mobile barcode technology is proving itself to be an extremely easy and engaging way for brands to connect with their target audience," said Mike Wehrs, CEO and president of Scanbuy.  "Furthermore, it's a technology that provides marketers a simple way to obtain valuable metrics and data that highlight consumers' interest on specific products and the improved effectiveness of campaigns that utilize mobile barcode technology."

Cellar Key will initially feature six wines including Oregon's Argyle Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and Vintage Brut; Australia's St Hallett Faith Shiraz and Poacher's Blend from the Barossa Valley; New Zealand's Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and Argento Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina. Each 2D barcode is associated with a specific wine and features an embedded code, or URL, that will automatically open up to a content rich website on a mobile device when scanned.

For more information on Cellar Key or other mobile barcode campaigns, please visit www.scanbuy.com.   To get the free ScanLife application, go to www.getscanlife.com from your mobile browser.

About Scanbuy

Scanbuy is the leading global provider of mobile barcode solutions that use the camera phone as the link between the physical world and the digital world. The ScanLife solution consists of a multi-barcode reader application and interoperable Code Management Platform. The technology has been successfully deployed and supported by leading mobile providers and handset manufacturers in the United States, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Italy and Denmark. Media companies and marketers use the solution to create and manage measurable 2D barcode campaigns, extending brand engagement onto mobile devices.

Scanbuy has the largest and oldest patent portfolio of any company in the industry, with over 30 patents granted covering the entire solution. The company's investors include Motorola Ventures, Hudson Ventures, Masthead Venture Partners, and Longworth Venture Partners.

For more information on Scanbuy, please visit www.scanbuy.com or www.scanlife.com.

About Lion Nathan USA

Formed in 2008, Lion Nathan USA represents a unique collection of traditional and contemporary wine brands from some of the world's most coveted wine regions. The domestic portfolio includes the highly acclaimed Argyle Winery in Willamette Valley, Oregon and imported wines include St Hallett from the Barossa Valley in Australia, Wither Hills from Marlborough in New Zealand, Argento from Mendoza, Argentina and Inkberry from Central Ranges, Australia among others. For more information, please visit www.lionnathanusa.com .

SOURCE Scanbuy, Inc.

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March may have its green shamrocks and green beer, but the flow of hops and barley remains strong in New York throughout the month of September - especially when September is officially known as German-American Friendship Month.

Recognized by the Mayor's office for the fourth consecutive year, German-American – Friendship Month honors the German-American culture and the many contributions made by German immigrants by holding an entire month of celebrations, including the 53rd German-American Steuben Parade.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg will help to kick off the month of festivities with a private reception hosted at the German-style Biergarten at the Standard Hotel, September 1, 2010 from 5 PM to 7 PM. The Biergarten is located at 848 Washington Street in New York City.

This year's German-American Friendship Month will feature a myriad of cultural events such as concerts, movie presentations, lectures - even a pub crawl and yacht cruise around Manhattan featuring New York's number one Alpine rock band, Die Schlauberger. The highlight of Friendship Month will be the traditional German-American Steuben Parade, which will be held on Saturday, September 25th on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 86th streets. The German-American Steuben Parade is known to be one of the most colorful parades in New York City, with more than twenty musical and dance groups from Germany scheduled to perform, many masked and costumed Karneval groups, marchers adorned in traditional Tracht (the historical costumes worn in many German regions), marksmen and more.

The Steuben Parade will be led by two Grand Marshals: the legendary Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and Dr. Michael Moller, the Managing Director of Staatliches Hofbrauhaus in Munich, Germany, who are the producers of the fastest growing German beer in the US market, Hofbrau.

Both Grand Marshals shall be on hand at the opening reception, along with Miss German-America, Stephanie Russell-Kraft, Dr. Oliver Schnakenberg, Deputy Consul General of Germany, Dr. Ernst-Peter Brezovsky, Consul General of Austria, Dr. Christoph Bubb, Consul General of Switzerland, Heinz Buck, President of the German-American Committee, and others.

The kick-off celebration is a joint effort between the German American Committee of Greater New York, an umbrella not-for-profit organization that oversees the parade, along with the Standard Hotel Biergarten and Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner, Culinary Consultant to the Biergarten and founder of KGNY Restaurant Group. The KG-NY portfolio of restaurants includes Wallse, Cafe Sabarsky at the Naue Galerie, Blaue Gans, and the Upholstery Store wine bar. All feature traditional and nouveau-Austrian and German cuisine.

For additional information about German-American Friendship Month in New York visit:

http://www.germanparadenyc.org.

About the German American Committee of Greater New York: GACGNY is a not-for-profit organization (501c3) registered in the state of New York. The organization oversees the German American Steuben Parade of New York, an annual parade honoring the great achievements of German immigrants in the United States. For more information visit: www.germanparadenyc.org

About KG-NY:  The KGNY Restaurant Group owns and operates several restaurants throughout New York City. Founded by top Austrian chef Kurt Gutenbrunner, the KGNY portfolio of restaurants feature modern interpretations of Austrian cuisine. For more information visit: www.wallse.com

SOURCE KG-NY

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