0xffh: April 2007

Monday, April 30, 2007

Onlineshoes. com and New Balance Unveil the Hottest Toning Shoes and a Contest to Win a Free Pair from April 20-26

Tone Up, Slim Down and Enter to Win the Newly Introduced New Balance 1442 Toning Shoe

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) April 19, 2010

Onlineshoes. com (http://www. onlineshoes. com) and New Balance are offering the chance to win a free pair of New Balance 1442 rock&tone shoes. Four lucky contest winners will be among the first to wear and share opinions about this new toning sneaker. (Read on to find out more about New Balance toning shoes and how to enter.)

The Onlineshoes. com collection of women's toning shoes (http://www. onlineshoes. com/womens-toning-shoes-s_id27) offers a variety of styles designed to help tone muscles, burn calories and promote healthy weight loss. From eco-friendly toning sneakers to stylish kicks, toning shoes offer a new way to get fit and look fabulous while tooling around town, running errands or just walking the dog.

Soon to be released, the sporty New Balance 6002 toning flip-flop features a rounded and shaped sole that incorporates a front-to-back motion, making muscles work harder and burning more calories with every step.

Give your walking regimen a boost of energy and fashionable flair with the New Balance 1442 toning sneaker (http://www. onlineshoes. com/womens-new-balance-ww1442g-grey-p_id185921). Based on the ever-popular 442 lifestyle shoe, the 1442 walking shoe uses the same rock&tone technology as the 6002 sandal to burn calories and tone the muscles from your legs to your glutes to your core.

Watch this short New Balance 1442 video (http://onlineshoes. tv/v/6020/new-balance-1442-women-ww1442g-walking-toning-womens/) for more details on the sneaker's toning benefits.

"Get ready to show off some fabulous legs this summer, thanks to toning shoes, toning sandals and toning sneakers. Burning fat, strengthening muscles and looking fantastic has never been so wonderfully simple," says Emily Waldron, Buyer for Onlineshoes. com.

About the Contest:
To celebrate the arrival of New Balance women's toning shoes, Onlineshoes. com and New Balance will be giving away four pairs of the women's New Balance 1442 rock&tone shoe. Visit the Onlineshoes. com blog Get in Gear contest (http://www. onlineshoes. com/blog/lifestyle/giveaway-new-balance-rock-tone-toning-shoes) to share why you should be the first to try out and provide a product review for the brand-new New Balance rock&tone shoe. Answer the question, 'Why do you want to get toned?' in a comment (200 words maximum) to enter. Entries will be accepted from April 20 to April 26, 2010. See the complete contest rules and regulations (http://onlineshoes. tv/p/67177/new-balance-toning-shoe-giveaway-rules-and-conditions/) for details.

About Onlineshoes. com:
Established in 1996, Onlineshoes. com is the nation's first online shoe retailer. With a history that began decades ago in a family-owned corner shoe store, the company is committed to delivering exceptional value and service. Onlineshoes. com offers the latest high-quality footwear for men, women and kids with more than 240,000 shoe and apparel choices from more than 200 name brands, as well as a wide selection of bags and accessories. Customers are entitled to a 110 percent price guarantee, 365-day return policy, and free shipping and exchanges. For more information, visit www. onlineshoes. com.

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Sunday, April 29, 2007

Xlear Promoting Oral Health with Xylitol-rich Dental Products

Dental professionals continue to recommend xylitol and the Spry Dental Defense System for improved oral health.

Orem, UT (PRWEB) February 16, 2006

As the nation celebrates National Children’s Dental Health Month, many dental professionals are doing so by actively promoting the health benefits of the natural sweetener, xylitol and integrating into their dental practices products from the xylitol-rich Spry Dental Defense System (SDDS). The SDDS (http://www. sprydental. com (http://www. sprydental. com)) features products for children and adults, including toothpaste, mouthwash, an infant tooth gel and a variety of candy, chewing gums, and mints. When used as part of daily oral care, Spry products help to promote healthier teeth and gums.

“Xylitol is an almost magical ingredient that is an ideal sweetener for children and adults,” said Shirley Gutkowski, RDH, BSDH, award winning author and international speaker on preventing dental disease. “Spry has a wide variety of 100 percent xylitol products that can truly help to fight plaque and tooth decay. As I travel across the country talking to both dental professionals and everyday people about prevention of cavities, I strongly recommend xylitol and the Spry Dental Defense System to help improve oral health. I encourage parents to start using xylitol right away for themselves and as soon as their children start to cut teeth. Spry’s tooth gel, candy and gum provide a simple and effective method to make xylitol a part of everyday oral care.”

Xylitol is a natural sweetener found in fruits, vegetables and other natural sources. Clinical studies have repeatedly shown reductions in tooth decay by up to 80 percent for those who consistently use products sweetened with 100 percent xylitol. Xlear’s Spry products enhance dental health by creating an unwelcome environment for bacteria, and as a result, bacteria cannot stick to teeth and there is less plaque build-up. Without plaque, decay-causing bacteria cannot stick to tooth enamel.

“Hundreds of friends, relatives and patients have embraced Xlear and Spry products, and report that their hygiene and health have improved as a result,” added Dr. David Noel, DDS, MPH.

“During Children’s Dental Health Month, it is important to draw attention to the benefits of xylitol for children of all ages,” said Nathan Jones, president of Xlear, Inc. “It is hard to ignore the amount of scientific and clinical evidence that supports the use of xylitol products for improving oral health. In addition to helping fight tooth decay, some studies actually indicate that xylitol can reverse early cavity formation. Xlear is committed to developing high quality products that both taste good and work to improve oral health. We have made it easy for dentists and parents to encourage good oral hygiene by developing products that children like to use.”

Spry Dental Defense System:

Spry Sugar-Free Chewing Gum: available in cinnamon, fresh fruit, peppermint, and spearmint flavors; Spry Mints: available in Berryblast, Lemonburst and Power Peppermint; Spry Coolmint Toothpaste; Spry Coolmint Xylitol Oral Rinse; Spry Infant Tooth Gel for application on tooth and gums of infants and toddlers; and SparX Candy: available in berry, citrus, and fruit flavors (http://www. xlear. com/fineanddandy/ (http://www. xlear. com/fineanddandy/)).

For more information about the Spry Dental Defense System, please visit www. sprydental. com or call 1-877-599-5327.

About National Children’s Dental Health Month

Originally started as a one-day event on February 8, 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio, the annual recognition of children’s dental health became a weeklong event in 1955 and a one-month celebration in 1981. National Children’s Dental Health Month is celebrated with a variety of events nationwide, including essay contests, free dental screenings, health fairs, classroom presentations and dental office tours. The event is supported by the American Dental Association, which provides state and local dental associations with a variety of promotional materials to help increase awareness for children’s dental health.

About Xlear, Inc.

Founded in 2000, Xlear, Inc. is recognized as one of the leading manufacturers of xylitol products, and one of the largest importers of xylitol in the United States. Xlear, Inc. is committed to providing consumers with the health benefits of xylitol by manufacturing all-natural, health-enhancing products. Xlear, Inc. offers Xlear®, a patented nasal wash; a complete line of dental health products offered under the SpryTM Dental Defense System brand; and XyloSweet TM, raw xylitol crystals used as a sugar substitute in cooking, baking and general consumption. Xlear, Inc. is a private company with headquarters in Orem, Utah. For more information about Xlear, visit http://www. xlear. com (http://www. xlear. com).

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Germany Recognizes Penetron's High Quality Products and Awards it with a U-Sign Approval

Penetron receives approval to use the prestigious U-sign. A signature of products meeting the highest standards of German quality, this approval confirms ICS Penetron International's dedication to meeting the growing requirements for quality construction products.

East Setauket, NY (PRWEB) May 18, 2007

ICS Penetron International is pleased to announce that it has been granted approval to use the "U-Zeichen" sign.

The German " Ü-Zeichen" (U-sign) for construction products certifies that products fulfill the highest quality standards, meet or exceed stringent application criteria, and comply with German environmental and health regulations. After extensive testing by the Materialprüfunganstalt (MPA) at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, Penetron Admix has been approved to feature the U-sign on its packaging (http://www. penetron. com/newsletter/english/CALKOB1X. jpg (http://www. penetron. com/newsletter/english/CALKOB1X. jpg)). This approval gives German concrete manufacturers, developers, architects, and designers access to one of the world's most effective waterproofing products and guarantees a top quality product for concrete waterproofing.

Testing undertaken by the MPA confirmed that Penetron Admix has no negative corrosion effect on reinforcement steel according to test norm DIN V 18998. The maximum chloride content lies far below norm requirements of 0.1%. Penetron Admix also meets the requirements related to maximum alkali content of less than 9.3%, which eliminates the risk of alkali-silica reactions with aggregates in the concrete mix.

"The German Ü-Zeichen (U-Sign) showcases our commitment to providing and continually improving high quality waterproofing systems," said Robert Revera, CEO and Managing Partner of ICS Penetron International, "From the inception of our company, it has remained a steadfast goal of ours to meet market demands for safer and better performing crystalline waterproofing products and this core value enables Penetron to succeed in new and unique applications in an every growing industry."

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EMX Founders Recognized by California State Assembly

Ulla Bak & J. P. Folsgaard Bak a Danish couple, the founders of technology company EMX Corporation, were awarded a recognition from the California State Assembly, in a ceremony timed to coincide with the launch of their new line of electromagnetically-safe cell phones. The award was sponsored by assemblyman Tim Leslie of the 4th assembly district, and honors their commitment to benefiting mankind through the research and remedy of harmful radiation in consumer electronic devices.

Sacramento, CA (PRWEB) March 8, 2005

The phones, produced by EMX in partnership with German electronics manufacturer G-Hanz, contain the patented EMX biochip, designed to eliminate the harmful potential of radiation emitted by a cell phone. While the use of cell phone and other wireless technology is expected to increase, and eventually eclipse that of landlines globally by 2008, the effect of electromagnetic radiation emitted by the devices has been poorly studied and is only partially understood. A litany of health complaints has been reported in connection with cell phone use, and the continued use of such devices has been connected to higher occurrence of migraine headaches, loss of concentration, fatigue, blood clots, and brain tumors.

EMX Corporation has worked to research, publicize, and remedy the dangers in these devices, bringing awareness of the issue to citizens and offering a solution in the form of its EMX chip products, which mask the harmful radiation emitted and render it harmless to human cells. The company is also developing its technology for a wide variety of consumer applications where electromagnetic fields are a threat, including hairdryers, electric blankets, and heating pads.

This technology, when firmly in place, is expected to increase the standard of health and mitigate radiation hazards faced by Californians, and other technology users worldwide. their efforts in researching and publicizing this issue, and their dedication to developing safe alternatives including special safe phones for children, J. P. and Ulla Bak have also been awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Youth Technology award from United Nations-affiliated organization Youth for Human Rights International. For more information, visit www. emxbiochip. com

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CooperVision Launches New Round of Gear Up Grants Program to Help Teen Athletes Gear Up!

Contact lens manufacturer CooperVision is strengthening its commitment to local community athletes and teens through its Gear Up Grants program, a dynamic initiative that helps teens understand how healthy vision can improve their competitive performance on and off the field. This fall, CooperVision will give away $25,000 in Gear Up Grants to help teens get their essential sports gear, including free CooperVision contact lenses for those who need them. Ten grants in total will be awarded, and submissions will be accepted until September 30th online at www. mycontactsports. com.

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 15, 2010

Multimedia Release: Multimedia Content Attached
To view the full multimedia news release and for more information on Contact Sports and Gear Up Grants, please visit www. mycontactsports. com/media (http://www. mycontactsports. com/media).

Contact lens manufacturer CooperVision is strengthening its commitment to local community athletes and teens by launching a new round of its Gear Up Grants program, a dynamic initiative that helps teens understand how healthy vision can improve their competitive performance on and off the field. This fall, CooperVision will give away an additional $25,000 in Gear Up Grants to help teens get their essential sports gear, including free CooperVision contact lenses for those who need them. A total of ten $2,500 grants will be awarded to winning teams, individual athletes, performers or communities to help them “gear up” this season with the equipment they need.

CooperVision launched its “Contact Sports” program this past May. Voting for the first round of grant requests is now open through September 6, 2010 and submissions for the second round of the Gear Up Grants are now being accepted online until September 30, 2010 at www. mycontactsports. com. Winners of each round will be announced the weeks of September 13, 2010 and November 29, 2010 respectively. Voters will be automatically entered to win a 1-year supply of free CooperVision Contact Lenses!

CooperVision has also partnered with BMX biking phenom and Dew Tour winner Daniel Dhers and gold-medal-winning soccer star Heather O'Reilly to share their stories on how switching to contact lenses helped give them the competitive edge they needed to excel in their careers– not only enhancing their vision, but also boosting their confidence levels. Daniel, who is a perennial favorite in every competition he enters and a consistent top three finisher at the Dew Tour and X-Games, noticed a big improvement in his riding after switching to contact lenses and Heather, who began wearing lenses in 7th grade says her contacts are just as important to her performance as cleats and shin guards. Fans can visit the website over the course of the contest to see updates from Daniel as he heads into his peak competition season.

To continue spreading the word about the “Contact Sports” program, optometrist Dr. Donald Teig has partnered with CooperVision to educate teens about the relationship between healthy vision and sports performance. Dr. Teig is a former president of the International Academy of Sports Vision, past chairman of the American Optometric Association's Sports Vision Section and has been the author of numerous articles on the relationship of sports to vision. His experience has taught him that teens’ athletic performance can benefit from wearing contact lenses.

As part of the educational component of the Gear Up Grants program, CooperVision offers eye care professionals with resources to engage with teens and coaches in their communities through the practitioners’ portal housed on www. mycontactsports. com. Here, eye care professionals will find sharable content that can be used to enhance their relationship with teens to promote the benefits, efficacy and safety of contact lenses including:
Patient friendly materials about the exciting Gear Up Grants program Contact Sports local event guide Social media guide Patient e-mails

Sports offer more than just physical activity – they are a source of confidence and personal strength. With more and more teens participating in contact sports and the growing need for the right gear to give them a competitive edge on and off the field, CooperVision is proud to continue its work to support teens in their athletic ambition while promoting the benefits of contact lenses as part of that essential gear.

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Saturday, April 28, 2007

TFI Encourages Early Adapter Technology Policies for US

The country will lose its ability to take advantage of technology unless it focuses on devising policies that encourage an open, standards-based infrastructure and positioning U. S. organizations as early adapters to information technology developments. This was noted by David Smith, technology forecaster/futurist and Vice President, of Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI), during a keynote presentation at the first-ever "U. S. Senate Conference on Emerging Technologies" in Washington, D. C. earlier this year. Mr. Smith has developed several megatrend forecasts included in this press release to help achieve this end.

Austin, TX (PRWEB) June 17, 2004

The country will lose its ability to take advantage of technology unless it focuses on devising policies that encourage an open, standards-based infrastructure and positioning U. S. organizations as early adapters to information technology developments. This wasnoted by David Smith, technology forecaster/ futurist and Vice President, of Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI), during a keynote presentation at the first-ever "U. S. Senate Conference on Emerging Technologies" in Washington, D. C. earlier this year.

Speaking to an audience of over 1,000 Senators, staff, and committee members, Mr. Smith stated, "The information avalanche we are presently experiencing and the technological challenges this presents our country demands that, rather than concentrating only on the present, we must put added emphasis on studying where technology is going and how we can best harness it to our advantage."

Mr. Smith has developed several megatrend forecasts to help achieve this end.

Technology Megatrends:

An information age increasingly driven by needs for precision, accuracy, and timeliness in all of our endeavors-Âpersonal, business, and governmental.

A continuing major revolution in IT growth in such areas as the internet, wireless and wired communications, mobile applications, and electronic commerce.

Information technology becoming ubiquitous and expanding within the private, business, and global worlds. Every device becomes a server.

Quality of life improvements in such areas as smart appliances, cars, highways, and buildings, easier access to knowledge, and revolutionary new concepts in health-related fields.

An increasingly mobile and global society becoming ever more reliant on a worldwide availability of information.

Mr. Smith has been actively involved in technology management and forecasting for over 25 years. He is an internationally renowned educator, author, and consultant in technology forecasting/strategy, technology/market integration, and technology management in uncertain environments. Mr. Smith's views on technology trends have been prominently featured in Business Week and American Demographics, among other publications. His complete bio can be found at http://www. tfi. com/staff/bios/smithd. html (http://www. tfi. com/staff/bios/smithd. html).

An electronic copy of his photo can be found under "Press Materials" at http://www. tfi. com/pressroom/index. html#materials (http://www. tfi. com/pressroom/index. html#materials).

Mr. Smith is happy to be quoted and/or interviewed on the subject of technology trends. Other TFI staff members are also always glad to give input toward technology and telecom trends. We invite you to visit our website at http://www. tfi. com (http://www. tfi. com), our press page at

Http://www. tfi. com/pressroom (http://www. tfi. com/pressroom), and view a list of many of our citations at http://www. tfi. com/pressroom/tfinews. html (http://www. tfi. com/pressroom/tfinews. html).

For more than 25 years, TFI has provided sound, credible projections of the future that reflect reality and imagination. We offer outstanding technology forecasting, strategic planning, trend analysis, and strategic market research services in high-technology and telecom technologies. Drawing on proven, quantifiable forecasting methods and strategic applications, we combine the vision of the futurist with the down-to-earth judgment of the technologist to be "Your Bridge to the Future."

PRESS CONTACT:

Ms. Carrie Vanston, Media Relations Director

Los Angeles Office (323) 436-0314, cvanston@tfi. com

Please contact Ms. Carrie Vanston with any questions or to interview Mr. Smith and/or the TFI staff on technology trends, telecom trends,

And technology forecasting principles. If you need assistance immediately and Ms. Vanston is unavailable, please contact the corporate offices in Austin at (512) 258-8898 or (800) 835-3887.

Technology Futures, Inc.

13740 Research Boulevard, Building C

Austin, TX 78750

(800) 835-3887 or (512) 258-8898

Fax: (512) 258-0087

Www. tfi. com

Thursday, April 26, 2007

EzViz Launches - Industry Expert Builds Dream App for Monitoring Investment Data in Real-Time

Using an array of visualizations, including heatmaps, this new solution provides users with an easy, hassle free and self sufficient way to analyze market and portfolio data to improve the decision making process. ezViz is a 'multiple mashup' of real-time market data and static portfolio data. This allows portfolio managers, traders and investors to keep track of current positions while searching for new opportunities.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) May 5, 2010

ezViz, an innovative data visualization company, announces the launch of its market and portfolio monitoring software, ezViz RealTime. Using an array of visualizations, including heatmaps, this new solution provides users with an easy, hassle free and self sufficient way to analyze market and portfolio data to improve the decision making process. EzViz is a 'multiple mashup' of real-time market data and static portfolio data. This allows portfolio managers, traders and investors to keep track of current positions while searching for new opportunities.

EzViz RealTime provides an unparalleled approach to analyzing market and portfolio data that is not currently available in the industry today. Most market data-feed providers offer ‘add-ins’ for real-time streaming data into Excel spreadsheets. ezViz users can combine this real-time market data with fundamental and technical data to easily visualize, interact, monitor and capture graphical images. In addition, ezViz integrates with other applications so users can access their essential day-to - day applications from a single source. ezViz is an affordable visualization tool for investment professionals or market enthusiasts who need to analyze, monitor or report on investment data stored in spreadsheets.

Brian O’Keefe, President of ezViz, stated, " ezViz RealTime was created to fill a void in the industry by connecting users to their real-time and static data and by removing typical barriers to entry – high costs, steep learning curves and IT reliance. With ezViz, users can buy, download, install and analyze real-time data in minutes. Implementing ezViz software doesn’t require IT or procurement involvement and data doesn’t need to be ‘prepped’ by power users or SQL experts beforehand. These simple, yet unique aspects of ezViz will lead to exceptional user adoption rates as ezViz is easy to use, easy to install, easy to connect to real-time data and easy to integrate with other applications. “

About ezViz
EzViz was founded by Brian O’Keefe who has an extensive background in visualization software as well as trading and derivatives software. His mission is to provide business users with a powerful tool to interact with data in a more insightful, interactive, and self sufficient way. ezViz currently has two products in their solution offering. ezViz RealTime primarily focuses on the financial services industry and allows for the analysis of real-time streaming data and static data combined. ezViz Office connects to static data and is used in a variety of industries including government, healthcare, retail and manufacturing. Both products are available for immediate purchase and download at www. ezViz. biz.

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Tuesday, April 24, 2007

New Protection Areas established on British Columbia Coast (Great Bear Rainforest)

Twenty large protection areas have been established in the coastal rainforests of British Columbia.

(PRWEB) May 24, 2002

British Columbia today passed regulations to legally establish 20 new protection areas for the white kermode bear and other ecological areas in the rainforests of the Central Coast, also known as the Great Bear Rainforest.

The new protection areas, totalling 441,000 hectares (more than one million acres), were recommended by First Nations (aboriginal people), forest companies, conservation groups, government, communities and others through cooperative land use planning.

The protection areas are temporary, since boundaries may change as a result of stakeholder-based planning, scheduled for completion in spring 2003.

Other progress includes:

Harvesting deferrals: Over the past year, forest companies have voluntarily chosen not to harvest in any of the proposed protection areas or option areas identified in the preliminary land use agreement. Government has now introduced regulations to ensure that no harvesting occurs in these areas while land use planning is under way.

Ecosystem-based forestry: Robert Prescott-Allen, an internationally-renowned expert on sustainable development, has been appointed to head an independent Coast Information Team. The Team will help develop ecosystem-based management to sustain healthy ecosystems and support communities along much of the provinceÂ’s coast. Pilot projects are now under way to help define ecosystem-based management.

Community transition: An independent $35 million trust fund has been established to help workers and communities impacted by land use planning.

First Nations: Agreements between the B. C. government and coastal First Nations establish a partnership role for First Nations in land use planning, and provide a basis for economic development.

For more information, see http://www. growingtogether. ca/centralcoast/index. htm (http://www. growingtogether. ca/centralcoast/index. htm)

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Nuts And Bolts Of 401(k) Plans Seminar By Lorman Education Services in San Antonio, TX on September 22, 2005

This seminar by Lorman Education Services is designed to help with the understanding of 401k plans. To register for this seminar please call 1-866-352-9539 and please use priority code 18189. You can also register online at http://www. lorman. com/seminars/seminar_details. php? sku=355126

(PRWEB) July 13, 2005

This one-day seminar is designed for accountants, controllers, human resource managers, presidents, vice presidents, benefits administrators, payroll professionals, CFOs, enrolled agents, business and office managers, financial planners, banking executives, insurance professionals and attorneys.

Seminar highlights that will discussed are, what changes are included in new and proposed legislation, what testing is required for the 401k plan and why, what does the IRS look at in a 401(k) plan audit, how to correct plan errors, and how to read plan documents.

The faculty that will be presenting this information is Andrew V. Brawley of Morgan Stanley, Charles H. Â“ChuckÂ” Campbell Jr, Joshua A. Sutin, J. D., LL. M. Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated and Jay Thomas Scholz, CPC, QPA, QKA Scholz Klein & Friends Enlightened Retirement Group Inc.

Andrew V. Brawley is a financial advisor and retirement planning specialist at Morgan Stanley in Austin, Texas. Mr. Brawley provides asset consulting services, retirement plan design and administration consulting, and implementation of educational programs for numerous corporations. He also consults for a number of international associations, foundations and endowments on short - and long-term investment policy. Mr. Brawley spent several years in New York at Reuters, Inc., consulting with large financial institutions. He has worked at a major mutual fund companyÂ’s retirement plans division giving him excellent insights to the industry. Mr. Brawley completed his undergraduate work with a B. B.A. degree in finance with a concentration in risk management and insurance from The University of Texas at Austin.

Charles H. Â“ChuckÂ” Campbell, Jr. is a shareholder in the Austin office of the law firm of Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated. He practices in the Tax/Employee Benefits Group and represents clients in all areas of employee benefits and executive compensation. Mr. CampbellÂ’s practice encompasses both the tax and ERISA issues involved in the employee benefits and executive compensation practice and includes designing, drafting, amending and day-to-day administration of qualified plans (for example, 401(k) plans); non-qualified deferred compensation plans; stock option plans; executive compensation plans or agreements (including compensation provisions in executive employment agreements); and welfare plans (for example, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment plans and severance plans). He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin (J. D. degree, with honors), and from Washington and Lee University (B. S. degree, psychology).

Jay Thomas Scholz, CPC, QPA, QKA is co-founder and president of Scholz Klein & Friends Enlightened Retirement Group Inc. Scholz Klein & Friends Enlightened Retirement Group Inc. is a San Antonio-based retirement consulting and plan administration firm. They focus on personalized and creative plan design, implementation, administration and ongoing consulting for profit sharing, 401(k) and defined benefit retirement plans. Mr. Scholz has over 20 years of experience of working with retirement plans in Texas. He holds the designations of CPC, QPA and QKA (certified pension consultant, qualified plan administrator and qualified 401(k) administrator), which are awarded by the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries. He has taught courses on retirement planning for the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist Program (CEBS). Mr. Scholz is a frequent speaker both locally and nationally, and commentator on retirement issues. He writes extensively for the San Antonio Business Journal and has been published in the National Publications of Plan Sponsor Magazine and the Journal of Pension Compliance. Mr. Scholz completed his undergraduate work with a B. B.A. degree with a concentration in business law from the University of Wisconsin.

Joshua A. Sutin, J. D., LL. M. is an attorney with Cox Smith Matthews Incorporated. His practice area focuses on employee benefits, estate and tax planning. He assists clients such as healthcare professional practices and individuals. Mr. Sutin is licensed to practice law in Texas and New Mexico. He is admitted to practice before the U. S. Tax Court and the U. S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. Mr. Sutin is a member of the American Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the New Mexico Bar Association, the San Antonio Bar Association, the San Antonio Estate Planners Council, the San Antonio Employee Benefit Forum, the San Antonio Young Lawyers Association, the Southwest Benefits Association and the Worldwide Employee Benefit Plan Network.

If you would like to register for this seminar, please contact Lorman Education Services at 1-866-352-9539 and please mention priority code 18189, or you can register online at http://www. lorman. com/seminars/seminar_details. php? sku=355126 (http://www. lorman. com/seminars/seminar_details. php? sku=355126)

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Waterfront Media Names Pioneering Industry Veteran Doug McCormick as Chairman of the Board

Waterfront Media, the largest privately held online health company and the operator of Everyday Health, announced that Doug McCormick has been named Chairman of the Board. Mr. McCormick, who currently serves as a Company director, brings more than 20 years of experience in media and the Internet, having served as Chairman and CEO of iVillage and President and CEO of Lifetime Television Networks. He assumes the role of Chairman of the Board from Bo Peabody, co-founder and Managing General Partner of Village Ventures, who also remains on the board. Peabody served as chairman starting in 2003, a year and half after the company was founded by CEO Ben Wolin and President Mike Keriakos.

BROOKLYN, N. Y. (PRWEB) May 12, 2008

Mr. McCormick is currently a Venture partner with Rho Ventures, a division of Rho Capital Partners and one of Waterfront Media's funders; his primary focus is on investments in the media sector. Prior to Rho, he served as Chairman and CEO of iVillage Inc., where he successfully completed the sale of iVillage to NBC Universal for over $600 million dollars. In building iVillage, he engineered the successful merger of two public companies, iVillage Inc. and Women. com Networks, Inc., creating the number one online media company for women.

During his tenure as President and CEO of Lifetime Television Network, Lifetime was the number one women's brand in electronic media and the ninth most profitable network (cable and broadcast) in the US. In creating the branding strategy and positioning of "Television For Women," Mr. McCormick is widely credited with raising Lifetime's market value by more than $3 billion in five years, growing prime time ratings by over 100 percent, quadrupling revenues, creating a household brand name, and conceiving and launching LMN, the Lifetime Movie Network.

"Doug is a recognized leader in new media and advertising, and we look forward to benefiting from his experience and insight. His management at iVillage and Lifetime transformed both media properties, making them into the powerhouses they are today, and his experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow Everyday Health into the number one online health property," said Ben Wolin, Waterfront Media's CEO and co-founder. "I also want to thank Bo Peabody for his leadership since 2003. During the early stages of our business, Bo was instrumental in helping us grow the company to where we are today."

"I am looking forward to my new role with Waterfront Media. The company has been extremely successful to date and I am eager to assist them as they become the number one online health company," said Mr. McCormick. "It's rare to see a company grow its audience over 300% in one year as they did in 2007 and I know the company has the ingredients to lead its category."

Mr. McCormick also chairs the Board of Directors Lin TV (NYSE:TVL), is Vice Chairman of ReelzChannel and is a member of the board of Ovation Television, Wayport Inc, and a Trustee of the American Management Association where he is a member of the executive committee. Previously, he served as a director on a number of Boards including MarketWatch. com, Inc. (Nasdaq:MKTW) and the Ad Council.

About Waterfront Media and Everyday Health

Waterfront Media is the largest privately held online health company and operates Everyday Health, which attracts over 14 million unique users per month. Through its network of health, diet, fitness, and pregnancy Web sites, including its flagship EverydayHealth. com, Waterfront Media enables consumers to live healthier lives every day. The company was founded by Michael Keriakos and Ben Wolin in 2002.

Aptima and UMass Medical School Collaborate on Technology to Help Patients with Chronic Pain to Manage Their Health

Team to design and test handheld consumer tool for managing personal health records as part of nationwide grant program.

Woburn, MA (Vocus) December 20, 2006

Aptima, Inc. , a leader in human-centered engineering, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School are collaborating on the design and testing of a computer system that will help patients living with chronic pain, such as migraines, back conditions and osteoarthritis, to better manage their health treatments and interactions with health care providers. Aptima and UMass Medical School are teaming on an 18-month $300,000 grant, as one of nine teams nationwide selected to participate in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) program "HealthDesign: Rethinking the Power and Potential of Personal Health Records," a $4.4 million initiative.

Dr. Roger S. Luckmann, MD, MPH, Associate Professor of Family Medicine & Community Health at UMass Medical School, will lead the six-person team, which includes four employees of Aptima. The system will include a handheld computer that will allow those with chronic pain to have a way to manage their personal health activities and information, such as reminders of medication schedules, prompts and guidance for exercise regimens, and a way to track and monitor the impact of various therapies on their psychological well-being. The system will allow patients to combine that information with their electronic medical records from their various health care providers, tying together disparate medical information and providing a complete picture of their personal health records.

Aptima was recruited to the team given its expertise in interaction design and usability assessment. Aptima will design the user interface for the handheld device, drawing upon focus groups of patients living with chronic pain. They will then test the resulting prototype device with actual patients to validate its ultimate usefulness.

"Aptima is thrilled to be working on this innovative project," stated John Shaw, CEO of Aptima. "Our goal is to help put the power of the patient's personal health records in their own hands, giving them more control over their well-being. We believe we can design this tool to be as easy-to-use and intuitive as today's most widely-used handheld consumer devices."

Dr. Luckman of UMass Medical School added, "By allowing patients to keep information from all their health care providers--including practitioners of complementary medicine--in one place and to record important information about themselves, electronic patient health records promise to dramatically improve communication between patients and providers and among providers. I believe improved communication will translate into significant improvements in the quality of care," said Dr. Luckmann.

Teams were chosen from a pool of more than 165 applicants and each has been selected to receive an 18-month, $300,000 award. Primary funding for Project HealthDesign is provided by RWJF's Pioneer Portfolio, which supports innovative projects that may lead to breakthrough improvements in health and health care. RWJF is pleased to collaborate with The California HealthCare Foundation, which contributed an additional $900,000 to the initiative.

Over the first six months of Project Health Design, teams will participate in a structured process to design user-centered personal health applications that address specific health challenges faced by individuals and caregivers. In the subsequent 12-month phase, prototypes of these personal health tools will be tested with target populations.

Program activities will launch immediately with an initial design workshop involving all grantees, where they will further define the needs and preferences of the intended users of the PHR applications. For further details about UMass Medical School, visit www. umassmed. edu. More information about Project Health Design, including a listing of the other program grantees, is available at www. projecthealthdesign. org.

About Aptima

Aptima is a leader in the field of human-centered engineering, solving the problems of human performance in today's complex sociotechnical systems. Recognized by The Boston Business Journal as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in Massachusetts (2006), Aptima's unique approach couples social science principles with quantitative, computational methods. The company provides products and services focused on the design of organizations, user-centered technology, and training systems. Aptima is headquartered in Woburn, MA, with offices in Washington, DC. www. aptima. com.

About UMMS

The University of Massachusetts Medical School, a perennial top finisher in the annual U. S. News & World Report ranking of primary care medical schools, was founded to meet the health care needs of the citizens of the Commonwealth by providing residents an affordable, accessible, comprehensive and rewarding medical education of the highest quality. The school is committed to training in the full range of medical disciplines, with an emphasis on practice in the primary care specialties, in the public sector and in underserved areas of Massachusetts. UMMS comprises a medical school, graduate school of nursing, graduate school of biomedical sciences and an active research enterprise, and is a leader in health sciences education, research and public service.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. By helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime.

About the California HealthCare Foundation

The California HealthCare Foundation, based in Oakland, is an independent philanthropy committed to improving the delivery and financing of health care in California.

Contacts:

Debra McNeely

Aptima, Inc.

781.496.2423

Joel Greenberg

DCPR LLC

202.363.1065 | 202-669-3639 cell

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Saturday, April 21, 2007

New BizTechReport Explores The Role Of Wide Area Network Optimization In The Federal Health Care Environment

WAN is Emerging as a Strategic Asset in the Federal Health Care and Services Community.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) June 28, 2010

A new white paper from BizTechReports explores the role of wide area network (WAN) optimization in the federal health care environment. The quality of IT services on which federal health service providers depend directly impacts a broad cross section of Americans. Military service members and their families, as well as qualified veterans, make up a significant proportion of federal health care patients, and the realities of the military and veteran patient population illustrate the challenges faced by federal health care and services providers. Military and veteran health care serves millions of patients, dispersed around the globe and around the United States and its territories. This large, distributed community also has a diverse set of medical service needs, ranging from pre-natal care to battlefield shock-trauma to aging care.

One of the infrastructure elements that links care providers, administrators, and patients across the federal health care services community areis: wide area networks. Consequently, the WAN is emerging as a strategic asset in the federal health care and services community that supports:
Organizations that are looking for ways to enable information access for mobile and off-site care providers and administrators Continuity of care for our wounded warriors and other citizen groups Analysis and information sharing to track pandemics and disease Agencies seeking both operational and cost efficiencies by consolidating clinical and business information processing infrastructures through virtualization Care providers and administrators exploring ways to facilitate telemedicine and collaboration to improve care delivery and speed up administrative processes

In the federal health services community, specifically, there are a variety of dedicated and shared WANs that interconnect people, processes and technologies across the country. There is a growing consensus that the ability to deliver top quality health care and services quickly and without regard to geographic location is now inextricably tied to the performance of federal health services' IT infrastructure in general - and its WAN infrastructure in particular.

To explore the key considerations that should be addressed by officials tasked with harnessing technology to improve federal health care and services, the editors of BizTechReports. Com met with subject matter experts at San Francisco-based Riverbed Technology to gather key insights into emerging trends and best practices for WAN optimization within the homeland security community.

The report can be downloaded at:
http://www. biztechreports. com/Role_Of_WAN_in_Federal_Healthcare. html (http://www. biztechreports. com/Role_Of_WAN_in_Federal_Healthcare. html)

About Riverbed
Riverbed works with many government organizations, ranging from one of the world's largest navies that achieved "near-terrestrial" performance of its key Web applications on all of its ships, to the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) that was able to consolidate its data centers. Dozens of government organizations have deployed Riverbed Steelhead products, ranging from small deployments to multi-site deployments with hundreds of appliances. These organizations have chosen Riverbed products to enable consolidation of global IT assets, speed data transfer for mobile field operations units, decrease backup and data replication times by up to 90 percent, and reduce bandwidth costs and utilization. Thousands of companies with distributed operations use Riverbed to make their IT infrastructure faster, less expensive and more responsive. Additional information about Riverbed is available at www. riverbed. com.

About BizTechReports. Com
BizTechReports. Com is an independent reporting agency with offices in Washington, DC and the San Francisco Bay Area that analyzes user trends in business technology. Our reports explore the role that technology products and services play in the overall economy and/or in specific vertical industries. For more BizTechReports. Com white papers, case studies and research reports, visit www. biztechreports. com.

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Friday, April 20, 2007

Give Your Business a Massive Leap Forward; Statistics Are Now Proving What the Great Business Builders of the Past Were Trying to Communicate

Statistics show that over 50% of small businesses fail in the first five years compared to only 10-20% of franchises. This news release reveals the two most critical areas to be addressed and the benefits of implementing clear and simple systems into any business or industry in order to take the business to the next level. The sooner a business gets some systems the better off it will be.

Bris, QLD (PRWEB) April 24, 2007

Business owners are only now starting to realise the challenges that all businesses face when it comes to employing staff and then managing them effectively, as well as keeping on top of the day to day running of the business. The trouble is, that most people in business don't own the business... the business owns them. "Why is it that over 50% of most businesses fail, while less than 10% - 20% of franchises fail? The answer is SYSTEMS (http://www. systems-central. com/)."

Just take a look at companies like McDonalds or Subway. Having simple, effective and proven systems gives each employee specific guidelines or "a track to run on" and enables an employer the free time to "work on the business rather than running around like mad in the business". The challenge is however, that most business owners are so time bankrupt, and have the challenge of keeping enough cashflow coming through the doors while at the same time trying to develop systems to help automate things in order to "free them up". One other challenge is that to have a "consultant" come in and develop systems in the business but this can be quite expensive, not to mention time consuming.

Research shows that business owners are also finding critical challenges in their staff management practices which costs US businesses approx. more than $100 million every year. Finding the right people is one of the most challenging facets of business today, and then having to make sure the correct person has been chosen, and if that's not enough the staff need to be managed effectively in order to keep them. "Failing in any one of these areas can be some of the most time and money consuming activities in business today". Gone are the days when one could just shake hands on an agreed employment wage, and they would happily work in the one place for 30 years. Many staff problems can easily be addressed by having written clear communication at the very beginning of their employment as well as performance reviews (http://www. systems-central. com/staff_management_system) during various stages throughout their employment.

Another of the areas that is very time consuming to develop systems around is the area of Workplace Health & Safety. "Statistics taken from the U. S Department of Labor show that a total of 39,167 inspections on businesses were undertaken and a total of $85,192,940 in fines were dished out to employers, thats over $85 million dollars in fines for the USA in the last fiscal year".

Government Authorities are not holding back. The problem is, that most of the time an employer is hard at work trying to keep the business running without the time to take a break, research and create a Workplace Health & Safety System. Having an effective and comprehensive Workplace Health & Safety System (http://www. systems-central. com/workplace_safety_system) gives "the employer" a firm grounding in clearly communicating the guidelines for working in a safe manner with staff. Secondly, if ever there is an investigation on the business that requires the owner to produce the Workplace Health & Safety Procedures, then there is a very clear record of what those procedures are and how that has been communicated to the employees of the company, which in turn could avoid having a massive fine placed on the shoulders of a business owner or a middle manager.

Current legislation in certain countries have placed the entire responsibility on the employer for ensuring the safety of workers in the workplace, however after all it should start with the individual employee taking responsibility for his or her actions, shouldn't it? Gone are the days where people had common sense and took responsibility for their own actions, in todays world business owners are constantly faced with the threat of professional litigation on a daily basis. Having an effective and comprehensive Workplace Health and Safety System balances that responsibility with the staff also, which helps the responsibility fall on the individual.

In our research Systems-Central. com was found to have provided ready made systems, consulted and provided systems to thousands of different businesses in over 100 different industries and in turn helping many businesses take giant leaps forward. "It doesn't matter what country or industry a business operates in, there are challenges and needs that are common to every business". What Systems-Central. com have done is taken all these common needs, categorised them and then put a range of systems together which enables any business to implement them, getting further down the track to systemizing the business so much faster, while also keeping costs to a minimum. Once every year, Systems-Central. com run a promotion in April and have cut the price of their systems in half for the month of April only.

For more information on a number of systems go to www. systems-central. com

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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Sinus Buster Inventor Announces Million Dollar Idea Book on YouTube

Wayne Perry appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1995, teaching the Queen of Talk to use police pepper spray for self defense. Ten years later, Perry turned pepper spray into a million dollar enterprise, starting with less than five hundred dollars and a dream. After an accidental discovery, he invented the world's first hot pepper nasal spray sold over the counter. Known as Sinus Buster, his invention proved to be a breakthrough for relieving headaches, sinus and allergy symptoms. Now Perry is sharing his steps for entrepreneurial success in an upcoming book.

Albany, NY (PRWEB) October 13, 2008

Wayne Perry appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show (http://www. oprah. com) in 1995, teaching the Queen of Talk to use police pepper spray for self defense. Ten years later, Perry turned pepper spray into a million dollar enterprise, starting with less than five hundred dollars and a dream. After an accidental discovery, he invented the world's first hot pepper nasal spray sold over the counter. Known as Sinus Buster (http://www. sinusbuster. com), his invention proved to be a breakthrough for relieving headaches, sinus and allergy symptoms. Now Perry is sharing his steps for entrepreneurial success in an upcoming book.

In anticipation of the book release, Perry has begun posting videos on YouTube giving free entrepreneurial tips for people looking to create their own money making ideas. In the videos, he shares unique experiences to help aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their dreams by finding their own million dollar idea. So far the reaction has been swift, garnering hundreds of views in just the first day.

The premier episode, "Sparking Your Million Dollar Idea," is a motivational rant that spells out necessary steps to find a big idea in these desperate economic times. Perry's lesson touches on the tumbling stock market (http://finance. google. com/finance), failing 401k plans and "Corporate Constipation," a term Perry coined and trademarked. Wayne Perry's rags to riches story, is one that all aspiring entrepreneurs can look to as hope for their own success.

Perry will continue to post weekly video business rants on his YouTube channel "Pepperman911," leading up to the release of his first book in January. Future announcements of media appearances and book signings will appear in the coming months.

According to Perry, the book title is still top secret, "Under the publishing agreement, I can't announce the official title of my book yet, but I can guarantee you'll see corporate constipation somewhere on the cover. This book was designed for entrepreneurs who have to start with nothing, and these days that means most of us."

In 2007, Perry appeared on CNBC's, "Big Idea with Donny Deutsch (http://www. cnbc. com/id/19792979/)," in an episode highlighting successful entrepreneurs that started with less than $500. In 2008, he sold the Sinus Buster brand to Dynova Laboratories (http://www. dynovalabs. com), a manufacturer of innovative natural health products, with significant financial backing and widespread distribution.

Although Wayne Perry continues to work for Dynova, he's also venturing into motivational speaking and publishing for the entrepreneurial crowd. Perry's publisher intends to release a DVD based on his book, and there's also plans for a reality television show aimed at aspiring twenty-first century entrepreneurs.

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Alley Cat Allies Offers Winter Safety Tips for Feral And Stray Cats

Guide for building inexpensive shelters and feeding stations available on web site.

Bethesda, MD (Vocus) October 26, 2009

Alley Cat Allies (http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather), the national advocate for feral and stray cats, this week launched an online guide offering tips to feral cat caregivers and concerned individuals who want to help feral and stray cats this winter, including simple instructions for building inexpensive feeding stations and shelters to keep cats safe from the winter elements. The online guide is available at be http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather (http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather)].

“We know that millions of people already help to care for the cats in their communities each day,” said Becky Robinson, president of Alley Cat Allies. “While most feral cats are skilled at finding their own food and place to sleep, providing specially-built shelters and dedicated feeding sites guarantee the cats a warm spot to escape the harsh winter weather and deter them from places they aren’t wanted.”

Feral cats spend their whole lives outdoors, and can be found all over the country, from the largest cities to the most rural landscapes. They are not socialized to humans and can’t be adopted into homes. Feral cats live amongst their own in family groups called “colonies,” and studies show they are just as healthy as pet cats.

To help the feral and stray cats in your community this winter, Alley Cat Allies suggests the following simple steps:

Build an outdoor shelter and a feeding station.

Shelters are easy and inexpensive to build. You can use the plans available at http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather (http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather), or modify a pre-built dog house. Some manufacturers also sell pre-built cat shelters.

The shelter should be elevated off the ground and sited in a quiet, unobtrusive area with a minimal amount of traffic. A good-sized shelter offers a space just big enough for three to five cats to huddle. The door should be no more than six to eight inches wide to keep out wildlife and bigger predators. Install a flap on the door to keep out snow, rain and wind.

In addition to a shelter, you can build a simple feeding station with a roof and sides to protect cats from the elements while they eat.

Insulate the shelter against moisture as well as cold.

Straw resists the wet and keeps a shelter warm, and is the best choice for insulation and bedding. Blankets are not a good idea, as they absorb moisture like a sponge.

Keep food and drinking water from freezing.

Wet food in insulated containers is most ideal for winter time feeding, as it takes less energy for cats to digest than dry food – and cats can use all that extra energy to keep warm.

Preventing liquids from freezing can be a challenge during the winter and can lead to a risk for dehydration. Keep water drinkable by using bowls that are deep rather than wide, and place them in a sunny spot. If possible, refill the bowls with warm water. A pinch of sugar in the water also keeps it from freezing as quickly, and provides an added energy boost for the cats. Alternatives include the heated electric bowls found in many pet shops.

The cats will come to expect you if you keep a regular feeding schedule, and the food and water will spend less time in the cold before it is consumed.

Get educated about cats, and stop the breeding cycle with Trap-Neuter-Return.

Make sure to educate yourself, your family and your neighbors about the habits of outdoor cats during the winter time. For example, know to check under the car or give the hood a tap before starting the engine, as cats will sometimes crawl into car engines or hide under them for warmth.

Prevent another “kitten season” next year by getting the outdoor cats in your neighborhood spayed or neutered now. Cats have a 63-day gestation period and usually mate in winter.

End the cycle of breeding and help the cats lead better lives by humanely trapping them and having them spayed or neutered by a veterinarian as part of a Trap-Neuter-Return program. Make sure the trapped cats are quickly moved to a warm vehicle for transportation to a veterinary clinic. A local volunteer group that practices Trap-Neuter-Return may be able to help.

Visit Alley Cat Allies’ web site, http://www. alleycat. org (http://www. alleycat. org), for more information about connecting to local resources and starting a Trap-Neuter-Return program in your community.

More information about winter safety for outdoor cats can be found at http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather (http://www. alleycat. org/WinterWeather).

About Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies is the nation’s leading advocate for stray and feral cats. Their web site is http://www. alleycat. org (http://www. alleycat. org).

Contact:
Elizabeth Parowski, eparowski (at) alleycat. org or (240) 482-1984
Francie Israeli, fisraeli (at) johnadams. com or (202) 737-8400

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Monday, April 16, 2007

The Real Estate Junction reports the Raleigh/Cary Housing Market is Thriving despite local newspaper headlines to the contrary

The Real Estate Junction reports the Raleigh/Cary Housing Market is Thriving despite local newspaper headlines to the contrary.

The Real Estate Junction of Cary, NC cites just released 3Q statistics for the Triangle area of North Carolina. The data reveals its local market is relatively unaffected by the nation housing crisis and, in fact, is flourishing. These figures are in sharp contrast to attention grabbing the local newspaper headlines.

Cary, NC (PRWEB) December 9, 2008

Front page headlines professing an abysmal housing market are selling newspapers across these United States. But is there a less-reported locality where home owners haven't suffered equity erosion? If so, where would one find such an anomaly amidst a nation suffering though a record setting housing crisis? A prudent search might begin where home values didn't bubble in the first place, where home appreciation rates have been a non-newsworthy 3-5% going on 20 years now. According to the third quarter numbers just released from the Triangle Multiple Listing Service, the Triangle area of North Carolina is just such a place.

A strong economy, mild weather and now the #1 state for retirement living give North Carolina a substantial hedge against the national housing crisis. Statewide, home owners enjoy an average house price appreciation of 3.6%. Zooming into the Triangle region (Cary, Raleigh, Apex, Holly Springs, Morrisville), real estate (http://www. real-estate-cary. com) owners, with an earful of national gloom, are often surprised to discover the current home appreciation rate is 4% per year.

Michael McLaughlin of The Real Estate Junction says, "Effects of the national housing market are being felt but not nearly as dramatic as many local newspapers report. All too often local newspapers shock and awe readers with disturbing housing news, only to disclosing at the very end of the article that the national figures may not be applicable to the local area". So with local statistics front and center, let's look at the 3rd quarter numbers for the Triangle area.

First the bad news:
• September 2008 expired listings were 227% higher than September 2007 expired listings.
• Resale home inventory has increased 25%, though new home inventory decreased 8%.
• The Wake County Revenue Department reported 4,963 third quarter home sale closings (a decrease of 22% compared to third quarter of 2007).

Now for the good news:
• While inventory of homes has increased, sellers are seeking appreciation rates above the historic average. The average seller has their house priced at 5.3% per year above prior purchase price.
• Home price appreciation data is collected by comparing the two most recent sales prices of the same home. Currently, the national average is negative 4.5% (-4.5%) While the North Carolina posts a positive 3.6% and the Triangle average is a positive 4.0%.
• Of the approximately 14,000 listings within the Triangle, only 3% of these listings are classified as foreclosure, bank or corporate owned.
• Looking at supply of homes for sale, the Triangle's normal housing market will historically range from 3 to 7 months of supply on the market. The national housing crisis has increased the Triangle area's supply of homes on the market to 8 months (the national average is 11 months). Wake county, in particular is doing even better with a 6 month supply of homes.
• Cities inside of Wake County vary. Raleigh neighborhoods (http://www. real-estate-cary. com/raleigh/Raleigh-Neighborhoods. html) has 6 months, North Raleigh neighborhoods (http://real-estate-cary. com/raleigh/N-Raleigh-Neighborhoods. html) has 7 months, Apex Neighborhoods (http://www. real-estate-cary. com/apex/Apex_Neighborhoods. html) has 4 months, Morrisville Neighborhoods (http://www. real-estate-cary. com/morrisville/Morrisville_Neighborhoods. html) has 4 months, Holly Springs Neighborhoods (http://www. real-estate-cary. com/holly-springs/Holly_Springs_Neighborhoods. html) has 5 months and Cary Neighborhoods have a 4 months supply of homes on the market.

If we further dissect the current Triangle area statistics by price range we find the luxury homes are really taking a beating while standard size homes are selling swiftly. For example, there is a 5 month supply of homes priced below $500,000. Above $500,000 supply swells to an average of 17 months. This is will continue to put downward pressure on luxury home prices until supply levels equalize.

So what do all these numbers mean? Triangle area real estate will continue to appreciate in its historically slow and steady manor, except for the luxury segment which will continue to adjust downward, until supply normalizes.

There are a few underlying causes at work here. Many out of state buyers wishing to move here can't because their current homes aren't selling. Also, the nation housing news have many locals frozen in their boots, and the mortgage crisis tightened lending, especially for the luxury home market.

Homes under 300,000 are, and should continue to be, a healthy segment, owing in part to FHA loans (http://ncfhaexpert. com) filling the needs of buyers with low down payments. FHA limits loans in Wake County to under $295,000 and unfortunately, after January 1, 2009 the limit will decrease to $271,050.

There's an old adage in real estate that says the profitable investor buys when masses are selling and sells when the masses are buying. Triangle area statistics show the area is holding its value despite slowed home sales. When the housing crisis clouds part and the external restraints are lifted from this local economy, homeowners who bought now may be smiling the brightest.

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Sunday, April 15, 2007

New Programs Offer Creative Benefits and Savings to Companies and Their Employees

Company offers non-insurance benefits at affordable cost.

Louisville, KY (PRWEB) November 19, 2009

Get Smart Benefits, LLC, a Louisville, Kentucky-based firm is opening their online benefits, services and products to employers across the country. With the launch of GetSmartBenefits. com (http://www. getsmartbenefits. com), companies large and small can help their employees supplement insurance coverage at no cost to the employer and with significant savings to the employee.

“It’s a win-win service that has come at a time when we have tightened our benefits for employees in order to maintain affordable but comprehensive coverage,” says Rhonda Hatfield, owner of Little Scholars Child Care. “We can supplement existing insurance coverage with non-insurance benefits that include prescription discounts, 24-hour TeleDoc® services, as well as dental and medical service discounts. We were offered with several packages to choose from and the employees picked the one that best fit their needs, all of them under $20 per month” says Hatfield.

“More than 30 individual services are available to program members. We’ve discovered that people need AFFORDABLE 24-hour medical service convenience and want to package their discounts according to their lifestyle. Many members use services on a weekly to monthly basis, so the savings can be substantial. Members have reported saving over $300 in the first month of use,” according to Kris Wissing, Senior Advisor at Get Smart Benefits. “All of our services and discounts can be conveniently found in one place, on the web site; need a dentist, locate a chiropractor (http://www. getsmartbenefits. com/LocateProviders/LocateProviders/tabid/63/Default. aspx), find golf savings (http://www. getsmartbenefits. com/LocateProviders/LocateProviders/tabid/63/Default. aspx) in your area, discounts on dining, find a pharmacy & get real time quotes (http://www. getsmartbenefits. com/RxPriceQuote/tabid/71/Default. aspx) on your current medical prescription.”

Two popular benefits offered by Get Smart Benefits are:

1. LifeLock (http://www. lifelock. com) The industry leader in proactive identity theft protection offers a proactive solution to help protect your identity from being stolen before it happens. If your identity is stolen, you can spend hundreds of hours cleaning up your credit and struggling to get back your good name. That's because stolen identities are used up to 30 times, with most victims only discovering the theft after they've been turned down for a loan or contacted by a collection agency. You may already be a victim, many times over, and not even know it. But not with LifeLock.

2. TelaDoc™ (http://www. teladoc. com) - A national network of board certified, licensed primary care physicians (PCP) that diagnose illness, recommend treatment, and prescribe medication, when appropriate, for its members over the telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. TelaDoc is a convenient, cost-effective alternative for minor medical problems and a current solution for the health care issues of cost and access. TelaDoc™ services do not replace the care of the PCP …they complement and enhance the quality of care. TelaDoc physicians are trained and experienced in telephone based cross coverage. They must also meet our strict physician credentialing guidelines

For additional information visit GetSmartBenefits. com (http://www. getsmartbenefits. com) or contact Kris Wissing, Senior Advisor, Get Smart Benefits at kris@getsmartbenefits. com (800-345-0221). Companies considering a discount program may qualify for additional savings on package rates.

Get Smart Benefits, LLC provides non-insurance discount benefits (http://www. getsmartbenefits. com/DiscountPackages/tabid/56/Default. aspx) to membership organizations, employers and individuals through a proprietary technology, enrollment and fulfillment platform.

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New Features Added at Trekadoo Vacation Rentals

Trekadoo vacation rental software adds features.

Las Vegas, NV (PRWEB) January 16, 2011

Trekadoo vacation rental software adds features.

Trekadoo is the first vacation rental software designed to help individual home owners run their vacation homes quickly and easily. Today they announced their latest feature release - Trekadoo Sync Calendars. Trekadoo calendars allow renters to book vacation homes the same way they book a hotel, flight, or rental car. Online, instantly, with a credit card.

Kathryn Christensen, CEO of Trekadoo stated; “this is a huge leap forward for the vacation rental industry.” Most vacation home owners list their vacation properties on two to six vacation rental listing sites (think of auto-trader - except instead of selling cars, these sites are renting vacation homes). Unfortunately home owners must log into each of these websites individually to update their properties’ availability.

According to Christensen every time a renter books a property the property owner must log into all of these sites and update their availability calendars, it’s time consuming and difficult. Trekadoo’s latest product release will solve this issue. Today Christensen said; “Our latest release will save vacation home owners hours of work, and will improve the overall health of the industry by providing vacationers accurate and up to date information. These features will make vacation homes more appealing to the general traveling public.”

Until now the hotel industry has had a real advantage over the vacation rental industry. Hotels manage reservations in a professional manner, give accurate up to date availability, and allow customers to book online with a credit card. With Trekadoo vacation rental software the vacation rental industry has made a huge advance seemingly overnight. “The hotel industry is now looking over its shoulder, as companies like Trekadoo give them a run for their money,” Christensen.

Over the past 10 years vacation rentals have become a very attractive way to travel. They are particularly attractive to large groups, individuals who like to experience local cultures and customs, and those that want something different and new when they travel. Christensen says; “It’s the only way I travel anymore, whether I’m going on vacation for two days or a month I only stay in vacation rentals. They're just so pleasant.”

If you own a vacation home you can check out what Trekadoo has to offer over at http://www. trekadoo. com

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Saturday, April 14, 2007

New Technology Saves Lives

People the world over will benefit from safer water, the reduced risk of fire, and from a new medical device for minimizing DVT.

Hampshire, England (PRWEB) May 28, 2006

Deep vein thrombosis, electronic fire prevention, and safer water monitoring are only a few of the new technologies being managed and placed into the market by Hampshire based company Just Imagine (UK) Limited.

Aerowalkers, a new DVT product minimizes the risk of DVT in long haul travelers, pre and post surgery patients, and other groups at risk. Deep vein thrombosis is a very real problem. Department of Health statistics estimate DVT occurs in one in 2,000 people. One in every hundred people who develop DVT dies. Aerowalkers provides a mechanism that while in a sedentary position you actually exercise the foot arch vein, the extensor muscles and thus replicate ‘walking’- even whilst sitting still. Negotiations for the world airline market and medical remediation market are ongoing with international organizations.

Peccater, a new electronic component that can be used in residual current devices, and all electrical connections will save lives by preventing fires. It is a thermal limiter device that senses a rise in temperature and actually closes the circuit to reduce the risk of fire at the point of thermal rise. Peccater prevents a faulty, or potential faulty connection from being placed back into operation after thermal rise has been detected. So you can't switch the breaker back on. Discussions have started with multi-national companies with a view to introducing this new technology. Fire damage from electrical fires in the UK between 2000 and 2005 caused 174,000,000 pounds worth of damage to property.

Tektor, fluid monitoring products are now available on the market. These products incorporate frequency resonance technology and can detect minute contaminants in parts per billion within fluids. The implications for water treatment systems alone are significant. Not only can the Tektor sensor detect a nasty component within fluid, it can also initiate an electronic early warning system to those in authority. So whether water treatment, drinking water, factory fluids, milk, whisky, sewage, or sulphuric acid, Tektor can act as a silent policeman and remove the need for extensive off line testing of samples.

Roark McMaster, the Operations Director of Just Imagine (UK) Limited states, "We are very pleased to be a part of technology that will improve the lives and safety of private citizens, as well as corporates. Each of these products provides tremendous value to consumers and industry. Although discussions continue on placing these technologies into the right hands, there is still scope for other players to get involved at this stage."

Just Imagine (UK) Limited specialize at working with SME’s and private innovators, to develop their technology, get it market ready, and license new technology to world class organizations.

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Green Retirement Investing with a Self-Directed IRA

Retirement investors who want to invest responsibly are no longer limited to specialized mutual funds. Anyone can now invest in a private company which shares their passion, whatever that may be, with a self-directed IRA from Entrust New Direction, IRA.

Lafayette, CO (PRWEB) April 17, 2008

Retirement investors who want to invest responsibly are no longer limited to specialized mutual funds. Anyone can now invest in a private company which shares their passion, whatever that may be.

David Williard, like all retirement investors, wants diversity in his retirement fund and long term growth on his investments. He would prefer to minimize the impact on the environment, while making money. In Williard's case, he has diversified his self-directed IRA by investing in a commodity that is about as green as they come -- trees.

Catherine Wynne, president of Entrust New Direction, IRA, explains that with the self-directed IRA, "Our clients who want the freedom to invest in private companies and real estate can transfer old 401(k)s and standard IRAs into a self-directed IRA with us."

Williard used his self-directed IRA to buy shares in a private company - The Bauers Family Tree Farm. The company bought a 260 acre cattle ranch in Costa Rica. The land, which had been clear-cut 50 years ago for cattle ranching, now has 45,000 teak trees on 140 acres. "120 acres is forest that will never be cut down," said Joe Bauers, one of the owners of the Bauers Family Tree Farm. "We see monkeys, ocelots, armadillos -- it's really a jungle."

Bauers and his investors are not planting teak trees as a charitable contribution -- they expect a healthy return. After year ten, and in five year increments thereafter, some of the trees will be cut down and sold to thin the forest. Williard believes the tree farm is "poised for long term growth."

Williard is part of a recent trend of investors who want to do good while doing well. A growing number of these people are using a self-directed IRA to invest in private companies of their choice.
Entrust New Direction has seen many clients grow their retirement fund while investing where their heart is.

Wynne said, "Our clients have used their IRAs to loan money to their church building fund, they've invested in companies who make energy efficient windows, and they can still invest in a green mutual fund, all within their self-directed IRA."

Entrust New Direction IRA, Inc is located at 1300 Plaza Court N, Suite 103 Lafayette, CO 80026. They can be reached at 303-546-7930 or newdirectionira. com.

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Announcing the Green Beauty Buyer's Guide to Cosmetic Standards and Ingredients

Green Beauty Buyers Guide IntertechPira's one-day intensive seminar promises to be the must attend event for green beauty purchasers and marketers.

Portland, ME (PRWEB) June 24, 2009

Confusion abounds at all levels of the supply chain for green cosmetics. Alleviate confusion and meet the growing demand for answers on which cosmetic products are truly natural or organic by attending IntertechPira's one-day seminar, Green Beauty Buyers Guide to Cosmetic Standards and Ingredients (http://www. greenbeautybuyersguide. com), in New York, NY Monday September 14 at the Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel in Times Square (http://www. regonline. co. uk/builder/site/tab1.aspx? EventID=737787).

With the evolution of personal care products made with personal health and environmental wellbeing in mind, it's becoming more important to select brands with strong messages that can be backed by third party endorsements. Caring consumers are growing more concerned about what they are rubbing into their body and the size of their carbon footprint, leaving retailers with the challenge of providing the best performing authentic brands to fill their shelves.

This conference is designed for individuals involved in purchasing cosmetic goods from the following sectors: retail, spas, home shopping, dermatologists, and skincare professionals. PR and marketing personnel, beauty writers, quality control and legal departments will not want to miss this event.

The objective of the conference is for each attendee to leave better equipped to identify an authentic natural/organic product from a bogus one and also learn to recognize why certain cosmetic ingredients are more harmful than others. Attendees will also leave with the knowledge of how to better position green brands in their business to minimize regulatory considerations and a greater understanding of the compliance issues that help control the marketing and promotion of your green beauty cosmetics.

Presentations on greenwashing, how to see through manufacturers' unsubstantiated claims, labeling and claims, and discussions on why certain cosmetic ingredients are getting bad press and why are just a few reasons to attend this conference.

Confirmed speakers include:
Ido Leffler, CEO, Yes to Carrots Joe Smillie, Senior Vice President, Quality Assurance International Dr Scott Hernberg, Tomorrow's Wellness Center & Medical Spa Martyn Cole, Specialist Certification Officer & Inspector (Intl) for Health & Beauty Soil Association Certification Ltd. Karen Sinclair Drake, Research & Development, Sophyto Organics

For more information: http://www. greenbeautybuyersguide. com (http://www. greenbeautybuyersguide. com) or, contact Brian Santos: +1 207-781-9618.

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Friday, April 13, 2007

Director of Security for Central Defense Joins forces with MPD

Central Defense Security's Leo Hampton, Director of Security, along with Highwoods Properties, recently held an open discussion with the Memphis Police Department and East Memphis property managers at Kirby Woods Baptist Church. More information is available at http://www. centdef. com

Memphis, TN (PRWEB) May 8, 2008

The purpose of the meeting was to inform and to educate those in attendance on crime around the Poplar Corridor area and to learn what steps were already in progress for preventative measures for everyone's safety due to an increase in vehicle break ins. around the Poplar Corridor area, between 240 and Kirby Parkway.

Leo Hampton, Director of Security for Central Defense Security (http://www. centdef. com (http://www. centdef. com)) has an extensive background in both law enforcement and security with his 25 year career with the Memphis Police Department. He was also a founding member of the Auto Cargo Task Force and was selected the 2003 National cargo Security council Officer of the Year. Through Mr. Hampton's relationships with MPD he was able to organize this meeting for property managers in the East Memphis area.
A presentation on CyberWatch was presented by the MPD. This program is part of their continuing effort to make our neighborhoods safer.

CyberWatch provides useful information about public safety and additional ways for the public to communicate with police. Currently, CyberWatch is available to community organizations, which in turn distribute the information to their members. For more information on CyberWatch, please visit www. memphispolice. org and go to the CyberWatch link.

About Central Defense Security:
Central Defense Security is one of the fastest growing security companies in the Mid South. Formed as part of the acquisition and merger of the operational businesses of two existing security firms, the company provides security at large public facilities like the FedEx Forum to retail chains and shopping centers like Peabody Place. The organization currently manages a team of nearly 1000 armed and unarmed security guards for 150 clients at 200 sites. CDS offers and contributes to a health insurance plan and a 401 (k) plan for its Officers.
Central Defense Security (http://www. centdef. com (http://www. centdef. com)) serves many industries from small privately held businesses to Fortune 100 level companies, tailoring custom security plans for each customer. With over 20 years of experience in recruiting, hiring, training, and managing top-quality Officers, the company provides information, security plans, and security services for office buildings, schools, hotels, hospitals and clinics, stadiums and government facilities. CDS also provides security services in Arkansas and Mississippi.

For more information, please contact:
Bonnie Clay
Central Defense Security
6084 Apple Tree Drive, Suite 1
Memphis, TN 38115
(901) 473-6385
Www. centdef. com

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Community Season Announces Nonprofit Study with Graduate Researcher

Researcher will help Facilitate Six-Month Study

St. Paul, MN (PRWEB) April 13, 2006

Community Season, a leader in Web-based management solutions for community-based organizations, announced today that it will conduct a research study of its services for nonprofit organizations with the help of Delia Kuczmarski, a graduate student in the arts administration program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Delia will act as the researcher and will help facilitate recruitment, execution and evaluation processes for Community Season and its nonprofit study participants.

The nonprofit research study is set to begin on May 1, 2006, with 48 nonprofit organizations representing a diverse array of areas, including health care, advocacy, education, social services and the arts.

Community Season plans to use the study to obtain case studies and customer testimonials, conduct focus groups and determine the solution’s overall usability. The products of the study will help determine the effectiveness of Community Season’s Web-based tools for online registration; payment processing; centralized database maintenance; and resource, donation and membership management for nonprofit organizations.

“We are looking forward to working with Delia to determine the effectiveness of our service, and to identify how to better engage nonprofit organizations in doing what they do best – serving their constituents,” said Phil Sykes, president of Community Season. “We hope to gain some meaningful feedback that we will be able to use to improve our tools to help nonprofits better do their jobs.”

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus is a U. S. News and World Report "top-tier" university, dedicated to advancing the educational and career goals of today’s students. Its mission is to "awaken, nurture and empower learners to ethical lives of service and leadership.”

Community Season is a leader in building reliable Web-based solutions to help community-based groups inform, connect and serve their constituents through online registration, donation and membership management. Headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., Community Season helps organizations capture the convenience of the Web for park and recreation departments; community education; camps; sports; community and corporate events; nonprofits; special events; and faith-based and other community-serving organizations. For more information, visit www. communityseason. com or call a representative at 866-444-4278.

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Thursday, April 12, 2007

HCG Diet Direct - 72.7% of Americans are Overweight or Obese

HCG Diet Direct assists Americans in lowering their weight. As a whole, Americans have a weight problem. 67% of non-institutionalized Americans are either overweight or obese (Health, United States, 2008, table 70).

Phoenix, AZ (Vocus) November 1, 2009

HCG Diet Direct sees numbers regarding the literal weight of Americans alarming. NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics) reported that 34% of Americans are obese, 32.7% are overweight, and 6% are “extremely” obese. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) projects that if the next 40 years continue the trend of the last 40 years, “by 2048 all Americans could be somewhat overweight”.

“These numbers should be an eye opener. What does this say about our habits as Americans? Lack of attention to well being is going to cost us all more than we realize. Healthcare costs will increase right along with the obesity rate in the next 40 years. Individuals with weight problems have an increased risk for many illnesses and diseases that require healthcare for majority of that individuals’ life,” says Jenny Boynton of HCG Diet Direct (http://www. hcgdietdirect. com). “What our diet is intended to do is give you a jumpstart to a new, healthy lifestyle.”

HCG Diet Direct focuses on homeopathic hcg (https://www. hcgdietdirect. com/secured/) liquid drops taken a few times per day along with a very low calorie diet over a period of, on average, 26 – 30 days. “On the HCG Diet Direct diet, you take it easy for the duration of the diet, only extremely low impact exercise if any at all. You learn to cook easy and eat healthy meals. And once you have completed the diet a leaner, lighter you, it may be the jumpstart you needed to begin a new, healthier lifestyle,” says Boynton.

To get further information on HCG Diet Direct or the HCG Diet get in touch with Jenny Boynton at info(at)HcgDietDirect(dot)com or by phone at: 1-602-330-7655. Or you can visit HCG Diet Direct at their website at www. hcgdietdirect. com.

Contact: Jenny Boynton
Company: HCG Diet Direct
Www. hcgdietdirect. com
Phone 1-602-330-7655
Email: info(at)HcgDietDirect(dot)com

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GlucoDYNAMIX™ Diabetes Interventions; Over 125,000 Served

Automated Diabetes Technology Delivers Over 125,000 Interventions With Demonstrated Improvements in Clinical Outcomes & Cost Savings

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) November 29, 2006

Diabetech®'s GlucoDYNAMIX diabetes intervention system raises the bar for interventional healthcare. GlucoDYNAMIX intelligent interventions have evolved over the past 5 years based on experience from over a dozen clinical trials with input from leading physicians, endocrinologists, behavioral psychologists, medical informatics researchers, people with diabetes and their extended care teams.

"GlucoDYNAMIX represents an entirely new category of healthcare information technology," says Kevin McMahon, President & CEO of Diabetech. "Looking across the board at pharma trials, clinical management and patient self-management, virtually everything out there is just now talking about moving to web-based data distribution versus the cumbersome cabled PC application. The key to enabling desperately needed improved outcomes isn't merely changing the location of stored patient data from the medical device to the PC or on the Web. Rather, it's about empowering patients, their social networks and simultaneously increasing the caring capacity and effectiveness of an overworked and inefficient healthcare system.

Interventions are delivered using any number of software interfaces including web, email, imaging, text messaging, ambient displays, telephone and more. More importantly, only Diabetech has the clinical trials experience across all different types of patients to understand not only when and how but also when not to intervene. The result is a 98% satisfaction rating from our trial participants including patients, caregivers and members of the medical team.

The platform is based on a sophisticated real-time wireline & wireless gateway. In this way, data from multiple medical devices is collected on the fly, as the data is created. In turn, the remote system analyzes each data point as well as trends in the patient record and determines the best time to intervene.

Diabetech is presently developing its 510(k) application for the GlucoDYNAMIX software system and plans to submit to the FDA in Q1 2007. We anticipate receiving marketing clearance around the middle of next year opening the doors to large-scale commercial expansion of several recent clinical trials. Based on the data collected so far, we plan to seek indications that correlate to the significant drops witnessed in trial participant's average blood glucose levels (as measured by the A1c test), decreased frequency of severe hypoglycemia and minimized extended excursions of hyperglycemia.

This service offering is compliant with applicable federal and state regulations including HIPAA, which govern the privacy and security of human subjects research. For more information please call 877.My. Gluco or send email to info @ diabetech. net.

About Diabetech

Diabetech, with its healthcordia™ and diabetes house call™ programs, leads the world with more interventions served than any other diabetes program provider. A Dallas, Texas based manufacturer of wireless medical devices, diabetes supplies and service provider infrastructure, we push the limits of clinical informatics in the delivery of real-world diabetes care. For more information on the company and to participate in our version of proactive care, please visit www. diabetech. net

Diabetech and GlucoMON are registered trademarks of Diabetech, LP. Healthcordia, Diabetes House Call and GlucoDYNAMIX are trademarks of Diabetech, LP. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners.

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Today's Steroid Abuse Epidemic: Turning the Tide

Even though your child might not be using steroids, parents should be concerned about the factors that cause steroid abuse, such as glorification of unnaturally muscular bodies; teenagers’ feeling of immunity to bodily damage and death; and the easy availability of steroids, along with other illegal substances. There are things that parents can do to help solve this growing problem in their community.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 18, 2006

Some body image issues, such as anorexia, or self-starving, receive extensive press.

Far less attention, however, is given to the highly dangerous use of steroids -- a habit which often begins in the pursuit of a muscled “bulked up” body.

The images of buff athletes can have an impact that may encourage your child to eventually turn to steroids, if not right now. A similar impact has been seen among girls who later adopt the image of extremely thin models and actresses as their role model.

All parents, therefore, should be aware of factors that cause steroid abuse, such as glorification of unnaturally muscular bodies, the belief by teens that they are immune to illness, injury and death, and the easy availability of steroids.

This is not just a family issue, it is a community-wide concern.

Parents can get the word out:

Approach coaches and school health nurses to ask for their cooperation in informing young people of steroid dangers; Organize school discussions with speakers who are experts on the subject and can relate to young people; Request schools to provide links from official school Web sites to experts in the field of steroid abuse, and information on its dangers and warning signs; Ask local sports writers and talk show hosts to address the issue; Lobby local, state and national lawmakers to make steroid abuse awareness a priority; Develop table-top displays of pamphlets and books on steroid abuse to display in cafeterias or at special events.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows steroid use among male high school students rose 65 percent from 3.7 to 6.1 percent between 1999 and 2003; among female students it jumped from 2.2 to 5.3 percent, or a whopping 140 percent. Many of these young people have as their unfortunate role models certain high-profile athletes who have been implicated in steroid use.

Awareness is beginning to be transformed into action. This year, New Jersey becomes the first state to begin random steroid testing for high school athletes, at the executive order of Governor Richard Codey. This mandate, with penalties including suspension from team sports, will bring limited attention to steroid use, but it is simply an adjunct to what is most critical -- the nationwide mobilization of parents.

The burden for this scrutiny has to fall on parents and other loved ones because society has not raised enough red flags. Siblings and friends may be the first to notice danger signs among abusers, such as increased musculature or an unusual outbreak of acne, predominately on chest and back.

As a former steroid abuser I know the dangers all too well. At the time I abused steroids they were an “under the radar” drug; my parents didn’t even know what they were. Public awareness has grown, but judging from continued popularity of steroids, young people still refuse to admit they are playing roulette with their health. In addition, residents of communities with popular school and/or successful sports programs may be afraid to speak up even if they suspect there is steroid use.

They need to. Their action may save lives.

Potential hazards of steroid abuse include heart disease, liver disease including cancerous tumors, aggressive behavior, depression, infertility, hair loss, changes in genitals, high blood pressure, permanent stunting of growth, wear and tear on tendons and ligaments -- and use of other illegal drugs.

Steroids can kill.

NOTE: Rutstein available for interviews. Review copies and head shot available.

CONTACT: Jeff Rutstein, 800-374-9959.

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