Monday, October 31, 2011

Houston Real Estate Rides the Fence, While Nation Shifts To Buyer's Market

Houston Real Estate Rides the Fence, While Nation Shifts To Buyer's Market

It would seem impossible for a real estate market to be good for both buyers and sellers, but Houston uniquely holds that honor. As sales flatten or even decline nationally, Houston enters the summer buying and selling season showing signs of healthy sales and price records, which means that those selling homes and those buying homes enjoy a market that is affordable and increasingly profitable.

Sugar Land, TX (PRWEB) June 2, 2006

It would seem impossible for a real estate market to be good for both buyers and sellers, but Houston uniquely holds that honor. As sales flatten or even decline nationally, Houston enters the summer buying and selling season showing signs of healthy sales and price records, which means that those selling homes and those buying homes enjoy a market that is affordable and increasingly profitable.

Total property sales for the month totaled 7,053, which was a 5.1 percent increase over April 2005. Properties sold during the month reached a total of more than $1.3 billion, a 9.6 percent increase compared to last year’s nearly $1.2 billion in April sales. Additionally, the median home price for a single-family home reached $147,000, and the average home price rose to $196,630, both increases from last year of 6.9 and 5.2 percent, respectively. Both the median and average sales prices were all-time records for the Houston market.

“It is times like these that we feel fortunate to work in real estate in the greater Houston area, with our continued growth and affordable market that mean ‘slow and steady wins the race’ in real estate transactions and satisfaction,” said Lorraine Abercrombie, HAR Chair and Marketing Director for Greenwood King Properties. “It is great to work in an environment in which sellers can get the best price our market has to bear and buyers can choose from a variety of affordable inventory.”

April Monthly Market Comparison

All listing categories combined, Houston’s overall housing market in April saw increases in most categories, including total property sales, average sales price, median sales price, and overall total dollar volume on a year-over-year basis.

The number of available homes (active listings) at the end of April was 44,144 properties, which was a decrease of 3.8 percent versus last April and the fifth consecutive month with a year-over-year decline. The figure was an increase of approximately 550 properties from last month though, which shows there are still plenty of available homes for purchase.

Month-end pending sales – those listings expected to close within the next 30 days – reached 5,043, which was down 1.9 percent from last year, and signals a slightly less busy May for sales. The months inventory of single-family homes for April came in at 5.3 months. This statistic signals more of a seller’s market and also shows that demand is more than keeping up with the available supply of homes, as displayed by April reporting the 18th consecutive decline in year-over-year months inventory figures.

All Categories April 2005 April 2006 Percent Change

Total property sales 6,708 7,053 +5.1%

Total dollar volume $1,188,392,600 $1,302,945,928 +9.6%

Average single-family sales price $186,845 $196,630 +5.2%

Median single-family sales price $137,500 $147,000 +6.9%

Active listings 44,144 42,480 -3.8%

Pending sales 5,141 5,043 -1.9%

Months inventory* 6.2 5.3 -14.0%

Months inventory estimates the number of months it will take to deplete current active inventory based on the prior 12 months sales activity. This figure is representative of the single-family homes market.

Single-family Homes Update

The overall median price of single-family homes reached a record for the month of April at $147,000, which was an increase of 6.9 percent compared to the prior year, and the average sales price for single-family homes was $196,630 during April, which was up 5.2 percent versus the same period last year. The median is a typical market price where half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less than that figure.

Houston’s current median price of $147,000, while an all-time record for the Houston market, is 32.4 percent less than the national median price, which reached $217,300 in March, according to statistics released by the National Association of REALTORS®. These data continue to show the tremendous value and lower cost of living afforded to Houstonians.

Additionally, total sales for single-family homes in Houston continued its streak of year-over-year increases, marking 27 consecutive months that sales have been higher than the same month of the previous year. For April 2006, single-family home sales increased by 3.3 percent to 5,721, up from last year’s 5,537. April 2006 sales decreased on a month-over-month basis, after March’s unusually early strength, and reflect the more controlled growth that has been seen in this market for the last few years.

HAR is now also reporting existing home statistics for the single-family home segment of the real estate market. For the month of April 2006, existing single-family home sales totaled 4,904, which was a 3.8 percent increase from April 2005. The median sales price for existing homes in the Houston area was $139,900, an increase of 7.7 percent compared to the same period last year. The average sales price for the month of $182,764 was an increase of 3.7 percent from last year’s level.

Townhouse/Condo Update

The overall median price in the townhouse/condo segment in Houston was up 7.3 percent for April, with the median sales price for the month being $118,000. The average sales price for which a townhouse or condo sold in the greater Houston area was $145,953 in April 2006, which was a scant 0.3 percent increase from the same month last year.

Additionally, the number of townhouses and condos that sold in April increased substantially compared to last year’s sales, with 694 units being sold last month, versus 601 properties in April 2005, or a 15.5 percent increase in year-over-year sales.

Houston Real Estate Milestones in April

Reached the all-time highest average sales price for single-family homes.

Marked the all-time highest median sales price for single-family homes.

Marked the highest dollar volume of sales in the month of April.

Recorded the highest number of single-family homes sold in the month of April.

The computerized Multiple Listing Service of the Houston Association of REALTORS® includes residential properties and new homes listed by 22,000 REALTORS throughout Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, as well as parts of Brazoria, Galveston, Waller and Wharton counties. Residential home sales statistics as well as listing information for about 43,000 properties can be found on the Internet at http://www. har. com (http://www. har. com).

The information published and disseminated to the HAR Multiple Listing Services is communicated verbatim, without change by Multiple Listing Services, as filed by MLS participants.

The MLS does not verify the information provided and disclaims any responsibility for its accuracy. All data is preliminary and subject to change. Monthly sales figures reported since November 1998 includes a statistical estimation to account for late entries. Twelve-month totals may vary from actual end-of-year figures. (Single-family detached homes were broken out separately in monthly figures beginning February 1988.)

Founded in 1918, the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) is a 23,000-member organization of real estate professionals engaged in every aspect of the industry, including residential and commercial sales and leasing, appraisal, property management and counseling. It is the largest individual membership trade association in Houston, as well as the second largest local association/board of REALTORS® in the United States.

Xinify Delivers Greater Time to Value with the New Software-as-a-Service Option for CA Clarity PPM

Xinify Delivers Greater Time to Value with the New Software-as-a-Service Option for CA Clarity PPM

Xinify Technologies, Inc. announces the availability of licenses for CA Clarity PPM On Demand, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model of the award-winning, market-leading project and portfolio management (PPM) solution, CA Clarity PPM.

San Ramon, CA (PRWEB) January 19, 2009

Xinify Technologies, Inc. announces the availability of licenses for CA Clarity PPM On Demand, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model of the award-winning, market-leading project and portfolio management (PPM) solution, CA Clarity PPM. Businesses of all sizes and maturity now have a flexible option for increasing IT governance, and Xinify, CA's #1 preferred partner and a reseller of CA Clarity PPM, has an extensive success record, delivering implementations to more than 150 customers worldwide, in industries that include finance, health care, retail, entertainment, and automotives.

CIOs and executives can "buy once and buy best," trusting their portfolio, demand, and project management processes to a field-proven, scalable, robust solution and to Xinify's team of experts, who are ready to see the installation of Clarity PPM on Demand through to configuration. Organizations having immediate needs can deploy a streamlined application with the capacity to expand and meet new demands of growth and an ever-changing marketplace. Mature organizations with established business processes can configure Clarity PPM's broadest functionality faster and with lower immediate cost, by relying on Xinify's deep deployment expertise and CA's state-of-the-art hosting capabilities.

CA Clarity PPM On Demand offers cost savings and faster time to value. The SaaS model also frees up precious IT resources and decreases the risk in greater infrastructure investments. Customers significantly reduce the cost of ownership, for example, by eliminating software and hardware investments and by avoiding outlays for upgrades. Faster and easier deployment results from maintenance by certified resources; 24x7 phone and email support and monitoring; disaster recovery that requires no action by the customer. Data security is guaranteed by LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol); configurable password strengths, as well as expiration and lockout capabilities; world-class data centers having 24x7 internal and external surveillance; and weekly third-party vulnerability assessments.

"CA Clarity PPM On Demand is another example of how CA Enterprise IT Management solutions, and Xinify's Expert PPM Services help organizations drive business value from IT and effectively improve IT economics," said Bob Schwartz, Vice President of Channel Sales, Xinify Technologies. "Xinify looks forward to helping our valued customers respond more quickly and efficiently to changing conditions and capitalize on emerging business opportunities with CA Clarity On Demand."

About Xinify Technologies

Xinify Technologies Inc. is a leading IT solutions provider serving the IT Governance market across three primary practice areas: Project Portfolio Management, IT Service Management, and Enterprise Application Integration. Founded in 2003, Xinify provides a one-stop shop for people, process, and technology. The company provides organizational agility, depth of domain expertise, and breadth of service to help customers maximize their investments and mitigate their risks. The success of more than 125 global blue chip customers proves Xinify's market leadership with its value-driven ITG 360 methodologies and processes. Xinify's 360-degree approach spans strategic consulting, product implementation and integration, proprietary products and tools, deep functional and technical training, offshore development, and outsourced professional staffing. Xinify operates offices across the U. S. and internationally in Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom.

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Sunday, October 30, 2011

Kirk Communications Launches a New Web Site for Make-A-Messterpiece

Kirk Communications Launches a New Web Site for Make-A-Messterpiece

Kirk Communications (http://www. kirkcommunications. com), a leading global provider of integrated marketing solutions, today announced the launch of a new Web site for Make-A-Messterpiece (http://www. makeamessterpiece. com), a creative studio designed to inspire children.

Portsmouth, NH (PRWEB) November 2, 2010

Kirk Communications (http://www. kirkcommunications. com), a leading global provider of integrated marketing solutions, today announced the launch of a new Web site for Make-A-Messterpiece (http://www. makeamessterpiece. com), a creative studio designed to inspire children.

The company came to Kirk Communications with an existing design, and a need for a website that was easy to use. It was important that all information be accessible and easy to find since the primary visitor to the website is a busy parent or child. The end result is a site that fully integrates with a Content Management System (CMS) and showcases the numerous activities and options available at Make-A-Messterpiece. A calendar page shows events for a three month time period, and features three main events on the home page. The use of CMS makes these events completely editable for the staff of Make-A-Messterpiece.

"The team at Kirk Communications fully understood the unique needs of our website," says Sarah-Marie Cole, Account Executive at Gigunda Group Inc. "Their technical expertise allowed for a final website that is easy to use for not only our clients, but also our staff," explains Cole.

About Kirk Communications
With offices in Portsmouth, N. H., Luxembourg and New Delhi, India, Kirk Communications is a global provider of integrated marketing solutions including social media programs, public relations, Web site design and development, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Pay per Click (PPC) analytics and advanced 3D animation. The company shares its philosophy, based on a focused commitment to strategic and tactical corporate communications, with clients across a broad range of vertical markets including technology, financial services and healthcare. Kirk Communications offers an extensive suite of state-of-the-art SEO and PPC analytics, that, in conjunction with innovative message development, helps its customers refine their brand, increase visibility and stay ahead of their competitors. Kirk Communications counts among its clients Ipswitch, Inc., IDG, JungleTorch, Optimize Interactive, SDL Structured Content Delivery division, Atlantic Plastic Surgery Center, SeaNet Technologies and Animetrics. For more information, please visit us on the web at http://www. kirkcommunications. com.

About Make-A-Messterpiece
Make-A-Messterpiece, a creative studio designed for children ages 0-12 wanted to inspire creativity by emphasizing that messes should not be avoided, but rather, embraced and cultivated. Six main creative stations touch on a variety of mediums, sensory building skills, and educational benefits. The studio space was built to accommodate large groups and school trips, and offers several different membership options. A lounge for parents to relax features free WIFI and closed circuit TV's of each activity area. For more information please visit them online at http://www. makeamessterpiece. com

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Saturday, October 29, 2011

OrderMotion Announces Latest Version of its Market Leading On-Demand Direct Commerce Solution

OrderMotion Announces Latest Version of its Market Leading On-Demand Direct Commerce Solution

The 9.0 SaaS platform provides new eBay integration and warehouse expansion, enabling online retailers and multi-channel merchants to significantly increase sales productivity.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) June 4, 2007

OrderMotion, Inc., an award-winning provider of an on-demand direct commerce solution for multi-channel merchants, online retailers and direct marketers has announced the release of OrderMotion version 9.0. Version 9.0 is a major enhancement from previous versions, and follows along with OrderMotion's promise to provide timely releases of high quality, community-driven software services that are fully configurable and continuously upgraded.

As the largest upgrade in OrderMotion's 10-year history, version 9.0 has a broad functional scope and is designed to address the needs of the OrderMotion merchant community. In addition, OrderMotion has reinforced its commitment to this community by sponsoring new events and extensive training webinars, as well as the new "OrderMotion Idea Exchange" that will enable future enhancements to the support interface, and a host of additional tools to assist the business owner in taking full advantage of the many benefits of OrderMotion 9.0.

"With this new version 9.0, we feel that we have really taken our customers' interests to heart and have incorporated many in-demand innovations into the new functionality," said Donny Askin, CEO, OrderMotion. "With several new features such as eBay integration and expanded warehouse features, our customers now have the ability to take their sales to the next level by increasing their revenue channels and gaining tighter coordination of all accounting and customer reporting. This is but the beginning of more community focused development."

New Features in OrderMotion 9.0 Include:

EBay Integration
With this enhancement, OrderMotion now provides the ability to post items to eBay USA or Canada. eBay orders can be seamlessly processed through OrderMotion and the new Auction Management feature will enable merchants to post, revise, re-list and cancel an auction directly from the OrderMotion application. Auction analytics also provide the capability to analyze auction results from both an order and buyer perspective.

Warehousing Expansion
Improved location management provides the ability to associate an item with multiple locations in a merchant's warehouse and to manage the movement of an item between its pick location and other secondary locations; while maintaining complete visibility into stock levels, whether salable or non-salable. The new auto-replenishment process will automatically replenish the primary location based on demand and quantity on hand, producing a Replenish Report.

Taxation Enhancement
OrderMotion now enables its customers to assign more flexible taxation rules to manage complex compliance regulations such as item-level exemptions, tax events and luxury taxes. Tax amounts are recorded at a more granular level down to the jurisdiction (federal, state, county and/or city) for improved financial tracking and tax reporting.

Accounting Fundamentals
OrderMotion has greatly expanded the accounting capability in the application to enable merchants to easily post, track, audit and summarize the financial transactions processed through the OrderMotion application. OrderMotion supports this capability with a flexible financial period close process, basic financial reporting and the ability to extract into Microsoft Excel to upload your information to an external general ledger system.

Merchandising Reports
OrderMotion has delivered enhanced key merchandising reports. These reports give the user the ability to analyze product performance by various methods in order to determine what items to reorder and how much of an item to reorder based on order volume and seasonality. The three reports that are to be delivered to reflect different capabilities and views of product performance are:
 Retail Hierarchy  Gross Margin Report  Buyer's Report 

New OrderMotion User Experience
The entire User Interface has had an upgrade, including the color and layout of Smart Labels, forms and reports. OrderMotion 9.0 introduces a number of new interface elements, updated colors and fonts, and streamlined screens and forms. The new UI is the foundation for further interface enhancement planned for the near future.

"We're on our ninth version of the OrderMotion platform and find that this version provides further enhancements that will enable us to streamline our core business operations even more," said Neil Kugelman, CEO of e-commerce jeweler, Goldspeed. com. "In addition to an improved user interface, the new accounting functions of 9.0 are informative and detailed, speeding up our bookkeeping functionality significantly and providing easy access to granular information which enables us to make more informative decisions. Additionally, the new buyers' reports allow us to make more prudent inventory forecasting determinations now that we are able to easily track sales and costs of precious goods from our 50+ manufacturers and distributors. With over 20,000 jewelry items on line, this is a critical element in the jewelry business. With OrderMotion, we have been able to gain significant traction across all of our sites, Goldspeed. com, TrueBling. com and Presora. com."

About OrderMotion
OrderMotion, with offices in Boston, New York and Toronto, provides an on-demand direct commerce solution for e/businesses, direct marketers and multi-channel retailers. The company's software service enables merchants to easily process customer orders for multiple brands, from any channel, without costly, up-front investments in staff, software and infrastructure. OrderMotion has supported the growth of over 1000 brands, including Ronco, Zabar's, Wolfgang Puck, Goldspeed. com, Warrior Custom Golf, Sundance Spas, e-Diamonds, Healthy Pets, Metro Kitchens, NapaStyle and more. For more information about OrderMotion, please visit http://www. ordermotion. com (http://www. ordermotion. com).

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Advanced Protein Centre of The Hospital for Sick Children Adopts Genedata Expressionist for Mass Spectrometry

Advanced Protein Centre of The Hospital for Sick Children Adopts Genedata Expressionist for Mass Spectrometry

Mass Spectrometry Facility uses Genedata Expressionist for label-free quantitation of raw data files in the identification of trace cancer biomarkers – solution will be shown at HUPO 2010.

Sydney, Australia (PRWEB) September 20, 2010

Genedata, a leading provider of advanced software solutions for drug discovery and life science research, today announced the Mass Spectrometry Facility of the Advanced Protein Centre at the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto) is using Genedata Expressionist® (http://www. genedata. com/products/expressionist/modules/refiner-ms. html). The system is an enterprise solution for Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based biomarker discovery, data processing, and sophisticated statistical analysis. Capable of handling large-volume data sets, it features an annotation framework, and advanced spectrum and chromatogram visualizers. Genedata will demonstrate Genedata Expressionist at the HUPO 9th Annual World Conference (September 19 – 23; Booth 52).

“A large part of our business is cancer biomarker identification (http://www. genedata. com/resources/press-release-archive/press-releases/article/genedata-expressionist-statistical-tests-kopie-1.html? tx_ttnewsbackPid=82&tx_ttnewspS=1238609264&cHash=db29acd92e=1238609264&cHash=db29acd92e) and we want to offer label-free proteomics to our research community,” said Paul Taylor, manager of the Advanced Protein Centre. “We methodically researched all available options from vendor-specific to Open Source solutions and none compared to Genedata Expressionist’s analytic and visualization capabilities for MS. Most other solutions are for small machines and make far too many compromises, eliminating lots of data on first-pass filtering. Being able to quantify very small signals allows us to dig deeper into the proteome, which expands the potential biomarker list. Genedata Expressionist doesn’t filter out data. It analyzes all the data, easily handling tens to hundreds of 300- to 400- megabytes raw data files. Bottom line – Genedata got the math right. The underlying algorithms work in Genedata Expressionist to give us automated label-free quantitation.”

Eye-opening Visualization
While the Advanced Protein Centre is using Genedata Expressionist, including the new Refiner MS module for label-free quantitation, the system also addresses a range of set-ups from simple one-dimensional spectra to complex experiments involving labeled technologies in proteomics, metabolomics, and lipidomics. Genedata Expressionist features direct search engine integration from within workflows for interactive searches with Mascot (used by the Advanced Protein Center), ChemSpider, and HMDB, as well as offline import results from Mascot, SEQUEST, and MetaboCard - without information loss. Combining novel visualization for real-time interactive data quality assessment, Refiner MS uses sophisticated algorithms for intensity and alignment correction, peak detection, quantification, and matching.

“Expressionist visualization is literally eye-opening when looking at data,” continued Taylor. “For example, the 3D plots tell you so much more than the histograms we are accustomed to using and the viewer creates a mega-picture of what is going on. The viewer alone has enabled better quality control, allowing us to modify and improve our methods files. We’re using the Genedata solution to review data with our researchers and other proteomics facilities – it’s fast and intuitive and works as a great stand-alone solution.”

“Label-free proteomic experiments are not easy to analyze and the Advanced Protein Centre (http://www. sickkids. ca/Research/APTC/index. html) is successfully stretching the boundaries in biomarker research,” noted Dr. Othmar Pfannes, CEO of Genedata. “We’re delighted that Genedata Expressionist is contributing to this innovative work. Moreover, the Centre’s adoption of the Genedata Expressionist system validates how Genedata solutions integrate advanced algorithms that align with and support our customer’s specific business processes and workflows.”

About Genedata
Genedata transforms data into intelligence with a portfolio of advanced software solutions for drug discovery and life science research, which spans target, lead and biomarker discovery. Used by a majority of the world’s top 50 pharmaceutical companies and leading research organizations, Genedata Phylosopher®, Genedata Screener®, Genedata Expressionist®, Genedata Analyst™ , and Genedata Selector™ make research data accessible and understandable, enabling scientific discovery that fights disease and improves health worldwide. Founded in 1997, Genedata is privately held, with headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and offices in Japan, Germany and the US. www. genedata. com.

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Lighting By Jean Opens New Blog to Share Insights & Customer Input

Lighting By Jean Opens New Blog to Share Insights & Customer Input

Www. LightingByJean. com has opened a new customer-oriented blog at www. LightingByJean. net where store owner Jean Tully can educate her customers on recent styles, trends, and lighting information, as well as gather input from her customers to help improve the quality of her store.

Nanaimo, BC (PRWEB) April 26, 2008

www. LightingByJean. com has opened a new customer-oriented blog at www. LightingByJean. net where store owner Jean Tully can educate her customers on recent styles, trends, and lighting information, as well as gather input from her customers to help improve the quality of her store.

Lighting By Jean is an online retailer of unique lighting fixtures and ceiling fans, providing classic and contemporary styles for Internet customers. Store owner Jean Tully began the site due to the growing demand for her décor expertise and her willingness to expand to new markets. "Lighting has always been a passion of mine, and the site has limitless potential to fulfill my urge to be involved in décor planning," says Jean, whose skills were limited to assisting friends and family until the store opened in late 2007. "I have a good sense of fashion and décor that is reliable, and I have people around me that I consult with."

It is the sharing of this knowledge that interests Jean most, which is why she has recently opened her new blog at www. LightingByJean. net. "I intend to use my blog to concentrate on lighting, but there are so many facets to choosing lighting," she explains. "Effect, health, fun, style, purpose, environmental awareness… there are so many things to be said about lighting. I'll be posting 3 to 5 times a week, so each post will have something exciting and new to say about lighting from sales experts, designers, and personal experience."

The blog will discuss new products of interest, as well as design elements and techniques for saving electricity in wiring. "I add stuff weekly, and I'm right in the process of adding a new category of pendant lights," says Jean. "I recently added the fans. I look through the offerings and choose based on my own experience and sense of style. I chose what I feel is stylish and up-to-date, and also of an affordable price for people who want to be modern and contemporary."

Overall, Jean wants to share her love of lighting and its importance in a home. "I feel that lighting is the finishing touch -- the luxury element that everybody needs and may not be able to afford," she explains. "I'm trying to bridge that gap and provide them with affordable and attractive lighting. I'm particularly interested in contemporary, modern items that are of good quality. I want to meet a whole list of exacting standards I have for my business."

Lighting By Jean is currently offering 15% off all products on the web site until the end of April.

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Skincare Repairs: Preventing Sun Damage with Proper Skin Care

Skincare Repairs: Preventing Sun Damage with Proper Skin Care

Skincare-News. com offers preventative skincare advice to protect skin from dangerous sun damage.

Rancho Cordova, CA (PRWEB) August 29, 2007

It wasn't all that long ago when women would sunbathe for hours to get that "natural healthy glow." Today, we know that sun exposure leads to wrinkles, sunspots, and leathery skin. Skincare-News. com's latest article, "Can Years of Sun Be Undone," discusses what people can do right now to minimize sun damage and tackle unsightly errors of the past.
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=426 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=426)

Unfortunately, there is no magical cream to erase prior sun damage, so the best thing anybody can do right now to protect the skin both today and well into the future is to wear sunscreen - every day. The sun's rays are always strong, even on a cloudy day in the middle of winter, so sunscreen should become a daily practice. The importance of sunscreen cannot be overstressed. Over 1 million new cases of skin cancer are expected this year alone!

When sunburn occurs, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the redness, minimize peeling and prevent further sun damage. An aloe-based gel will help sooth red, inflamed skin. Also, products containing lidocaine will ease the pain of the burn. Instead of hot showers, rinse off in lukewarm water, and follow with a gentle body lotion. Finally, wear sunblock religiously in the days that follow to prevent any additional sunburn.

For people with visible sun damage, like freckles or sun spots, there are treatments for face and body that can help fade the discoloration and even out the skin tone. Made with hydroquinone or botanical extracts that lighten pigmentation, these products will help brighten and clarify the skin. It will take at least 30 days to see results of these products, so be patient! Green tea and vitamin C will also help neutralize the effects of the sun, and many skincare products contain these ingredients as well.

Protecting the skin from the sun now means less time and money spent trying to undo damage, so do not underestimate the importance of proper skincare when it comes to the sun!

Skincare-News. com covers all skincare and beauty topics from head to toe. Check out these latest articles:

Skin Cancer Prevention May Lie in Berries
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=424 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=424)

It is common knowledge that fruits, especially berries, have tons of antioxidants. They're great for the skin and overall health. But prevention against skin cancer? Research out of Ohio State's College of Medicine suggests that black raspberry extract may actually slow down the growth of squamous cell skin cancer.

Bump-Free Bikini
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=416 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=416)

Brazilian bikini waxes need not be accompanied by redness or bumps. With a little forethought and some great skincare products, ingrown hairs can be thing of the past.

Luscious Lips Without the Lines
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=404 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=404)

A beautiful smile is usually associated with soft, full lips. However, as people age, the lips lose volume and become thinner. They may be dry and flaky. Even worse, there may be lines or wrinkles on the lips and around the mouth. Many factors can cause these problems, but several treatments are available to keep lips looking and feeling great.

Detox the Smart Skincare Way
Http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=360 (http://www. skincare-news. com/articles. php? ArtID=360)

In all regions of the world, a multitude of pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) fill the air we breathe, and leave in their wake pore-clogging toxins and free-radicals that eclipse the skin's natural glow and vitality. Performing a detox is an easy and beneficial addition to a regular skincare routine that will help the body rid itself of toxins and pollutants.

About SkinCare-News. com -- "Your Source for Intelligent Skin Care"
Skincare-News. com is the online source for consumers seeking intelligent beauty and skin care news, advice, tips and articles. Founded in 2005, SkinCare-News. com features articles, news items and frequently asked questions on skincare and beauty related issues. SkinCare-News. com is located in Sacramento, California, but receives visitors from all around the world. For more information, visit http://www. skincare-news. com (http://www. skincare-news. com).

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Frequensea Customer Testimonials on VideoEmails Cause Surge in Sales

Frequensea Customer Testimonials on VideoEmails Cause Surge in Sales

A Global Team of frequensea representatives put together a Website containing VideoTestimonials of extremely satisfied customers.

(PRWEB) December 13, 2005

In a MLM era of clutter and confusion, the most important task a professional networker does is bring a clear product message to their prospects.

The public at large is in a time famine. Today they want fast, clear, concise information regarding a product and an opportunity. And, they especially don’t want to be filled with hype, hopium and empty promises. Sadly, most MLM sites are out of sync with their prospects.

Top Frequensea members have been experiencing a surge in sales when using the healthreunited. com website.

The healthreunited. com site features a 10-minute video interview with Tom Harper, Who discoverd how to bring marine phytoplankton to the world in a whole food ionic tonic. The 21st century super food.

Plus 6 Video Testimonials upto 5 minutes in length, covering Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, Downsyndrome/joint pain/dandruff/bad skin, and General well being.

The frequently asked questions were carefully chosen after hundreds of recruiting calls by seasoned and new Frequensea distributors.

With more enhancements in development for frequensea. com, planktonhealth. com healthreunited. com leaders expect to see their sales and sponsoring numbers and checks continue to rise rapidly.

“The proprietary tools and prospecting methods in place now and in development will help insure our team is on the cutting edge of sales and sponsoring effectiveness and time efficiency,”

Building an MLM dynasty today that will pay you residuals for a lifetime is determined by many factors. The most important is the clarity of your prospecting site. What does your product do? Can you tell me without the hype? Does your website look credible? frequensea. com does just that.

We encourage serious Networkers looking for a long-term home with a global team to contact one of our team members.

John Bowyer

Http://www. frequensea. com/TeamGlobal (http://www. frequensea. com/TeamGlobal)
Http://www. healthreunited. com (http://www. healthreunited. com)
+44 1638 662821

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Friday, October 28, 2011

New Presentation Highlights Importance of In-Hospital Hyperglycemia Management and Appropriate Discharge Planning for Diabetes Patients

New Presentation Highlights Importance of In-Hospital Hyperglycemia Management and Appropriate Discharge Planning for Diabetes Patients

The transition from inpatient to outpatient care for patients with diabetes and critical illnesses is featured in a presentation and free downloadable slides on the Diabetes Best Practices website.

Somerville, NJ (PRWEB) September 24, 2009

"Discharge planning for patients with diabetes and critical illnesses should focus on self-care and give them the survival skills necessary to maintain glycemic control," says Dr. Frank Lavernia in a new presentation on the http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com (http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com) Diabetes Best Practices website (http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com (http://www. diabetesbestpractices. com)). Dr. Lavernia's slides are also available for free download on the website.

Treatment Planning for Post-discharge Patients with Diabetes is the title of Dr. Lavernia's presentation and he begins by emphasizing that the prevalence of hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients is high.

"Identifying hyperglycemia in new critically ill inpatients is a medical priority necessary to ensure optimal care and improve outcomes," according to Dr. Lavernia, who then goes on to outline in-hospital treatment options as well as options for discharge and post-hospital care.

Because insulin therapy is often necessary for effective glycemic control, Dr. Lavernia's presentation addresses the problem of patient barriers to initiating insulin therapy. The slides deal with "needle phobia" and other concerns of patients as well as outlining clinician concerns about insulin therapy in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

"Problems with glycemic control can begin once a patient gets discharged because meals are no longer measured for caloric intake, physical activity may be limited and medications may be missed," points out Dr. Lavernia.

"It is important for the health care provider to understand the treatment history of the patient and the options for care moving forward," Dr. Lavernia concludes. His concluding summary also emphasizes the need to maintain glycemic control in post-discharge patients as it will also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, Dr. Lavernia also cautions clinicians not to be "glucocentric" and to regularly monitor hypertension, lipid levels, and BMI.

Dr. Frank Lavernia practices at the North Broward Diabetes Center, North Broward Medical Center, Pompano Beach, Florida and is the founder of the Diabetes Center, Internal Medicine and Diabetes, Coconut Creek, Florida

The Diabetes Best Practices website is a collaborative project of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and Embryon and is supported by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis U. S.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey is the nation's largest health sciences university. UMDNJ-Center for Continuing and Outreach Education (UMDNJ-CCOE) is the university's accrediting unit sponsoring national and international continuing medical education for a wide range of healthcare professionals.

Embryon is a medical communications provider to the pharmaceutical industry.

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Growing Worker Shortages Becoming a Crisis: Seminar Addresses Strategies for Employee Retention

Growing Worker Shortages Becoming a Crisis: Seminar Addresses Strategies for Employee Retention

The growing worker shortage is a crisis for organizations who want to retain the best and brightest of their workers. Employee retention is essential. The coming seminar, Here Today, Here Tomorrow, will help your organization come up with an employee retention strategy.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) June 8, 2006

The high unemployment rate and the growing demand for skilled workers is creating a crisis for the majority of employers across the United States. It is getting more difficult to find and keep talented workers. As a result, organizations wanting to retain their employees are placing more emphasis on creating better places to work. Strategies enabling you to retain your best and brightest are available at the upcoming workshop, Here Today, Here Tomorrow, being held in Atlanta on July 20th. The one-day seminar sponsored by Chart Your Course International and People Skills International will be held at the World Trade Center Club at 303 Peachtree Street from 8:30 a. m. to 4:30 p. m.

Greg Smith, president of Chart Your Course International and author of Here Today, Here Tomorrow, says that “Unemployment is the lowest it has been since 2000 and estimates show 48 to 65 percent of the workforce is dissatisfied with their current employment situation and could leave for better positions as the economic situation continues to improve. The healthcare industry is most at risk. To keep their workforce intact, employers need solid strategies for employee retention.”

The Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Wall Street Journal website recently completed the Job Recovery Survey. The key findings revealed 64 percent of employees said they were extremely likely to begin or increase the intensity of their job search. An additional 19 percent said they were somewhat likely to increase their search.

“U. S. businesses spend over $200 billion annually recruiting and replacing employees,” says Karla Brandau, president of People Skills International and authority in Culture Integrity. “It would make sense for companies to reduce the money spent replacing employees by spending the money to retain employees, thus reducing training time for new employees. When good employees are retained, productivity and innovation increase as you climb the ladder together rather than putting productivity on hold as you step down a rung or two to get new employees up to speed. By retaining your best and brightest, you will reduce expenses while you make faster progress toward increased market share and organizational effectiveness.”

Get free articles on employee retention and learn more about the coming seminar at www. chartcourse. com. Questions can be answered by calling Chart Your Course at 770-860-9464 or People Skills International at 770-923-0883.

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Thursday, October 27, 2011

Black Church Initiative Encourages Faith-Based Sexual Education Religious Summit on Sexuality is "Breaking the Silence: In Times Like These"

Black Church Initiative Encourages Faith-Based Sexual Education Religious Summit on Sexuality is "Breaking the Silence: In Times Like These"

Over 600 religious leaders and laity from diverse interfaith congregations across the country will gather to dialogue on significant reproductive health issues during the National Black Religious Summit VII on Sexuality.

(PRWEB) June 30, 2003

Washington, DC - In these times when HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, and domestic violence, are reaching epidemic proportions in the African American community, over 600 religious leaders and laity from diverse interfaith congregations across the country will gather to dialogue on significant reproductive health issues during the National Black Religious Summit VII on Sexuality. The Summit will be July 9 -11 at Howard University School of Divinity, 1400 Shepherd Street, NE, in Washington, DC.

Hosted by the Black Church Initiative of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC), “Breaking the Silence: In Times Like These,” will offer workshops designed to empower congregations, teens, parents, guardians and clergy with additional skills needed to address sex and sexuality and assist teens in making healthy life choices. All will take a critical look at sexuality in the Bible, explore issues regarding relationships and roles for men and women, sexual addiction, sexual orientation, depression, and effective family planning methods as people of faith.

“Faith based sexuality education is crucial to the health of our communities,” says Reverend Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO of the RCRC. “Our diverse group of experts will speak to the critical health issues that impact the lives of young men and women and help them to make sound choices when faced with life-threatening, life-altering sexual decisions,” adds Veazey.

A roster of distinguished speakers are on the agenda, such as Reverend Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago, IL); Reverend Dr. Susan Newman, Amistad St. Paul United Church of Christ (Lanham, MD); Dr. John Kinney, Samuel D. Proctor School of Divinity (Richmond, VA); Reverend Mary Moore, New Salem 4th Street Missionary Baptist Church (Memphis, TN); Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, author of "God and Gangsta Rap;" Reverend Dr. Alvin O. Jackson, National City Christian Church (Washington, DC), and, Dr. D. Kim Singleton, author of

"Broken Silence."

The three-day summit offers something for people of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds, including a session, “Keeping It Real!,” conducted in Spanish. Other workshop topics include, “Grandparents Raising Teens,” “Reconciling What The Bible Says About Sex,” “Risky Sexual Behavior: Substance Abuse, STIs, STDs and Teen Pregnancy,” and “Sexual and Domestic Violence.”

“The Summit is an interfaith experience designed for self-reflection, self-discovery, and dialogue,” says Leslie Watson, director of MultiCultural Programs Department and the Black Church Initiative of RCRC. "Our goal is that each participant will leave with a greater ability to speak more comfortably on issues related to sex and sexuality, and also, recognize the dire need for the African American faith community to Break the Silence In Times Like These.”

The Summit is open to the public and costs $50 for adults and $25 for youth under 18. Space is limited; the registration deadline is June 30. For a complete list of speakers and panel topics or to register, visit www. rcrc. org/bci (http://www. rcrc. org/bci), or call (202) 628-7700.

The Black Church Initiative, a program of RCRC, since 1997 has led the nation in advancing reproductive health and faith-based sexuality education in African American churches around the country. Celebrating 30 years, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is a national interfaith organization that brings the moral power of religious communities to ensure reproductive choice through education and advocacy. The Coalition seeks to give clear voice to the reproductive issues of people of color, those living in poverty and other underserved populations.

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NOTE TO MEDIA: A list of speakers, photos, and a detailed schedule are available at: www. dogonvillage. com/bci (http://www. dogonvillage. com/bci). To schedule an interview call 818.569.3045. There will be a MEDIA RECEPTION on WED. July 9 from 12:30 - 2 p. m. Please RSVP to Edrea@ 818.569.3045

Specialty Socks Make Great Stocking Stuffers

Specialty Socks Make Great Stocking Stuffers

Arriva Canada offers online store customers exclusive deals and special shipping rates during holiday season.

Toronto, Ontario (PRWEB) December 5, 2007

Those who value their foot health can look forward to receiving an extra gift this season from an unexpected Secret Santa. Specialty sock manufacturer (http://www. arrivacanada. com/), Arriva Canada, presents their online consumers with discounts ranging from 5% - 10% off purchases, reduced shipping costs for Americans, and actually foots the total shipping bill for Canadians.

This time of year is the perfect excuse to protect loved ones from the cold through a well-intentioned gift. Arriva designs and manufactures a wide variety of specialty socks (http://www. arrivacanada. com/wwa_history. php) designed for anyone on a Christmas list. While healthy feet are important for everyone, it is essential for those with health conditions that compromise circulation, such as diabetes, and for sports-nuts to maintain general foot health and enhance performance.

Arriva offers several types of medical socks (http://www. arrivacanada. com/prod_mt_dia_holo. php) with textile technology needed to promote foot health specific to health problems, such as diabetic socks (http://www. arrivacanada. com/education. php) and compression socks. Know someone with dry, chapped feet? Get them aloe-infused socks to moisturize. The sports enthusiasts will appreciate Arriva sport socks (http://www. arrivacanada. com/prod_st_pe_holo_quarter. php) made especially for keeping feet cool and dry. Try travel socks (http://www. arrivacanada. com/prod_travel. php) for those who revel in globe-trotting. And for those who need to relax, Arriva makes aroma-therapeutic socks to massage the feet while walking.

Arriva wants to reward online specialty sock (http://www. arrivastore. ca/) shoppers this season with savings on bulk purchases. For starters, all orders over $75 are automatically subject to reduced shipping costs. American customers pay only $5.99 for their sock stock to be shipped right to their door and Canadians get theirs shipped for free. Furthermore, when a customer buys two pairs of Arriva's specialty socks, they instantly receive 5% off. Three socks and they get a 7% discount. Buy four or more pairs and Arriva awards the buyer 10% off the regular purchase price.

"This time of year can be very stressful. If we can make it easier for people by offering them the convenience and environmentally-friendly benefits of shopping online, as well as incentive to buy for several people at one time, then we all benefit," says Bipin Khimasia, CEO of Arriva Canada. "Furthermore, if we can save them enough money so they can afford to treat themselves this season, that's an added bonus."

To learn more about Arriva and their Holiday Specials, contact Aaditya Khimasia or visit www. arrivacanada. com.

About Arriva Canada:
Arriva Canada promotes health and performance through specially designed lifestyle legwear. Engineered and manufactured in Canada, these specialty socks for men and women combine several revolutionary textile technologies to provide socks to enhance all aspects of life, including medical, travel, sport and relaxation.

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Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Translators Converge on Orlando For International Translation Conference

Translators Converge on Orlando For International Translation Conference

The American Translators Association (ATA) announced today that translators and interpreters from all over the world will be coming to Orlando for their 49th Annual Conference November 5-8, 2008. According to a recent Labor Department report, translation and interpreting industry jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 26% from 2006-2016, particularly in the areas of national security, healthcare and international trade. Stephen Sekel, Director of the Documentation Division in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management of the United Nations, will speak at this conference about the worldwide shortage of professional translators. For more information about the conference, please visit: www. atanet. org/conf/2008.

Orlando (PRWEB) November 5, 2008

The American Translators Association (ATA) announced today that translators and interpreters from all over the world will be coming to Orlando for their 49th Annual Conference November 5-8, 2008. The conference is designed to inform translation and interpreting professionals of important industry trends.

ATA President Jiri Stejskal said, "Despite an ailing economy, the more than $11 billion translating and interpreting services industry continues to experience tremendous growth. According to a recent Labor Department report, translation and interpreting industry jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 26% from 2006-2016, particularly in the areas of national security, healthcare and international trade. Translators have become the facilitators of information in the global marketplace." He added that Parade Magazine recently listed translators as the 2nd hottest job in the United States.

Translators and interpreters are in extremely high demand - particularly in a multilingual state such as Florida. They work in banking, medicine, telecom, pharmaceuticals, technology enterprises, and thousands of other industries that serve people throughout the globe on a daily basis. In national security, in business or even in local government, translation and interpreting mistakes can be embarrassing, costly or even disastrous. The ATA conference will underscore the importance of using a professional to get translation right, and to protect business and government from costly errors.

"Orange County is an international business and tourism hub," said Lizette Valarino, Special Assistant to Mayor Richard T. Crotty of Orange County and a member of ATA. "We are actually the number one worldwide vacation destination. Mayor Crotty is pleased to have ATA visiting the region, and wanted to recognize and appreciate the valuable services translators and interpreters provide. That is why he proclaimed Nov. 2-8 Translators and Interpreters Week."

Several speakers make this conference particularly newsworthy:
 Stephen Sekel, Director of the Documentation Division in the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management of the United Nations, will speak at this conference about the worldwide shortage of professional translators.

 Marie King is Orange County Special Projects Coordinator for the Growth Management Department of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners. In this role, she is responsible for the coordination of translation services to the various departments of Orange County, Florida government. Her conference presentation will explore how smaller local governments with limited resources can improve access to information and services for people with limited English proficiency by highlighting her department's activities.

 Erik Camayd-Freixas, Director of the Translation and Interpretation Program at Florida International University, was the voice of presidential candidate Barack Obama in Spanish during the televised debates. After interpreting during federal court hearings following the Postville, Iowa immigration raid on May 12-22, 2008, Dr. Camayd-Freixas wrote an essay arguing that the due-process and constitutional rights of migrant workers had been violated during the mass prosecution. His unprecedented decision to speak out has shed new light on the complex role of the interpreter as officer of the court, expert witness, and citizen, and on the interdependence of ethics, advocacy, and justice. For the first time publicly, he will discuss his ethical reasoning and careful method for bringing irregularities out for public scrutiny. This presentation will be followed by open discussion on the issue.

To schedule an interview with ATA President Jiri Stejskal, or to get more information on local translating and interpreting businesses, please contact us.

The 49th Annual Conference will be held:

Where: Hilton in the Walt Disney World Resort

When: November 5-8.

For more information about the conference, please visit: http://www. atanet. org/conf/2008 (http://www. atanet. org/conf/2008).

About the American Translators Association
Founded in 1959, the American Translators Association is the largest organization for translators and interpreters in the United States, with over 10,500 members in more than 90 countries worldwide. Its primary goals include fostering and supporting the professional development of translators and interpreters, and promoting the translation and interpreting professions. For more information on ATA, please visit www. atanet. org.

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New Medical Center Opening in Illinois

New Medical Center Opening in Illinois

A new medical center offers medical care and insurance in one. Not a savings or discount plan but actual medical coverage. Programs include an online psychologist, breast cancer treatment, varicose veins and leg ulcers, and clinical massage.

(PRWEB) November 11, 2003

A new medical center is openign in November. National Healthcare Center offersmedical and insurance in one. Considered the Next Generation in Healthcare, NHC features both regular medical care and holistic medicine under one roof. The insurance covers both. Three insurance programs instead of one are offered to patients. You pick the best plan for you. You control your medical coverage expenses.

Not a savings or discount plan but actual medical coverage. You are covered even if you do not come to the National Healthcare Center. You are covered everywhere you go. Also new, a prescription card that includes vitamins, supplements, and herbs!

Open FREE membership until November 30th.

Receive 100 shares of stock in National Healthcare Center per household.

Featured programs include:

...Online psychologist-unlimited therapy access-marriage, family, life consulting.

...Skin cancer screening-be prepared and know how to prevent and handle skin cancer.

...Breast cancer screening-BSE (breast self exam) monthly breast exam either at home or at the center. Yearly mammograms for women over 40.

...Varicose veins-non surgical method to beautiful healthy legs-new procedure to treat leg ulcers using a safe non-surgical technique.

...Clinical massage-consists of a special blend of tea and a very relaxing massage. Your choice of rolfing, shiatsu or swedish massage.

Growth plans are already on the table. Twelve centers around the country are scheduled the first year. We will be opening a centerin your area very soon. A total of four centers are due to open in the Chicagoland area.

Be greeted and treated more as a guest than as a patient. "I promise to reach out and take you by the hand. To lead you back to a healthier life." (National Healthcare Center).

Call today, (815) 546-7802 or visit our website www. nationalhealthcarecenter. com

Could Meditation Be The Solution for Recovering Addicts?

Could Meditation Be The Solution for Recovering Addicts?

It's not a coincidence that people that meditate live longer, healthier, and have far less addiction problems.

(PRWEB) September 11, 2003

Could it be so simple as being more aware? Rahasya & Dhara say the answer is yes. “Seldom, if ever”, says Rahasya, “has anyone set out to consciously destroy their life”. It’s the decisions we make unconsciously that most often guides our lives, and is reflected back to us later by statements like, “What was I thinking?” or “If I only knew what I was doing”. The point is that we do not think consciously, otherwise we would make better decisions.

  Their background and training spans the globe, everywhere from India, England, and Germany, to Brazil and the USA. Dhara with over 20 years of meditation experience and training, and Rahasya, with a wide variety of experience, and more recently, counseling adolescence going through drug and alcohol recovery using meditation and relaxation techniques, culminating in the writing of a book on the subject and co-authored with his wife Dhara. The 12 Spiritual Laws of Recovery & Meditations for The 12 Step Program is available at online bookstores. You can also order the book through their web site and learn a little more about the authors. http://www. SpirituaLight. com (http://www. SpirituaLight. com)

 Rahasya & Dhara presently reside in Chico, CA. When asked what they wanted to accomplish in Chico, they stated that they want to work with local organizations in and around the Chico area to establish a meditation center that would offer a wide variety of meditations for the public, accepting donations at the door, and with no one turned away. The main thrust of the meditations would be towards helping the youth in the area develop more consciousness through movement in “Dance Meditations”. ItÂ’s also an excellent tool for increasing creativity for writers, dancers, actors, and anyone else that wants more intuition and creativity. This type of meditation, using movement to create more awareness, has a long history that has created therapies such as Bioenergetics, somatics, and many more. Most of the meditations can be found in their book.

 When asked what these meditations are like, they stated that to say what itÂ’s like would be like telling someone who never tasted chocolate what it tastes like. Likewise, deep profound inner awareness is something that needs to be experienced from within yourself to “know” what it is, any other explanation would be misleading at best. To purchase their book or for more information about Rahasya and Dhara, and what they are doing locally, you can visit their website at www. SpirituaLight. com or email them at SpirituaLight@chico. com

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Monday, October 24, 2011

Douglas Wolfe, MD, One of the First Physicians to Implant Fully Digital Pacemaker in Mississippi

Douglas Wolfe, MD, One of the First Physicians to Implant Fully Digital Pacemaker in Mississippi

The Vitatron C-Series pacemaker helps individuals whose hearts beat too slowly support the needs of their circulatory systems. It features Digital Signal Processing that converts analog data into digital data for more precise data collection and faster data processing.

(PRWEB) February 22, 2004

Douglas Wolfe, M. D., a cardiologist with Cardiovascular Associates, has implanted the first fully digital pacemaker in Mississippi. He performed the procedure at Baptist Medical Center in Jackson, Miss.

The Vitatron C-Series pacemaker helps individuals whose hearts beat too slowly support the needs of their circulatory systems. It features Digital Signal Processing that converts analog data into digital data for more precise data collection and faster data processing. Vitatron C-Series devices are designed to help physicians quickly and easily achieve an optimal pacing pattern for each patient.

Using an external programmer during patient follow-up sessions, clinicians can download extensive pacemaker diagnostic data in less than 18 seconds. After evaluating stored diagnostic information, the therapy advisor feature automatically points out areas for suggested physician review and offers programming recommendations. Device reprogramming can be completed in as few as two seconds.

For more information, contact the Baptist Health Line at 948-6262 or 1-800-948-6262.

InstallFree 7bridge Solves Application Compatibility Issues on Windows 7

InstallFree 7bridge Solves Application Compatibility Issues on Windows 7

Newest Product Addresses Biggest Customer Challenge in Windows 7 Migration by Preparing Applications for Rapid Deployment

Stamford, CT (PRWEB) June 14, 2010

InstallFree, Inc. (http://www. installfree. com/), a leading developer of desktop application virtualization and management solutions, today announced InstallFree 7bridge, its newest product designed to meet the demand for help with application compatibility issues on Windows 7 (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=5j5oELalNzc). With 7bridge, customers can have their mission-critical applications packaged and prepared for Windows 7 deployment by InstallFree, dramatically accelerating their implementation. Customers can later upgrade to the full InstallFree Bridge product, and expand their use of the technology to reduce the overall cost and complexity of desktop application management.

The core application virtualization technology in 7bridge eliminates desktop and web application compatibility issues, including conflicts with legacy Java applications (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=lV9pJZ9ZBds&feature=player_embedded) and Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 and 7 (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=XUk0dMHLygY&feature=player_embedded) on Windows 7.

InstallFree 7bridge is the only solution on the market today that can seamlessly run incompatible XP applications on Windows 7 — without requiring application reprogramming, or costly infrastructure and VM management. The InstallFree 7bridge is immediately available and customers can register for the solution on the 7bridge web site (http://www. migrate2win7.com/).

“We had terrific customer response earlier this year to our limited offer of application packaging with the purchase of the InstallFree Bridge product. It validated our view that customers have an urgent need to ease the immediate pain in Windows 7 migration, which is application compatibility,” said Yori Gabay, CEO at InstallFree. “It’s a market gap that InstallFree is uniquely positioned to fulfill, because our technology is designed to solve the root causes of application compatibility issues: system and component dependencies, operating system security and Internet Explorer conflicts. InstallFree 7bridge will stand apart in the market as a product that lets customers solve their critical problems right away. Instead of dealing with application packaging, they can simply specify their top incompatible applications, and let us prepare the applications for immediate deployment.”

Recent analyst research has reported application compatibility issues as one of the largest problems in Windows 7 migrations. Estimates vary by organization, but can range as high as 50% of deployed applications. The InstallFree 7bridge application virtualization solution can provide immediate resolution and does not require undertaking an expansive IT virtualization initiative.

“Application virtualization helps streamline PC application deployment, and can help address packaging and application coexistence problems in most organizations,” said Terrence Cosgrove, senior analyst at Gartner. “The technology can help solve tactical problems, such as specific application conflict issues or browser compatibility problems, but can also ultimately improve overall desktop application delivery and management”. [See: “Immature Desktop Management Groups Benefit Most From Application Virtualization,” by Terrence Cosgrove, May 13, 2010.

Many IT organizations are finding out that application compatibility issues are causing their Windows 7 migration projects to delay or fail. InstallFree enables IT to get out of the “application repackaging business” by creating isolated, modular and portable virtual applications that can run on any version of Windows and be updated on-the-fly. InstallFree Virtual Applications seamlessly integrate into the end-user’s environment and fully communicate with the OS and other applications without making any changes to the underlying OS file system or registry. They enable full end-user productivity in locked-down PC environments and create a fully portable end-user environment that can be easily migrated between computers and operating systems.

InstallFree | Designed for Users. Built for IT

InstallFree is a leading developer of application compatibility and portability solutions to help customers accelerate the adoption of new operating systems and applications, resolve conflicts and reduce the cost and complexity of delivering and managing their desktop applications. InstallFree stands alone in offering a virtualization approach that creates modular desktop elements that can be independently packaged, managed, configured and updated while leveraging the customer’s existing IT infrastructure.

InstallFree has technology alliance partnerships with BigFix, BMC Software and Red Hat, and solution partners serving the education, healthcare, financial services and the public sector. For more information, visit migrate2win7 (http://www. http://www. migrate2win7.com/).com or call (203) 276-1460.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their registered owners.

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

ScienceLogic Enhances Manageability of Dell Platforms and Services as Dell ISV Certified Partner

ScienceLogic Enhances Manageability of Dell Platforms and Services as Dell ISV Certified Partner

EM7 Meta-Appliances integrate seamlessly with Dell™ OpenManage™

Reston, VA (PRWEB) March 25, 2009

ScienceLogic, a leading IT Operations Management provider, announced today its status as a Dell ISV Basic Certified Partner. Dell has validated the seamless integration of EM7 Meta-Appliances with Dell OpenManage systems management functionality and certifies that the implementation performs to Dell standards.

Out of the box, EM7 Meta-Appliances perform an intelligent auto-discovery to identify networked devices, applications and services. Best-practices based monitoring policies called EM7 Dynamic Applications immediately provide the information system administrators need to maintain system health and business service levels. Automation and best practices are especially important at scale; EM7 is designed to provide a single pane of glass view of operations spanning hundreds to thousands of networked devices. For the integration with Dell OpenManage, this translates to a universal view of performance and availability across all Dell servers on a customer's network plus configuration and change information to complete the full picture - from information on associated switches, storage and power metrics to asset and warranty information that are all automatically saved in EM7 as asset records.

"We are pleased to join the select group of IT management software vendors that have passed the Dell certification for ISV Partner," said David Link, CEO of ScienceLogic. "We've spent years
Fine tuning the EM7 Dynamic Applications built for Dell OpenManage based upon our customers' real-world requirements," said Link. "The Dell ISV certification process validates our work and continues a close relationship with Dell that can only benefit our customers."

"ScienceLogic and Dell share a mutual commitment to simplify the management of disparate infrastructure platforms, applications, and IT services to deliver exceptional value to customers," said Sally Stevens, Director, Platform Marketing, Dell Product Group. " Together we provide solutions that help transform the way customers deploy, utilize, and experience technology."

For more information on the Dell ISV Partner Program and Dell OpenManage, please visit www. dell. com/openmanage/ISV (http://www. dell. com/openmanage/ISV).

For more information about ScienceLogic, please visit http://www. sciencelogic. com (http://www. sciencelogic. com) or http://blog. sciencelogic. com (http://blog. sciencelogic. com).

About ScienceLogic
Reston, Va.-based ScienceLogic LLC was started with one goal: Simplify IT. Founded and staffed by technology professionals who are intensely focused on making IT management simpler, better and faster, ScienceLogic is committed to delivering solutions with unquestionable quality and value and enabling its customers to deliver impeccable service to their constituents.

ScienceLogic's patent-pending EM7 Meta-Appliances are a next-generation "framework" solution engineered to deliver comprehensive systems, network and application management out-of-the-box. The revolutionary EM7 technology combines a secure and pre-integrated set of applications with automation tools, reporting, "single pane of glass" view and centralized data repository - all optimized to work together for proactive and efficient IT operations management. For more information, call 1-800-SCI-LOGIC (1-800-724-5644) or visit our web site at www. sciencelogic. com.

ScienceLogic, EM7 and EM7 Meta-Appliances are trademarks of ScienceLogic, LLC in the United States and other countries. Other company, product and service marks may be trademarks or service marks of others.

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Saturday, October 22, 2011

The Skinny on a Good Media Diet for Kids This Summer

The Skinny on a Good Media Diet for Kids This Summer

A recent study shows that kids gain weight over the summer -- here's what parents can do about it.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 25, 2007 -

Parents probably don't need any reminding, but summer is just around the corner. With it will come hours of free time that kids are bound to fill with television, video games, the Internet -- and maybe some unwanted weight.

A study released earlier this year found that kids actually gained more weight over the summer than they did during the school year, drawing into question the assumption that kids spend their summers playing outdoors.

"Media is a huge part of kids' lives today -- kids actually spend more than twice as much time with media each week than they do with their parents," said Common Sense Media CEO and founder James Steyer. "It stands to reason that, given more free time when they're out of school, kids are inclined to use more and more media."

Previous research has shown that the more time kids spend watching television, the more likely they are to be obese.

"Media is fun for kids, and it can be a great way for families to bond together," Steyer said. "The challenge for parents is to make sure that media is a positive part of kids' lives. In addition to the risk of obesity, unsupervised media use can pose a number of other hazards to kids, particularly those old enough to go online."

To help parents ensure that their kids are using media in healthy, positive ways this summer, Common Sense offers the following tips:

1. Set boundaries. Agree with your kids in advance about how many hours will be devoted to watching television, playing XBox or IMing friends. Make sure you include reading, playing and being outside as part of every day's activities. Setting a clear limit on the amount of time kids spend with media will reduce their risk of obesity.

2. Review Internet safety basics. Yes, our kids say they know the rules, but it doesn't hurt to remind them never to give out personal information or meet strangers. And you might want to take a look at their MySpace page -- just to be sure.

3. Do your homework. School's out for kids, but parents still have homework. Before you let your kids go to a movie, surf a new site or watch a new TV series, make sure you know the content and that it's age appropriate. The good news: All the information you need is readily available at www. commonsense. com.

4. Enjoy media together. Have a family movie night. Take a trip to the bookstore or library. Rent video games you can play together. Enjoying media with your kids can lead naturally to conversations about what they're seeing, playing and hearing -- and can help them think more clearly (even in the summer) about the messages they're absorbing.

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Friday, October 21, 2011

Third Quarter Global Foodservice Traffic Reflects Range of Economic Health Across World; Visits Up in China and Australia Only

Third Quarter Global Foodservice Traffic Reflects Range of Economic Health Across World; Visits Up in China and Australia Only

From the enthusiasm for the strong Chinese recovery to the persistent economic concerns in Spain, the state of global foodservice in the third calendar quarter of 2010 was a reflection of each country’s economic state, according to foodservice market research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company.

Chicago, IL (Vocus/PRWEB) January 04, 2011

From the enthusiasm for the strong Chinese recovery to the persistent economic concerns in Spain, the state of global foodservice in the third calendar quarter of 2010 was a reflection of each country’s economic state, according to foodservice market research by The NPD Group, a leading market research company. Visits to foodservice outlets in China, where the economy is prospering, increased by double-digits in the third quarter of this year compared to the same quarter last year, whereas foodservice traffic in Spain, which has an unemployment rate of 19.8 percent, declined by -3 percent from a year ago

According to NPD’s CREST®, which tracks commercial foodservice usage in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States, restaurant traffic counts declined in most of the countries, with the exceptions of Australia and China. Average eater checks are up in all countries except Japan and in many countries the boost in checks is enough to overcome all or most of the continuing declines in traffic counts.

“Restaurant chains in the countries NPD tracks are beginning to lift consumer spending, but that growth is due to increases in average eater checks and not increased consumer demand,” says Bob O’Brien, global senior vice president of foodservice at NPD. “We’re seeing some recovery for quick service restaurants in North America but little across Europe. Families with kids have begun to grow in most countries while we have yet to see adult-only parties growing.”

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,800 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us, visit http://www. npd. com/, or follow us Twitter at https://twitter. com/npdgroup.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Discovery Eye Foundation Gala and Awards Ceremony in Beverly Hills

Discovery Eye Foundation Gala and Awards Ceremony in Beverly Hills

On Thursday, October 11, 2007 over 300 people crowded into the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel to celebrate the successes of The Discovery Eye Foundation over the past thirty-seven years and also to recognize some incredible people committed to the field of vision research and treatment.

Los Angeles, CA (Vocus) October 20, 2007

On Thursday, October 11, 2007 over 300 people crowded into the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel to celebrate the successes of The Discovery Eye Foundation over the past thirty-seven years and also to recognize some incredible people committed to the field of vision research and treatment. Ms. Beverly Gelfand and Ms. Sue Marshall were the co-chairs of this evening, entitled "A Night for Discovery".

Founded in 1970, by Morris and Rita Pynoos, the Discovery Eye Foundation (DEF) is dedicated to finding cures and treatments for corneal and retinal eye diseases while providing exceptional patient education through two outstanding outreach programs -- Macular Degeneration Partnership and National Keratoconus Foundation. DEF has program and administrative offices in West Hollywood and has clinical research facilities in collaboration with the University of California at Irvine. DEF funded researchers are currently supporting research into treatment and cures for diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, ocular herpes and keratoconus.

A highlight of the evening was a tribute to three individuals who have made enormous contributions towards improving the quality of life for those persons with debilitating eye diseases. Honored for their dedication, commitment and generosity were:

Iris Cantor, Philanthropic honoree
As chairman, president and co-founder of the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Foundation, Iris Cantor has dedicated nearly three decades to advancing a variety of medical, education and cultural organizations and causes through philanthropic support. Mrs. Cantor has been recognized by many national governments and medical and cultural institutions for her generosity and commitment. Her twin passions for women's health care and the visual arts, in particular, have driven her to establish comprehensive women's health centers in California and New York, and have earned her a place as a trustee of several museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Dr. Anthony Nesburn, Iris Cantor, James Mazzo

Mrs. Cantor has been a member of the Discovery Eye Foundation Board of Directors and a major supporter of the organization's work since the 1980's. Mrs. Cantor and her late husband, B. Gerald Cantor shared a belief in the need to support advances in eye research. Mr. Cantor's longtime struggle with diabetes and his resulting vision loss because of this disease provided the Cantors with an even stronger commitment to support research into the causes of and treatments for eye-related diseases. Through support spanning more than two decades, the Cantor Foundation established the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Diabetic Eye Research Program and Laboratory at UCI, which has been responsible for important advances in eye research including the development of a non-surgical procedure for treating vitreous hemorrhage.

James V. Mazzo, Industry honoree
James (Jim) V. Mazzo is Chairman, President and CEO of Advanced Medical Optics (AMO) where he has focused the energies of more than 4,200 employees around the globe on a common mission: the discovery and delivery of innovative vision technologies that optimize quality of life for people of all ages. Mr. Mazzo has been a member of the AMO Board of Directors since 2001. He has served as President and CEO from AMO's inception through May 2006, at which time he also became the Chairman of the Board. With AMO, Mr. Mazzo actively works with federal, state and local elected officials to address a variety of issues that impact the eye care and medical device industries. Under Mr. Mazzo's stewardship, AMO has set a new strategic direction and has positioned itself for accelerating performance in the years ahead.

AMO has long been a supporter of the Discovery Eye Foundation, and Mr. Mazzo provides DEF with a valued perspective on current innovations and future possibilities for vision technology. As the Chair of the steering committee for the proposed Eye Institute at the University of California and Irvine he works closely with Dr. Tony Nesburn, Medical Director of DEF and DEF Board Chairman Jack Schoellerman to help ensure that this project becomes a reality.

Anthony B. Nesburn, M. D., F. A.C. S., Medical honoree
An internationally respected eye surgeon, educator, lecturer, researcher, Dr. Nesburn has served as Medical Director of the Discovery Eye Foundation since it founding. "Dr. Tony "is beloved by his many thankful patients and highly respected by his medical peers as a Doctor's Doctor. He is repeatedly included in Outstanding Medical Specialists in U. S., The Best Doctors in America and America's Top Doctors.

Dr. Nesburn, an LA native and UCLA magna cum laude graduate, earned a cum laude MD degree and received his extensive post-graduate research and ophthalmology training at Harvard Medical School. After returning to Southern California in 1968, he joined his father, Dr. Henry Nesburn, in private practice of ophthalmology.

He has always had a passion for research and decided to make research a priority in his life. Dr. Nesburn has devoted over half of his time to patient-oriented laboratory research and clinical research projects. He has been awarded ongoing NIH research support throughout the ensuing years that has resulted in many important sight-saving scientific and clinical advances and over 180 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Entertainment during the evening was provided by Mr. Tom Sullivan and Ms. Stefanie Powers. Mr. Sullivan who has been blind almost since birth is recognized for his work as an author, an actor, a musician and entertainer, a television news correspondent, an athlete and a motivational speaker Mr. Sullivan gained a solid presence in the entertainment world, frequently appearing in guest roles on such television programs as Designing Women, Highway to Heaven, Fame, M. A.S. H., Mork & Mindy, and WKRP in Cincinnati. As a special correspondent for ABC's Good Morning America, Tom gave touching and insightful reports inspiring millions of Americans each morning.

Ms. Powers began her career at age 15, dancing for Jerome Robbins. Under contract to Columbia Pictures, she appeared in 15 films, among them Experiment in Terror, The Interns, and McClintock! After her first television series, "The Girl From U. N.C. L.E.", came 12 more films, over 20 mini-series stage productions and the long-running "Hart to Hart." She is co-founder of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, established in 1982 as a public charity, is a Fellow of the Los Angeles Zoo, Royal Geographical Society and Explorers Club of America, and she created the Jaguar Conservation Trust for Jaguar Cars North America. Powers will bring her new one-woman show, One from the Hart, to the Orange County Performing Arts Center in November.

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Southern Charmed City of DeLand Adopts Cutting Edge Biometric Time and Attendance System

Southern Charmed City of DeLand Adopts Cutting Edge Biometric Time and Attendance System

The Florida city of DeLand successfully deploys a biometric time and attendance system for all departments, including fire, police and public works.

Sandy, UT (PRWEB) September 8, 2006

Florida city of DeLand boasts a rich cultural and educational heritage, including Stetson University, the state’s oldest private college, and a downtown area listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Although the city’s old-fashioned Southern charm endears it to residents and tourists alike, DeLand’s Director of Information Services, David Watson, wanted to ensure its time and attendance process was cutting-edge.

In 2004, Watson and his team determined the old paper-based process, including some worn out time clocks, needed updating, and looked to technology to address the issue.

After visiting a time and attendance symposium, Watson knew he had a challenge on his hands. As a city government, DeLand is beholden to taxpayers to run as efficiently and effectively as possible. And even though time and attendance software was an obvious tool to make this happen, Watson also realized that with only about 400 employees, the city would be competing with multinational organizations and their thousands of users when it came to customer service.

DeLand issued a request for proposals for a new time and attendance solution in June 2005. A selection committee consisting of representatives from a variety of departments, including police, public works, recreation, fire, payroll, information technology, finance and development, was established to review applicants.

The committee short-listed three vendors from a field of 23 total respondents. They included Qqest, Kronos, and Perryman and Associates, a local distributor of Unitime Systems.

In evaluating the finalists, the committee was looking for a variety of features and capabilities. The solution needed to offer both desktop and time clock entry options, reporting capabilities, and be able to interface with the city’s out-of-state payroll vendor. The group also wanted a cost-effective solution from a well-established vendor that offered great technical support—even to smaller customers

After conducting in-person interviews with each vendor, and checking references, the group unanimously selected Qqest Software System’s TimeForce, a simple yet powerful software system to collect, manage and process employee time. “We looked very hard at all the finalists,” said Watson. “One of the vendors we did not select is located just 30 miles from DeLand. But the bottom line was we just felt more comfortable with Qqest, and the cost difference was significant. Plus, their references were great.”

As with any new software solution, the implementation process presented both technical and cultural challenges. To head off as many problems as possible, Watson and his team decided on a “walk, not run” strategy. They visited each department separately, conducted a presentation, and answered questions. They also rolled out the software to just one department at a time, starting with City Hall. They allowed a full month of run-time—or two pay periods—before moving on to the next department, which allowed the IT team to resolve issues before undertaking another project.

Employing a more personal approach also helped alleviate concerns some employees had about using their fingerprints as an identification verification method. “Some people were a little nervous about this,” he said. “Because we took the time to walk each person through the process and answer their questions, we were able to resolve most of their concerns almost immediately.”

The team encountered their first hiccup during the early rollout period when they had to install the TimeForce software and database. “After hearing implementation horror stories from other organizations, including the customers of some of our RFP finalists, I was prepared for the worst,” said Watson. “However, the important thing was that everything that came up was resolved quickly and well. Qqest did a great job at that.”

By July, DeLand had rolled out TimeForce to just about every employee and every department. With over 300 users and 13 time clocks, the city has made significant progress toward streamlining its payroll process. “Automating time and payroll is already saving our people time, and giving then better information to make better decisions,” said Watson.

One of the most obvious early benefits is that managers can easily identify and address exceptions, instead of having to wade through mountains of data after the fact. “Now, if someone is showing up late or not clocking out, we can catch it early,” said Watson. “By taking care of these kinds of issues immediately, our managers can be much more effective.”

Watson anticipates even more payoffs in the future. “Our rollout of Qqest’s TimeForce has been really smooth and is working out well,” he said. “And as employees and managers discover all the features it offers, including reporting, our experience will only get better.”

About Qqest Software - Headquartered, in Sandy, UT, Qqest is the market and technology leader in time and attendance solutions for organizations employing as little as 5 or as many as 50,000 employees. Qqest’s TimeForce product, an intuitive, rules-based time and attendance application, empowers clients of all sizes, industries and technological infrastructure, to efficiently manage and control the most complex timekeeping needs and seamlessly transmit that information to payroll or human resource information systems. Qqest has over 35,000 clients, comprised of manufacturers, financial institutions, retail, government entities, healthcare professional services and hospitality. For more information on Qqest call 1-800-733-8839 or visit our website at www. myTimeForce. com.

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Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Improve productivity, Reduce Repetitive Stress Injuries with Ergonomic Products

Improve productivity, Reduce Repetitive Stress Injuries with Ergonomic Products

Ergo-items. com celebrates first year in business

SHOREWOOD, Wisc. (PRWEB) July 29, 2005

With the workplace relying more on computers, businesses looking to prevent repetitive stress injury in employees can turn to Ergo-items. com.

The online business -- owned by Peter Velikanov and based in Shorewood, Wisc. -- specializes in the latest in ergonomic products for the office. Items available through the Web site include various arm supports, ergonomic mice, ergonomic trackballs, ergonomic chairs, footrests, keyboards and numeric keypads and more.

The site is hosted by Yahoo! Stores.

According to Velikanov, the business will celebrate its year anniversary in August 2005. He said it has been successful by offering unique items to a niche market.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Web site, "Ergonomics is a discipline that involves arranging the environment to fit the person in it. When ergonomics is applied correctly in the work environment, visual and musculoskeletal discomfort and fatigue are reduced significantly."

Products designed especially to ease the stress of sitting at a computer terminal for eight hours a day, or more, are an investment in health, said Velikanov. "Ergonomic products can prevent repetitive stress injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and help to increase productivity," he said. "They also can bring more fun to routine computer work."

The use of such ergonomic products as those found on Ergo-items. com can also reduce the number of workers' compensation claims.

The company has served more than 1,000 customers in the past year, the owner said. The goal is to expand the product offerings in the near future.

For more information, visit the Web site at http://www. ergo-items. com (http://www. ergo-items. com), call Peter Velikanov at 414-921-4262.

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Wee Generation "Greenovates" Family's Baby Nursery and Provides Easy DIY Tips to All Parents : Seventh Generation and Healthy Child Healthy World consult with the Norris Family of Raynham, Mass. on Green Makeover

Wee Generation "Greenovates" Family's Baby Nursery and Provides Easy DIY Tips to All Parents : Seventh Generation and Healthy Child Healthy World consult with the Norris Family of Raynham, Mass. on Green Makeover

Wee Generation – a collaboration of environmental visionaries including Seventh Generation and Healthy Child Healthy World – announced today the winners of their Green Baby Nursery Makeover Sweepstakes: Cynthia and Keith Norris, of Raynham, Mass. A video featuring green baby nursery tips and many others can be found at: www. weegeneration. com/green-nursery-tips.

BURLINGTON, Vt. (PRWEB) August 7, 2008

"We were absolutely astounded and thrilled to be honored with this gift," said Cynthia Norris. "My husband Keith and I learned of McKenna's cyst while I was pregnant. As a result, we've been trying to create a green home and nursery on our own and find this gift to be incredibly lucky and timely."

Wee Generation's green baby nursery tips for any family include:

Use organic or natural mattresses, bedding and linens free of treatments that can expose infants to chemicals and other unhealthy compounds. Start cleaning house the safe way—with biodegradable cleaners made from natural and non-toxic ingredients. Natural cleaners won't fill your home with chemical fumes or coat its surfaces with unhealthy residues. Dust with a damp cloth. Dust mites are one of the main allergens and contributors to respiratory-related illnesses so decrease them easily and effectively. Select air purifiers that don't generate UV light and that don't require filter replacement. Keep windows open for fresh air whenever possible. Use real plants when possible. The following plants, among many others, also help absorb air pollutants and contribute to a "green" nursery: Boston Fern, Weeping Fig Ficus, Rubber Plant, Gerbera Daisy, Areca or Bamboo Palm, Dragon or Rainbow Tree, Lady or Parlor Palm and a Moth Orchid. Conventional carpets are full of toxic chemicals and can harbor dust mites. Keep carpets and rugs vacuumed and consider treating with a VOC-free adhesive and/or sealant to reduce off-gassing. When selecting paint, choose a VOC-free or low-VOC option. When selecting lighting, consider full-spectrum light bulbs and compact fluorescents. When possible, choose organic clothing options for baby. Also select wood and cloth toys over plastic or vinyl. If bottle-feeding, opt for BPA-free plastic or glass bottles or training cups. There are also BPA-free containers for food. BPA is bisphenol-a, a hormone-disrupting chemical found in many conventional plastics found in bottles and toys. The greenovation included extensive consultations with K. L. Hassen of Organic Home LLC and incorporated Healthy Child Healthy World's five easy steps for creating a healthy home for family. Find these steps and more at http://healthychild. org/5steps/ (http://healthychild. org/5steps/).

Not only did the Norris family win a $5,000 "greenovation" of their nursery, but they also won the opportunity to "pay-it-forward" so that a local children's organization could benefit from a similar "green" makeover. They chose Massachusetts-based Horizons for Homeless Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of homeless children and their families. Through the donation to Horizons for Homeless Children Wee Generation is able to promote the importance of children's environmental health at both the family and community level.

"We are excited that Wee Generation can provide the Norris family and Horizons for Homeless Children the knowledge and tools they need to consciously prepare healthy space for little ones," said Christopher Gavigan, CEO and Executive Director of Healthy Child Healthy World. "Creating a healthy, living environment is the best gift any parent or caregiver can give children."

In addition to the greenovations awarded as a result of the sweepstakes facilitated by SoftCoin®, Wee Generation created the Wee Generation Eco-friendly Diaper Bag, part of which is manufactured from post-consumer plastic bottles and is Cradle-to-Cradle certifiable. It is available at www. weegeneration. com. All profits will benefit Healthy Child Healthy World (HCHW), the nation's leading children's environmental health and eco-advocacy nonprofit.

About the Wee Generation Collaboration

Wee Generation advocates for a healthier environment for children by focusing on the "living home" and a transformation of ecosystem-impacting consumer products. Wee Generation was formed in partnership with Seventh Generation – the nation's premier provider of non-toxic and environmentally-friendly home cleaning, personal care and baby products; William McDonough – the acclaimed green architect and visionary; IDEO – one of the world's most innovative design firms; Healthy Child Healthy World – the country's primary children's environmental health eco-advocacy non-profit and Rickshaw Bagworks – a leading manufacturer and designer of sustainable urban bags.

About Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal-care products for your living home. Our products are healthy and safe for the air, the surfaces, the fabrics, the pets, and the people within your home — and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation also offers products for baby that are safe for your children and the planet. From chlorine free diapers and wipes to specially formulated Baby Laundry Detergent, Seventh Generation provides you with baby products you can trust. For information on Seventh Generation cleaning, paper, baby and feminine personal care products and to find store locations, visit www. seventhgeneration. com.

About Horizons for Homeless Children

Founded in 1988 as an independent, non-profit organization, Horizons for Homeless Children is dedicated to serving homeless children and their families. Headquartered in Roxbury, the organization has created over 145 Playspaces (educational and recreational spaces) in family shelters throughout Massachusetts and since inception has recruited and trained more than 9,500 community members to become volunteer Playspace Activity Leaders working with the children living in the shelters. Horizons for Homeless Children's three Community Children's Centers provide childcare and early education for 175 homeless children and their families each weekday. The agency provides leadership in advocating for homeless children and their families through leveraging and sharing its expertise with others and advocating with policy makers and the public.

For more information about Wee Generation beneficiary Horizons for Homeless Children, visit www. horizonsforhomelesschildren. org

For more information about Healthy Child Healthy World, visit www. healthychild. org

For more information about William McDonough visit www. mcdonough. com

For more information about IDEO, visit www. ideo. com

For more information about Rickshaw Bagworks, visit www. rickshawbags. com

For more information about Organic Home LLC, visit www. organichomedesign. com