Celebrity big brother 2014: October 2009

Fight for Your Health: Exposing the FDA's Betrayal of America; Taking the World by Storm

From the brilliant mind of Byron Richards, board certified clinical nutritionist, proponent of health freedom and author comes "Fight for Your Health," free for the first time and more relevant than ever.

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) May 9, 2007

Fight for Your Health is a stunning exposé into the secret world of the FDA, Wall Street, and drug companies. At stake is the health and well-being of all Americans. Adverse reactions, even deaths, are hidden while dangerous drugs are pushed on Americans, especially children -- simply for profit. The FDA is actively attacking health freedom and seeking to eliminate natural health options. Arm yourself with invaluable information that will help you take charge of your health:

FDA working on behalf of drug companies Mind-control through "mental health" The true Codex story; health option control Globalization at the expense of Americans Poisoning us with our food and water Your DNA in government computers

President Bush has filled the top positions at the FDA with major promoters of drug sales. The priority of these men is to rush unproven drugs to market, for the financial benefit of Wall Street and Big Pharm.

The FDA is now actively involved in the drug-design business, using sophisticated software to assist pharmaceutical companies in drug development.

The FDA is utterly incompetent to monitor the safety of existing drugs on the market. They ignore the numerous adverse side effects that are reported from toxic drugs used for prevention. They are not able to inform the consumer public of the true risks or possible problems associated with almost any medication.

At the same time that the FDA is fostering drug development and drug sales, they are actively working to suppress natural-health options which hold tremendous health-care potential, especially for prevention of serious problems. In fact, the FDA assists international efforts to ban the use of helpful nutritional options in America. They continue this effort, even though the majority of Americans fully support natural-health options. The FDA has become an aberrant police force, working against health, rather than protecting us.

Learn the details--empower yourself to Fight for Your Health.

Read Fight for Your Health online for free, download it as an eBook, or buy a hard copy at:

Www. wellnessresources. com/books/fight_for_your_health. php (http://www. wellnessresources. com/books/fight_for_your_health. php)

For author interview, contact: Tiffany Baas, 952-746-5415

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CARB CARDS Makes Carbohydrate Counting Easy for Diabetics

(PRWEB) December 9, 2000

MONTROSE, December 2000 --The following was issued by Carb Cards:

Children and adults with diabetes play cards to learn carbohydrate counting.

The American Diabetes Association's Nutrition Recommendations for people with Diabetes Mellitus, published in 1994 emphasizes carbohydrate counting as an important part of good blood glucose control. Education for successful self-management is the key to good health for all diabetics. Carb Cards offer a fun and easy tool to use on the lifelong path of nutritional awareness.

Judy Vanderwist created Carb Cards, a carbohydrate counting card game to introduce the concept of carbohydrate counting to her two teenagers with Type I diabetes. Heeding the recommendations of the ADA, Judy recognized the need for her children to understand the relationship between carbohydrates and insulin. Judy says, "Because of their busy schedules and the new regime of using rapid acting insulin I realized there was an immediate need to memorize the carbohydrates of their favorite foods. Books and lists weren't working. I needed a quick and easy way to teach them the facts of snacks."

Using the format of flashcards Judy designed 54 playing cards with food illustrations and the corresponding carbohydrate value in grams for each serving. The teens quickly became acquainted with the amount of grams of carbohydrate in their favorite foods by memorizing the cards and using them to create daily menus. "Carb Cards were included with every meal they ate at home. And, soon they were free of one of the more frustrating aspects of the daily management of diabetes," Judy said. In addition, popular card games such as Go Fish, War and Concentration easily adapted to the deck.

By March 2000, the Carb Cards web site was online selling packages of Carb Cards for Kids and received an enthusiastic review by Jeff Hitchcock of ChildrenWithDiabetes. com. Â“Carb Cards are an excellent, fun tool to help introduce or teach carbohydrate counting to children or adults.Â” Carb Cards made its first public appearance at the Children With Diabetes conference in Orlando, Florida.

Later that year Carb Cards for Kids and Carb Cards Nutrition Navigator for Teens and Adults made its professional debut at the annual Association of American Diabetes Educators show in San Diego in August 2000. Carb Cards were sold in the AADE bookstore at that event, and later at the national American Dietitians Association conference in Denver. Carb Cards is also featured in the Feb./March 2001 issue of the magazine Successful Living with Diabetes, and in two national catalogues for dietitians and diabetes educators, NCES, and Nasco. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation included Carb Cards in their 2001 Bag of Hope project and distributed them to 10,000 newly diagnosed children.

Since then, Carb Cards are sold online at www. carbcards. com, as well as at diabetes and dietetic conferences, workshops, and trade shows. Carb Cards are used by diabetes educators, dietitians, youth camps, pump support groups and parents, as well as kids ages 5 to 100 in the U. S., Canada and Europe.

DiabetesInControl. com recently concluded a case study on carbohydrate counting using Carb Cards with educators and patients. The results confirmed that counting carbs with Carb Cards helped patients keep track of daily carbohydrate amounts while lowering blood glucose levels.

Â“After the 90 days of using the Carb CardsÂ®, mean daily preprandial plasma glucose concentrations were 6%(153 vs 143mg/dl) percent lower, 2-hour post prandial plasma glucose concentrations were lowered by 14 percent (196 vs 168mg/dl) and HbA1c were lowered from 8.6% to 8.2% (0.4% decrease). In the subset of patients under 18 years results were even better with average preprandial glucose dropping 8% and average Postprandial dropping 21%. HbA1c decreased 0.6%. The consistent use of the Carb CardsÂ® appears to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Reducing postprandial blood glucose significantly caused a decrease of HbA1c, therefore reducing the complications from diabetes.

In addition to the original Carb Cards for Kids and Carb Cards Nutrition Navigator for Teens and Adults, new products include:

Â·Carb Cards Place Mat ( 11Â” x 17Â”laminated)

Â·Deck of Giant 8Â” x 10Â” Carb Cards

Â·Carb Cards Educator Tool Kit

Carb Cards for Kids are packaged in a convenient 5" x 8" clear drawstring bag and include: one deck of 54 food cards, 6 additional blank cards to customize, 4 crayons and an activity card, for $7.95.

Carb Cards Nutrition Navigator for Teens and Adults charts your course for good blood glucose control and includes one deck of cards, one pen, and a sixty-day food diary for $9.95. Quantity discounts are available for all products.

Â“From the time our kids were first diagnosed, we didnÂ’t want them to feel like diabetes was their problem alone,Â“ recalls Judy. Â“We took it on, helping each other cope with diabetes. And it has brought our family together. If (Carb Cards) is the one thing that makes life better for other families, especially for the newly diagnosed, that makes me happy!Â”

For more information about Carb Cards, see www. carbcards. com

Benzie County in Northern Michigan Offers Active Winter Fun with Excellent Accommodations

Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing, Dog Sledding, Downhill and Cross Country Skiing, Snow Boarding & Ice Fishing make winter vacationing in Michigan a perfect location for active, sportsminded people. Unique Inns and Resorts offer top notch restaurant and lodging experiences within beautiful scenic small town settings.

Grand Rapids, MI (Vocus) January 5, 2010

Beautiful Benzie County, Michigan, has been on the receiving side of perfect winter weather this season. Cold temperatures and an abundance of snow in Northern Michigan have helped to launch another spectacular winter in a location where snow sports are top notch. Benzie County (http://www. visitbenzie. com) is the perfect escape for a week or weekend for those who like winter sports and outdoor adventure. New this season are snow mobile rentals to experience 135 miles of groomed natural trails, and dog sled excursions that the entire family can enjoy. These activities along with excellent downhill skiing and snowboarding at Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa (http://www. greatfoodandtravel. com/sponsor_details. cfm? id=319), snowshoeing along the dunes on Lake Michigan’s shore, and miles of groomed cross country skiing trails give those who seek winter adventure a chance to see Michigan’s beautiful scenery along with their outdoor fun.

According to Mary Carroll, President of Benzie County Visitor’s Bureau, “The temperatures and the significant amount of natural snowfall so far this season has contributed to the high quality of snow for such sports as downhill and cross country skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.” Restaurants and lodging (http://www. greatfoodandtravel. com) are also readily abundant in Benzie County including inns and b&b's and and restaurants where local foods are a specialty.

Downhill & Cross Country Skiing

One of Parents Magazine’s Ten Best Snow Resorts for Families (2009) and rated #1 Resort in the Midwest by Ski Magazine, Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa’s (http://www. crystalmountain. com) conditions for downhill skiing and snowboarding are prime. The resort features 45 downhill slopes and two terrain parks. Led by Ron Shepard, a former Professional Ski Instructors of America examiner from Park City, Utah, Crystal Mountain's snowsports school features programs for skiers and snowboarders of every age. Visitors can also experience cross-country skiing along 40 kilometers of groomed trails. including those through Michigan Legacy Art Park, a 30-acre preserve featuring over 40 outdoor sculptures. The resort is a premier destination for healthy living with a first class fitness center, an extensive list of fitness classes, Peak Performance menu in its restaurants, and Crystal Spa, the Midwest’s only LEED-certified spa awarded Favorite Hotel/Resort Spa: Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, & Midwest by Spa Magazine and Top Ten: Winter Sports Spa by SpaFinder.

Dog Sledding

Crystal Mountain Resort has partnered with Wiggins’ Mountainside Huskies this season to offer a family experience you won’t soon forget – dog sledding. Sleds are pulled by four to six Siberian Huskies along Crystal Mountain’s wooded trails. For more information about dog sledding excursions, contact Crystal Mountain Resort & Spa at (800) 968-7686 ext. 7000.

Snowmobiling

Benzie County’s 135 miles of groomed and challenging snowmobile trails are spread throughout the county in three locations: East of the village of Honor, in Thompsonville, and in Beulah. There are maps at the Benzie County Visitors Bureau located on US31 in the village of Benzonia showing the trails as well as staging areas for loading in the snowmobiles. Snowmobile rentals are available by contacting Crystal Adventures at 231-651-9648.

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is the fastest growing winter sport and one in which anyone can take part. Snowshoeing doesn’t require a lot of advanced training and is a great group activity to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Some of the most majestic locations for snow shoeing in Benzie County are the Elberta Dunes and Arcadia Dunes along the Lake Michigan Shore and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park (http://sleepingbeardunes. com/blog/?p=133). More information about snow shoeing at http://www. visitbenzie. com (http://www. visitbenzie. com).

Ice Fishing

Benzie County has 57 inland lakes, which are perfect for ice fishermen and women. To make arrangements for a fishing shanty and more information about ice fishing locations, contact Benzie County Visitors Bureau at 800-882-5801.

Benzie County, 30 minutes Southwest of Traverse City and approximately five hours from Chicago and Detroit has miles and miles of beaches and dunes – including over 24 miles along Lake Michigan, quaint towns and villages, and is the gateway to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It is one of the most desirable destinations in the state of Michigan for year round vacationing or second home purchases. Whether you’re a nature seeker or more adventurous type, Benzie Country (http://www. visitbenzie. com) offers something for everyone. Travel its winding roads from village to village, and discover natural beauty, a relaxing style, and outdoor adventure.

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TouchSmart Publishing to Jointly Present Paper at E-Learn Conference with Professor Michael Seth Mott PhD, Purdue University Calumet

TouchSmart Publishing LLC, is conducting a joint presentation with Purdue University Calumet researcher, Michael Seth Mott, PhD at the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) Conference in Washington, D. C.

(PRWEB) November 3, 2004

Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) November 3, 2004 Â– TouchSmart Publishing LLC, today announced a joint presentation with Purdue University Calumet researcher, Michael Seth Mott, PhD at the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) Conference in Washington, D. C.

Where: Hyatt Regency, Crystal City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Arlington, VA 22202 USA, telephone 703.418.1234, room 9.

When: 1115am, EST, November 5th, 2004.

Dr. Mott is presenting a paper entitled Â“Developmental Phonics Instruction with Touch User Interface Technology: Moving Toward a Multi-Sensory Approach for Grades Pre-K-2.Â”

This paper proposes the use of the Touch User Interface (TUI) technology platform to create a multi-sensory phonics program "workbook" with digital elements and will discuss the possible benefits to students for using this technology.

According to researcher and author Dr. Mott, "TouchSmart Publishing products could meet the needs of a wide-array of struggling readers." Dr. Mott added, "A wide-array of research, from comprehension of text to hypermedia-authoring, anecdotally indicates promise that this technology may help students achieve a new level of learning. It is my intention to see if it does."

This is the second joint presentation between professor Michael Seth Mott of Purdue University Calumet and TouchSmart Publishing in preparation for the pilot studies.

According to co-author and TouchSmart PublishingÂ’s President, Jason Barkeloo Â“The E-Learn Conference is an international forum. I am excited by our selection to demonstrate and discuss the touch user interface (TUI) technology.Â” Barkeloo added, Â“Dr. Mott is a leader and visionary for helping students learn. I am proud that he has chosen to focus his research talents toward the TUI.Â”

Dr. Mott finished by saying Â“The current phonics approach I am proposing would be the first truly multi-modal emergent reading program available and would, by design, meet a wide array of learning styles and needs.Â”

For further information, please contact TouchSmart Publishing at 513.225.8765 or visit TouchSmart's website at http://www. touchsmart. net (http://www. touchsmart. net).

About TouchSmart Publishing, LLC.

TouchSmart Publishing is developmental-stage company poised to distribute touch-sensitive wireless textbooks to K-12 math, science, and special education needs students. The Company's mission is to create and distribute exciting and easy-to-use interactive textbooks that connect to digital content by using touch user interface (TUI) technology that allows a student to touch pages in a book that wireless connect to digital content.

TouchSmart Publishing expects to be a bridge over the digital divide for more students, regardless of learning style, special needs or socioeconomic position, than are current connected. As a result, TouchSmart Publishing is the only complete No Child Left Behind (NCLB) solution poised to meet the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS).

TouchSmart Publishing is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio as a Main Street Ventures company, www. digitalrhine. com.

For more information, please visit the TouchSmart Publishing web site at www. touchsmart. net.

About the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), E-Learn Conference

E-Learn 2004 -- World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education is an international conference organized by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) and co-sponsored by the International Journal on E-Learning.

This annual conference serves as a multi-disciplinary forum for the exchange of information on research, development, and applications of all topics related to e-Learning in the Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education sectors.

For more information, please visit the AACE website at www. aace. org.

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Contact:

TouchSmart Publishing

Jason Barkeloo, 513.225.8765

Dr. Michael Seth Mott,

219.989.2335

Mott@calumet. purdue. edu

Source: TouchSmart Publishing

CarbSmart Magazine Names Dana Carpender as Editor

Dana Carpender Brings Her Publishing Expertise and Extensive Knowledge of the Low-Carb Lifestyle to Editor Position. Carpender Will Help Lead the Sparks-based CarbSmart Magazine Through its Expansion Period and Help Expand its Role as a Leader of the Low-Carb Lifestyle.

Sparks, NV (PRWEB) June 18, 2010

CarbSmart, Inc., one of America's largest and most popular low-carb specialty merchants and information sites, announced today that best-selling author and columnist Dana Carpender has been named Editor of CarbSmart Magazine (http://www. CarbSmart. com/carmag. html). Carpender will be responsible for the day-to-day management and direction of the online magazine. She will report directly to President and Founder Andrew DiMino.

Carpender, a columnist and author of 12 books, including How I Gave Up My Low Fat Diet and Lost 40 Pounds (http://www. CarbSmart. com/holdthetoast. html), has been writing for CarbSmart Magazine since 2009.

"Dana has been a personal friend for more than 10 years and I've been proud to sell her books for all this time," said DiMino. "I'm going to let her take the reins of the online magazine, so she can inject her style and unique view into it."

CarbSmart magazine has amassed more than 500 articles during its 10 years of operation. The articles have covered low-carb success stories, inspirational stories, and information about how to live a better life through low-carb dieting.

Carpender is well known in the low-carb community. After she self published her first book in 1999, she started an e-zine called Lowcarbezine! (holdthetoast. com), which quickly attracted more than 20,000 subscribers. Her relationship with CarbSmart. com started shortly after that. She began by carrying ads for the online store on her website and CarbSmart. com sold her book by the hundreds.

"When I started online, book publishing was the big time," says Carpender who, in 2001, was approached by Fair Winds Press of Gloucester, Massachusetts, for whom she has written seven cookbooks, including the best-selling 500 Low-Carb Recipes (http://www. CarbSmart. com/book135.html) and 15 Minute Low-Carb Recipes (http://www. CarbSmart. com/book165.html). "Now the Internet is the big time. I'm honored to be working with CarbSmart and Andrew to take the magazine to the next level."

In her new role, Carpender plans to work closely with the magazine's current writers. She also plans to add more writers whose work will complement the magazine's focus and will appeal to its readers.

Some of CarbSmart Magazine's current writers include Jimmy Moore, Amy Dungan, and Amber Allen-Sauer. Moore, a long-time contributor to CarbSmart Magazine, is the very popular author of the self-published book 21 Life Lessons From Livin' La Vida Low-Carb (http://www. CarbSmart. com/21-life-lessons-from-livin-la-vida-low-carb. html) and the top-rated, low-carb blog (livinlavidalowcarb. com).

Moore was eloquent in his praise of Carpender, saying, "Dana Carpender is a bona fide nutritional rock star and the reigning 'Queen of Low-Carb Cooking,' which makes her the perfect person to lead the CarbSmart Magazine editorial team."

Dungan writes Low-Carb Reality (http://www. CarbSmart. com/low-carb-reality-by-amy-dungan. html), a column that focuses on low-carbohydrate strategies for personal success.

Allen-Sauer, the newest member of the team and author of the popular Belly Fat Cure Success with Amber (http://www. CarbSmart. com/belly-fat-cure-success-with-amber. html) writes about success strategies for those dieters using the Belly Fat Cure (http://www. CarbSmart. com/belly-fat-cure-book. html) by Jorge Cruise.

"CarbSmart has been in business for more than a decade, providing quality, low-carb products and information," says Moore. "That's almost as long as Dana has been cooking mouthwatering recipes that slash carbohydrates and are tasty to boot! Now these two powerhouses are joining forces to create the ultimate destination for people who are livin' la vida low-carb. They're going to propel low-carb living to the next level!"

When contacted at her home about her promotion, Carpender said "I know Andrew has big plans for the future of CarbSmart Magazine, and I'm looking forward to being a part of them."

About Dana Carpender

Carpender's cookbooks are the result of her realization that the key to overall good health is the answer to the age-old question, "What's for dinner?" In addition to her own books, Carpender has co-authored two books with Dr. Rob Thompson for McGraw-Hill, and for several years she wrote a nationally syndicated column, Low-Carb for Life, for United Media. She has appeared on several television shows, including the "Today" show and "Fox and Friends". Carpender became a featured staff writer for CarbSmart (http://www. CarbSmart. com/ask-dana-carpender. html) in May 2009. She blogs regularly at HoldTheToast. com. Carpender lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband and a menagerie of pets, all of whom are well and healthily fed.

About CarbSmart and Smart Living Stores

CarbSmart. com is one of the Smart Living Stores group of web sites including:

HeavenlyDietStore. com (all diets including Bariatric and low fat)

DiabeticDesign. com (low-carb dieting targeted to diabetics)

GlutenSmart. com (gluten-free foods for celiacs and those who are gluten-intolerant)

BabyontheBrain. com (cute & funny baby items)

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Cavet Technologies Signs Strategic Agreement with Element Controls

Leading distributor sells LumiSmart ILC and expands energy efficient solution portfolio

(PRWEB) November 10, 2010

Cavet Technologies Inc. today announced it has formed a strategic agreement with Element Controls to sell Cavet’s award-winning LumiSmart ILC. Developed for the commercial and industrial markets, LumiSmart ILC is a purpose-built product that dramatically reduces power consumed by existing and installed fluorescent lighting systems with no discernable impact on occupant comfort.

“Energy efficient solutions are the mainstay for Element Controls and we pride ourselves on our expansive offering in this area,” said Bob Sinai, President for Element Controls. “Achieving a minimum 30 per cent savings or more in energy consumption, Cavet’s LumiSmart provides a unique solution to the mass market and is well-aligned to our portfolio of products and overall business strategy.”

Element Controls has also partnered with Brightpath Technology Ltd. to service the entertainment industry. Brightpath invests in the sourcing, development, marketing and distribution of smart, green technologies to utilities and industrial, commercial and institutional consumers across North America and Europe. Brightpath has niche expertise within the entertainment industry.

“We are pleased to collaborate with Element Controls to bring the energy and cost savings of LumiSmart to the entertainment industry,” said Ted Riley, President for Brightpath Technology Ltd. “Our deep experience in the entertainment industry will enable Element Controls to reach new markets.”

The LumiSmart ILC is the first of a new class of Smart Grid-enabled lighting controllers that provide microprocessor-driven adaptive control of lighting circuits to reduce power consumption. Providing an instant 30 per cent or more power reduction without replacing any existing lamps, ballasts or fixtures, the LumiSmart ILC is ideally suited for a variety of lighting environments, including office buildings, industrial spaces, health care facilities, retail locations, and parking garages. Reducing energy consumption directly at the source, the LumiSmart ILC eases pressure on the electrical grid, as well as materially and immediately cuts carbon emissions for commercial and industrial customers.

“We are honored to be partnering with an industry visionary like Element Controls,” said Simon Jerome Vice President of Global Sales for Cavet Technologies. “We are thrilled that we can offer LumiSmart ILC as an Element Controls product to meet their customers’ energy efficiency needs.”

Element Controls are exhibiting at the Governors’ Global Climate Summit 2010 at the University of California, Davis in Northern California on November 15-16, where they will be showing the Lumismart product. The third summit hosted by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, this year’s conference theme is “Building the Green Economy,” and includes other sub-national leaders as featured speakers and guests.

About Element Controls

Element Controls, a California-based manufacturer, offers the latest technology in building control and automation that incorporates a single smart communicating system for exceptional capability and energy savings in commercial and high end residential applications. Element Controls is an affiliate of Deco Lighting, a leading manufacturer, changing the world of lighting with the latest green technology, energy saving lighting fixtures. Deco Lighting products are proven in commercial, municipal, military and government installations throughout the U. S. and worldwide. Deco Lighting’s comprehensive line includes architectural and commercial Fluorescent, Induction, HID, LED, Solar, Dark Sky friendly luminaries, exit and emergency fixtures and controls. For more information, please visit http://www. elementcontrols. com and http://www. getdeco. com.

About Cavet Technologies Inc.

Cavet Technologies Inc. is a leading-edge Cleantech company that brings innovative intelligent lighting products to market which maximize energy savings and provide industry leading returns on investment. Available through its broad network of distribution partners worldwide, Cavet’s flagship product is the award-winning LumiSmart ILC™, Intelligent Lighting Controller. LumiSmart ILC helps commercial and industrial customers dramatically reduce lighting costs by a minimum of 30 percent without replacing any existing lights, ballasts, or lighting infrastructure. Cavet Technologies is the proud winner of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA) Technology Commercialization Award, Corporate Knights Next 10, CleanTech North’s Company of the Year, and Deloitte’s Green 15 Award, part of the 2010 Deloitte Technology Fast 50™. For more information about Cavet Technologies, please visit http://www. cavettech. com.

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First Post-Katrina Hospital is Moving Ahead

Hammes Company is helping to bring comprehensive healthcare services back to the New Orleans area in the form of a 40-bed acute care facility and medical office building

Chalmette, La. and Brookfield, Wis. (Vocus) October 14, 2010

When Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005, the storm damaged virtually every structure in St. Bernard Parish, five miles southeast of downtown New Orleans – as well as all four hospitals serving the parish and neighboring communities. Incredibly, more than five years later, those hospitals remain closed and parish residents are still making due with a temporary health center housed in double-wide trailers.

But, in a welcome piece of good news for the long-suffering community, ground was broken back in July in the parish seat of Chalmette for the planned $69.1 million St. Bernard Parish Hospital and Medical Office Building (MOB). The program manager for the publicly owned facilities is Brookfield, Wis.-based Hammes Company.

Plans call for a three-story, 40-bed hospital that will include an Emergency Department and an Intensive Care Unit, along with a full range of healthcare services: general medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, urology, endoscopy, radiation therapy, physical therapy and skilled nursing. The hospital could be expanded to 60 beds without additional construction because its design calls for private rooms that would be large enough to be converted to semi-private rooms. The overall size of the hospital could be further increased to 100 beds through additional construction in the form of vertical and horizontal expansions. The two-story MOB will consist of about 40,000 square feet and will house a physician suite, outpatient rehabilitation and administrative offices.

Preliminary site work for the new hospital and MOB is under way and it is anticipated that construction will begin this fall. The project is scheduled to be completed by March 2012.

The architect for the hospital is Nashville, Tenn.-based Gresham Smith & Partners; the MOB was designed by Sizeler Thompson Brown Architects of New Orleans.

The new facilities, which will be owned by the St. Bernard Parish Hospital Service District (HSD), are being developed on an 11.5-acre site donated by the Arlene and Joseph Meraux Charitable Foundation. If more land is needed for future expansion, HSD has an option on another 8-acre future donation from the foundation.

The new hospital and MOB will be located across the road from Chalmette National Historical Park, where the Battle of New Orleans was fought during the War of 1812. But St. Bernard Parish has waged another kind of battle during the past five years. The population, which stood at nearly 68,000 a decade ago, plunged to as little as 12,000 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Most of the blight has been removed and, little by little, businesses and basic infrastructure are reappearing. Milestones like a new high school, Winn-Dixie grocery store and Lowe’s building center have all helped to lift local spirits in recent years and months. But community leaders say the area can’t take the next step in its recovery until it can better provide basic healthcare services.

“After many hurdles, we are delighted to be moving forward with these urgently needed permanent facilities,” HSD Chairman Wayne J. Landry says. The HSD Committee also includes Danny Dysart, George Cavignac, John Gray, Jim DiFatta, Dr. Paul Verrette, Dr. Bryan Bertucci and other medical advisors.

“Delivering a full range of high-quality healthcare services to our residents will be another crucial step in the revitalization of St. Bernard Parish," Mr. Landry continues. “As the nation’s largest healthcare real estate developer, Hammes Company is providing the expertise and capabilities required to bring this much-needed facility to our communities.”

“The hardships St. Bernard Parish endured as a result of Hurricane Katrina were almost unimaginable, but the people's resilience and determination have been equally impressive,” Hammes Company Chairman and CEO Jon Hammes says. “We are honored to have been entrusted with the responsibility for helping to bring a broad range of healthcare services back to this area.”

Hammes Company has been involved in the project for about three years. The firm was initially brought in by Baton Rouge, La.-based Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (FMOL). FMOL took over ownership of the temporary health center in 2006 in partnership with St. Louis-based Ascension Health when an agreement with the U. S. Public Health Service ended. The health center is now operated by Baton Rouge-based Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, which was also recently selected by the HSD to operate the new St. Bernard Parish Hospital.

HSD hired Hammes Company to be the program manager for the new hospital in June 2008. It has taken more than two years to get to this point because it has been a challenge to raise the $69.1 million needed to build and equip the new facilities. Fortunately, federal, state and local officials have now put together a financing package that will include $41 million in U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $17 million in Louisiana State Capital Outlay funds, $10 million in U. S. Treasury New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) funds, and $1.1 million in U. S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant funds.

About Hammes Company

Hammes Company is a single source of market-based and financially sound healthcare solutions. The full-service consulting firm is at the forefront of providing strategic planning, facility development, project management and implementation, and real estate acquisition and advisory services to hospitals, healthcare systems, and major physician groups. The company has been ranked as one of the nation’s top developers of healthcare facilities for 11 consecutive years by Modern Healthcare magazine. Hammes provides services through a network of regional offices strategically located across the country. For more information, please visit http://www. hammesco. com.

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Body Sculpting on New Haven Green Emphasises the Art of Fitness

BALANCE fitness Studio for Women joins forces with The International Festival of Arts & Ideas and The Liz Lerman Dance Exchange to present BALANCE Outdoor Fitness Boot Camp for area residents during the 2 week festival.

New Haven, CT (PRWEB) June 22, 2008

Finding Space Sacred: 5 Twilights Plus is a series of events that explore the city of New Haven and find "sacred spaces" in everyday places in the city. Too often women overlook caring for themselves in lieu of their many other responsibilities and when they take the initiative to take care of themselves first, it is indeed a sacred act. Says creator of the fitness program Mubarakah Ibrahim, "When women get up at 5:30 a. m. to do an hour of exercise that improves their health and fitness, they do something for themselves. When we stay healthy and fit we are better mothers, daughters, wives, sisters and friends."

The one-hour class will be held on the Lower New Haven Green and will be accompanied by live musicians, as participants are led through a series of exercises designed to help women lose weight, gain muscle, and reduce body fat. "The camp is for both the beginner and veteran exerciser alike. There will be lots of motivation, camaraderie, and sweat," says Ibrahim a Certified Personal Trainer and Camp Lead Instructor. She insists that nobody will be left behind or asked to complete more than they are capable of doing safely. Nor will anybody go home unchallenged. Women of all ages and abilities are welcome to participate.

The BALANCE Outdoor Fitness Boot Camp for Women will be held Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at 6:30 a. m. on the Lower New Haven Green in New Haven, CT. Registration is free but is limited to women only. Interested participants can register on the website http://www. NewHavenBootCamp. com (http://www. NewHavenBootCamp. com) or at BALANCE fitness Studio for Women.

Mubarakah Ibrahim is the author of several books on health and fitness related topics including "CT Top 10 Fit and Fabulous Adventures You Never Knew Existed!", which can be downloaded free by visiting http://www. NewHavenBootCamp. com (http://www. NewHavenBootCamp. com).

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Mobile Edge Uses Renewable Sources for Laptop Case Material: DuPont™ Sorona&#174; Helps Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 63 Percent

Mobile Edge Uses Renewable Sources for Laptop Case Material: DuPont™ Sorona® Helps Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by 63 Percent

Mobile Edge will roll out a new material introduced by Dupont called Sorona® which is derived from corn. Mobile Edge plans to place all of their existing products using ballistic nylon with this new Sorona® material.

Las Vegas, NV (Vocus) January 9, 2010

Mobile Edge], the industry leader in innovative and stylish laptop computer carrying cases and travel accessories is the first to utilize DuPont’s™ new polymeric material ‘Sorona®’ in the manufacture of laptop cases. This pioneering corn-based material is made from renewable resources that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 63 percent when compared to typical Nylon or Polyester (PA6/Nylon6) production.

Derived from corn kernels, Sorona® material contains 37 percent of renewably sourced ingredients by weight. Production of Sorona® requires 30% less energy than production of an equal amount of traditional nylon reducing our dependency on oil and petrochemical feedstock. The fibers are soft and extremely stain resistant with high strength and stiffness qualities.

“We are delighted to be leading this category in the use of environmentally friendly materials,” said G. David Cartwright, President & CEO, Mobile Edge. “It is our goal for Mobile Edge to establish a global trend for producing truly Eco-Friendly Laptop Cases and to make a positive impact on our environment.”

The Mobile Edge production team will introduce several Sorona® based products during CES in Las Vegas this week. Additional existing products will converted to Sorona® materials throughout the year. Mobile Edge also plans to use Sorona® as the primary main material for its new development of branded and OEM cases going forward.

Mobile Edge continues to expand the laptop carrying case category by offering new, innovative and smart designs that fuse fashion trends with form and function, creating a brand that makes a positive statement about today's mobile computing lifestyle.

About Mobile Edge

Mobile Edge is the industry leader in innovative and stylish laptop computer carrying cases and travel accessories. The company is committed to the highest quality standards in every case that it produces in both their Men’s and Women’s Collections. Their Netbook cases and ScanFast Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Case Collections guide the category. Leading computer manufacturers continue to rely on Mobile Edge to design and build custom OEM cases for their products. Recently acquired, Sumo Cases round out the Mobile Edge Collection offering bold alternatives to the traditional boring laptop bags. The company offers the strongest product warranty in the industry on its entire carrying case line. www. mobileedge. com - www. sumocases. com.

About DuPont™

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation. DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™ and Sorona® are registered trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates. www. dupont. com

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Scrubs Retailer blue sky scrubs Celebrates National Nurses Week May 6-12

Give a nurse the timeless gift of blue sky scrubs during National Nurses Week 2010 and enjoy 25% off any order May 6 - May 12, 2010.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) May 5, 2010

The work of America's 3.1 million registered nurses to save lives and to maintain the health of millions of individuals is the focus of this year's National Nurses Week, celebrated annually May 6-12 throughout the United States. This year, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has selected "Nurses: Caring Today for a Healthier Tomorrow " as the theme for 2010. The ANA supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.

Annually, National Nurses Week begins on May 6, marked as RN Recognition Day, and ends on May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, founder of nursing as a modern profession. During this week, in celebration of all nurses, blue sky scrubs (http://www. blueskyscrubs. com) will be offering a 25% discount on any purchase made during National Nurses Week (discount code nurses25).

In honor of National Nurses Week and RN Recognition Day, registered nurses around the country are encouraged to wear the official "RN Pin." The pin can be purchased by calling 1-800-445-0445. In addition to wearing the RN Pin, nurses will be asked to dress in their nurses uniform (http://www. blueskyscrubs. com/nursing-medical/scrubs/) on that day.

Traditionally, National Nurses Week is devoted to highlighting the diverse ways in which registered nurses, the largest health care profession, are working to improve health care. From bedside nursing in hospitals and long-term care facilities to the halls of research institutions, state legislatures, and Congress, the depth and breadth of the nursing profession is meeting the expanding health care needs of American society and beyond.

Blue sky scrubs™ is dedicated to creating and manufacturing medical scrub apparel that is not only of the highest quality and affordability, but innovatively designed to meet the specific needs of the health care professionals utilizing these products. blue sky scrubs is also committed to using the best materials available to create comfortable, fashionable scrub hats and accessories, and to provide immediate, courteous service to the professionals who choose blue sky scrubs for their medical scrub needs. Give a nurse the timeless gift of blue sky scrubs (http://www. blueskyscrubs. com) during National Nurses Week 2010.

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Tai Sophia Institute Offers Individual Graduate-Level Courses

For the first time ever, Tai Sophia Institute is offering individual graduate-level courses. The courses, which begin mid-April and during the spring, are part of the curricula of Tai Sophia's new 9 and 11 month health and wellnes coaching and herbal graduate certificate programs. More individual courses will be offered in the months to come.

Laurel, MD (Vocus) April 6, 2010

For the first time ever, Tai Sophia Institute is opening enrollment for a special selection of its wellness-focused, graduate-level academic courses to members of the general public.

“As part of our commitment to be a leading academic institution for wellness-based studies, we are committed to bringing aspects of our academic programs to a broader audience,” said Judith K. Broida, Ph. D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “We will continue to expand our individual course offerings in the coming months.”

Since 1981, Tai Sophia has offered academic coursework in a cohort format solely for matriculating students in its master’s degree programs. Members of the general public may now apply for enrollment in select courses as Advanced Special Students. The individual courses being offered are part of the curricula of Tai Sophia’s new Health Coaching (http://www. tai. edu/GCHealthCoaching. aspx), Herbal Studies (http://www. tai. edu/GCHerbalStudies. aspx), Medical Herbalism (http://www. tai. edu/GCMedicalHerbalism. aspx), and Wellness Coaching (http://www. tai. edu/GCWellnessCoaching. aspx) graduate certificate programs. Students taking these courses have the option to continue their studies by enrolling in one or several of the full graduate certificate programs (http://www. tai. edu/GradCertPrograms. aspx), which are offered in executive weekend format over 9 to 11 months (one weekend per month).

The following three courses can be taken individually:

Foundations of Health and Wellness

April 14-18, 2010

Wed., April 14: 1:00 – 7:00 p. m./Thurs., April 15 – Sun., April 18: 8:00 a. m. – 5:30 p. m.

This five-day intensive provides a context for a wide variety of studies relating to perspectives on health and wellness by introducing basic health philosophies, history of the current health-care system, proposed health-care reform legislation, balance/imbalance in health, and investigation of how these issues apply to an informed perspective on our current health-care system. Concepts of wellness and disease are discussed, including the role that language plays in supporting wellness. The foundations of health and wellness are further examined, focusing on the current knowledge of the physiologic basis for wellness practices.

Featured Faculty: Robert M. Duggan, M. A., M. Ac., James S. Gordon, M. D., Marta E. Hanson, Ph. D., Paige Lescure, J. D., Cheryl Walker, M. L.

Becoming a Healing Presence

May 22-23, June 12-13, and July 31, 2010 (Saturdays and Sundays)

8:30 a. m. – 5:30 p. m.

This weekend course focuses on exploring the implications that the rhythms of nature, life skills, and language have on health and wellness. Students will observe themselves in the ways they think, act, and speak, and learn new practices that will guide and empower them to become a more powerful healing presence and a catalyst for change.

Featured Faculty: Tom Balles, M. Ac.

Fundamentals of Herbal Medicine: Past to Present & Soil to Clinic

May 15-16, June 19-20, and July 24, 2010 (Saturdays and Sundays)

8:30 a. m. – 5:30 p. m.

This weekend survey course begins by looking at the history and use of herbal medicine around the world. The course continues with a more focused look at the history of herbal medicine in the United States, up to and including current practices and regulations. The second part of this course familiarizes the student with the fundamental areas of study relevant to medicinal plants, providing an overview of field botany, harvesting and drying, herbal preparations, plant chemistry, plant pharmacology, and the therapeutic properties of substances used for healing.

Featured Faculty: James A. Duke, Ph. D., Rebecca Snow, M. S., RH(AHG), CNS

To register or for additional information, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at 410-888-9048, ext. 6647, or admissions(at)tai(dot)edu, or visit http://www. tai. edu (http://www. tai. edu).

Tai Sophia Institute is a nonprofit, accredited educational institution for wellness-based studies. The Institute offers graduate-level academic programs in Acupuncture, Health and Wellness Coaching, Herbal Medicine, and Transformative Leadership and Social Change, as well as community wellness programs, continuing professional education, and clinical care. Tai Sophia’s 12-acre main campus houses the Natural Care Center, The Meeting Point Bookstore, a library, the Himmelfarb Gallery, and herb and meditation gardens – all of which are open to the public.

Tai Sophia Institute is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

(NOTE: Additional information can be found accompanying this release on PRWeb.)

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Free Internet Video Tells Corp. &amp; Union &amp; Govt. Health Plans How To Obtain 100% of Generic Drug Savings From PBMs

Free Internet Video Tells Corp. & Union & Govt. Health Plans How To Obtain 100% of Generic Drug Savings From PBMs

Pharmacy Benefit Consultants has distributed a free internet video to ensure that health plans - not PBMs - obtain the financial benefits that result from generic drug use. The video describes what every corporate and union and government health plan must do to ensure it obtains 100% of generic drug savings. The video also demonstrates that PBMs retain a large portion of financial savings that should result from generic drug sales, and explains how PBMs draft their contracts with health plans to do so. By watching this free video, health plans can quickly learn how to maximize their generic drug savings by rewriting their PBM contracts and demanding entirely different contract terms from their PBMs.

Morristown, NJ (PRWEB) April 29, 2008

To ensure that all corporate, union and government health plans are able to obtain 100% of generic drug savings, Pharmacy Benefit Consultants has distributed a free internet video, captioned: "How to Ensure Your Health Plan - Not Your PBM - Benefits From Generic Drug Use." The video identifies the contract terms that are present in almost every PBM/client contract that rob health plans of generic drug savings, and describes the contract changes that must be made to ensure that health plans obtain 100% of generic drug savings. The video can be viewed at: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=bEcQ35W1NrI.

"Generic Drugs can provide enormous savings to health plans and their covered employees. But currently, it is PBMs - not health plans - that are retaining much of the financial benefits that flow from generic drug use," says Linda Cahn, President of Pharmacy Benefit Consultants. "For health plans to obtain real generic drug savings, health plans must entirely change their PBM contracts."

Cahn adds: "PBMs are thrilled when generic drug sales increase, because PBMs reap enormous profits from all such generic drug sales." PBMs' generic profits are described in the video, through quotations from PBM's SEC filings, and through a brief discussion of the difference between PBMs' costs to purchase generic drugs, and PBMs' invoiced prices to their clients for generic drugs.

"Unbeknownst to health plans, PBMs are retaining a large portion of the financial savings that health plans should be realizing from generic drug use. PBMs do so by manipulating the ambiguous contract terms they write into virtually all PBM/client contracts," says Cahn.

"Thus, it's time for health plans to rewrite their PBM contracts and demand airtight contract terms that will ensure that PBMs pass through 100% of generic drug savings to plans. Only then will health plans be able to obtain dramatically lower prescription coverage costs," says Cahn.

Cahn urges all plan administrators and trustees to watch the video, gain an understanding of the PBM contract terms that are robbing their plans of generic drug savings, and verify that all such contract terms are present in their own PBM contracts. After doing so, plan administrators should conduct a PBM RFP, and demand entirely different generic drug contract terms.

Cahn also urges health plans to alter their RFP tactics to ensure plans achieve all generic drug savings. An already-released video identifies the fatal flaws made by most health plans and consulting firms in conducting PBM RFPs, and describes how to rectify those flaws. The video - in two parts - can be viewed at: (i) http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=H-4LJeyjR6E and (ii) http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=LpW3u5Tn4PE.

Pharmacy Benefit Consultants has also distributed a free internet video identifying other core contract terms that health plans must change to ensure lower prescription coverage costs. The video -- captioned: "How to Obtain an Airtight PBM Contract" -- can be found at the firm's website or at: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=VvnT9hz9k2g.

Pharmacy Benefit Consultants has helped numerous entities dramatically decrease their prescription coverage costs by redrafting their PBM contracts and conducting entirely different PBM RFPs. The consulting firm's clients include: Fortune 500 and smaller corporations, international and local unions, and business and union consortiums, as well as insurance companies.

For more information about Pharmacy Benefit Consultants, go to the firm website at: http://www. PharmacyBenefitConsultants. com, or contact Pharmacy Benefit Consultants' President, Linda Cahn, at: 973 975-0900.

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Amy’s Crowns “Healthy Eating Never Tasted So Good” in its Slogan Contest

Amy's Kitchen, the nation's top-selling brand of natural and organic convenience foods, recently celebrated its 22nd anniversary – in all that time, the company never had an official slogan. Last November Amy’s asked its customers to tell the company what phrase, word, jingle, or rhyme best described the spirit of Amy’s Kitchen in 15 words or less.

Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) March 26, 2010

The company received more than 3,000 responses via Facebook and its website and chose as its new slogan, “Healthy Eating Never Tasted So Good,” a three-way tie between Catherine Huitt of Dallas, TX, Jackie Berkowtiz of Arlington, VA and Barbara Yanchek of Jermyn, PA. The runner-up entry was “Healthy never tasted so good,” with six winners.

Entries had to be received by February 1, 2010. The winners will receive $500 worth of Amy’s products. Runners up will receive $50 worth of Amy’s products.

About Amy’s:

Amy’s is the nation's leading source of natural and organic convenience food. The market for organic foods is among the fastest-growing grocery categories, with sales expanding at more than 10 percent annually. Now celebrating its 22nd year, Amy's is a family-owned and operated business based in Sonoma County, California. Its products are available nationally in natural foods stores, most supermarkets and select warehouse club stores, as well as internationally.

Amy's uses certified organic ingredients, including vegetables, grains and fruits grown without pesticides. Fats are used sparingly and selectively; all dairy ingredients are made with pasteurized rBST hormone-free milk and do not contain animal enzymes or animal rennet. No dishes contain meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs or peanuts. Amy's products are non-GMO and do not contain hydrogenated fats or oils.

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LIDP Announces the 2008 Release of The Administrator

Web Services, SOA and J2EE Development Environment Highlight Technology Enhancements in the 2008 Release of The Administrator, from LIDP Consulting, Inc.

(PRWEB) April 10, 2008

LIDP Consulting Services, Inc. (www. lidp. com) announces the availability of the 2008 release of The Administrator. The Administrator is the insurance industry’s first and only truly 24x7 online real-time policy administration, claim administration and agency management system with support for all life, health and annuity products.

Highlights:

Web Services SOA J2EE Development Environment Technology enhancements include support for SOA, Web Services and a J2EE development environment.

The newest release of The Administrator delivers on LIDP’s ongoing commitment to SOA – delivery of a comprehensive solution in the most open way possible. SOA and Web Services typify LIDP’s commitment to embrace important new technologies. With The Administrator, every service required to run an insurance back office is provided using industry standards and Web Services.

The J2EE development environment delivers a next generation software development platform that is scalable, technology neutral, portable and modular. The 2008 release of The Administrator delivers the development environment with object models, data models and the first completely open SOA communication standard for the life insurance industry.

“Software development in the 21st century will be characterized by creating, deploying, and consolidating SOA services into business solutions,” said Bill Schnittker, LIDP's President and Founder. “LIDP customers can now achieve their objectives by bypassing older development technologies and moving directly to SOA based development.”

About LIDP Consulting, Inc.:

LIDP Consulting, Inc. has provided software and consulting services to the life, health and annuity industry for over 25 years. LIDP specializes in comprehensive administration solutions and legacy system consolidation.

Contact:

Andy Strevell

LIDP Consulting, Inc.

630-829-7100

Email: info@lidp. com

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

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Diabetes is Growing by Alarming Rate in US & World &#194;– Learn Preventative and Treatment Tips Now

Diabetes is Growing by Alarming Rate in US & World Â– Learn Preventative and Treatment Tips Now

Right now in the US there are 32 million people with diabetes and diabetic conditions. By 2030 the World Health Organization estimates there will be 80 million with diabetes, both Diabetes Type 1 & 2.

(PRWEB) February 8, 2005

Right now in the US there are 32 million people with diabetes and diabetic conditions. By 2030 World Health Organization estimates there will be 80 million with diabetes, both Diabetes Type 1 & 2. Â“With diabetes growing at an alarming rate in the world,Â” said Meg Taylor, senior editor of Diabetes-Top-Resources. info, Â“people need the best resources at their fingertips for help and guidance.Â”

Diabetes-Top-Resources. info is a source of information related to diabetes, treatments, symptoms and other diabetic issues. Diabetes-Top-Resources. info also offers a newsletter, the latest health news feeds, and features current news and diabetes-related articles.

Diabetes-Top-Resources. info provides up-to-date important diabetic directory information and resources for the latest web content online today, to help individuals research and obtain the most current diabetes information and resources.

For more information, visit:

Http://www. diabetes-top-resources. info/ (http://www. diabetes-top-resources. info/)

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Lehigh Valley Hospital I/S Security Analyst Speaks from the Trenches: How One Organization Approaches Today's Security and Compliance Challenges with Log Management

Xtalks. com and Prism Microsystems announce a complimentary case study webinar intended for information security professionals and executives. Security and Compliance - Today's Biggest Buzz Words in IT. Attend this complimentary webinar for an opportunity to learn from someone who's been there. Someone that has faced the challenge and has successfully implemented a solution to meet today's security and compliance concerns.

Toronto, ON (PRWEB) August 27, 2008

Xtalks. com and Prism Microsystems announce a complimentary case study webinar intended for information security professionals and executives.

Security and Compliance - Today's Biggest Buzz Words in IT. Attend this complimentary webinar for an opportunity to learn from someone who's been there. Someone that has faced the challenge and has successfully implemented a solution to meet today's security and compliance concerns.

Complimentary Registration here: http://xtalks. com/events/registration/xto281prismmicrosystems/reg1.html (http://xtalks. com/events/registration/xto281prismmicrosystems/reg1.html)

Speakers for this event: Brian Shellock, I/S Security Analyst, Lehigh Valley Hospital

A. N. Ananth, President & CEO, Prism Microsystems, Inc.

In security, standard anti-virus and firewalls alone are just not cutting it anymore. Attacks from internal and external sources are increasing in intensity and sophistication. And the impact of a successful security breach is far more serious - both in terms of lost revenue and negative publicity. When you add on regulatory compliance and the need to demonstrate you have taken required actions, the challenge becomes immense.

Attend this webinar for an opportunity to learn from someone who's been there. Someone that has faced the challenge and has successfully implemented a solution to meet today's security and compliance concerns. Learn how a premier multi-site academic community hospital substantially increased their security profile by implementing a complete log management solution. As a hospital, they recognized that while there are some things, like hackers, that you can never be completely immune from, with certain preventive measures you can make it so hard for an attack to be successful that the risk becomes manageable.

Log Management enabled this hospital to minimize security risks by:

Monitoring and correlating critical log data from geographically-dispersed devices Getting real-time policy-based alerting of suspicious behavior Conducting forensic analysis on security incidents to shorten time to fix and to help prevent future breaches Demonstrating compliance with pre-configured reports mapped to regulatory requirements Substantially increasing IT security through automation without increasing staff

Log Management enables you to do all this and more.

Complimentary Registration here: http://xtalks. com/events/registration/xto281prismmicrosystems/reg1.html (http://xtalks. com/events/registration/xto281prismmicrosystems/reg1.html)

About Prism Microsystems: Prism Microsystems, Inc. delivers business-critical solutions to consolidate, correlate and detect changes that impact the performance, availability and security of IT infrastructures. EventTracker, Prism's market leading enterprise log management solution combines Security Information and Event

Management (SIEM) with Change Management to defend critical IT assets from emerging and traditional cyber attacks and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Recently featured by Gartner on its 'Magic Quadrant for Security Information and Event Management, 1Q08' report, Prism's solutions are designed specifically for the needs of midsize enterprises and are easy to use, feature rich and highly scalable. With over 650 customers in 50 plus countries, EventTracker is deployed in multiple sectors including government, financial, retail and healthcare. Visit www. prismmicrosys. com for further

Information.

About Xtalks. com: Xtalks brings industry experts to executives' desktops around the world in a web-based information network that provides insight into breaking business issues through interactive digital web conferences. Xtalks web conferences allow anyone with interest in a particular topic to participate in a web meeting by synchronizing their desktop computer and phone alongside industry experts. Xtalks is part of The Honeycomb Worldwide Group of Companies.

Honeycomb Worldwide creates peer-to-peer business-oriented social networking communities, connecting senior level executives by delivering content through new and established media channels. www. honeycombworldwide. com

Join Xtalks to reduce your carbon footprint.

For more information on this conference or Xtalks in general, or to inquire about speaking opportunities or sponsoring future events, visit www. Xtalks. com or contact Caullyn D. Godfrey at 416-977-6555 x 374.

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PerkinElmer Showcases EcoAnalytix™ Initiative at Singapore International Water Week

Application-Focused Solutions Designed to Support Research and Testing Vital to Global Health and Safety.

Singapore (PRWEB) June 27, 2008

PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences, a global leader in application-focused measurement and analysis solutions, showcases the Company's EcoAnalytix™ initiative at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) at booth C20. EcoAnalytix™ is PerkinElmer's revolutionary problem-solving initiative that addresses the global imperatives of water quality and sustainable energy development and food and consumer product safety to create a healthy and safe environment.

This initiative encompasses comprehensive application-focused solutions with innovative thought leadership and public outreach programs that brings together insights from top scientists, industry experts and government agencies directly to customers. One key component of the initiative is to deliver analyzers that combine product offerings with necessary end-user functions, methodologies, standard operating procedures and training required to complete specific analyses.

"PerkinElmer plays an active role in the stewardship of the planet's most important resources. As a company, both regionally and globally, we are proactively identifying and supporting the needs of scientists who analyze and monitor water to ensure it is free of contaminants," said Frank Corden, Director, Environmental Business Development for PerkinElmer Life and Analytical Sciences.

To demonstrate key aspects of this initiative, selected EcoAnalytix solutions will be featured at SIWW, including the new LABWORKS™ Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) package for water laboratories. LABWORKS waterLIMS™ simplifies data management by providing an integrated suite of software applications, interfaces and reports based on the fundamental needs of most water laboratories.

"Laboratories conducting analysis of water increasingly face challenges to deliver more comprehensive results, with a fixed set of resources," he added. "We created LABWORKS waterLIMS™ to help our customers meet these challenges by automating the processes of collecting, evaluating and delivering quality data to decision makers."

Also showcased will be the EcoAnalytix™ Trace Metal Water Analyzer to rapidly screen for commonly regulated elements in drinking water; and, the LAMBDA™ XLS for determination of total nitrogen and phosphates.

Part of PerkinElmer's EcoAnalytix™ initiative is the Company's partnership with the Water Environment Federation's (WEF) and sponsorship of World Water Monitoring Day™ (WWMD). As part of this partnership to help build awareness and involvement in protecting our water resources, PerkinElmer will be distributing over 100 water monitoring kits to teachers and students attending the show.

For more information on the PerkinElmer EcoAnalytix™ initiative, visit: http://www. perkinelmer. com/ecoanalytix (http://www. perkinelmer. com/ecoanalytix)

PerkinElmer, Inc. is a global technology leader driving growth and innovation in Health Sciences and Photonics markets to improve the quality of life. The Company reported revenues of $1.8 billion in 2007, has 9,100 employees serving customers in more than 150 countries, and is a component of the S&P 500 Index. Additional information is available through www. perkinelmer. com.

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Virtual Partners Training Offers New Online Courses

In response to online training course demand, Virtual Partners Training has partnered with Gatlin Education Services to provide new online programs.

Green Bay, Wis. (PRWEB) April 15, 2006

In response to online training course demand, Virtual Partners Training has partnered with Gatlin Education Services to provide programs in healthcare; business; construction/automotive technology; Networking and CompTIA™; Internet, design and technical; Microsoft™ Certification; and video game design and development.

The new online training courses are designed for individuals looking to switch career paths, obtain advanced training and certifications, or for first-time job seekers who need specialized training. The courses are all open enrollment and self-paced, and students are paired with a personal instructor. Online training courses take an average of 90 days to complete and provide training for entry-level positions.

Job seekers can be trained in these occupations by taking online courses offered through Virtual Partners Training via Gatlin Education Services. They offer certification programs in the fields mentioned above, as well as many other high interest areas.

About Gatlin Education Services:

Established in 1989 by Stephen Gatlin, Gatlin Education Services is the largest provider of Web-based, instructor-supported training to colleges and universities. Gatlin open-enrollment programs are designed to provide the skills necessary to acquire professional caliber positions for many in-demand occupations.

About Virtual Partners Training Center:

Virtual Partners Training Center has been a leading source for software and hands-on training for professionals since 1988. Virtual Partners is the oldest Autodesk Media and Entertainment certified training center and dealership in the nation that offers master level instruction on such products as 3ds Max, VIZ and Combustion.

For enrollment information, contact James Murphy at 800-701-7936.

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Nicorette&#174; and The Jeff Gordon Foundation Offer Fans a Chance to Participate in the 2009 "Gordon Celebrity Bowl"

Nicorette® and The Jeff Gordon Foundation Offer Fans a Chance to Participate in the 2009 "Gordon Celebrity Bowl"

Nicorette® Stop Smoking Gum gives racing fans the chance to field a team in NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon's annual charity bowling tournament.

Charlotte, NC (PRWEB) June 22, 2009

The Jeff Gordon Foundation will host the Eighth Annual "Gordon Celebrity Bowl" in Indianapolis, Indiana on Thursday, July 23rd, benefiting critical, lifesaving pediatric research being conducted at Riley Hospital for Children in partnership with Indiana University. Nicorette®, one of the presenting sponsors, is auctioning off one of its teams to give fans a chance to participate in the tournament.

Nicorette® Stop Smoking Gum is offering a fan a chance to field a bowling team by participating in The Jeff Gordon Foundation's online auction at www. GoMotorBids. com. Team members will bowl three games, each with a different celebrity. There will be a live auction, along with a chance to win prizes through the "Pins for Pediatrics" game.

The package includes one 4-member bowling team and 4 spectator tickets. Each bowler receives a team photo with Jeff Gordon, autographed by Jeff and a commemorative bowling shirt. All participants will enjoy refreshments throughout the evening and a special event gift. The winner will also receive a No. 24 DuPont/Nicorette Chevrolet diecast autographed by Jeff Gordon and donated by Nicorette. The auction begins on June 21, 2009 and the winning bid will be awarded on July 12, 2009.

"Nicorette's partnership in the "Gordon's Celebrity Bowl" and their willingness to auction off one of their teams is another way in which they continue to show their support to the Foundation," said Jules Moss the Marketing & Communications Manager of The Jeff Gordon Foundation. "Their ongoing involvement with the Foundation has allowed them to continue their efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle and to be able to support Jeff and his passion for children and healthy living."

Visit www. GoMotorBids. com for your chance to bid on a bowling team, help out a great cause and showing off your bowling skills with Jeff and some of your favorite celebrities.

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Calling All Austinites Submit Today For A Chance To Win Elite Austin Under 40 Award

Join the AU40 roster with past winners such as: Lance Armstrong, Michael Dell, Evan Smith and Mayor Will Wynn

Austin, TX, (PRWEB) December 1, 2005

The Austin Under 40 (AU40) committee is now accepting nominations for the 8th Annual Austin Under 40 Awards, honoring Austin’s most prominent business and community leaders in the following ten categories:

Arts & Entertainment Business & Entrepreneurship Community Service & Non-profit Financial Services Government & Public Affairs Legal Medical & Health Care Real Estate Technology Youth & Education .

To nominate a co-worker, friend, or yourself for one of the ten categories listed above, download a nomination form from the Austin Under 40 Web site at www. AustinUnder40.org. The form is located under the 2006 nominations tab at the top of the homepage. The deadline for nominations is January 25, 2006.

Past winners of the prestigious AU40 award include Lance Armstrong, Paul Carrozza, Michael Dell, MariBen Ramsey, Lynn Sherman, Evan Smith, Reid Ryan and Mayor Will Wynn.

"I am honored to have been named Austinite of the Year by Austin Under 40 in 2001," said Mayor Will Wynn. "I look forward to hearing the nominees for this year. I am confident that the finalists and winners will continue the strong tradition of contributing to the community."

After the nominations are reviewed, 50 Austin-based professionals will be selected as category finalists and the winners will be recognized at the Austin Under 40 Gala, March 3rd, 2006 at The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Tickets to the annual gala are available at www. AustinUnder40.org.

This year’s event, co-hosted by the Young Women’s Alliance (YWA) and the Young Men’s Business League (YMBL), will not only celebrate the nominees’ contributions to the Austin community, but will also raise money for the YWA Foundation and the YMBL Austin Sunshine Camps.

“We are excited to begin receiving nominations from the Austin community,” said Deanna Rankin, the chair of this years Austin Under 40 event. “Each year we rely on the community to provide the nominations that make the event a success.”

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Former GEICO Announcer Admits Mistake, Releases PSA Targeted At Critics of FreedomWorks And The Tea Party

Controversial former GEICO voice over announcer releases emotional public service announcement warning other FreedomWorks/Tea Party critics not to make the same mistake he did.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 17, 2010

After several weeks of reflection, voice over artist and on-camera actor D. C. Douglas has produced a public service announcement for other FreedomWorks and Tea Party critics who might be tempted to follow in his footsteps. Mr. Douglas says, "What I did may have been entertaining, but it was also impetuous and not well thought out. If I were to make that call today, I would use a more diaphram-supported voice and ask very different questions."

Mr. Douglas quickly assembled a cast of respected Los Angeles actors and close friends on May 12th and produced a provocative and hopeful five minute PSA. "I thought it was important to clear the air with Matt Kibbe and FreedomWorks as soon as possible and to prevent The Huffington Post readers and other liberals from crossing Matt Kibbe's line in the sand." On a personal note, Mr. Douglas admits to being fond of FreedomWorks president, Matt Kibbe. "I think Matt and I could've be good friends, had he not hooked up with Dick Armey, Koch Industries and the GOP. I think we have a similar sense of humor and share a penchant for Buddy Holly glasses," admits Mr. Douglas.

Last March, Mr. Douglas was angered by the racist and homophobic slurs allegedly shouted by Tea Party protesters during the final health care debate weekend. In response, he made a call to FreedomWorks, an alleged grassroots Tea Party organization chaired by ex-lobbyist Dick Armey. In his voicemail, Mr. Douglas inquired about the IQ level of FreedomWorks and whether the organization had a PR plan in place for when one of their fringe followers crossed a line and became violent. He also left his number in hopes of actually getting an answer. FreedomWorks retuned his call weeks later, but Mr. Douglas declined to engage them since "...health care reform had passed and, honestly, I would've thought they had more important Tea Party business to attend to."

After doing some research, FreedomWorks discovered Mr. Douglas' connection to certain GEICO commercials (GEICO is on FreedomWorks' boycott list) and decided to post Mr. Douglas' voicemail and phone number along with GEICO's phone number on BigGovernment. com. Mr. Kibbe encouraged his readers to call Mr. Douglas and GEICO, ultimately costing Mr. Douglas a recently recorded new campaign.

The events received media attention that was swift and, according to Mr. Douglas, "...about 75% erroneous, including what I actually did for GEICO, my name, the timeline of events and the reason anyone even knew about it in the first place!" Mr. Douglas posted a follow-up blog entry (http://www. myvoiceoverguy. com/voice-over/cleaning-circus/) on The D. C. Douglas Blog and issued two additional press releases (http://www. prweb. com/releases/DC-Douglas/GEICO-FreedomWorks/prweb3953314.htm) correcting these errors, but "...no one seemed to be interested in the facts. That's when I started to think about what I had done. And then it hit me, I needed to apologize to FreedomWorks for asking reckless and vague questions. That's how this PSA was born."

Mr. Douglas hopes people will take his message to heart and be inspired to pass his PSA around the internet so that he can reach as many FreedomWorks critics and anti-Tea Party people as he can. "FreedomWorks and all their angry callers and emailers made their point. They changed me. And now I hope I can inspire others like me to take a much more open-mined look at FreedomWorks and the Tea Party. If I can save just one person from doing what I did, then I will feel it was all worth it." Mr. Douglas' PSA can be viewed on YouTube (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=eMUVFctJ2Xw) or on his blog (http://www. myvoiceoverguy. com/voice-over/tea-party-geico-freedomworks. html).

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XactRemodel Now Features A-Systems JobView Integration

Construction and remodeling professionals now have a powerful and accurate way to control their costs.

Orem, UT (PRWEB) May 8, 2008

XactRemodel (http://www. xactware. com/product/remodelers. html)®, Xactware's estimation software designed specifically for remodeling professionals, now features the ability to integrate with A-Systems JobView (http://www. a-systems. net/jobview. htm)® accounting software.

A-Systems JobView is a scalable job costing accounting package designed specifically for the construction industry. With JobView, remodelers track costs associated with all jobs and phases of construction. JobView is a robust job costing software with versions available for all sizes of construction companies, from the smallest startup to multi-company conglomerates. JobView will grow with a company, fitting their needs as they grow.

XactRemodel is used by remodelers to estimate and sell a wide range of remodeling projects and provides users with

· Local pricing data for over 460 areas

· Sketch tools that allow users to create two - and three-dimensional views of the project

· One-click wizards that can estimate plumbing, insulation, HVAC, and electrical with a single mouse click.

With the integration feature, users can transfer estimates directly from XactRemodel into A-Systems Job View by either creating a new job or updating an existing one.

"XactRemodel with JobView gives remodeling professionals in companies of all sizes a complete and comprehensive business management tool that can have a big impact on the bottom line--especially in these challenging times," said Arnold S. Grundvig, President and CEO of A-Systems. "Controlling costs is essential if a construction company is to succeed, and JobView was designed to monitor actual costs, line by line, phase by phase, job by job, comparing them to budgeted figures from XactRemodel."

Trial versions of both XactRemodel and JobView are available for remodelers who want to try the systems before they buy.

"When combined with A-Systems JobView, XactRemodel provides a powerful interface for remodeling and construction professionals that will provide a more advanced, accurate way to track jobs costs and maintain budgets," says Jeffery C. Taylor, Xactware's Associate Vice President over the XactRemodel software. "Integration with JobView gives our customers a more complete system for their business."

About A-Systems:

Founded in 1978, A-Systems Corporation ("A-Systems" (http://www. a-systems. net)) was the first company to develop job cost accounting software for the PC, pioneering processes that have since become industry standards. Independently owned, A-Systems successfully competes with much larger companies by providing 5-Star rated software that is easy to use, powerful, and still affordable. A-Systems is 100% American, from ownership to employees. Everyone at A-Systems, including the development and technical support teams are located at the company's headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

To learn more about A-Systems JobView, contact A-Systems at 1-800-365-6790 or visit the company's website at A-Systems. net.

About Xactware:

Xactware Solutions, Inc. ("Xactware" (http://www. xactware. com)) is a wholly owned subsidiary of ISO specializing in the property insurance, remodeling and restoration industries. Xactware's technology tools include software estimating programs for PCs and tablet PCs, as well as powerful online systems for replacement-cost calculations, estimate tracking and data trending in real time.

For more information about Xactware's products and services, contact Xactware at 1-800-424-9228 or visit Xactware. com.

About ISO:

A leading source of information about risk, ISO provides data, analytics, and decision-support services to professionals in many fields, including insurance, finance, real estate, health services, government, human resources, and risk management. Using advanced technologies to collect, analyze, develop, and deliver information, ISO helps customers evaluate and manage risk. The company draws on vast expertise in actuarial science, insurance coverages, fire protection, fraud prevention, catastrophe and weather risk, predictive modeling, data management, economic forecasting, social and technological trends, and many other fields. To meet the needs of diverse clients, ISO employs an experienced staff of business and technical specialists, analysts, and certified professionals. In the United States and around the world, ISO helps customers protect people, property, and financial assets. For more information, visit www. iso. com.

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TMP WORLDWIDE EXECUTIVE SEARCH APPOINTS CO-LEADERS OF LEGAL PRACTICE

TMP Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: TMPW), the world's leading supplier of human capital solutions, including the pre-eminent Internet career portal MonsterÂ®, today announced the appointment of Kristin Hebert and Latham Williams as co-leaders of the Legal Practice Group of TMP Worldwide Executive Search.

(PRWEB) May 24, 2002

TMP WORLDWIDE EXECUTIVE SEARCH APPOINTS CO-LEADERS OF LEGAL PRACTICE

Latham Williams and Kristin Hebert Bring Wealth of Legal Industry Experience

New York, May 23, 2002-- TMP Worldwide Inc. (NASDAQ: TMPW), the world's leading supplier of human capital solutions, including the pre-eminent Internet career portal MonsterÂ®, today announced the appointment of Kristin Hebert and Latham Williams as co-leaders of the Legal Practice Group of TMP Worldwide Executive Search.

Â“TMP Worldwide Executive Search is extremely fortunate to have the talent and experience that Latham and Kristin bring to the management of this important practice,Â” said Michael Kelly, President of Executive Search, North America. Â“Together they will take our legal search capabilities to a whole new level.Â”

Ms. Hebert, based in San Francisco, focuses on the recruitment of senior level attorneys and executives for clients throughout California and the West Coast. She represents large national law firms, prominent small firms and traditional and emerging companies in fulfilling their legal and executive recruitment needs.

Prior to her association with TMP Worldwide, Ms. Hebert owned Kristin Hebert Associates, a San Francisco-based legal search consulting firm, which she founded in 1993. Before establishing her own firm, Ms. Hebert was associated with a large Los Angeles-based legal recruiting firm for four years as a search consultant in both its San Francisco and Los Angeles offices. Ms. Hebert earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Southern California in 1987.

Based in the Chicago office, Mr. Williams is a member of the Legal Search Practice Group, Global Healthcare Sector and the Global Insurance Practice Group that focuses on recruiting senior executives for corporations and law firms. Prior to his association with TMP Worldwide, Mr. Williams was an equity partner for seven years with the international law firm of Sidley Austin Brown & Wood specializing in healthcare mergers and acquisitions, and managed care and other insurance arrangements. Before joining Sidley, he was an associate, and later, equity partner in the Chicago-based law firm of Gardner, Carton & Douglas.

During most of his legal career, Mr. Williams has been involved in law firm recruiting and retention, and has served or headed several law firm committees relating to recruiting and retention. He currently serves, and has served, on numerous boards including the Illinois State Bar Association, the Chicago Medical School, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the Law Board of Northwestern University, the Lawyers Club of Chicago, and was elected Chairman of the Fielding Graduate Institute (Santa Barbara, California) Board of Directors in May. He is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation and the Leadership Greater Chicago Program. He also is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, Chicago Committee of the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, and the Union League Club of Chicago. Mr. Williams earned his law degree from Northwestern University, his MasterÂ’s degree in Business/Health Services Administration from the University of Wisconsin (Madison), and his undergraduate degree, with honors, in psychology from Macalester College.

About TMP Worldwide

Founded in 1967, TMP Worldwide Inc., with more than 10,000 employees in 32 countries, is the online recruitment leader, the worldÂ’s largest Recruitment Advertising agency network, and one of the worldÂ’s largest Executive Search & Executive Selection agencies. TMP Worldwide, headquartered in New York, is also the worldÂ’s largest Yellow Pages advertising agency and a provider of direct marketing services. The Company's clients include more than 90 of the Fortune 100 and more than 490 of the Fortune 500 companies. In June 2001, TMP Worldwide was added to the S&P 500 Index. More information about TMP Worldwide is available at www. tmp. com.

Monster, headquartered in Maynard, Mass., is the leading global careers website, recording over 47 million unique visits during the month of April 2002 according to independent research conducted by I/PRO. Monster connects the most progressive companies with the most qualified career-minded individuals, offering innovative technology and superior services that give them more control over the recruiting process. The Monster global network consists of local content and language sites in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Luxembourg, India, Italy, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland and Scotland. Monster is the official online career management services sponsor of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and 2002 and 2004 U. S. Olympic Teams. More information about Monster is available at www. monster. com or by calling 1-800-MONSTER.

Special Note: Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Except for historical information contained herein, the statements made in this release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the company's strategic direction, prospects and future results. Certain factors, including factors outside of our control, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward - looking statements, including economic and other conditions in the markets in which we operate, risks associated with acquisitions, competition, seasonality and the other risks discussed in our Form 10-K and our other filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which discussions are incorporated in this release by reference.

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Sales Letters: What length is best?

How long should a sales letter be? The best length is contingent on what is being sold and to whom.

(PRWEB) October 7, 2001

THE LONG AND SHORT OF COPYWRITING

By Paul Tracy

Sales letters come in many lengths, ranging from one page to several. Conventional copywriting wisdom holds that long copy most often will outperform short. The maxim is, "The more you tell, the more you sell."

Some copywriters have challenged this notion. They criticize much of the testing done on copywriting techniques. Testing for copywriting length is not a straightforward matter, they contend. Whenever copy length is varied, copy content will, of necessity, also vary. Therefore, controlling for just the variable of length is not possible.

Not a Scientific Method

The typical copywriting approach is to use the most successful direct mail copy for a particular product or service as the control against which other copy is tested. That is, the control's characteristics are considered optimal until other tested copy outperforms it.

Critics question whether what held true in the past applies to copywriting today. Anecdotal evidence demonstrating that people are less willing to spend time reading mail than in the past includes complaints from companies that their customers inadvertently toss out as solicitations some bills they receive.

In addition, people today generally are busy. They often cannot spend much time reading mail. When people find their mailboxes full of solicitations, they start looking for things to throw out. Television may also have played a role in shortening people's attention spans; people often discard mail they cannot quickly understand.

When to Use Shorter Text

The conventional wisdom is that a two-page letter using single sides of two sheets of paper will outperform the same letter using both sides of one sheet.

Scenarios in which such short copy is appropriate include letters sent to generate leads. In this case, the prospect's interest must be sparked. A more sustained sales effort can be made at the closing. In other situations, well-known brands do not require copy that is as long as that used for unfamiliar brands.

Products or services that are popularly considered "dry" (for example, banking services) generally should have short copy. Similarly, copy directed at busy people such as professionals should be mostly short. They do not have time to wade through pages of copy.

Useful techniques for short copy include a brief letter making major points, accompanied by an enclosure such as a fact sheet, flyer or brochure. A recent solicitation for a Visa card from Providian Financial included a good, short letter with the headline "No Annual Fee," certainly a major selling point. Subheads make the other major points and are followed by brief amplifications. A brochure also mentions more of the card's benefits.

The information needed to make a decision is all there in a compact package.

When to Use Longer Text

Of course, many situations call for longer text, such as a mailer touting or soliciting:

magazine subscriptions or book club memberships, because they're targeted to people who like to read;

high-involvement items, such as health products or investment newsletters, because people interested in such things want, and often need, a lot of information;

products used for special interests, such as car repair or golf--things about which prospects may like to learn more;

charitable donations; letters for a good cause can offer one compelling anecdote after another.

For multiple-page letters with pages joined along a vertical fold, an odd number of pages may be preferable because the sales close will fall on the right side where it may be more likely to get noticed.

There are examples of good copywriting, however, where this is not done. Looking at an American Association of Retired Persons package, I see the copywriter cleverly put closes on both page three and page four. The close of the letter's body is at the bottom of page three, and the postscript is on page four. This might help the chances of connecting with someone who is just scanning the letter.

There is no simple rule for copy length that applies to all situations. Copy should be as long as it needs to be to get across the points the copywriter has to make, without losing the reader's interest. Length is contingent on the specifics of what is being sold and to whom.

Paul Tracy is a freelance copywriter of such materials as direct and Internet mail, brochures, and press releases. His e-mail address is ptracy9@aol. com

The Doctors Club. net Launches New Multimedia Interactive with Podcast to track and/or reverse Childhood Obesity, Heart Disease, and Diabetes

The Doctors Club, LLC., announced it has launched a preventive health program which includes multimedia interactives and podcast of medical exams, lifestyle recommendations and medical health tracking for clients worldwide in order to track and reverse childhood obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

SAN DIEGO, CA (PRWEB) August 26, 2006

The Doctors Club, LLC., (TDC) a privately held company focused on developing and providing preventive interactive medical services - based on multidisciplinary conventional and complementary/alternative medical practices, announced it has launched an interactive preventive health program which includes multimedia client interactive and podcast programs of medical exams, lifestyle recommendations and medical health tracking for clients worldwide in order to track and reverse childhood obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

(TDC) was founded by doctors to exam, educate and monitor the health of clients worldwide in achieving optimal health via a network of medical, academic and fitness professionals; representing medical expertise in general, preventive, family, sports, and internal medicine, cardiology, nutrition, aerobics, lifestyle and stress reduction.

The (TDC) customized preventive multimedia interactive(s) and podcast(s) are tailored to address the health requirements of each client by providing interactive medical exam summaries of comprehensive examinations, lifestyle questionnaires with assessment and monthly medical tracking. The goal is to assist each client in achieving optimal health by understanding health habits through a series of interactive lifestyle assessment tools. The Doctors Club provides the client an exam summary, recommendations and a health analysis via interactive(s) and podcast to educate on the process of lifestyle modification, specifically how to avoid, monitor or reverse health related risk which can effect their life in coming years. (TDC) tracking program is designed to assist physicians in monitoring health related risk in their clients in the office or remotely using the web.

"Mulitmedia interactive(s) and podcast are new methods to disseminate a clients health-related information of medical exams, comprehensive bodyscans which detect the risk for heart attack, stroke, cancer and other health related disease; medically monitored nutrition plans, fitness routines, and lifestyle coaching," said David Mendiola, CEO of The Doctors Club. "With our interactive programs and podcast your medical information is always available to you regardless were you are in the world via a secure easy to understand format for reference in case of an emergency."

The Doctors Club in partnership with other medial entities will expand their health tracking services worldwide by providing electronic monitoring, multimedia interactive(s) and medical podcast. "Our expanding direct presence internationally will assist us in our mission to improve health, fight childhood obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health related disease effecting society.

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