WASHINGTON – Community colleges around the nation are turning to the Plus 50 Initiative at the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) for help in designing programs for baby boomers, who are increasingly returning to campus for job training and to makeover careers waylaid by the economic recession.
“With President Obama calling on our nation’s community colleges to help unemployed and laid off Americans get back to work, we are seeing increased demand from college leaders for support in structuring effective programs for plus 50 adults,” said George R. Boggs, AACC President and CEO. “This expansion effort will share best practices with more colleges and help them more efficiently work with baby boomers.”
Thirty-two additional colleges will join the initiative, which started with 15 grantee colleges in 2008 and expanded its work to include 12 additional community colleges in 2009. The expansion pairs existing and more experienced Plus 50 colleges with additional community colleges that will become “affiliates” of the Plus 50 Initiative.
Four colleges designated as learning partners will serve as guides to help six community colleges implement plus 50 programs that help baby boomers returning to campus for job training and to improve their skills.
Century College in White Bear Lake, Minn. will be the Learning Partner for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wis.
Community Colleges of Spokane will serve as a Learning Partner for Shoreline Community College in Shoreline, Wash.
Central Florida Community College in Ocala, Fla. will serve as Learning Partner for Pasco-Hernando Community College in New Port Richey, Fla. as they expand their focus beyond lifelong learning programming to include workforce training and retraining opportunities for plus 50 students.
Clover Park Technical College in Lakewood, Wash. will serve as a Learning Partner for the other community colleges in Pierce County, Wash. Clover Park will work with Bates Technical College, Tacoma Community College, Pierce College District 11 which includes Pierce College-Fort Steilacoom and Pierce College-Puyallup.
Four additional community colleges will serve as Plus 50 Initiative Peer-to-Peer Ambassadors or regional conference host working to expand the network of plus 50 colleges by reaching out to additional community colleges. They will share information about how to start and sustain a quality educational program for plus 50 students. They will also invite the new colleges to participate in national discussions on effective programming for plus 50 students.
St. Louis Community College will serve as a Plus 50 Initiative Peer-to-Peer Ambassador with fellow member institutions in the Missouri Community College Association, including Crowder College; East Central College; Jefferson College; Mineral Area College; Moberly Area Community College; Ozarks Technical Community College; North Central Missouri College; State Fair Community College; St. Charles Community College and Three Rivers Community College.
Clark College in Vancouver, Wash. will serve as a Plus 50 Initiative Peer-to-Peer Ambassador for Centralia College, Lower Columbia College, Olympic College and South Puget Sound Community College in Washington state and Clackamas Community College, Mt. Hood Community College and Umpqua Community College in Oregon.
Joliet Junior College will serve as a Plus 50 Peer-to-Peer Ambassador for three other Illinois community colleges including Kishwaukee College in Malta, Parkland College in Champaign and Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville.
Richland College in Dallas, Texas, will host a Plus 50 Initiative Conference for the six other community colleges in the Dallas County Community College District, including the Bill J. Priest Campus of El Centro College, Brookhaven College, Cedar Valley College, Eastfield College, Mountain View College, and North Lake College.
The Plus 50 Initiative began its efforts to help community colleges faced with an expanding baby boomer student population by focusing on learning, training and career development, and volunteering. The three-year project is sponsored by the AACC with a $3.2 million grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies.
For 90 years, the AACC has been the leading advocate for the nation’s community colleges, which currently number more than 1,173 and serve close to 12 million students annually. Its membership comprises 90% of all public two-year colleges – the largest, most accessible, most diverse sector of U.S. higher education. As institutions committed to access, community service and lifelong learning, community colleges have long-focused on the needs of adults who are already in the workforce, many of whom are seeking new skills and knowledge for changes in their lives and careers.
To learn more about the Plus 50 Initiative, visit http://plus50.aacc.nche.edu. To learn more about the AACC and The Atlantic Philanthropies, visit www.aacc.nche.edu and www.atlanticphilanthropies.org.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Makeovers Salon, Spa Owner Shares Spring, Summer Fashion Tips
BOSTON AND EASTON, MA...
Blum, who attended the 2009 fashion shows in New York which unveiled the 2010 Spring collections and who just returned from serving on the Wella team for celebrity designer Donna Karan at Fashion Week 2010 as they introduced the DKNY Fall 2010 collection, offers his insight on the hottest looks for spring and summer:
Neutral colors, watercolor prints and bright florals will be predominant in clothing, but as far as make-up is concerned, the palate is nude and the effect is soft. The natural look is in, but full on, which means eyebrows are groomed and predominant, lashes are lush and make-up is nude with hint of blush. That splash of bright color on the lips will be the key feature and matte coral-reds will be most popular colors.
There's a huge movement towards the organic and natural. More and more fashion designers are using organic cotton and linen textiles. Think "hippie-chic". To go along with this, nails will be natural looking and gel nails and neutral colored gel polishes will be hot.
Whether hair is long or short, the style will be sporty and carefree. Hair color will be very natural looking with glosses and glazes leading the way. Talk to your stylist/colorist about which hair color/style would best suit you and how to acheive that "just rolled out of bed but still look fabulous" sporty type of look.
Skin care will be a top priority. The natural look demands beautiful skin. Organic, very moisturizing skin products will be at the top of everyone's list for skin care. Skin treatments such as Microdermabrasion, which is a skin resurfacing treatment used to rejuvenate and restore a natural glow to the skin, will be very popular. Microdermabrasion works on all skin types and helps get rid of blemishes and acne and gives a healthy, youthful appearance.
To learn more about all that Makeovers Salon & Spa offers, visit www.makeoverssalon.com.
Edward Blum and his talent team are currently booking Spring/Summer makeovers, contact (508) 238-1211 to book a consultation.
About Expert Designer Edward Blum
Known for his artistry and technical knowledge, Blum has been a hair stylist for 31 years and a salon owner for more than 21 years. He has worked alongside a number of greats over the years including Vidal Sassoon, Jon Louis David and Jaque Dessange. He trained with Alexandre de Paris and also served as the International Spokesperson and Market Leader for Wella Corporation for 15 years, providing hair design and styling for major hair shows in the U.S. and Europe. He is a contributing writer to many professional beauty publications including Modern Salon Magazine, American Salon Magazine and Salon Today Magazine. Blum has been the stylist for soap opera star Kristian Alfonso and Judge Maria Lopez of the “Maria Lopez Show” as well as for Buena Vista Studios-Disney, New England Today, Boston Channel 5 and Channel 4. Additionally, he frequently serves as a consultant to many cosmetology schools in New England.
About Makeovers Salon & Spa
Makeovers Salon & Spa is owned by the internationally recognized, award-winning designers Edward and Norah Blum. As one of the largest salon and spa in Massachusetts, Makeovers Salon & Spa is a 13,200 square foot "paradise" with 26 styling stations, nine large treatment rooms and a staff of more than 80 providing hair styling and coloring; nail and spa services. Makeovers Salon & Spa has been honored 15 times with "First Place Reader's Choice Award" in all beauty categories.
Every member of Makeovers Salon & Spa hair design team undergoes an intensive two years of training at the salon. The majority of the salon's design professionals have been with the company for at least 15 years. Makeovers Salon & Spa designers travel to New York for training in the latest color and cutting techniques each Spring and the salon frequently hosts renowned international guest trainers. Services offered at the Day Spa include facials, laser treatments, massage, manicures/pedicures, wraps, body treatments, waxing, reflexology and aromatherapy. Makeovers offers a range of Day Spa packages including special Day of Beauty, Bridal, Groom's, Couples and Men's packages, as well as the ability to host private parties from 4 to 40. Their line of high quality products include G.M. Collin and Glymed Spa products and Wella, Sebastian, Rene Furtier, Alterna and Icon hair care products.
Most recently, Makeovers Salon & Spa was the set for the Disney pilot, "Postcards from Heaven" with medium Maureen Hancock and casting calls with ‘The Rock’.
Makeovers Salon & Spa is located at 574 Washington Street in Easton, MA. For more information, visit the website at www.makeoverssalon.com or contact (508) 238-1211.
Blum, who attended the 2009 fashion shows in New York which unveiled the 2010 Spring collections and who just returned from serving on the Wella team for celebrity designer Donna Karan at Fashion Week 2010 as they introduced the DKNY Fall 2010 collection, offers his insight on the hottest looks for spring and summer:
Neutral colors, watercolor prints and bright florals will be predominant in clothing, but as far as make-up is concerned, the palate is nude and the effect is soft. The natural look is in, but full on, which means eyebrows are groomed and predominant, lashes are lush and make-up is nude with hint of blush. That splash of bright color on the lips will be the key feature and matte coral-reds will be most popular colors.
There's a huge movement towards the organic and natural. More and more fashion designers are using organic cotton and linen textiles. Think "hippie-chic". To go along with this, nails will be natural looking and gel nails and neutral colored gel polishes will be hot.
Whether hair is long or short, the style will be sporty and carefree. Hair color will be very natural looking with glosses and glazes leading the way. Talk to your stylist/colorist about which hair color/style would best suit you and how to acheive that "just rolled out of bed but still look fabulous" sporty type of look.
Skin care will be a top priority. The natural look demands beautiful skin. Organic, very moisturizing skin products will be at the top of everyone's list for skin care. Skin treatments such as Microdermabrasion, which is a skin resurfacing treatment used to rejuvenate and restore a natural glow to the skin, will be very popular. Microdermabrasion works on all skin types and helps get rid of blemishes and acne and gives a healthy, youthful appearance.
To learn more about all that Makeovers Salon & Spa offers, visit www.makeoverssalon.com.
Edward Blum and his talent team are currently booking Spring/Summer makeovers, contact (508) 238-1211 to book a consultation.
About Expert Designer Edward Blum
Known for his artistry and technical knowledge, Blum has been a hair stylist for 31 years and a salon owner for more than 21 years. He has worked alongside a number of greats over the years including Vidal Sassoon, Jon Louis David and Jaque Dessange. He trained with Alexandre de Paris and also served as the International Spokesperson and Market Leader for Wella Corporation for 15 years, providing hair design and styling for major hair shows in the U.S. and Europe. He is a contributing writer to many professional beauty publications including Modern Salon Magazine, American Salon Magazine and Salon Today Magazine. Blum has been the stylist for soap opera star Kristian Alfonso and Judge Maria Lopez of the “Maria Lopez Show” as well as for Buena Vista Studios-Disney, New England Today, Boston Channel 5 and Channel 4. Additionally, he frequently serves as a consultant to many cosmetology schools in New England.
About Makeovers Salon & Spa
Makeovers Salon & Spa is owned by the internationally recognized, award-winning designers Edward and Norah Blum. As one of the largest salon and spa in Massachusetts, Makeovers Salon & Spa is a 13,200 square foot "paradise" with 26 styling stations, nine large treatment rooms and a staff of more than 80 providing hair styling and coloring; nail and spa services. Makeovers Salon & Spa has been honored 15 times with "First Place Reader's Choice Award" in all beauty categories.
Every member of Makeovers Salon & Spa hair design team undergoes an intensive two years of training at the salon. The majority of the salon's design professionals have been with the company for at least 15 years. Makeovers Salon & Spa designers travel to New York for training in the latest color and cutting techniques each Spring and the salon frequently hosts renowned international guest trainers. Services offered at the Day Spa include facials, laser treatments, massage, manicures/pedicures, wraps, body treatments, waxing, reflexology and aromatherapy. Makeovers offers a range of Day Spa packages including special Day of Beauty, Bridal, Groom's, Couples and Men's packages, as well as the ability to host private parties from 4 to 40. Their line of high quality products include G.M. Collin and Glymed Spa products and Wella, Sebastian, Rene Furtier, Alterna and Icon hair care products.
Most recently, Makeovers Salon & Spa was the set for the Disney pilot, "Postcards from Heaven" with medium Maureen Hancock and casting calls with ‘The Rock’.
Makeovers Salon & Spa is located at 574 Washington Street in Easton, MA. For more information, visit the website at www.makeoverssalon.com or contact (508) 238-1211.
Langham Hotels International Forges Partnership with EarthCheck
Hong Kong – Langham Hotels International has forged a partnership with EarthCheck; the world\'s largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. The deal will result in all Langham and Eaton properties upgrading to EarthCheck so that they align with international standards of best practice.
The companies are no strangers to one another as The Langham, Auckland first certified using EarthCheck science, back in February 2008. Since then, it has held the prestigious EarthCheck Silver Certification for two years running, while Eaton Hotel Kong Hong and Langham Place Mongkok, Hong Kong are pending Silver Certification Audits later this month.
Langham recently decided that all its properties will now benchmark with EarthCheck and aim for a minimum certification level of Silver. This is in direct response to the need to address major environmental challenges such as climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management.
“Environmental advocates and stakeholders are calling on companies to demonstrate the role they must play in climate change mitigation and policy development,” explains John Dick, Vice President – Eaton Hotels International and the group environmental champion for both Langham and Eaton hotels. “This is reflected in the number of companies that are reporting on their policies and engagement efforts in response to new regulations including the Green House Gas (GHG) Protocols.”
The EarthCheck Approach
EarthCheck’s science-based approach is considered at the forefront of sustainability management systems. It should be, when you consider it was developed by the world’s largest not-for-profit research centre into sustainable tourism – the Australian Government-funded Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
The Program also leverages some $260 million worth of academic research and contains more than a decade of industry benchmarking data. More than a thousand operators already use EarthCheck, and which provides them with a framework to increase operational efficiencies, maximise the benefit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and minimise environmental impacts.
There’s a growing awareness within the travel and tourism industry that for a certification scheme to actually mean anything, it must:
• Include standardised scientific reporting that is consistent and comparable across country and sector;
• Minimise financial and reporting burdens by using one centralised ICT reporting platform;
• Harmonise information collection to a common metric; and
• Create baselines of ‘high environmental integrity’ to enable responsible forward planning.
The EarthCheck scientific benchmarking system and certification programs are based on all of these requirements and this ensures Langham and Eaton properties will remain at the forefront of sustainability.
For Langham, brand recognition and credibility in market are also important.
“As the sustainability movement has evolved, so have the number of misleading environmental claims and operators who are misusing industry-developed labels to influence consumer behaviour,” states John Dick. “Schemes that can be accused of this include those with no common benchmarking criteria, no year-on-year performance expectations, no scientific reporting or international standards, and no 3rd party verification.”
Langham Hotels Across the Globe Align with EarthCheck
Langham’s alignment with EarthCheck provides the company with a means to reduce operational overheads without compromising the guest experience. Where some “green” labels espouse the marketing benefits of displaying yet another badge, EarthCheck remains focussed on quantitative reporting and risk evaluation, whilst identifying areas for operational savings.
The global luxury hospitality group has arguably become one of the best examples of how sustainability policies can be practically and consistently applied across a multi-national business. Typical savings are in the region of 25 per cent, with levels of savings varying between each property according to its operational footprint.
Langham has opted for a companywide strategy to ensure a consistent approach is applied across the group and help them identify key milestones. To date, some of their best practice ratings include; The Langham, Melbourne who benchmarked 56.1% better than Best Practice Level for Potable Water Consumption; The Langham, Auckland who came in 33.8% better than the Best Practice Level for Potable Water Consumption and 22.2% better than the Baseline level for Waste Sent to Landfill.
The companies are no strangers to one another as The Langham, Auckland first certified using EarthCheck science, back in February 2008. Since then, it has held the prestigious EarthCheck Silver Certification for two years running, while Eaton Hotel Kong Hong and Langham Place Mongkok, Hong Kong are pending Silver Certification Audits later this month.
Langham recently decided that all its properties will now benchmark with EarthCheck and aim for a minimum certification level of Silver. This is in direct response to the need to address major environmental challenges such as climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management.
“Environmental advocates and stakeholders are calling on companies to demonstrate the role they must play in climate change mitigation and policy development,” explains John Dick, Vice President – Eaton Hotels International and the group environmental champion for both Langham and Eaton hotels. “This is reflected in the number of companies that are reporting on their policies and engagement efforts in response to new regulations including the Green House Gas (GHG) Protocols.”
The EarthCheck Approach
EarthCheck’s science-based approach is considered at the forefront of sustainability management systems. It should be, when you consider it was developed by the world’s largest not-for-profit research centre into sustainable tourism – the Australian Government-funded Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
The Program also leverages some $260 million worth of academic research and contains more than a decade of industry benchmarking data. More than a thousand operators already use EarthCheck, and which provides them with a framework to increase operational efficiencies, maximise the benefit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and minimise environmental impacts.
There’s a growing awareness within the travel and tourism industry that for a certification scheme to actually mean anything, it must:
• Include standardised scientific reporting that is consistent and comparable across country and sector;
• Minimise financial and reporting burdens by using one centralised ICT reporting platform;
• Harmonise information collection to a common metric; and
• Create baselines of ‘high environmental integrity’ to enable responsible forward planning.
The EarthCheck scientific benchmarking system and certification programs are based on all of these requirements and this ensures Langham and Eaton properties will remain at the forefront of sustainability.
For Langham, brand recognition and credibility in market are also important.
“As the sustainability movement has evolved, so have the number of misleading environmental claims and operators who are misusing industry-developed labels to influence consumer behaviour,” states John Dick. “Schemes that can be accused of this include those with no common benchmarking criteria, no year-on-year performance expectations, no scientific reporting or international standards, and no 3rd party verification.”
Langham Hotels Across the Globe Align with EarthCheck
Langham’s alignment with EarthCheck provides the company with a means to reduce operational overheads without compromising the guest experience. Where some “green” labels espouse the marketing benefits of displaying yet another badge, EarthCheck remains focussed on quantitative reporting and risk evaluation, whilst identifying areas for operational savings.
The global luxury hospitality group has arguably become one of the best examples of how sustainability policies can be practically and consistently applied across a multi-national business. Typical savings are in the region of 25 per cent, with levels of savings varying between each property according to its operational footprint.
Langham has opted for a companywide strategy to ensure a consistent approach is applied across the group and help them identify key milestones. To date, some of their best practice ratings include; The Langham, Melbourne who benchmarked 56.1% better than Best Practice Level for Potable Water Consumption; The Langham, Auckland who came in 33.8% better than the Best Practice Level for Potable Water Consumption and 22.2% better than the Baseline level for Waste Sent to Landfill.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Park Plaza Beijing West Provides a Breath of Fresh Air
It could be argued that the actions of a single Beijing hotel won’t make a difference to the city’s environmental impact. But the Park Plaza Beijing West takes a different view of its responsibilities, bringing its environmental initiatives to new heights.
Part of Carlson Hotels, one of the world’s leading hotel companies which includes brands such as Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites by CarlsonSM, Park Inn® and Park Plaza®, the Park Plaza Beijing West hotel is renowned for its contemporary, trendsetting design. Appealing to business and leisure travelers alike, it’s one of a handful of hotels located in the upper echelons of the capital’s mid-scale hotels.
Conveniently located at the end of Beijing Chang An Boulevard, Park Plaza Beijing West has 262 well appointed guest rooms and suites. But what makes it a cut above the rest is the approach the hotel has taken to improving the guest experience and working conditions for its staff.
Park Plaza Beijing West has its focus firmly set on issues such as energy and water conservation, recycling, and reducing the use of harmful chemicals. Most notable though is their achievement in improving the quality of indoor air at the hotel; the impact of which is appreciated by all. Costing almost USD$1.5 million, the air freshener system installation ensures that air inside the hotel is always fresh, as well as reduces energy consumption throughout the hotel.
Along with the rest of the Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific portfolio, the Park Plaza Beijing West recently also embarked on the EarthCheck Program, which is managed by EC3 Global and used by over a thousand hotels in more than 60 countries. The sustainability management system provides businesses with a framework to increase operational efficiencies, maximise the benefit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and minimise environmental impacts.
“The air freshener system we have introduced is a large investment which will go a long way in ensuring guests have a comfortable stay at our hotel, while minimising the environmental impact through the energy efficiency of the system,” said Mr. Peter Schuler, General Manager, Park Plaza Beijing West.
“We didn’t just want to stop there. Partnering with EarthCheck is also indicative of the growing emphasis we are placing on achieving sustainable outcomes at our hotel.”
EarthCheck’s science-based approach is considered at the forefront of sustainability management systems and was developed by the world’s largest non-profit research centre into sustainable tourism – the Australian Government-funded Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
“EarthCheck leverages some USD$260 million worth of academic research and contains more than a decade of industry benchmarking data,” said Stewart Moore, CEO of EC3 Global. “But it’s not a certification scheme that offers yet another “green” badge; it’s a management system that directly impacts your environmental footprint.”
EDITOR’S NOTES
EC3 Global is the world's largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1000 clients in over 60 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. Go to www.earthcheck.org or www.ec3global.com
For further information please contact:
Park Plaza Beijing West
Jane Zhu
Marketing & Communications
P: +86 10 6813 0088
E: pr.beijingwest@parkplaza.com
W: www.parkplaza.com/beijingcn_west
Part of Carlson Hotels, one of the world’s leading hotel companies which includes brands such as Radisson®, Country Inns & Suites by CarlsonSM, Park Inn® and Park Plaza®, the Park Plaza Beijing West hotel is renowned for its contemporary, trendsetting design. Appealing to business and leisure travelers alike, it’s one of a handful of hotels located in the upper echelons of the capital’s mid-scale hotels.
Conveniently located at the end of Beijing Chang An Boulevard, Park Plaza Beijing West has 262 well appointed guest rooms and suites. But what makes it a cut above the rest is the approach the hotel has taken to improving the guest experience and working conditions for its staff.
Park Plaza Beijing West has its focus firmly set on issues such as energy and water conservation, recycling, and reducing the use of harmful chemicals. Most notable though is their achievement in improving the quality of indoor air at the hotel; the impact of which is appreciated by all. Costing almost USD$1.5 million, the air freshener system installation ensures that air inside the hotel is always fresh, as well as reduces energy consumption throughout the hotel.
Along with the rest of the Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific portfolio, the Park Plaza Beijing West recently also embarked on the EarthCheck Program, which is managed by EC3 Global and used by over a thousand hotels in more than 60 countries. The sustainability management system provides businesses with a framework to increase operational efficiencies, maximise the benefit of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and minimise environmental impacts.
“The air freshener system we have introduced is a large investment which will go a long way in ensuring guests have a comfortable stay at our hotel, while minimising the environmental impact through the energy efficiency of the system,” said Mr. Peter Schuler, General Manager, Park Plaza Beijing West.
“We didn’t just want to stop there. Partnering with EarthCheck is also indicative of the growing emphasis we are placing on achieving sustainable outcomes at our hotel.”
EarthCheck’s science-based approach is considered at the forefront of sustainability management systems and was developed by the world’s largest non-profit research centre into sustainable tourism – the Australian Government-funded Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.
“EarthCheck leverages some USD$260 million worth of academic research and contains more than a decade of industry benchmarking data,” said Stewart Moore, CEO of EC3 Global. “But it’s not a certification scheme that offers yet another “green” badge; it’s a management system that directly impacts your environmental footprint.”
EDITOR’S NOTES
EC3 Global is the world's largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1000 clients in over 60 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. Go to www.earthcheck.org or www.ec3global.com
For further information please contact:
Park Plaza Beijing West
Jane Zhu
Marketing & Communications
P: +86 10 6813 0088
E: pr.beijingwest@parkplaza.com
W: www.parkplaza.com/beijingcn_west
EarthCheck Launches Sustainability Library to Help Business Managers
EarthCheck Launches Sustainability Library to Help Business Managers
Message: The world’s largest sustainable tourism certification program EarthCheck, today announced the public release of a series of a library of free sustainability fact sheets, voluntary carbon offsetting information sheets and case studies. Filling a gaping void, these documents reveal the operational savings made by some of the world’s leading hotels and conferencing venues, which have implemented sustainability measures.
The reference materials were jointly developed by EarthCheck and the University of Queensland; providing a timely resource for business considering offsetting their emissions or looking to improve their triple bottom line.
The materials demystify matters such as renewable energy, water consumption, energy efficient air conditioning and green procurement. Each fact sheet includes real industry examples; complete with capital investment costs, operational savings and the overall return on investment.
\"We expect these resources to help business managers better understand the benefits of sustainable practices,\" explained Stewart Moore, CEO of EarthCheck. \"Although they\'ve been developed for the travel and tourism industry, they\'re of benefit to the wider community as well, as they help clarify the benefits of using an environmental management system that provides benchmarking and offers transparency through independent, third party audits\".
The PDF documents may be downloaded from www.earthcheck.org/en-us/wp/library.aspx
EDITOR’S NOTES
EC3 Global is the world\'s largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1000 clients in over 60 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. Go to www.earthcheck.org
For further information please contact:
EarthCheck
Chantal Dunbar
EC3 Global Communications Manager
P: +61 401 058 159
E: chantal.dunbar@ec3global.com
W: www.earthcheck.org
Message: The world’s largest sustainable tourism certification program EarthCheck, today announced the public release of a series of a library of free sustainability fact sheets, voluntary carbon offsetting information sheets and case studies. Filling a gaping void, these documents reveal the operational savings made by some of the world’s leading hotels and conferencing venues, which have implemented sustainability measures.
The reference materials were jointly developed by EarthCheck and the University of Queensland; providing a timely resource for business considering offsetting their emissions or looking to improve their triple bottom line.
The materials demystify matters such as renewable energy, water consumption, energy efficient air conditioning and green procurement. Each fact sheet includes real industry examples; complete with capital investment costs, operational savings and the overall return on investment.
\"We expect these resources to help business managers better understand the benefits of sustainable practices,\" explained Stewart Moore, CEO of EarthCheck. \"Although they\'ve been developed for the travel and tourism industry, they\'re of benefit to the wider community as well, as they help clarify the benefits of using an environmental management system that provides benchmarking and offers transparency through independent, third party audits\".
The PDF documents may be downloaded from www.earthcheck.org/en-us/wp/library.aspx
EDITOR’S NOTES
EC3 Global is the world\'s largest certifier of sustainable travel and tourism operators. With more than 1000 clients in over 60 countries, the company’s EarthCheck Program responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including climate change, waste reduction and non-renewable resource management. It provides benchmarking, certification and performance improvement systems that result in average savings of 30 per cent for energy and waste stream, and 20 per cent savings for water consumption. Go to www.earthcheck.org
For further information please contact:
EarthCheck
Chantal Dunbar
EC3 Global Communications Manager
P: +61 401 058 159
E: chantal.dunbar@ec3global.com
W: www.earthcheck.org
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Twitter Your Way To The Top
Jessica Swanson, Founder and President of Shoestring Marketing, Inc., and recently named one of Forbes 30 Women Entrepreneurs To Follow On Twitter, is offering a complimentary Twitter webinar on Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 pm CST. Small business owners, on a shoestring marketing budget, will discover how to tap into the power of Twitter to generate hundreds of new leads, increase their visibility and explode their income.
You can sign up at: http://www.ShoestringWebinar.com
Jessica Swanson says that, “I want to assure you that Twitter is one of the quickest and most effective ways to bring extra exposure to your business. In fact, Twitter is taking the world by storm, and for good reason. Twitter gets big results for small business owners, if they understand how to tap into its power.
This Free Shoestring Marketing Webinar Will Cover:
1) How to Set up Your Twitter Profile. Learn how to set-up your Twitter account, profile and background for optimal results. This includes the basics of signing up for a Twitter account through advanced strategies such as designing your own unique Twitter background that ensures that your brand remains consistent.
2) How To Build a Responsive Twitter Following. Discover dozens of ways to attract Twitter followers from your specific target market. You will learn how to begin generating a list of prospective clients and customers in your industry who will be responsive to what you have to offer.
3) Top Twitter Mistakes. Uncover the top five Twitter mistakes that most small business owners make regarding Twitter. Unfortunately, these mistakes often hurt small business brands and can even lead to Twitter shutting down their account.
4) Best Twitter Tools. Learn about the best automated Twitter tools and applications available to the small business owner today. Find out about automated follow applications, local search tools, post-later software, cell-phone applications, group tools and desktop management tools.
5) Your Twitter Marketing Plan. Discover a simple three-step formula for generating traffic, leads and sales from Twitter. Learn exactly how to implement a simple Twitter plan of action into your daily marketing efforts.
6) Twitter Time-Management. Find out how to generate impressive results on Twitter in just 15-minutes a day. Most small business owners spend too much time on Twitter with inferior results; learn how to combine personal Twitter interaction with powerful Twitter automation tools.
Swanson adds, “If you are looking for a dynamic, no-cost marketing strategy to boost your small business, than you need to tap into Twitter. Unfortunately, Twitter is a tool that most small business owners fail to implement properly. However, once they bring Twitter into their daily marketing plan, they find that their business grows leaps and bounds, without the large marketing budget.”
Join Jessica Swanson on Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 for her Free Shoestring Marketing Webinar, “Twitter Your Way To The Top” at http://www.ShoestringWebinar.com
You can sign up at: http://www.ShoestringWebinar.com
Jessica Swanson says that, “I want to assure you that Twitter is one of the quickest and most effective ways to bring extra exposure to your business. In fact, Twitter is taking the world by storm, and for good reason. Twitter gets big results for small business owners, if they understand how to tap into its power.
This Free Shoestring Marketing Webinar Will Cover:
1) How to Set up Your Twitter Profile. Learn how to set-up your Twitter account, profile and background for optimal results. This includes the basics of signing up for a Twitter account through advanced strategies such as designing your own unique Twitter background that ensures that your brand remains consistent.
2) How To Build a Responsive Twitter Following. Discover dozens of ways to attract Twitter followers from your specific target market. You will learn how to begin generating a list of prospective clients and customers in your industry who will be responsive to what you have to offer.
3) Top Twitter Mistakes. Uncover the top five Twitter mistakes that most small business owners make regarding Twitter. Unfortunately, these mistakes often hurt small business brands and can even lead to Twitter shutting down their account.
4) Best Twitter Tools. Learn about the best automated Twitter tools and applications available to the small business owner today. Find out about automated follow applications, local search tools, post-later software, cell-phone applications, group tools and desktop management tools.
5) Your Twitter Marketing Plan. Discover a simple three-step formula for generating traffic, leads and sales from Twitter. Learn exactly how to implement a simple Twitter plan of action into your daily marketing efforts.
6) Twitter Time-Management. Find out how to generate impressive results on Twitter in just 15-minutes a day. Most small business owners spend too much time on Twitter with inferior results; learn how to combine personal Twitter interaction with powerful Twitter automation tools.
Swanson adds, “If you are looking for a dynamic, no-cost marketing strategy to boost your small business, than you need to tap into Twitter. Unfortunately, Twitter is a tool that most small business owners fail to implement properly. However, once they bring Twitter into their daily marketing plan, they find that their business grows leaps and bounds, without the large marketing budget.”
Join Jessica Swanson on Thursday, April 29 at 7:00 for her Free Shoestring Marketing Webinar, “Twitter Your Way To The Top” at http://www.ShoestringWebinar.com
Monday, April 26, 2010
US Fast Food Industry to Remain on Fast Growth
According to our new market research offering, “US Fast Food Market Outlook 2010”, US represents world’s largest and one of the fastest growing fast food industry. Despite the economic turmoil, the US fast food industry is growing at a faster pace than it was growing previously. In fact, economic meltdown is benefiting the fast food industry. People are now becoming more price-conscious, particularly about the food products, and are shifting to fast food joints from their traditional habits of eating out at restaurants frequently. Our estimations have further revealed that the industry will continue its remarkable performance in 2010, and will grow nearly 5% on its 2009 levels.
The research report provides extensive research and objective analysis on the thriving fast food industry in the US, and its future growth prospects. The report also discusses the market structure, current and past market performance, and the factors critical to the success of the industry in US. In addition, it provides overall restaurant industry trends analysis to facilitate a balanced market understanding.
The report categorizes the entire fast food industry into four important segments: Hamburger, Sandwich, Pizza and Mexican fast food. The report has analyzed all the segments in detail and provides ongoing and future projected performance trends with in US perspective.
Moreover, all the emerging trends, including important drivers and factors critical for successful market penetration strategy formulation to help investors understand the market conditions have been studied in the report. The report has also identified the possible growth areas for expansion along with an overview of competitive landscape in the US fast food industry. The key players section covers brief business overview of leading fast food players currently operating in the US.
“US Fast Food Market Outlook 2010” has also given the segment wise industry forecast based on correlation of past drivers, challenges and opportunities for expansion. In this way, the report presents a complete and coherent analysis of US fast food market and will prove decisive for the clients.
For FREE SAMPLE of this report visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM014.htm
Check DISCOUNTED REPORTS on: http://www.rncos.com
The research report provides extensive research and objective analysis on the thriving fast food industry in the US, and its future growth prospects. The report also discusses the market structure, current and past market performance, and the factors critical to the success of the industry in US. In addition, it provides overall restaurant industry trends analysis to facilitate a balanced market understanding.
The report categorizes the entire fast food industry into four important segments: Hamburger, Sandwich, Pizza and Mexican fast food. The report has analyzed all the segments in detail and provides ongoing and future projected performance trends with in US perspective.
Moreover, all the emerging trends, including important drivers and factors critical for successful market penetration strategy formulation to help investors understand the market conditions have been studied in the report. The report has also identified the possible growth areas for expansion along with an overview of competitive landscape in the US fast food industry. The key players section covers brief business overview of leading fast food players currently operating in the US.
“US Fast Food Market Outlook 2010” has also given the segment wise industry forecast based on correlation of past drivers, challenges and opportunities for expansion. In this way, the report presents a complete and coherent analysis of US fast food market and will prove decisive for the clients.
For FREE SAMPLE of this report visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM014.htm
Check DISCOUNTED REPORTS on: http://www.rncos.com
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Looking For Online Writing Jobs?
Need to go shopping? Want to watch the latest blockbuster? Want to listen to Mariah Carey's new release? Want to read the latest installment to the Harry Potter series? No matter where you are in the world and no matter what time of the day, these activities are possible with just a click of the mouse. And what's more, people can now have the option to work at home through online writing jobs.
The increasing popularity of the Internet has made it possible for writers to find jobs with a hefty pay check, referred to as online writing jobs. Gone are the days of starving writers and unpublished poets. There are many online writing jobs advertised on the Internet and all one has to do is be patient in searching and applying for the most convenient online writing job.
However, before you search for the perfect online writing job, there are a few basic things you need to be aware of and consider. For one, there are many types of online writing jobs and competition can be quite tough. Some of the online writing jobs include writers for website content, writers who provide academic assistance, search engine optimization writers, ghost writers, advertising writers and e-zine writers. In order to narrow down your search, make sure to apply in positions that are in line with your forte. If you are good in essays and research papers, you have a higher chance of getting work at academic writing websites. If you have the "nose for the news" so to speak, apply as a writer in numerous e-zines. Those who love writing about anything under the sun could become a SEO or web content writer.
Another factor to consider in looking for online writing jobs is the amount of time you are willing to devote to writing on a daily or a weekly basis. Online writing jobs are usually on a full-time, part-time or per project basis. If you are currently employed but would like to consider a career change to online writing, it is advisable to test the waters by applying as a part-time writer. In this way, you will get the hang of things and will have a higher chance of landing a higher-paying online writing job. Students and full-time moms would like to opt for online writing jobs on a part-time or per project basis.
Some might say they are doing it for the love of writing, but come on, the money that comes with it is a major factor as well. Online writing jobs can be financially rewarding but you have to know what you are worth. Some companies and individuals may take advantage and thus offer lower rates. Normally, a 300-word page of essay would cost around US$6-18 depending on the deadline and the topic. The cost of a 500-word article for web content would range anywhere from US$5- 12.
The last but not the least is to know where to work. As stated earlier, some can take advantage and thus, it will not hurt to be wary when sending out applications and receiving offers.
So there you go. Always keep a mental note of these important reminders when searching for your dream online writing job!
Get Paid For Writing Short Articles and Stories. Start Earning Up To $375 Per Day Writing For Large Companies. Visit : http://sutiknoslamet.com/realwritingjob.htm For More Information!
The increasing popularity of the Internet has made it possible for writers to find jobs with a hefty pay check, referred to as online writing jobs. Gone are the days of starving writers and unpublished poets. There are many online writing jobs advertised on the Internet and all one has to do is be patient in searching and applying for the most convenient online writing job.
However, before you search for the perfect online writing job, there are a few basic things you need to be aware of and consider. For one, there are many types of online writing jobs and competition can be quite tough. Some of the online writing jobs include writers for website content, writers who provide academic assistance, search engine optimization writers, ghost writers, advertising writers and e-zine writers. In order to narrow down your search, make sure to apply in positions that are in line with your forte. If you are good in essays and research papers, you have a higher chance of getting work at academic writing websites. If you have the "nose for the news" so to speak, apply as a writer in numerous e-zines. Those who love writing about anything under the sun could become a SEO or web content writer.
Another factor to consider in looking for online writing jobs is the amount of time you are willing to devote to writing on a daily or a weekly basis. Online writing jobs are usually on a full-time, part-time or per project basis. If you are currently employed but would like to consider a career change to online writing, it is advisable to test the waters by applying as a part-time writer. In this way, you will get the hang of things and will have a higher chance of landing a higher-paying online writing job. Students and full-time moms would like to opt for online writing jobs on a part-time or per project basis.
Some might say they are doing it for the love of writing, but come on, the money that comes with it is a major factor as well. Online writing jobs can be financially rewarding but you have to know what you are worth. Some companies and individuals may take advantage and thus offer lower rates. Normally, a 300-word page of essay would cost around US$6-18 depending on the deadline and the topic. The cost of a 500-word article for web content would range anywhere from US$5- 12.
The last but not the least is to know where to work. As stated earlier, some can take advantage and thus, it will not hurt to be wary when sending out applications and receiving offers.
So there you go. Always keep a mental note of these important reminders when searching for your dream online writing job!
Get Paid For Writing Short Articles and Stories. Start Earning Up To $375 Per Day Writing For Large Companies. Visit : http://sutiknoslamet.com/realwritingjob.htm For More Information!
Friday, April 23, 2010
US Stem Cell Market Set for Stupendous Growth
With the increasing competition among pharma and biotech majors, the demand for discovery of new drugs has increased, which, in turn, has boosted the demand of stem cell applications. US is the major stem cell market in the world as the country is witnessing large number of transplantations. According to our new research on the sector called “US Stem Cell Market Analysis”, the Stem cell market in the US is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of around 69% during 2010-2012.
In our analysis, we have acknowledged several critical trends prevailing in the US stem cell market, which are determining the industry's current and future directions. As discussed in the report, growth of the stem cell industry in the US is largely driven by the growth of cellular therapeutics segment. It is anticipated that in coming years also, the cellular therapeutics segment will continue driving the industry growth on the back of various factors examined and evaluated thoroughly in the report.
Although the growth in technological development in the US market has been slow in comparison to the European Union due to ban on stem cell funding. But now, as this ban has also been called off by the Obama administration, the overall stem cell market, particularly the embryonic stem cells, is expected to see marked growth. In this regard, our report provides complete information and analysis about the growth factors that are driving the market growth.
“US Stem Cell Market Analysis” gives extensive research and in-depth analysis of the US stem cell market. It provides quantitative as well as qualitative description of the stem cell industry in the US, including market forecasts based on past drivers, challenges, and opportunities for expansion. The report also provides information about the key players along with their business information as well as their strength and weakness analysis. Overall, the report is aimed at offering clients a strategic insight into the concerned industry so that they can better check out the opportunities, which they can leverage to become the market leader.
For FREE SAMPLE of this report visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM191.htm
Check DISCOUNTED REPORTS on: http://www.rncos.com
In our analysis, we have acknowledged several critical trends prevailing in the US stem cell market, which are determining the industry's current and future directions. As discussed in the report, growth of the stem cell industry in the US is largely driven by the growth of cellular therapeutics segment. It is anticipated that in coming years also, the cellular therapeutics segment will continue driving the industry growth on the back of various factors examined and evaluated thoroughly in the report.
Although the growth in technological development in the US market has been slow in comparison to the European Union due to ban on stem cell funding. But now, as this ban has also been called off by the Obama administration, the overall stem cell market, particularly the embryonic stem cells, is expected to see marked growth. In this regard, our report provides complete information and analysis about the growth factors that are driving the market growth.
“US Stem Cell Market Analysis” gives extensive research and in-depth analysis of the US stem cell market. It provides quantitative as well as qualitative description of the stem cell industry in the US, including market forecasts based on past drivers, challenges, and opportunities for expansion. The report also provides information about the key players along with their business information as well as their strength and weakness analysis. Overall, the report is aimed at offering clients a strategic insight into the concerned industry so that they can better check out the opportunities, which they can leverage to become the market leader.
For FREE SAMPLE of this report visit: http://www.rncos.com/Report/IM191.htm
Check DISCOUNTED REPORTS on: http://www.rncos.com
Thursday, April 22, 2010
How To Protect your Photocopier Hard drive and Security
OnlineConect.co.uk have been aware of the security threat posed by digital photocopiers for many years and carry out a full data wipe on all machines before they are resold. Jenny Robinson of Online Connect UK says “we are pleased this issue has been brought to the attention of consumers by CBS as we have been protecting our customers data but are aware this is not common practice”.
However, the risk to Corporate Intelligence and sensitive information is understated in the CBS report (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/19/eveningnews/ma ...) according to Online Connect UK. The problem goes back to the photocopier industry as a whole. When digital photocopiers came in there was a complete lack of training in security and the problem goes beyond hard drives. Online Connect share some tips on securing your photocopier at the end of its life.
Identity Theft
Avoid copying sensitive information on public photocopiers. The information could be retreived from the hard drive.
Hard Drives
Hard Drives are packed full of sensitive information. From incoming faxes, id protected print jobs to frequently used files. Multifunctional digital copiers have a data encryption facility and hard disk data encryption should be enabled. Additionally Secure Document Release retains the document until identity is verified via a PIN, password.
Delete all information on hard drive at end of copiers life.
The Print Server
The first digital photocopiers used print servers and IT Departments were aware of the information stored. Fiery Servers and Cyclone served as the connection between the digital photocopier and the network and for many high volume or colour photocopiers still do. But with modern digital photocopiers often the print server is embedded in the machine and it is the print server part of the machine that may hold the most vital information. In a remote print server like fiery or cyclone it will contain a copy of the print job on its internal hard drive so enable encryption an wipe hard drive of the print server at the end of the copier cycle of life.
Often large Companies route all print requests through a central server, this allows data archiving to be achieved efficiently and the central server may be remote. In such cases the digital copier can contain network addresses of the companies central server including subnet mask, ipaddress and passwords.
The Print Server should be cleared of all information at the end of the copiers life.
Scanning
The machine may hold data on individual workstations and passwords. Machines with scan to email will hold private email addresses of individuals within the corparation or organisation.
All scanner and email information should be removed.
Print Queue
Often held in the RAM of the machine pending print jobs can contain sensitive information. Often the digital copier is replaced due to unreliability and by simply clearing a paper jam the machine can start printing out a wealth of information.
Clear all pending print jobs.
Fax
A list of fax numbers transmission times dates and received documents may be stored on a multifunction photocopier.
Delete all fax information at the end of copiers life.
Passwords
Machines set up for multiple user accounts will have common passwords stored. Unfortunately these passwords may be used in other areas of the business. A print out of photocopier passwords could lead to a more serious threat to security if passwords are used elsewhere within the organisation.
All passwords should be removed at the end of the photocopiers life.
Many used photocopiers are destined for india, africa and the middle east and it is important to ensure secure information is removed from the machine.
If you have concerns about security of your office equipment you can find Online Connect contact details on there website: http://www.onlineconnect.co.uk/
However, the risk to Corporate Intelligence and sensitive information is understated in the CBS report (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/04/19/eveningnews/ma ...) according to Online Connect UK. The problem goes back to the photocopier industry as a whole. When digital photocopiers came in there was a complete lack of training in security and the problem goes beyond hard drives. Online Connect share some tips on securing your photocopier at the end of its life.
Identity Theft
Avoid copying sensitive information on public photocopiers. The information could be retreived from the hard drive.
Hard Drives
Hard Drives are packed full of sensitive information. From incoming faxes, id protected print jobs to frequently used files. Multifunctional digital copiers have a data encryption facility and hard disk data encryption should be enabled. Additionally Secure Document Release retains the document until identity is verified via a PIN, password.
Delete all information on hard drive at end of copiers life.
The Print Server
The first digital photocopiers used print servers and IT Departments were aware of the information stored. Fiery Servers and Cyclone served as the connection between the digital photocopier and the network and for many high volume or colour photocopiers still do. But with modern digital photocopiers often the print server is embedded in the machine and it is the print server part of the machine that may hold the most vital information. In a remote print server like fiery or cyclone it will contain a copy of the print job on its internal hard drive so enable encryption an wipe hard drive of the print server at the end of the copier cycle of life.
Often large Companies route all print requests through a central server, this allows data archiving to be achieved efficiently and the central server may be remote. In such cases the digital copier can contain network addresses of the companies central server including subnet mask, ipaddress and passwords.
The Print Server should be cleared of all information at the end of the copiers life.
Scanning
The machine may hold data on individual workstations and passwords. Machines with scan to email will hold private email addresses of individuals within the corparation or organisation.
All scanner and email information should be removed.
Print Queue
Often held in the RAM of the machine pending print jobs can contain sensitive information. Often the digital copier is replaced due to unreliability and by simply clearing a paper jam the machine can start printing out a wealth of information.
Clear all pending print jobs.
Fax
A list of fax numbers transmission times dates and received documents may be stored on a multifunction photocopier.
Delete all fax information at the end of copiers life.
Passwords
Machines set up for multiple user accounts will have common passwords stored. Unfortunately these passwords may be used in other areas of the business. A print out of photocopier passwords could lead to a more serious threat to security if passwords are used elsewhere within the organisation.
All passwords should be removed at the end of the photocopiers life.
Many used photocopiers are destined for india, africa and the middle east and it is important to ensure secure information is removed from the machine.
If you have concerns about security of your office equipment you can find Online Connect contact details on there website: http://www.onlineconnect.co.uk/
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Queen Awards a Double for Contact Lens Innovation
The group formed by two former school friends, J Keith Lomas, Group CEO, and John Clamp, Group COO, both aged 39, is expanding throughout the world with sales into more than 60 countries.
“To receive the Queen’s Award once is a serious achievement, but twice is out of this world” said Lomas. “We were improving people’s vision but now our team is taking our technologies to new levels and dramatically changing lives for the better for thousands more people every month”.
The Queen’s Award is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a UK company and was awarded specifically for KeraSoft®, patented soft and silicone hydrogel contact lenses for irregular corneas and keratoconus.
Patients can have irregular corneas for a number of reasons including disease, trauma, corneal transplants or failed laser surgery such as Lasik and other prescription changing operations. Standard contact lenses or spectacles do not successfully address such complexities so patients can have considerably reduced vision. The traditional approach was with hard or rigid gas permeable lenses, but the rigid surfaces on thinning tissue was often extremely uncomfortable and resulted in short wearing times or patients not even able to wear the rigid lenses at all; so minimal sight.
KeraSoft® lenses are a combination of the latest in soft and silicone hydrogel materials using geometries from complex mathematics to offer comfortable wear and excellent vision for all waking hours, engineered and developed by John Clamp. Optometrist Lynn White, Keratoconus Consultant, helped refine the design for a wide range of irregular cornea conditions through her close work with her patients.
“I had to persevere with rigid lenses for years as there used to be no alternative”
KeraSoft® lenses are fitted and dispensed by optometrists and opticians in hospital departments, private and high street practices. Ophthalmologists are using the lenses both pre and post-operatively, following cross-linking surgery and as a safer and longer term solution than corneal transplants.
UltraVision CLPL states that KeraSoft® sales are growing by double digit percentages month on month. As well as launching directly in India with new dedicated operations in Trivandrum, Kerala, UltraVision CLPL is currently in licensing discussions with third parties to help accelerate the roll out of KeraSoft® around the world.
J Keith Lomas added “We’ve got game-changing technology here so need to maximise the positive impact on people’s lives wherever we can”.
Her Majesty The Queen will host a reception at Buckingham Palace later this year for the winners of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – 2010.
“To receive the Queen’s Award once is a serious achievement, but twice is out of this world” said Lomas. “We were improving people’s vision but now our team is taking our technologies to new levels and dramatically changing lives for the better for thousands more people every month”.
The Queen’s Award is the highest honour that can be bestowed on a UK company and was awarded specifically for KeraSoft®, patented soft and silicone hydrogel contact lenses for irregular corneas and keratoconus.
Patients can have irregular corneas for a number of reasons including disease, trauma, corneal transplants or failed laser surgery such as Lasik and other prescription changing operations. Standard contact lenses or spectacles do not successfully address such complexities so patients can have considerably reduced vision. The traditional approach was with hard or rigid gas permeable lenses, but the rigid surfaces on thinning tissue was often extremely uncomfortable and resulted in short wearing times or patients not even able to wear the rigid lenses at all; so minimal sight.
KeraSoft® lenses are a combination of the latest in soft and silicone hydrogel materials using geometries from complex mathematics to offer comfortable wear and excellent vision for all waking hours, engineered and developed by John Clamp. Optometrist Lynn White, Keratoconus Consultant, helped refine the design for a wide range of irregular cornea conditions through her close work with her patients.
“I had to persevere with rigid lenses for years as there used to be no alternative”
KeraSoft® lenses are fitted and dispensed by optometrists and opticians in hospital departments, private and high street practices. Ophthalmologists are using the lenses both pre and post-operatively, following cross-linking surgery and as a safer and longer term solution than corneal transplants.
UltraVision CLPL states that KeraSoft® sales are growing by double digit percentages month on month. As well as launching directly in India with new dedicated operations in Trivandrum, Kerala, UltraVision CLPL is currently in licensing discussions with third parties to help accelerate the roll out of KeraSoft® around the world.
J Keith Lomas added “We’ve got game-changing technology here so need to maximise the positive impact on people’s lives wherever we can”.
Her Majesty The Queen will host a reception at Buckingham Palace later this year for the winners of the Queen’s Award for Enterprise – 2010.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Electronic Game Card, Inc. Investor Update in lawsuit against EGMI
A deadline in the lawsuit on behalf investors in Electronic Game Card, Inc (OTC: EGMI) is coming up on April 30, 2010. An EGMI investor has filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for the Central District of California on behalf of all persons who purchased or otherwise acquired securities of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (OTCBB.EGMI) between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010, alleging securities laws violations by Electronic Game Card, Inc. and others.
If you are an investor with a substantial investment/loss and if you purchased shares of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (Public, OTC:EGMI) between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010, you have certain options and there is a deadline coming up. Deadline: April 30, 2010. Those EGMI investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation by email mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1 (858) 779 – 1554.
Electronic Game Card, Inc., located in New York, is a designer and manufacturer of a gaming device. According to the complaint the plaintiff alleges that Electronic Game Card, Inc. and certain of its executive officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by issuing between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010 false and misleading statements.
The Complaint alleges that on February 10, 2010, Electronic Game Card, Inc. postponed a conference call, which was slated to discuss important internal issues at Electronic Game Card, Inc.. The postponement resulted in an immediate sixteen percent drop in stock price. On February 19, 2010, Electronic Game Card, Inc. (“EGC”) announced that: (a) its independent auditors withdrew its audit opinions for EGC’s financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2007, and 2008; and (b) its financial reporting for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as its quarterly reports for its first three quarters of 2009 needed to be adjusted and reissued. Also on February 19, 2010, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission halted trading in EGC securities. As a result, class members have suffered substantial damages and their shares are currently illiquid. Shares of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (Public, OTC:EGMI) traded recently at $0.88 per share, down from its 52weekHigh of $2.24 per share.
Those who purchased shares of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (Public, OTC:EGMI) between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010, have certain options and there are strict and short deadlines running. Deadline: April 30, 2010. Those EGMI investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation by email mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1 (858) 779 – 1554.
If you are an investor with a substantial investment/loss and if you purchased shares of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (Public, OTC:EGMI) between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010, you have certain options and there is a deadline coming up. Deadline: April 30, 2010. Those EGMI investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation by email mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1 (858) 779 – 1554.
Electronic Game Card, Inc., located in New York, is a designer and manufacturer of a gaming device. According to the complaint the plaintiff alleges that Electronic Game Card, Inc. and certain of its executive officers violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by issuing between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010 false and misleading statements.
The Complaint alleges that on February 10, 2010, Electronic Game Card, Inc. postponed a conference call, which was slated to discuss important internal issues at Electronic Game Card, Inc.. The postponement resulted in an immediate sixteen percent drop in stock price. On February 19, 2010, Electronic Game Card, Inc. (“EGC”) announced that: (a) its independent auditors withdrew its audit opinions for EGC’s financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2007, and 2008; and (b) its financial reporting for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as its quarterly reports for its first three quarters of 2009 needed to be adjusted and reissued. Also on February 19, 2010, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission halted trading in EGC securities. As a result, class members have suffered substantial damages and their shares are currently illiquid. Shares of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (Public, OTC:EGMI) traded recently at $0.88 per share, down from its 52weekHigh of $2.24 per share.
Those who purchased shares of Electronic Game Card, Inc. (Public, OTC:EGMI) between April 5, 2007 and February 19, 2010, have certain options and there are strict and short deadlines running. Deadline: April 30, 2010. Those EGMI investors should contact the Shareholders Foundation by email mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1 (858) 779 – 1554.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Audi A3 Navigation at low price with high quality
Main features:
> Made by a long-term cooperative manufacturer, guaranteed high quality
> Navigation operating system: Win CE 6.0
> 6.2 inch TFT sharp high-definition digital LCD screen, 800*480 resolutions.
> Supports iPod full function control (Tested on ipod touch 8GB)
> Perfectly match your car: AUDI A3
> Button LED light color: Blue| Green| Red | None
> 6 virtual discs changer
> Steering wheel control, USB port, Two MicroSD card slots
> Dual zone: Enjoy music while navigation
> Built-in bluetooth. You can make hands-free calls or listen to music through bluetooth
> Built-in DVB-T digital TV function are optional (You have to pay extra 58USD)
> Supports RDS
> Auto rearview function, you can add a rearview camera.
> After installation, this unit won't support LCD display beside speedo.
> GPS console
Lastest GPS console. You can set up the path of GPS map by yourselves, view the GPS monitor, watch video, listen to music, and read e-book. Support all maps that work on windows CE 5.0 O/S, we have tested Route 66, iGo8, Polnav, etc. We recommend you always try demo before buying.
Adapting 16:9 HD digital LCD display
completely supports DVD/VCD/CD/MP3 and other A/V multimedia formats
Complete control over your DVD discs.
Floating control buttions when touching the screen Enter the SD/USB interface, you can see each file of U-disk/SD card .
When touching, the floating buttons will appear, the operation is similar with DVD player. Double tap to play the music/video or view pictures. Note: SD card view only function to units with two SD card slots.
Bluetooth:
Enable pair, then you can turn on Bluetooth of your cellphone to search the unit. Enter 0000, your cellphone and the unit will be paired.
The unit supports A2DP, you can play songs in your cellphone through bluetooth, which can be heard over the speakers of your car.
After paired, you can use the keyboard to make calls, as well as answering calls. This is very convenient and safe when you are driving. In the Bluetooth mode, you can also turn on PIP function.
Dual-zone:
Dual-zone within the unit. You can listen to the radio, music from SD card or U-disc while navigating.
Dual-zone with the headrest monitors or flip-down monitors. When turning on 2-zone, passenagers on the back seats can enjoy DVD movies while you are navigationg.
Ipod control:
Technically, it supports all generations of iPod. Due to limitation of conditions, we can only test that it supports iPod touch 2rd. 8GB. Some generations may not fully supported, such as lyrics or titles and so on. When connecting ipod using the special harness we provide, all the playlists in the iPod will be downloaded. You can control the music by the touchscreen. Play, pause, next,previous, F-F, F-B, volume.
Radio/AM /FM:
FM1/FM2/FM3/AM high sensitive digital tuner
Support FM/AM scaning, storage(32 stations at the most)
Frequency display, audio adjustment Auto search and store
Dial the frequency of your favorite radio stations
Supports RDS function
You can turn on PIP when listening to the radio. Want to be dynamic, you can turn on spectrum when listening to the music on the radio
Virtual CD changer-6 discs:
You can store 5 CDs in the first five virtual discs, and your favorite ones in the last virtual disc.
Normal storage: About 20 minutes for a single CD
Fast storage: About 10 minutes for a single CD (can not enjoy music while storing) You don't have to buy a CD changer, but can enjoy the convenience of a real CD changer.
Besides, this unit does not support CD changer
More information , please come to our website :www.car-gps-navigation.com
Sunday, April 18, 2010
New Driving School Starting Up In Sleaford Aims To Be The Best
Ben Willis is a driving instructor based in the Sleaford area. For the last 5 years Ben has been working with a national driving school and after building up his reputation and customer base has now decided to create his own driving school.
' After 5 good years with a large driving school i have managed to help numerous people through there tests and have also picked up lots of training and advice from other instructors' explains Ben ' However when you are with a national driving school there is always certain elements that you have no control over, the main one being the price of lessons and any special offers you may want to run. This was one of my main consideration's when i decided to set up independently as i want to offer a introductory offer that would attract people but also a normal lesson price that was competitive with all the other driving instructors in the area which i now feel i have.'
Ben teaches a large variety of people ranging from those that have never been behind the wheel before up to those who are close to, or about to take their test. Ben is also Pass Plus accredited and has done a lot of Pass Plus courses and motorway training once the test has been passed.
Ben's driving school which he has decided to call 'Willis Driving School' will start running from 19th April and will be covering Sleaford, Lincoln, Grantham and all the villages in between. As he has mentioned he is offering a very competitive introductory rate of the first 4 hours for £40 and then £22 after that. He has set up a website with all the information on which is www.willis-drive.com and is also available on Facebook.
' After 5 good years with a large driving school i have managed to help numerous people through there tests and have also picked up lots of training and advice from other instructors' explains Ben ' However when you are with a national driving school there is always certain elements that you have no control over, the main one being the price of lessons and any special offers you may want to run. This was one of my main consideration's when i decided to set up independently as i want to offer a introductory offer that would attract people but also a normal lesson price that was competitive with all the other driving instructors in the area which i now feel i have.'
Ben teaches a large variety of people ranging from those that have never been behind the wheel before up to those who are close to, or about to take their test. Ben is also Pass Plus accredited and has done a lot of Pass Plus courses and motorway training once the test has been passed.
Ben's driving school which he has decided to call 'Willis Driving School' will start running from 19th April and will be covering Sleaford, Lincoln, Grantham and all the villages in between. As he has mentioned he is offering a very competitive introductory rate of the first 4 hours for £40 and then £22 after that. He has set up a website with all the information on which is www.willis-drive.com and is also available on Facebook.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Stair Lifts Company announces Free Shipping for every Stair Lift Purchase
A stair lift can be the most helpful thing for a person with disabilities which can help them move from one place to another, even if it is inside his/her own home. Though there are many varieties of automated movable lifts are available now, each of these particular stair lifts are built for the specific requirements of the one who needs it (like heavy duty cable driven stair lift, rack and pinion designs, Stair Lift aimed for simple installation, chair lifts with easy upkeep, those designed for greater weight capabilities and heavier load lifting capabilities etc. Being one among the top and quality stair lifts service provider and chair lifts distributor, Jameson Medical Inc is now taking another step ahead to make its position on the top for customer convenience with a free shipping offer with any brand stair lift purchase.
Details can be found at http://jamesonmedical.com
A stair lift can easily be installed where there is a stair case in the house. This can perfectly enable the user (who is aged or with disability to climb steps and stairs) to safely go upstairs. The type of the stair lift should be selected by the person’s weight and the width of the stair. It’s been several years since stair lifts became such a useful appliance in any home. Jameson Medical Inc is one among the leading Stair Lifts providers which offers a complete range of stair lifts, had been awarded several times for their excellent customer service. It’s a known thing that to make all the family members independent and comfortable, the only solution is the usage of stair or chair lifts.
When you get a stair lift from Jameson medical inc, warranties on the products vary from two years for parts on up to five years. Though it's a fact that popular Stair Lifts brands only give a single year or one more year warranty with a stair lift, the company offers exclusive extended warranty to deliver the maximum customer satisfaction.
With the purchase of a Stair Lift (that can be of any brand or manufacturer) the consumer can avail free shipping to any where in the world. The minimum order amount can be as low as fifteen dollars to avail the free shipping. The company offers the same service to those customers who order customized stair lifts also. In case of alteration or any additional requirement if it needs to send the customized stair lift back to the company the return shipping should be paid by the consumer. But this situation will not arise at all. For more information about the free shipping offer and to go through the complete product details (multiple brands) refer the company website http://jamesonmedical.com
Details can be found at http://jamesonmedical.com
A stair lift can easily be installed where there is a stair case in the house. This can perfectly enable the user (who is aged or with disability to climb steps and stairs) to safely go upstairs. The type of the stair lift should be selected by the person’s weight and the width of the stair. It’s been several years since stair lifts became such a useful appliance in any home. Jameson Medical Inc is one among the leading Stair Lifts providers which offers a complete range of stair lifts, had been awarded several times for their excellent customer service. It’s a known thing that to make all the family members independent and comfortable, the only solution is the usage of stair or chair lifts.
When you get a stair lift from Jameson medical inc, warranties on the products vary from two years for parts on up to five years. Though it's a fact that popular Stair Lifts brands only give a single year or one more year warranty with a stair lift, the company offers exclusive extended warranty to deliver the maximum customer satisfaction.
With the purchase of a Stair Lift (that can be of any brand or manufacturer) the consumer can avail free shipping to any where in the world. The minimum order amount can be as low as fifteen dollars to avail the free shipping. The company offers the same service to those customers who order customized stair lifts also. In case of alteration or any additional requirement if it needs to send the customized stair lift back to the company the return shipping should be paid by the consumer. But this situation will not arise at all. For more information about the free shipping offer and to go through the complete product details (multiple brands) refer the company website http://jamesonmedical.com
Friday, April 16, 2010
Reverse Cell Phone Number Search Thru A Free Directory
There are generally two reasons why a person would like to perform a reverse cell phone number search. Perhaps, you are always being troubled by a prank caller and you want to put a stop to this. Perhaps, you also want to trace your long lost fiend or relative and, for some reason, you just do not want to call him yourself.
There are several ways so that you can perform a reverse cell phone number search. However, you must realize that this is not as simple as it may seem to be. This is because any information that came from a mobile gadget is really not considered to be public domain. And because of this, you may not be able to accomplish this task as easily as you might have expected.
It is a good thing that there are various websites in the internet that will allow you to perform a reverse cell phone number search. Some of them are even being offered for free so you might want to try them out. You will just have to type the digits and numerous results will be instantly pulled out.
For more details and a preview look here:
http://www.instantreversephonelookup.com
If you are going to use these free portals, there is a need for you to be careful as some of them are very unreliable. Their databases are really not that complete and updated. Some of them also contain some malicious programs such as virus and malware. Sadly, even if they are for free, it is better if you are going to avoid them.
It is much better if you are going to access a premium directory. In several ways, they are more effective because their directories are more comprehensive and reliable. And just to be sure, you have to see to it that they will be able to include even the new subscribers.
If you are a little worried about the cost, you might want to avail some of the discount packages depending on your needs and budget. For instance, you can always avail of a one-time pay for a one-time search. But if you intend to use these tools for a long time, it is better if you will become their member.
If you want to make sure that you will get what your money is worth, it is better if you are going to test their effectiveness first. Before you pay for a reverse cell phone number search, you should check if they have the information that you are looking for.
Nevertheless, it is much better if you are going to pay for a reverse cell phone number search because you are assured that the results are accurate and reliable.
Start your reverse phone number lookup immediately to discover everything you need here: http://www.instantreversephonelookup.com
There are several ways so that you can perform a reverse cell phone number search. However, you must realize that this is not as simple as it may seem to be. This is because any information that came from a mobile gadget is really not considered to be public domain. And because of this, you may not be able to accomplish this task as easily as you might have expected.
It is a good thing that there are various websites in the internet that will allow you to perform a reverse cell phone number search. Some of them are even being offered for free so you might want to try them out. You will just have to type the digits and numerous results will be instantly pulled out.
For more details and a preview look here:
http://www.instantreversephonelookup.com
If you are going to use these free portals, there is a need for you to be careful as some of them are very unreliable. Their databases are really not that complete and updated. Some of them also contain some malicious programs such as virus and malware. Sadly, even if they are for free, it is better if you are going to avoid them.
It is much better if you are going to access a premium directory. In several ways, they are more effective because their directories are more comprehensive and reliable. And just to be sure, you have to see to it that they will be able to include even the new subscribers.
If you are a little worried about the cost, you might want to avail some of the discount packages depending on your needs and budget. For instance, you can always avail of a one-time pay for a one-time search. But if you intend to use these tools for a long time, it is better if you will become their member.
If you want to make sure that you will get what your money is worth, it is better if you are going to test their effectiveness first. Before you pay for a reverse cell phone number search, you should check if they have the information that you are looking for.
Nevertheless, it is much better if you are going to pay for a reverse cell phone number search because you are assured that the results are accurate and reliable.
Start your reverse phone number lookup immediately to discover everything you need here: http://www.instantreversephonelookup.com
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Hostgator Coupon April 2010
Get new hostgator coupon codes for april for hostgator hosting plans. Get new and best host gator coupon code. HostGator continues to grow every day by providing hostgator coupons to their customers. They know that if people begin to use the services of Hostgator they will become their customers forever, so they give coupon codes. Hostgator is a company that receives a good response from people.Host gator is one of the fastest growing private companies in the world. Their growth is a proof of their commitment to their customers and, more importantly, it shows that Hostgator keep their customers happy. Along with the great prices they have staff who help customers and contribute to the growth of HostGator.As Hostgator grows, they offer their customers more and more resources that help their customer. They are one of the best hosting services in the industry. The provide shared hosting, vps hosting and dedicated server hosting. You can get new hostgator coupons at this hostgator coupon blog :-
http://latesthostgatorcoupons.com/
http://latesthostgatorcoupons.com/
Advantage Claims Recovery Group is a Claims Recovery Expert
Advantage Claims Recovery Group. is one of the well renowned and leading claims recovery companies, established in 1995. Since its inception, the company has gained millions for its clients across Dallas, Texas. Numerous Licensing Associations across the United States recommend Advantage Claims Recovery Group for successful claims recovery, as the group guarantees to provide the highest quality of recovery in minimum possible time. The experienced, laborious, and hard working staff of ACRG has vast knowledge and experience of the claims recovery industry. The company follows a legal procedure thus helping to collect revenues in a quick and efficient manner. Advantage Claims Recovery Group follows a positive and realistic method in collecting and recovering Workers' Compensation files. ACRG is a proud member of the Better Business Bureau.
The customer satisfaction rating of ACRG is one of the highest in the industry. One of the client's of ACRG remarks, "I couldn't believe how much money was left behind. If it wasn't for ACRG, I never would have known and the money would have been shredded. I highly recommend that everyone take advantage of ACRG, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
About Advantage Claims Recovery Group
Advantage Claims Recovery Group was founded in 1995 in Dallas, Texas, in response to a need by medical and healthcare professionals to recover denied, uncollected, and disputed Workers' Compensation claims.
Since that time, Advantage Claims Recovery Group has quickly become the leading company in the claims recovery industry. Over the years, the company has collected millions for its clients across the country. ACRG has established a reputation of excellence within the claims recovery industry – and with good reason. Advantage Claims Recovery Group is committed to providing the highest level of client care and customer service available.
To obtain more information about recovering lost revenue, please browse through http://www.acrginc.com
The customer satisfaction rating of ACRG is one of the highest in the industry. One of the client's of ACRG remarks, "I couldn't believe how much money was left behind. If it wasn't for ACRG, I never would have known and the money would have been shredded. I highly recommend that everyone take advantage of ACRG, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
About Advantage Claims Recovery Group
Advantage Claims Recovery Group was founded in 1995 in Dallas, Texas, in response to a need by medical and healthcare professionals to recover denied, uncollected, and disputed Workers' Compensation claims.
Since that time, Advantage Claims Recovery Group has quickly become the leading company in the claims recovery industry. Over the years, the company has collected millions for its clients across the country. ACRG has established a reputation of excellence within the claims recovery industry – and with good reason. Advantage Claims Recovery Group is committed to providing the highest level of client care and customer service available.
To obtain more information about recovering lost revenue, please browse through http://www.acrginc.com
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Portable Pop Up Displays Prices Dropped
In good news for trade show exhibitors, some of the most popular U.S. manufactured portable pop up display kits have dropped from an average price of $4000 to around $1200-$2200 with fabric panels and from $6000 to under $2400 with mural panels. The result is that there are more portable pop ups being sold right now than ever before.
-> Check the prices of portable popup displays made in the U.S. - http://www.popandexhibits.com/page/page/1005742.htm
Portable pop up displays were designed before the first Reagan administration and for much of the 1980's and 90's this simple design served as a primary source of income for some of the largest exhibit manufacturers in the industry.
When the popup display was first introduced, it was the very first alternative for buyers to expensive custom exhibits. It opened the door of trade show exhibiting up to many start up businesses to attend trade shows because of their affordability. As the years passed, many other portable exhibiting systems were introduced to compete with pop up exhibits or to augment a display line.
In an industry that takes pride on being on the so called 'cutting edge' both in terms of marketing know-how and innovation, many waited for a next generation portable display to replace the pop up. While there have been some innovative new trade show display systems brought to market over the past two years, demand for the portable pop up displays remains very strong.
What happened to cause the dramatic fall in price? In a word - cheap imports. Downward price pressure from Asia has forced U.S. Manufacturers to reduce wholesale prices. Manufacturing margins that had been unusually high are now more in line with the actual cost of materials and labor. In addition, assembly line production methods for the industry have improved.
After three decades, why the continued popularity of this portable display? When you stop and think about it, some design stands up well to the test of time. The displays are affordable, easy to set-up, and relatively inexpensive to transport.
-> Check out portable popup displays made in the U.S. - http://www.popandexhibits.com/page/page/1005742.htm
P.O.P. Exhibits Inc. clients:
U.S. Homeland Security
U. S. Navy
U.S. Army
U.S. Interior Department
Smithsonian Institute
Canadian Government
Amazon.com
Alaska Air
AOL
British Airways
Motorola
Pepsi
Police Departments
State Governments
City Governments
Companies in:
Australia
Brazil
Britain
Canada
Europe
Guam
Japan
India
Spain
-> Check the prices of portable popup displays made in the U.S. - http://www.popandexhibits.com/page/page/1005742.htm
Portable pop up displays were designed before the first Reagan administration and for much of the 1980's and 90's this simple design served as a primary source of income for some of the largest exhibit manufacturers in the industry.
When the popup display was first introduced, it was the very first alternative for buyers to expensive custom exhibits. It opened the door of trade show exhibiting up to many start up businesses to attend trade shows because of their affordability. As the years passed, many other portable exhibiting systems were introduced to compete with pop up exhibits or to augment a display line.
In an industry that takes pride on being on the so called 'cutting edge' both in terms of marketing know-how and innovation, many waited for a next generation portable display to replace the pop up. While there have been some innovative new trade show display systems brought to market over the past two years, demand for the portable pop up displays remains very strong.
What happened to cause the dramatic fall in price? In a word - cheap imports. Downward price pressure from Asia has forced U.S. Manufacturers to reduce wholesale prices. Manufacturing margins that had been unusually high are now more in line with the actual cost of materials and labor. In addition, assembly line production methods for the industry have improved.
After three decades, why the continued popularity of this portable display? When you stop and think about it, some design stands up well to the test of time. The displays are affordable, easy to set-up, and relatively inexpensive to transport.
-> Check out portable popup displays made in the U.S. - http://www.popandexhibits.com/page/page/1005742.htm
P.O.P. Exhibits Inc. clients:
U.S. Homeland Security
U. S. Navy
U.S. Army
U.S. Interior Department
Smithsonian Institute
Canadian Government
Amazon.com
Alaska Air
AOL
British Airways
Motorola
Pepsi
Police Departments
State Governments
City Governments
Companies in:
Australia
Brazil
Britain
Canada
Europe
Guam
Japan
India
Spain
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Boston Scientific Corporation hit by investor lawsuit
An investor in Boston Scientific Corporation (Public, NYSE:BSX) filed a lawsuit in United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of purchasers of Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) common stock during the period between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, alleging violations of federal securities laws by Boston Scientific Corp. and others.
If you purchased Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) common stock during the period between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, you have certain options and there are strict and short deadlines running. Deadline: June 07, 2010. Those BSX investors and current long term BSX shareholders should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc by email at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 – 1554.
Boston Scientific Corporation, located in Natick, Massachusetts, is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties, including cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, peripheral interventions, neurovascular, endoscopy, urology, women’s health and neuromodulation. Boston Scientific Corporation reported in 2007 Total Revenue of $8.357billion, in 2008 $8.05billion, and in 2009 $8.188billion.
According to the complaint the plaintiff alleges that BSX and certain of its officers and directors violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by issuing between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, materially false and misleading statements regarding its business and prospects.
Then on March 15, 2010, before the market opened, Boston Scientific Corp. announced that it was suspending sales of and was recalling all of its implantable cardiac defibrillator and implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator devices because it had changed the manufacturing process for the devices without obtaining FDA approval. On this news, so the lawsuit, Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) shares dropped 12.6%, to close at $6.80 per share, on volume of 243 million shares.
Shares of Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) traded recently at $6.97 per share, down from its 52weekHigh of $11.77 per share, over $14 per share in 2008, over $18 per share in 2007, and over $26 in 2006.
Those who purchased Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) common stock during the period between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, have certain options and there are strict and short deadlines running. Deadline: June 07, 2010. Those BSX investors and current long term BSX shareholders should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc by email at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 – 1554.
If you purchased Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) common stock during the period between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, you have certain options and there are strict and short deadlines running. Deadline: June 07, 2010. Those BSX investors and current long term BSX shareholders should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc by email at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 – 1554.
Boston Scientific Corporation, located in Natick, Massachusetts, is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties, including cardiac rhythm management, electrophysiology, interventional cardiology, peripheral interventions, neurovascular, endoscopy, urology, women’s health and neuromodulation. Boston Scientific Corporation reported in 2007 Total Revenue of $8.357billion, in 2008 $8.05billion, and in 2009 $8.188billion.
According to the complaint the plaintiff alleges that BSX and certain of its officers and directors violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by issuing between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, materially false and misleading statements regarding its business and prospects.
Then on March 15, 2010, before the market opened, Boston Scientific Corp. announced that it was suspending sales of and was recalling all of its implantable cardiac defibrillator and implantable cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator devices because it had changed the manufacturing process for the devices without obtaining FDA approval. On this news, so the lawsuit, Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX) shares dropped 12.6%, to close at $6.80 per share, on volume of 243 million shares.
Shares of Boston Scientific Corporation (BSX) traded recently at $6.97 per share, down from its 52weekHigh of $11.77 per share, over $14 per share in 2008, over $18 per share in 2007, and over $26 in 2006.
Those who purchased Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) common stock during the period between April 20, 2009 and March 12, 2010, have certain options and there are strict and short deadlines running. Deadline: June 07, 2010. Those BSX investors and current long term BSX shareholders should contact the Shareholders Foundation, Inc by email at mail@shareholdersfoundation.com or call +1(858) 779 – 1554.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Joy Keys finds out What is Fair Trade?
Find out What is Fair Trade?
Date: Saturday April 17, 2010
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 11:30am EST
Go To: www.blogtalkradio.com/joykeys and listen to the show from your computer.
Call: 646-929-0368 to listen and ask questions from your phone.
Special Guest: Carmen K. Iezzi-Executive Director, Fair Trade Federation.. Among her responsibilities, Carmen manages the strategic, administrative, and programmatic aspects of Federation. Graduating Phi Beta Kappa from School of International Service at American University, Carmen stayed to complete her master's degree with a focus on the impact of regional integration on good governance. Presently, she acts as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Ten Thousand Villages of Alexandria, is a director for the Abyssinian Fund, chairs the Millennium Development Goals Task Force for the UN Association of the National Capital Area, and served on the editorial board of the Journal of Fair Trade Studies. http://www.fairtraderesource.org/
Special Guest: Executive Director - Jeff Goldman joined FTRN in January 2009. He has fortunately received directions, cultural insights, and genuine kindness from countless locals while working & backpacking in 54 countries across six continents. Just prior to joining FTRN, he served as Executive Director of Mango Tree, a socially responsible business designing & producing low-literacy communication materials in Uganda. He was first introduced to Fair Trade while working as a Membership & Development Coordinator at Co-op America (now Green America). He earned an M.S. in Energy and Environmental Policy from MIT, and a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia.
http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
Special Co-host: Meg Widholm is a Fair Trade enthusiast with a commitment to the abolition of sweatshops and equal pay for equal work. She has done volunteer work for 10,000 Villages, a non-profit Fair Trade retail store with locations in the United States and Canada. She is currently employed in IT and working in parallel to open a Locally-Produced and Fair Trade retail shop in the Philadelphia area.
Date: Saturday April 17, 2010
Time: 11:00 a.m. - 11:30am EST
Go To: www.blogtalkradio.com/joykeys and listen to the show from your computer.
Call: 646-929-0368 to listen and ask questions from your phone.
Special Guest: Carmen K. Iezzi-Executive Director, Fair Trade Federation.. Among her responsibilities, Carmen manages the strategic, administrative, and programmatic aspects of Federation. Graduating Phi Beta Kappa from School of International Service at American University, Carmen stayed to complete her master's degree with a focus on the impact of regional integration on good governance. Presently, she acts as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Ten Thousand Villages of Alexandria, is a director for the Abyssinian Fund, chairs the Millennium Development Goals Task Force for the UN Association of the National Capital Area, and served on the editorial board of the Journal of Fair Trade Studies. http://www.fairtraderesource.org/
Special Guest: Executive Director - Jeff Goldman joined FTRN in January 2009. He has fortunately received directions, cultural insights, and genuine kindness from countless locals while working & backpacking in 54 countries across six continents. Just prior to joining FTRN, he served as Executive Director of Mango Tree, a socially responsible business designing & producing low-literacy communication materials in Uganda. He was first introduced to Fair Trade while working as a Membership & Development Coordinator at Co-op America (now Green America). He earned an M.S. in Energy and Environmental Policy from MIT, and a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia.
http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
Special Co-host: Meg Widholm is a Fair Trade enthusiast with a commitment to the abolition of sweatshops and equal pay for equal work. She has done volunteer work for 10,000 Villages, a non-profit Fair Trade retail store with locations in the United States and Canada. She is currently employed in IT and working in parallel to open a Locally-Produced and Fair Trade retail shop in the Philadelphia area.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Simple Project Management Knowledge Test Available
PMForum, Inc announced today the availability of a simple project management knowledge test through PMForum’s partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Project Management (CEPM). PMForum operates www.pmforum.org, the world’s oldest website devoted to professional project management, and produces the popular monthly global project management e-Journal PM World Today.
The simple project management knowledge test, called the Project Management Knowledge Quotient (PMKQ), comes in several versions for project mangers and practitioners to test their knowledge of project management concepts, terms and methodologies. The PM Knowledge test can be accessed through the PMKQ website at http://cepm-pmforum.com/PMKQOnline/index.aspx.
According to David Pells, Managing Editor at PMForum, “I thought that I was pretty knowledgeable about project management. But when I took these simple tests, I found some areas where I either answered a question wrong or needed to refresh my knowledge.”
Designed to be a first step in the project management learning process, PMKQ involves a set of questions and problems related to managing projects that a well experienced or well educated project manager should know the answers to. The test comes in three versions – Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt.
Yellow Belt is a simple test of basic project management knowledge, with registration valid for seven days. Green Belt test includes more topics and questions, with registration valid for 10 days. Black Belt covers more topics, with registration valid for 15 days. A Composite version is also available, with registration valid for 30 days to allow maximum exposure and benefits.
“It’s probably a good idea to test your knowledge before signing up for some expensive training,” added Pells. “This approach might also be a good idea for an organization or PMO that wants to assess the current knowledge of project teams members or employees.”
PMKQ is one of the products offered through the PMForum – CEPM partnership. PMForum announced on 23 February 2010 a partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Project Management (CEPM) of New Delhi, India to offer a set of high quality, low cost, online project management courses, including CEPM's renowned Certificate in Project Management (CIPM). A description of the partnership can be found at http://www.pmforum.org/partners/cepm.html. The new courses can now be found at www.cepm-pmforum.com.
The simple project management knowledge test, called the Project Management Knowledge Quotient (PMKQ), comes in several versions for project mangers and practitioners to test their knowledge of project management concepts, terms and methodologies. The PM Knowledge test can be accessed through the PMKQ website at http://cepm-pmforum.com/PMKQOnline/index.aspx.
According to David Pells, Managing Editor at PMForum, “I thought that I was pretty knowledgeable about project management. But when I took these simple tests, I found some areas where I either answered a question wrong or needed to refresh my knowledge.”
Designed to be a first step in the project management learning process, PMKQ involves a set of questions and problems related to managing projects that a well experienced or well educated project manager should know the answers to. The test comes in three versions – Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt.
Yellow Belt is a simple test of basic project management knowledge, with registration valid for seven days. Green Belt test includes more topics and questions, with registration valid for 10 days. Black Belt covers more topics, with registration valid for 15 days. A Composite version is also available, with registration valid for 30 days to allow maximum exposure and benefits.
“It’s probably a good idea to test your knowledge before signing up for some expensive training,” added Pells. “This approach might also be a good idea for an organization or PMO that wants to assess the current knowledge of project teams members or employees.”
PMKQ is one of the products offered through the PMForum – CEPM partnership. PMForum announced on 23 February 2010 a partnership with the Centre for Excellence in Project Management (CEPM) of New Delhi, India to offer a set of high quality, low cost, online project management courses, including CEPM's renowned Certificate in Project Management (CIPM). A description of the partnership can be found at http://www.pmforum.org/partners/cepm.html. The new courses can now be found at www.cepm-pmforum.com.
Friday, April 9, 2010
International capabilities prompt Realtors® to refer clients
Robb & Stucky Interiors, in Boca Raton’s Mizner Park, frequently receives referrals from area Realtors® who represent international clients wanting home furnishings they have selected here to be shipped out of the country.
“Referrals from real estate professionals continue to increase due to the beautiful product lines showcased in the Robb & Stucky showroom in Boca Raton, along with our reputation for world-class service, as well as our well-honed shipping capabilities. We also have a multi-lingual design team fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, & German,” said General Manager Alan Steinberg.
Steinberg cited a Realtor-referred client from Portugal who recently ordered more than $100,000 in merchandise from Robb & Stucky during a visit here. The client spent two days making selections with a Robb & Stucky designer who could communicate in Portuguese. “We were able to seamlessly execute the process from selection through shipping and installation, which pleased the client as well as the referring Realtor from Fort Lauderdale,” he said.
“My client came to South Florida with time constraints and asked me where he should go to find everything he needed to decorate his home in Portugal. He didn’t want to go to too many places,” said Pat Anglero with Galleria International Realty on Las Olas Boulevard. “I recommended Robb & Stucky, where he was immediately put in contact with an interior designer who was in sync with both his language and taste. Also, the designer was very astute and mindful that my client wanted to furnish his residence quickly. So she selected in-stock merchandise available for very quick delivery. He was treated very well and it worked out perfectly for everyone.”
Serving an international clientele isn’t new for the interior design and premier home furnishings showroom. Robb & Stucky operates a booming design studio in Costa Rica that was established to service a large developer’s project where the homebuyers could select from a choice of turnkey concierge packages. These packages included not only furnishings and accessories, but also housewares – down to the very last detail – with each package priced to include shipping, tax, duty, delivery and installation.
“Likewise, many of our interior designers and design consultants serve clients outside the United States that came to them without a Realtor referral. These international clients have multiple homes both abroad and in South Florida,” Steinberg pointed out. “In the last year alone, Robb & Stucky has shipped merchandise to Austria, England, Canada, Portugal, Mexico, Honduras and Chile, as well as to Trinidad and Haiti in the Caribbean. With South Florida being a melting pot of different cultures, this isn’t surprising. But, what gives us an edge is that we can ship to international locations easily and quickly, and we have the breadth of merchandise that appeals to the international buyer.”
Founded in 1915, in Fort Myers, Fla., Robb & Stucky is a nationally recognized interior design and premier home furnishings retailer with showrooms in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Costa Rica. Robb & Stucky offers a unique lifestyle shopping experience with an unparalleled collection of fine furnishings and an award-winning ensemble of designers.
Robb & Stucky is certified by the state of Florida to practice interior design, license number IB0000745. The company is an industry partner with the American Society of Interior Designers.
Robb & Stucky Interiors in Mizner Park is located at 200 Plaza Real in Boca Raton. Showroom hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday- Friday, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. For further information, call (561) 347-1717 or visit www.robbstucky.com.
“Referrals from real estate professionals continue to increase due to the beautiful product lines showcased in the Robb & Stucky showroom in Boca Raton, along with our reputation for world-class service, as well as our well-honed shipping capabilities. We also have a multi-lingual design team fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, & German,” said General Manager Alan Steinberg.
Steinberg cited a Realtor-referred client from Portugal who recently ordered more than $100,000 in merchandise from Robb & Stucky during a visit here. The client spent two days making selections with a Robb & Stucky designer who could communicate in Portuguese. “We were able to seamlessly execute the process from selection through shipping and installation, which pleased the client as well as the referring Realtor from Fort Lauderdale,” he said.
“My client came to South Florida with time constraints and asked me where he should go to find everything he needed to decorate his home in Portugal. He didn’t want to go to too many places,” said Pat Anglero with Galleria International Realty on Las Olas Boulevard. “I recommended Robb & Stucky, where he was immediately put in contact with an interior designer who was in sync with both his language and taste. Also, the designer was very astute and mindful that my client wanted to furnish his residence quickly. So she selected in-stock merchandise available for very quick delivery. He was treated very well and it worked out perfectly for everyone.”
Serving an international clientele isn’t new for the interior design and premier home furnishings showroom. Robb & Stucky operates a booming design studio in Costa Rica that was established to service a large developer’s project where the homebuyers could select from a choice of turnkey concierge packages. These packages included not only furnishings and accessories, but also housewares – down to the very last detail – with each package priced to include shipping, tax, duty, delivery and installation.
“Likewise, many of our interior designers and design consultants serve clients outside the United States that came to them without a Realtor referral. These international clients have multiple homes both abroad and in South Florida,” Steinberg pointed out. “In the last year alone, Robb & Stucky has shipped merchandise to Austria, England, Canada, Portugal, Mexico, Honduras and Chile, as well as to Trinidad and Haiti in the Caribbean. With South Florida being a melting pot of different cultures, this isn’t surprising. But, what gives us an edge is that we can ship to international locations easily and quickly, and we have the breadth of merchandise that appeals to the international buyer.”
Founded in 1915, in Fort Myers, Fla., Robb & Stucky is a nationally recognized interior design and premier home furnishings retailer with showrooms in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Nevada, and Costa Rica. Robb & Stucky offers a unique lifestyle shopping experience with an unparalleled collection of fine furnishings and an award-winning ensemble of designers.
Robb & Stucky is certified by the state of Florida to practice interior design, license number IB0000745. The company is an industry partner with the American Society of Interior Designers.
Robb & Stucky Interiors in Mizner Park is located at 200 Plaza Real in Boca Raton. Showroom hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday- Friday, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. For further information, call (561) 347-1717 or visit www.robbstucky.com.
Young Woman Entrepreneur Of The Year
Palm Beach County high school freshman, Shea Gouldd (15) is named Young Woman Entrepreneur of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners at the South Florida chapter banquet and BRAVO awards ceremony, held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March, 2010. Recognized for significant contributions and accomplishments by a young woman business owner age 13-25, the local ninth grader owns and is chef of Shea’s Bakery, a gourmet bakery that she runs from a commercial kitchen in Delray Beach, Florida, baking product to the order and offering local delivery. Gouldd started the business in 2008 at age 14 as a way to continue her passion for baking and further her community service.
“Even when I was a toddler, I’d rather watch cooking shows than cartoons,” says the fresh-faced baker.
"She would push her little step stool up to the counter so she could watch me make dinner and ask if she could help,” says Gouldd’s mother, Lesley Marlo. “So I'd let her snip green beans with scissors, measure rice and things like that. She loved to see how our work would turn into a tasty meal that we could sit and enjoy together."
While the cooking gene may have been passed down, Shea’s mom insists that the teen’s talent for baking is all her own.
“As she got older, Shea’s love of cooking grew to into a passion for baking, something I have almost no experience with,” says Marlo. "She started testing recipes she'd find online or see on TV, and her natural gift became clear right away."
“By seventh grade, I was baking every chance I got,” recalls Gouldd. Then, her single, self-employed mom posed a new challenge. “My mom said I had to find a way to support my expensive habit, so I started taking orders from family friends.”
What started as an order for a homemade brownie-bottomed cheesecake evolved into a full-scale operation supporting seasonal menus of more than 60 items, including gourmet cheesecakes and pies, rich velvety cakes, cupcakes, a signature Pattycake™, cookies, brownies and seasonal breads made with ingredients grown pesticide-free and harvested from the baker’s own backyard.
With virtually no marketing, business grew 300% in one year through word of mouth referrals and began capturing press attention. The young entrepreneur attributes the bakery’s instant success to passion and product quality.
“I use only quality ingredients and test lots of recipes, adding my own twists until it’s something I will be proud to have on the menu,” says Gouldd over a batch of 100 mini cupcakes topped with glistening buttercream.
Earlier this year, Shea and her bakery were featured on the five o’clock news by NBC affiliate WPTV News Channel 5, highlighting the 15-year-old beauty's business success with ringing endorsements for tastiness from anchors Kelly Dunn and Shannon Cake. http://www.wptv.com/content/news/southpbc/boyntonbeach/s ...
Customers can order goods by phone or online at http://www.sheasbakery.com and pick up or opt for delivery for only $5. The first store to carry Shea’s Bakery items, moved 720 cupcakes in one weekend and close to 900 cookies, brownies and breads a second weekend. Two local stores are pursuing co-branding deals.
While certainly remarkable, owning a successful business at the ripe age of 15 is just one line on this motivated teen’s already impressive resume. The BRAVO: Young Entrepreneur of the Year award complements an existing list of accolades, which includes the President's Award for Educational Excellence, Honor Society and community service awards for more than 100 hours of volunteerism per year for the past three years. Shea holds a 4.37 HPA (honors point average) at Spanish River Community High School, where she is enrolled in the school's Entrepreneurial Academy to further her business pursuits through accounting and marketing classes, and she plays tenor saxophone in the school’s decorated marching and symphonic bands. The bakery donates goods to a local soup kitchen where Gouldd has also served, and bakery proceeds are donated to various charities.
“I’m pretty busy,” says Gouldd with a shrug. “But I’m so lucky to have the support I have. I get to make enough money to keep baking, make people happy and give back.” With a twinkling smile, she adds, “Plus, I really, really love it.”
Shea’s Bakery is a woman-owned gourmet bakery that was started by a motivated 14 year-old with a passion for baking, a need for spending money and a desire to give back to her community. The bakery is located in Delray Beach, Florida, and orders may be made by phone or online at http://www.sheasbakery.com.
“Even when I was a toddler, I’d rather watch cooking shows than cartoons,” says the fresh-faced baker.
"She would push her little step stool up to the counter so she could watch me make dinner and ask if she could help,” says Gouldd’s mother, Lesley Marlo. “So I'd let her snip green beans with scissors, measure rice and things like that. She loved to see how our work would turn into a tasty meal that we could sit and enjoy together."
While the cooking gene may have been passed down, Shea’s mom insists that the teen’s talent for baking is all her own.
“As she got older, Shea’s love of cooking grew to into a passion for baking, something I have almost no experience with,” says Marlo. "She started testing recipes she'd find online or see on TV, and her natural gift became clear right away."
“By seventh grade, I was baking every chance I got,” recalls Gouldd. Then, her single, self-employed mom posed a new challenge. “My mom said I had to find a way to support my expensive habit, so I started taking orders from family friends.”
What started as an order for a homemade brownie-bottomed cheesecake evolved into a full-scale operation supporting seasonal menus of more than 60 items, including gourmet cheesecakes and pies, rich velvety cakes, cupcakes, a signature Pattycake™, cookies, brownies and seasonal breads made with ingredients grown pesticide-free and harvested from the baker’s own backyard.
With virtually no marketing, business grew 300% in one year through word of mouth referrals and began capturing press attention. The young entrepreneur attributes the bakery’s instant success to passion and product quality.
“I use only quality ingredients and test lots of recipes, adding my own twists until it’s something I will be proud to have on the menu,” says Gouldd over a batch of 100 mini cupcakes topped with glistening buttercream.
Earlier this year, Shea and her bakery were featured on the five o’clock news by NBC affiliate WPTV News Channel 5, highlighting the 15-year-old beauty's business success with ringing endorsements for tastiness from anchors Kelly Dunn and Shannon Cake. http://www.wptv.com/content/news/southpbc/boyntonbeach/s ...
Customers can order goods by phone or online at http://www.sheasbakery.com and pick up or opt for delivery for only $5. The first store to carry Shea’s Bakery items, moved 720 cupcakes in one weekend and close to 900 cookies, brownies and breads a second weekend. Two local stores are pursuing co-branding deals.
While certainly remarkable, owning a successful business at the ripe age of 15 is just one line on this motivated teen’s already impressive resume. The BRAVO: Young Entrepreneur of the Year award complements an existing list of accolades, which includes the President's Award for Educational Excellence, Honor Society and community service awards for more than 100 hours of volunteerism per year for the past three years. Shea holds a 4.37 HPA (honors point average) at Spanish River Community High School, where she is enrolled in the school's Entrepreneurial Academy to further her business pursuits through accounting and marketing classes, and she plays tenor saxophone in the school’s decorated marching and symphonic bands. The bakery donates goods to a local soup kitchen where Gouldd has also served, and bakery proceeds are donated to various charities.
“I’m pretty busy,” says Gouldd with a shrug. “But I’m so lucky to have the support I have. I get to make enough money to keep baking, make people happy and give back.” With a twinkling smile, she adds, “Plus, I really, really love it.”
Shea’s Bakery is a woman-owned gourmet bakery that was started by a motivated 14 year-old with a passion for baking, a need for spending money and a desire to give back to her community. The bakery is located in Delray Beach, Florida, and orders may be made by phone or online at http://www.sheasbakery.com.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Moe’s Original Bar B Que Now Open in Huntsville, AL
Moe’s Original Bar B Que is proud to announce its 13th location opening at 2030 Cecil Ashburn Drive Suite 109 in Jones Valley Station. Featuring award-winning Bama-style BBQ smoked over white oak and served with two unique sauces, the restaurant also prepares eight to ten Southern sides and tasty desserts. Moe’s location in Huntsville will have four flat screen TVs for sports viewing, a patio with picnic tables, views of the mountains and Jones Valley, not to mention acoustic music on some weekends.
“As Huntsville is a young, energetic scene, we wanted to bring this smokin’ BBQ joint for customers to enjoy with friends, family and a cold beer,” said Moe’s Huntsville co-owner Mike Ellis. “Additionally, we will be offering special event catering and large party take out orders with delivery.”
Moe’s Original Bar B Que was founded in 2001 in Vail, Colorado by Bama boys Mike Fernandez, Ben Gilbert, and Jeff Kennedy. Moe’s Original BBQ smokes all meat fresh daily as taught by Tuscaloosa, AL legend Moses Day in twelve other locations that include Denver, Eagle, Ft. Collins and Vail, Colorado, Daphne, Fairhope, Orange Beach, Tuscaloosa, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Lakeview, and Birmingham, Alabama. Additional locations to open this year include Asheville, NC, Atlanta, GA and two additional Denver, CO restaurants.All Moe’s start serving at 11am until it’s gone.
For more information, owner interviews, photos or menus, please contact Lorrie Dixson of Eskimo Advertising at lorrie@eskimoadvertising.com or 404-441-3473. For more information about Moe’s Original Bar B Que, visit www.moesoriginalbbq.com.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10613426-moes-original-bar-que-now-open-in-huntsville-al.html
“As Huntsville is a young, energetic scene, we wanted to bring this smokin’ BBQ joint for customers to enjoy with friends, family and a cold beer,” said Moe’s Huntsville co-owner Mike Ellis. “Additionally, we will be offering special event catering and large party take out orders with delivery.”
Moe’s Original Bar B Que was founded in 2001 in Vail, Colorado by Bama boys Mike Fernandez, Ben Gilbert, and Jeff Kennedy. Moe’s Original BBQ smokes all meat fresh daily as taught by Tuscaloosa, AL legend Moses Day in twelve other locations that include Denver, Eagle, Ft. Collins and Vail, Colorado, Daphne, Fairhope, Orange Beach, Tuscaloosa, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Lakeview, and Birmingham, Alabama. Additional locations to open this year include Asheville, NC, Atlanta, GA and two additional Denver, CO restaurants.All Moe’s start serving at 11am until it’s gone.
For more information, owner interviews, photos or menus, please contact Lorrie Dixson of Eskimo Advertising at lorrie@eskimoadvertising.com or 404-441-3473. For more information about Moe’s Original Bar B Que, visit www.moesoriginalbbq.com.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10613426-moes-original-bar-que-now-open-in-huntsville-al.html
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Atlas Home Improvement Opens New “Interactive” Showroom
Atlas Home Improvement, LLC today announced the opening of its “interactive” Showroom in Hartland, MI. The 700 square ft. showroom will be located inside the new Meijer’s store at the major intersection of US23 & M59 in Hartland. The Atlas showroom will be located in the front of the store opposite the self-checkout area on the west side of the Meijer store.
The showroom is being called “interactive” because people will be able to see and touch many state-of-the-art home improvement products like Gutter Helmet® rain gutter guards and Bathwraps® bath tub liners, plus learn about the latest and greatest ideas in home improvement. There will be five large monitors throughout the showroom showing videos and before and after pictures – 24 hours a day - so people can see what can be done with Atlas products, and in many cases, completed in just one day!
Atlas Home Improvement is a local, family owned Specialty Home Improvement Business since 1989. Atlas is proud to have a customer base of almost 14,000 customers and a platinum rating with the BBB. Atlas Home Improvement specializes in:
Gutter Helmet® “Never Clean Your Gutters Again!”
Atlas Bath & Shower featuring Bathwraps® “A New Bath or Shower – in about a day!”
Atlas Seamless Gutters featuring Titan “invisible” gutters and Snaplock® Attachment System
Atlas Insulation featuring Applegate® Brand Stabilized Cellulose
Atlas Roofing featuring Asphalt and Metal Roofing
Atlas Siding featuring Alcoa® Products
Owners David & Darian Bobby, father and son, are Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) and many of the offerings on display in the showroom present creative solutions for seniors looking for products that provide safety and ease of use.
“One of our most popular offerings is tub to shower conversions” said Darian Bobby, co-owner of Atlas. “As people get older, negotiating a 17” high step into a bathtub can be a dangerous undertaking. Since many people do not take baths but prefer instead to shower – a 3 ½” or 7” shower pan threshold height is much easier to manage and can that can be very reassuring for people”
“Visitors to the new Showroom will be able to learn more about many important systems that protect their home,” added David Bobby, co-owner of Atlas. “The average homeowner sometimes does not understand how different systems interact and can affect each other. For example, the roof, attic insulation and gutters are interconnected and can affect each other’s performance - even though they are separate systems.”
Atlas will provide highly trained and knowledgeable exhibitors to staff the new Showroom from 10 am until 7 pm, 7 days a week. Atlas’ Professional Exhibitors will be on hand to talk to visitors about their home improvement ideas and plans. There will also be informational data sheets and Troubleshooter Newsletters available free to the public that provide information on areas of interest to almost every homeowner.
Visit the Atlas website at www.atlashomeimprovement.com to learn more about Atlas and its Speciality Home Improvement Product lines. Atlas is a very active company and is proud to present its products at a variety of Home Shows, Events, Expos and Festivals throughout S.E. Michigan all year long. Please call 800-378-1924 for more information.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10612993-atlas-home-improvement-opens-new-interactive-showroom-in-hartland.html
The showroom is being called “interactive” because people will be able to see and touch many state-of-the-art home improvement products like Gutter Helmet® rain gutter guards and Bathwraps® bath tub liners, plus learn about the latest and greatest ideas in home improvement. There will be five large monitors throughout the showroom showing videos and before and after pictures – 24 hours a day - so people can see what can be done with Atlas products, and in many cases, completed in just one day!
Atlas Home Improvement is a local, family owned Specialty Home Improvement Business since 1989. Atlas is proud to have a customer base of almost 14,000 customers and a platinum rating with the BBB. Atlas Home Improvement specializes in:
Gutter Helmet® “Never Clean Your Gutters Again!”
Atlas Bath & Shower featuring Bathwraps® “A New Bath or Shower – in about a day!”
Atlas Seamless Gutters featuring Titan “invisible” gutters and Snaplock® Attachment System
Atlas Insulation featuring Applegate® Brand Stabilized Cellulose
Atlas Roofing featuring Asphalt and Metal Roofing
Atlas Siding featuring Alcoa® Products
Owners David & Darian Bobby, father and son, are Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS) and many of the offerings on display in the showroom present creative solutions for seniors looking for products that provide safety and ease of use.
“One of our most popular offerings is tub to shower conversions” said Darian Bobby, co-owner of Atlas. “As people get older, negotiating a 17” high step into a bathtub can be a dangerous undertaking. Since many people do not take baths but prefer instead to shower – a 3 ½” or 7” shower pan threshold height is much easier to manage and can that can be very reassuring for people”
“Visitors to the new Showroom will be able to learn more about many important systems that protect their home,” added David Bobby, co-owner of Atlas. “The average homeowner sometimes does not understand how different systems interact and can affect each other. For example, the roof, attic insulation and gutters are interconnected and can affect each other’s performance - even though they are separate systems.”
Atlas will provide highly trained and knowledgeable exhibitors to staff the new Showroom from 10 am until 7 pm, 7 days a week. Atlas’ Professional Exhibitors will be on hand to talk to visitors about their home improvement ideas and plans. There will also be informational data sheets and Troubleshooter Newsletters available free to the public that provide information on areas of interest to almost every homeowner.
Visit the Atlas website at www.atlashomeimprovement.com to learn more about Atlas and its Speciality Home Improvement Product lines. Atlas is a very active company and is proud to present its products at a variety of Home Shows, Events, Expos and Festivals throughout S.E. Michigan all year long. Please call 800-378-1924 for more information.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10612993-atlas-home-improvement-opens-new-interactive-showroom-in-hartland.html
Monday, April 5, 2010
JVC to Introduce GY-HM790 ProHD Camcorder
JVC Professional Products, a division of JVC U.S.A., will introduce the new flagship of its ProHD camcorder line, the GY-HM790, at the 2010 NAB Show in Las Vegas, Nev., April 12-15 (Booth C4314). With an innovative modular design and a full complement of accessories, the new camera supports multicore or fiber-based production. Plus, as a shoulder-mount camcorder, it delivers outstanding ENG and sports production performance with more features than ever.
The GY-HM790 features three 1/3-inch CCDs, which allow a lighter, more compact form factor for better maneuverability in the field and more flexibility with robotic camera control systems in the studio. It produces 1920x1080 images and can record in 1080i, 720p, and even SD (480i) for operations that have not yet made the move to HD. The camera records at 35 Mbps (HQ mode/variable bit rate) or 19 Mbps/25 Mbps (SP mode/constant bit rate). The camera ships with a Canon 14x zoom lens or without lens, as accommodates a variety of lenses with its 1/3-inch bayonet lens mount.
Adopting the successful tapeless workflow introduced in the GY-HM700 camcorder, the GY-HM790 features a dual card slot design that records to low-cost, non-proprietary SDHC Class 6 or 10 solid-state media cards. JVC’s native file recording technology allows recording in ready-to-edit file formats for Apple Final Cut Pro (.mov) and other major NLE systems (.mp4) that are compatible with Sony XDCAM EX workflow.
An optional ASI output module provides a direct feed from the camera to a satellite uplink or microwave transmitter via BNC – no “black box” interfaces required – for live HD video from the field. Other ENG features on the GY-HM790 include an analog SD pool feed input, 4.3-inch LCD screen, and a high-resolution, 1.2 megapixel LCOS viewfinder. Two XLR inputs with phantom power offer uncompressed LPCM audio recording with manual level controls.
“The excellent image quality of the GY-HM790, coupled with its versatility for both studio and ENG use, makes it an attractive camcorder for broadcasters in any DMA,” said Craig Yanagi, manager of marketing and brand strategy. “Plus, our optional ASI module makes it easier than ever to produce true HD reports from the field. The GY-HM790 does more than shoot great pictures, it literally changes the way live news reports can be produced.”
With its HD/SD-SDI port, the GY-HM790 provides an uncompressed 4:2:2 full HD signal for live monitoring, and a FireWire port provides output of SD signals or the HDV transport stream, so footage can be backed up economically with an HDD recorder. An optional SxS media recorder module attaches directly to the camcorder and allows simultaneous recording to SDHC cards and SxS media.
The new GY-HM790 also builds on the studio capabilities of JVC’s popular GY-HD250 camera with its improved picture quality and cleaner studio integration. Its redesigned studio adapter sled incorporates a modular approach to multicore or fiber connectivity for a cleaner interface. Modules connect directly to the camera without external cabling, so they can be used either with the studio sled or handheld. Plus, JVC’s modular approach allows the creation of additional modules to accommodate future technologies.
Other new features for studio or multi-camera use include built-in time code in/out and genlock. JVC also offers a full complement of accessories, including a remote camera control unit, remote shader panel, 8.4-inch studio viewfinder, and multi-input special effects generators.
The GY-HM790 will be available this summer with an MSRP starting at $11,995, including the Canon 14x HD ENG lens.
A specially configured low light version of the camera, the GY-HM790LL, has JVC's patented LoLux function that provides ENG users with image capture in an extremely low light environment. The LoLux version will be available to broadcast direct customers beginning in the Fall of 2010.
Images:(Click on Image for High Resolution)
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10610863-jvc-to-introduce-gy-hm790-prohd-camcorder-at-nab-2010.html
The GY-HM790 features three 1/3-inch CCDs, which allow a lighter, more compact form factor for better maneuverability in the field and more flexibility with robotic camera control systems in the studio. It produces 1920x1080 images and can record in 1080i, 720p, and even SD (480i) for operations that have not yet made the move to HD. The camera records at 35 Mbps (HQ mode/variable bit rate) or 19 Mbps/25 Mbps (SP mode/constant bit rate). The camera ships with a Canon 14x zoom lens or without lens, as accommodates a variety of lenses with its 1/3-inch bayonet lens mount.
Adopting the successful tapeless workflow introduced in the GY-HM700 camcorder, the GY-HM790 features a dual card slot design that records to low-cost, non-proprietary SDHC Class 6 or 10 solid-state media cards. JVC’s native file recording technology allows recording in ready-to-edit file formats for Apple Final Cut Pro (.mov) and other major NLE systems (.mp4) that are compatible with Sony XDCAM EX workflow.
An optional ASI output module provides a direct feed from the camera to a satellite uplink or microwave transmitter via BNC – no “black box” interfaces required – for live HD video from the field. Other ENG features on the GY-HM790 include an analog SD pool feed input, 4.3-inch LCD screen, and a high-resolution, 1.2 megapixel LCOS viewfinder. Two XLR inputs with phantom power offer uncompressed LPCM audio recording with manual level controls.
“The excellent image quality of the GY-HM790, coupled with its versatility for both studio and ENG use, makes it an attractive camcorder for broadcasters in any DMA,” said Craig Yanagi, manager of marketing and brand strategy. “Plus, our optional ASI module makes it easier than ever to produce true HD reports from the field. The GY-HM790 does more than shoot great pictures, it literally changes the way live news reports can be produced.”
With its HD/SD-SDI port, the GY-HM790 provides an uncompressed 4:2:2 full HD signal for live monitoring, and a FireWire port provides output of SD signals or the HDV transport stream, so footage can be backed up economically with an HDD recorder. An optional SxS media recorder module attaches directly to the camcorder and allows simultaneous recording to SDHC cards and SxS media.
The new GY-HM790 also builds on the studio capabilities of JVC’s popular GY-HD250 camera with its improved picture quality and cleaner studio integration. Its redesigned studio adapter sled incorporates a modular approach to multicore or fiber connectivity for a cleaner interface. Modules connect directly to the camera without external cabling, so they can be used either with the studio sled or handheld. Plus, JVC’s modular approach allows the creation of additional modules to accommodate future technologies.
Other new features for studio or multi-camera use include built-in time code in/out and genlock. JVC also offers a full complement of accessories, including a remote camera control unit, remote shader panel, 8.4-inch studio viewfinder, and multi-input special effects generators.
The GY-HM790 will be available this summer with an MSRP starting at $11,995, including the Canon 14x HD ENG lens.
A specially configured low light version of the camera, the GY-HM790LL, has JVC's patented LoLux function that provides ENG users with image capture in an extremely low light environment. The LoLux version will be available to broadcast direct customers beginning in the Fall of 2010.
Images:(Click on Image for High Resolution)
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10610863-jvc-to-introduce-gy-hm790-prohd-camcorder-at-nab-2010.html
Sunday, April 4, 2010
New QuickBooks Hosting: The Worst Intuit Mistake
I posted many times on the New QuickBooks Hosting, The Worst Intuit Mistake, at the http://www.QuickBooks-Blog.com/. I have a long history with Our Intuit Friends. Intuit CEO Brad Smith and Former CEO Steve Bennet wrote this about me, “You’re fantastic Mike. Absolutely fantastic!" and "Keep raising hell when Intuit does something wrong!"
I have been using, and teaching Intuit products almost since Intuit began, 27 years ago. The last 13 years were very exciting, due to many ways in which top Intuit execs let me help Intuit revolutionize our lives. Only twice, in 27 years, did an Intuit mistake make me keep fighting until there was change. I only do this if the Intuit mistake is so serious that it badly hurts users and Intuit, which makes Intuit less likely to keep helping us in the future. Unfortunately, our Intuit friends are now making their worst Intuit mistake ever, with the new QuickBooks hosting program. This Intuit mistake is especially tragic, as there is an easy solution to the underlying reason for this new QuickBooks hosting problem. The details of this and the full details of the many Intuit mistakes are at the http://www.QuickBooks-Blog.com/. Here are a few such mistakes.
I only use QuickBooks 2010. However, QuickBooks Sunset Policies probably make more QuickBooks users unhappy than anything else. About 1.5 million of the 5 million QuickBooks users probably use QuickBooks 2006 or earlier. QuickBooks Sunset Policies mean they cannot get Intuit support, updates, tax tables, online banking, and more. These functions stop working each year in April, for versions released about 3.5 years earlier. Buy QuickBooks late in the year and you only get 2.5 years of full use. Many would accept new QuickBooks costs, but do not want new computers (for increasingly bigger QuickBooks programs) or learning new software. For them, terminal server and Citrix are ideal. They let old computers run the latest software. Instead, Intuit is going way beyond not providing support or turning off functions. Intuit is now dictating that the new QuickBooks Commercial Hosting companies not host old versions of QuickBooks. My South Florida QuickBooks Meetup is the largest such group. About two-thirds of those at a recent meeting said we still occasionally use QuickBooks 2006 and earlier versions. A major QuickBooks hosting company rep said that around 30% of their customers were using these old QuickBooks versions. Therefore, it is a very big Intuit mistake to prohibit them for new QuickBooks hosting. Unless this changes quickly, it should soon be a major focus of monopoly sanctions.
It is an Intuit mistake to rent QuickBooks only to new QuickBooks hosting companies, so QuickBooks may soon be a rent-only product, with a three-year life or less. It is very big Intuit mistake to discriminate against both QuickBooks users and new QuickBooks hosting self-hosting companies this way. Intuit has large numbers of QuickBooks Online end users paying monthly so there is no reason why it does not let Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, Intuit Solution Provider and QuickBooks desktop users rent like QuickBooks Online users. This disparity should soon lead to monopoly sanctions.
It was an Intuit mistake to have many top execs actively encourage expansion of the unlicensed QuickBooks hosting industry. I was one of the key people involved in the early encouragement, so I can testify about it. I also can testify about my repeated publicity, with the full knowledge and consent of top Intuit execs. The result was a massive expansion of the unlicensed QuickBooks hosting industry. Thinking that Intuit later had the ability, or even a legal right, to suppress this key information was a serious new QuickBooks hosting mistake.
It is a devastating Intuit mistake to have it act to criminalize the entire QuickBooks hosting industry. Many top Intuit execs knowingly acted to help rapidly expand this industry. They are now effectively treating all its participants as unlicensed criminal copyright violators. This means that, whether or not Intuit prosecutes participants in this industry, they each face potential large-scale criminal prosecution for past acts.
The Intuit Commericial Hosting suggests that Intuit wants QuickBooks hosting companies to have the type of secure systems that the Internal Revenue Service wants for an exception, to foreign outsourcing. There is an official government estimated cost, of the value of the time to complete the application to show you have such a system, including related audits. That estimate is $150,000! This is not the cost of the data center, but the outrageous cost of extra paperwork. How will end users feel when they realize these arbitrary requirements vastly increase their costs? How will they feel when the requirements suggest that Intuit may be moving towards prescribing specific programs, procedures, and systems that desktop users must follow?
It is a big Intuit mistake to charge Intuit Commercial Hosting Program companies $18,000 initially, $5,000 a year, and $5 per customer per month, especially without agreeing these are fixed fees. With the detailed information required, Intuit can decide exactly how much to squeeze these companies at any time. At best, these costs will make Intuit Commercial Hosting companies unable to compete with self-hosting companies, as discussed below. They also will not be able to compete with many who quickly, easily, and legally ignore the new QuickBooks hosting. I will soon show how this applies.
Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers can self-host clients with minimal Intuit fees. Does anyone else see the related funny Intuit mistakes? Intuit clearly intends to use the word Certified in connection with ProAdvisors and the new QuickBooks hosting. Yet it still runs a giant diploma mill, so 45,000 or so untested and largely untrained people can call themselves QuickBooks ProAdvisors. The untested so-called QuickBooks ProAdvisors do nothing to show any QuickBooks knowledge at all. They simply pay Intuit $449 per year. Intuit needs educational programs, like the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program, to support those wanting to learn QuickBooks for a QuickBooks consulting practice. However, despite the best efforts of many, this big Intuit mistake does not limit sales to those wanting to have or improve a QuickBooks consulting practice. Repeat Intuit surveys show that these untested clerks use this grossly misleading term to charge far more than similarly untested self-designated QuickBooks Consultants. This may mean that Intuit wastes $1 billion a year for QuickBooks users. It also severely damages Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, as there are only about a third as many of us as there are untested QuickBooks ProAdvisors. That is why I now sell a $1 eBook, or give it away, so you can get a one-user $849 QuickBooks Enterprise 10 for $449. You also get free copies of QuickBooks Premier Accountant and QuickBooks Online Plus, with the best Intuit U.S.-based tech support (better than regular Enterprise support) and free or highly discounted extras. Use any of these $449 one-user copies of Enterprise with each other, or with a five-user multiple copy of Enterprise. Do not thank me. Thank Intuit for cheapening the Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program we need.
The funniest Intuit mistake is that the top Intuit execs, who encouraged QuickBooks hosting criminals, are legally criminal co-conspirators! They are more criminally liable than the well-meaning individuals that they encouraged to commit these countless criminal copyright violations. The only way they MAY avoid criminal liability is to make the QuickBooks Software License Agreement allow the unlicensed QuickBooks hosting they encouraged. This entrapment or criminal conspiracy should give every accused QuickBooks hosting criminal an absolute defense, while it kills the new QuickBooks hosting program.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10609603-new-quickbooks-hosting-the-worst-intuit-mistake.html
I have been using, and teaching Intuit products almost since Intuit began, 27 years ago. The last 13 years were very exciting, due to many ways in which top Intuit execs let me help Intuit revolutionize our lives. Only twice, in 27 years, did an Intuit mistake make me keep fighting until there was change. I only do this if the Intuit mistake is so serious that it badly hurts users and Intuit, which makes Intuit less likely to keep helping us in the future. Unfortunately, our Intuit friends are now making their worst Intuit mistake ever, with the new QuickBooks hosting program. This Intuit mistake is especially tragic, as there is an easy solution to the underlying reason for this new QuickBooks hosting problem. The details of this and the full details of the many Intuit mistakes are at the http://www.QuickBooks-Blog.com/. Here are a few such mistakes.
I only use QuickBooks 2010. However, QuickBooks Sunset Policies probably make more QuickBooks users unhappy than anything else. About 1.5 million of the 5 million QuickBooks users probably use QuickBooks 2006 or earlier. QuickBooks Sunset Policies mean they cannot get Intuit support, updates, tax tables, online banking, and more. These functions stop working each year in April, for versions released about 3.5 years earlier. Buy QuickBooks late in the year and you only get 2.5 years of full use. Many would accept new QuickBooks costs, but do not want new computers (for increasingly bigger QuickBooks programs) or learning new software. For them, terminal server and Citrix are ideal. They let old computers run the latest software. Instead, Intuit is going way beyond not providing support or turning off functions. Intuit is now dictating that the new QuickBooks Commercial Hosting companies not host old versions of QuickBooks. My South Florida QuickBooks Meetup is the largest such group. About two-thirds of those at a recent meeting said we still occasionally use QuickBooks 2006 and earlier versions. A major QuickBooks hosting company rep said that around 30% of their customers were using these old QuickBooks versions. Therefore, it is a very big Intuit mistake to prohibit them for new QuickBooks hosting. Unless this changes quickly, it should soon be a major focus of monopoly sanctions.
It is an Intuit mistake to rent QuickBooks only to new QuickBooks hosting companies, so QuickBooks may soon be a rent-only product, with a three-year life or less. It is very big Intuit mistake to discriminate against both QuickBooks users and new QuickBooks hosting self-hosting companies this way. Intuit has large numbers of QuickBooks Online end users paying monthly so there is no reason why it does not let Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, Intuit Solution Provider and QuickBooks desktop users rent like QuickBooks Online users. This disparity should soon lead to monopoly sanctions.
It was an Intuit mistake to have many top execs actively encourage expansion of the unlicensed QuickBooks hosting industry. I was one of the key people involved in the early encouragement, so I can testify about it. I also can testify about my repeated publicity, with the full knowledge and consent of top Intuit execs. The result was a massive expansion of the unlicensed QuickBooks hosting industry. Thinking that Intuit later had the ability, or even a legal right, to suppress this key information was a serious new QuickBooks hosting mistake.
It is a devastating Intuit mistake to have it act to criminalize the entire QuickBooks hosting industry. Many top Intuit execs knowingly acted to help rapidly expand this industry. They are now effectively treating all its participants as unlicensed criminal copyright violators. This means that, whether or not Intuit prosecutes participants in this industry, they each face potential large-scale criminal prosecution for past acts.
The Intuit Commericial Hosting suggests that Intuit wants QuickBooks hosting companies to have the type of secure systems that the Internal Revenue Service wants for an exception, to foreign outsourcing. There is an official government estimated cost, of the value of the time to complete the application to show you have such a system, including related audits. That estimate is $150,000! This is not the cost of the data center, but the outrageous cost of extra paperwork. How will end users feel when they realize these arbitrary requirements vastly increase their costs? How will they feel when the requirements suggest that Intuit may be moving towards prescribing specific programs, procedures, and systems that desktop users must follow?
It is a big Intuit mistake to charge Intuit Commercial Hosting Program companies $18,000 initially, $5,000 a year, and $5 per customer per month, especially without agreeing these are fixed fees. With the detailed information required, Intuit can decide exactly how much to squeeze these companies at any time. At best, these costs will make Intuit Commercial Hosting companies unable to compete with self-hosting companies, as discussed below. They also will not be able to compete with many who quickly, easily, and legally ignore the new QuickBooks hosting. I will soon show how this applies.
Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors and Intuit Solution Providers can self-host clients with minimal Intuit fees. Does anyone else see the related funny Intuit mistakes? Intuit clearly intends to use the word Certified in connection with ProAdvisors and the new QuickBooks hosting. Yet it still runs a giant diploma mill, so 45,000 or so untested and largely untrained people can call themselves QuickBooks ProAdvisors. The untested so-called QuickBooks ProAdvisors do nothing to show any QuickBooks knowledge at all. They simply pay Intuit $449 per year. Intuit needs educational programs, like the QuickBooks ProAdvisor program, to support those wanting to learn QuickBooks for a QuickBooks consulting practice. However, despite the best efforts of many, this big Intuit mistake does not limit sales to those wanting to have or improve a QuickBooks consulting practice. Repeat Intuit surveys show that these untested clerks use this grossly misleading term to charge far more than similarly untested self-designated QuickBooks Consultants. This may mean that Intuit wastes $1 billion a year for QuickBooks users. It also severely damages Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisors, as there are only about a third as many of us as there are untested QuickBooks ProAdvisors. That is why I now sell a $1 eBook, or give it away, so you can get a one-user $849 QuickBooks Enterprise 10 for $449. You also get free copies of QuickBooks Premier Accountant and QuickBooks Online Plus, with the best Intuit U.S.-based tech support (better than regular Enterprise support) and free or highly discounted extras. Use any of these $449 one-user copies of Enterprise with each other, or with a five-user multiple copy of Enterprise. Do not thank me. Thank Intuit for cheapening the Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Program we need.
The funniest Intuit mistake is that the top Intuit execs, who encouraged QuickBooks hosting criminals, are legally criminal co-conspirators! They are more criminally liable than the well-meaning individuals that they encouraged to commit these countless criminal copyright violations. The only way they MAY avoid criminal liability is to make the QuickBooks Software License Agreement allow the unlicensed QuickBooks hosting they encouraged. This entrapment or criminal conspiracy should give every accused QuickBooks hosting criminal an absolute defense, while it kills the new QuickBooks hosting program.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10609603-new-quickbooks-hosting-the-worst-intuit-mistake.html
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Graffiti a Public Nuisance that Deteriorates
It's spring time, the snow is gone, and the cities in this state are in store for a much needed spring cleaning. But you would think I was talking about all of the trash littering the city street. Not so. There is the eye sore of graffiti littering our city buildings and bridges that wasn't hidden by the snow. But it was too cold to do much about it. But that didn't seem to slow down the self proclaimed street artist from spreading their unsightly trash on our buildings, garage doors, windows and overpasses.
Now is the time for graffiti removal businesses like M&M Mobil Wash to hit the streets with a vengeance. Gang signs are everywhere, and the residents are fighting back because they are not only concerned about the writing on the walls, but also the property values of the surrounding area. Because graffiti artist don't tamper with the main streets of the thriving city. They are active on the outskirts of the town. Which is where the suburbs begin to spread out. Graffiti is spreading to the alleyways then on to the garages and back of homes, leaving an unsightly mess, and property values are plummeting.
Residents are in high gear to have this graffiti trash removed and are forming community watches to see that this sort of violation to their property is stopped. Now it's a matter of removing the graffiti from the building of the outskirts of the city where the industrial and manufacturing businesses thrive. The industrial area is an easy mark for graffiti vandals due to the lack of traffic in those areas. Now the city crews will be in high gear to clean up the painted mess with chemicals and pressure washers. Removing gang signs, crude pictures, and some very well done artwork.
Residents are encouraged to call law enforcement as soon as they spot the vandals at work. Passerby's and potential residents of the community perceive by the condition of the area via the graffiti, that law enforcement that is supposed to protect the community from such vandalism of private property, is not actively patrolling and protecting the residents of the community. The notion that encourages a feeling of disrespect that the vandals have for the law speaks poorly of the community and will eventually lead to urban decay. In turn the property values will plummet and our city will soon be turned over to an overwhelming abundance of crime and in a deteriorating community. Immediate action needs to be taken to insure that the visual pollution of graffiti is removed and halted.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10608620-graffiti-public-nuisance-that-deteriorates.html
Now is the time for graffiti removal businesses like M&M Mobil Wash to hit the streets with a vengeance. Gang signs are everywhere, and the residents are fighting back because they are not only concerned about the writing on the walls, but also the property values of the surrounding area. Because graffiti artist don't tamper with the main streets of the thriving city. They are active on the outskirts of the town. Which is where the suburbs begin to spread out. Graffiti is spreading to the alleyways then on to the garages and back of homes, leaving an unsightly mess, and property values are plummeting.
Residents are in high gear to have this graffiti trash removed and are forming community watches to see that this sort of violation to their property is stopped. Now it's a matter of removing the graffiti from the building of the outskirts of the city where the industrial and manufacturing businesses thrive. The industrial area is an easy mark for graffiti vandals due to the lack of traffic in those areas. Now the city crews will be in high gear to clean up the painted mess with chemicals and pressure washers. Removing gang signs, crude pictures, and some very well done artwork.
Residents are encouraged to call law enforcement as soon as they spot the vandals at work. Passerby's and potential residents of the community perceive by the condition of the area via the graffiti, that law enforcement that is supposed to protect the community from such vandalism of private property, is not actively patrolling and protecting the residents of the community. The notion that encourages a feeling of disrespect that the vandals have for the law speaks poorly of the community and will eventually lead to urban decay. In turn the property values will plummet and our city will soon be turned over to an overwhelming abundance of crime and in a deteriorating community. Immediate action needs to be taken to insure that the visual pollution of graffiti is removed and halted.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10608620-graffiti-public-nuisance-that-deteriorates.html
Friday, April 2, 2010
PCB Solutions Reports Growth in 2009
PCB Solutions Inc, Contract Electronics Manufacturer ( http://www.pcb-solutions.net/contract-electronics-manufacturer.html ) in Layton, Utah, has announced that it will report growth-level earnings for 2009 in spite of the global financial crisis and economic recession. This announcement comes in succession of three years of triple-digit-growth for the privately-owned company in its ninth year of operation.
“No one is immune to the challenges presented in a year like this,” says Woodbury. “We’ve seen customers struggle and we’re dealing with the complex situation presented by our suppliers and their lack of production. But we’ve made big strides this year into the Medical and Military sectors of our industry and that coupled with our mandate to super-service customers has kept us at a steady pace. It’s not what it was, but we’re fortunate to be able to continue our upward trend through a time when so many are closing their doors.”
Owner Dave Woodbury credits the deep and diverse base of customers located throughout the United States for this accomplishment. He believes that customer-orientation is essential for survival in a harsh economic environment.
VP of Operations Steve Niblack commented, “There’s an upside to a down economy. We’ve been able to access tremendous strengths in the way of human resources all year long. Our team has grown in diversity and capability, and we’re more efficient because of the experience and knowledge that our new employees bring to our table. Our capital expenditures have undoubtedly slowed down a bit, but they would have anyway. Our internal focus is on our people and processes. We all share common goals and strive to deliver real value to our customers.”
“The United States Department of Defense is a complex machine,” commented Hill. “You have to strategize for months, even years to make your efforts successful. We understand that there are opportunities out there that require us to be more thoughtful and aggressive in pursuing them. The old ways of interruption advertising and brand-building are just too expensive in times like these. We have to target every approach while we continue to expand our search for new opportunities within the DOD and Medical sectors.”
Sales Representative Brenn Hill believes that aggressive marketing and targeted sales tactics have enabled PCB Solutions to penetrate markets that sustain growth through diversity in its electronic manufacturing services ( http://www.pcb-solutions.net/smt.html ).
PCB Solutions Inc specializes in Surface-Mount Printed-Circuit Board Assemblies ( http://www.pcb-solutions.net/pcb-assembly.html ) and offers a full array of Electronic Manufacturing Services to a broad range of industries that include consumer electronics, broadcasting, automotive technologies, and medical device manufacturing. They are located at 3020 North Fairfield Road in Layton, Utah. They can be seen on the web at www.pcb-solutions.net or contacted directly by calling (801) 773-5509.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10608525-pcb-solutions-reports-growth-in-2009.html
“No one is immune to the challenges presented in a year like this,” says Woodbury. “We’ve seen customers struggle and we’re dealing with the complex situation presented by our suppliers and their lack of production. But we’ve made big strides this year into the Medical and Military sectors of our industry and that coupled with our mandate to super-service customers has kept us at a steady pace. It’s not what it was, but we’re fortunate to be able to continue our upward trend through a time when so many are closing their doors.”
Owner Dave Woodbury credits the deep and diverse base of customers located throughout the United States for this accomplishment. He believes that customer-orientation is essential for survival in a harsh economic environment.
VP of Operations Steve Niblack commented, “There’s an upside to a down economy. We’ve been able to access tremendous strengths in the way of human resources all year long. Our team has grown in diversity and capability, and we’re more efficient because of the experience and knowledge that our new employees bring to our table. Our capital expenditures have undoubtedly slowed down a bit, but they would have anyway. Our internal focus is on our people and processes. We all share common goals and strive to deliver real value to our customers.”
“The United States Department of Defense is a complex machine,” commented Hill. “You have to strategize for months, even years to make your efforts successful. We understand that there are opportunities out there that require us to be more thoughtful and aggressive in pursuing them. The old ways of interruption advertising and brand-building are just too expensive in times like these. We have to target every approach while we continue to expand our search for new opportunities within the DOD and Medical sectors.”
Sales Representative Brenn Hill believes that aggressive marketing and targeted sales tactics have enabled PCB Solutions to penetrate markets that sustain growth through diversity in its electronic manufacturing services ( http://www.pcb-solutions.net/smt.html ).
PCB Solutions Inc specializes in Surface-Mount Printed-Circuit Board Assemblies ( http://www.pcb-solutions.net/pcb-assembly.html ) and offers a full array of Electronic Manufacturing Services to a broad range of industries that include consumer electronics, broadcasting, automotive technologies, and medical device manufacturing. They are located at 3020 North Fairfield Road in Layton, Utah. They can be seen on the web at www.pcb-solutions.net or contacted directly by calling (801) 773-5509.
Source: http://www.prlog.org/10608525-pcb-solutions-reports-growth-in-2009.html
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