Medical Data Systems, Inc. (MDS) Marks 25 Years of Service to the Healthcare Industry

Medical Data Systems, Inc. (MDS) Marks 25 Years of Service to the Healthcare Industry



Medical Data Systems, Inc. (MDS), a national leader in accounts receivable management and collection services marks 25 years of service to the healthcare industry.



Vero Beach, FL (PRWEB) February 13, 2010



National healthcare receivables industry leader, MDS, has reached a significant milestone and is celebrating 25 years in providing accounts receivable management and collection services to healthcare systems, hospitals, and physician practices and organizations across the country.



The company was founded in 1985 by G. David Miller, CEO and President, and his wife Amy in Sebring, Florida. Understanding the needs and concerns of the healthcare provider community, they developed a proprietary software system for their work with physician practices and respected healthcare systems and hospitals. In addition to the Professional Fee Billing services they offered at the time, MDS pioneered Secondary Bad Debt Collections, and secured their first national multi-hospital system, setting the foundation for the company's future growth.



Gary Ball joined MDS as partner and CFO in 1997, adding a high level of financial and business acumen to the company. MDS then relocated its corporate office to Vero Beach, Florida, and began a major expansion effort to broaden their client base outside of the Southeast market. Now with clients not only nationwide, but also in Alaska and the U. S. Virgin islands, MDS continues to pursue their development goals by offering a complete suite of revenue cycle solutions including: Professional Fee Billing, Extended Business Office (Early Out), Primary Collections and Secondary Bad-Debt Collections.



Today MDS services over 425 clients with 350 employees in 7 offices located throughout the United States. And even with these significant achievements realized over their 25 years in business, MDS continues to be a privately held company dedicated exclusively to the healthcare industry. The economic down-turn, along with an increasingly complex and competitive healthcare environment, has left many healthcare organizations with more responsibilities than ever, but with fewer resources to accomplish them. In response to the ever-changing challenges of healthcare collections faced by hospitals, MDS enhanced their technological capabilities and broadened their service lines to offer more encompassing solutions to their clients. In an age where agencies are closing or cutting back, MDS is positioned for growth, and continues to expand its operations and reach.



Some of their clients have commented: "MDS has proven to be an invaluable partner over the last 3 years. They have increased our cash collections by over $1.6 million, which our primary agencies were unable to collect. By teaming with MDS, our region continues to improve financially, with a continued emphasis on our valuable customer relationships."

Regional Director, PFS and Patient Access, for a 1,587-bed, non-profit health system



"As a multi-facility Healthcare organization, we recognize MDS as a leader in healthcare recovery. MDS is a professional organization with cutting edge technology and outstanding customer service." - Executive Director, Business Office Operations, for a 50+bed hospital



"Over the past four years, MDS has become an integral part of our accounts receivable strategy. We rely on them to improve our cash collections in an ethical and reliable manner." - Executive Director, Patient Financial Services, for a 1,311-bed, five hospital system



For additional information on services, or other MDS related information, please contact Estelle Welte (ewelte(at)meddatsys(dot)com) or visit www. meddatsys. com.



# # #

Supply Chain Firm, Bellwether Services Honors Environmental , Corporate Social Responsibility Pledge and Goes Carbon Neutral

Supply Chain Firm, Bellwether Services Honors Environmental, Corporate Social Responsibility Pledge and Goes Carbon Neutral



Bellwether Services offers High Performance and Sustainable Solutions to the U. S. Middle Markets and Government Agencies has measured and offset its carbon emissions. John Wilkerson, CPSM, Supply Chain and Sustainability Practice Leader led the enterprise-wide environmental initiative for the second consecutive year (2008 & 2009). Bellwether proudly operates a carbon neutral business and honors its sustainability, environmental, and Corporate Social Responsibility commitment.



Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 25, 2010



Bellwether Services is a strategic management consulting firm advising global clients on complex issues of strategy, operations, technology, and sustainability. The company is pleased to announce its continued commitment to the environment and making a difference.



For the second consecutive year, Bellwether Services announces it continues to operate a carbon neutral business. Bellwether provides high performance and sustainable advisory solutions in functional areas such as Global Supply Chain, Spend Management, Financial Services, Lean Healthcare, Lean Six Sigma Training, and Environmental Audit has manageable Greenhouse Gas (GHG), Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.



Bellwether Services, whose private sector clients' revenues and investments have grown from $700 billion to $785 billion from 2008 to 2009, formally announced its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in 2008. Both years goals included:

 Reduction of office space carbon footprint  Cut surface transportation carbon footprint  Reduction of air transportation carbon footprint  Offset all company generated carbon or greenhouse gases (GHG)



"We are excited about achieving our 2009 Environmental, Corporate Social Responsibility performance targets and ongoing commitment to the Climate Change", explains John Wilkerson, CPSM, SSMBB, Vice President, Bellwether Services.



"We are amazed that as we continue to communicate our 2010 Sustainability Initiatives to our supply base, that multi-national firms and federal contractors are jumping on board. Thus far it appears customer demands and an above average return on investment (ROI) are dominate reasons for going green" he continues.



Bellwether's 2010 sustainability initiative will expand deeper into Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Scope 3 and Green Purchasing.



About Bellwether:



Bellwether Services is an award winning and internationally recognized strategic management consultancy firm advising global clients on complex issues of strategy, operations, technology, and sustainability.



Bellwether specializes in Spend Analysis, Lean Six Sigma, Green Supply Chain, Environmental and Quality Audit Solutions. Bellwether has served numerous industries including Consumer Products, Private Equity, Beverage, Chemical, Food, Aerospace, Global Logistics Solution Providers, as well as Public Health, Medical Devices, Pharmaceutical and the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.



For more information, please visit our website http://www. bellwether-services. com/solutions/carbon_footprint. html (http://www. bellwether-services. com/solutions/carbon_footprint. html) or blog http://green-supply-chain. blogspot. com (http://green-supply-chain. blogspot. com) or green profile http://professional-services. greenbiz. com/listing/bellwether-services-95d779c51a/?source=all_listings (http://professional-services. greenbiz. com/listing/bellwether-services-95d779c51a/?source=all_listings).



Contact us:



Bellwether Services

John Wilkerson, 404-386-2437

Sales (at) bellwether-services. com

Http://www. bellwether-services. com/publications. html (http://www. bellwether-services. com/publications. html)

Http://green-supply-chain. blogspot. com (http://green-supply-chain. blogspot. com)

Http://professional-services. greenbiz. com/listing/bellwether-services-95d779c51a/?source=all_listings (http://professional-services. greenbiz. com/listing/bellwether-services-95d779c51a/?source=all_listings)



Our Mantra - Believe, Execute, Achieve



# # #

Haba Na Haba Announces Unique Handmade Kuba Cloth Home Decor Products for Great Holiday Gifts that Help AIDS Orphaned Teens Too

Haba Na Haba Announces Unique Handmade Kuba Cloth Home Decor Products for Great Holiday Gifts that Help AIDS Orphaned Teens Too



Traditional handmade kuba cloth is both a renewable resource and beautiful, and the kuba cloth home décor products featured on Haba Na Haba's e-commerce website help AIDS orphaned teens, too. Haba Na Haba has expanded its kuba cloth line available for the holidays to include full kuba cloths and four sizes of pillow covers. Kuba features a wide variety of traditional abstract designs that have for years influenced the artwork of artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee and are a favorite of collectors throughout the world. Prices of the kuba items start at $74.95, with part of the proceeds donated to the Green Door Orphanage in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.



Elgin, IL (PRWEB) November 7, 2007



Traditional handmade kuba cloth is both a renewable resource and beautiful, and the kuba cloth home décor products featured on Haba Na Haba's (http://www. habanahaba. com) e-commerce website help AIDS orphaned teens, too. Haba Na Haba has expanded its kuba cloth line available for the holidays to include full kuba cloths and four sizes of pillow covers (http://www. habanahaba. com/index. asp? page=products. asp&category=Kuba%20Cloth&start=1). Haba Na Haba and their Tanzanian partners are helping support Congolese families by purchasing their traditional kuba cloth. Kuba fabric is handmade of raffia and dyed naturally by the Kuba people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The tufted woven kuba, called shoowa, may take a month to make. Used for ceremonies, the cloth is often embellished with shells, colorful patches and embroidery. Kuba features a wide variety of traditional abstract designs that have for years influenced the artwork of artists such as Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Paul Klee and are a favorite of collectors throughout the world. Prices of the kuba items start at $74.95, with part of the proceeds donated to the Green Door Orphanage (http://www. boonabaana. org) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.



This home decor line features traditional new and vintage Kuba ceremonial cloth handwoven by people escaping from the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and sold by crossing the border into Tanzania. Haba Na Haba's manufacturing partner in Tanzania has supported these Congolese women by purchasing the Kuba cloth and honoring them by creating beautiful home décor items. The Congolese travel through dangerous areas of eastern Congo and cross the Tanzanian border to sell their wares. Large areas of the eastern region of the Congo are still under control of corrupt military units and rebel factions who have conducted widespread rapes and murders of the Congolese people. According to UNICEF (http://www. unicef. org/), there are estimated to be over 600,000 AIDS orphans in the Congo today.



"Haba na haba, hujaza kibaba" is a Swahili proverb that translates to "Little by little, fills the pot." Haba Na Haba's mission is to help empower at-risk teen AIDS orphans, one by one, to learn trade skills in hopes of becoming self-supporting and lead healthy, productive and happy lives. Founded by Beth Peterson in 2005, Haba Na Haba supports companies that offer training and jobs to these young adults in an effort to break the poverty cycle and provide a future for orphaned teens of whom would otherwise have little hope for a prosperous future. To qualify as a trading partner, these Tanzanian companies must offer young adult AIDS orphans training of trade skills, pay fair wages, and not exploit child labor.



Haba Na Haba will continually feature on their website new types and styles of Tanzanian products from like-minded manufacturers. In addition to supporting existing businesses with this business model, Haba Na Haba also directly trains young adults in trade and business skills and donates part of its profits to support other AIDS orphan and AIDS health programs in Tanzania.



Haba Na Haba contact: info@habanahaba. com or 888-439-9375.



Media contact: Beth Peterson at 847-931-9375 or 888-439-9375 or beth(at)petersonmktg. com.



###

Cheap Flights Engine Skyscanner Debunks the Myth of Air France and Airline Fat Tax

Cheap Flights Engine Skyscanner Debunks the Myth of Air France and Airline Fat Tax



Will overweight passengers be forced to pay for two seats?



(PRWEB) January 23, 2010



Erroneous reports in the British tabloid media this week stated that French flag carrier, Air France, will force overweight flyers to pay for two seats, or they will be prevented from boarding for 'safety reasons'.



However, Air France has officially denied the accusation, stating on their website that ‘Air France has no intention of making heavier passengers pay for a second seat.’



Since 2005, Air France has been offering heavier passengers the possibility of purchasing a second seat at a 25% discount, to enhance their own comfort and safety.



The only recent change to Air France’s policy on overweight passengers is to refund passengers the cost of the second seat, if the cabin is not fully booked.



The possibility of a “Fat Tax” for airline passengers is a frequently debated issue, with many flyers feeling that very overweight passengers should pay for an extra seat, if they are invading the space of neighbouring travellers.



Ryanair has previously flirted with the idea following a survey that revealed one third of their passengers were in favour of such a move. However, despite the budget airline regularly introducing new routes and additional cheap flights (http://www. skyscanner. net/) this policy has not yet come into fruition.



Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and director commented:



“Any ruling that alienates obese passengers is likely to deter them from booking with that airline. On the flip side, some airlines may start specifically targeting the overweight sector, by offering wider – but probably more expensive – seating options.”



Though Americans are typically perceived to be the world’s most overweight people, according to the World Health Organisation, it is in fact Nauru, the world’s smallest island nation that bears this unwanted title, with 94.5% of the population classified as overweight.



The UK ranks as the 28th fattest country in the world with 63.8% of the population classified as overweight.



Ironically, if Air France were to ever bring in such a rule, it would be unlikely to affect French travellers as much as other nations; France ranks 128th in the ‘fat index’ with ‘only’ 40.1% of the population overweight. So flyers on flights to Paris (http://www. skyscanner. net/flights-to/pari/cheap-flights-to-paris. html) needn’t worry about the French passengers invading their space.



About Skyscanner:



Skyscanner is a leading travel search site based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Skyscanner provides instant online comparison on flight prices, including flights to London (http://www. skyscanner. net/flights-to/lond/cheap-flights-to-london. html) for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines, as well as car hire, hotel and holiday price comparison.



With Skyscanner, users can browse without having to enter specific dates or even destinations, and Skyscanner is available in 20 different languages including French, German and Spanish



PR Contact:

Sam Baldwin

Skyscanner Ltd

Stamp Office

10 Waterloo Place

Edinburgh

EH1 3EG



+44 (0)131 252 5353

Www. skyscanner. net



###

Eric-happy. com - <a href="http://eric-happy. com/" onclick="linkClick(this. href)">http://eric-happy. com/</a> announced Grand Opening the e-Commerce store

Eric-happy. com - http://eric-happy. com/ announced Grand Opening the e-Commerce store.



Eric-happy. com - http://eric-happy. com/ announced Grand Opening the e-Commerce store. Eric Happy has thousands of items which fit your need and budget.



(PRWEB) September 11, 2004



Eric-happy. com - http://eric-happy. com/ (http://eric-happy. com/) announced Grand Opening the e-Commerce store. Eric Happy has thousands of items which fit your need and budget.



Eric Happy carries apparel, shoes, baby, beauty, fragrance, books, magazines, computing, home office, earrings, electronics, photo, gourmet, chocolates, health, personal care, home furnishings, jewelry watches, kitchen, menÂ’s outerwear, movies, music, sports, recreation, shoes, tools, hardware, toys, video games and many more.



Some of the items we carry



Intel V2Premier Pentium M Centrino 1.4GHz Notebook. Now you donÂ’t need to be tied to your desktop to enjoy high-end computing. You can take this notebook computer virtually anywhere: traveling, commuting, etc.



Nike NBC Sports Swoosh Cap. This constructed Nike NBC Sports Swoosh Cap features an embroidered Nike swoosh on the front and an embroidered tonal



NBC Sport logo on the back. Cap is available in Obsidian or Black with white embroidery. Cap is made of 100% cotton and features an adjustable Velcro back. One size fits all.



Karen Neuberger Cosmetic Bag. This Karen Neuberger top zip cosmetic bag is just what you need to keep your make-up all together! On the inside are two open pockets. This cosmetic bag is fully lined.



14K WG or YG Trillion Cut Brazanite & Diamond Earrings. A charming pair of earrings to accent your sassy style! Crafted in your choice of polished 14K gold, each earring features one brilliant round cut diamond in a bezel setting at the top followed by one trillion cut 8mm brazanite in a triangle setting.



Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. Tempt your taste buds with this easy-to-use ice cream maker. This automatic frozen yogurt, ice cream and sorbet maker features a heavy-duty motor that makes ice cream in 20-30 minutes. The easy lock transparent lid lets you see inside without making a mess, and the double insulated freezer bowl keeps the ice cream cool and ready to eat.



Schwinn Missile FS 12" Electric Scooter. A fun and environmentally friendly way to get around. The Schwinn Missle Electric Scooter folds up for convenient storage, yet is capable of speeds up to 15 mph. Perfect for students, office workers and kids.



For more information about Eric Happy, please visit http://eric-happy. com/ (http://eric-happy. com/)



About the website above:



Is built for new generation of eCommerce which committed to simplifying the life of millions internet users in a new way online shopping. The site and the supporting staff are dedicated to make eCommerce and online shopping fun, reliable, and easy. The site is easy to use and help merchants to minimize setup and maintenance, while maximizing return on investment. For more information please feel free to contact us.



Disclaimer:



Data and information provided by the above website(s), contents, materials, goods, and or services are for informational purposes only. The creator, webmaster, and the related staff of the website(s) shall not be liable for any errors in the content. For detail please visit the disclaimer section of the website(s).

FreemanWhite Named Best AEC Firm To Work For By Building Design & Construction Magazine

FreemanWhite Named Best AEC Firm To Work For By Building Design & Construction Magazine



Ned Jennings, principal at FreemanWhite, has announced that the firm has been recognized by Building Design & Construction Magazine as one of their five “Best AEC Firms To Work For.”



RALEIGH, NC (PRWEB) June 24, 2006 -–



Ned Jennings, principal at FreemanWhite, has announced that the firm has been recognized by Building Design & Construction Magazine as one of their five “Best AEC Firms To Work For.” In their statement, the judges recognized FreemanWhite as a national leader in continuing education and praised the firm’s FreemanWhite Academy, which offers 120 courses meeting the continuing education needs of 43 different staff positions.



FreemanWhite was selected from 52 firms within the $394 billion United States design, engineering and construction sector for its excellence in the following areas:



·Innovation in recruitment and retention practices



·Professional development, education, and corporate responsibility



·Quality of the workplace environment



·Extraordinary compensation and benefits programs



·General business practices and public and industry perception of the firm



“At FreemanWhite we take pride in giving our employees a great work environment and all the tools they need to succeed,” said Jennings. “To be recognized as a great place to work is a testament to the positive and energetic culture of the firm. We make it our top priority to give our employees the best, and ensure that our clients receive the highest level of service.”



In addition to FreemanWhite, four other firms were named winners: Hnedak Bobo Group, Memphis; McCarthy Building Cos., St. Louis; Shawmut Design & Construction, Boston; and Walter P Moore, Houston.



About FreemanWhite:



FreemanWhite provides architectural, engineering, interior design and consulting services for healthcare organizations in the United States. Founded in 1892, the firm has offices in Charlotte, N. C., Raleigh, N. C. and San Diego, Calif. and employs more than 200 professionals. The firm has received numerous awards and recognitions, including being named the 2005 North Carolina AIA Firm of the Year, as well as the fifteenth largest healthcare firm in the United States in 2006 by Modern Healthcare magazine. For more information please visit http://www. freemanwhite. com (http://www. freemanwhite. com) or call 919-782-0699.



Patty Briguglio



MMI Associates, Inc.



7406-H Chapel Hill Road



Raleigh, NC 27607



(919) 233-6600 • (919) 233-0300 (fax)



###

Fonfrias Law Group Reports that Bankruptcies Continue to Soar as Americans Buy on Credit

Fonfrias Law Group Reports that Bankruptcies Continue to Soar as Americans Buy on Credit



According to Chicago bankruptcy lawyer and financial rescue expert Richard Fonfrias of the Fonfrias Law Group, LLC, credit card charges, installment loans and medical bills are helping to ensure that bankruptcy rates will not be declining anytime soon.



Chicago, IL (PRWEB) November 30, 2010



The recent economic crisis has hit many American families hard and as Fonfrias law group reports, buying things on credit, aka buying things "on time" is a nasty habit that is costing hardworking, cash-strapped American families a fortune. For some individuals, buying on credit has even become an addiction. According to Richard G. Fonfrias, J. D. of Fonfrias Law Group, LLC (http://www. chicagomoneylawyer. com), a leading Illinois bankruptcy and financial rescue lawyer, our continuing reliance on credit to purchase items that we can't afford is causing bankruptcies to skyrocket from which there are no signs of relief in the near future.



"Interest, whether charged on a credit card or an installment loan, is expensive and, if left unpaid to accumulate or compound, can cost you a fortune," says Fonfrias. "A person with a $3000 balance on his credit card, paying an interest rate of 19% with a minimum monthly payment of 2.5% of the balance and no additional charges will pay $75 a month minimum. By paying only the minimum payment month after month, it will take this person 283 months to pay off that one debt -- more than 23 years and it will cost him $4,729.44 in interest charges! This for just one credit card with a $3000 balance! What is particularly alarming is that most Americans have 6-10 credit cards," explains Fonfrias.



Buying on credit can cause all sorts of problems, especially for people already in debt. Credit purchases can choke the life out of the buyer until they are paid off. Interest charges increase the final cost of an item bought on credit. Credit card debt and installment loans raise the amount of money needed to pay monthly bills. When left to accumulate and grow, the debt becomes so big that the buyer can no longer pay it off. Easy credit, mounting credit card debt and "on-time" installment purchases are causing bankruptcies across the county to soar to record levels.



Expensive medical bills are another serious problem that forces many into bankruptcy. Unaffordable medical bills resulted in half of the 1,458,000 personal bankruptcies in 2001. According to a study carried out by researchers at Harvard Law School and Harvard Medical School and published in the journal Health Affairs, medical bankruptcies impact 2,000,000 Americans each year, including debtors and their families. While over 75% of these families had health insurance when the illness began, 38% lost coverage -- some only temporarily -- by the time they filed bankruptcy.



Before filing for bankruptcy, many families endured some hardship: 30% had at least one utility cut off and when medical care was needed, 61% chose to go without. The bankrupt families were mostly middle class. 56% owned a home and 56% attended college. Often, illness forced income-earners to take time off work, resulting in lost income and lost health-insurance benefits



According to Chicago bankruptcy lawyer Richard Fonfrias, declaring bankruptcy may be the best course of action for those facing overwhelming debt. "If the buyer/debtor cannot work out an affordable plan to get out of debt, I suggest he consider Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Chapter 7 (liquidation) erases most of the person's debt. And Chapter 13 (repayment) allows the debtor to negotiate a payment plan with creditors and then, with the Bankruptcy Court's approval, start paying down his debt. It's very important before taking any action to talk to an experienced financial rescue and bankruptcy lawyer in order to get the best financial advice," say Fonfrias.



Contact Information:

Richard G. Fonfrias, J. D.

Fonfrias Law Group, LLC

First National Plaza

70 West Madison, Suite 1400

Chicago IL 60602

Phone: 312-969-0730

Rich(at)chicagomoneylawyer(dot)com

Http://www. chicagomoneylawyer. com



About Fonfrias Law Group: Ready to assist homeowners in serious financial trouble and consumers faced with unmanageable debt, Richard Fonfrias of Fonfrias Law Group invites your questions about Illinois bankruptcy, foreclosure, credit card debt, loans, tax liens or other financial concerns. With eighteen offices serving Illinois, California and Florida, the Fonfrias Law Group is Chicago's experienced financial rescue and bankruptcy legal team, offering financial legal services including, bankruptcy, tax defense, debt consolidation, bad credit repair, foreclosure defense, credit card debt management, loan and mortgage refinancing advice. For more information call 312-969-0730 or inquire on line http://www. chicagomoneylawyer. com



###

Do-It-Yourself Acupressure Method Provides an Uncommon Solution to the Common Cold

Do-It-Yourself Acupressure Method Provides an Uncommon Solution to the Common Cold



A new do-it-yourself approach to acupressure alleviates stress and, in turn neutralizes cold, flu and sinus symptoms -- often in minutes.



San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 15, 2006



There may be no cure for the common cold but a new discovery promises drug-free relief from nasal congestion, scratchy, sore throat, runny nose and sneezing. Americans suffer an estimated one billion colds each year and miss 150 million work days annually. Most people rely on over-the-counter medication to relieve symptoms temporarily. But a technique that balances the body’s acupuncture meridian system provides relief from cold and flu symptoms by diminishing the effects of stress on the immune system.



Stanford trained engineer, Gary Craig originally developed Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) to improve and shorten the psychotherapy process. EFT users soon reported a decrease in stress levels and an increase in overall well-being. They reported having fewer colds and allergies after treating stress conditions with EFT.



Craig explains, “as we received these kind of reports, we began targeting physical symptoms with EFT and the results were astounding. People quickly relieved symptoms like sore throats, coughs, nasal congestion. EFT even worked on chronic pain associated with migraines, arthritis and fibromyalgia.”



A study published in Psychosomatic Medicine reports that people experiencing negative emotions are more likely to become ill when exposed to a cold virus than people who generally experience positive emotions. Other studies link psychological stress to a compromised immune system, increasing susceptibility to cold viruses. Says Craig, “EFT effectively neutralizes the stress and unresolved emotional issues that are compromising the immune systems of Americans.”



Dr. Joseph Mercola, best-selling author and owner of the number one natural health website advocates, “if you are stressed please consider EFT, which is an amazingly effective tool to address the foundational and core reasons as to how the stress is impairing your immune system. I have been particularly impressed with its ability to improve the body's immune response to infection immediately.”



Dr. Mercola taught EFT to a 9 year old patient who had been on antibiotics for a week for a raging sinus infection that wasn’t improving. Mercola says, “I taught her EFT and treated her in less than five minutes and 100% of her symptoms were gone. This work is absolutely amazing. I have also used EFT on colds and coughs in about six other people, including staff members with equally rapid and instant relief.”



EFT balances the acupuncture meridian system by combining gentle fingertip tapping on key points while focusing on physical or emotional issues. According to Craig, “it is used by people all over the world as an effective stress management tool. Now science is showing real evidence that negative emotions and stress compromise health. EFT is providing Americans with a means to become happier and healthier and to this end I have chosen to provide the EFT Manual free from the EFT website.”



Over 300,000 have downloaded Craig’s free training manual and another 10,000 download it each month. The official EFT Manual has been translated by volunteer practitioners into nine languages.



The EFT Manual explains the basics so that anyone can begin applying EFT right away. It can be freely downloaded at



Http://www. emofree. com/downloadeftmanual. asp? ref=prw-colds (http://www. emofree. com/downloadeftmanual. asp? ref=prw-colds)



For further information, contact Gary Craig at 707-785-2848.



# # #

Colorado BioScience Association Seeks Region's Top Innovators for Venture Showcase Competition at 2010 BioWest Conference & Expo

Colorado BioScience Association Seeks Region's Top Innovators for Venture Showcase Competition at 2010 BioWest Conference & Expo



The organizers of the annual BioWest Conference & Expo are again looking for the best bioscience start-ups in the region as candidates for this year's $7,500 Dorsey & Whitney Venture Showcase Award. Four companies will be chosen to present at the showcase on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, and will be judged by a panel of venture capitalists. Deadline for entry is Friday, August 20.



Denver, CO (PRWEB) August 4, 2010



Organizers of the annual BioWest Conference & Expo are again looking for the best bioscience start-ups in the region as candidates for this year's $7,500 Dorsey & Whitney Venture Showcase Award. The announcement is made by Holli Baumunk, President & CEO of the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) who says, "four companies will be chosen to present at the showcase on Wednesday, September 29, and will be judged by a panel of venture capitalists. Deadline for entry is Friday, August 20."



The bioscience industry in Colorado is one of three industry sectors in the state that has shown job growth continuously. This comes as no surprise since on average 20 to 25 new start-up companies form each year within the state. However, financial constraints have impacted all businesses and investment is difficult to come by for these early stage companies. To draw attention to the ever evolving industry, the CBSA is once again holding its "Venture Showcase Competition." This year the event is sponsored by Dorsey & Whitney and the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation and is being held during its annual BioWest Conference & Expo to provide national exposure to some of the most promising bioscience start-up companies in Colorado.



"The BioWest Venture Showcase Competition allows early-stage companies to present their discoveries and research to venture capitalists and nearly 700 attendees during this regional conference," Baumunk explains. "Many of the past presenters have gained national and international exposure from participating in this event, and we are excited to include the competition in the conference again this year."



Four companies will be chosen to present to a panel of distinguished venture capital investors. Each competing company will have 15 minutes to present their technologies and business plans to the judges. The most compelling presentation will receive the $7,500 Dorsey & Whitney Venture Showcase award.



Dorsey & Whitney LLP will provide presentation and preparation advice to the four companies chosen to present at the showcase and award the winning company the $7,500 check during the Annual Awards Dinner on September 29th during the conference. "Dorsey is proud to sponsor this year's Venture Showcase Award at BioWest and continue to support the CBSA," Michael Weiner, a corporate partner with Dorsey & Whitney's Denver office and a member of the Board of Directors of the CBSA, says.  "As a firm we focus on providing early stage companies with sound business advice and support with regard to both intellectual property and corporate matters. We feel that our sponsorship of the Venture Showcase Award shows our continued support for early stage companies and the life sciences industry."

 

Information regarding registration and exhibiting at the BioWest Conference is found at http://www. BioWestConference. com (http://www. BioWestConference. com) and the application for the Venture Showcase competition is at http://www. BioWestconference. com/Images/Venture%20Showcase%20Application. pdf (http://www. BioWestconference. com/Images/Venture%20Showcase%20Application. pdf) - completed forms must be submitted by August 20, 2010, to Leah Kientz at the CBSA, 216 Sixteenth Street, Suite 850, Denver, CO 80202.



About Colorado BioScience Association



The CBSA supports the economic development of Colorado through the creation of a premier bioscience cluster within the state. Representing more than 400 members, the CBSA facilitates growth of the bioscience industry in Colorado through advocacy, representation and service. Visit: http://www. cobioscience. com (http://www. cobioscience. com)



CBSA also is found on these social media sites:

News Feed: http://coloradobio. blogspot. com (http://coloradobio. blogspot. com)

Twitter: http://twitter. com/COBioscience (http://twitter. com/COBioscience)

LinkedIn Group: linkedin. com/groups? about=&gid=98468&trk=anet_ug_grppro

Facebook Fan Page: facebook. com/ColoradoBioScienceAssociation

YouTube Channel: youtube. com/COBioscience

About Dorsey & Whitney LLP



Dorsey is a business law firm applying a business perspective to our clients' needs and committing to help our clients maintain that competitive edge. Dorsey's corporate lawyers serve clients ranging from start-ups to multinational corporations in a variety of matters including financings, M&A and joint ventures, regulatory, and general corporate matters. Dorsey represents numerous medical device, healthcare and other technology companies. Visit: http://www. dorsey. com (http://www. dorsey. com)



About Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation



The Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (Metro Denver EDC), an affiliate of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, is the nation's first and only truly regional economic development entity in which many area economic development groups have joined together to represent, and further, the interests of an entire region. Our partners include 70 cities, counties, and economic development organizations in the seven-county Metro Denver and two-county Northern Colorado region. Visit: http://www. metrodenver. org (http://www. metrodenver. org)



Contacts:



Leah Kientz, Director of Public Policy & Programming, Colorado BioScience Association - 303-592-4088



Maggie Chamberlin Holben, Absolutely PR - http://www. absolutelypr. com (http://www. absolutelypr. com) - 303-984-9801



# # #

Web Design Company Creates SharePoint Site to Connect Staff of Louisiana Real Estate Firm During Hurricane Recovery

Web Design Company Creates SharePoint Site to Connect Staff of Louisiana Real Estate Firm During Hurricane Recovery



In the dramatic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New York City-based technology consulting firm making ideas work! created an online collaboration site using Microsoft SharePoint to help the scattered members of Louisiana real estate firm Sunrise Construction & Development LLC (“Sunrise Homes”) connect with one another and recover from their loss of operations.



New York, NY (PRWEB) October 2, 2005



In the dramatic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, New York City-based technology consulting firm making ideas work! created an online collaboration site using Microsoft SharePoint to help the scattered members of Louisiana real estate firm Sunrise Construction & Development LLC (“Sunrise Homes”) connect with one another and recover from their loss of operations. With their Slidell, LA headquarters evacuated and their employees spread throughout the region in search of shelter, the New Orleans-area company was desperate for a collaboration system that would allow them to share electronic documents, create discussion forums, locate one another, and speed their business recovery process. Steve Rubich, principal of making ideas work! states, “When I first got the phone call from my client down in New Orleans and he asked me for help, I immediately thought of SharePoint.”



Developers at making ideas work! got started on the job that evening and within six hours had configured the new password-protected site and set up access for more than 50 employees at Sunrise Homes. The next morning, the making ideas work! staff walked employees at Sunrise Homes through the site so they could immediately begin using it to post business documents and to update one another on their current locations and contact information. This system is especially beneficial during the reconstruction period following Hurricane Katrina, with both the operations and the employees physically relocated, as it allows staff members to simultaneously receive and post important personal and business news and updates. “We got our ISP on the phone and together we configured the site in about six hours,” says John Park, Senior Application Developer for making ideas work! “SharePoint adds a lot of value for a company by helping employees coordinate and communicate over a wide area, as well as share electronic documents.”



A particularly useful aspect of the new Sunrise Homes SharePoint site is the General Discussion message board, where employees can post information about their current location and personal situation as well as electronic business documents, allowing them to remain up-to-date with the post-hurricane plans of the company and of each other. Messages range from quick postings to wish everyone strength and health to more detailed notes on the conditions of company offices and projects. “With the complete communications ‘blackout’ experienced during and immediately after the Katrina landfall, SharePoint provided one of the few means of communication with staff and critical vendors”, says Sunrise Homes president Larry Kornman. “The ability to share crucial information with employees scattered throughout the southern U. S. has allowed Sunrise to get back-to-business weeks faster than would have been possible otherwise.”



About Sunrise Homes



Sunrise Homes is a land acquisition, development, and construction company that concentrates both on single and multi-family communities. They are based in the New Orleans area and are one of the largest real estate development firms in the Southeast Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast regions.



About making ideas work!



Making ideas work! is a New York City-based, full-service technology consulting firm that specializes in Website design and development. A key element of their business theory is the use of web technology to connect people and ideas, as seen here following the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana’s Sunrise Homes real estate development firm. “Technology like SharePoint makes it easy for all types of companies to collaborate, even if they don’t have the IT budget of a Fortune 1000 company,” states Steve Rubich of making ideas work!. “We were just glad to be able to help out in any way that we could.”



Grace Lykins



Making ideas work!



37 W. 20th Street, 11th Floor



New York, NY 10011



Phone: 212.924.2727 x109



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



###

HandicappedPets. com provides Products, Services, and Support for Handicapped pets, their families, and friends

HandicappedPets. com provides Products, Services, and Support for Handicapped pets, their families, and friends



HandicappedPets. com introduces a new product that gives pet lovers an alternative to 'putting down' their elderly, injured, or weakened pets. The Walkabout Harness allows you to support your pet's front or hind legs.



For Immediate Release (PRWEB) January 25, 2003

January 2003, Amherst NH. HandicappedPets. com announces the newest addition to its site; The WalkaBout Harness for handicapped dogs.



The Walkabout is ideal for dogs with hip problems, leg problems, spinal trauma, DM, arthritis, and general fatigue. The attached handle/straps allow you support the dogÂ’s weak front or back end comfortably, without endangering your back.




This friendly, informative site offers a wealth of information, valuable links, a message board for help and support, galleries where visitors post stories and pictures, plans for making your own dog wheelchair, and much more. Other product offerings include items that the guardians of handicapped pets can use to make life more comfortable.



HandicappedPets. com offers the friends and families of handicapped pets an alternative to euthanasia. It shows how an handicapped animal can lead a healthy, happy life for years to come. For More Information, email Mark@HandicappedPets. com   - 30 -

Kaiser Quotes Has Contracted With McAfee HackerSafe and Verisign, Ensuring a Safer Browsing Experience for Website Visitors

Kaiser Quotes Has Contracted With McAfee HackerSafe and Verisign, Ensuring a Safer Browsing Experience for Website Visitors



McAfee HACKER SAFE and the Verisign SSL certificate increase KaiserQuotes. com's Internet security for users requesting insurance plan quotes and applying for insurance online.



Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) February 21, 2008



Kaiser Quotes provides Georgia and California health insurance (http://kaiserquotes. com/california-health-insurance. php) quotes and allows website visitors to apply for Kaiser Permanente insurance online. With personal information and secure data being passed from the visitor to KaiserQuotes. com, the company thought it would create a better user experience by contracting with McAfee HACKER SAFE and obtaining a Verisign SSL certificate to increase the website's security and ensure the total safety of potential health insurance purchasers. Having recently done so, visitors to KaiserQuotes. com are now fully protected, and can feel safe and secure requesting a Kaiser health insurance quote (http://kaiserquotes. com/kaiser-permanente-quotes. php) online.



McAfee HACKER SAFE (http://hackersafe. com/HackerSafeSites/Health-Personal/Insurance. html) now presents KaiserQuotes. com as a Hacker Safe approved site and allows the company to post its security certification mark. McAfee Hacker Safe secures the website's delicate transactions and adds a layer of trust that ensures customers they have made the right choice in using a particular website. It has been proven through numerous tests that this symbol and the security it represents have increased sales conversions by about fourteen percent on average, indicating the faith that computer users have in this security certification.



The Verisign SSL certificate offers website visitors SSL encryption to protect and secure data during transfer, meaning that a customer's information is safe at all times. It offers the strongest encryption even to visitors using older platforms or browsers. As high as 99.9% of Web visitors are fully protected when sending personal information, making purchases, or conducting other types of online transactions.



Kaiser Quotes is proud to have contracted with both of these companies to secure their website further, and continues to make every effort to ensure the safety of data belonging to Kaiser Permanente (http://kaiserquotes. com) California and Georgia customers who use Kaiser Quotes.



About KaiserQuotes. com

KaiserQuotes. com is an authorized agent that offers free instant quotes online and enrollment assistance for Kaiser Permanente health insurance coverage; this website is not directly affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. It is a convenient resource for information on Kaiser Permanente insurance all in one place. Georgia residents can visit KaiserQuotes. com for individual or group eligibility, health plan information, quotes and applications.



###

New Managed Plan Offered to Medicare Beneficiaries on Staten Island in New York

New Managed Plan Offered to Medicare Beneficiaries on Staten Island in New York



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved a request by Touchstone Health Partnership Inc. of New York City to offer managed care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries on Staten Island, N. Y.



(PRWEB) November 17, 2004



The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has approved a request by Touchstone Health Partnership Inc. of New York City to offer managed care coverage to Medicare beneficiaries on Staten Island, N. Y.



Touchstone Health Partnership will be a federally waivered, provider-sponsored organization (PSO) with a Medicare contract, as of Jan. 1, when the plan will begin serving beneficiaries.



With a federal waiver, the PSO is controlled for up to three years only by federal law and regulations, rather than by federal and state rules. The managed care entity also has shown that it will deliver a substantial portion of the Medicare services to its enrollees through the providers responsible for operating the PSO.



Medicare beneficiaries can sign up for the plan during the current open enrollment in Medicare Advantage, formerly known as Medicare+Choice. About 63,400 beneficiaries live on Staten Island, a borough of New York City also known as Richmond County.



"We are pleased Touchstone Health Partnership will serve Medicare beneficiaries on Staten Island,” HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said. "Under the Medicare reform law signed by President Bush, Medicare will provide all seniors - no matter where they live - with better health insurance options, including prescription drug coverage and preventive care. The law is achieving the President's goals of strengthening and modernizing Medicare.”



The company will offer three plans under the Medicare Advantage program. The plans will give additional health care options to Medicare beneficiaries on Staten Island.



These beneficiaries currently are served by Aetna, Elderplan Inc., Empire HealthChoice HMO Inc., HIP of Greater New York, Health Net of New York, Oxford Health Plans, United Healthcare Insurance Co. of New York, and United Healthcare of New York.



Touchstone Health Partnership has contracted with its own Independent Physician AssociationÂ’s member physicians practicing on Staten Island to provide primary care services for Medicare enrollees.



"We want to make sure all Medicare beneficiaries, whether in a Medicare Advantage plan or fee-for-service, are receiving the highest quality health care," said CMS Administrator Mark McClellan, M. D., Ph. D. "We are doing more to guarantee that beneficiaries understand the Medicare coverage options available to them. We also are reminding beneficiaries of the need to work closely with the doctors and other health care providers that give them medical care."



Since Dec. 8, when President Bush signed the Medicare Modernization Act into law, CMS has approved 12 new contracts with Medicare health plans and 38 service area expansions. There are currently 40 applications pending for new contracts and 19 service area expansions pending.



Medicare Advantage HMOs and fee-for-service plans are available where private companies choose to offer them. Currently, about 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries -- out of a total of about 40 million aged and disabled Americans -- have enrolled in Medicare



HMOs. Original fee-for-service Medicare, currently chosen by more than 35 million beneficiaries, is available to all beneficiaries.



Medicare has a far-reaching consumer information program that includes a national toll-free phone number -- 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or TTY/TDD, at 877-486-2048 -- an Internet site -- www. medicare. gov -- and a coalition of more than 200 national and local organizations to provide seniors more information.



###

Skooperbox Inks Partnership Deal with the Home Shopping Group (HSG)

Skooperbox Inks Partnership Deal with the Home Shopping Group (HSG)



Skooperbox has inked a partnership deal with the Home Shopping Group (HSG). HSG declares: "Skooperbox is The Hottest New Item on the Market." Skooperbox is a new dog clean up product that is made of 100% Recycled Material and is 100% Biodegradable. With its patent-pending ergonomic design and convenient scraper tab, Skooperbox is eco-friendly, sleek and fashionable. Skooperbox™ is available in a small/medium size and large. Everyone from children to celebrities absolutely love the Skooperbox™



Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 25, 2007



After extensive review, testing and market research, Skooperbox (http://www. skooperbox. com)™ was chosen to partner with the Home Shopping Group (http://www. homeshoppinggroup. com) (HSG) in launching a Direct Response Television (DRT) campaign. The campaign will feature a 60-second direct response commercial featuring the amazing new Skooperbox™.



The DRT commercials promoting Skooperbox™ will run on major U. S. television and cable networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC CNN, TNT, TLC and E! Entertainment. In addition, HSG will work with Yahoo! Shopping to launch a mass e-mail campaign promoting the Skooperbox, which will target more than 500,000 "opt-in" HSG customers and other consumers in what is the largest growing retail area nationwide: Pet Products and Natural/Organic Products.



The HSG commercials will air in two (2) designated major metropolitan market areas -- which are yet to be decided. The commercials will air a combined minimum of 100 times, approximately 50 airings per market. The commercials will only air between the prime hours of 6 a. m. and 12:00 midnight.



HSG is a preferred marketing vehicle for many major corporations, offering direct response marketing to companies who want to promote their products for maximum visibility and exposure to consumers. Skooperbox has received a sizeable purchase order from HSG and product is set to ship. HSG will warehouse the Skooperbox packages to re-sell and direct ship to customers.



"This is just one segment of the Natural/Organic Pet Marketplace that Skooperbox plans to be a part of. With only a very small percentage of the overall market utilizing the benefits of our cutting-edge product, we still have more than 90 percent potential market penetration. In an industry that expects to top 16 Billion by year's end, we are pleased to be a part of this," says Gustavo Zarate, V. P. of Marketing and Sales.



"The response to Skooperbox has been tremendous," says Sales Director Ryan Casey as he describes the torrential flood of sales due to a recent article in the Washington Post (http://www. washingtonpost. com) Brush Up on Your Dog Park Etiquette (http://www. washingtonpost. com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071201554.html? tid=informbox), which highlights the benefits of using the Skooperbox. "Once people hear about Skooperbox, they scoop them right up as they quickly become aware of the incredible environmental impact the Skooperbox makes, not to mention the ease and convenience that it also brings," says Casey. Whereas most plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down, the Skooperbox completely Biodegrades in a matter of days.



Y-DITT, LLC., is an innovative marketing company and an expert in creating leading socially and environmentally aware brands for consumer products and health and safety products. The centerpiece of the company is the Skooperbox™ line that reflects the company's environmental spirit. The company was launched in 2005 and is located in Placentia, California. For more information, please visit www. skooperbox. com.



About Home Shopping Group:

Located in the Arvida Park of Commerce in Boca Raton, Florida, The Home Shopping Group is a world leader in innovative Direct Response Television Campaigns.



###

Health-care Reform Still Uncertain for Small Business Owner Insurance Costs

Health-care Reform Still Uncertain for Small Business Owner Insurance Costs



Many details are still unclear for the costs of small business owner insurance with the health-care reform plan. Small Business Health Insurance (SBHI. net) gives the latest details on what aspects are concerning small business owners.



Chicago, IL (Vocus) August 2, 2009 -–



President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers recently released a report that outlined the effects the current system has on the costs of small business insurance premiums. Small Business Health Insurance (http://www. sbhi. net) (SBHI. net) gives the latest details on what aspects are concerning small business owners.



Approximately one-third of uninsured Americans, which equates to 13 million people, work for small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. The cost of health insurance for small groups such as these is on average 18% higher per worker than what larger companies pay for similar policies. Less than half of workers are offered insurance in companies with fewer than 10 employees.



In a prior radio address, President Obama recognized the high cost of business insurance premiums (http://www. sbhi. net/planfinder. htm) and that many have dealt with small business owner insurance by cutting benefits, dropping coverage, shedding jobs or closing down. "This is unsustainable, it's unacceptable, and it's going to change when I sign health insurance reform into law," President Obama said.



The small business community can give the current administration feedback on the challenges they face with providing health insurance for small groups through LinkedIn and on WhiteHouse. gov. Yet, it is still unclear how the reform will affect the cost of small business insurance premiums.



The most recent proposal from the House of Representative requires that any company with an annual payroll of $400,000 or more to offer health insurance to employees or pay a penalty of 8% of their payroll. Business with a payroll under $250,000 would be exempt from paying for health insurance for small groups (http://www. sbhi. net/contact. htm). Any companies that fall between the two thresholds would pay reduced penalties. The penalties contribute to the national health insurance exchange that would allow for individuals and small companies to purchase insurance coverage.



About SBHI. net:

Obtaining self employed health insurance and small business health insurance coverage is becoming increasingly difficult in the healthcare marketplace that is consistently changing. At SBHI. net, we aim to provide the best resources for citizens throughout the United States. Our products, guides, tax saving strategies and resources provide our visitors with valuable information that saves time and money. Please take a minute to browse our website to learn more about how SBHI. net can better serve your healthcare needs (http://www. sbhi. net/about. htm).



###

SPAR Featured in Top Industry Publication, Australia's Best, Including Exclusive Interview Geoff Gale

SPAR Featured in Top Industry Publication, Australia's Best, Including Exclusive Interview Geoff Gale



Geoff Gale, SPAR Australia's General Manager for Merchandising and Marketing, has been featured by Australia's Best Magazine, published by Bean Media Group in Sydney. The highly-regarded series of publications are seen by many as an industry benchmark, and the feature on SPAR is a well-deserved pat on the back for the fst-growing company.



Sydney (PRWEB) August 1, 2008



Last year, SPAR stores injected almost $300 million into Australia's retail economy. Although size brings obvious benefits in areas such as buying power and lessons learnt from all over the world, the key difference with SPAR is that every store is independently owned. This allows each store to make local decisions that benefit their customers.



SPAR and 5 Star (another supermarket brand serviced by SPAR Australia) have their own exclusive House Brand range of quality grocery products named Fabulous. The Fabulous Brand name has been a part of the Australian grocery landscape for many years and continues to play an important part for all SPAR and 5 Star grocery stores.



This range of products is specifically focused on everyday grocery categories with the simple objective of providing great quality products at fantastic prices. The Fabulous range extends across many categories in the grocery range including: canned foods, cleaning, health and beauty, confectionary, drinks, pet food, frozen foods, fresh milk and more. Continuing to grow, the Fabulous range is a high priority for SPAR and 5 Star retailers.



Good food, great service and highly competitive prices combine to make SPAR supermarkets a world-class local. An important part of SPAR's success is its relationship with key suppliers. SPAR make it a point to only deal with quality suppliers who have a favourable reputation within their specialised industry. Attributes that SPAR also seek from their suppliers is that they meet SPAR's targets for sales and growth and contribute to the company's marketing campaigns. "Our suppliers are always supportive of our promotional programmes, competitions and community events we hold around Australia," says Geoff Gale, SPAR Australia's General Manager for Merchandising and Marketing.



"On the business side, people always like to be a part of organisations that are growing. We like to support suppliers who are bringing out innovative products and ideas and who are willing to participate in the company's development."



In response to their suppliers support, SPAR holds an awards night for suppliers at the beginning of each year in February/ March.



The company held its annual Supplier Awards Night for 2008 on the Friday the 15th of February at Peppers Salt Resort & Spa at South Kingscliffe, bringing together some of Australia's top suppliers and acknowledging those that have contributed to SPAR's continuing success.



The highly-anticipated awards night, which recognises suppliers across seven different supply categories, has become a major annual event in the industry with around 100 people attending this year's function from close to 40 different suppliers.



KR Castlemaine Foods Area Manager, John Lunn, said he was completely surprised when they won the award for Refrigerated Food Supplier of the Year and felt tremendously appreciated by the global brand.



"It's such an honour for us to be recognised by SPAR, especially as this is our second year in a row for this award - we'll be working hard for the hat trick! It's all thanks to a great team effort at KR Castlemaine Foods and the incredible support we receive from individual SPAR stores," said Mr Lunn. "Every SPAR event is always very well organised and the awards' night was no exception. Our long-standing affiliation with SPAR continues to progress even further; they're not only a great bunch of people to work with, but they make it so easy with their very approachable manner."



Winner of the Grocery Supplier of the Year award, Kevin Dyer of Coca Cola Amatil, credits SPAR's determination to work with their suppliers in a partnership as the key to working together so successfully towards common goals.



"Coca Cola Amatil has been with SPAR since its inception in Australia and it's great to have recognition for our long-term relationship by way of this award, particularly following our win for Best New Product Launch the year before," said Mr Dyer.



"SPAR has an impressive capacity for future growth in Australia and we look forward to growing with them through 2008 and beyond."



Geoff Gale, emphasised the importance of recognising valued suppliers at SPAR's annual awards.



"SPAR Australia has been able to grow thanks to the contributions and support of many suppliers around Australia. SPAR's retail sales in Australia are growing year upon year. These annual awards are our way of saying thanks and to pave the way for even better results in the

Year to come," said Mr Gale.



Key suppliers to SPAR include Bencody Agencies (http://beanmedia. com. au/ads/Bencody. pdf), Wrigleys (http://beanmedia. com. au/ads/Wrigley. pdf), Fruitlink (http://beanmedia. com. au/ads/Fruitlink. pdf) and Bartter (Steggles) (http://beanmedia. com. au/ads/Bartter. pdf).



###

LaSalle and ConnectYourCare Offer Consumer Directed Healthcare Account Administration Platform

LaSalle and ConnectYourCare Offer Consumer Directed Healthcare Account Administration Platform



LaSalle, ConnectYourCare to offer full-service solution to Administer Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Reimbursement Arrangements, and Health Savings Accounts.



CHICAGO (PRWEB) August 8, 2006



LaSalle Healthcare Administrative Services LLC (“LaSalle”), an operating company of LaSalle Bank, is launching the LaSalle CDH Solutions, an integrated consumer-directed healthcare (CDH) platform for administering health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). Partnering with ConnectYourCare, a Revolution Health Group company, LaSalle will offer a full-service, customizable platform to employers, health plans and third-party administrators to administer consumer-directed healthcare accounts.



The LaSalle CDH Solution includes financial claims adjudication, a multi-purse healthcare account payment card, integrated account management, investment options and a single sign-on portal for access to healthcare account management and tools.



“Managing healthcare costs is a growing challenge for employers and employees,” said Cindy Murray, executive vice president, Transaction Banking, LaSalle Bank. “LaSalle is pleased to be in a position to offer a comprehensive solution to address this dynamic business need.”



LaSalle will offer a comprehensive CDH account administration platform for its commercial customers and business partners using ConnectYourCare’s suite of online administrative tools. Features of the LaSalle CDH solution include:



CDH Management: For employers, the platform provides a defined contribution CDH program, so employers can move their benefits focus in healthcare to wellness and wealth management (by offering HSAs), while gaining control over costs.



Education and Empowerment Tools: The LaSalle CDH Solution provides online tools such as flash demos and savings calculators that help drive CDH adoption. In addition, ConnectYourCare offers a suite of wellness tools such as health risk assessments, medical research and provider comparisons.



Multi-purse Health Payment Card: Employees can use a single payment card issued by LaSalle Bank to access their healthcare accounts (FSAs, HRAs, and HSAs). The transaction amount is automatically deducted from the appropriate healthcare account based upon their employer’s plan design, enrollment choices, employee preferences and the expense type.



The “CDH Financial Engine”: Insurance carriers and third-party administrators can utilize the LaSalle CDH Solution, as a plug-in to their CDH plan offerings, enabling the integration of claims and accounts.



Investment Options: The LaSalle CDH Solution includes investment options for HSAs so employees can choose how to invest the funds in their health savings account.



“LaSalle recognizes that speed-to-market and effective customer acquisition, servicing and asset management can make all the difference in the expanding HSA marketplace, and ConnectYourCare’s platform and expertise can help LaSalle provide crucial healthcare administrative services to its customers,” said Terry Hunter, CEO of ConnectYourCare.



LaSalle Healthcare Administrative Services LLC is an operating subsidiary established by LaSalle Bank N. A. to provide consumer directed healthcare account administrative products and services to the Bank's commercial customers.



LaSalle Bank N. A. is the largest bank headquartered in Chicago with $75.2 billion in assets and $45.2 billion in deposits. LaSalle Bank serves individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies and institutions through 136 retail locations, 500 ATMs, and on-line at lasallebank. com throughout Chicago and the neighboring suburbs.



LaSalle Bank operates in 23 states and maintains commercial banking offices in 19 cities across the U. S. and offers specialty services through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, LaSalle Financial Services, Inc., LaSalle National Leasing Corporation, and LaSalle Business Credit, LLC.



Parent company LaSalle Bank Corporation is headquartered in Chicago with $116 billion in assets and is an indirect subsidiary of Netherlands-based ABN AMRO Bank N. V., one of the world’s largest banks with total assets of EUR 975.1 billion, more than 3,000 locations in over 60 countries and staff of more than 105,000 full-time employees.



LaSalle Bank N. A., LaSalle Bank Midwest N. A., Member FDIC, Equal Opportunity Lender



© 2006 LaSalle Bank N. A.



ConnectYourCare’s benefit delivery platform provides a pathway for migration to CDH, supplying tools for employees to better manage their healthcare choices and a vehicle for employers to realize healthcare cost containment. ConnectYourCare Solutions include a multi-purse health payment card and portal for employees to manage tax-advantaged accounts and relevant investments, financial claims adjudication and customer support services, and comprehensive medical information and decision-support tools with a focus on health and wellness. ConnectYourCare sells to midsize and large employers and markets a co-branded ASP solution to health plans, TPAs, banks and investment firms. ConnectYourCare is a Revolution Health Group company. For more information visit, www. connectyourcare. com.



LaSalle Contact:



Lauren Vidovich



312/904-8006



ConnectYourCare Contact:



Holly Smith



410/891-1023



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



# # #

Bayer HealthCare Awards Grant to Support Future Leaders of Bleeding Disorders Community

Bayer HealthCare Awards Grant to Support Future Leaders of Bleeding Disorders Community



$100,000 donation made to National Hemophilia Foundation Youth Leadership Institute



Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) February 5, 2008



Bayer HealthCare (http://www. bayerhealthcare. com) today announced its donation of a $100,000 grant to help the National Hemophilia Foundation (http://www. hemophilia. org) (NHF) fund activities for its National Youth Leadership Institute (http://www. hemophilia. org/NHFWeb/MainPgs/MainNHF. aspx? menuid=318&contentid=988&rptname=nyli) (NYLI), a program designed to develop the next generation of leaders within the bleeding disorders community. The contribution, made by the Bayer USA Foundation (http://www. bayerus. com/foundation/), marks the second year of support for this important program.



Each year NYLI selects 20 - 30 ambitious young leaders to participate in two weekend training sessions, focused on leadership development and problem-solving skills. The participants are then challenged to apply their training to enhance educational programming in communities across the country. The Institute features an experiential curriculum, including prevention programs and activities that participants can implement in their respective communities. The program has a reputation within the bleeding disorders community as being one of the most strategically important initiatives currently underway.



"We're grateful to have such generous support from a community partner like Bayer HealthCare," said Howard A. Balsam (http://www. hemophilia. org/NHFWeb/MainPgs/MainNHF. aspx? menuid=48&contentid=30), Interim CEO of the National Hemophilia Foundation. "This contribution will be instrumental in supporting the NYLI's mission to develop the next generation of leaders for the bleeding disorders community and will also empower and equip our young adults to lead improvements in educational programming across the country."



In addition to the training provided to participants, NHF encourages local chapters to provide a liaison/mentor to the young participants to further ensure the success of local youth initiatives.



"Bayer is committed to supporting programs that focus on encouraging and developing young adults to become active leaders in the bleeding disorders community," said Terry Tenbrunsel, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Bayer HealthCare. "We are always happy to support the NHF - and especially this important program - as we drive toward our common goal of improving the lives of people living with hemophilia."



Media Contact:

Kimberly Wix

Bayer HealthCare

Tel: (973) 305-5258

E-mail: kimberly. wix@bayer. com



About Hemophilia A

Hemophilia A, also known as factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia, is largely an inherited bleeding disorder in which one of the proteins needed to form blood clots in the body is missing or reduced. Hemophilia A, the most common type of hemophilia, is caused by deficient or defective blood coagulation proteins, known as factor VIII. Hemophilia A is characterized by prolonged or spontaneous bleeding, especially into the muscles, joints, or internal organs. Approximately one in 5,000 males born in the United States has hemophilia.



About the National Hemophilia Foundation

The National Hemophilia Foundation is dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for bleeding and clotting disorders and to preventing the complications of these disorders through education, advocacy and research.



About Bayer HealthCare LLC

Bayer HealthCare LLC is an affiliate of Bayer HealthCare AG, one of the world's leading, innovative companies in the healthcare and medical products industry based in Leverkusen, Germany. The company combines the global activities of the Animal Health, Consumer Care, Diabetes Care, and Pharmaceuticals divisions. The Pharmaceuticals division comprises the following business units: Women's Healthcare, Diagnostic Imaging, Specialized Therapeutics, Hematology/Cardiology, Primary Care, and Oncology. Bayer HealthCare's aim is to discover and manufacture products that will improve human and animal health worldwide. The products enhance well-being and quality of life by diagnosing, preventing and treating diseases.



Forward-looking statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development, or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including our Form 20-F). The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.



###

MIT Club of Princeton Sponsors Hunterdon Central High School Teacher for Annual MIT Science and Engineering Program

MIT Club of Princeton Sponsors Hunterdon Central High School Teacher for Annual MIT Science and Engineering Program



Hunterdon Central High School teacher selected by the MIT Club of Princeton to attend specialized program on science and engineering.



Princeton, NJ (PRWEB) June 15, 2007



The MIT Club of Princeton, serving the Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni of central New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is pleased to announce that it will sponsor Mr. Michael McFadden, a Hunterdon Central High School teacher, to attend this summer's MIT Science and Engineering Program for Teachers (SEPT).



MIT, in conjunction with its respective alumni clubs across the world, select approximately 50 teachers each year to attend SEPT for one week during the summer. The program is designed to share MIT's perspective on how engineers apply the principles of science to meet the technological needs of society. The selected teachers attend presentations on the frontiers of science and math; sessions on the synthesis, processing, properties and performance of materials; and discussions on the design and manufacture of engineering systems that affect the quality of life on Earth (e. g. water treatment, healthcare, international commerce and energy conversion).



Mr. McFadden teaches Architectural Design, Principles of Engineering, and Honors Engineering at Hunterdon Central High School and is actively involved in the educational technology planning for the school. He began teaching after many years of a successful career in industry and an intense personal interest in technology. This passion for technology and learning prompted Mr. McFadden to apply for the MIT SEPT program. "I am grateful to The MIT Club of Princeton for the opportunity to participate in the Summer MIT program. The effort to continually update my curriculum with the latest information and innovative educational practices often leads me to resources that originated at MIT. I have no doubt that interacting with MIT staff and other secondary school teachers with a similar mission will be a great benefit to my students and the professional organizations such as TEANJ (Technology Educators Association of New Jersey) that support education in New Jersey."



The nomination of McFadden to attend the MIT SEPT program was assisted by TEANJ (Technology Educators Association of New Jersey). Dave Janosz, Executive Director of TEANJ, said, "We were pleased to be associated with the MIT Club of Princeton and MIT in this important endeavor to allow New Jersey teachers to spend time at MIT and interact with their peers from across the country. As a teacher in one of our 'Five Star Technology Education Programs', Mr. McFadden's students will benefit the most as this program will help enhance the level of science and math already covered in his courses."



Ram Iyer, President of the MIT Club of Princeton, said, "As alumni of the premier institute for science and math, we want to do our part for the communities we live in. We are proud to sponsor Mr. McFadden as part of our alumni club's ongoing effort to promote science and mathematics within K-12 education across central New Jersey. Mr. McFadden is a lifelong learner and is passionate about teaching science and math. Spending time at MIT will benefit him, his school and his students." Iyer added, "The competitiveness of the US in the global economy is largely dependent on our ability to excel in science and math. Developing more and better science and math teachers and encouraging more students to pursue an education in science and math is good for the world our children will live in."



For additional information on the MIT Club of Princeton and its campaign to promote science and mathematics in New Jersey high schools, please contact Ram Iyer at 609-610-6700.



For more information on the MIT Science and Engineering Program for Teachers please visit http://web. mit. edu/scienceprogram/program. html (http://web. mit. edu/scienceprogram/program. html).



###

DietPlanTrends. com – An Information Resource for Health Conscious Consumers in Search of the Right Diet Plan

DietPlanTrends. com – An Information Resource for Health Conscious Consumers in Search of the Right Diet Plan



DietPlanTrends. com provides information on 64 diet approaches available to consumers today. DietPlanTrends. com is the only online resource that captures the popularity or buzz as well as consumer sentiment for a variety of dieting approaches, including diet/exercise plans, herbal supplements, prescription drugs and surgery.



Great Falls, VA (PRWEB) October 13, 2006



DietPlanTrends. com is notably one of the premier online resources for consumers looking to understand a large, diverse set of possible diet approaches on the market today. Powered by TrendIQ, Inc., DietPlanTrends. com provides consumer driven information in the form of popularity or buzz and sentiment trends for each of the top 64 diet approaches today. What makes this unique is that it puts the consumer in the drivers seat – allowing them to compare approaches based on what others are feeling and saying as well as which plan is gaining or loosing in popularity.



Each diet approach is tracked and measured utilizing a proprietary software technology from TrendIQ, Inc. DietPlanTrends. com captures the Internet buzz – measures and tracks the popularity of each diet approach and compares it to the industry average. Additionally, customer sentiment is tracked by diet approach and measures how customers feel about each plan verses the diet industry as a whole. DietPlanTrends. com also offers a newsletter that provides updates as well as additional information on diet approaches. To subscribe to the newsletter, send a blank email.



All the information provided on DietPlanTrends. com is free and is a resource that benefits consumers and allows them to understand more about what others are saying about the various diet approaches that they may be considering. Diet and nutrition experts recommend DietPlanTrends. com as a great first stop for potential dieters. It is also important to note that TrendIQ, Inc. and DietPlanTrends. com does not endorse any particular diet plan and always recommends consulting your physician prior to beginning any diet plan.



About TrendIQ, Inc.:



TrendIQ is a leading business intelligence firm focused on providing marketing tools and information to help its clients build stronger businesses. For additional information, please contact Jeaneen Andrews-Feldman.



###

Tibetan Medicine May be the Answer to Alleviating Symptoms of Constipation

Tibetan Medicine May be the Answer to Alleviating Symptoms of Constipation



Padma Lax, a Tibetan formula is now available to help with healthy digestion and regular elimination. A case study shows a distinct improvement using Padma Lax along with more roughage and fluids.



Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) June 24, 2005



Constipation has an image problem. No one wants to talk about it yet everyone experiences it at one time or another. It is estimated that almost 50% of all individuals over the age of 65 years suffer from this condition, and it leads to considerable impairment of the quality of life. In addition, available medications that address this condition also have an image problem and are often viewed as harsh treatments. However, there is a revolutionary change taking place in terms of treatment options.



A recent case study conducted by Simon Feldhaus, M. D. demonstrates that the answer may lie in an ancient Tibetan formula incorporated into a nutritional supplement called Padma Lax. The study involved a 75-year-old woman suffering from chronically recurrent pain and gastrointestinal distress for over two years. The nature of the pain could not be precisely defined and was described as shooting or stabbing. Abdominal cramps, flatulence, a distended abdomen and irregular defecation with a marked tendency to constipation were also described. Apart from these symptoms, there were no previous illnesses or surgeries in the patientÂ’s case history. Treatment included dietary advice which changed the patient over to a diet contain more roughage and fluids. Padma Lax was the only laxative used and with it came a distinct improvement. The symptoms had almost completely subsided within 6 weeks.



Isaac Eliaz, MD, an integrative physician in Northern California who also integrates Tibetan medicine into his practice recommends this product to his patients and believes that it is a gentle, natural way to regulate the gastrointestinal system: “Healthy digestion and regular elimination is one of the key components to health and wellness. It is a necessary component for maintaining one’s health and even a more important component when trying to recover from chronic illnesses.”



Medical experts say that it is not the infrequency of defecation alone that determines the severity of the condition, but also the side effects such as abdominal pain, bloating, increased passing of wind and the feeling of incomplete evacuation of the bowels. Constipation is in fact a mixture of symptoms that can be caused by the most varied pathogenic processes.



A working-group of the world gastroenterological organization Organization Mondiale de Gastro-Entérologie (OMGE), under the chairmanship of David Wingate, London stated in an article published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, that very often, various different disturbing factors are involved, such as diverticulitis with”slow - transit constipation“. An increased amount of roughage in the diet does not necessarily help here – in fact it helps in only every second case. Additional aggravating factors can be that the patients sit down too much, take too little exercise and are overweight.



The article also suggests that because of the very different causes of constipation, it is useful and practical, especially in elderly patients, to treat the constipation primarily “ex juvantibus”. Here, preference should be given to a laxative that not only has a mild action, but also has a broad spectrum of action, which means that it can have a positive effect on the digestion at various levels. Padma Lax qualifies as such a treatment.



About Padma Lax



The carefully balanced combination of herbs in Padma Lax helps promote and maintain proper digestive function and enhanced regularity. It is a natural choice for the relief of temporary constipation, such as that caused by change of diet, travel or stress.



About EcoNugenics



EcoNugenics offers premium nutraceuticals and dietary supplements based on the best of western science integrated with the wisdom of traditional and complementary therapies. Isaac Eliaz, M. D., L. Ac., a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine since the early 1980Â’s, founded EcoNugenics. Dr. Eliaz is a respected author, lecturer, researcher and clinical practitioner. He has been awarded several patents for his unique product formulations.



EcoNugenics focuses on two basic lines of dietary supplements: products that enhance the immune system and products that promote health and wellness. Media contact Constance St. John, 415-454-2243 or connie@stjohnpr. com.



# # #



 ###

Marketlink Canada Introduces Global IT Solutions Company to Canadian Market

Marketlink Canada Introduces Global IT Solutions Company to Canadian Market



Marketlink Canada brings SRIT to new markets.



Toronto, Ont. (PRWEB) November 29, 2007



Marketlink Canada announces a strategic partnership with Sobha Renaissance Information Technology (SRIT) -- a global IT software application development and solutions vendor specializing in advanced, end-to-end IT solutions and software integration services for Healthcare, Telecom and Enterprise markets. SRIT's enterprise solutions focus on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for small, medium and large businesses, including asset, human resource, data, knowledge, and workspace management.



Offering tailored solutions for utilities, retail, construction, automotive dealerships, rental car agencies, distribution and manufacturing, SRIT has partnered with Marketlink Canada to capitalize on the potential in the Canadian market. With a strong local network, Marketlink Canada is uniquely poised to offer integrated sales solutions and targeted channel development. "It's a great partnership and a tremendous fit," says Tanya D'Encarnacao, president of Marketlink Canada. "SRIT is a highly respected IT company, with roots in more than 20 countries. They are recognized for quality, innovation and value."



"Strategic partnerships like these in IT marketing, covering new terrains are truly exciting. With our presence in more than 20 countries, this entry into the high-potential Canadian market, with Marketlink Canada as our partners, extends our reach further into the West and adds value to SRIT as a global solutions provider." says Dr. Madhu Nambiar, Founder CEO of SRIT. "We have found in Marketlink, a stable partner with 20 years of experience amassed, who can take SRIT's products and solutions to the Canadian B2B marketplace."



"Marketlink Canada was chosen by SRIT for its expertise and ability to guide technology companies as they introduce and sell new products in Canada," explains D'Encarnacao.



With corporate headquarters in Bangalore, India, SRIT has been ranked among the 50 fastest growing technology companies in India for two consecutive years, 2006 & 2007 by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Asia Pacific. As industry leaders, SRIT is the world's first SSE-CCM Level 5 Certified Company.



About SRIT



Sobha Renaissance Information Technology (SRIT) is a global IT Solutions Provider of repute and high credibility providing advanced, enterprise-class solutions to Fortune 500 companies. It is the world's first SSE-CMM Level 5 assessed company and also assessed and certified for P-CMM Level 5, SEI CMM Level 5, BS ISO/IEC 27001:2005 and ISO 9001:2000. Headquartered in Bangalore, SRIT currently operates in 20 countries including North America, Europe, Far-East, Middle-East, and Africa. SRIT is a six sigma practicing company, and ranked among 'The Top 50 Fast Growing Technology Company (Deloitte, 2006 & 2007). With about 1500 people, SRIT services over 350 customers worldwide. SRIT is a SOBHA Group Enterprise. For more information, please visit www. renaissance-it. com



About Marketlink Canada



Marketlink Canada is a Canadian-owned company offering sales solutions, channel marketing and outsourcing programs for IT manufacturers. The company has established an unprecedented level and combination of services, designed to help leading and emerging manufactures achieve market dominance in Canada.



Press contact:



Marketlink Canada 

Wendy Jespersen

Communications Manager

Phone: 416-214-7832

E-mail: wendy @ marketlinkcanada. com

URL: www. marketlinkcanada. com  



SRIT

Ajay Chanam

Sr. Manager, WW Marketing & Communications

Phone: +1.916.749.0915 (Mobile)

E-mail: ajay. chanam @ renaissance-it. com

URL: www. renaissance-it. com



###

Rags to Riches--A Success Story of An Online Poker Player

Rags to Riches--A Success Story of An Online Poker Player



A recent success story of an online poker player.



Hummelstown, PA (PRWEB) August 25, 2005



Online poker continues to see strong growth. Six poker TV shows compete for viewers, including the Travel Channel's "WPT," which features 15 major tournaments a year, ESPN's "World Series of Poker," the centerpiece of the sports network's 10-plus hours of weekly poker, and Bravo's tattooed and pierced "Celebrity Poker Showdown." Due next year, director Curtis Hanson's "Lucky You," billed as the first Hollywood film to focus on aspects of the poker phenomenon, sees more than two-dozen poker icons, including Jack Binion, Johnny Chan, Barry Greenstein and Chau Giang appearing alongside Robert Duvall, Drew Barrymore and Eric Bana in the story of a pro player in the world of high-stakes poker in Las Vegas.



Many players are learning to play poker online with a small initial investment. Small stakes poker can be a great place to hone your game and build a bankroll for larger stakes. Most online poker rooms have stakes as low as.05-.10$. There is a wealth of poker strategy and advice on the internet. A part-time hobby can turn into a rewarding and lucrative full-time profession. This brand of poker - Texas hold 'em - is exciting to watch and exciting to play. If you're a dedicated player who's willing to spend the time to learn and practice, you can add to your personal income. You don't have to be a high roller.



A recent success story was told on a popular poker blog http://small-stakes. blogspot. com (http://small-stakes. blogspot. com). David Bronstein started playing the $5+1 Sit-N-Go tournaments on Party Poker. He read several poker books and even acquired a poker coach. Six months later Dave is now beating the $100+9 Sit-N-Go tournaments for a healthy $100/hr. These type of success stories are not uncommon in the world of internet poker.



You can read about other online poker success stories at Small Stake Poker Blog http://small-stakes. blogspot. com (http://small-stakes. blogspot. com). Small Stakes Poker Blog is a weekly blog of the successes and failures of an aspiring online poker player.



###