VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – 10/22/09) – U.S. Geothermal Inc. (”U.S. Geothermal”) (TSX:GTH)(AMEX:HTM), a renewable energy company focused on the production and sale of electricity from geothermal energy, announced today that well NHS-5, the second full size production well at the Neal Hot Springs project located in eastern Oregon, was successfully completed on October 15.

NHS-5 encountered several lost circulation zones within the targeted horizon and intercepted a large aperture fracture at 2,796 feet resulting in a total loss of circulation. The well was completed to a depth of 2,896 feet. An initial 16 hour flow test completed using air lift produced fluid at a rate of 1,500 gallons per minute and resulted in a down hole flowing temperature of 286 degrees F (141 degrees C).

The reservoir-hosting fracture zone intersected in NHS-5 is 509 feet deeper in the geologic system than the large producing fracture intersected by NHS-1 which is

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GSK, one of the top pharmaceutical companies, is facing new delays over the approval of their vaccine Cervarix that is aimed for the treatment of cervical cancers. GSK said that the reason for delay is because the FDA failed to complete their review on Cervarix by the anticipated deadline. However, soon GSK was dragged into deeper problems when a 14-year old school girl in UK died hours after receiving the Cervarix vaccine.

However, the FDA has clearly denied that the cause for the delay was not because of the death. Hours later, NHS declared that the post-mortem was done and they are assured that the death was not due to the vaccine. GSK says that they are confident about Cervarix and will submit their reports to FDA and are expecting that

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American Medical Systems Holdings, Inc. (AMMD) recently won a new contract to supply three of its female stress urinary incontinence (SUI) treatment devices, Monarc Subfascial Hammock, MiniArc Single-Incision Sling, and SPARC Sling System, in the U.K. The contract was awarded by the public healthcare provider of the U.K. , the National Healthcare Services (NHS), as part of its multiple-awardees contract. Financial details of the contract are yet to be disclosed.  The devices will be available to women treated in any NHS hospital in the region and supported by the Normanton centre, U.K. The Monarc device is one of the leading transobturator slings that bring relief to women suffering from SUI. It has been estimated that more than 600,000 women have been implanted with the Monarc, MiniArc and SPARC systems globally.  We think that the new contract is a shot in the arm for American Medical Systems ...

Highlights include D.R. Horton, Inc. (DHI) and Lennar Corp. (LEN).OK, one month does not make a trend, and we have lots and lots of ground to make up.  But combine the news on New Home Sales (NHS) with the report earlier this week on existing home sales and today's durable goods report, and we just might have some good news for the economy.Remember the mantra -- at this point, more new housing starts bad, more new home sales good.Well, in February, NHS were up 4.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 337,000 from January's rate of 322,000. The January number was revised up a significant 4.2% from the initial read of 309,000.Still, nationwide, NHS are down 41.1% from a year ago, and just a tiny fraction of the 1.4 million annual rate at the peak of the insanity ...