Putman Media Wins 17 Publishing Awards

Putman Media Wins 17 Publishing Awards

Putman Media, Inc. (www. putman. net), a privately held business-to-business media firm with 70 years of experience serving manufacturing communities, has been bestowed with 17 awards from the 2008 American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) Azbee Awards and the 2008 Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX) for outstanding achievement in publishing. These awards honor Putman's magazines for editorial, graphic and strategic excellence.

Itasca, Ill (PRWEB) August 19, 2008

Putman Media, Inc. (www. putman. net), a privately held business-to-business media firm with 70 years of experience serving manufacturing communities, has been bestowed with 17 awards from the 2008 American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) Azbee Awards and the 2008 Awards for Publication Excellence (APEX) for outstanding achievement in publishing. These awards honor Putman's magazines for editorial, graphic and strategic excellence.

The Journal from Rockwell Automation and Our Partners won the 2008 APEX Awards for "Best Custom-Published Magazines & Journals" and for "Cover Design" - December 2007 issue. The "Best Custom-Published Magazines & Journals" prize recognizes the magazine as a whole for content, design, fulfillment of its mission for the customer and overall quality.

Magazines that received 2008 ASBPE National Azbee Awards include:
Control Design, Honorable Mention for Magazine of the Year, Under 80,000 Circulation. Control Design is dedicated to the special information needs of industrial machine builders. Food Processing won the Silver Award for "Life on Mars" by Editor-in-Chief Dave Fusaro, December 2007, Individual/Organization Profile, Under 80,000 Circulation. Food Processing is dedicated to the food and beverage industry. For Regular Column, Staff Written, Under 80,000 Circulation, Control magazine Executive Editor Jim Montague, Silver Award for "Control Report," May and December 2007 issues. Control serves users of control, instrumentation and automation technologies.

National Azbee design honors were bestowed to:
The Journal from Rockwell Automation and Our Partners, a bimonthly custom magazine published for Rockwell Automation: Gold Award for "Stand Out From the Crowd," Cover, December 2007 issue, Under 80,000 Circulation. The Journal also won the Silver Award for Table of Contents Page or Pages, June 2007 issue, Under 80,000 Circulation. Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, devoted exclusively to help drug industry professionals: Silver Award for "2007: Facing a Year of Uncertainty," Cover, February 2007 issue, Under 80,000 Circulation.

Magazines that received 2008 ASBPE Regional Azbee Awards include for editorial excellence include:
Editor-in-Chief Paul Studebaker of Plant Services, Bronze Award, Editorial/Editor's Letter, 80,000 or More Circulation, "From the Editor," March and September 2007 issues. Plant Services is dedicated to excellence in maintenance, reliability and asset management Plant Services, Gold Award, Regular Column Contributed, 80,000 or More Circulation, "Crisis Corner" by Joel Leonard, March and May 2007 issue. Plant Services, Silver Award, Regular Column Contributed, 80,000 or More Circulation, "Energy Expert" by Peter Garforth, June and December 2007 issues. Chemical Processing, covering U. S. chemical manufacturing processing operations, won the Silver Award for How-To Article, Under 80,000 Circulation, "Properly install column internals" by Editor-in-Chief Mark Rosenzweig, Managing Editor Ken Schnepf and Art Director Derek Chamberlain.

2008 ASBPE Azbee Regional design awards include:
Chemical Processing, Gold Award, Front Cover - Photo, Under 80,000 Circulation, for "Chemical Industry Sees Green," January 2007 issue. Wellness Foods, a bimonthly magazine providing the wellness foods and beverages market with information about ingredients, regulations, formulation and more, won the Silver Award, Opening Page/Spread - Computer Generated, Under 80,000 Circulation, "Heart Healthy Naturally," February 2007 issue. Control, Gold Award, Opening Page/Spread - Photo, Under 80,000 Circulation, "Built to Last," February 2007 issue Food Processing, Silver Award, Opening Page/Spread - Photo, Under 80,000 Circulation, "Your Prime Choice," February 2007 issue. Plant Services, Gold Award, Opening Page/Spread - Photo, 80,000 or More Circulation, "To the last byte," April 2007 issue.

About Putman Media, Inc.
Putman Media, Inc. (www. putman. net) strives to be an exceptional media company as judged by the communities it serves. Putman consistently delivers unique, relevant and integrated media services and solutions that enable its customers to compete in an aggressive, high-speed environment. Its titles include Plant Services, Chemical Processing, Control, Control Design, Industrial Networking, Food Processing, Wellness Foods, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and www. KnowPharma. com, and The Journal from Rockwell Automation and Our Partners.

About the American Society of Business Press Editors
The ASBPE (www. asbpe. org) is the professional association for full-time and freelance editors and writers employed in the business, trade and specialty press.

About the APEX Awards
Sponsored by the editors of the Writing That Works, a division of Communications Concepts, Inc., the APEX Awards (www. apexawards. com) is an annual international competition for writers, editors, publications staff and business and nonprofit communicators. The APEX Awards honor excellence in corporate communications.

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Doctor Disability Insurance Urges Public to Draft a Will, No Matter the Size of Your Estate

Doctor Disability Insurance Urges Public to Draft a Will, No Matter the Size of Your Estate

Being prepared for the worst case scenario can help secure the safety of financial security for you and your family.

San Clemente, CA (PRWEB) September 26, 2009

The sudden death of worldwide celebrity Michael Jackson earlier this year resulted in controversy over his estate because the only will he had was 5 pages and written in 2002. Jackson's expansive estate, assets, and guardianship of his children had to be sorted out by executors and family members. If Jackson had an updated will, the entire process would no doubt have gone much smoother. Doctor Disability Insurance (http://www. doctordisability. com) (http://www. doctordisability. com (http://www. doctordisability. com)]) suggests everyone, no matter the size of his or her estate, should secure a well-documented will.

Jackson's outdated will has shed some light on the importance of wills for everyone, not just senior citizens or those with severe health problems. "Being prepared for unexpected events certainly prevents a greater burden on loved ones and family members," said Charles Krugh, President of Doctor Disability Insurance. "The USA Today states that those who are younger than 50 and in good health can get by with a no-frills will that simply states your final wishes and the division of your assets." Krugh also explains that another way to be prepared for crisis and accidents is disability insurance (http://www. doctordisability. com/), which can provide an affordable security blanket and peace of mind should the unexpected occur.

Doctor Disability Insurance provides disability insurance quotes from many major insurance companies, including MetLife, Guardian, Principal and Standard and information on the likelihood of disabilities and the financial harm it can do to a family. "When doctors are educated about all the options they have regarding disability insurance, they will find the best option for themselves and their family." Krugh went on to say, "The process of comparing different insurance policies will also help doctors realize how crucial it is to be prepared for the worst case scenario." The Doctor Disability Insurance website can help doctors research insurance options, get a free quote, and find the answers to frequently asked questions.

Don't leave your family picking up the pieces; secure a will and look into your disability insurance options today. For more information on your insurance options visit DoctorDisability. com or call 866-899-7318, before it's too late.

About Doctor Disability
Doctor Disability Insurance is based out of San Clemente, California and has an "A+" rating by the Better Business Bureau. The company specializes in dentist and physicians disability insurance (http://www. doctordisability. com/insurance/physician). Doctor Disability Insurance is run by President and CEO Charles Krugh, who is a Certified Financial Planner and a member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Visit DoctorDisability. com or call 866-899-7318 to discuss our options.

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Inaugural Charity Campaign With "Garden Of 100 Million Flowers" Launched On Christmas Eve

Inaugural Charity Campaign With "Garden Of 100 Million Flowers" Launched On Christmas Eve

An innovative new site at http://www.1friend2another. org launched on Christmas Eve at 12:00pm EDT on December 24, 2008. This site has several internationally newsworthy "firsts": (1) A virtual Magic Rainbow that shines above the White House grounds, where anyone can plant up to seven flowers; (2) A Mount Rushmore scene displaying what our greatest Presidents said and where visitors can voice their advice to President-Elect Obama; (3) A giveaway the Book Of Time, a compendium of time-saving tips that can increase anyone's free time by hundreds or thousands of hours, and soon to be translated into seven languages; (4) The ambition of this site is to raise $20 million for charities, in an ongoing effort dubbed the "Inauguration Charity Campaign"; (5) Visitors can participate in "The Contest With Unlimited Prizes!": Anyone who leaves a comment for Barack Obama will receive a valuable prize (mostly by download, but a few by mail); and (6) It is site is specially designed to support the media: Reporters and bloggers can actually track the growth of the "Garden of 100 Million Flowers" in real time and personally verify its explosive growth. "We believe this site will grow through word-of-mouth to well over 100 million flowers because it's exceptionally fun, beautifully designed, and socially very useful and charitable," said David O. Snow, Director of the Consumer Freedom Alliance.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) December 24, 2008

An innovative new site at http://www.1friend2another. org (http://www.1friend2another. org) will launch at 12:00pm EDT on December 24, 2008. "We believe this site will grow through word-of-mouth to well over 100 million flowers because it's exceptionally fun, beautifully designed, and socially very useful and charitable," said David O. Snow, Director of the Consumer Freedom Alliance.

Six Newsworthy "Firsts":

This site has several internationally newsworthy "firsts":

- When people walk the Magic Rainbow that shines above the White House at our site, they will come across five scenes, one of which enables them to plant up to seven flowers. The garden starts at just over 7.5 million flowers (our guesstimate for how many flowers are planted in Washington, at least in the summertime.) "To reach our goal of 100 million flowers, the site needs to attract at least 20 million people. We believe we'll do it, using the incredible power of word-of-mouth on the Internet," said Snow.

- Its "virtual garden" is located on the White House grounds at a time when the inauguration of a new president is near. In the Mount Rushmore scene, everyone can read what our greatest Presidents said, and anyone can voice their advice to President-Elect Obama. Although the site uses the White House as a familiar landmark, its usage implies no political or partisan purpose.

- Perhaps most importantly, the site gives away the Book Of Time, a compendium of time-saving tips that can increase anyone's free time by hundreds, perhaps even thousands of hours over their lifetime. Gaining just 50 hours of free time each year over twenty years means 1000 more hours of free time. If 100 million people take advantage of this free book, that's a staggering 100 billion hours that all those people can enjoy with their friends and family. "It's a truly revolutionary book, and we encourage everyone to visit its support site at 10Freedom. com to find out why," said Snow, the book's Author.

- While most sites that are designed to spread by word of mouth are launched in support of corporations, this one is designed to inspire people worldwide to give huge sums of money for charities. In an ongoing effort dubbed the "Inauguration Charity Campaign", our goal is to raise $20 million for charities at a time when donations are dwindling for many of them. "Our philosophical goal is to disseminate very high-quality consumer information in support of charities," said Snow. "With this information, we can teach people to live better. The more people live right, the less likely they will become a burden on charity, so spreading good teachings is an excellent way of being charitable in and of itself."

- Visitors can participate in "The Contest With Unlimited Prizes!" Anyone who leaves a comment for Barack Obama will have their remark immortalized for posterity by having it presented along with comments left by others to his planned Presidential Library. And by simply leaving a comment, everyone will receive a valuable prize (mostly by download, but a few by mail.) No one is asked to give us any of their contact information in order to participate in this contest. At a minimum, every visitor will receive a prize package worth $25, including a sequel to The Book Of Time as well as some other really nice downloadable prizes to be named later. As the site evolves, we project that other kind-hearted humanitarians will contribute their own prizes to be given away in this contest.

A Prize For Everyone: You will receive a prize package worth $25, including a sequel to The Book Of Time. That in itself should be worth $25 to most people, plus we'll add at least a couple of other really nice downloadable prizes to be named later.

- This site is specially designed to support the media. Reporters and bloggers can actually track the growth of the "Garden of 100 Million Flowers" and personally verify its explosive growth. First, after the site is launched at noon EDT on December 24, reporters should press the "=" key (the equal sign), as soon as the site has loaded into their browser. When they do, they'll be treated to a secret way that they can personally track the snowballing traffic, as the site grows at exponential speed. Journalists will immediately receive a special link that lets them email their contacts about the site, then track how many times their contacts forward it to others, and so on to "six degrees of separation" and probably even beyond that

Second, we are keeping a journal on FaceBook to allow anyone to follow our progress:

Inauguration Charity Campaign @ http://www. facebook. com/profile. php? id=1092339744 (http://www. facebook. com/profile. php? id=1092339744)

Of course, the six supported charities themselves are allowed to track the success of their email campaigns in the same way that reporters are. You can read more about the participation of these charities (Pajama Program, Homes For Our Troops, OliviaAppeal. com, Medical Teams International, Mercy Corps and Cars for Causes) at http://www.10freedom. com/donate. pdf (http://www.10freedom. com/donate. pdf).

A Paradigm Change In Self-Help Publishing:

By launching this site, the Consumer Freedom Alliance hopes to entertain and enlighten people worldwide, while generating a large amount of money for charities. The ultimate goal of the CFA is to create "edutainment" sites that are so unprecedented in their entertainment value and usefulness that millions upon millions of people will want to spread high-quality information to many of their friends.

"The world's finest minds are already beginning to use the Internet to spread their teachings to millions, and we intend to support this developing trend every step of the way," said Snow. "We realize this site will generate worldwide interest, so we're including charities from Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom in the Book Of Time." The Canadian charities are the Vancouver Foundation and SOS Children's Villages Canada. The UK charities are Booktrust, Action For Children, MacMillan Cancer Support, and the World Society for the Protection of Animals. The Australian charity is the aforementioned OliviaAppeal. com, Olivia Newton-John's campaign to build a sophisticated cancer research and treatment center in Australia.

This campaign ultimately will not be limited to only English-speaking countries. Time is universally valued by everyone, so we have commenced fulfilling our humane responsibilities by initiating the translation of the Book Of Time to Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, French, German and Russian.

The Consumer Freedom Alliance is an ambitious consumer publishing company founded in 2005 with the motto "Health, Safety and Financial Freedom for All." Its mission is to persuade consumers to read, utilize and pass along helpful tips so that all consumers may benefit.

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DuPont Adds Cotton to India Seed Product Lineup

DuPont Adds Cotton to India Seed Product Lineup

Strengthens Growing Seed Business in India

Hyderabad, India (Vocus) June 26, 2009

DuPont today announced it has made two cotton acquisitions in India to enhance its product lineup and strengthen its growing business here. DuPont business Pioneer Hi-Bred has purchased the cotton seed business of Nandi Seeds, based in Mehboob Nagar, Andhra Pradesh, India, and acquired cotton germplasm from Nagarjuna Seeds, based in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.

“These acquisitions will help us enter the cotton seed market here and meet the needs of Indian farmers who grow more than 9 million hectares of cotton each year – more than anywhere else in the world,” said K. V. Subbarao, country manager -- Pioneer India. “Cotton is a natural fit for Pioneer in India. It completes our high-value product and service offering to farmers and enables us to further strengthen our growing seed business here.”

Pioneer currently offers corn, rice, pearl millet, sunflower and mustard in the Indian market and has grown revenue 40 percent annually for the last five years to reach about $70 million in 2008.

“Agriculture, food and nutrition is a key growth segment for DuPont in India, and these acquisitions are part of the company’s strategy to expand its presence here,” said Balvinder S. Kalsi, president -- DuPont India. “We are positioning our market-driven science company to grow at a faster pace by leveraging opportunities that will enable us to contribute to India’s sustainable economic development.”

This is the latest in a series of investments by DuPont in India. Pioneer recently announced the opening of a new corn research center in Bangalore to speed delivery of new, improved products to market and meet the growing demand for food and feed. The new Bangalore center is the fifth field research facility in India for Pioneer and will develop high-yielding hybrids adapted to the unique growing conditions in the area. DuPont has significantly increased its seed research investment in India in 2008 and has increased capacity for product development and evaluation across the country.

DuPont also recently established the DuPont Knowledge Center (DKC) in Hyderabad, India, which includes the Biotechnology Research Center, a key location for global biotech research. This biotech center is the first integrated agriculture and industrial biotechnology research center for DuPont outside the United States, and is one of five global agricultural biotech research facilities where DuPont conducts biotech discovery work. The other research facilities are in Wilmington, Del., U. S..; Johnston, Iowa, U. S.; Redwood City, Calif., U. S.; and Beijing, China.

Pioneer has been selling hybrid seed in India for more than 30 years and is one of the nation’s leading suppliers of improved seed genetics. Pioneer supports the sale of its products to more than 1.5 million customers in India with an extensive sales and agronomy team that works closely with Indian farmers to get the right product on the right hectare to maximize their productivity and profitability.

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, is the world’s leading source of customized solutions for farmers, livestock producers and grain and oilseed processors. With headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, Pioneer provides access to advanced plant genetics in nearly 70 countries.

DuPont India is a subsidiary of DuPont. The DuPont association with India extends back more than 200 years, since the first shipment of raw materials for black powder for explosives was imported from India into the United States in 1802. Today, DuPont India, with more than 1,000 employees, markets a wide range of products in various market segments. The company has six production facilities in India in three locations for DuPont Crop Protection, DuPont Engineering Polymers, DuPont Refinish, and Pioneer® hybrid seeds.

DuPont is a science-based products and services company. Founded in 1802, DuPont puts science to work by creating sustainable solutions essential to a better, safer, healthier life for people everywhere. Operating in more than 70 countries, DuPont offers a wide range of innovative products and services for markets including agriculture and food; building and construction; communications; and transportation.

Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements based on management’s current expectations, estimates and projections. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements as a result of future developments or new information. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about the company’s strategy for growth, product development, market position, expected expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like “expects,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “intends,” “projects,” “indicates,” and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors, including those discussed more fully elsewhere in this release and in DuPont’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, particularly its latest annual report on Form 10-K, as well as others, could cause results to differ materially from those stated. These factors include, but are not limited to changes in the laws, regulations, policies and economic conditions of countries in which the company does business; competitive pressures; successful integration of structural changes, including acquisitions, divestitures and alliances; research and development of new products, including regulatory approval and market acceptance, and seasonality of sales of agricultural products.

The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™ and Pioneer® are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.

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New Best Practices Guide on Employee Benefits: Benchmarking Tool Showcases Employee Benefits Strategies of The Principal 10 Best Companies

New Best Practices Guide on Employee Benefits: Benchmarking Tool Showcases Employee Benefits Strategies of The Principal 10 Best Companies

Employers have long known that employee well-being impacts job performance. Now a new benchmarking guide from the Principal Financial Group delivers best practices in employee benefits that help employees get both financially and physically fit resulting in fiscal fitness and a competitive edge for the business. Companies can use the guide to benchmark their current practices and get new ideas.

DES MOINES, Iowa (PRWEB) January 29, 2008

 The Formula for Success outlines the benefits best practices of The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security--2007. Selected by an independent panel of benefits experts for excellence in helping employees achieve long-term financial security, the winning companies say the key is more personalized help -- such as one-on-one health coaches in wellness programs and workplace financial guidance.

In the best practices guide, which is available at no charge at www. principal. com/bestguide (http://www. principal. com/bestguide), employers and their financial professionals can find:

A benchmarking chart for comparing their employee benefits to those of The Principal 10 Best Companies and national averages

Detailed tactics and real-life examples of their success

Engaging case studies that illustrate the universal challenges faced by employers today -- and the innovative tactics The Principal 10 Best Companies used to overcome them

Easy-to-use, interactive checklists of best practices that can help them fine-tune their employee benefit programs

"The Principal 10 Best Companies help their employees achieve financial fitness by providing the benefits and the education employees need to feel secure about their financial futures. At the same time, a growing emphasis on physical fitness improves employees' quality of life and helps prevent costly illnesses. Wellness screenings at these companies caught high cholesterol, diabetes and prostate cancer -- including that of one winning company's CEO," said Renee Schaaf, vice president, the Principal Financial Group.

It all adds up to happier, healthier and more dedicated employees and ultimately a competitive edge for the company. The leaders of these organizations say their investments in employee benefits help them recruit and retain the best employees, as well as cut training costs, enhance customer service and boost productivity. As Dan Robinson, CEO of Placid Refining Company, LLC, said, "If people feel they have a good benefit package, they'll give 110 percent to the employer. The return is very loyal, hardworking employees."

"The Principal 10 Best best practices guide is a good benchmark for employers to know what the best are providing, what's out there in the marketplace and what kind of benefits those they are trying to hire could find elsewhere," said Dallas Salisbury, president and CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute and judging panel member of The Principal 10 Best Companies.

Financial fitness for employees

"The Principal 10 Best Companies go the extra mile to help their employees achieve financial fitness by offering automatic savings tools and one-on-one meetings at the worksite," said Schaaf. PMSLIC Insurance Company brought in a financial planner to meet individually with employees and their spouses. "The planner gathered data and put together financial plans that employees needed to meet their goals," said Julie Burns, vice president of human resources at PMSLIC Insurance Company.

Physical fitness for employees

While all of The Principal 10 Best Companies offer some form of wellness program, some companies have been at it longer than others. Badger Mining was a pioneer when it started its worksite wellness program 10 years ago. Listen to an audio interview about Badger's wellness program. Watch a video about Badger Mining Company.

Fiscal fitness for the business

The Principal 10 Best Companies say their investments in employee benefits pay off -- especially when it comes to attracting and retaining top employees. The winners have turnover rates significantly lower than others in their industries, with an average annual voluntary turnover rate of 7.7 percent, compared to the national average of 21.6 percent. Listen to audio interviews with winning companies about how their employee benefits give them a competitive advantage.

About The Principal 10 Best Companies program

The Principal 10 Best Companies for Employee Financial Security is a nationwide program that recognizes small and medium-size companies, between five to 1,000 employees, that excel in providing for employee financial security. To qualify, all entrants must have been based in the United States and have provided a broad range of employee benefits for at least five years. Qualifying companies must have, at a minimum, offered "traditional" employee benefits, such as those relating to retirement, health, life or disability. Nominations and entries for the 2008 program will be accepted beginning February 1, 2008. Learn more about how to nominate a company or enter your company.

About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group (R)(The Principal (R)) is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance, and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $306 billion in assets under management and serves some 18.3 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www. principal. com.

LEARN A LESSON FROM YOUR KIDS THIS SUMMER

LEARN A LESSON FROM YOUR KIDS THIS SUMMER

What can children teach adults about living a happier, less stressful life? You'd be surprised.

(PRWEB) June 6, 2003

Now that school is out and summer vacation has officially begun, many parents will find themselves spending more time with their kids. Humor Therapist Jacki Kwan says that parents should take advantage of this time, “because your kids can teach you valuable lessons in living a happier, less stressful life.”

“Humor is something we all need in our lives, and children are humor experts,” says Kwan. “Spending time with kids can help us to rediscover our sense of humor.” According to Kwan, children laugh approximately 60 times a day, while the average adult laughs only 10 times per day. “Somewhere through the years we seem to forget that laughing makes us feel good and washes away the pressures of the day-to-day routine. In today’s fast-paced, bottom-line oriented world, the inner child in most of us tends to get squashed. When this happens, our sense of humor gets squashed along with it. So many people are filled with stress, anger, and frustration, and that’s what comes out.”

Kwan further asserts that finding humor in a situation is a matter of allowing that little childlike part of yourself to come out and play. “Regardless of how you perceive yourself, you do have a childlike essence within,” she says. “If you can unleash your inner child, you will learn to laugh more, which will leave you feeling lighthearted and carefree, not to mention a lot less stressed.” So this summer, when your children laugh, laugh with them. You’ll be amazed at what a little extra laughter a day can do for you.

Jacki Kwan is a Licensed Certified Social Worker at the Clinical Level, a Master Practitioner of Neuro-linguistic Programming, a Registered Laughter Leader with the World Laugher Tour™, and a Therapeutic Clown. She is the creator of HA! HA! LOGY®, a multi-faceted therapeutic humor program for healthcare facilities, and leads Laughter Club sessions at nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the Washington, DC area. Jacki has been presenting workshops on humor and health since 1994.

You can learn more about how to add more humor to your life in Jacki KwanÂ’s book, Almost Home: Embracing The Magical Connection Between Positive Humor & Spirituality (Cameo Publications, $14.99, ISBN 0-9715739-1-3). If you are interested in reviewing Almost Home or inviting Jacki Kwan to be a guest on your radio/television program, please contact Paula Duncan at 1-866-372-2636 or send an email to marketing@cameopublications. com

Fight Holiday Stress with Stress-Busting Foods

Fight Holiday Stress with Stress-Busting Foods

From houseguests and parties to shopping and cooking, the holidays can serve up a jumbo portion of stress. Fight back with foods that soothe the nerves and offer a sense of calm.

Bellingham, WA (Vocus) October 25, 2010

The holidays are meant to be a joyful time of celebration with family and friends. But often, all that celebrating – and the work it entails behind the scenes – can lead to some serious holiday stress.

According to nutrition expert Gloria Tsang, founder of HealthCastle. com, foods can be used to calm the nerves, rather than resorting to popping a pill, or trying to cram "relaxing" activities into an already over-packed schedule. "We all have certain foods that just make us feel good," Tsang says. "But there are also foods that really do have calming properties based on how their specific nutrients are used by the body."

Here are HealthCastle. com's top 5 recommended foods to calm those frazzled holiday nerves:
Whole-grain pasta/popcorn: These good carbs can boost serotonin (the "feel-good" brain chemical) to help reduce stress. Use whole grains to give your favorite comfort-food pasta an extra serving of soothe.

Tea: Just holding a warm mug can calm us down, but not if it's full of caffeine. Green, white, and black tea have half of coffee's caffeine, and are loaded with beneficial flavonoid compounds, too.

Dark green vegetables: Vegetables like broccoli, kale, chard, bok choy, and green beans contain high levels of B vitamins, a group of stress-relieving vitamins that can also help address anxiety and depression.

Nuts and seeds: The protein in nuts and seeds can take the edge off gnawing afternoon hunger that may itself be stressing you out. Plus, they contain high levels of B vitamins, and magnesium – another mineral involved in serotonin production. Stick to 1.5 oz or less per day, though, as these stress-relievers are high in calories.

Citrus fruits: Winter fruits like oranges, grapefruit, and kiwis are all excellent sources of Vitamin C – a potent stress-busting vitamin. Plus, the Vitamin C found in citrus fruits is involved in the production of collagen, which helps keep your skin firm and reduces wrinkling, to help you hide the effects of stress on your skin.

With so many extra tasks to take care of – from holiday shopping to preparing that big holiday meal – the holidays can be a surprisingly stressful time. By adding these top stress-busting foods to your diet, you can calm your nerves and reduce your stress levels without having to pop a pill. That should help keep your holidays merry and bright. More healthy eating tips from registered dietitians are available at http://www. HealthCastle. com, an official USDA MyPyramid Partner.

About HealthCastle. com: HealthCastle. com is the most comprehensive nutrition community run by Registered Dietitians on the web. The dietitians at HealthCastle. com have been sharing their passion for nutrition and health since 1997. For fun and practical healthy eating tips, exclusive nutrition guides, and nutrition podcasts, visit http://www. HealthCastle. com.

Twitter: http://twitter. com/HealthCastleGlo
Facebook: http://www. facebook. com/healthcastle

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Greater Trenton Area YMCA Celebrates 150th Anniversary

Greater Trenton Area YMCA Celebrates 150th Anniversary

Serving the citizens of Mercer County for over 150 years, the Greater Trenton Area YMCA will celebrate its 150th anniversary on September 27 at the Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard.

TRENTON, NJ (PRWEB) August 9, 2006

The Greater Trenton YMCA will celebrate its 150th anniversary at a gala celebration on September 27 at the Trenton Marriott from 6 p. m. – 8:30 p. m. The evening will feature cocktails, dinner, lively entertainment by the Trenton Central High School Jazz Band and a historical retrospective of the YMCA over the last 150 years. Tickets are $75 per person. Sponsorships opportunities are also available.

The Greater Trenton YMCA has been an integral part of Trenton’s history, providing critical housing during shortages at the turn of the century; providing youth, adult and family services throughout the years; and forming the first pro-basketball team. Currently, the Greater Trenton YMCA is undertaking an $18 million building project that includes a new facility on South Broad Street and renovations to the Pennington Avenue branch.

“We are proud of the contributions we’ve made to Trenton, Ewing, and Lawrence and look forward to deepening our relationships in the communities we serve,” said Executive Director, Melvin Hill.

The Greater Trenton YMCA serves over 1,500 people in Trenton, Lawrenceville and Ewing. Its mission is to provide opportunities to all individuals and families by putting Christian values and principles into practice through programs and activities that build healthy mind, body and spirit. The GTA YMCA is a member of an international organization that accepts diversity and promotes community development and cooperation.

Net proceeds from the gala event will be allocated to programs that provide wholesome alternatives to pre-teens and teenagers in prevention of gang participation in the city of Trenton and surrounding areas --- one of the ways the Trenton YMCA builds strong kids, strong families and strong communities.

For more information, to purchase tickets, or sign on as a sponsor, please contact Sharon Kakas at 609-989-9622 or by email.

Contact:

Melvin O. Hill, Executive Director

609-989-9622

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Self-Service Web Tools Add Personal Touch to High-Tech Healthcare

Self-Service Web Tools Add Personal Touch to High-Tech Healthcare

While the use of high-tech healthcare tools streamlines healthcare administration, it can heighten the risk of alienating members by putting them at arm’s length. Transforming high technology into a high-touch, personalized member experience is the focus of an April 20, 2005 web-assisted audio conference sponsored by the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN). “Moving from High-Tech to High-Touch: How Health Plans Are Providing Robust Personalized Web-Based Services” audio conference will feature the benefits of a web-based self-service application at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that has helped increase customer satisfaction and reduce costs. Featuring expertise from both sides of the firewall, participants will hear both from EDS, the developer of BlueLinks, a state-of-the art web-based solution, and a representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield, where the tool is in use. The web-assisted audio conference is scheduled for 1:30 p. m. to 3:00 p. m. Eastern time on April 20, 2005. For more details and system requirements for attending the web-assisted audio conference, please visit http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel.

Manasquan, NJ (PRWEB) March 15, 2005

While the use of high-tech healthcare tools streamlines healthcare administration, it can heighten the risk of alienating members by putting them at armÂ’s length. Transforming high technology into a high-touch, personalized member experience is the focus of an April 20, 2005 web-assisted audio conference sponsored by the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN).

“Moving from High-Tech to High-Touch: How Health Plans Are Providing Robust Personalized Web-Based Services” audio conference will feature the benefits of a web-based self-service application at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts that has helped increase customer satisfaction and reduce costs. Featuring expertise from both sides of the firewall, participants will hear both from EDS, the developer of BlueLinks, a state-of-the art web-based solution, and a representative from Blue Cross Blue Shield, where the tool is in use. The web-assisted audio conference is scheduled for 1:30 p. m. to 3:00 p. m. Eastern time on April 20, 2005. For more details and system requirements for attending the web-assisted audio conference, please visit http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel (http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel).

Launched in April 2004, BlueLinks allows BCBS-MA business customers to manage and update their BCBSMA health insurance over the Internet in real-time - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Chronicling the toolÂ’s inception and use will be Edward Esposito, Vice President of IT Systems Delivery at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Joseph Fraser, Client Delivery Executive for Americas at EDS. EDS is a leading healthcare IT services provider with more than 40 years of dedication to the healthcare industry.

These industry experts will explain how the tool provides BCBSMA customers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, with more options for managing their healthcare accounts in a secure, user-friendly Internet-based environment. TheyÂ’ll explain how BCBSMA accounts can manage their plans, enroll new participants, and inquire about and update employee eligibility, all in real-time.

This web-assisted audio conference is scheduled for 1:30 p. m. to 3:00 p. m. Eastern time on April 20, 2005. For more details and system requirements for attending the web-assisted audio conference, please visit http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel (http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel). A recorded version of this web-assisted audio conference will be available on CD-ROM in mid-May.

This audio conference is directed at CEOs, presidents, CIOs, e-business directors, vice presidents, health plan executives, and strategic planning directors. It will conclude with a live question-and-answer period when participants can tap the presentersÂ’ expertise and ensure that all aspects of the subject are addressed. For more information on the conference, please email info@hin. com, call toll-free (888) 446-3530 or visit http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel (http://www. hin. com/cgi-local/link/news/pl. cgi? touch2rel).

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network

HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 292-3073, e-mail info@hin. com, or visit http://www. hin. com (http://www. hin. com).

Contact: Patricia Donovan

Phone: (732) 528-4468

Fax: (732) 292-3073

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Win an Austin Air HealthMate Air Cleaner from NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com

Win an Austin Air HealthMate Air Cleaner from NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com

NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com announces a contest for a free HealthMate Air Cleaner from Austin Air. The retail value of this giveaway is $450.00.

Fort Garland, CO (PRWEB) June 30, 2009

To help spotlight a great product for allergy and asthma sufferers, NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com announces they will giveaway an Austin Air HealthMate Air Cleaner on December 1, 2009. The contest (http://www. neverbuyanotherfilter. com/auairgi. html) is currently open to US residents and officially ends on November 30, 2009. One entry per household is allowed and no purchase is necessary.

"The HealthMate is the best built, best performing air cleaner on the market. It is excellent at reducing indoor dust and allergens and we hope this contest will make more people aware of this great product," says Scott Abbes, owner of NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com. Austin Air Systems of Buffalo, NY has been manufacturing residential air filtration equipment for 15 years and is considered a pioneer and leader in the indoor air quality industry. Austin Air products feature a 30 Day, No-Questions-Asked, Money-Back Guarantee, a 5-Year Mechanical Warranty and an unheard of 5-Year Pro-Rated Filter Warranty. While most air purifier manufacturers make consumers come back every year to buy an expensive replacement filter, Austin Air gives the buyer peace of mind for 5 years.

The HealthMate (http://www. neverbuyanotherfilter. com/heroairpu. html) features a 4-Stage filtration system. The first stage is a large particle pre-filter that catches dust, hair and pet dander. The second stage removes medium size particles like pollen and mold spores. But, what makes the HealthMate unique is the 3rd and 4th stages which use 15 pounds of Activated Carbon and over 60 square feet of True Medical Grade HEPA to remove bacteria, viruses, noxious gases and chemicals from indoor air.

NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com is an authorized Austin Air dealer. They feature residential air filtration products to help reduce indoor dust and allergens. In addition to the Austin Air line of air cleaners, NeverBuyAnotherFilter. com also sells electrostatic filters (http://www. neverbuyanotherfilter. com/boair. html) for home furnace and central air conditioning systems. These permanent, washable filters replace disposable air filters. They are available in all standard and custom sizes and feature high dust arrestance, low air resistance and a lifetime warranty. They are designed to vacuum or hose off each month and reinstall.

For more information, visit www. neverbuyanotherfilter. com.

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July 23, 2007, Marks 40-Year Anniversary of Detroit Riots

July 23, 2007, Marks 40-Year Anniversary of Detroit Riots

Former Detroit resident, respected medical researcher Dr. Patricia Gussin revisits time in debut book release.

J (PRWEB) June 12, 2007

July 23, 2007, will mark the 40-year anniversary of the beginning of the Detroit riots of 1967. At the end of the five-day riots, called the worst act of civil violence since the Civil War, 43 people lay dead, over 1,100 had been injured and more than 7,000 had been arrested. Dr. Patricia Gussin, known to colleagues as Dr. Patricia Stewart, a past Detroit resident, physician and former worldwide vice president for a leading healthcare company, revisits that harrowing time in her debut novel, Shadow of Death.

A first-year medical student at Wayne State University in Detroit when the riots began, Gussin stated, "Anyone who lived in the Detroit area in 1967 will never forget the horror of the riots as the city burned for five days. I think everyone remembers where they were when it happened and how they felt. I remember that time vividly."

Through the eyes of the novel's protagonist, Laura Nelson, Gussin examines the experience of being in Detroit during a time of tremendous unrest, social upheaval and devastation in Shadow of Death (Oceanview Publishing, ISBN: 1-933515-00-7, $22.95). Shadow of Death was recently named one of three finalists for Best First Novel in the "Thriller" Awards, sponsored by International Thriller Writers.

While the book is not autobiographical, says Gussin, her experience of being in Detroit during that time did play a large role in shaping the narrative: "Like Laura Nelson, I was a medical student with two small children. And I did experience what Laura experiences in the book. The scariness of Detroit at the time. The ongoing curfews. The palpable hostility."

Shadow of Death was recently adopted by Duquesne University's Spiritan Division and used as a means of launching discussions about tough issues affecting students both at and beyond the university.

Dr. Judith Griggs, Duquesne University Spiritan Division of Academic Programs Director, stated that she felt Gussin's Shadow of Death would be an excellent way to get students to address tough issues and further the mission of the Spiritan Division of Academic Programs: "Ms. Gussin's Shadow of Death addresses a number of important issues -- character, social issues, race relations, consequences and choices. Though fictionalized, Gussin's work provides a history lesson about Detroit in that it is set during the riots of 1967. What is remarkable is that so many of the issues Gussin tackles in Shadow of Death are still relevant nearly 40 years later. In choosing Shadow of Death for the Spiritan students, we felt this would be a tremendous way to raise the level of consciousness and engage our students in a dialog. Students learn by doing, and making the classes both interesting and participatory has a profound impact."

Gussin says that writing the book was in some ways a catharsis, "When I was in med school I was too overwhelmed with just making it through the day to reflect on the horrible devastation that I'd witnessed. Shadow of Death took me back to that time, letting me relive in slow motion those four years and appreciate the social turmoil and the personal stress. In many ways, the experience shaped my consciousness. On a personal level, being there at the time allowed me to grow and learn. I also think that this tragic event shaped the very fabric of the city of Detroit. Through tragic and devastating, I think that it made Detroit a different, and even a better place."

Shadow of Death has been nominated for Best Debut Novel in the Thriller Awards, sponsored by International Thriller Writers. Shadow of Death is available in bookstores nationwide. Gussin's second novel, Twisted Justice is slated for release December 1, 2007. Oceanview Publishing is an independent publisher based in Ipswich, Massachusetts. For more information, please contact Maryglenn McCombs by phone -- (615) 297-9875, or by email -- maryglenn @ maryglenn. com

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Cybercrime on the Rise; Internet Safety Guide Helps Consumers Stay Safe

Cybercrime on the Rise; Internet Safety Guide Helps Consumers Stay Safe

Real world cybercrime protection guide helps protect consumers against a steadily rising cyber crime rate.

Tucson, Ariz. (PRWEB) May 24, 2006

The Internet Crime Complaint Center's recently released annual report shows that cybercrime continues to increase with victims losing a total of more than $183 million in 2005. Fortunately, there are proven strategies for preventing cybercrime, and Truth Publishing outlines the most effective tactics in "The Real Safety Guide to Beating Cybercrime." Written by Mike Adams and Ben Kage, this guide uncovers common ploys that criminals use to steal financial information, and it explains how internet users can protect themselves from cyberstalking, online extortion, and internet recruiting fraud. The guide is available at http://www. truthpublishing. com/RSGCybercrime. html (http://www. truthpublishing. com/RSGCybercrime. html)

"The statistics prove that many consumers do not recognize scams when they encounter them online," said Mike Adams, Truth Publishing spokesperson and chief writer. "It's our goal to educate internet users about online threats and teach them to identify signs of suspicious activity."

In "The Real Safety Guide to Beating Cybercrime," readers discover:

120 tips, tricks and tactics for stopping cybercriminals The most common online fraud today and how to avoid it 12 strategies for safe online shopping Seven tips to prevent online stalking 14 steps for mending credit and financial history after identity theft How to recognize phishing and pharming scams Which companies and organizations need to be contacted when identity theft occurs How to recognize a "spoof" site

For every sale of "The Real Safety Guide to Beating Cybercrime," Truth Publishing is donating 50% of net proceeds to local law enforcement to help purchase equipment, training, and public safety programs.

This informative guide is available as a softcover or downloadable book at http://www. truthpublishing. com/RSGCybercrime. html (http://www. truthpublishing. com/RSGCybercrime. html).

About Truth Publishing

Truth Publishing is dedicated to a mission of public service through the creation and distribution of educational materials covering natural health, wellness, environmental responsibility, and other topics important to people everywhere. Articles and commentary are published at www. newstarget. com, and books and interviews are published at www. truthpublishing. com.

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Learn How To Apply Professional Makeup With "Professional Makeup Techniques for Asian Women"

Learn How To Apply Professional Makeup With "Professional Makeup Techniques for Asian Women"

Learn professional makeup application techniques, including makeup for Asian, Black and Caucasian women with this new DVD series from Aesthetic VideoSource.

West Jordan, UT (Vocus) August 18, 2009

So seems this gorgeous Beauty to mine eyes*:

Salt Lake City, UT (Vocus) August 18, 2009 -- Thanks to a growing multicultural market for cosmetics, women from all backgrounds have more choices...and makeup artists (http://www. videoshelf. com/makeup_artist. html) are growing their offerings too. Aesthetic VideoSource’s new Professional Makeup Techniques DVD series shows makeup artists how to provide services to the full array of beautiful women.

In Professional Makeup Techniques for Asian Women, professional Hollywood makeup artist, Melvone Farrell – who has international media and film experience spanning 20 years – shows you techniques and tips for applying makeup on women of Asian heritage. Featuring three models, Melvone demonstrates how to apply makeup (http://www. videoshelf. com/how_to_apply_makeup. html) to provide natural day makeup, sophisticated evening looks, and amped-up glamour, with makeup looks that build on one another.

A perfectionist at heart, Melvone demonstrates how to provide meticulous results that are camera-ready in this step-by-step Asian makeup (http://www. videoshelf. com/asian_makeup. html) DVD. She begins with face prep (how to apply moisturizer, foundation, and concealer) and then demonstrates how to apply makeup to achieve looks from the natural to the dramatic. She also shows how to create the perfect eyebrow, shade and highlight to contour, play with color, and work with unique issues presented by the models, including how to cover scars and blemishes. She also discusses how to keep your brushes and supplies sanitized.

“I enjoy not only the sensuous and aesthetic beauty of applying makeup, but also knowing what a client is looking for and helping them achieve their desired look,” says Melvone.

With a prestigious roster of clients, Melvone Farrell is known for her minimalist approach to makeup and her signature eyebrows. Beauty comes alive with a touch of her brush, as she's known for creating radiant, effortlessly chic looks that appear to glow from within. She has been praised by highly-acclaimed photographers and directors, and her distinctive work can be found in the pages of publications such as Entertainment Weekly, Elle Italia, Marie Claire and People Magazine, and in commercials for Vidal Sassoon, Jaguar, Nike, and Coca-Cola. Her impressive resume and portfolio can be viewed at www. melvonemakeup. com.

“Melvone uses unusual color combinations to transform her models into works of art,” says Shirley Erickson Gorospe, president of Aesthetic VideoSource. "And her techniques are flawless.”

Aesthetic VideoSource produces and distributes detailed, comprehensive health and spa instructional DVDs, so anyone – with or without prior experience – can properly perform the procedures shown. Aesthetic VideoSource is the forerunner in educational media distribution, with award-winning DVDs and an always-expanding list of offerings to meet the spa and beauty industry’s needs.

Contact Info – Professional Makeup Techniques for Asian Women (1Hr. 15 Min.) can be ordered for $44.95 plus shipping, by calling 1-800-414-2434 or visiting www. VideoShelf. com. The complete Professional Makeup Techniques DVD set, including techniques for Black and Caucasian women, can be purchased for $108.00, at a savings of 20%.

*Shakespeare, King Henr VI, part I: V, iii

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Serendio Announces SaaS-based Customer Experience Analytics (CxA) Solution

Serendio Announces SaaS-based Customer Experience Analytics (CxA) Solution

Market Research and Customer Care firms now have access to an on-demand Text Analytics platform to derive actionable insights from all forms of qualitative customer feedback

Santa Clara, CA (PRWEB) March 10, 2010

Serendio, a leading provider of Text Mining software products and solutions, announces the general availability of their Customer Experience Analytics (CxA) solution under a SaaS model. This offering, targeting Market Researchers and Customer Care organizations, is designed to bring together social media content, and other forms of insightful unstructured content - emails, call center narratives, and qualitative surveys, for a holistic 360 degree analysis of the consumer voice.

CxA was built on top of Serendio's flagship Text Analytics platform - DisKoveror, thus leveraging natural language processing and advanced statistical/linguistic techniques for deeper analysis of qualitative content.

CxA highlights include:
Aggregate and Analyze Customer Feedback From Any Listening post Aggregate and analyze user generated content from social media and qualitative text comments from internal interaction channels. Extract structured attributes such as author, source, demographics, date, web analytics, behavioral or transactional data from any interaction channel for deeper drill down. With an in-built Smart Connector framework, content harvesting is easily extended to subscription sources, emails, call center narratives, social media or any source that requires specialized programming to access them.

Business Taxonomy Support For Deeper And Precise Analysis With comprehensive taxonomies and dictionaries specific to Retail, Banking, Healthcare, Telecom and many more available out-of-the-box, CxA allows analysts to go far beyond the general keyword-driven monitoring and analysis platforms. With support for a hierarchical brand/product/service and feature catalog, CxA provides detailed analysis of the customer's needs, wants and perceptions at various levels. Brand and product managers can leverage the brand/product/feature sentiments to improve branding and product innovation. Customer care analysts can do root cause analysis and be better prepared for emerging issues.

Topic Analysis CxA's classification engine helps in the automatic identification of key topics and themes from the conversations around the business, brand and products. Thus key concerns of consumers can be unearthed without requiring the usage of formal surveys or panels. Topic Analysis allows researchers to uncover trends that are emerging within and among conversations thus allowing for early insights into customer wants and needs.

Flexible Delivery and Configuration Options  - A rich, user-friendly portal for rapid and easy viewing of the analytical results with drill down to the individual verbatim
 - Data feeds which deliver the analytic results in CSV files, databases for additional processing, analysis or 3rd party application integration
  - Can be configured for a long-term subscription or in a short, project mode.

"The benefits of a robust Text Analytics platform though well understood by Market Researchers and Customer Care professionals, adoption of such technology was poor, primarily because of the cost and resources required to deploy this. Our SaaS offering makes it quick and easy to leverage the power of text analytics for understanding the customer voice. Market Researchers absolutely love our offering as they now have a simple and easy way to establish an always-on focus group by connecting to social media and analyze the conversation. Customer care professionals use CxA to correlate findings in social media with their internal call center narratives amongst other things," said Ravi Condamoor, Founder and CEO of Serendio Inc.

For a demo and pricing, contact sales (at) serendio (dot) com

About Serendio
Serendio offers a gamut of SaaS enabled Text analytics products and solutions designed to transform all forms of unstructured content to insights and intelligence thus improving business effectiveness. Serendio is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. For more information visit, www. serendio. com.

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HealthInsuranceFinders. com Connects Health Insurance Shoppers with Local Brokers

HealthInsuranceFinders. com Connects Health Insurance Shoppers with Local Brokers

HealthInsuranceFinders. com has expanded its pool of quality agents to help match consumers looking for health insurance.

Redlands, California (Vocus) August 7, 2008

HealthInsuranceFinders. com (HIF) has long been the web’s preeminent source for consumers researching and shopping for their health insurance (http://www. healthinsurancefinders. com/) needs, and has recently expanded its pool of quality agents to help match consumers looking for health insurance. The directory of health insurance companies and agents found on HIF is powered by Brokers Web (http://www. brokersweb. com/), which provides online marketing solutions to a large network of insurance brokers, quote referral services, and other partner sites. HIF connects consumers searching for individual and family, small business, student, short-term, dental, and Medicare supplemental health insurance (http://www. healthinsurancefinders. com/medicare-supplemental/) policies with the local agents and brokerages in their area. If you are searching for health or medical insurance, chances are HIF will have results matching your needs.

With employers reducing their group medical insurance benefits or eliminating them altogether, individuals are forced to the Internet to search and research health insurance options that are affordable and can effectively provide health care coverage for themselves or their entire family. This can be a daunting task without the guidance of a certified licensed agent. The various providers, health plans, deductibles, and healthcare networks may overwhelm a shopper. “We recommend consumers talk with an agent or brokerage to assist them with understanding the options available,” said Todd Faucher, VP of Operations at Brokers Web. “Co-pays, premiums, deductibles, and pre-existing medical conditions are just a few considerations that may affect coverage or plan availability. To determine an effective policy, it is a best practice to consult a trained professional that deals with these issues on a daily basis.”

HIF provides a list of health insurance resources and companies available in your local area. With direct access to a large network of the agents, brokerages, and partner websites, most all of your options can be explored through the resources and contacts provided. There is also a wealth of consumer information and tutorials on selecting a health insurance policy that meets your needs. Selecting the right agent to guide you through the process is equally important.

In these economic times, you want to maximize the coverage for the lease possible cost. You want a plan that will cover you in the worst-case scenario.

For more information, please visit: www. HealthInsuranceFinders. com

Contact:
Quang Nguyen
Public Relations
877-887-5267

About HealthInsuranceFinders. com
HealthInsuranceFinders. com is a medical insurance hub dedicated to providing resources that help consumers find and make educated choices about health insurance. The site offers an impressive library of resources as well as a marketplace to help connect consumers with the best and most affordable health insurance plans in their state.

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Fighting Back Against Healthcare Infections and Superbugs

Fighting Back Against Healthcare Infections and Superbugs

The best way to reduce the occurrences of hospital and healthcare associated infections is to ensure that staff have been adequately trained. In-house training using BVS products offers this solution in the most effective and efficient way.

(PRWEB) July 1, 2005

The UK's Department of Health and Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) has announced this week that it is going to begin auditing residential Care Homes for Infection Control problems as part of the response to the growing problem of healthcare associated infections such as MRSA. Jane Kennedy, the minister in charge of infection control measures, warned it was “everyone’s business” to improve standards.

The UKÂ’s Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has identified that one of the key ways to win the fight against healthcare associated infections is to ensure that healthcare workers improve their ongoing professional training. But managers can never be sure that their staff have been trained in best practice without sending them individually on expensive training courses.

The answer, according to Paul Neville, Learning Development Manager of BVS Training Ltd, is to use an in-house training model: “Training in-house with our videos is flexible, professional, and effective and also offers the benefits of reduced disruption of rotas and overall value for money”.

BVS, leveraging the experience they have gained in producing training solutions for the care sector, has added to its range of infection control products by launching three new training resources on infection control for the community and hospital settings.

Using the BVS videos and the accompanying question and answer sheets and case studies, learning points are clearly demonstrated. Managers can then be satisfied that staff have understood all the learning points conveyed. It is then up to managers to ensure that staff are applying the training in practice. Should managers identify the need to revisit some of that training this is easily achieved by having short refresher sessions.

“Our products are designed to ensure healthcare standards are improved through improving the skills of staff. With our infection control titles it is the community as a whole that is improved” said BVS Managing Director Luke Bond.

For additional information visit http://www. bvs. co. uk (http://www. bvs. co. uk).

About BVS Training Limited:

BVS have been supplying the care industry in the UK with training resources since 1999. Following success in the care home and domiciliary care sectors they have recently launched products into both Childcare and Hospital sectors.

For more information or images please contact:

Zoe Farrell

0845 644 2878

Email: info@bvs. co. uk

Website: http://www. bvs. co. uk (http://www. bvs. co. uk)

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New Product Goes Live At WellStar Health System

New Product Goes Live At WellStar Health System

(PRWEB) November 23, 2000

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:

Sandra Lucius, RN, MSN for The KRC Group, Inc.

Nancy Kemp for WellStar Health System

DATE:

November 20, 2000

HEADLINE: The KRC Group, Inc. and WellStar Health System Announce The Completion and Implementation of iCaremanager®

BODY: The completion of development and implementation of iCaremanager was announced by The KRC Group, Inc. and The WellStar Health System today in Marietta, Georgia.

In development for the last year, iCaremanager is a comprehensive Disease Specific - Case Management Product allowing the professional staff to perform those tasks of patient management ranging from initial assessment, treatment compliance through discharge. While the delivery platform for WellStar is based on their unique intranet system, the product may be delivered to any healthcare organization using the rapidly emerging Application Service Provider (ASP) model. With either delivery mode, the professional caregiver may access and update key patient information and case management standards anywhere there is access to the internet through a web browsers.

Sandra Lucius, RN, MSN, The KRC Group’s President and COO says that, “ WellStar had been utilizing a very successful, self developed High Risk Disease - Case Management application for a number of years. We saw incredible potential to both web enable a product for them, and then take it to the market place in order to meet the difficult market demands of today’s managed care market place.”

“In a time of limited resources and declining reimbursements for services, the healthcare industry continues to search for new ways to improve efficiency, quality and effectiveness.”, according to Larry Haldeman, MD, Executive Vice President of Medical Management of WellStar Health System. “This application has assisted our efforts to aggressively manage these high risk population with success.”

According to Bill Rogers, The KRC Group’s Chief Technical Officer, “Our development objective was to build a product that would bring the latest technologies to the case management arena, while allowing the healthcare professional to use those technologies in a very intuitive manner. We believe we have successfully accomplished that objective.”

Tricia Hart, BSN, RN, WellStar’s Care Coordination Manager says, “iCaremanager allows tracking of staff productivity on a minute to minute basis, provides quick and easy access of patient information and the integration of all of our case management programs.”

The KRC Group, Inc., headquartered in Marietta, Ga., provides healthcare software products, custom programming and consulting services.

WellStar Health System is a community-owned and operated network including Cobb, Douglas, Kennestone, Paulding and Windy Hill hospitals; WellStar Physicians Group; Medical Centers; Neighborhood Healthcare Centers; Health Place; Homecare; Hospice; Atherton Place; and WellStar Foundation.

For More Information Contact: Sandra Lucius, RN, MSN, The KRC Group, Inc., 678.488.4357 or sandra. lucius@icaremanager. com or

Nancy Kemp, Director Medical Management, WellStar Health System, 770.792.5440 or nancy. kemp@wellstar. org.

Local Fitness Center Team Contributes to Cancer Cure

Local Fitness Center Team Contributes to Cancer Cure

Motivations Training Facility has opened it’s doors to the community in preparation for the Relay for Life Walk on June 2, 2006. Motivations announced today it has become the first fitness center in the county recognized as a participant in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life Team Program.

BETHLEHEM, PA (PRWEB) April 24, 2006

Motivations Training Facility has opened it’s doors to the community in preparation for the Relay for Life Walk on June 2, 2006. Motivations announced today it has become the first fitness center in the county recognized as a participant in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life Team Program.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life National Corporate Team Program encourages companies to form teams across the nation to support the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life.

"We are pleased to be part of such a worthy cause," said Aaron Behrens, Owner of Motivations Training Facility. Through this relationship with the American Cancer Society and its other Relay National Team Program participants, we are committed to actively participate in the fight against cancer. This is an issue that hits close to home for me. Both my parents have had cancer and they are both in remission”.

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature activity and plays a key role in meeting the Society's mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. Since Relay began in 1985, teams across the country have joined together to walk or run laps throughout an entire night to honor those lost to the disease, celebrate those who have survived, and heighten awareness of cancer prevention and early detection. In 2005, 16 corporations raised nearly $6 million through the Relay For Life National Corporate Team Program.

"The Society is grateful for Motivations participation in the Relay For Life Team Program," said Sally West Brooks, chairman of the American Cancer Society National Board of Directors. "When these companies and their employees support the American Cancer Society through Relay, they empower us to make a real difference in the lives of every American facing cancer - and to make significant strides toward a future in which the disease no longer threatens the people we love."

Relay for Life is a great cause for the American Cancer Society to help support the fight against cancer. Relay for Life is a 24 hour fund raising walk where members of the team walk the running track for the 24 hours. “I have met many people in my years who have been touched in some form or another by cancer. It is important to me to help my community and those who suffer from cancer” said Behrens. You can help Motivations Training Facility raise money for this great cause by becoming a member of our Relay for Life team or you can buy a luminary bag for $10.00 in memory of or in honor of someone with cancer. Everyone is asked to make a donation to Motivations Training Facility Relay for Life team at 57 South Commerce Way Suite 140 Bethlehem, PA 18017.

To Find out more about Motivations Team log on to www. MotivationsTF. com/Relay (http://www. MotivationsTF. com/Relay )

About Motivations Training Facility

We invite you to come and visit our facility located at 57 South Commerce Way Suite 140, Bethlehem, PA and consider enrolling in one of our outstanding programs such as, PERSONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS, Full Health Club amenities, Body Sculpting, Spinning, YOUTH FITNESS PROGRAMS and much more. Motivations Training Facility offers some of the most advanced fitness equipment in our area. We provide only the finest exercise apparatus, friendly attentive service, all in our luxurious fitness center. Our goal is to provide a refreshingly positive workout experience and change the way people view health clubs. Please visit www. MotivationsTF. com

Or call 610-882-3710

About American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life

Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs of your American Cancer Society. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times. Visit the website for more info… http://www. cancer. org/docroot/par/content/PAR_1_Relay_For_Life. asp (http://www. cancer. org/docroot/par/content/PAR_1_Relay_For_Life. asp)

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Morbidly Obese Lose Hundreds of Pounds, Gain New Mentality at Live-In Fitness Retreat

Morbidly Obese Lose Hundreds of Pounds, Gain New Mentality at Live-In Fitness Retreat

Live-In Fitness Enterprise, an all-inclusive weight-loss retreat set outside of Los Angeles, has helped severely obese individuals to change their lifestyle and drop hundreds of necessary pounds.

Los Angeles, CA (Vocus) May 13, 2009

A recent study indicates that morbidly obese Americans are sedentary 99 percent of the day. In an attempt to regain an active lifestyle, many turn to surgical procedures such as gastric bypass, but are either worried about the risks involved or rejected as insurance companies have tightened the requirements of candidacy.

Live-In Fitness Enterprise, an all-inclusive weight-loss retreat set outside of Los Angeles, has helped severely obese individuals to change their lifestyle and drop hundreds of necessary pounds. Many times dealing with individuals who have tried various weight loss techniques without success, or at other times preparing clients for life altering surgeries, L. I.F. E. has a near 100% success rate, with virtually every client achieving success with L. I.F. E's multi-tiered approach and 24/7 premise. In the realm of NBC's "The Biggest Loser," L. I.F. E's retreat formula takes a 3-pronged approach at the mental, emotional, and physical aspects to weight-loss.

L. I.F. E. was created 7 years ago by Eric Viscovicz, a reformed binge-eater turned industry veteran committed to improving the quality of life for severely overweight individuals. With firsthand experience, and 7 health-related certifications, and an extensive list of transformed clients, Viskovicz understands the often-neglected mental behavior that typically hinders weight-loss. Viscovicz created L. I.F. E. because he saw an astounding need for clients to remove themselves from their toxic environment in order to develop the habits necessary to maintain a weight-loss (defined as 50 percent or more of excess body weight).

Upon arrival at L. I.F. E's ocean-side facility in Marina Del Rey, clients are provided with state-of-the-art equipment and world-class nutritionists, trainers, chefs and clinical therapists, all readily available at all hours. After undergoing several goal-planning sessions and physical health assessments utilizing the hydrostatic body fat tank; and the VO2max calculator, a daily itinerary is planned incorporating a tailored meal plan, workout schedule, weight-loss counseling, grocery shopping trips, cooking lessons, physical therapy, massages and motivational speeches.

L. I.F. E's exercise options present a fresh and diverse array of work-outs from kayaking to spinning to yoga, allowing clients to discover the form of exercise that is most enjoyable, and therefore sustainable.

L. I.F. E's supportive environment ensures clients will achieve and sustain their goal weight from a new attitude and healthy habits. Viskovicz reveals, "At the end of the retreat, clients feel so empowered by what they've done, they continue on with the healthy habits, which is the key to lasting weight loss." He continues, "Clients now qualify for surgery, but the self-esteem instilled from this retreat is life-altering in the sense that clients truly believe they can maintain the healthy weight."

Clients interested in the Live-In Fitness retreat can get more information by visiting L. I.F. E's website at www. liveinfitnessenterprise. com].

For all press inquiries, please contact Cara Morrissey at Ballantines PR.

Cara Morrissey
Ballantines PR
Cara(at)ballantinespr. com
Tel: 310-454-3080
Cell: 310-490-6077
Http://www. ballantinespr. com (http://www. ballantinespr. com)

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