HealthGrades Expects Third Quarter Revenue of Approximately $10 Million : Full-Year 2008 Ratings and Advisory Revenue to Be $39 Million to $40 Million Company Provides Update on Stock Repurchase Program

HealthGrades Expects Third Quarter Revenue of Approximately $10 Million : Full-Year 2008 Ratings and Advisory Revenue to Be $39 Million to $40 Million Company Provides Update on Stock Repurchase Program

Health Grades, Inc. (NASDAQ:HGRD), the leading independent healthcare quality ratings company, today announced that it expects total revenue for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008 to be approximately $10 million. This represents an increase of 23% compared with the third quarter of 2007.

GOLDEN, Colo. (PRWEB) October 14, 2008

HealthGrades also announced that it now expects full-year 2008 ratings and advisory revenue to be in the range of $39 million to $40 million, compared with previous guidance of $41 million to $43 million. This new guidance represents growth of 19% to 22% compared with 2007 and includes only a modest contribution from the acquisition of WrongDiagnosis. com, which the Company announced today. HealthGrades affirms guidance for 2008 operating margin to be in the range of 17% to 21%.

Since June 30, 2008, the Company has repurchased 666,871 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $2.3 million. In 2008 the Company has repurchased 2,097,742 shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $10.0 million.

"There is significant interest in our sponsorship and advertising programs and traffic to the HealthGrades Web site is at record levels," said Kerry Hicks, CEO of HealthGrades. "However, revenue growth in the Internet Business Group is below our previous internal forecast due to fewer-than-expected new advertisers and lower-than-expected advertising rates. Given the current economic and business environment, we do not expect advertising spending or rates to improve before the end of the year. In addition, while we are seeing our new sales pipeline build in our Provider Services business, the sales cycle is extending in this area as well. We do not believe this is a reflection on the long-term prospects of this business, but rather hospitals are taking a bit more time to make purchasing decisions in the current economic climate."

The Company plans to report financial results for the third quarter before the market opens on October 30, 2008. HealthGrades management will discuss quarterly results and comment on the outlook for the remainder of the year in an investment community conference call and webcast that same day beginning at 11:00 a. m. Eastern time.

About Health Grades, Inc.

HealthGrades is the leading independent healthcare ratings company, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing homes and physicians to consumers, corporations, health plans and hospitals. Millions of consumers and many of the nation's largest employers, health plans and hospitals rely on HealthGrades' independent ratings and decision-support resources to make healthcare decisions based on the quality and cost of care. More information on the Company can be found at http://www. healthgrades. com (http://www. healthgrades. com).

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements relating to the Company's expected revenue for the third quarter 2008, and ratings and advisory revenue for the full year 2008. Actual results may differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements due to several factors, including without limitation, slower than expected adoption of some of the Company's newer product areas such as advertising/sponsorship sales, a decline in advertising rates, a decline in anticipated contract retention rates, the Company's inability to enter into meaningful contractual arrangements and to successfully expand certain lines of business and other factors described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially the section entitled "Risk Factors" in its 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

ValueOptions Links a Healthy Heart to Sound Mental Health

ValueOptions Links a Healthy Heart to Sound Mental Health

A new educational guide helps program administrators and members identify and make behavioral changes necessary to prevent and manage heart disease.

Norfolk, VA (PRWEB) June 30, 2006

ValueOptions announced today the launch of an integrated cardiovascular/behavioral health initiative for its corporate customers. Titled “Heart and Mind Connections,” the new training guide provides information, support and tools for applying a behavioral approach to preventing and managing heart disease, the number one killer of Americans and a leading cause of disability.

Behavioral health issues such as depression, anxiety and chronic stress are often silent contributors to coronary heart disease. Research has shown that people with heart problems are more likely to suffer from depression than otherwise healthy people. Conversely, people with depression are also at greater risk for developing heart disease.

Because the relationship between heart disease and mental health is clear, this intervention program focuses on paying specific attention to the links between emotion, behavior, coping strategies and cardiovascular health. The ValueOptions program not only helps individuals identify the behaviors that need to be changed, but also provides specific tools to help individuals mobilize and make healthy behavioral changes.

“ValueOptions has unparalleled expertise in understanding human behavior and helping individuals modify their behavior,” says Christopher Dennis, MD, MBA, vice president and medical/clinical director of ValueOptions’ New York City service center and member of the initiative’s development team. “Every day, we help individuals improve their emotional and psychological health. By supporting individuals in their efforts to prevent or manage heart disease, we can improve their heart health as well.”

The program provides resources and direction to all ValueOptions’ commercial clients with the objective of developing a strong outreach initiative in any setting, including the workplace, that links the relationship between cardiovascular health and behavioral health.

The good news is that for many people, heart disease is a preventable illness. For those individuals at risk or diagnosed with coronary heart disease, there are many lifestyle changes and medications that can effectively control the progression of this disease.

“Heart and Mind Connections” is available for viewing on ValueOptions’ corporate Web site at www. valueoptions. com.

About ValueOptions

Covering over 24 million lives through a variety of direct contracts with health plans, employers, as well as state and county agencies, ValueOptions is a national managed care company that specializes in disease management for all mental health and chemical dependency diagnoses. ValueOptions supports the unique needs of client organizations with traditional managed care products, integrated behavioral healthcare services, as well as wellness and prevention initiatives and work-life programs. Leveraging a national behavioral health provider network of over 70,000 practitioner locations, ValueOptions puts the clinical well being of our members as our first and foremost priority. Visit www. valueoptions. com for more information.

For more information, please contact:

Tom Warburton

Vice President, Marketing & Communications

ValueOptions

(757) 459-5215

This press release was distributed through eMediawire by Human Resources Marketer (HR Marketer: www. HRmarketer. com) on behalf of the company listed above.

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Best-Selling Author Dan Pink to Kick-Off the 2011 Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference on March 9 as Opening Keynote Speaker

Best-Selling Author Dan Pink to Kick-Off the 2011 Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference on March 9 as Opening Keynote Speaker

Common Language and Ringling College of Art and Design, producers of the 3rd Annual Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference, today announced New York Times best-selling author Dan Pink as the opening keynote speaker for the 2011 meeting, which will take place March 9-10 at Ringling College in Sarasota, Florida.

Sarasota, FL (Vocus) December 3, 2010

Common Language and Ringling College of Art and Design, producers of the 3rd Annual Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference, today announced New York Times best-selling author Dan Pink as the opening keynote speaker for the 2011 meeting, which will take place March 9-10 at Ringling College in Sarasota, Florida.

Pink is the author of four provocative books about the changing world of work – including the New York Times bestsellers, A Whole New Mind and Drive, which together have been translated into 29 languages. His articles on business and technology appear in many national publications, he provides analysis of business trends to major television news networks, and he lectures to organizations around the world on economic transformation and the new workplace.

“We are delighted to welcome Dan Pink to Sarasota as the keynote speaker to the 3rd Annual Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference,” noted Dr. Larry R. Thompson, president of Ringling College. “His compelling message in his latest book, Drive, is sure to resonate with baby boomers at all life stages. His focus on what really spurs creativity and gives meaning and purpose to our pursuits is inspirational, eye-opening and transformative. Businesses that serve boomers will benefit from Pink’s insights on what’s motivating and engaging these consumers today.”

The 2011 Conference will focus on the theme of Healthy Living by Design and cater to marketing and business executives whose companies offer products and services aimed at baby boomers - the 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. Boomers are key to Florida’s economic future, and are expected to make up more than 30 percent of the state’s population by 2015. This year’s Conference agenda will devote special attention to trends in categories gaining in popularity among those boomer consumers, including
 consumer-driven healthcare  personalized, functional, and integrated medicine  nutraceuticals, supplements, and functional foods  cosmeceuticals and anti-aging products  natural and organic products  corporate wellness programs  sustainable living  devices and technologies that enhance quality of life and longevity.

The first day of the conference, March 9, will offer a series of optional workshops and events, followed by an evening kickoff with Pink’s keynote presentation and a reception for all attendees. March 10 will feature a full day of exciting speakers, panels, and breakout sessions, plus plenty of networking time for attendees to connect, collaborate and discuss business partnerships.

The Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, ChappellRoberts, Willis Smith Construction, Dermazone, Firm Solutions, Lifelines Academy, Better Living, Cabot Creamery, Boomer Authority and 83 Degrees. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For more information, contact Michelle Bauer at michelle(at)common-language(dot)com or 727-510-2524.

Registration for the Florida Boomer Lifestyle Conference is now open. Tickets are $195 through January 30, and $245 from February 1 – March 4, when online registration closes. For additional information and updates, please visit http://www. floridaboomerlifestyle. com.

Ringling College of Art and Design is located at 2700 North Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34234.

About Common Language
Common Language provides strategic consulting and communications services to innovative healthcare, technology, consumer products and specialty services companies. We help our clients gain greater visibility among audiences that matter most to them, enter new markets and attract more customers in existing ones, and forge strategic alliances that result in increased market share for their business. For more information, please visit our web site at http://www. common-language. com.

About Ringling College of Art and Design
For nearly 79 years, Ringling College of Art and Design has cultivated the creative spirit in students from around the globe... changing the way the world thinks about art and design and helping shatter the myth of the starving artist. http://www. ringling. edu

Founded in 1931 by noted art collector, real estate magnate, and circus impresario John Ringling, the private, not-for-profit college is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to confer the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree in 13 disciplines: Advertising Design, Computer Animation, Digital Filmmaking, Fine Arts, Game Art & Design, Graphic & Interactive Communication, Illustration, Interior Design, Motion Design, Painting, Photography & Digital Imaging, Printmaking, Sculpture, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree (BA) in the Business of Art & Design.

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Dugger Named Partner At Stewart & Stimmel

Dugger Named Partner At Stewart & Stimmel

The health care law firm of Stewart & Stimmel L. L.P. is pleased to announce that R. Keith Dugger has been named partner in the firmÂ’s Dallas office.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 5, 2005

The health care law firm of Stewart & Stimmel L. L.P. is pleased to announce that R. Keith Dugger has been named partner in the firmÂ’s Dallas office.

Mr. Dugger joined Stewart & Stimmel in January 2002 where he has advised clients on a full range of health care-related issues. He has been instrumental in the development and management of the firmÂ’s regulatory and transactional practice group, and regularly works closely with the firmÂ’s clients to assist in identifying and addressing key operational issues affecting their facilities.

“Keith is a wonderful attorney who will make an excellent partner in our firm,” says Stewart & Stimmel co-founder James “Mac” Stewart. “His expertise in federal and state health care regulations makes him invaluable to clients as well as an important member of our team.”

Mr. Dugger has addressed such matters as:

• Fraud and Abuse analysis

• HIPAA and medical record privacy and access

• Hospital/physician joint ventures

• Medicare and Medicaid Reimbursement

“I am tremendously honored to be named partner at this firm,” says Mr. Dugger. “My plan is to continue to build on the vision that Stewart & Stimmel has to become the best legal counsel to the health care industry.”

Prior to joining Stewart & Stimmel, Mr. Dugger was a partner in the Kansas City, Missouri law firm of Seigfreid, Bingham, Levy, Selzer & Gee, P. C. He earned his B. A. in English from Oklahoma State University in 1992, and his J. D. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1996. Mr. Dugger holds membership in both the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of Missouri and is a former director of the Young Lawyers Section of the Lawyers Association of Kansas City. Also, he was named a “Top Lawyer Under 40” by D Magazine in 2004.

With offices in Dallas, Houston and Tyler, Stewart & Stimmel, L. L.P. specializes in providing legal services to hospitals, physicians and other types of health care providers. For more information, visit the firmÂ’s Web site at www. stewartstimmel. com.

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LiveProcess Continues National Expansion into Four New Key States

LiveProcess Continues National Expansion into Four New Key States

Nationwide demand escalates for comprehensive emergency preparedness and incident management solutions

Verona, NJ (PRWEB) September 24, 2008

LiveProcess, the leader in healthcare emergency preparedness and incident management solutions, announced today that it has entered four new states, adding hospital customers in California, Texas, New York and Alabama to its growing national network.

These additions come as LiveProcess continues to build out its national presence and drive continued enhancements of its industry-leading, Web-based platform.

The new customers include:
 California - Fifteen hospitals in the County of Riverside in Southern California including Riverside Medical Center, Desert Regional Medical Center, Riverside Community Hospital and Corona Regional Medical Center.  Texas - Fifteen hospitals with the Dallas-Fort Worth-based North Central Texas Trauma Regional Area Center (NCTTRAC), including Parkland Memorial Hospital, Denton Regional Medical Center, the Medical Center of Plano and Texoma Medical Center.  New York - Cooperstown, NY-based Bassett Healthcare, a multi-hospital system covering 5,000 square miles in upstate New York. Bassett includes five hospitals and a large number of outpatient clinics and health centers in eight counties.  Alabama - East Alabama Medical Center, Opelika, AL, and Jack Hughston Memorial Hospital, Phenix City, AL, one of Phenix City's largest employers.

LiveProcess helps healthcare facilities of all sizes -- from small, freestanding hospitals to large integrated healthcare networks -- meet disaster preparedness challenges with a broad range of solutions. LiveProcess also maintains a proven record of supporting emergency preparedness and response activities within healthcare systems and regional coordinating facilities.

"The additions of our new customers are important milestones for LiveProcess as we begin expanding throughout the country," said Nathaniel Weiss, CEO and founder. LiveProcess recently closed a significant growth capital financing round to drive the continued national implementation of its first-to-market emergency management solution. The company is aggressively expanding nationwide as demand escalates for a comprehensive solution to emergency preparedness and incident management.

About LiveProcess:
LiveProcess was established in the wake of the September 11th attacks and the worldwide SARS outbreak in response to widespread recognition that healthcare needed a better way to plan and respond to disasters. In 2003, LiveProcess launched its centralized, Web-based disaster preparation and incident management platform -- the first of its kind for healthcare -- to help healthcare organizations prepare for and respond to both large - and small-scale emergencies and disasters. Today, it is the leader in emergency management for hospitals.

The LiveProcess platform is used by hundreds of hospitals across the country. In addition, the American Hospital Association (AHA) has exclusively endorsed LiveProcess as the choice for disaster readiness and incident command solutions for its more than 5,000 member hospitals.

The LiveProcess platform provides hospitals, other healthcare providers and public health agencies with the ability to evaluate and manage their own preparedness and state of readiness, as well as coordinate response with other entities, from small incidents through large-scale healthcare emergencies. Its broad and growing range of fully-integrated tools include Hazard Vulnerability Analyses (HVAs), an integrated Incident Command System (ICS), NIMS Compliance activities, Drills for Readiness and Compliance, a real-time Event Log, and Competency-Based Training capabilities.

For more information on LiveProcess, please visit www. liveprocess. com.

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Dr. I-Net Integrates Risk Management into EMR

Dr. I-Net Integrates Risk Management into EMR

Due to deteriorating malpractice litigation trend, health insurance crisis and heightened expectations about patient safety, Dr. I-Net has been enhancing the effectiveness of their EMR by integrating the corresponding Risk Management module to provide physicians added value to reduce malpractice premium.

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) October 19, 2005

Dr. I-Net is a leading provider of personal health record solutions to consumers and providers, launched a new connectivity tool for physicians. The risk management module allows for identification and analysis of incidents that might give rise to injury, liability, financial loss or regulatory noncompliance. Automated tracking and reporting are integrated with EMR to comply with necessary QA activities. EMR+RM module helps:

 Dramatically reduce errors and improve quality of care  Enhance clinical documentation and coding  Reduce malpractice liability  Increase in physicians revenues  Identify high risk patients  Comply with HIPAA regulations and other compliances

Incident Reporting allows for instant documentation and tracking of critical incidences as they occur in providers facility. Reporting functionality allows to see at a glance which units / facilities are more effective at controlling Incidences, and which facilities can learn a little more.

Benefits:

 Immediate notification of critical events drastically decreases follow up time.  Critical events are followed up in an expedited fashion ensuring repeated events are kept to a minimum.  Information can be quickly translated into better resident care plans.  Manage critical issues before they become an issue with regulators.  Decrease litigation costs and track outcomes

Features:

 Online and printed manual documenting the high risk elements, policies and QA procedures  Process review and integration with EMR and or manual implementation  Compliance and training for errors, incidents and reporting flow chart

Dr. I-Net’s spokeswoman Ashley Chopra said that the core of this product offering, protects physicians from allegations of medical malpractice. Dr. I-Net physician network connects the physicians with right underwriters to obtain the best possible terms. Dr. I-Net continually monitors trend and technologies in health care delivery, medical practice productivity, clinical risk management and insurance underwriting.

Dr. I-Net is an integrated healthcare logistics company. Dr. I-Net stores medical records and provide connectivity solution between physician, patient & payer. Centralized patient information is deployed to facilitate quality on-time care with lowest operating cost. Dr. I-Net develops and market tools to reduce the spiraling healthcare services costs by offering unique value for private & secured storage and pre-populated claim submission.

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Lynchburg StarTek Wins Best in the World for Community Spirit Award Presented at Contact Center World Finals

Lynchburg StarTek Wins Best in the World for Community Spirit Award Presented at Contact Center World Finals

Lynchburg, VA—StarTek (NYSE:SRT) in Lynchburg has captured the “best in world” gold medal in the category “Best Community Spirit” from the 2009 Contact Center World Awards.

Lynchburg, VA (PRWEB) December 5, 2009

StarTek (NYSE:SRT) in Lynchburg has captured the “best in world” gold medal in the category “Best Community Spirit” from the 2009 Contact Center World Awards. The medal was awarded at the World Finals competition this month in Las Vegas. Gold medal winners from the first round of competition from the Americas, Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC ) divisions vied for the top honor. Companies from South Africa and Singapore won silver and bronze.

“To be the best in the entire world is just an incredible honor,” said Robert O’Leary, site director in Lynchburg. “Our competition was some of the largest contact centers in the world and for our Lynchburg site with 300 employees to win is a remarkable feat. We are very proud of our team and especially Brenda Nash who presented our program at the World Finals.”

“We were competing as a site against two large corporate community programs that had much larger budgets and numbers of employees,” said Brenda Nash, operation manager at StarTek in Lynchburg. “I think the judges were impressed by the diversity of our activities and the level of commitment from our employees. We could boast 100% participation in our programs. When we asked them later why they voted for us it was because the community effort was done by the employees instead of having the company just write a large check.”

StarTek’s 15 minute presentation included a video featuring representatives from some of the organizations StarTek benefitted either through fundraising efforts or volunteer hours. It also featured employees expressing their enthusiasm and interest in participating in the community events.

“We have found that our reputation for community involvement has been an effective recruiting and retention tool. It has made a difference in the kind of employee who wants to work with us and the team spirit at our site makes them want to stay,” continued O’Leary.

Lynchburg employees volunteered 3,234 community service hours, worked with 18 different local organization and charities, and raised $37,205 in 2008. Over the past 3 years employees in Lynchburg have volunteered 8,397 hours in the local community and raised $135,493 for charity. Some of the organizations supported by StarTek in Lynchburg include American Red Cross, American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Lynchburg Humane Society and the Family Alliance
The 2009 Top Performers Awards recognize the very best in the contact center industry globally. Winners from the three divisions the Americas, EMEA and APAC were determined earlier this year and competed November 2-4, 2009 in Las Vegas at the 4th Annual Top Ranking Performers Conference.

At StarTek……………………Community Matters
Community Matters is a corporate social responsibility program aimed at engaging employees in community activities throughout the year. The program provides the company and our employees a platform to give back to the communities where they live and work. StarTek ‘s Community Matters emphasis is on the following initiatives; health and wellness, hunger and basic needs relief and education advocacy.

About StarTek
StarTek, Inc. (NYSE: SRT) is a high quality business process outsourcing (BPO) company dedicated to service. For over 20 years, the company has been committed to serving the needs of its clients and their customers. StarTek helps its clients manage the customer experience across the customer life cycle, resulting in improved customer retention, increased revenue, and greater cost efficiencies. Its comprehensive suite of solutions includes sales, order management and provisioning, customer care, technical support, receivables management, and retention programs. The company also offers clients a variety of multi-channel customer interaction capabilities including voice, chat, email, IVR and back-office support. Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, StarTek has 20 delivery centers including onshore locations in North America, near shore in Costa Rica, offshore in the Philippines and virtually through its StarTek@Home workforce. For more information, visit www. StarTek. com or call +1 303 262 4500.

Media Contact:
Rosemary Hanratty
StarTek
Tel +1 720 314 1042

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Fairman Schmidt & Hurley Launches Division Targeting Non-Profits for Strategic Branding and Communications

Fairman Schmidt & Hurley Launches Division Targeting Non-Profits for Strategic Branding and Communications

Fairman Schmidt & Hurley, an advertising and communications agency that has created award-winning national advertising campaigns for well-known brands such as Sassy Infant Products, No Yolks Noodles, Jockey Underwear and ToastÂ’em Pop-Ups Toaster Pastries, announced it has hired Michael Oxman, formerly with Euro RSCG Tatham Partners and DÂ’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, to establish a new division specializing in strategic branding, advertising and communications targeted exclusively to non-profit organizations.

(PRWEB) November 26, 2003

News Release

For More Information:

Dave Fairman

Fairman Schmidt & Hurley

312.464.9797 Phone

312.464.9788 Fax

Dfairman@fshadv. com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fairman Schmidt & Hurley Launches Division Targeting Non-Profits for Strategic Branding and Communications

CHICAGO, IL (November 25, 2003) – Fairman Schmidt & Hurley, an advertising and communications agency that has created award-winning national advertising campaigns for well-known brands such as Sassy Infant Products, No Yolks Noodles, Jockey Underwear and Toast’em Pop-Ups Toaster Pastries, announced it has hired Michael Oxman, formerly with Euro RSCG Tatham Partners and D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles, to establish a new division specializing in strategic branding, advertising and communications targeted exclusively to non-profit organizations.

According to Dave Fairman, Chairman of Fairman Schmidt & Hurley, the agency hired Oxman to lead the division because of his unique experience in working with non-profits to develop organizational brand strategies and communications. According to Oxman, “there’s a real need for non-profit organizations to become more entrepreneurial, which means starting to think more like a for-profit organization. With funding sources for non-profits being cut from numerous sources, the pressure is on to identify opportunities for differentiation, for which organizational branding, advertising and communications are all critically important”.

Fairman noted “the time was right to launch this new entity within our agency because the need among non-profit organizations looking for guidance and expertise in strategic brand marketing is out there and growing”. He added “advertising agencies have generally been reluctant to get involved with non-profits in a big way due to a perception that there were no budgets for organizational branding and communications. Historically, many non-profits looked to ad agencies for work on a pro-bono basis”.

According to Oxman, “the landscape in the world of non-profits is rapidly changing. There are many organizations that have begun to allocate a portion of their budgets to initiatives such as branding, many of whom are unsure where to go for the work they need. As an example, Oxman points to the recent work that he and a team of others created for the Comprehensive Health Education Foundation in Seattle, a highly-regarded non-profit organization that was looking to brand itself in a meaningful way. The organization hired Oxman to use a disciplined, finely-tuned approach, borrowing from his twenty years experience with big ad agencies, to develop a strategic positioning, brand identity and integrated communications plan. Results to date have been impressive, with a whole new strategic brand platform for C. H.E. F. that is reflected in everything from its brand mark to business papers to brochures to brand identity standards and its website.

Targeting non-profits throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, Illinois and other major U. S. cities, Fairman Schmidt & Hurley is already in active discussions with a number of interested organizations seeking to utilize the agency’s expertise in this unique area of specialty. Says Fairman, “we’re thrilled about our newly expanded capabilities, and believe the offering will fulfill a need in the marketplace that is not currently being met”.

Fairman Schmidt & Hurley (www. fshadv. com) is a full-service, privately held advertising agency based in Chicago. Major clients include ABN AMRO Asset Management, Home Access Health, MAM Pacifiers, No Yolks Noodles, Northern Trust Corporation, Sassy Infant Products, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, ToastÂ’em Pop-Ups Toaster Pastries and Wacky Mac Pasta.

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New Makeup Technology Prevents Eye Irritation

New Makeup Technology Prevents Eye Irritation

Most women have experienced itchy, watery eyes, often attributing their eye irritations to allergic reactions to their cosmetics. But contrary to that belief, mascaras and eyeliners flaking and running into the eyes, not allergies, cause most eye problems. With this in mind, cosmetics companies such as Blinc Inc. uncovered new developments in eye makeup technology that have resolved these problems.

Herndon, VA (PRWEB) September 21, 2005

Most women have experienced itchy, watery eyes, often attributing their eye irritations to allergic reactions to their cosmetics. But contrary to that belief, mascaras and eyeliners flaking and running into the eyes, not allergies, cause most eye problems.

With this in mind, cosmetics companies such as Blinc Inc. uncovered new developments in eye makeup technology that have resolved these problems. Unlike most eyeliners and mascaras, BlincÂ’s Kiss Me Mascara and Kiss Me Eyeliner are acrylic-based, which means they cannot flake, smudge, clump or run. BlincÂ’s mascara and eyeliner are also free of damaging and irritating ingredients.

Some ophthalmologists are even recommending Kiss Me Mascara and Eyeliner to their patients who have sensitive eyes, wear contact lenses or recently had laser eye surgery.

The way Kiss Me Mascara works is that it forms tiny, water-resistant tubes around the lashes that can be removed with a combination of warm water and gentle friction. The similarly formulated Kiss Me Eyeliner creates a water-resistant layer of color on the lid that peels off with the mascara. No makeup removers are needed for these products.

Another method for maintaining healthy eyes is to replace your mascara and eyeliner regularly. The beauty industry recommends every 90 days to avoid bacteria build-up. Similarly, cosmetics, especially eye makeup, should never be shared with others as this can increase the spread of germs.

Many physicians also recommend that you preserve the health of your eyes through antioxidant - and lutein-rich supplements. One such product is Super Antioxidant Plus with Macular Protection by ClinicianÂ’s Choice.

To learn more about BlincÂ’s line of gentle cosmetics for the eyes, visit www. blincinc. com or call 1-877-454-7763.

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The Journey of the Lost Boys: A True Story of Courage, Faith, and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called 'The Lost Boys of Sudan'

The Journey of the Lost Boys: A True Story of Courage, Faith, and the Sheer Determination to Survive by a Group of Young Boys Called 'The Lost Boys of Sudan'

Author Joan Hecht recounts personal stories of the Lost Boys of Sudan in her recent biographical narrative.

Jacksonville, FL (PRWEB) March 21, 2006

Imagine you are a young boy, maybe as young as three or four, separated from your family by civil war, traversing deserts and mountains with little food and water, no medical care and no protection from wild animals. Imagine watching your family slaughtered by enemy soldiers. It is hard for us to imagine unless we are watching a thriller on television. But, it really did happen to approximately thirty thousand young children from the South of Sudan.

While the civil war was going on, these children banded together, walking over a thousand miles across the wilds of Africa. Many perished along the way. When the children arrived at the first refugee camps in Ethiopia, the unaccompanied minor boys (Lost Boys) were separated into “boys only” area of the camps. However, according to Sudanese culture, the girls could not be left on their own and were incorporated into foster families. When the selection process began for resettlement to the United States, the girls were no longer considered as orphans, (a requirement for resettlement), and were thereby left behind. There was also the issue of dowries, which is still acceptable in Sudan. Many of the foster families refused to release the girls, knowing that in doing so they would relinquish any dowry money for the young girls, who were now of marrying age.

As a result, only 87 Lost Girls came to the Untied States in the summer of 2001, in comparison to the 3800 Lost Boys. “Those featured in my book ultimately resettled in the United States,” explains Joan Hecht, author of “The Journey of the Lost Boys” (ISBN 0976387506).

When arriving in the United States The Lost Boys had to be taught the basics of everyday life, such as how to flush a toilet and use running water and electricity. They had literally walked from the wilds of Africa and landed head-on into the twenty-first century. “In addition to their incredible story, I think their child like innocence and charm is what drew me to them,” details Hecht. “I initially thought I’d be assisting them for only a month or so, as they struggled to acclimate to our modern society.”

However, Hecht’s venture has now surpassed four years and in addition to helping them through the resettlement process, she has established a non-profit foundation to assist with their health and educational needs called Alliance for the Lost Boys of Sudan, http://www. allianceforthelostboys. com (http://www. allianceforthelostboys. com). Hecht adds, “I no longer consider them to be a charitable project, but instead, extended members of my family. My children call them their brothers and I call them my sons. I truly love them.”

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Food Poisoning Suspected in 3 Deaths, 40 Illnesses at Central State Hospital in Pineville, LA

Food Poisoning Suspected in 3 Deaths, 40 Illnesses at Central State Hospital in Pineville, LA

Lawyer Richard J. Arsenault of Neblett, Beard & Arsenault in Louisiana says the estimated 5,000 U. S. deaths each year from foodborne illnesses "is just unacceptable when we are dealing with illnesses that are for the most part preventable.”

Alexandria, LA (PRWEB) May 10, 2010 –

Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals and other regulatory agencies are investigating a possible foodborne illness (http://www. myfoodadvocate. com/about-foodborne-illness. asp) outbreak, which left 40 sickened and three dead at Central State Hospital in Pineville, Louisiana.

“This is one of the potential hazards associated with institutional dining settings -- one tainted food handler or poisoned food item can contaminate a large number of people in a short amount of time,” said Attorney Richard J. Arsenault (http://www. neblettbeardandarsenault. com/our-attorneys/law/richard-arsenault/), who will be speaking on foodborne illness outbreaks at the upcoming American Association for Justice convention in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Arsenault’s firm, the Alexandria-based Neblett, Beard & Arsenault (http://www. neblettbeardandarsenault. com/), has represented hundreds of foodborne illness victims throughout Louisiana and across the country. The firm has worked with many of the nation’s top food safety experts in some of the nation’s largest food poisoning outbreaks.

At Pineville’s Central State Hospital, patients and staff were sickened with “gastrointestinal symptoms” beginning on Friday, May 7 at 6:30 a. m. By Saturday morning, three victims were dead and several more hospitalized. Each of the victims reportedly ate chicken salad before developing symptoms.

“The health agencies are investigating what might have gone wrong at Central State. They will be testing ingredients of the chicken salad that was served at the facility and reportedly eaten by the victims prior to the onset of the illnesses,” said Arsenault.

Investigators believe that the outbreak was limited to an isolated incident at the hospital. Central State Hospital’s kitchen will remain cordoned while the investigation continues. Health agencies are also anticipating receiving the autopsy reports for the three victims and other laboratory results within a few days.

“According to CDC estimates, foodborne illness (http://www. neblettbeardandarsenault. com/practice-areas/law/foodborne-illness/) is responsible for over 5,000 deaths in America every year,” added Arsenault. “That number of victims is just unacceptable when we are dealing with illnesses that are for the most part preventable.”

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Hot Weather Places Extra Stress on Feet: Podiatrists Offer Tips for Keeping Feet Cool, Comfortable and Attractive

Hot Weather Places Extra Stress on Feet: Podiatrists Offer Tips for Keeping Feet Cool, Comfortable and Attractive

Like other areas of the country, average high temperatures in New Jersey for July and August are 80-90 degrees, but last week's heat wave set new records in Newark and Atlantic City. Lawrenceville, New Jersey podiatrist Dr. Bruce Bitcover says that means people need to exercise caution when it comes to foot care.

Princeton, NJ (PRWEB) August 10, 2006

Like other areas of the country, average high temperatures in New Jersey for July and August are 80-90 degrees, but last week's heat wave set new records in Newark and Atlantic City. Lawrenceville, New Jersey podiatrist Dr. Bruce Bitcover says that means people need to exercise caution when it comes to foot care.

Dr. Derek Smith of Stillwater, Oklahoma, agrees. While Oklahoma residents are accustomed to triple-digit temperatures in summer, Dr. Smith says, "Heat can make certain foot problems worse. Unlike armpits, feet are usually wrapped up in containers (shoes), so perspiration is a bigger problem. Skin reabsorbs moisture, making skin soggy and unhealthy. In that environment, there's little protection from microbes and the tendency to develop blisters is much greater. Also, heat increases friction, causing problems such as eczema, psoriasis and callus to become much worse."

Along with other podiatrists, Drs. Bitcover and Smith recommend taking certain steps to prevent heat-related foot problems. They recommend:

· Wearing sandals or "open" style shoes that allow feet to breathe

· Using a foot powder, such as Zeasorb, to help keep feet dry

· If wearing socks, using socks that wick away moisture

· Washing feet at least once a day, being sure to dry well between toes

· Rotating socks and shoes more often - up to several times a day

· While staying hydrated, being careful not to overdo fluids which can cause extremities to swell.

C. J. Buck, MIA, CEO of Xenna Corporation, a distributor of natural foot care products, says, "While these are recommendations that everyone should follow, many people have a problem with wearing "breathable" shoes such as sandals or open-toed styles because they're embarrassed by the way their feet look. Regardless of how hot it gets, many individuals simply refuse to expose their bare feet because of unattractive yellow, discolored nails or rough, flaking heels."

Products such as Xenna’s natural, diabetic-friendly NonyX® Nail Gel and CalleX® Ointment solve the problems of dry, cracked feet and unsightly toenails with regular use.

Xenna's NonyX Nail Gel is a patented, easy-to-use gel that breaks down and removes keratin debris - the discolored, yellow or thick granular buildup under nails that causes them to become discolored and unattractive. NonyX Gel softens keratin debris using natural ethanoic acid, which permits it to be gradually scraped out with a manicure tool, beginning after about four weeks. Once the white or yellow keratin debris is removed, regular use of NonyX keeps nails free of keratin debris buildup, leaving them clear and healthy-looking.

For feet that are dry and flaking or callused, CalleX® Ointment offers an acid-free, fast-acting way of exfoliating dead skin and moisturizing the foot. Safe for diabetic use, CalleX has been shown in consumer studies to significantly reduce callus, dry, flaking skin and cracking on soles and heels within 15 to 30 days. CalleX Ointment is recommended by podiatrists nationwide as an at-home product for their patients to moisturize dry, rough or flaky heels and thin callused areas, while leaving normal skin unaffected.

Buck says, "When I go to the Jersey Shore, I can't help but notice people's feet, because, well, that's the business I'm in. You'd be surprised how many men wear hot, sweaty sneakers on the sand and boardwalk. If they are not joggers, I often suspect they’re hiding their toenails because they're embarrassed by the way they look. If they only knew that with our products and a little effort, they could be confident in showing off their handsome, bare feet! Likewise, many women spend a fortune on monthly pedicures to get their heels exfoliated! CalleX Ointment is a much easier and less expensive way to have beautiful, bare heels!”

To view before and after photos of NonyX Gel and CalleX Ointment, click on www. xenna. com.

NonyX Nail Gel can be purchased in the footcare section of Walgreens, Rite Aid, Longs, CVS Pharmacy, Eckerd Pharmacy, Wal-Mart, Brooks Pharmacy, Duane Reade, HEB grocery stores and many Medicine Shoppe pharmacies.

CalleX Ointment is available in the footcare section at Walgreens, Longs and many Medicine Shoppe pharmacies. Both brands are also available online at www. drugstore. com, www. FootSmart. com and www. xenna. com.

Xenna Corporation is a privately-held, woman-owned company which develops and distributes natural personal care products for skin, hair and nails. For questions or further information, contact Xenna at 800-368-6003.

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UltraClenz Makes a Donation to Help Group of Foreigners Living in Chile with Their Earthquake Relief Aid of Southern Chile

UltraClenz Makes a Donation to Help Group of Foreigners Living in Chile with Their Earthquake Relief Aid of Southern Chile

UltraClenz, LLC, a Florida-based hand hygiene technology firm, donated US$1,000 (one thousand US dollars) on Friday, 5th March 2010 to help a local group of foreigners living in Chile (expats) with their earthquake relief efforts in Southern Chile. The team made up of members from the AllChile. net Forum led by Charles Spencer (General manager of Spencer Global) and his wife Zandra Valenzuela (Chilean Attorney at Law), have been working diligently since the 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Chile on the 27th February.

Jupiter, FL (PRWEB) March 6, 2010

UltraClenz, LLC (http://www. ultraclenz. com), a Florida-based hand hygiene technology firm, donated US$1,000 (one thousand US dollars) on Friday, 5th March 2010 to help a local group of foreigners living in Chile (expats) with their earthquake relief efforts in Southern Chile. The team made up of members from the AllChile. net (http://www. allchile. net) Forum led by Charles Spencer (General manager of Spencer Global (http://www. spencerglobal. com/)) and his wife Zandra Valenzuela (Chilean Attorney at Law), have been working diligently since the 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Chile a week ago. Even though Charles and Zandra themselves were affected by the earthquake and had no power and limited internet access, they immediately started working on locating members and assisting all the foreigners. Members of the forum have been posting news and have been assisting in finding missing people throughout the various affected regions.

On Thursday, 4th March, Charles announced "We have a plane, 2 American doctors (one is an OBGYN), a warehouse in Temuco full of food and other supplies. We will start flights out of Temuco to towns going north up the coast. We will do recon flights until we find a town that needs help, unload doctors and medical supplies, collect the info on what else they need and continue from their. We need help to cover cost of fuel and buying medical supplies. Our goal is to have this fully operational by Saturday." The small aircraft, donated by Vince Beasley in Puerto Varas, Chile is Cessna 206 equipped as a "Bush Plane" in Alaska, where the plane worked for many years. It has 6 seats and can carry 5 passengers. Five of the seats can be removed to allow cargo inside. There is also an external cargo compartment that can carry up to 300 pounds (136 kg.).

Shortly after his announcement, donations started rolling in. "We followed the news carefully about the events in Chile and came across the AllChile. net (http://www. AllChile. net) forum. We saw that this group of foreigners living in Chile were trying to get aid to the smaller more remote areas of the south, the coastal towns. We immediately offered our assistance and sent over a donation in order to help with their efforts.", said Marina Willis, president of UltraClenz.

Charles also announced on Saturday that the Chilean government has given the 2 doctors provisional licenses to practice medicine in Chile. "Our pilot has picked the doctors up where they live in the Patagonia. They have gone to Puerto Montt where a government health ministry agent met them and formally served them in person with the licenses. They are now in Temuco ready to go. We currently have hanger space confirmed at Temuco airport from the flying club of Temuco for us to operate out of. Mayor University is helping us coordinate the logistics inside Temuco." Charles also mentioned that he will post pictures on AllChile. net (http://www. AllChile. net) in order to let everyone follow along with what is going on.

As operations begun, The AllChile. net (http://www. allchile. net/chileforum/topic4006-105.html? sd=d) team set up a back office in Temuco airport. Charles and Zandra have provided printers, fax machines, computers and volunteers are rolling in to help with IT and logistics. The Temuco Flying Club has also added more planes to the operation. Hotel Bayern in Temuco has donated an apartment for the doctors and their family as well as for Vince (the pilot).

"Our hope is that companies and people around the world will offer their assistance and make charitable donations in order to help groups like AllChile. net (http://www. AllChile. net) speed up the recovery process in countries that are affected by these natural disasters." said Marina Willis.

AllChile. net (http://www. AllChile. net) is asking for donations in order to help with fuel and medical supplies. They are also asking for funds to bring in fire fighter gear donated by Fire Fighters in the US into Chile. Unlike most countries, all fire fighters in Chile are volunteers. They were receiving funds using PayPal but as they are not a registered charity, PayPal has blocked the account. Charles is asking for donations to be made via Western Union (Charles Spencer, Temuco, Chile) or via wire transfer (details can be found on the AllChile. net (http://www. allchile. net/chileforum/topic4006-105.html? sd=d) forum). If you do make a donation by Western Union, please email law@spencerglobal. com to let them know.

About UltraClenz
Since 1995, UltraClenz LLC (http://www. ultraclenz. com) (UC), headquartered in Florida, has been creatively integrating information technology with proper hand hygiene. UltraClenz is an original equipment manufacturer of touch-free dispensing and sanitizing solutions for distributors and end users throughout theworld. We have a vast array of products ranging from touch free soap & sanitizer dispensers, touch free hand wash sink conversion kits, and complete HACCP monitoring equipment. For more information, visit www. ultraclenz. com (http://www. ultraclenz. com).

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Is Your Business Leaky? FuseTalk's FuseDiligence™ Provides State of the Art, Patent Pending Collaborative Business Improvement Software™

Is Your Business Leaky? FuseTalk's FuseDiligence™ Provides State of the Art, Patent Pending Collaborative Business Improvement Software™

Across all lines of business, all managers, all employees, all customers, all of the supply chain - businesses are leaking. Single user, silo techniques don't work very well in a competitive world where people and organizations have to do more with less just to stay the same. What can be done to stop losing precious know-how every day? The answer is FuseDiligence.

Ottawa, ON (PRWEB) October 21, 2009

FuseTalk Inc., the leading provider of enterprise-grade online discussion forum software, announced the official release of FuseDiligence (http://www. fusetalk. com/ProductsServices/FuseDiligence/Overview/tabid/100/Default. aspx)™. This patent pending, intuitive Collaborative Business Improvement Software™ allows managers and consultants to do more with less and harness the power of group and corporate community awareness and involvement.

Like a corporate community Swiss army knife, FuseDiligence provides business improvement (http://www. fusetalk. com/ProductsServices/FuseDiligence/BusinessThemes/BusinessImprovement/tabid/132/Default. aspx), due diligence (http://www. fusetalk. com/ProductsServices/FuseDiligence/BusinessThemes/DueDiligence/tabid/138/Default. aspx) benchmarking and assessment, decision making (http://www. fusetalk. com/ProductsServices/FuseDiligence/BusinessThemes/DecisionMaking/tabid/139/Default. aspx) improvement, and planning and analysis (http://www. fusetalk. com/ProductsServices/FuseDiligence/BusinessThemes/PlannningAnalysis/tabid/140/Default. aspx). In the important areas of opportunity and risks, organizations can assess and develop improvement plans based on a systematic approach.

Unlike silo and conventional techniques such as email, thin agendas and less than action-oriented meetings, FuseDiligence provides productivity and efficiency by capturing and reusing operating, tactical and strategic business processes. Whether the goal is to automate and streamline your hiring process, perform competitive assessments, evaluate management performance, review market opportunities, or discuss the merits of new products and services, FuseDiligence can dramatically leverage the undertaking. FuseDiligence can help realize continuous improvement in any facet of your business - HR, IT, Marketing, R&D, Innovation, Intellectual Property, Finance & Administration, Health and Safety, or the Environment.

FuseDiligence is based on the FuseTalk platform and demonstrates the scalability, flexibility and configurability of FuseTalk. The "leaky business" metaphor is one that most managers and consultants can relate to and it's a pinnacle problem that FuseDiligence uniquely addresses.

"On this next wave of corporate productivity we need to reach new levels of efficiency in how we capture and use knowledge and expertise," says Greg Waite, President of FuseTalk Inc. "The amount of know-how that is generated, only to be lost and generated again is mind boggling. What good is a budget without corporate discussion and vetting? What good is a health and safety program that cannot evolve through employee and manager participation? How can hiring decisions be based on subjective consideration and manual or inefficient techniques? What good are reports if we don't discuss how to repeat good results or redress shortcomings? We consistently fall back on the lowest common denominator when pressed to manage, decide, improve or plan. The common denominator is no longer acceptable in a fiercely competitive world. We can't have a business being built one brick at a time. We need teams, tools, templates, measurements. We need to reuse, recycle and improve."

Designed to fuse teams around integrated discussion, management plugins and mission critical data, FuseDiligence is intuitive, powerful and highly customizable.

FuseDiligence features include:
a threaded discussion module for exchanging ideas by individuals and groups   a budget module for itemizing expenditures relevant to the assessment or improvement process an assessment module for establishing priorities and capturing benchmark details a score card module for analysis of comparables and continuous performance measurement; tabulating individual, team or group responses a tasks module for assigning responsibilities and managing performance timelines an ability to attach or link to documents and images related to the assessment re-usable model templates to leverage new or related applications a data partnering capability to easily import relevant data sources for continuous management, analysis and business decision making a multiple categorization capability for flexible and unrestricted organization

FuseTalk™ Inc. is the leading provider of discussion forums, blogging tools, wikis and collaboration solutions. Available in ColdFusion MX and. NET platforms, FuseTalk enables organizations to build an interactive community that can share knowledge, exchange information and views, and help solve problems. FuseTalk brings the power of discussion to your customers, partners, employees, and stakeholders through its fully-featured, secure and customizable web interface. Highly scalable and configurable, FuseTalk accommodates any number of users, and offers an easy-to-use friendly user interface. A single FuseTalk installation can run a thousand different forums - all with different access rights and users. FuseDiligence leverages all of the capabilities of FuseTalk and provides powerful, patent pending traits that make FuseDiligence "business essential" Collaborative Business Improvement Software™.

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Pima Medical Institute Trains Students for High Demand Healthcare Careers

Pima Medical Institute Trains Students for High Demand Healthcare Careers

Top-Colleges. com, a Salt Lake City education marketing company, announces a new marketing partnership with Pima Medical Institute, a specialized career training school with campuses throughout the Western United States. Top-Colleges provides additional web presences for over 150 career colleges, technical schools and online colleges nationwide.

(PRWEB) July 13, 2005

Top-Colleges. com, a Salt Lake City education marketing company, announces a new marketing partnership with Pima Medical Institute, a specialized career training school with campuses throughout the Western United States. Top-Colleges provides additional web presences for over 150 career colleges, technical schools and online colleges nationwide. Visit Pima Medical Institute on Top-Colleges at http://www. top-colleges. com/s/pima. php? source=pima-prw-mb-pd (http://www. top-colleges. com/s/pima. php? source=pima-prw-mb-pd).

Pima Medical Institute offers AssociateÂ’s degrees and certificate programs in some of the highest demand medical careers in the country. These medical programs include respiratory therapy, physical therapy assistant, pharmacy technician, medical assisting and nursing. Pima Medical Institute started as one school in Tucson, AZ and has since expanded to eight campuses in seven Western states. Pima Medical Institute courses are accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools.

Top-Colleges. com is an Internet resource matching potential students with schools and colleges based on course of study and location. With a rapidly growing base of schools, colleges and universities and over 200,000 unique visitors per month, Top-Colleges. com is a premier online college resource. The Top-Colleges monthly newsletter features the latest news and commentary on todayÂ’s fastest growing career fields. Top-Colleges is owned and operated by AffiliateCrew.

AffiliateCrew is a specialized Internet marketing company focusing on direct response advertising and affiliate marketing to promote sales and lead generation. AffiliateCrew is based in Salt Lake City, UT.

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Athens Consulting Volunteers Time To Habitat For Humanity

Athens Consulting Volunteers Time To Habitat For Humanity

Athens Consulting, the leading provider of outsourced promotional marketing and customer acquisition teams, recently volunteered for seven hours at the Habitat for Humanity booth and helped sign more than 85 slots of five-hour spans for volunteers at the recent Columbus Fair in Columbus, Ohio.

Gahanna, OH (Vocus) October 19, 2009

Athens Consulting (http://www. athens-consulting. com), the leading provider of outsourced promotional marketing and customer acquisition teams, recently volunteered for seven hours at the Habitat for Humanity booth and helped sign more than 85 slots of five-hour spans for volunteers at the recent Columbus Fair in Columbus, Ohio.

Michael Rosenberg (http://www. bbb. org/centralohio/business-reviews/marketing-agencies/athens-consulting-in-gahanna-oh-70017003), President of Athens Consulting, and two of his staff members volunteered and participated in a number of activities in the booth, using their sales experience and background to sign up volunteers to work with Habitat. In addition, they passed out shirts and helped with games, including the Habitat “nail competition.”

Athens Consulting also lent their assistance during the Habitat tours of a special bus that demonstrated how Habitat is building efficient, healthy, and sustainable homes.

“We were able to help out at the Habitat booth and make a real difference,” said President Michael Rosenberg. “We were also able to see how Habitat really does their work, taking unreliable homes to livable ones. It was amazing to see how the organization works and we were happy to be a part of it.”

About Athens Consulting
Athens Consulting is a leading outsourced sales and marketing company in the business-to-consumer market. Through the use of courteous, professional, and service-specific presentations, Athens Consulting creates a positive and lasting impression. Athens Consulting’s approach enhances brand loyalty, which translates into increased revenue and long-term success. For more information, contact Michael Rosenberg at (614) 322-0100 or log on to http://www. athens-consulting. com (http://www. athens-consulting. com).

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Genetic Ancestry Data Improve Diagnosis in Asthma and Lung Disease

Genetic Ancestry Data Improve Diagnosis in Asthma and Lung Disease

Americans with lung disease may face a far greater level of lung damage than either they or their doctor suspect, depending on their individual genetic heritage, according to a study to be released July 7. The research implications range from diagnosing the severity of asthma, to disability decisions or eligibility for lung transplants, researchers say.

(Vocus) July 8, 2010

Americans with lung disease may face a far greater level of lung damage than either they or their doctor suspect, depending on their individual genetic heritage, according to a study to be released July 7. The research implications range from diagnosing the severity of asthma, to disability decisions or eligibility for lung transplants, researchers say.

In the largest study of its kind to date, spanning a dozen research centers and pooling data on more than 3,000 patients, a team of researchers led by UCSF and Northwestern University found that patients’ precise genetic background told far more about their potential lung function – and therefore any damage that has occurred – than the self-identified racial profile commonly used in such tests.

The results point to a more precise method of assessing patients’ lung function, as well as the potential impact of using precise genetic benchmarks for assessing health overall, researchers say. Findings will appear in the July 22 print edition of the “New England Journal of Medicine” and online on July 7 at nejm. org (http://www. content. nejm. org/).

Lung function is one of many medical assessments that use standard benchmarks, such as age, sex and race, to determine the normal expected range for an individual patient. Similar criteria also are used in assessing kidney function or the risk for some cancers. In patients with lung disease, those benchmarks help physicians assess the severity of damage represented by a patient’s lung function test and are often used to determine whether patients have severe asthma, or whether they may be eligible for disability insurance or a lung transplant.

Standard race categories, however, don’t capture the extent of our ancestral diversity, according to the paper’s senior author, Esteban G. Burchard, MD, MPH, who is director of the UCSF Center for Genes, Environment and Health, and a member of the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, a joint department between the UCSF schools of medicine and pharmacy.

“People throughout the world have a richer genetic heritage than can be captured by our current definitions of race,” Burchard said, noting that almost every continent has large populations that are known to be genetically mixed. “When we force patients into an individual box, such as ‘African-American’ or ‘Caucasian’, we’re missing a lot of genetic information.”

While this study focused on patients who define themselves as African-Americans, the participants’ actual genetic ancestry ranged broadly and included Caucasian and African heritage.

“Since genetic ancestry improves our definition of normal lung function, it may be relevant for determining the severity of all lung diseases, as it was for asthma in this study,” adds Rajesh Kumar, MD, an attending physician at Children’s Memorial Hospital, associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the lead and corresponding author on the paper. “Taking genetic ancestry into account could result in more appropriate treatment for patients.”

The study used recently developed genetic tools to estimate individual genetic ancestry and found a significant association between ancestry and lung function. Advances in technology have reduced the cost of those tools significantly, according to the researchers. As a result, this could be a viable method of dramatically improving patient care at relatively low cost.

The researchers used five large-scale, independent health studies with self-identified African American populations, ranging in age from 18 to 93 years, to examine the impact of genetic ancestry on measures of lung function.

The team found a significant link between African ancestry and pulmonary measurement in both men and women across all ages.

“This study provides new evidence that genetic ancestry correlates to physiologic measures,” added Burchard. “With it, we’re one step closer to personalized medicine.”

The authors acknowledge some important limitations with the study. For example, the association between lung function and ancestry could be influenced by factors other than genetics, such as social and environmental exposures.

The paper had four co-first authors. In addition to Kumar, they include Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH, with the UCSF Department of Medicine, San Francisco; Max A. Seibold, PhD, with National Jewish Health, Denver; and L. Keoki Williams, MD, MPH, with the Center for Health Services Research and the Department of Internal Medicine, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit.

Co-authors from Northwestern include Kiang Liu, PhD; Lewis Smith, MD, and Laura Colangelo. Alex Reiner, MD, was a coauthor from the University of Washington, School of Public Health. UCSF co-authors include Joshua Galanter, MD; Chris Gignoux; Donglei Hu, PhD; Shweta Choudhry, PhD; Saunak Sen, PhD; and Elad Ziv, MD. Also from Henry Ford is Edward Peterson, PhD. Paul Enright, MD, was a co-author from the University of Arizona.

The research was funded in part by several institutes within the National Institutes of Health, including the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; the National Institute on Aging; and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Further support was provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Flight Attendant Medical Research Institutes. A complete list of authors, their affiliations and disclosures are available with the article, at NEJM. org (http://www. nejm. org/).

UCSF is a leading university that advances health worldwide by conducting advanced biomedical research, educating graduate students in the life sciences and health professions, and providing complex patient care.

Children’s Memorial Hospital, founded in 1882, is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and one of only a handful of U. S. children’s hospitals with a dedicated pediatric research center. In 2009, Children’s Memorial treated nearly 145,000 children resulting in more than 500,000 patient visits.

Follow UCSF on Twitter at http://twitter. com/ucsfnews (http://twitter. com/ucsfnews)

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Articulate Software Helps College Students Receive Higher Grades According to University of Houston Study

Articulate Software Helps College Students Receive Higher Grades According to University of Houston Study

Research project reveals that hybrid teaching approach – using Articulate software to create e-learning – dramatically improves student performance

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 3, 2008

A technical report from a University of Houston Department of Health and Human Performance researcher finds that students in a hybrid class that incorporated instructional technology with in-class lectures scored a letter grade higher on average than their counterparts who took the same class in a more traditional format.

Dr. Brian McFarlin, a researcher and assistant professor at the University of Houston created e-learning courses using Articulate Rapid E-Learning Studio Pro (http://www. articulate. com/products/studio. php) and incorporated this in conjunction with classroom lectures. His traditional Kinesiology class met twice a week for a 90-minute lecture in a large auditorium. Alternatively, his hybrid class met once a week for traditional 90-minute lectures augmented with Articulate-created e-learning courses. The courses were accessed by students from the University’s WebCT Learning Management System (LMS).

“The main reasons I chose Articulate was for its ease-of-use and the quality of the output,” said Dr. McFarlin. “If you can use PowerPoint, then your learning curve is minimal and the results are really engaging. I also like how easily Articulate produces SCORM output that lets me publish my courses to our University LMS for student access and tracking.”

Student feedback regarding the hybrid teaching model was extremely positive. ''I was surprised that the increase in student grades was so dramatic,'' continued Dr. McFarlin. “I personally think that the hybrid format is the wave of the future.”

“I constantly hear about the outstanding results that college instructors are getting using Articulate software to produce online courses that supplement or replace traditional lectures,” said Tom Kuhlmann, Articulate’s vice president of community and author of the Rapid E-Learning Blog (http://www. articulate. com/rapid-elearning/). ''It’s great that a research study has been published that supports these anecdotal results.''

The full study has been published in ''Advances in Physiology Education'' http://advan. physiology. org/cgi/content/full/32/1/86 (http://advan. physiology. org/cgi/content/full/32/1/86)] with additional information available at the University of Houston’s web site: http://www. hhp. uh. edu/Currentevents/08_McFarlin_course. cfm (http://www. hhp. uh. edu/Currentevents/08_McFarlin_course. cfm)].

About Articulate
Articulate is the market leader in rapid e-learning software. Articulate products are used by organizations worldwide to quickly create rich and interactive learning content and communication resources. The company's Rapid E-Learning Studio Professional combines three premier products, Articulate Presenter 5, Quizmaker 2 and Engage, to give learning professionals and subject-matter experts an easy-to-use toolset to create e-learning courses, presentations, quizzes, and surveys. Morgan Stanley, FedEx, Dell, Target, 3M, John Deere, and Harvard Business School are among the thousands of corporate, government, and academic organizations currently using Articulate products for rapid e-learning. Articulate is ranked the 15th fastest growing technology company in North America by Deloitte on their 2006 Technology Fast 500 Rising Star list.

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Unitrends “Outperforms Backup Exec 100-to-1”

Unitrends “Outperforms Backup Exec 100-to-1”

Pennsylvania school district replaces Symantec’s Backup Exec for backup solution vendor Unitrends’ faster and more reliable data protection.

Columbia, SC (PRWEB) August 3, 2010

Unitrends (http://www. unitrends. com), the leading provider in integrated and scalable backup, archive, and disaster recovery solutions (http://www. unitrends. com/backup-appliance. html), today announced that Blue Ridge School District has replaced Backup Exec with Unitrends enterprise-level backup, archive, and recovery solution.

Within the last year, Blue Ridge School District converted its backup solution to Unitrends after Backup Exec caused major setbacks for the schools’ IT infrastructure. Blue Ridge’s IT staff stated that Backup Exec was causing too many crashes without the capability to protect systems with an affordable and reliable bare metal backup and that, in general, recovery was a hit or miss prospect.

“When we were using Backup Exec’s tape solution, the network was so slow that I would come to work in the morning to see that the active directory servers were still being backed up from the previous day,” Mike Stewart, Assistant Director of Information Systems, Blue Ridge School District, said. “I’ve never seen that with Unitrends; they outperform Backup Exec 100-to-1.”

“We’re always excited when we can go into our customer’s environments and improve their overall system and data protection,” said Mark Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, Unitrends. “We’re pleased that our new backup, archiving, and disaster recovery appliance family is being so well received,” added Campbell.

The school district uses Unitrends’ all-in-one solution to protect its entire IT infrastructure, consisting of its cafeteria point of sale, student information and transportation systems, along with health records, Exchange servers, web filter, and administrator, teacher and student network storage.

“The backups are so fast, and there has not been one thing I’ve wanted our system to do since we purchased it that it can’t,” Stewart remarked. “When it comes to disaster recovery, Unitrends is the center of our universe.”

For more information, please view the complete backup solution success story (http://www. unitrends. com/CS_blue_ridge. html) for Blue Ridge School District.

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About Unitrends

Unitrends enables its customers the freedom to focus on their business instead of backup. The company does this by providing an integrated and scalable backup, archive, and disaster recovery solution in an all-in-one appliance. This enables Unitrends to provide the best backup solution (http://www. unitrends. com) at the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry. More companies every day join those who have discovered the customer-obsessed, enterprise-level data protection only Unitrends offers.

Information about Unitrends can be found at http://www. unitrends. com (http://www. unitrends. com).

A virtual appliance free trial (http://www. unitrends. com/index_try_it_free. html) is also available for download.

Usablenet Launches 32 Major Brands on Mobile in Time for the Holidays

Usablenet Launches 32 Major Brands on Mobile in Time for the Holidays

Usablenet, a leading provider of mobile Web, mobile applications, kiosk, and assistive solutions for over 300 clients, today announced that the company is launching 32 mobile websites and features in anticipation of the 2010 holiday season.

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 17, 2010

Usablenet, a leading provider of mobile Web, mobile applications, kiosk, and assistive solutions for over 300 clients, today announced that the company is launching 32 mobile websites and features in anticipation of the 2010 holiday season. Among these end-of-year launches are 16 retail, 3 auto and transportation, 5 health, 4 self-service, and 4 travel companies, including Bluefly. com, Lands End, Dell, Neiman Marcus Christmas Book, CVS Flu Shot Scheduler, JCPenney, and Tesco Direct. Additionally, Usablenet anticipates 16 more mobile launches by the end of the year.

According to Deloitte’s 2010 Holiday Survey, nearly one out of five shoppers plan to use their mobile phones during the holiday shopping process. Among those consumers, half will use smartphones to compare prices or identify store locations, and nearly half plan to search for product information, shop, or read reviews. To capitalize on the surge in mobile Web usage, retailers are eager to optimize their mobile commerce channels by providing customers with an easier holiday shopping experience and maximizing a powerful supplementary sales channel.

“This year we have seen a significant focus in Q3 and Q4 from retailers, airlines, and hotels to optimize on mobile in anticipation of a busy shopping and traveling period,” said Nick Taylor, President of Usablenet. “Just as the Web offered customers a more relaxed environment in which to purchase gifts or score holiday deals, now too mobile presents an even easier, pocketsize opportunity for brands to connect with their customers wherever they may be. By helping our clients extend their brands onto mobile, we are supporting on-the-go shopping and a more efficient in-store retail experience that enables users to compare prices and products, browse items in other departments, purchase out-of-stock items, and more.”

In addition to new mobile launches by Usablenet, a portion of their existing retail clients are implementing new features, including PayPal functionality, enhanced checkout, store inventory, kiosk solution, or registries, in time for the holidays. Notably, Usablenet has seen a demand for mobile wishlists and My Favorites lists – launched by clients such as Asos. com, REI, Chico’s, American Eagle, Crate & Barrel, among others – to encourage customers to browse and request gift items for themselves or from friends and family.

“Each year, we see a significant increase in mobile traffic around the holidays,” said Nick Taylor. “Last year, Usablenet noted an approximate 200% leap in mobile traffic throughout Black Friday weekend and we expect similar trends in 2010. Brands continue to embrace mobile strategies as a means to extend their sales channels and drive user traffic, signified by the mobile websites Usablenet powers increasing from 112 to 178 this year.”

About Usablenet
Usablenet works with leading brands to translate their existing website content and functionality to mobile Web, mobile application, kiosk, and assistive platforms. The solution requires no IT resources on the client side and can be implemented in eight to ten weeks. The platform extends marketing, commerce, and other client services to their customers’ chosen interface. Usablenet customers include top companies, such as FedEx, Kenneth Cole, American Eagle, Marriott, Jet Blue, Sprint, Amtrak, and Estée Lauder. Founded in 2000, Usablenet is a private company headquartered in New York City with offices in Europe. For more information, visit http://www. usablenet. com or on Twitter @Usablenet.

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Quest International Announces Immediate Availability of NEC Display Solutions’ Newest 19” MultiSync LCD

Quest International Announces Immediate Availability of NEC Display Solutions’ Newest 19” MultiSync LCD

Quest International Announces Immediate Availability of NEC Display Solutions’ Newest 19” MultiSync® LCD

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) March 6, 2006

Irvine, CA – March 6, 2006 – Quest International is now shipping NEC Display Solutions’ latest 19” MultiSync display, the first LCD of the flagship 90 Series. The LCD1990SXi includes a multitude of new features designed explicitly for even the most discerning professional user.

New design features include increased height adjustability, a transport handle, quick release stand, and an even thinner bezel. Inside the cabinet, the display is equipped with a 12-bit lookup table, auto image pivot, which rotates the picture and OSM, and digital CableComp™, which compensates for low pass filtering and individual RGB delays. This robust feature set, in addition to a four-year standard warranty, including the backlight, makes it an ideal solution for healthcare’s HIS, RIS, referral and front office environments.

“Healthcare facilities demand cost-effective solutions that are loaded with features, and NEC’s LCD1990SXi delivers just that”, says Herb Berkwits. “The cutting edge technologies of this LCD bring value and flexibility, as well as confidence with the NEC name”.

About NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc.

Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., NEC Display Solutions of America, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative LCDs and integrated display solutions. NEC Display Solutions develops leading-edge visual technology and customer-focused solutions for the consumer, medical, enterprise, professional, medical and digital signage markets. For more information, please call 866-NEC-MORE or visit www. necdisplay. com.

About Quest

Quest International is a privately held company based in Irvine, CA. Founded in 1982 and ISO 9001:2000 Registered, Quest is dedicated to the medical imaging community. Quest is an Authorized Value Add Reseller for NEC Display Solutions, an Authorized Master Distributor for Totoku Medical Displays, and an Authorized Reseller for Sony Medical Products. The company provides sales and repair for all makes and models of display monitors, LCDs, VCRs, VTRs, printers and workstations, as well as sales and remanufacturing of CRTs. Within their 45,000 square foot distribution and service facility, Quest International has the sales, support, technical expertise and equipment to fulfill any display or medical imaging peripheral need.

For more information about Quest International's sales and support services, you can contact the company at 800-231-6777 or via fax at 949-581-4011. Visit their website at www. questinc. com.

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SunFriendlyProducts. com Announces addition of Solaroo Sun Protection Clothing

SunFriendlyProducts. com Announces addition of Solaroo Sun Protection Clothing

Leader in sun protection clothing expands its product line.

DEERFIELD BEACH, FL (PRWEB) September 28, 2005

SunFriendlyProducts. com., a leader in providing sun protection clothing (http://www. sunfriendlyproducts. com/sun-protection/Clothing. html), sun protection hats (http://www. sunfriendlyproducts. com/sun-protection/Accessories. html) and other sun protection items for families and children, has announced today the addition of Solaroo – Sun Outfitter, a brand of clothing complimenting their existing line of sun protection clothing and gear.

“The Solaroo line comes to us in brilliant colors and exceptional quality with regard to sun protection,” said Ryan Clement, Founder and President of Sun Friendly Products. Clement continued, “Offering a name brand of quality product is consistent with our vision of SunFriendlyProducts. com providing high quality sun protection clothing and gear at prices that families can afford.” Clement added, “People already know that the brand Solaroo means sun protection (http://www. sunfriendlyproducts. com/sun-protection-2.html), so brand recognition is key for brand success.”

SunFriendlyProducts. com has faced tremendous demand for name brand sun protection items and is committed to continually growing their product offerings. In addition to growing their selection of sun protection clothing and sun protection hats for children, SunFriendlyProducts. com plans to aggressively grow their selection for men, women and teens. Additional products include shade items, such as stroller covers and portable beach cabanas and beach tents, as well as a Health and Beauty product line that consists of such items as all-natural sunscreens and other sun protection products.

Currently, SunFriendlyProducts. com offers the following Solaroo brand products in its catalog and on its website:

 Rash Guard Surf Shirts (sun protection swim shirts)

 UV Blocking Swimsuits

 Sun Protection Hats

 Sun Protection Blankets and more

Director of Communications for Solaroo (http://www. solaroo. com), Paul Rogert added, “The Solaroo name is rapidly gaining recognition as a label associated with sun protection. SunFriendlyProducts. com is the ideal place to spotlight the Solaroo brand since people going to their website are already concerned with the need to protect from the sun.”

About Sun Friendly Products: SunFriendlyProducts. com (http://www. sunfriendlyproduts. com) was created in 2002 in response to the direct need for solutions to help families cope with the negative effects of the sun in everyday life. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Electronic Information Services, Inc. For more information on SunFriendlyProducts. com please call (866) SAFE-SUN or visit the Company's Web site at www. SunFriendlyProducts. com. Visit the company's blog (http://sunfriendlyproducts. blogspot. com).

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Mustard Gas - A Dreadful Chemical Agent

Mustard Gas - A Dreadful Chemical Agent

Choosing the right safety gear like gas masks would help protect oneself from chemical attacks involving the usage of dangerous chemical agents like mustard gas.

Midlothian, VA (PRWEB) January 17, 2006

Mustard Gas - A dreadful chemical agent (Yperite) was first used by the German Army in September 1917. It had disastrous affect on humans who were exposed to this dangerous vapor. Mustard gas is a strong compound that causes blisters.

Mustard gas was used in chemical warfare as early as World War I by Germans and as late as the Iran-Iraq War in 1980–1988. There is a high probability of it’s usage by terrorists and other non-social groups for mass attacks. The name "mustard" comes from the smell associated with impure mustard gas, which is usually yellow-brown in color and has an odor resembling mustard plants, garlic or horseradish.

Sulfur mustard or mustard gas is released into the air as a vapor, people can be exposed through skin contact, eye contact, or breathing. Sulfur mustard vapor can be carried long distances by wind. If exposed to sulfur mustard, many factors determine the extent to which one would be harmed. These factors include the dosage, the duration, and how it came in contact with the person affected. One must also consider other chemicals one is exposed to and other factors like age, sex, diet, family traits, lifestyle, and state of health.

Adverse health effects caused by sulfur mustard depend on the amount people are exposed to, the route of exposure, and the length of time that people are exposed. Sulfur mustard is a powerful irritant and blistering agent that damages the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.

More information about the gas masks that has resistance against mustard gas is at http://www. bestsafetyapparel. com/learnmore. html#Facts%20about (http://www. bestsafetyapparel. com/learnmore. html#Facts%20about) and to know more about mustard gas visit http://www. bestsafetyapparel. com/mustardgas. html (http://www. bestsafetyapparel. com/mustardgas. html)

About Best Safety Apparel:

Best safety Apparel, a subsidiary of Namebrands Retail LLC is a professionally managed company, gathering immense knowledge and specializing in safety apparel through relentless extensive research and is a leading supplier of ME. ST. EL gas masks - SGE 150, SGE 400, SGE 400/3 SGE 400/3 BB, and Baby Hood Protector to the full face civilian masks, Draeger military masks, Israeli gas masks, gas mask filters for all ages. You can find equipment to prepare for bioterrorism and chemical attacks and be ready for any emergency and are also suitable for industrial safety and agricultural applications.

For more information contact:

Andy Jones

Media Relations

Namebrands Retail LLC

Http://www. bestsafetyapparel. com (http://www. bestsafetyapparel. com)
Ezine articles expert author

Copyright ©2005 Namebrands Retail LLC, All rights reserved

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Minority Girls Gear Up for Summer Technology Fun 12 African American Girls Selected to Attend A Technology Camp At Stanford University

Minority Girls Gear Up for Summer Technology Fun 12 African American Girls Selected to Attend A Technology Camp At Stanford University

Twelve Bay Area fourth, fifth and sixth grade girls received scholarships to attend iD Tech Camps, a summer program that provides hands-on technology training-and fun. In one week, they'll learn how to film and edit digital movies, design web sites, or create video games on Stanford University's invigorating campus. Pathfinder, Science, Math and Technology (P-SMT) Camp Scholarship program, developed and sponsored by Silicon Valley Chapter of The National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW-SVC), encourages young African American pre-teen girls to enjoy the study of math, science and technology.

(PRWEB) June 12, 2002

Twelve Bay Area fourth, fifth and sixth grade girls received scholarships to attend iD Tech Camps, a summer program that provides hands-on technology training-and fun. In one week, they'll learn how to film and edit digital movies, design web sites, or create video games on Stanford University's invigorating campus. Pathfinder, Science, Math and Technology (P-SMT) Camp Scholarship program, developed and sponsored by Silicon Valley Chapter of The National Coalition of 100 Black Women (NCBW-SVC), encourages young African American pre-teen girls to enjoy the study of math, science and technology.

Since it's inception in 1996, NCBW-SVC has a proven commitment to African American Youth. This group is particularly concerned about young girls who have not had the opportunity, encouragement, exposure and or resources to access career information, especially in science and technology. "We feel this weeklong experience in web design, digital video & movie production, and multimedia & game creation will inspire girls to pursue careers in technology," said Sheila Johnson-Heacock, P-SMT Committee member of the NCBW-SCV. "It's also wonderful that they'll get to preview college life at this young age."

"I can't wait to learn how to create my own digital movie where I will write, act, and even edit it with special effects," said Kathryn Champlin, participant of the NCBW-SVC P-SMT Camp Scholarship program and a student at Bret Harte Middle School in San Jose. "And being on Stanford's campus, seeing real college students, and living in dorms is very cool!"

Within a balanced and fun-filled week, iD Tech Camps gears up students by tapping into their creative potentials with hands-on multimedia projects and tech knowledge. Campers find themselves in a powerful learning environment where they utilize cutting-edge technology to tell their stories and articulate their visions. At iD Tech Camps, campers are prepared to use computer technology as the tool much like today's industry professionals. As such, Hewlett Packard, Apple, Adobe, LEGO, Canon, Cisco, Macromedia, and Iomega have partnered with iD Tech Camps to raise the bar in technology education.

For this year's P-SMT Camp Scholarship program, NCBW-SVC received 57 applications from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. A panel of NCBW-SVC reviewed the written applications, conducted oral interviews, and then selected 12 girls to attend iD Tech Camps. African American girls in grades 4th through 6th interested in applying for a 2003 summer camp scholarship, should contact us. Applications for Camp Scholarships are issued in January.

The principal funds supporting the P-SMT Camp Scholarship program are raised during the NCBW-SVC Cotton Club dinner and dance. This event is set in an atmosphere reminiscent of the famous Harlem Cotton Club nightclub. Next year's fundraiser will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2002 at the Hyatt Sainte Claire, San Jose. For tickets and information, please contact 408-238-4729 or 650-837-2291.

About the Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc

The Silicon Valley Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (a 501c3 organization) was chartered in 1996. Its mission is to serve as an advocacy group for positive change. The group has successfully begun addressing issues in education, healthcare and youth development via its sponsorship of such activities as P-SMT Camp Scholarship Programs, Youth Career Conferences, Annual Health Fairs, and Public Policy Workshops. This has been accomplished through leadership, fundraising activity, donations, independent projects, and through linkage with other community organizations and public agencies. For more information, please visit www. svc100bw.4mg. com.

About iD Tech Camps - InternalDrive

Founded in 1999, iD Tech Camps - InternalDrive provides hands-on technology summer camps for boys and girls ages 8-17 at prestigious universities nationwide, including Stanford University, Notre Dame de Namur, UC Berkeley, St. Mary's of Moraga, Emory University, M. I.T., SMU, and Villanova University. At these day and overnight camps, students produce digital movies, create video games, design web pages, learn programming and robotics, and more. The hands-on, project-based programs offer one computer per student with an average of six students per instructor. In addition to its core co-ed program, iD Tech Camps encourages girls to engage in technology through a Girls'-Specific Week For more information, please visit www. internalDrive. com or call 1-888-709-TECH (8324).

Third Annual Women's Conference on Spirit, Mind, and Body Health Taking Place October 24 in Largo, MD

Third Annual Women's Conference on Spirit, Mind, and Body Health Taking Place October 24 in Largo, MD

Many people envision what they would do to help others if they had a lot of money. But, how many will take what little they have and start without the trappings of large sums of money? That's exactly what Rev. Dr. Gertie Loretta Hurley did to establish TEA (Taking Effective Action)® for Spirit, Mind, and Body Health, a spiritually and medically based health awareness program. TEA's third Annual Women's Conference on Spirit, Mind, and Body Health takes place Saturday, October 24 in Largo, Maryland.

Bowie, Md. (PRWEB) October 13, 2009

TEA (Taking Effective Action)® for Spirit, Mind, and Body Health, a spiritually and medically based health awareness program created by Rev. Dr. Gertie Loretta Hurley, will host its third Annual Women's TEA Conference (http://www. teasmbh. org/annual. html) on Spirit, Mind, and Body Health on Saturday, October 24. The conference's theme is Health: The Family Connection. This event will take place at the Prince George's Community College in Largo, Maryland, from 8:00 a. m. to 4:00 p. m.

Many people envision what they would do to help others if they had a lot of money. But, how many will take what little they have and start helping others, without the trappings of large sums of money? That's exactly what Hurley did to create TEA. Using money from a fixed income and a small inheritance, Hurley established TEA, a program committed to advancing, supporting, and promoting the health of women and girls in the greater Washington, D. C. and Maryland area. The goal of TEA is to focus on the often unrecognized obstacles that hinder women from enjoying optimal spiritual, mental, and physical health. Through its outreach programs, conferences and publications, TEA has made significant strides in motivating and empowering women (http://www. teasmbh. org/) to "Take Effective Action" for their health and to encourage others to do the same.

Hurley conceived the TEA conference as a way to enhance the lives of women through education and outreach programs (http://www. teasmbh. org/) designed to develop and minister to the spirit, mind, and body. The TEA Health Initiative program is uniquely designed to motivate women to implement behavior changes that concurrently improve their health and wealth. "We want to equip women with new tools and insight to navigate their path to healthier and wealthier lifestyles," says Hurley. The TEA program accomplishes this goal primarily through action-oriented, skill-building discussions, where participants are given the knowledge and resources to live healthier, wealthier lives.

The third Annual Women's TEA Conference features seminars, taught by medical and spiritual professionals. This year's conference includes: "Greetings and Welcome" by Frances E. Ashe-Goins RN, MPH Deputy Director, USDHHS Office on Women's Health; "Tracing Your Family Health Tree," by Finie Richardson, MPH, Project Coordinator for the Howard University-CGEN Project and D. C. PrimCaRe, and Instructor in the Howard University College of Medicine Department of Community and Family Medicine; and Dr. Patricia Davidson, M. D, Medical Internist and Cardiologist and one of less than 50 African American women cardiologists in the United States. Dr. Patricia Davidson will speak on Health the Family Connection." To hear an excerpt of Dr. Patricia Davidson's presentation, "You Are What You Eat" from the 2008 conference, see http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=j7T-vXdvW-8 (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=j7T-vXdvW-8).

Hurley takes a no-nonsense approach to health prevention and challenges women to change their behavior. Although the conference is for women, Hurley extends an invitation to men because the information is so vital and is applicable to people of both genders. Registration (https://cp1.heritagewebdesign. com/~ghurl23/order. html) includes continental breakfast, luncheon, snacks, conference materials, a themed T-shirt, gifts, and a luxury bag.

Attendees are encouraged to wear "workout clothes" to be in a relaxed, receptive mode. Event sponsors include Prince George's Community College Health Center; The NIH Heart Center at Suburban Hospital; John 3:16 Christian Bookstore of Lanham, Maryland; Tetley Tea Corporation; Carolina Pad Corporation; Omni World Corporation; and The Washington Informer Newspaper.

For more information about the third Annual Women's TEA Conference on Spirit, Mind, and Body Health taking place in Largo, Maryland, on October 24, visit www. teasmbh. org.

Media contact:
Gertie Loretta Hurley
Taking Effective Action 
Phone: 301-249-3717, Cell 240-393-8198

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The Sam Harry Foundation Launches Website to Disseminate Information and Fund Research on Pediatric Brain Tumors

The Sam Harry Foundation Launches Website to Disseminate Information and Fund Research on Pediatric Brain Tumors

The mission of The Sam Harry Foundation is to contribute to the effort to find promising treatments and, eventually, a cure for pediatric brain tumors.

El Dorado Hills, CA (PRWEB) July 9, 2004

The Sam Harry Foundation, a non-profit organization, today announced the launch of its new website focused on pediatric brain tumor research and resources for parents of children stricken with similar illnesses.

The website, located at www. samharryfoundation. org, provides users with a comprehensive overview of pediatric brain tumor research, treatment options, and other information such as the names and websites of many leading pediatric oncology and healthcare organizations.

“We created the website in memory of our son Sam, who lost his battle with pediatric brain cancer in 2003,” said Ann Harry. “But we didn’t want to create a shrine,” she added. “First and foremost, it is a source of information and hope for parents of other children stricken with such a catastrophic illness, and contains numerous links to other sources of information on the Web.”

The mission of The Sam Harry Foundation is to contribute to the effort to find promising treatments and, eventually, a cure for pediatric brain tumors by increasing public awareness about the incidence and severity of pediatric brain tumors; funding medical research and other programs; providing critical health information for parents of stricken children; and publicizing the efforts of the Foundation and those of other like organizations to find the cause and cure of childhood brain tumors.

The Sam Harry Foundation will continue build relationships with similar organizations whenever possible as part of a network of groups devoted to finding effective new medicines and treatments through funding and information exchanges.

“The fight against serious childhood diseases like brain tumors will be won by teamwork,” said Kirk Harry, president of The Sam Harry Foundation. “To that end, The Sam Harry Foundation will continue to raise funds for research, pursue opportunities to work with other groups, and convey the latest medical news and treatment information for other families coping with such a devastating illness.”

The Sam Harry Foundation believes in the limitless scientific imagination of doctors and clinical researchers and supports their ongoing laboratory and clinical research, and that all children stricken with serious illnesses like brain tumors deserve our passion, tenacity and dedication to finding a cure.

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