Republican Chris Lee quits House in Internet scandal - YAHOO!

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A married congressman abruptly quit Congress Wednesday after revelations that he had sent flirtatious messages and a bare-chested photograph of himself to another woman on a prominent Internet site.

Republican Representative Chris Lee, 46, issued a statement apologizing for his actions, but did not directly mention an Internet report about his communications on the popular Craigslist website with a woman who was not his wife.

He was serving his second two-year term in the House of Representatives, representing a district in western New York state.

The Internet site gawker.com printed a series of e-mails the lawmaker apparently had exchanged with the woman, who asked not to be identified. The site also posted a picture of a shirtless Lee and reported that he had described himself as a divorced lobbyist and a "fit fun classy guy."

"The challenges we face in Western New York and across the country are too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, and so I am announcing that I have resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately," Lee said in a statement posted on his congressional website.

"I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness," Lee said.

Lee's resignation came just a month after his fellow Republicans formally took control of the House of Representatives from President Barack Obama's fellow Democrats.

His decision to quit Congress quickly after the scandal erupted came as House Republicans sought to focus attention on efforts such as trimming federal spending and rolling back Obama's healthcare overhaul law.

Lee was a member of two powerful House committees -- the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee and the Financial Services Committee. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 and was re-elected in November.

(Reporting by Joanne Allen; Editing by Will Dunham)

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CIBC continues mobile banking innovation with free CIBC Home Advisor App for all Canadian homebuyers - Yahoo Finance

New App for iPhone(R) and BlackBerry(R) smartphones gives Canadians instant access to mortgage tools, advice, and neighbourhood information, while they're out looking for a new home

TORONTO, Jan. 31 /CNW/ - After becoming the first major bank in Canada to launch a mobile banking App last year, CIBC today announced another mobile innovation with the launch of the free CIBC Home Advisor App for all Canadians, that gives homebuyers access to helpful information, tools, and advice right from their iPhone or BlackBerry smartphone while they're out house hunting.

To view this Social Media Release, please enter the following address in your web browser.

http://smr.newswire.ca/en/cibc/free-cibc-home-advisor-app-for-all-canadian-homebuyers

"Buying a home and choosing the right mortgage are among the biggest financial decisions Canadians will make in their lifetime, which is why it's so important they have the tools and advice to make an informed decision," said Christina Kramer, Executive Vice President, CIBC. "With the CIBC Home Advisor App, all Canadians have access to advice and information in the palm of their hand."

The CIBC Home Advisor App for iPhone and BlackBerry lets you:

Track and compare properties visited by taking and storing your photos, and completing a homebuyer's checklist for each home View neighbourhood maps and get immediate access to average property valuations and trends Request detailed neighbourhood reports for properties of specific interest Post, tweet, text or email details of the properties and neighbourhoods you are considering to share them with family and friends in real-time Access four different built-in calculators to help determine what you can afford, if you should rent vs. buy, the equity in your home, or your mortgage payment options Request a CIBC Pre-Approved Mortgage Certificate for financing to lock in an interest rate so you can search for your new home with confidence Contact the nearest CIBC Mortgage Advisor and arrange to meet wherever is most convenient for you to get advice on your mortgage options

"Canadians can now instantly review the homes they've just seen, learn about the neighbourhood, and start the pre-approval process all over a cup of coffee in between open houses," says Kramer. "They could even be standing in the home of their dreams while they apply for a mortgage pre-approval and connect with a CIBC Mortgage Advisor to get advice."

With the CIBC Home Advisor App, first time homebuyers and experienced homeowners alike can get answers to their questions along the way, with articles that provide helpful information about the purchase, financing, or sale of a home.

CIBC Home Advisor for BlackBerry has been certified a Super-App by RIM and leverages the BlackBerry Application Platform to integrate the specific user experience and BlackBerry features, including maps and GPS, social media, camera, and deliver an always-on experience. 
 
The CIBC Home Advisor App is also available on the iPod Touch, which clients can use over a wi-fi connection. Clients can visit the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch for a free download of the CIBC Home Advisor App, or visit the BlackBerry App World on their BlackBerry smartphone.

CIBC provides its clients with among the most extensive choice for banking across Canada with nearly 1,100 branches, including 7-day a week branch banking and almost 4,000 ABMS, 24-hour access through mobile banking, telephone banking, and online banking through www.cibc.com.

For more information and advice, visit www.cibc.com/homeadvisor or your local CIBC branch, or call 1-800-465-CIBC (1-800-465-2422).

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BankAtlantic Teams with Intuit Financial Services to Launch “This Way to $25K” TurboTax for ... - Yahoo Finance

{"s" : "bbx,bfcf.pk","k" : "a00,a50,b00,b60,c10,g00,h00,l10,p20,t10,v00","o" : "","j" : ""} Press Release Source: BankAtlantic On Tuesday February 1, 2011, 10:15 am EST

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BankAtlantic, “Florida’s Most Convenient Bank”, today announced a special opportunity to try TurboTax for Online Banking for free and be automatically entered into a “This Way to $25K” sweepstakes to win a Grand prize of $25,000 or one of twenty-five prizes of $1,000 each.

“While preparing your taxes, take advantage of an opportunity to win big this tax season,” commented Jarett Levan, CEO of BankAtlantic.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Click on My TurboTax on your account page.

2. Start your taxes by February 13, 2011.

3. You will be automatically entered for your chance to win the $25,000 grand prize or one of twenty-five $1,000 prizes. That’s it!

Best of all, starting TurboTax within BankAtlantic’s Online Banking combines the ease of pre-populating certain bank account data into your tax return, with TurboTax step-by-step guidance to help you maximize your refund. Not an online banking customer? No problem, just click www.BankAtlantic.com to open an account.

“In this economic environment and tax season, every dollar counts. To get your largest potential refund, it is more important than ever to find, itemize, and maximize your tax deductions,” Levan added. “BankAtlantic is very pleased to help make tough times a little easier by offering Floridians an opportunity to potentially save money on professional service fees and expedite their tax refund.”

About BankAtlantic: BankAtlantic, Florida’s Most Convenient Bank, is one of the largest financial institutions headquartered in Florida. BankAtlantic was rated as having the “Highest in Customer Satisfaction in Florida for Retail Banking” based on the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study™. Via its broad network of community branches and conveniently located ATMs, BankAtlantic provides a full line of personal, small business and commercial banking products and services. BankAtlantic is open 7 days a week and offers extended weekday hours, Online Banking & Bill Pay, a 7-Day Customer Service Center, Change Exchange coin counters, as well as retail and business checking accounts. Member FDIC. For further information, please visit www.BankAtlantic.com.

BankAtlantic Bancorp (NYSE:BBX - News) is a bank holding company and the parent company of BankAtlantic. For further information, please visit www.BankAtlanticBancorp.com.

About Intuit Financial Services:

Intuit Financial Services (formerly Digital Insight) helps banks and credit unions grow by making it easier for consumers and businesses to manage their money. As a division of Intuit Inc, Intuit Financial Services’ portfolio of on-demand solutions and services are built on insights gained over three decades working with customers and creating innovative offerings that anticipate their needs.

Intuit, the Intuit logo, Intuit Financial Services, Digital Insight, and TurboTax, among others, are registered trademarks and/or registered service marks of Intuit Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other parties' trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners and should be treated as such.

The “This Way to $25K” (the “Sweepstakes”) runs to February 13, 2011. Sweepstakes is sponsored by Intuit Financial Services, and open to all eligible entries, including entries from customers of financial institutions other than BankAtlantic. Employees of Intuit Inc., Daily, any participating Financial Institution, ePrize, LLC, and their parent and affiliate companies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible. Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes winners will be selected on or about February 25, 2011. Participation constitutes entrant's full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Sponsor's and Administrator's decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Sweepstakes. For Official Rules, including odds, alternate method of entry, and prize descriptions, visit www.thiswayto25k.com/terms.pdf . Void where prohibited.

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. The Company cautions that the foregoing factors are not exclusive. Further, BankAtlantic received the highest numerical score among retail banks in Florida in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Retail Banking Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on 47,673 total responses measuring 9 providers in Florida and measures opinions of consumers with their primary banking provider. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed in January 2010. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

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