LOS ANGELES, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Rentrak Theatrical, a
business unit of Rentrak Corporation (Nasdaq: RENT), today announced the
weekend theatrical box office estimates for the weekend period of February 20
through February 22, 2009 according to the company's Box Office Essentials(TM)
theatrical box office data collection and analytical service.
The twelve estimated top producing motion pictures for the weekend, per
data collected as of 9:30AM Pacific on Sunday, February 22, 2009 by Rentrak
Theatrical include:
Rank Title Weekend Gross Locations
1 Tyler Perry's Madea Goes To Jail $41,120,000 2032
2 Taken $11,400,000 3102
3 Coraline $11,031,035 2155
4 He's Just Not That Into You $8,540,000 3050
5 Slumdog Millionaire $8,050,000 2244
6 Friday The 13th $7,825,000 3105
7 Confessions of a Shopaholic $7,019,000 2507
8 Paul Blart Mall Cop $7,000,000 2835
9 Fired Up $6,000,000 1810
10 The International $4,450,000 2364
11 Pink Panther 2 $3,700,000 2658
12 Gran Torino $3,640,000 2030
Weekend of 02/20/09 to 02/22/09
(C) 2008 by Rentrak Corporation
About Box Office Essentials
Box Office Essentials provides each studio with password-protected,
real-time, web browser-based and 24/7 access to data pertaining specifically
to their movie release titles. A sophisticated toolset allows studio
distribution executives to view and analyze the information at different
levels of detail and across a multitude of attributes (by theatre circuit,
DMA, time zone, etc.), enhancing their ability to make faster, and better
informed decisions. Additional features include online school calendars (K-12
and college), interactive release schedule and 24-hour subscriber support.
About Rentrak Corporation
Rentrak Corporation, based in Portland, Oregon, is an information
management company serving clients in the media, entertainment, retail and
advertising industries. The company's Entertainment Essentials(R) suite of
services is redefining media measurement in the digital broadband era.
Entertainment Essentials provides customers with near-real-time, actionable
insight into performance of content distributed over a wide variety of modern
media technologies. Available by license or subscription, each Entertainment
Essentials application allows executives to analyze detailed industry-wide and
title-specific data to make decisions that enhance the bottom line and provide
competitive advantage. For further information, please visit Rentrak's
corporate website at Rentrak.com.
Turnitin Begins 2011 With Record Growth and Customer Satisfaction Levels
IParadigms, creators of Turnitin and the leader in originality checking and plagiarism prevention, today announced record customer growth and product adoption for its services in 2010, with more than one million instructors and 20 million students using the Turnitin service. The company also realized the highest levels of customer satisfaction in company history and a record renewal rate from existing customers.
OAKLAND, Calif. (Vocus/PRWEB) January 11, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Turnitin Begins 2011 With Record Growth and Customer Satisfaction Levels
‘Turnitin’ achieves record renewal rates and highest levels of customer satisfaction in company history
OAKLAND, Calif. – January 11, 2011 – iParadigms, creators of Turnitin and the leader in originality checking and plagiarism prevention, today announced record customer growth and product adoption for its services in 2010, with more than one million instructors and 20 million students using the Turnitin service. The company also realized the highest levels of customer satisfaction in company history and a record renewal rate from existing customers.
Turnitin’s success was propelled by a growing recognition of the need to confront plagiarism in the digital age, new product innovation that allows instructors and students to engage more effectively to improve the writing process, and expanded international demand for Turnitin services.
2010 Highlights Include:
Customer Growth in Secondary and Higher Education
Close to 5,000 secondary institutions worldwide now use Turnitin, including 56 percent of the top 100 high schools listed on U. S. News and World Report’s America’s Best High Schools.
More than 2,500 higher education institutions use Turnitin, including 69 percent of the top 100 colleges and universities in the U. S. News and World Report Best Colleges list.
Product Innovation and Recognition
The introduction of Turnitin2 which allows for OriginalityCheck Plagiarism Prevention, PeerMark Peer Reviewing, and GradeMark Digital Markup and Grading to be managed in a single unified view of students’ fully formatted papers. To date, two-thirds of existing customers have moved to the new version.
Turnitin teamed with Educational Testing Service (ETS) to integrate its e-rater® Scoring Engine technology with Turnitin’s GradeMark online paperless grading tools that allows instructors to mark and comment on student papers.
Turnitin was recognized as a winner of the 2010 Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence. The service was also named a CODiE Award finalist.
International Expansion
iParadigms formed iParadigms Europe Ltd with the acquisition of long-time Turnitin United Kingdom partner, nLearning, to meet demand for its services in markets outside the United States and Canada.
Turnitin partnered with Language Weaver’s automated translation technology to identify potentially plagiarized content that has been translated from English into other languages.
“The growth of Turnitin is driven by customer satisfaction as more new and existing customers rely on Turnitin for originality checking, peer review and grading in secondary and higher education markets, both domestically and internationally,” said Chris Caren, president and CEO of iParadigms. “The record-high renewal rates for Turnitin reflect how seriously the topics of plagiarism prevention and 21st century writing skills are to the future of education.”
About iParadigms LLC
IParadigms, LLC is the world's leading provider of web-based solutions for plagiarism prevention. The company's products include Turnitin, used by educators worldwide to check students' papers for originality, to enable web-based peer review and for digital grading of student work. iParadigms' iThenticate solution is the leader in plagiarism detection in research, publishing and many other commercial markets. The company's solutions check millions of documents each month and are used in over 100 countries. iParadigms is headquartered in Oakland, CA with an international office located in Newcastle, United Kingdom. iParadigms is backed by Warburg Pincus.
Http://www. turnitin. com and http://www. ithenticate. com
IParadigms Media Contact:
Chris Harrick, Vice President of Marketing
Phone: +(1) 510.764.7579
Email: charrick@iparadigms. com
Christine Allman
Phone: +(1) 410.975.9638
Email: Christine@kehcomm. com
All products and services mentioned in this document are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today
announced a new initiative, Elevate America, which will provide up to 2
million people over the next three years with the technology training needed
to succeed in the 21st-century economy.
Microsoft has worked for years with other businesses and community-based
partners to broaden access to job opportunities through information technology
education and training. Elevate America expands these efforts and provides
immediate support in response to the current economic crisis in partnership
with others in the public and private sector.
Elevate America has two main offerings, one available immediately and one
that will be provided in partnership with state governments including those of
Florida, New York and Washington.
A new online resource, located at http://www.microsoft.com/ElevateAmerica,
is available today. This new Web site helps individuals understand what types
of technical skills they need for the jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities
of today and tomorrow, and resources to help acquire these skills. The Web
site provides access to several Microsoft online training programs, including
how to use the Internet, send e-mail and create a resume, as well as more
advanced programs on using specific Microsoft applications.
In order to provide a broader range of training programs and certification
exams, Microsoft will also partner with state and local governments, which in
turn will make these resources available to their citizens. Pamela Passman,
corporate vice president of Microsoft Global Corporate Affairs, today
announced that Florida, New York and Washington will be the first states to
provide Elevate America to their residents. Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire
says that programs such as Elevate America are critical to providing support
to Washington families and helping the economy recover.
"At the federal, state and local level, leaders are working together to
help start the engine of economic growth. The private sector provides much of
the spark needed to jump-start that engine," Gregoire said. "Elevate America
is a great example of Microsoft's leadership on education and work force
development -- issues that bring us a step closer to recovery by helping us
provide critically important help to our citizens. Washington state is pleased
to be one of the first states to partner with Microsoft to provide Elevate
America to our residents."
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said that the success of the Elevate Miami
program in his state is proof that public-private partnerships can work and
benefit citizens. "We have worked with Microsoft for years in Miami to bring
technology training to underserved populations," he said. "Now, with Elevate
America, we have the opportunity to bring these important skills to even more
people, at a time when they are needed more than ever."
Elevate America is an extension of Microsoft's long-standing commitment to
provide skills training and certification through schools, government programs
and community-based organizations. The Unlimited Potential Community
Technology Skills Program is an example of how Microsoft is already working to
bridge the technology skills gap and equip more people with skills relevant to
today's work force. More than half of today's jobs require some technology
skills, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that will reach 77
percent in the next decade.
"Millions of Americans don't have the technology skills needed in today's
economy. Through Elevate America, we want to help workers get the skills they
need to succeed," Passman said. "We are also providing a full range of work
force development resources for state and local governments so they can offer
specialized training for their workers."
Short-Term Needs and Long-Term Investments
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more people than ever are
pursuing Microsoft technical certifications. As part of the Elevate America
effort, Microsoft is providing 1 million Microsoft Learning vouchers for free
access to Microsoft eLearning courses and select certification exams.* This
comprehensive offering also includes the following:
-- Expanded access to basic technology literacy and skills training
-- Basic-level information technology training resources through
Microsoft Unlimited Potential and Digital Literacy curricula
-- Intermediate technology skills training courses, online and
instructor-led, plus selected certification exams
-- Vouchers for eLearning course collections offered by Microsoft
-- Vouchers for certification exams leading to Microsoft business
certification
-- Grants of cash and software to community partners to build
in-classroom training capacity
-- Discounted membership rates for institutions participating in the
Microsoft IT Academy program
-- Access to a new Web portal that will help guide individuals to training
and resources that position them for success in the economy today, and
tomorrow
More information on Elevate America is available at
http://www.microsoft.com/ElevateAmerica.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in
software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their
full potential.
* Requires an Internet connection. Internet connection fees may apply.
Milk is Milk Blog Addresses Harmful Demands from Grocers, Food Companies and Activist Groups
Non-profit education campaign on misleading milk and dairy marketing warns consumers about marketing and activist scams.
Churchville, VA (PRWEB) February 4, 2005 -
This week “Milk is Milk” Blog author Alex Avery addresses unquantifiable “consumer demand” often cited by food companies and activists seeking to force production restrictions on farmers from whom they buy milk and cheese. A disturbing trend among such groups finds dairy farmers face to face with mandates to abandon safe, scientifically tested animal health and productivity practices like antibiotics used to treat mastitis or supplemental somatotropin (rbST) to help boost productivity.
Avery contends limiting the tools farmers have to safety produce affordable milk for black marketing schemes and other activist political agendas creates a downward spiral in the market place causing an increased costs and reduced demands for dairy products. Avery takes a detailed look at the tactics of these groups revealing a cycle of costly and never-ending demands by activists and a resulting black marketing by a growing number that falsely disparages some dairy products and misleads consumers about the safety of milk. As a result, Avery claims farmers suffer economic damage while consumers pay more and consume less dairy products.
The Center for Global Food Issues “Milk is Milk” consumer education campaign Blog has created a buzz among the dairy industry and continues to draw significant traffic from media, industry experts and farmers during its first month of existence. Read Alex’s latest entry at http://www. milkismilk. com/blog. htm (http://www. milkismilk. com/blog. htm).
The Center for Global Food Issues is a project of the Hudson Institute, a tax-exempt non-profit public policy organization, providing factual, science-based information on important food and farming issues.
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wrestler, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Milk shared top category honors at the 2009 Film Independent's Spirit Awards, making the highly anticipated annual event into a celebration of the diverse films that captured the public's attention this year. The Visitor, Frozen River, In Search of a Midnight Kiss, Man on Wire, The Class and Synecdoche, New York also received awards at the event.
The 2009 Film Independent's Spirit Awards was held Saturday, February 21, in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica. The Spirit Awards is a celebration honoring films made by filmmakers who embody independence and who dare to challenge the status quo. This annual event, which began as a small grassroots program, has grown into one of the most anticipated events of the film year.
This year's major category winners were Fox Searchlight Pictures' The Wrestler, which won Best Feature, Best Male Lead (Mickey Rourke), and Best Cinematography (Maryse Alberti); The Weinstein Company's Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which won Best Screenplay (Woody Allen), and Best Supporting Female (Penelope Cruz); Overture Films' The Visitor, which won Best Director (Tom McCarthy); Sony Pictures Classics' Synecdoche, New York, which won Best First Feature and the Robert Altman Award, Frozen River, which won Best Female Lead (Melissa Leo); and The Class, which won Best Foreign Film; IFC Films' In Search of a Midnight Kiss, which won the John Cassavetes Award for the Best Feature made for under $500,000; and Magnolia Pictures Man on Wire, which won Best Documentary.
Heather Rae, producer of Frozen River and Ibid, received the thirteenth annual Piaget Producers Award, which honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity, and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The winner of the Producers Award receives an unrestricted grant of $25,000 funded by Piaget.
Lynn Shelton, director of My Effortless Brilliance, won the sixteenth annual Acura Someone To Watch Award, a $25,000 unrestricted grant created to honor a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award is funded by Acura.
Margaret Brown, director of The Order of Myths, won the fifteenth annual LACOSTE Truer Than Fiction Award, presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant attention. The award is accompanied by a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by LACOSTE.
Also given was the 2nd annual Robert Altman Award, given to one film's director, casting director, and ensemble cast. Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut Synecdoche, New York received this award, along with casting director Jeanne McCarthy, and ensemble cast members Hope Davis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Catherine Keener, Samantha Morton, Tom Noonan, Emily Watson, Dianne Wiest, and Michelle Williams.
Film Independent's Spirit Awards ceremony is sponsored by IFC, Netflix, ELLE, AMC, Piaget, and LACOSTE. Principal Sponsors are Acura, Heineken, Garnier, and Australia.com. The official spirits of the Spirit Awards were provided by G.H. Mumm Champagne and Jameson Irish Whiskey. Hotel Shangri-La, Casa Del Mar, and Shutters on the Beach are the Official Host Hotels. Wire Image is the Official Photographer of Film Independent. American Airlines is the Official Airline Partner of Film Independent. ON 3 Productions is the Official Presenter Gift Lounge producer. FIJI Water is the official water of the Spirit Awards.
The ceremony aired live on IFC (Independent Film Channel), beginning at 2:00 pm PST. An edited re-broadcast will air later this evening on AMC at 10:00 pm EST/PST.
Actor Steve Coogan served as Master of Ceremonies. Alec Baldwin served as Honorary Chair. Diana Zahn-Storey executive produced the 2009 Film Independent's Spirit Awards for the fifteenth year.
The following is a complete list of the winners:
Best Feature Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Wrestler Producers: Darren Aronofsky,
Scott Franklin
Best Director Overture Films
Tom McCarthy The Visitor
Best Screenplay The Weinstein Company
Woody Allen Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best First Feature Sony Pictures Classics
Synecdoche, New York Director: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregman, Spike Jonze
Charlie Kaufman, Sidney Kimmel
Best First Screenplay Focus Features
Dustin Lance Black Milk
John Cassavetes Award IFC Films
(For the Best Feature made
for under $500,000) Writer/Director: Alex Holdridge
In Search of a Midnight Kiss Producers: Seth Caplan, Scoot McNairy
Best Supporting Female The Weinstein Company
Penelope Cruz Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best Supporting Male Focus Features
James Franco Milk
Best Female Lead Sony Pictures Classics
Melissa Leo Frozen River
Best Male Lead Fox Searchlight Pictures
Mickey Rourke The Wrestler
Best Cinematography Fox Searchlight Pictures
Maryse Alberti The Wrestler
Best Foreign Film Sony Pictures Classics
The Class Director: Laurent Cantet
Best Documentary Magnolia Pictures
Man on Wire James Marsh
2008 FILM INDEPENDENT'S SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS BY DISTRIBUTOR
FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES 3
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS 3
THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY 2
FOCUS FEATURES 2
IFC FILMS 1
MAGNOLIA PICTURES 1
OVERTURE FILMS 1
ATTENDEES
Joining host Dawn Hudson, Executive Director of Film Independent, were Master of Ceremonies Steve Coogan, and Honorary Chair Alec Baldwin.
Presenters and musical performances included: Jessica Alba, Christina Applegate, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Bateman, Thomas Haden Church, Bradley Cooper, Bryan Cranston, Claire Danes, Laura Dern, Zooey Deschanel, Cameron Diaz, Aaron Eckhart, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Teri Hatcher, Anne Hathaway, Taraji P. Henson, Emile Hirsch, Robyn Hitchcock, Sir Ben Kingsley, Melissa Leo, Lucy Liu, Andie MacDowell, Michelle Monaghan, Sandra Oh, Mary-Kate Olsen, Ellen Page, Robin Wright Penn, Rosie Perez, John C. Reilly, Giovanni Ribisi, Tarra Riggs, Blair Underwood, Kerry Washington, John Waters, Rainn Wilson, Evan Rachel Wood, and ZO2.
Celebrity Guests and Nominees included: Maryse Alberti, Darren Aronofsky, Justine Bateman, Dustin Lance Black, Michael Bolton, Rose Byrne, Laurent Cantet, Keisha Castle Hughes, Wyatt Cenac, Penelope Cruz, Hope Davis, Dana Delaney, Jonathan Demme, Rosemarie DeWitt, Melonie Diaz, Illeana Douglas, Eliza Dushku, James Franco, Jon Hamm, Lance Hammer, Werner Herzog, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Charlie Kaufman, Catherine Keener, Ellen Kuras, Anthony Mackie, John Malkovich, James Marsh, Tom McCarthy, Charlie McDermott, Dominic Monaghan, Tom Noonan, Jim Myron Ross, Josh Peck, Lori Petty, Marc Platt, Heather Rae, Jeremy Renner, Eric Roberts, Howard A. Rodman, Mickey Rourke, Harris Savides, Haaz Sleiman, Mena Suvari, Jeffrey Tambor, Misty Upham, Rachel Weisz, Jennifer Westfeldt, Michelle Williams, Debra Winger, Adam Yauch, and many, many more...
ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT'S SPIRIT AWARDS
Film Independent's Spirit Awards is a celebration honoring films made by filmmakers who embody independence and who dare to challenge the status quo. Televised in millions of homes and covered internationally by the press, the Spirit Awards has become the vanguard event in independent film, recognizing the achievements of independent filmmakers and promoting independent film to a wider audience.
Selected from more than 250 submissions, awards are given in the following categories: Best Feature, Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, Best Director, Best Screenplay, John Cassavetes Award (given to the best feature made for a budget under $500,000), Best Male Lead, Best Female Lead, Best Supporting Male, Best Supporting Female, Best Cinematography, Best Foreign Film, and Best Documentary.
The Spirit Awards Nominating Committees apply the following guidelines in making its selections:
1. Uniqueness of vision
2. Original, provocative subject matter
3. Economy of means (with particular attention paid to total production cost and individual compensation)
4. Percentage of financing from independent sources
Eligible films must be at least 70 minutes long, and the cost of the completed film, including post-production, must be under $20 million. Films must have been shown in a commercial theater for at least one week between January 1 and December 31, 2008 or shown at one of the following festivals in 2008: Film Independent's Los Angeles Film Festival, New Directors/New Films, New York, Sundance, Telluride, or Toronto.
After the committees select the nominees, the members of Film Independent, as well as the members of IFP, cast the final votes. Voters attend nominee screenings and view nominated films through Netflix before selecting the winners.
This year's nominees for Best Feature were Ballast, Frozen River, Rachel Getting Married, Wendy and Lucy, and The Wrestler. Best First Feature nominees were Afterschool, Medicine for Melancholy, Sangre de mi Sangre, Sleep Dealer, and Synecdoche, New York.
Last year's Spirit Award winners included Juno, which won Best Feature, Best Female Lead (Ellen Page), and Best First Screenplay (Diablo Cody), The Savages, which won Best Male Lead (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Best Screenplay (Tamara Jenkins), and Once which won Best Foreign Film; and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, which won Best Director (Julian Schnabel), and Best Cinematography (Janusz Kaminski), and The Lookout, which won Best First Feature. August Evening received the John Cassavetes Award for the Best Feature made for under $500,000.
ABOUT FILM INDEPENDENT
Film Independent is a non-profit membership organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds the audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry. Anyone passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker, film industry leader, or a film lover.
With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry. Film Independent also offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers, directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent's mentorship and job placement program, Project:Involve, pairs emerging culturally-diverse filmmakers with film industry professionals.
Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best of American and international cinema, and the Spirit Awards, a celebration honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and dare to challenge the status quo.
For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org
Pelotherapy Used in Skin Care to Heal, Nourish, Detoxify and Beautify According to One of the Country's Top Esthetics Schools
Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics, one of the leading esthetics schools in the US, offers advice on using pelotherapy, or "mud therapy," for beautification and treatment of various ailments.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) June 17, 2007
Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics (atlantainstituteofaesthetics. com), one of the nation's leading esthetics schools, trains skin care students how to use botanical mud wraps to detoxify and re-mineralize the body. Mud baths and wraps have been used for several hundred years in Europe, and their use as a home remedy has been documented as far back as the 12th century.
There are several different types of mud used in skin care therapies such as inorganic, organic, mixed, peat, and medicated mud. Peat mud is one of the better-known muds because of the publicity surrounding its use in the preservation of the bodies of mummies such as the Tollund Man. Black Moor Mud, which is a mixed mud sourced from 30,000 year-old herbal deposits formed during the ice age, is one of the most popular mud products used in skin care therapy today.
Mud therapies are increasingly popular because their anti-inflammatory properties have been found to help conditions like arthritis and rheumatism. They have also been found to help with hormonal imbalances, wound healing and muscle recovery. Mud absorbs certain toxic materials that are in the surface of the skin so it is an excellent natural detoxifier. Mud has also been found to be beneficial in stimulating the immune system, improving circulation, promoting muscle relaxation, relieving pain, improving mobility and improving the appearance of the skin.
The variety of benefits experienced from the use of mud therapy makes it a popular choice for spa patrons. Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics, a division of Atlanta School of Massage, offers student spa services, including botanical mud wraps using a variety of mixed muds, at their spa in Atlanta, Georgia. Their expert skin care specialists look forward to helping you decide which spa treatments will best serve you.
About one of the leading esthetics schools (http://www. atlantainstituteofaesthetics. com? campaign=Jun07)
Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics was formed in 2002 as a division of Atlanta School of Massage. Named a 2004 School of Distinction by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) national accrediting agency, Atlanta School of Massage has been an international leader in massage therapy education for 25 years. Formed by the same management team, with the same high standards in mind, Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics is following the same path of excellence set by its parent company. Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics stands out amongst the multitude of esthetics schools operating across the country because:
•Our program is accredited by the ACCSCT.
•We are authorized by the US Department of Education to offer Title IV funding.
•We have 25 years of experience running a successful Massage Therapy school.
•We have recruited quality teachers from throughout the US and from Europe where the standards of skincare education are much more rigorous than those currently required in the United States.
Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics, a division of Atlanta School of Massage, is located at 2 Dunwoody Park, Atlanta Georgia 30338. For more information, call 1-888-276-6277 or visit atlantainstituteofaesthetics. com]. For more information about the massage school (http://www. atlantaschoolofmassage. com? campaign=Jun07), visit atlantaschoolofmassage. com].
Stars attend international charity gala to benefit UNICEF education and literacy Programs
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Two days before the Academy Awards, Montblanc hosted a high profile charity gala at Paramount Studios in Hollywood with the cooperation of Signature International to present the cultural and charitable initiative 'Montblanc Signature for Good', in support of UNICEF.
The 'Montblanc Signature for Good' initiative features the portraiture photography of American photographer Roger Moenks to benefit UNICEF's education and literacy programs, including internationally known actors Eva Longoria, Sienna Miller, Susan Sarandon, Emily Blunt, Marcia Cross, Christina Ricci, Andie MacDowell, Helen Hunt, Lauren Hutton, Milla Jovovich, Jessica Lange and Mira Sorvinowho support this initiative.
The event, which took place at Hollywood's legendary Paramount Studios, honored the involvement of the 12 great actors who feature in the initiative and their willingness to support UNICEF in its work to give proper access to education. During the champagne reception, the 12 portraits signed by the muses were unveiled to the public in a spectacular way -- each actor was reunited with her own portrait. The portraits will now go on an international tour in cooperation with Sotheby's before being auctioned during 2009 in support of UNICEF.
Special guests taking to the stage to show their support for the charity initiative included Slumdog Millionaire star Anil Kapoor and guest of honor Reese Witherspoonwho presented an initial check to UNICEF in support of this initiative. Other VIP guests attending the charity gala included Melanie Griffith, Antonio Banderas, Faye Dunaway, Joan Collins, Nastassja Kinski, Cat Deeley, Bar Rafaeli, Rosanna Arquette, Dita von Teese, Rosario Dawson, Michael Sheen, Michael York, Ashley Jensen, Kimberly Stewart, Nicky Hilton, Oliver Stone, Danny Houston, Elsa Zylberstein and Lily Collins.
Guests enjoyed a unique menu designed by Wolfgang Puck and, following dinner, also enjoyed entertainment by a swing band.
