HCI, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Offer ‘Living the Brand’ Networking Event

HCI, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business Offer ‘Living the Brand’ Networking Event

The Human Capital Institute (HCI), a global professional association and educator that is advancing the science of strategic talent management, Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business today announced that branding specialist, published author and Kellogg Adjunct Professor of Management, Dr. Lisa Fortini-Campbell, will speak at a B-School Network and Learn event for the greater Chicago-area business community on Thursday, June 26.

Washington, D. C. (PRWEB) May 2, 2008

The Human Capital Institute (HCI) (http://www. humancapitalinstitute. org/hci/hci. home), a global professional association and educator that is advancing the science of strategic talent management, Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business today announced that branding specialist, published author and Kellogg Adjunct Professor of Management, Dr. Lisa Fortini-Campbell, will speak at a B-School Network and Learn event for the greater Chicago-area business community on Thursday, June 26.

The networking and breakfast event will be held from 7:30 a. m. to 9:30 a. m. CT, in the James L. Allen Center at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Dr. Fortini-Campbell's session will include discussions of how a company "lives its brand" by considering the communications implications of every aspect of the total customer experience. According to Dr. Fortini-Campbell, companies expend significant resources to build and protect powerful brands. While most attention on the subject of brand building is focused on advertising, brands are built with more than advertising or traditional marketing communications: They are also built through interactions between the company and consumer.

"Every time a customer or employee comes into contact with any aspect of an organization, from a product or service offering to an orientation meeting, there is the potential to create—or undermine—brand image, annual sales and the loyalty of your customers and employees," said Dr. Fortini-Campbell.

"Business people from every layer of an organization, not just the marketing department, stand to benefit from Dr. Fortini-Campbell’s insights into brand building," said HCI Executive Director and Senior Vice President-Research, Allan Schweyer. "It’s a privilege to host a professional of her caliber and experience, speaking on such a timely topic."

Dr. Fortini-Campbell's career has been focused on helping students and executives bring the customer to the center of their marketing and product development work. After receiving her Ph. D. in 1980, she worked in the advertising industry until 1991, when she joined the faculty of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University as an Associate Professor teaching the core consumer behavior curriculum. Simultaneously, she opened her consulting practice, The Fortini-Campbell Company, to conduct customer insight and experience research for companies around the world. Also in that capacity, she developed a series of executive education programs on the application of consumer insight for multi-national companies such as Ford, Kraft, Hewlett-Packard and Motorola.

As Adjunct Professor of Management at the Kellogg School of Management, she continues her executive teaching work for the university's open-enrollment programs, such as The Market Focused Organization: Creating and Delivering the Customer Experience, as well as programs customized for companies in a wide variety of industries. She is the author of Hitting the Sweet Spot: How Consumer Insights Can Inspire Better Marketing and Advertising, and a contributor to Kellogg on Integrated Marketing and The Handbook of Strategic Public Relations and Integrated Communications.

Her presentation is recommended for director, vice president and C-level executives responsible for company growth and results. This B-School Network and Learn event is $25 with advance registration at humancapitalinstitute. org (http://www. humancapitalinstitute. org/hci/events_bschool. guid?_trainingID=2057). HCI Professional Members, Kellogg alumni and University of Chicago alumni attend free of charge.

About The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University:
The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University was founded in 1908 and is widely recognized as a global leader in management education. The school, located just outside of Chicago, is home to a renowned, research-based faculty and MBA students from around the glove. The Kellogg School's academic portfolio includes the Full-time, Part-time and Executive MBA programs, and the nondegree Executive Education Program. The school offers three joint degree programs: the JD-MBA, MD-MBA and the Master of Management and Manufacturing (MBA-MEM). Additionally, the Kellogg School of Management ofers an Executive MBA program in Miami and has alliances with business schools in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Canada. To learn more, visit http://www. kellogg. northwestern. edu/ (http://www. kellogg. northwestern. edu/).

About The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business:
The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business is one of the world's leading business schools. Since its establishment in 1898, it has transformed the way business is done around the world, and the way business is taught. Chicago GSB was the first school to offer a Ph. D. in business; the first to create a scholarly business journal; the first to offer an executive MBA program; and the first to have a Nobel laureate on its faculty. The school offers full-time and part-time MBA programs; a Ph. D. program, open enrollment executive education and custom corporate education. Chicago GSB has campuses in London and Singapore in addition to two campuses in Chicago. For more information, please visit http://www. chicagogsb. edu/ (http://www. chicagogsb. edu/).

About The Human Capital Institute:
The Human Capital Institute is a global think tank, educator, researcher and professional association defining the agenda and setting the pace for the new business science of human capital management. With more than 110,000 members in over 40 countries, HCI offers a new association framework that cuts across the silos of recruitment, HR/OD, finance, sales and marketing, operations, manufacturing and IT. The organization provides key executives, line managers and human capital professionals with the newest education, most effective tools and best practices in talent strategy, acquisition, alignment, engagement, deployment, measurement and retention.

HCI believes that the future belongs to leaders with innovative ideas and strategic knowledge. The organization invites professionals to learn, share and grow their careers with HCI's comprehensive resources, and to join HCI's high-achieving, forward-looking membership community. For more information, visit www. humancapitalinstitute. org.

PRESS CONTACTS
University of Chicago
Graduate School of Business
Allan Friedman, Executive Director of Communications
773-702-9232

Northwestern University
Kellogg School of Management
Meg Washburn
847-491-5446

Human Capital Institute
Laura Polas
866-538-1909
Press @ humancapitalinstitute. org

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

###

Sanford Health Announces Sanford Children's Clinic Belize

Sanford Health Announces Sanford Children's Clinic Belize

Sanford Health announced today its first international children's clinic will be built in Belize City, Belize.

Sioux Falls, SD (Vocus) June 7, 2009

Children in Central America will soon have more pediatric healthcare closer to home. Sanford Health announced today its first international children's clinic will be built in Belize City, Belize. The new Sanford Children's Clinic Belize will be designed similar to other Sanford Children's facilities and is expected to open in 2011. It is the second Sanford Children's World Clinic announced by Sanford Health as part of the initiatives outlined after a $400 million donation from Denny Sanford in 2007.

"As the Belize population continues to grow and as Belize City is seen as a destination for commerce, the need for pediatric care in this community has increased," stated Dave Link, Sanford Health Executive Vice President. "We look forward to expanding the pediatric care to this region and to its children."

Belize, formerly British Honduras, is a country in Central America with nearly 9,000 square miles of territory and 320,000 people, including more than 120,000 children.

"We, in Belize, learned of the mission and vision of Sanford Health and asked them to consider our community for a clinic location," stated The Honorable Pablo Marin, Belize Minister of Health. "Under the guidance of Sanford Health and with the support of our local community, we are proud to soon offer this expanded healthcare service for children and families in our country."

Sanford Children's Clinic Belize will work collaboratively with a number of organizations to assist in development and on-going operations. These organizations include the Belize Healthcare Charitable Trust (BHCT), the Belize Natural Energy Charitable Trust, Belize Healthcare Partners Limited and the Government of Belize; as well as a variety of other individuals and organizations.

"The BHCT was established by the Belize Bank, the largest full-service commercial banking operation in Belize," said Mr. Philip Osborne, Trustee of the BHCT. "The focus of the trust is for the development, investment in, and provision of medical and healthcare services in Belize; for the benefit of the people of Belize. We very much look forward to working with Sanford Health to accomplish these goals."

Link added, "As part of the discussion process, our team visited Belize twice. We have been very impressed with the community support for this clinic. This clinic is exemplary of our commitment that care is best delivered close to home, wherever that home may be."

Sanford Children's Clinic Belize will be connected to a comprehensive team of pediatric sub-specialists with Sanford Children's Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. Sanford Health will open its first Sanford Children's Clinic location in Duncan, OK in August 2009.

Sanford Children's International Board
Support for the development of future Sanford Children's World Clinics will come from the newly formed Sanford Children's International Board (SCIB), announced today by Sanford Health. Members of the SCIB will include national and international leaders whose experience and relationships make them effective advocates for children's healthcare. In addition to assisting in the development of Sanford Children's World Clinics, the SCIB will support the clinical and educational outreach activities of the Sanford Children's Hospital and the Sanford Children's Health Research Center. Two time U. S. Open champion and now successful golf commentator, Andy North, will chair the SCIB.

"The SCIB is a unique opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of children," stated North. "This new advocacy board will inform and involve other leaders and children's health champions. I'm honored to participate and look forward to sharing the Sanford Children's story with others around the world."

The SCIB will hold regular annual meetings with discussions and updates about Sanford Children's, as well as host other special events at various locations around the U. S. and world.

About Sanford Health
Based in Sioux Falls, SD, Sanford Health's comprehensive, integrated system includes nearly 440 providers in 128 clinic and satellite clinics. It also includes 23 hospitals, 12 nursing homes, 18 assisted living facilities and congregate living locations, 27 home health services and 19 pharmacies. With more than 10,000 employees, Sanford Health is the largest employer in the region. Its primary, 500-bed nonprofit tertiary care hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, serves an average of more than 50,000 inpatients annually. With more than 1.25 million outpatient visits each year, Sanford Health has served the 80,000 square mile, five-state region of South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and North Dakota for more than 110 years. Sanford Health is the largest healthcare system between Denver, CO and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Its divisions include Sanford USD Medical Center, Sanford Clinic, Sanford Health Network, Sanford Health Plan and Sanford Health Foundation. For more information, visit http://www. sanfordhealth. org.

###

Fairtrade web chat on Education. com :: Environmental and Education Issues

Fairtrade web chat on Education. com :: Environmental and Education Issues

Environmental Issues - Faitrade Web Chat On Education. com at 3pm [15:00] on 12th March 2002 To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight http://fairtrade. org. uk, Education. com http://uk. education. com will be hosting an exclusive live web chat with Samuel Magona.

(PRWEB) March 11, 2002

For immediate release

12 March 2002, London, UK

---Begins---

Environmental Issues - Fairtrade Web Chat On Education. com

To celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight http://fairtrade. org. uk (http://fairtrade. org. uk), Education. com http://uk. education. com (http://uk. education. com) will be hosting an exclusive live web chat with Samuel Waniale Magona, a Ugandan coffee farmer and chair of the BUSAGAMA Growers Co-op Society, on Tuesday 12th March at 3pm (15.00). This is an unique opportunity for students, teachers and anyone interested in socio-economics of developing countries, to get a first-person insight to the aims, achievements and problems involved in competing in a global marketplace.

Also, thanks to Cafe Direct http://www. cafedirect. co. uk (http://www. cafedirect. co. uk) and Day Chocolate Company http://www. divinechocolate. com (http://www. divinechocolate. com), there is a week-long prize offer of Family, Teacher and Children's supplies of delicious Fairtrade products to be won, so you can taste the difference for yourself.

More detailed information will be forwarded on the Education. com web chats (of which more are planned later in the year) and other exciting new features coming to Education. com in the near future.

The web chat link:

Tuesday 12th March 2002 at 3:00pm [15:00] and 3:30pm [15:30] on Education. com

Education. com has teamed up with Cafédirect this Fairtrade Fortnight to take the Fairtrade message to teachers, pupils and parents.

Log on to Education. com on 12th March at 3pm-3:30pm, and talk to our special guest, Samuel Magona, a Cafédirect coffee grower from Uganda.

Samuel was born into a coffee farming family in Uganda in 1936 and was given a small plot of 50 coffee trees at the age of 17 which he farmed to earn some pocket money whilst studying.

Direct web chat link

Please note you will have to cut and paste this in because it will wrap (http://uk. education. com/versions. asp? idversion=6&contents=chat/default. asp? TH=305,584)

----Ends----

----Notes to editors----

This press releases is available in PDF and Word formats. Please email for the following.

Biography of Samuel Waniale Magona. Photographs, images are available. Screen shots of the themed website

Web chat links:

Direct Chat link:

Please note you will have to cut and paste this in because it will wrap (http://uk. education. com/versions. asp? idversion=6&contents=chat/default. asp? TH=305,584)

Education. com Fair Trade Week Homepage:

Please note you will have to cut and paste this in because it will wrap (http://uk. education. com/versions. asp? idversion=6&target=/statique/fullscreen. asp? id=50322)

Reports Link:

Please note you will have to cut and paste this in because it will wrap (http://uk. education. com/versions. asp? idversion=6&contents=/ftemplate/default2876.asp)

Links for editors:

Education. com

Http://uk. education. com (http://uk. education. com)

Fair trade

Http://fairtrade. org. uk (http://fairtrade. org. uk)
Http://www. fairtrade. org. uk/fortnight2002/share_the_passion/media. htm (http://www. fairtrade. org. uk/fortnight2002/share_the_passion/media. htm)

CaféDirect

Http://www. cafedirect. co. uk (http://www. cafedirect. co. uk)

Day Chocolate Company

Http://www. divinechocolate. com (http://www. divinechocolate. com)

---

Contact:

Tim Gibbon, PR Consultant

Email: newmediamaze@elementalpr. co. uk

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8586 5767, Mobile: +44 (0)7930 375663, Fax: +44 (0)870 1308135

Mail Order Business is Exploding, and Home Based Business is Booming

Mail Order Business is Exploding, and Home Based Business is Booming

Direct Marketing Toolkit includes nuts & bolts needed to start or build a mail order business from home

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) June 20, 2005

Mail order, now commonly referred to as direct marketing, is a trillion-dollar business. Mail order businesses earned approximately $2.3 trillion in 2004, with more than $143 billion in catalog sales alone, according to the latest Direct Marketing Association (DMA) report. The report also predicts a healthy annual growth rate of 8.5% for direct marketing through 2007.

At the same time, according to a study prepared for the Small Business Administration (SBA), 53 percent of small business in the U. S. are “home based” businesses. The number of new home businesses is on the rise; according to U. S. Census Bureau report, the number of businesses with one or more owners but no paid employees grew nationwide from 17 million in 2001 to more than 17.6 million in 2002, a growth rate of 3.9 percent.

“Mail order is a fantastic way to start a business from home,” says John Schulte, president of the National Mail Order Association (NMOA), publisher of the new Direct Marketing Toolkit. “Some of the greatest companies in America are mail order companies that have been started by entrepreneurs at home. And with the advent of the Internet, mail order has been launched into the twenty-first century.

“Mail order is the last frontier for the entrepreneur…who, with little more than a burning desire and something to sell, can work hard, build up a good-sized business and perhaps get rich. And what most people don’t understand, is that when you’re in a home-based business, all your marketing efforts are really direct marketing and mail order based.”

The Direct Marketing Toolkit is a comprehensive resource for entrepreneurs who want to start a business from home, or already have a small business and need to learn the time-proven techniques to expand.

This 100-page guide contains 20 chapters that cover every aspect of starting and building a business using direct marketing and mail order methods. The kit also includes a companion CD-ROM with sample advertisements, worksheets and promotional templates, and includes Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheets for direct mail breakeven analysis and the first two years of profit and loss operation.

Readers of the Direct Marketing Toolkit will discover easy-to-understand instructions for avoiding scams, picking a company name, determining what to sell, learning rules and regulations, finding wholesale sources, developing new product concepts, selling on the web, as well as through catalogs, direct mail, magazine ads, and on TV using infomercials.

The guide, introductory priced at $59.95, is available for purchase online at: http://www. nmoa. org/DirectMarketingToolkit (http://www. nmoa. org/DirectMarketingToolkit).

About The National Mail Order Association (NMOA)

Headquartered in Minneapolis, the NMOA (www. nmoa. org) is a membership-supported organization founded in 1972 to help small to midsize businesses and entrepreneurs involved in mail order and direct marketing. The NMOA provides education, information, and business contacts worldwide.

# # #

Connecticut Students with CSLF Loans Receive Academic Scholarships

Connecticut Students with CSLF Loans Receive Academic Scholarships

Three CT students were awarded academic scholarships at the Vincent J. Maiocco Golf Outing. CSLF is the presenting sponsor of the outing, which funds the Vincent J. Maiocco Scholarship.

Rocky Hill, CT (PRWEB) July 14, 2005

The Connecticut Student Loan Foundation (CSLF) is pleased to announce that three deserving Connecticut students were awarded scholarships at the Vincent J. Maiocco (VJM) Scholarship Fund golf outing on Friday, June 24, 2005. CSLF is the presenting sponsor of the outing, which funds the Vincent J. Maiocco Scholarship.

Scholarship winners, Kelsey Arena, Regina Mappa, and William Roggi, were honored at the 11th annual golf outing, which was held at The Tradition Golf Club in Wallingford, CT. The fund was established in honor of Vincent J. Maiocco, the first employee and former President of CSLF, who retired in 1992.

Kelsey Arena, a Southington, CT resident, attends Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU). Ms. Arena is majoring in Management and maintains a 3.5 Grade Point Average (GPA). Despite working full-time while attending school, Ms. Arena also volunteers her time to worthwhile causes, such as the Cancer SocietyÂ’s Relay for Life and the United WayÂ’s Blue Jeans for Babies campaign.

Regina Mappa, a Wallingford, CT resident, also attends Southern Connecticut State University. Ms. Mappa is majoring in Social Work and maintains a 3.0 GPA. Ms. Mappa is a student worker in the SCSU financial aid office.

William Roggi, a resident of East Hartford, CT, attends Western Connecticut State University (WCSU). Mr. Roggi is majoring in Criminal Justice and maintains a 3.0 GPA. Mr. Roggi is actively involved in the Eagle Scouts and has received an Academic Achievement Award while attending WCSU.

The VJM Scholarship Fund was created to award scholarships to students financing their postsecondary education with loans guaranteed by CSLF. Over the past 11 years more than $125,000 has been raised helping to provide 17 scholarships to deserving students demonstrating outstanding academic achievement and community service.

More information about the Vincent J. Maiocco Scholarship and the Vincent J. Maiocco Scholarship Fund is available at www. cslf. com. Scholarship applications and golf outing registrations are available in the spring each year.

ABOUT CSLF – The Connecticut Student Loan Foundation (CSLF) is a national, non-profit agency that administers, guarantees, finances, and services loans within the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and other alternative loan programs. CSLF has over 40 years of experience providing assistance to students and parents seeking to finance a higher education. As a guarantor, CSLF assures that low-interest Federal Stafford Loans and Federal PLUS Loans remain available to eligible students and parents. CSLF also is a lender and provides financing directly to educational institutions on behalf of students and parents. Learn more about CSLF at www. cslf. com.

###

A Voice of Reason: Dr. Jay Gordon Comments on Amanda Peet Controversy

A Voice of Reason: Dr. Jay Gordon Comments on Amanda Peet Controversy

Dr. Jay Gordon, noted pediatrician and lecturer, comments on the recent Amanda Peet interview in Cookie Magazine describing parents who do not vaccinate their children as "parasites". Dr. Gordon advocates exploring all sides of the issue with reference to the newly released DVD "Vaccinations? Assessing the Risks and Benefits."

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 20, 2008

With the recent public controversy over Amanda Peet's comments about vaccinating children which appeared in the current issue of Cookie Magazine, it's important for parents and caregivers to not let media hysteria determine the best health options for their child.

Noted pediatrician and lecturer, Dr. Jay Gordon, who was also interviewed for the magazine, responded to Peet's recent comments, saying, "There is an honest case to be presented for giving vaccines to children and an honest set of facts for delaying vaccines, setting alternative schedules and even giving no vaccines at all to healthy children."

Dr. Gordon is the host of a newly released DVD called "Vaccinations? Assessing the Risks and Benefits," which presents a frank and thorough overview of immunizations that will empower parents to make the best possible choices for their child.

Beholden to no special interests--neither the medical community, the pharmaceutical industry, nor the "anti-vaccine" camp--Dr. Gordon advocates the individual freedom of each parent to decide if and when vaccinations are appropriate for their child.

"It's not that I'm "anti-vaccination," says Dr. Gordon, "the problem is the way we vaccinate."

"Vaccinations? Assessing the Risks and Benefits," gives parents important information on the appropriate times to vaccinate, school immunization requirements, ways to boost your child's immune system naturally and more.

"Despite all the recent controversy, we hope at least it prompts people on both sides of the issue to engage in an open and constructive dialogue on this important subject," commented Erik Gudris, Marketing Director, of Choices, Inc.

Retail price for "Vaccinations? Assessing the Risks and Benefits," is $24.95 and is available for purchase at www. vaccinationsdvd. com.

About Jay Gordon M. D. FAAP IBCLC:
Dr. Gordon has been treating patients at his private practice in Santa Monica, California for 25 years. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and is an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at UCLA School of Medicine. He is a frequent medical commentator and media resource on pediatric issues, appearing on television, in magazines, and newspapers.

About Choices:
Choices, Inc. is a specialty distributor of quality documentaries, educational programming, and feature films. The company believes that documentaries are highly effective teaching tools, and provides both lesson plans and guidebooks as a resource for educators. More information is available online at www. choicesvideo. net.

For more information about the DVD or to schedule an interview with Dr. Gordon, please contact media relations director, Stevin Espinoza at (310) 839-1500.

###

Informational Materials Help Stem the Spread of VHS

Informational Materials Help Stem the Spread of VHS

A variety of tools are available at www. FocusOnFishHealth. org

Florham Park, NJ (Vocus) June 11, 2010

Public service announcements (PSA), palm cards, and Power Point presentations are all part of an informational package to help fight the spread of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS), other fish diseases and invasive species available at www. FocusOnFishHealth. org.

The materials, developed by the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS), are targeted to recreational fishing and boating enthusiasts in the Great Lakes region. VHS now has been detected in all five of the Great Lakes.

The 15 and 30 second public service announcements feature conversations between a father and son as they head out to fish in their favorite waterway. They note the importance of not transferring water, bait or aquatic plants or creatures from an infected body of water to another.

A colorful and educational Power Point presentation gives background on VHS and simple steps to take to protect and preserve waterways. It is an excellent discussion starter at meetings and seminars.

Quantities of free 5” by 8” palm cards with compelling graphics and a list of the preventive actions needed are available upon request for distribution at fishing and boating events.

Families enjoying the Great Lakes this summer are also invited to participate in a photo contest offered at the website. Submit candid photos of fun moments on the water and win prizes and bragging rights at www. FocusOnFishHealth. org.

Visit www. FocusOnFishHealth. org to download the PSAs, Power Point presentation and/or to request palm cards.

Community Relations/Public Service Directors are invited to make liberal use of the audio Public Service Announcement attached. Media representatives may contact Charlotte Roy, Public Relations Director at croy(at)diversitymc(dot)com, 404-531-6777 or 404-313-2860

###

Arab Bloggers Moving from Blogger. com to Jeeran

Arab Bloggers Moving from Blogger. com to Jeeran

Blogging revolution in the Arab World has picked up quickly and in a manner that exceeded expectations. New bloggers are emerging on an hourly basis and well-established Arab bloggers are making the move to Jeeran, taking benefit of the quality of the integrated line of services that Jeeran provides to its members.

AMMAN (PRWEB) March 26, 2006

A few months since launching its blogging service, Jeeran, the Arab web hosting community, is coming back with more breakthroughs and unprecedented growth in the blogging revolution in the Arab World at large. Jeeran's bloggers community has grown tremendously since the launch of the service, reaching a count of 13,000 blogs to date making Jeeran the largest blogging community in the region.

Blogging revolution in the Arab World has picked up quickly and in a manner that exceeded expectations. New bloggers are emerging on an hourly basis and well-established Arab bloggers are making the move to Jeeran, taking benefit of the quality of the integrated line of services that Jeeran provides to its members. Jeeran focuses on identifying the needs and demands of the Arab user and is the first to provide online services in a homegrown form with global standards.

"Bloggers in general have been suffering from the slowness and lack of development of blogger. com," says Laith Zraikat, Co-founder, and Director of Innovation of Jeeran. "Being a user-driven company and in response to the growing demand, we have developed a Migration Tool that allows the user to completely move his blog from blogger. com along with archives and comments to a new home on Jeeran. The move also gives them their own domain name, something not matched by many of the blogging services, while benefiting from all the integrated services that we provide which enable professionals to thrive and excel with their blogs" he added.

Being the largest bloggers community in the Arab World, Jeeran can closely monitor topics presented and discussed in the Arab blogosphere. Initial expectations stated that majority of Arab bloggers would concentrate on politics; being inspired by the region's current state, however; what Arab bloggers are showing goes against expectations.

"Many of the Arab bloggers do not like to be classified under one category; 24% of the total choose to categorize their blogs under Personal" says Omar Koudsi, Co-founder and president of Jeeran. "This allows them to state their opinions in many issues including but not limited to politics and social issues. In addition, many of our members are tech savvy, leading to 14% of our bloggers classified under Computer & Technology. Surprisingly, other categories follow with very close percentages shedding light on bloggers dedicating their writings to topics like arts, education & culture, religion & spirituality, and sports going against the odds and showing the whole world that Arab bloggers have interests that go beyond politics and entertainment" he added. "Of course Jeeran attracted some prominent journalists and politicians in the Arab world like Rashid Al Mudawwer (Moroccan Parliament Member), Mohammed Lachayeb (Moroccan Parliament Media Consultant), Tawfiq Al Rayyash (Bahraini Journalist), Batir Wardam (Jordanian Journalist and Environmental Activist) and that is just to name a few" he concluded.

With its line of focused and integrated service offerings (Website builder, Online Briefcase, Image Studio, Blogs), Jeeran proves that quality prevails over quantity when it comes to service offerings. Jeeran realizes that sophisticated users expect a service that is compatible with their advanced demands, at the same time is of global standards and presented to them in an easy format. With its large well-informed member base and innovative services, Jeeran has been the choice for Arab bloggers whether they were beginners or seasoned, just starting, or wanting to take their blogging experience to the next level.

For more information, please contact:

Omar Koudsi

President, Co-founder

Http://www. jeeran. com (http://www. jeeran. com)
Tel: +962 6 5825593

Fax: +962 6 5829874

Email: omark@jeeran. com

About Us

Jeeran was established in 2000 as the first Arab web hosting community, with a young and futuristic vision to provide Arab users with the latest web technologies. Jeeran has successfully led and redefined the concept of an Online Arab Web Based Community, and with a customer focused approach; Jeeran gained its competitive edge and is well recognized as the market leader in its domain.

Jeeran continuously aims at allowing members the effective harnessing of the internet. Web hosting and design, online storage, image management, and e-mail, are some of the tools that make our website unique in addressing members' needs. Our community has reached the 500,000 members.

Jeeran's Vision

Our vision is to become the premiere provider of the latest web technologies to the region and beyond.

Jeeran's Mission

Empower people to enhance their lifestyle by providing community based innovative web services.

###

In the Spirit of Juneteenth, Sixties Activist Timothy Fitzgerald Commemorates the Pillars of the Civil Rights Movement

In the Spirit of Juneteenth, Sixties Activist Timothy Fitzgerald Commemorates the Pillars of the Civil Rights Movement

Juneteenth stands for freedom not only for African-Americans but for all Americans. It marks the liberation of the American citizen from bondage. However, the fight against discrimination continued through the Jim Crow era to the 1960s in which we successfully ended segregation. Sixties activist and author Timothy Fitzgerald commemorates the pillars of the civil rights movement.

San Jose, Calif. (PRWEB) June 16, 2010

Timothy Fitzgerald was a student leader in the 1960s at San Jose State University. In 1969, Mr. Fitzgerald led the winning campaign that made history in the state of California by electing the first African-American campus student body president in the state university system. In addition, Fitzgerald was instrumental in desegregating off-campus student housing in San Jose.

Mr. Fitzgerald (www. timfitzgerald. org) recently authored "The Wawona Brotherhood: The San Jose State Campus Revolt" in which he chronicles his experiences at San Jose State University during the turbulent 1960s through the early 1970s. In his eight-year quest to obtain his bachelor's degree, Mr. Fitzgerald battled mental illness and poverty while he collaborated with establishment campus figures to create a new governing system at San Jose.

"Juneteenth stands for freedom not only for African-Americans but for all Americans," said San Jose author and community activist Timothy Fitzgerald. "It marks the liberation of the American citizen from bondage."

Fitzgerald continued, "However, the fight against discrimination continued through the Jim Crow era to the 1960s in which we successfully ended segregation. I commemorate the pillars of the civil rights movement."

Since his time as an undergraduate, Mr. Fitzgerald has been a community activist in San Jose. He is the former Vice Chairman of the Disability Advisory Commission in San Jose; and he was a Green Party state leader for over a decade. Fitzgerald is considered an authority on the Vietnam era in a standard San Jose State history class.

Mr. Fitzgerald remarked, “The election of Obama is the result of modern-day generations working together to end prejudice. The paradox remains if we are colorblind, can we still distinguish excellence in racial differences? In this new age, we are challenged as we look past racial differences to distinguish refined significance in education, work and leadership in which censorship of an idea once outweighed the outcome of historical events. The cries of the masses far outweigh the color and shades of decisions.”

“We must not rest on our accomplishments, but strive for greater achievements in ending discrimination against all regardless of race, color, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or disability."

At the age of 64, Mr. Fitzgerald continues to fight for the human rights of the mentally ill, people of color, the homeless and the disenfranchised. Mr. Fitzgerald is now completing his third master's degree at San Jose State University. He is on track to be awarded this degree in fall 2010. In addition, Mr. Fitzgerald has taught social science subjects in California community colleges in the last decade.

Mr. Fitzgerald has been a guest on American Voice Radio Network's New World Order Disorder, LA Talk Radio's Bipolar Nation, San Francisco radio station KPOO's Community Worker, San Jose radio station KKUP's Silicon Valli Voice and has appeared on San Jose radio station KBAY and Mammoth Lakes radio station KMMT. He also has been interviewed by the San Jose State Spartan Daily along with the Mammoth Times and Los Gatos Times Weekly.

For more information about author and community activist Timothy Fitzgerald and his writing and ideas, visit his Web site www. timfitzgerald. org. For interviews, e-mail timothyfitzgerald97(at)yahoo(dot)com or call 408.726-9940.

# # #

Mighty World Earns Multiple Preferred Choice Awards from Creative Child Magazine

Mighty World Earns Multiple Preferred Choice Awards from Creative Child Magazine

Mighty World's Marine Special Forces Unit, Town Flower Shop, and Major Mac the Recon Ranger have all been presented with 2007 Preferred Choice Awards by Creative Child magazine.

Parsippany, NJ (PRWEB) August 4, 2007

Mighty World's Marine Special Forces Unit, Town Flower Shop, and Major Mac the Recon Ranger have all been presented with 2007 Preferred Choice Awards by Creative Child magazine in the Creative Play for Preschoolers category. These coveted awards are given to play products that meet Creative Child's high standards for well-designed, durable and safe toys that foster creativity and social responsibility in children.

"We are thrilled that Creative Child has recognized Mighty World and the Marine Special Forces Unit play set, Major Mac the Recon Ranger, and the Town Flower Shop as top products that help cultivate children's creativity and imagination," said Susan Tice, Senior Product Manager and Public Relations Director for International Playthings, Inc. (IPI), North American distributor of Mighty World. "Everything about the Mighty World line, from the authentic and detailed product design to the diverse range of environments and accessories was conceived to capture the imagination of modern day children and encourage them to learn through play."

Mighty World is a comprehensive, exciting line of play figures, accessories, and play sets designed to foster children's imagination and creativity by encouraging them to create, experience, and explore their own world of pretend play. Children can familiarize themselves with the armed forces with Mighty World's Major Mac the Recon Ranger and the Marine Special Forces Unit play set. Major Mac, which retails for $10.00, comes with a secret drone for conducting surveillance missions and more than 10 accessories, including a laptop computer and other military gear. The Marine Special Forces Unit play set features Captain Perry and Major Mac, and includes 20 play accessories that can be held by the figures, including a raft that actually floats, packs, weapons, and more. The complete set retails for $16.00.

Mighty World's Town Flower Shop includes Gardening Lily and her helpful assistant, as well as 75 accessories including flowers, pots, a wheelbarrow, cash register, and display cabinet for inside the store. Children can create their own floral arrangements by mixing and matching the flowers within the pots and planters. The flower shop is fully accessible from the front and back and retails for $28.00.

Mighty World is one of four lines of products distributed by IPI to earn top honors from Creative Child magazine this year. Also included are iPlay's Barnyard Blast, Knights Castle, and Fantastic Fairytales, Earlyears' Baby Rocking Horse, and Blonde Cookie Girl by Götz.

About International Playthings, Inc. (IPI)
Since its inception in 1967, IPI has excelled in the delivery of innovative and entertaining products with integrity, superior play value and child developmental qualities to consumers. Over the course of its 40-year existence, IPI has grown to become one of the largest and most respected suppliers of quality products to the North American specialty industry.

A subsidiary of Grand Toys International, Limited, (Nasdaq: GRIN), IPI offers a comprehensive range of proprietary and distributed brands comprising a wide variety of award winning play things including games, infant toys, preschool toys, dolls, educational toys and activity toys. Additional information on IPI, its brands and individual products can be found at www. intplay. com.

About Mighty World:
Mighty World is a comprehensive range of true-to-life play figures, accessories and play sets designed to capture the attention of modern-day children. Mighty World was designed to foster creativity and imagination by encouraging children to create, experience and explore their own worlds of pretend play. Every Mighty World figure is an important member of the Mighty Town community, which encompasses five themes in Adventure, Armed Forces, Construction, Emergency and Town Life.

The highly detailed, true-to-life design of Mighty World's characters and accessories extend play value for children because they mirror the child's real-life surroundings. More information on the individual characters, their stories, roles, relationships and environments can be found at www. mightyworld. com.

Media Contacts:
Susan Tice 
International Playthings, Inc. 
(973) 316-2500 x 232 

Jason Ledder
R&J Public Relations, LLC
(908)-722-5757

###

NLN Publishes Five New Titles in Nursing Education

NLN Publishes Five New Titles in Nursing Education

Achieving Excellence in Nursing Education; African American Voices: Reflecting, Reforming, Reframing; Building the Science of Nursing Education: Foundation for Evidence-Based Teaching and Learning; Clinical Nursing Education: Current Reflections; and Minority Nurses in the New Century will be featured at the 2009 Education Summit, September 23 - 26 in Philadelphia, where editors and contributors will be on hand.

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 3, 2009

The National League for Nursing (www. nln. org) has announced the publication of five new titles, reflecting the NLN's commitment to excellence, one of the four core values that undergird the organization's mission "to promote excellence in nursing education to build a strong and diverse nursing workforce." All publications, available through the online NLN Marketplace, will also be featured at the 2009 Education Summit, September 23 - 26 in Philadelphia, where editors and contributors will be on hand to autograph copies.

"We are so pleased to be able to offer our community of nurse educators this excellent selection of titles, which are both timely in their themes and, will, we believe, be of practical use in terms of their content," said NLN CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. "As purveyors of excellence, we applaud the continued commitment to scholarship in nursing education that these volumes represent and anticipate that they will quickly become essential additions to the profession's literary canon."
Achieving Excellence in Nursing Education, edited by Marsha H. Adams, DSN, RN, CNE and Theresa M. Valiga, EdD, RN, FAAN, articulates "the scope of the NLN's vision for excellence in all types of nursing programs and the ways in which nursing educators can strategically coordinate their efforts to achieve excellence in their teaching practice and in their schools," Dr. Pamela M. Ironside wrote in her foreword. The book is structured around the NLN's Excellence in Nursing Education Model© and Hallmarks of Excellence in Nursing Education©, both developed to guide faculty and administrators in a quest for excellence, and calling for "transformative strategies with daring ingenuity." The concluding chapter by Dr. Linda Caputi reminds readers that achieving and sustaining excellence is the responsibility of everyone - students, faculty, administrators - involved in this challenging and forward-thinking enterprise.

African American Voices: Reflecting, Reforming, Reframing, edited by Pamela V. Hammond, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, is the second work in a series devoted to promoting diversity in nursing and nursing education - the first, Asian American Voices: Engaging, Empowering, Enabling, was released in March. Dr. Hammond, provost of Hampton University, a historically black university, wrote in her preface: "The issues in African American Voices…are screaming to be heard!" The book's first chapter, written by NLN CEO Beverly Malone, pays posthumous tribute to two pioneering African American nurses who mentored her, nurturing a vision that has informed her approach to leadership and authority. Dr. Malone's chapter sets the stage for those that follow, which outline the critical need to support nurse educators from underrepresented populations, and strategies for doing so. There is an emphasis throughout the book on the recruitment, retention, and graduation of African American nurses.

Building the Science of Nursing Education: Foundation for Evidence-Based Teaching and Learning, edited by Cathleen M. Shultz, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN and president-elect of the NLN, is the culmination of a seven-year project by the NLN Task Group on Teaching-Learning Paradigms, which Dr. Shultz chaired. The contributors, all seasoned nurse educator-scholars, thoroughly investigated existing studies of nursing education practice and created the first model for building a science of nursing education, which, it is hoped, will serve as a foundation for continuing scholarship in the field. There are chapters devoted to the essentials of learning and teaching-learning in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains. The concluding chapter is a broad overview of the task group's work and points to challenges that remain to be tackled by future scholars for whom this volume is designed to be a resource.

Minority Nurses in the New Century, edited by Hattie Bessent, EdD, MSN, RN, FAAN and organized into three sections, expands on Dr. Bessent's earlier groundbreaking body of work. Dr. Bessent has dedicated her professional career to the inclusion of ethnic minority nurses in education, research, and practice and to the development of their leadership skills and opportunities. In Section 1 of Minority Nurses, Dr. Bessent presents a follow-up to her 2002 survey, Characteristics and Workforce Utilization Patterns of African American, Asian American/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Caucasian and, for the first time, mixed-race RNs. In Section 2, researchers Schuyler Webb, PhD and Juanita Fleming, PhD verify Dr. Bessent's 1997 findings of continuing under-representation of minority nurses and recommend effective strategies and methods for improving minority recruitment and retention by schools of nursing. The third section is a series of critical essays that provide context for the issues of recruitment and retention of racial/ethnic minority nurses raised by the surveys. 

Clinical Nursing Education: Current Reflections, edited by Nell Ard, PhD, RN, CNE, ANEF and Theresa M. Valiga, EdD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, was conceived as a unique resource for seasoned and novice faculty as well as for graduate students on the nurse educator track. The book aims to help the profession re-imagine clinical education, historically, the essential core of nursing education, and examine the impact of new models for clinical education in an increasingly complex environment of health care delivery. The book grew out of the editors' experiences as part of the NLN's Task Group on Clinical Education, Blue Ribbon Panel on Research in Nursing Education, and Think Tank on Transforming Clinical Nursing Education. Calling it a "treasure of useful scholarly information that challenges the status quo of clinical education," NLN President-elect Cathleen M. Shultz, lauds the editors for bringing together "noted leaders in nursing education to comprehensively discuss topics that will shape the future of clinical teaching."

Reporters/Editors: For review copies and to arrange interviews with editors and contributors, please contact Karen R. Klestzick, NLN chief communications officer, at 212-812-0376.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing (www. nln. org) is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education offering faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 30,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members.

# # #

New Store Delivers the Perfect Fit for Your Kid’s Room and Activities

New Store Delivers the Perfect Fit for Your Kid’s Room and Activities

Shoppers will flock to this new store that offers great deals on beneficial items for growing kids.

Newbury Park, CA (PRWEB) October 13, 2010

Shoppers in the market for kids gifts, whether to be used to dress up a kid’s room or to encourage fun and healthy exercise, now have a new and convenient destination. When shopping for kids, the items need to be charming and unique, but also well crafted and durable. Perfect Fit For Kids, recently established by California entrepreneur Michele Hren, has committed itself to delivering a wide variety of stylish kids décor and entertainment for kids across the country.

Perfect Fit For Kids, an Internet store, is available to shoppers 24 hours a day, seven days a week via the web at http://www. perfectfitforkids. com. While shopping, customers will find a vast selection of gifts, educational toys, bedding and Kid's furniture, plus fun and healthy fitness choices for the home and outdoor spaces. Even the inexperienced Internet shopper will be delighted in the ease at which they can shop and the simplicity of checkout to ensure an enjoyable and safe experience.

A convenient shopping experience is important, but the best aspect of Perfect Fit For Kids is the amazing opportunity for any Kid to create their own style. Each item is carefully chosen and offered at discount prices. From the homepage to checkout, this is one new store that will keep shoppers coming back for more.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: GKE USA Announces the Completion of Strategic Professional Development in China

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: GKE USA Announces the Completion of Strategic Professional Development in China.

GKE USA announces the strategic delivery of GKE Catalyst seminars in the GKE Innovative Learning Center located on Allied Elementary School of Peking UniversityÂ’s campus.

(PRWEB) November 14, 2003

Wayne, New Jersey, USA (PRWEB) November 15, 2003  GKE USA, a global education company, announces that it has completed the strategic delivery of the introduction of its GKE Innovative Learning System to selected principals, educators, and content developers in China.

Key educators and education industry leaders in attendance included Dr. Wenfang Fan of Tsinghua University, the editor of ChinaÂ’s Primary School English textbook series; Peking University Primary SchoolÂ’s Principal Yin Chao; AESPU Director Pan Donghui; Principals from Weihei, China; Principals from Xian Province, China; George Zhang, Administrator of Beijing Bright Horizon International Academy; Li Shu Peng, President of ShenZhen QinZhong Electronics and Yangling Qinzhong Electronics and Information; Jianwei Cao, General Manager of GKE China; J. J. Zhang, General Manager of JinKeYu Electronic Technology.

The administration of Peking University’s noted Allied Elementary School welcomed representatives of GKE USA and their facilitators from GKE Beijing I and GKE Beijing II for catalyst team training seminars conducted October 22-24, 2003 in the AESPU’s new GKE Innovative Learning Center facility. Peking University Elementary Principal Yin Chao stated in a recent GKE Incite e-zine interview, “Our slogan is teacher and student should grow together. Through the collaboration of students, and not only me, but also the teachers, I want students to feel learning and living are really a joyful experience -- the two should be the same.” The dedicated and committed Principal Yin Chao went on to state during the GKE catalyst seminars that, “Our goal is to make AESPU a premiere school in China and globally. Because we have such a goal in mind, GKE’s programs are very attractive to us. . . Kids, no matter where they are in different countries, they should enjoy the best resources available in the world. That is our future.”

Key faculty from AESPU were among GKE China’s first catalyst team of professional educators trained in the GKE Innovative Learning Process. The seminars were led by GKE USA’s Senior Executive Vice-President and developer of the GKE Innovative Learning System, Florence McGinn, who is the United States National Tech&Learning Teacher of the Year 1998 and a former United States Commissioner on Web-based Education during the Clinton administration. Strategic translation was provided by Douglas Chyan, President of D. K. Winston. Full seminar support in presentation, workshops, and demonstrations was provided by GKE Education Research Associate Neela Mookerjee, a graduate of Stanford University, who is Editor of GKE Innovation Café and GKE Incite.

The purpose of initiating a GKE catalyst team is to involve active, classroom educators directly in the global research and development strategies of the GKE Innovative Learning System. Catalyst teachers integrate the GKE Innovative Learning SystemÂ’s strategies into classroom innovation in a localized, meaningful way. Catalyst teachers collaborate in global innovation projects as well as facilitate the dissemination of GKEÂ’s innovative pedagogies.

George Zhang, who attended the seminars, stated, “We need GKE to help the fostering of our innovation. We will use our own Chinese system, the curricular system. Beyond that, we need supplementary material from your GKE Innovation Café, and we need to train teachers to get this pedagogy to create a flexible and creative environment for learners. Our slogan is future leaders start here.”

The GKE seminars were transmitted from the GKE Innovative Learning Center into AESPU classroom locations for viewing by additional educators, filmed by GKE Beijing through the use of innovative eEngine hardware, and featured on CCTV China. Earlier GKE presentations by Florence McGinn and GKE Innovative Learning System materials are published in China by Centrix Technologies, Shanghai, and Nankai University, Tainjin.

Strategic executions planned include multimedia documentation, “teacher as researcher” strategies, white papers and classroom narratives, educational data collection, and an archive of learning artifacts. The integration of the GKE Innovative Learning System is planned to support research and development in cutting edge concepts of learner as researcher, learner as product developer, learner as global citizen, and learner as professional intern strategies.

The catalyst training seminars are a component of the strategic research agreement signed earlier this year between AESPU and the GKE Foundation. After this initial, intense grounding in the GKE Innovation Learning System provided by the educational experts of GKE USA, the Catalyst Team will be facilitated by GKE China in order to implement and provide local adaptation of the GKE Innovative Learning System.

Dedicated support comes from GKE USAÂ’s executive team headed by GKE USA CEO and Founder, James Chang, who also is President of the GKE Foundation, CEO and Founder of the American-based COMWEB Technology Group, and Board of Trustees member of CODE, a consortium of over 30 American community colleges; GKE Senior Executive Vice President, Florence McGinn, recipient of many awards including Princeton University Distinguished Secondary School Educator, Best Educational Practices awards, and global recognition from the United States, Singapore, Korea, Japan, and Australia.

The primary school attached to Peking University was founded in 1906 and designated as a National Key Primary School in 1952. Covering an area of 24,800 square meters, Peking University Allied Elementary School is regarded as a “garden of learning” for its almost 2000 students. This award-winning elementary school serves as a core, representative model school for the GKE China Membership Alliance. The Peking University Allied Elementary School is a national model, and it has won Model Primary School and Advanced Primary School awards. For the 2004-5 school year, AESPU has in place a major building plan with the inclusion of a new GKE Innovative Learning Center.

GKE™ -- THE HUMAN KNOWLEDGE NETWORK: A GLOBAL SYSTEM OF UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES -- GKE is a global education corporation that utilizes a worldwide business alliance approach aligned with its GKE Innovative Learning system to provide multidisciplinary, multicultural strategies with creative, Information Age priorities. GKE interactions create and implement customized processes of systemic, innovative educational design, customized technology-assisted learning environments, 21st century skills-oriented pedagogies, and a developing network of GKE Innovation Centers to energize its GEM (Global Education Model) education industry alliance strategies.

For further information contact

James Chang, GKE CEO and Founder, Florence McGinn, GKE Senior Executive Vice President,

Or Neela Mookerjee, GKE Education Research Associate and GKE Innovation Café Editor

GKE, 155 Route 46, Wayne Interchange Plaza II Wayne, New Jersey 07470-6831 USA

Telephone: 973 890 0010 OR 908 782 0894

Email: jchang@gke. com fmcginn@gke. com  nm@gke. com

In China, contact

AESPU Principal Yin Chao at ych@pku. edu. cn OR GKE China, Richard Xiang, at rshawn68@tom. com

LIVE Internet Webcast The e-Marketing Insight Conference 2007 on Michigan Live Events. com

LIVE Internet Webcast The e-Marketing Insight Conference 2007 on Michigan Live Events. com

MichiganLiveEvents. com, Michigan's leading Internet streaming video provider, announces the following event being broadcast on-demand over the Internet on August 2nd: The e-Marketing Insight Conference 2007, Trends and Travel Web 2.0, August 2 and 3, 2007 - Detroit, Michigan.

Detroit, MI (PRWEB) July 18, 2007

MichiganLiveEvents. com, Michigan's leading Internet streaming video provider, announces the following event being broadcast on-demand over the Internet in August of 2007 at http://www. michiganliveevents. com (http://www. michiganliveevents. com)

The e-Marketing Insight Conference 2007
Trends and Travel Web 2.0
August 2 and 3, 2007 - Detroit, Michigan

The e-Marketing Insight Conference is the only innovative and affordable internet marketing educational conference designed specifically for travel and tourism industry professionals. The 2007 conference will cover all aspects of online travel trends and Web 2.0. The on-demand broadcast features 2 very dynamic speakers, and the conference itself is a gathering of some of the best information available. Michigan Live Events will also be providing video streams for anyone to purchase/view at a reasonable cost post-event.

In its 4th year, the conference is expanding its onsite offering with a LIVE Internet broadcast by Michigan Live Events, just one of the great examples of new technology and the type of Web 2.0 capabilities the travel and tourism industry is poised to expand upon in the future. The featured LIVE broadcast will be:

Thursday, August 2, 2007 - 10:45 am - Blogs, Pods and Vods: Three Mediums that are a Must for the Marketing Mix - Resident blogger and podcaster, Bill Geist, will talk about why these mediums are a must mix for your current marketing strategy. He will review some of the travel industry's best practices, discuss challenges and share some personal experiences in the world of online media within the travel industry.
Presented by: Bill Geist, Zeitgeist Consulting -
Http://www. zeitgeistconsulting. com/ (http://www. zeitgeistconsulting. com/)

Access to the live broadcast is available at http://videostreamusa. com/gammet/index. php (http://videostreamusa. com/gammet/index. php)

You are welcome to join us in person - register now at http://www. emarketinginsightconference. com/ (http://www. emarketinginsightconference. com/)

Space is limited to the first 50 attendees to provide attendees with ample opportunities to interact with presenters. Registration deadline is Friday, July 20th. The 2006 conference did reach capacity.

Post event digital downloads of individual speakers and the full conference will be available at: http://videostreamusa. com/gammet/index. php (http://videostreamusa. com/gammet/index. php)

Interested in a Internet video broadcast?
LIVE Internet broadcast services, through Michigan Live Events. com
See how Michigan Live Events. com can help send more visitors to your event using a LIVE broadcast.
All Broadcasts feature high-quality television broadcast video, and CD-quality sound.
Banner ads for YOUR event/sponsors included as part of your webcast package.
Articles, links and SEO implemented for your event. A better, faster, more-cost effective way to advertise your event/festival.
Our affiliates help promote Michigan events - get YOUR event listed today.

To discover how Live Internet Broadcasting will maximize visitors to your event, call us at 1-734-675-7325, or visit www. soundque. com. To view upcoming webcasts, visit www. michiganliveevents. com.

SoundQue is a unique agency. We provide Internet video streaming and broadcasting, Web site design, audio production, video editing, printing, media buys, and media planning to offer clients better, faster, and more cost-effective marketing services.

# # #

Bridgette Suzanne Smith Earns ISA Certified Arborist Designation

Bridgette Suzanne Smith Earns ISA Certified Arborist Designation

Another SavATree Arborist joins the rankings of ISA Certified.

(PRWEB) April 1, 2010

Bridgette Suzanne Smith (http://www. savatree. com/scarsdale-ny-tree-service. html), a SavATree arborist who services clients in to Scarsdale and Eastchester, New York, recently completed the International Society of Arboriculture (http://www. isa-arbor. com/home. aspx)(ISA) Certified Arborist examination. The ISA administers the test through its local chapter to certify professional expertise in tree care and the maintenance of shade and ornamental trees.

The ISA Certification Program aims to increase the standards in tree care by testing comprehension and recognizing proficiency. The ISA hopes to make it easier for the public to identify knowledgeable and skilled tree care professionals through the certified arborist credential. To become a certified arborist, applicants must pass through a methodically developed education and examination program. Afterward, members are accredited as leaders in the field of arboriculture.

Before joining SavATree (http://www. savatree. com), Bridgette earned a BS in Horticultural Science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is also a graduate of the Council for International Exchange Education in Monteverde, Costa Rica where she studied tropical rainforest ecology and tree biology. She has over 10 years of industry experience including time as a Horticulturalist responsible for estate management where she focused on integrated disease and pest management, soil reconstruction and planting of focal and feature trees in Long Island. When asked why she became an arborist, she explained, “I was raised on a tree farm where I learned sustainable management and production of Pinus taeda – so you could say I was born into it!”

The ISA is a world wide organization focusing on the science of arboriculture and education to circulate knowledge regarding how to best care for trees. When contracting for your tree care needs, contact ISA certified arborists who have passed this voluntary program. All ISA Certified Arborists carry a wallet identification card for verification. Certification is valid for three years.

###

COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FORM LOCAL CHAPTER OF AITP

COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FORM LOCAL CHAPTER OF AITP

A number of El Paso area information technology professionals are starting a Chapter of AITP (Association of Information Technology Professionals). "A local chapter of this national organization (formerly Data Processing Management Association) will provide computer professionals an opportunity to meet on a regular basis to discuss common issues, hear presentations from experts and vendors and to network with each other" according to Peter Cooper, Steering Committee Chair. “There is an active student AITP chapter at UTEP who are interested in seeing a professional chapter with whom they can interact.”

(PRWEB) September 1, 2002

COMPUTER PROFESSIONALS FORM LOCAL CHAPTER OF AITP

A number of El Paso area information technology professionals are starting a Chapter of AITP (Association of Information

Technology Professionals). "A local chapter of this national organization (formerly Data Processing Management Association) will provide computer professionals an opportunity to meet on a regular basis to discuss common issues, hear presentations from experts and vendors and to network with each other" according to Peter Cooper, Steering Committee Chair. “There is an active student AITP chapter at UTEP who are interested in seeing a professional chapter with whom they can interact.”

AITP (http://www. aitp. org/ (http://www. aitp. org/)) is the largest professional association in the field of computer management, with 5,000 regular members in over 150 chapters in the U. S., Canada and elsewhere. AITP has approximately 5,000 student members as well. There are 8 professional chapters in Texas and a number of student chapters. “There is a need for a local chapter in our area and we have gotten encouragement from IT professionals around the El Paso region. Information professionals from business, government, & education, can benefit from this organization,” said Mr. Cooper who is the Chief Technology Officer at El Paso County.

The first meeting of the El Paso Chapter of AITP (Association of Information Technology Professionals) will be held Wednesday, Sept 4th beginning at 5:30 PM (reception and networking) with the business meeting starting at 6:30 PM. This organizational meeting will be held in the JDW Insurance building (Dee Margo gallery) in the lower level. The address is 415 E. Yandell (corner of Kansas & Yandell) in El Paso.

The President of the National AITP organization, Kevin Jetton from the San Antonio Chapter, will be here to welcome the new Chapter to AITP.

There are currently have over ninety professionals who have committed to join this Chapter. “There has been a lot of excitement and interest in this new organization and I believe that there will be many more joining as the word gets around. We have a number of applicants from El Paso, Las Cruces and as far as Deming, NM,” said Mr. Cooper

Contact Information:

Peter Cooper

Chief Technology Officer, El Paso County

AITP El Paso Steering Committee Chairman

Pcooper@co. el-paso. tx. us

915-546-2041

Eileen Kugler Shares Tips to Boost Student Success in Diverse Schools

Eileen Kugler Shares Tips to Boost Student Success in Diverse Schools

Students need more than just good teaching to succeed. Research shows that students – and their families – need to feel valued and connected to school, and that can be challenging in diverse schools. Embrace Diverse School's Eileen Kugler, an international expert on strengthening multicultural schools, provides tips for building those critical school connections for students and families of every culture.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) September 16, 2010

As the school year starts, teachers are focused on helping every child succeed. "One key to school success is making sure that students -- and their families -- feel connected to school, " says Eileen Kugler, president of Embrace Diverse Schools. "This can be particularly challenging in diverse schools with a mix of cultures and expectations."

“At the foundation of strengthening a diverse school is creating an atmosphere where everyone feels valued as a unique individual,” says Kugler, a global speaker and consultant on strengthening diverse schools. "When they feel valued at school, they feel connected; and research says that connection to school promotes achievement."

Kugler provides the following STRATEGIC TIPS that increase student success by increasing both student and family connection:
Recognize the Culture of Each Student “Everyone has a culture – where we were born, where we grew up, who raised us, our ethnic background, our religion, our home language, our family structure, and more,” says Kugler. “Students feel connected to the school when they can be authentic and they don’t have to hide their culture to fit in.”
Learn to pronounce all students’ names - What’s in a name? A person’s history and identity. Schools shouldn’t hand out nicknames just because the name is hard to pronounce. And no more, “Call me Mrs. K.” Teachers should model the behavior by expecting students to learn their names, as well. Rejoice in different accents - It’s not just about accents from other countries. Reports show a disturbing lack of respect for any accent that is “different,” like reports of a child from Boston being ridiculed for his pronunciation in a class in Ohio or the southern drawl of a child from Alabama laughed at – by the teacher – in a Maryland school. Let students see themselves in the classroom - A photo of each child should be posted around the room with the student’s personal writing. The students can draw pictures of themselves, encouraged to express their own individuality. Multicultural literature around the room should reflect the many faces in the broader community. Through class assignments, students can write autobiographies that include interviewing relatives and family friends. The assignments can be more sophisticated as students get older, using poetry or drama as vehicles for bringing their lives into the classroom. Create an opportunity for students to share what is important to them. Daily classroom meetings, where students share their ideas, thoughts, and experiences in a safe place, can build a true community. With guidance from the teacher, students learn the important skills of active listening and problem-solving together. Value the Dreams of Every Parent "In my work with schools across the U. S. and in South Africa, I find every parent has hopes and dreams for their child (http://www. embracediverseschools. com/2009/09/engaging-families-in-school-by-valuing-their-dreams/),” Kugler asserts. “Sometimes they never have a chance to voice those dreams, with the constant stream of information from school telling them what to do.” Kugler urges schools to:
Assume every parent cares about their child’s education - Schools should not make assumptions about parents just because they aren’t visible. Many families believe it is their job to support education at home, but the teacher’s job at school. They show respect by not interfering with the teacher’s work. Sometimes parents are intimidated to talk to a teacher – they didn’t have a good education themselves or they found school a place of negative experiences. For immigrants, expectations of American schools can be confusing. Many immigrants are shocked to learn that American schools expect them to be involved! Respect the strengths of family members and engage them as partners - The goal of engaging families is to build a partnership to support the students and the school itself. Families of diverse backgrounds bring many strengths that are often overlooked. Think of the organization and resiliency of an immigrant family who made the challenging journey to the U. S. Or the perseverance of a parent who could not attend college but works long hours to assure his child will have that chance. Or the commitment of a grandmother who is determined that her grandchildren will understand the value of hard work by doing chores at home. When schools learn about and respect these strengths, they understand that communication with diverse families should be two-way, as family members have many lessons to teach as well as learn. Go beyond traditional programs for family involvement - Back-to-school nights and parent meetings work for some families, but others find them overwhelming or intimidating. Schools should look for non-threatening ways to encourage parent involvement: a classroom celebration of children’s writing where family members accompany their child to class; a breakfast with their child before work; a chance to meet with other families from their culture. Invitations sent out in multiple ways is critical, including personal notes home with the child and follow-up phone calls – the more personal, the better. A community leader who is known and respected by school families can be a great ally in connecting with diverse families. Get out of the school - Some families find it intimidating to just walk through the school doors. To connect with families in a more comfortable setting, schools can hold meetings in community rooms, libraries, or religious institutions in the neighborhood. Sometimes a lunchroom in a local factory is a great place to connect with parents who can’t leave work. Collaborate with involved families - As schools look for innovative ways to reach families, success can’t be judged by the number of families who initially respond. Build on the outreach by collaborating with new families who do become involved. Give them the opportunity to do substantive work alongside long-active parents. When family leaders in the school represent the diversity of the community, family engagement across the board will snowball.

“Valuing the unique strengths of each student and family is a critical step to building vital school connections,” Kugler asserts. “Diverse schools offer exciting opportunity for academic and social growth for every student, because of the richness of classrooms with students of different perspectives, experiences, and skills. But they can only reach their potential when students and families of all backgrounds feel they are a valued part of the school,” she said. “Then students of every culture are empowered to achieve.”

Eileen Kugler is a global speaker and consultant on strengthening diverse schools, communities, and businesses. Her award-winning book, "Debunking the Middle-class Myth: Why diverse schools are good for all kids," has been called a “civic and community blueprint for the 21st century.” Follow her on Twitter @embracediversiT

###

New Report Highlights Water Technology Opportunities

New Report Highlights Water Technology Opportunities

Green building consultant Jerry Yudelson’s latest report profiles new water technologies.

Tucson AZ (Vocus) November 10, 2009 –-

What’s the fastest growing concern of the green building movement? Not necessarily energy, as you might suppose, but water conservation, including the water technology opportunities profiled in Jerry Yudelson’s latest green building report, sponsored by the Mechanical Contractors Education and Research Foundation, the research arm of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA).

“In Water Efficiency Technologies for Mechanical Contractors: New Business Opportunities, I profile a growing trend in the green building movement – water conservation. This trend is highlighted by the new requirements of the LEED rating system that require 20% water savings for every project, compared with conventional buildings,” says Yudelson.

In this report, Yudelson outlines major opportunities in water metering, fixture replacements, cooling tower water reduction, rainwater harvesting and gray water reuse in buildings. “With major droughts affecting Florida, Georgia, Texas and California the past few years, it’s time to recalibrate our thinking about the importance of water in the built environment,” he said.

In the report, Jerry Yudelson profiles dozens of new technologies usable in both new buildings and retrofit projects around the U. S. and Canada. Yudelson presents a solid business case for water conservation, and outlines the close relationship of water use and energy use through what’s being called the energy/water nexus.

“It takes nearly half of U. S. water withdrawals to provide cooling for thermal power plants and it takes as much as five percent of our energy production just to move water, treat it, pump it to points of use and treat the resulting wastewater. We can’t solve energy problems without dealing with inefficient water use, and we shouldn’t try” maintained Yudelson.

“In this report, we provide a practical guide to water technologies for buildings. We show contractors, in particular, how concern over water shortages can generate great business opportunities for them. But this opportunity is not limited to contractors; it exists also for manufacturers, investors, technology developers, building owners and real estate developers” said Yudelson.

By saving money on water use through creative water conservation strategies and water technology investments, the report shows how commercial building owners can actually add significant value to their real estate holdings by lowering annual operating costs, increasing net operating income (NOI) and benefiting from the multiple of NOI reflected in building prices. “It’s possible to add $1 million to the value of a large building just by saving $100,000 in annual water costs” stated Yudelson.

The free 64-page report is available from Yudelson's web site (http://www. greenbuildconsult. com) and at the MCAA web site (http://www. mcaa. org/store).

About Yudelson Associates
Yudelson Associates is a leading international firm in sustainability planning and green building consulting. The founder, Jerry Yudelson, is widely acknowledged as one of the nation’s leading experts on green building and green development. He is the author of 11 green building books and serves as Research Scholar for Retail Real Estate Sustainability for the International Council of Shopping Centers, a 70,000-member international trade organization. He is a frequent green building speaker at industry and professional conferences and chairs North America’s largest annual show, the U. S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild (http://www. greenbuildexpo. org) International Conference, held this month in Phoenix.

For more information on Yudelson Associates please visit the company’s website, greenbuildconsult. com. Jerry Yudelson can also be seen on YouTube at youtube. com/jyudelson and followed on Twitter at twitter. com/jerryyudelson.

###

Toyota Environmental Protection Aid Program for China's Youth Hands Out Awards

Toyota Environmental Protection Aid Program for China's Youth Hands Out Awards

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today on its website http://www. toyota-media. com that the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (Chinese Communist Youth League - CCYL), the All-China Youth Federation (ACYF) and TMC handed out today the 2007* awards for the Toyota Environmental Protection Aid Program for China's Youth at a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Brussels, Belgium (PRWEB) April 10, 2008

A total of approximately 150 people attended the awards ceremony, including ACYF executives, Chinese government officials and Toyota representatives.

TMC Senior Managing Director Akira Sasaki, who oversees Toyota's operations in China, said in his address to the attendees: "The wonderful projects of the awardees are expected to contribute greatly to environmental protection in China."

This year's awards were presented under the theme: "Everyone's world, everyone's responsibility". More than 270 proposals were submitted from across China, of which the panel, comprised of Chinese experts on environmental protection and journalists specializing in environmental topics, selected one proposal to receive the Toyota Special Award, 10 proposals to receive special support and 20 proposals to receive a special commendation. Award winners receive grants for their environmental protection activities and are given the opportunity to travel to Japan on a study trip. TMC has provided 3.5 million Chinese yuan (approximately 50 million yen) for each year, for the past three years.

The Toyota Special Award went to a project being carried out at 100 model schools and their surrounding communities designated by the Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences. The project involves the conducting of educational activities for energy conservation and emissions reductions and efforts to raise awareness of environmental problems.

The function of the Toyota Environmental Protection Aid Program for China's Youth, which was jointly established by the ACYF, the CCYL and TMC in July 2005, is to solicit written proposals for environmental protection activities from China's youth and to offer support to the best proposals. Toyota has continued to conduct social contribution activities throughout the world, focusing on the three areas of environmental protection, traffic safety and human resources development. For environmental protection in China, in addition to the Toyota Environmental Protection Aid Program for China's Youth, Toyota is implementing afforestation programs to combat desertification. Meanwhile, in the area of traffic safety, Toyota conducts traffic-safety educational events for the general public in collaboration with the Chinese Ministry of Public Security. Further, in order to promote human resources development, Toyota has established the Toyota Study Assistance Fund and a research center in collaboration with the School of Public Policy & Management at Tsinghua University. Toyota aims to be a good corporate citizen and plans to continue contributing to Chinese society.

*Unless noted otherwise, the year mentioned is the fiscal year from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008.

Http://www. toyota-media. com/ (http://www. toyota-media. com/) is exclusively reserved for media professionals, and contains information on Toyota & Lexus business activities and products, environmental solutions & technology, how to get in touch with us and much more.

###

Diane Ravitch and David Conley Captivate Attendees at the Middle College National Consortium’s Annual Summer Institute

Diane Ravitch and David Conley Captivate Attendees at the Middle College National Consortium’s Annual Summer Institute

Over two hundred educators from thirty one schools across the country attended Middle College National Consortium’s annual Summer Institute where they heard renowned educators Diane Ravitch and David Conley eloquently espouse their philosophy on how to educate today’s youth.

New York City (Vocus) July 14, 2010

The Middle College National Consortium, a leader in the movement to establish and sustain high school/college dual enrollment, hosted its annual Summer Institute at the Jersey City Hyatt earlier this month. Over two hundred attendees from thirty one small high schools across the country attended the event.

Renowned educator Diane Ravitch, author of The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education, electrified the audience with her stinging rebuke of education reform as practiced today. She stated that “Closing schools is not a school improvement strategy” and noted that incentives and sanctions lead to cheating and gaming the system, not school improvement. She backed up her comments by pointing out that students made smaller gains on the NAEP (National Assessment of Education Progress) tests in the No Child Left Behind era than in the preceding era. Ms. Ravitch’s prescription for curing ailing schools is to focus on what is going on in the classroom. She advocates for a coherent curriculum without the attached high stakes tests, long term planning, a cadre of experienced teachers and principals, and inspection teams tailored to the needs of individual schools.

Dr. David Conley, author of College and Career Ready: Helping All Students Succeed Beyond High School and founder and director of the Educational Policy Improvement Center (EPIC), spoke to the issue of College and Career Readiness for all students. Noting that as the demands of society continue to change and change rapidly, a fundamentally different world awaits our students. Dr. Conley articulated a vision of what college and career preparation looks like in the classroom. He described how college and career readiness is multi-faceted and involves content knowledge and cognitive strategies, academic behaviors, and contextual skills and awareness.

In line with the conference’s theme of “College Readiness” attendees participated in four days of professional workshops facilitated primarily by master teachers from attending schools. The major areas of focus were:

*Data--How can staff use data to better prepare students for college work?
*Professional Development--What strategies and techniques can teachers utilize to help students succeed in college?
*Curriculum Development--How can we develop curriculum that supports college readiness?
*High School/College Partnership--How can high schools and their college partners collaborate to enhance dual enrollment?
*Student Support--What supports are necessary for students to succeed in college courses?

Dr. Cecilia Cunningham, founder and Director of the Middle College National Consortium stated that, “Diane Ravitch and David Conley are brilliant educators. They forced people to stretch their minds and move out of their comfort zones. This laid the foundation for the fine work that ensued in the professional workshops and team meetings. It is the hard work done by the attending teachers, administrators and college personnel that is a major factor in the success of our students. An amazing 91% of Early College students graduate with 30 college credits or more.”

The Middle College National Consortium, headquartered in New York City, is a leader in the movement to establish and sustain high school/college dual enrollment as a viable and necessary educational model. Middle College National Consortium’s mission is to develop small schools in which high school students, especially those who have been previously underserved by their former schools, can earn both a high school diploma and either an Associate’s Degree or transferable college credits upon graduation.

To learn more about the Middle College National Consortium, visit us at (http://www. mcnc. us/) for a comprehensive overview of the history, design principles, current work and achievements.

Contact information:
Tony Hoffmann
Middle College National Consortium
Http://mcnc. us
718-361-1981
Thoffmann(at)mcnc(dot)us

# # #

Online Broker TradeKing Launches with Low, Flat-Rate Commissions

Online Broker TradeKing Launches with Low, Flat-Rate Commissions

New business, led by a pioneer in online trading, provides the next generation of online brokerage services for smarter, more demanding customers.

Boca Raton, FL (PRWEB) December 27, 2005

TradeKing, an online broker (http://www. tradeking. com/) led by a team that helped pioneer online trading (http://www. tradeking. com/), unveiled its Web site today, www. tradeking. com], offering the next generation of online trading services. With a flat fee of $4.95 for both equity and option trades, plus 65 cents per contract for options, TradeKing offers some of the lowest trading commissions on the Internet, with no hidden fees or account minimums. All TradeKing customers pay the same fee, regardless of trading volume or assets in the account.

TradeKing customers will be able to trade and manage a full suite of investments, including stocks, traditional options, mutual funds, exchange traded funds, bonds and Treasuries. The online trading (http://www. tradeking. com/) platform is complemented by a comprehensive set of information tools, including access to voluminous, but customized information such as a personalized RSS newsreader, educational podcasts, customized financial blogs and a Wiki community – all designed to make the TradeKing experience more engaging, more efficient and more effective.

TradeKing’s founder, Donato A. Montanaro, Jr., created the online broker SURETRADE Inc. in 1997 and is recognized as one of the pioneers in electronic trading. As a subsidiary of Quick & Reilly, SURETRADE offered one of the cheapest online trading commissions at the time ($7.95) and helped create the active trading market. The online broker grew to become the industry’s eighth-largest player and, within three years, had more than $40 million in annual revenue and executed more than 50,000 trades daily.

“We believe that consolidation in the online investing industry has diverted attention from products and services, creating an opportunity for TradeKing in a market that has an estimated 20 million to 30 million online brokerage accounts,” said Montanaro. “After a decade of online trading, investors are smarter and more experienced than ever, and so they want better tools and technology from their online broker (http://www. tradeking. com/) without sacrificing low prices. At TradeKing, we deliver that value, but with a democratic pricing structure that treats all investors equally.”

TradeKing, at www. tradeking. com, is a nationally licensed broker dealer with powerful online equity and option trading tools including real-time portfolio information, advanced order entry, customized charting and alerts, free research and integrated news, stock, option and mutual fund screeners, volatility charts, a pricing probability calculator, enhanced option chains and interactive educational information.

“We don’t think that online trading should be a solitary experience just because you are a self directed investor. That’s why TradeKing is the first online brokerage firm to introduce financial blogs (http://www. tradeking. com/) and social networking tools to the trading experience – bringing the financial services industry in line with other sectors,” continued Montanaro. “People have seen how blogs change everything from how politics is covered to how disasters are reported. Now TradeKing customers can leverage the power of blogs to more easily share information, expand their roster of trading strategies, and connect with other like-minded investors.”

TradeKing’s investors reflect the high regard with which the company’s management team is held. Investors include OCA Ventures, the investment arm of the partners who led O’Connor and Associates – the Chicago-based pioneers of standardized Option trading back in 1977; Bruce Rauner, a Principal at the Chicago private equity firm GTCR; and, members of the Quick family, which founded Quick & Reilly. Quick & Reilly was the first NYSE member firm to offer discounted stock trading commissions to retail clients after market deregulation in 1975.

“Online broker industry consolidation has left many online investors neglected. They’re ready for a better experience at a lower price. TradeKing delivers on that promise with the right tools and the right technology to meet the needs of today’s – and tomorrow’s – online traders.”

In addition to Montanaro, TradeKing’s president and chief executive officer, most of the company’s management team is composed of former executives at SURETRADE. They include Richard J. Hagen, Jr., senior vice president and chief operating officer; Philip A. Claxton, vice president, finance; Peter Seed, vice president, marketing; Roberto Donovan, vice president, brokerage operations; and Kevin Corrigan, vice president, project management.

TradeKing provides self-directed investors with discount brokerage services, and does not make recommendations or offer investment advice. Online trading system response and access times may vary due to market conditions, system performance, and other factors. Non-U. S. residents may be subject to country-specific restrictions. Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options (http://wiki. financialblogs. com/download/attachments/1819/characteristicsandrisks. pdf) available at www. tradeking. com. $4.95 commission rate applies to equity and option trades. See www. tradeking. com for more details on trade commissions for low priced stock, bonds, mutual funds and other securities. Add 1 cent per share for the entire order for stocks priced $2.00 or less.

Contact:

Peter Seed, TradeKing, 561-988-0171

Stewart Lewack, The Hubbell Group, Inc., 781-878-8882

# # #

GreatDad. com Announces Headquarters in San Francisco, California CEO and Founder, Paul Banas

GreatDad. com Announces Headquarters in San Francisco, California CEO and Founder, Paul Banas

Headquartered in San Francisco, California, GreatDad. com (http://www. greatdad. com) is a leading source of experience, recommendations, inspiration and advice for dads - delivered from the male perspective. Based on insight and his experience of more than 20 years of marketing and business development at companies including Unilever, Visa International, Alibris. com and most recently, Yahoo! Inc., Banas founded GreatDad. com.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 16, 2007

At its new headquarters in San Francisco, California, GreatDad. com (http://www. greatdad. com (http://www. greatdad. com)) is a leading source of experience, recommendations, inspiration and advice for dads - delivered from the male perspective. Based on insight and his experience of more than 20 years of marketing and business development at companies including Unilever, Visa International, Alibris. com and most recently, Yahoo! Inc., Banas founded GreatDad. com.

As a new Dad, Paul Banas was looking for a business idea that would allow him the flexibility to spend time with his family. And, as a dad, he became very aware that many dads today are more involved in parenting but have limited resources from a man's point of view from which to better understand the challenges of their changing role. Based on this insight and his experience of more than 20 years of marketing and business development at companies including Unilever, Visa International, Alibris. com and most recently, Yahoo! Inc., Banas founded GreatDad. com.

"While nothing can imitate or replace the special mother/child bond, dads develop incredible relationships with their children and it is vitally important that they have a place to discuss the parenting process from a male perspective. Data indicates that fathers today are more involved in family life versus a generation ago due to factors including post-911 security fears, loss of career-long job security, and increased demands on working moms and dual-career families," said Banas. "GreatDad. com enables all dads - working, stay-at-home, single, gay, domestic partners, and more - to find ways to be involved and understand how dads are functioning as parents today."

In addition to managing GreatDad. com, Banas is a member of the Marketing Executives Networking Group (MENG), former President and founder of the International Advertising Association's San Francisco chapter, and a member of the San Francisco Thunderbird Alumni group. Paul sits on the Board of the Institut Francais de Washington (Chapel Hill, N. C.) and works on the Public Affairs committee for Planned Parenthood's Golden Gate Chapter.

Banas is a native of Minnesota and earned a B. A. degree in French from the University of Minnesota. Paul earned an M. A. in French at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont and holds an M. B.A. from the Garvin School of International Marketing at Thunderbird. A published author of fictional short stories, Banas resides in San Francisco with his wife and two children.

About GreatDad. com -- Headquartered in San Francisco, California, GreatDad. com (http://www. greatdad. com (http://www. greatdad. com)) is a leading source of experience, recommendations, inspiration and advice for dads - delivered from the male perspective. GreatDad. com currently offers the only pregnancy countdown newsletter written by dads for dads, and SuperSearch, the only Web search tool that searches the best parenting information sites with information reviewed by users. The site provides unique content written specifically for dads including the "Gadget of the Day" column and the "By Dads for Dads" area, focusing on kids' products created by involved dads. GreatDad. com features seven published author contributors, and serves up polls, community forums, as well as a database of helpful medical, developmental and educational articles from across the Web. While the site is supported by ad sales as well as affiliate relationships, the recommendations are based solely on user experience and not on direct product sponsorship.

GreatDad. com Media Contact:

Dana Young, mobile: 415.378.7998

###

Holiday Cards are Available Online from the American Brain Tumor Association

Holiday Cards are Available Online from the American Brain Tumor Association

Your purchase of Holiday Cards from the American Brain Tumor Association helps fund brain tumor research and patient services.

Des Plaines, IL (PRWEB) September 22, 2006

Make the spirit of the holidays come alive this year by helping to raise funds and heighten awareness of brain tumors.

The American Brain Tumor Association offers a varied selection of holiday cards – from classic Season’s Greetings to traditional religious cards and those portraying whimsy to cards suitable for business associates and colleagues. Prices start at $27 for a box of 25 cards and envelopes. They can be imprinted with your name and special message. This is a thoughtful way to send your greetings this season.

Also, each card carries this message: “The American Brain Tumor Association exists to eliminate brain tumors through research, and to meet the needs of patients and their families. Patient info: (800) 886-2282 and at www. abta. org. This card acknowledges a donation to the American Brain Tumor Association.”

You can order cards online at http://hope. abta. org/cards (http://hope. abta. org/cards) or you can mail in or fax your order form. To receive our Holiday Card brochure, call 847-886-1281 or 847-827-9910. The ordering deadline is December 1, 2006.

The American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) was founded in 1973 by two mothers who lost their young daughters to a brain tumor. That small group of caring family members has given rise to a nationwide organization acclaimed as being the foremost provider of information and support for patients, and a leader in research funding and advocacy. The mission of ABTA will remain unwavering so long as the need for their services and research funding exists.

The ABTA web site, www. abta. org provides access to education and support services 24/7. For direct communication with the American Brain Tumor Association, call 800-886-2282 or 847-827-9910 Monday through Friday 8:30 a. m. to 5 p. m. CST or email.

###