Prenatal 'Memory' Ultrasounds are Trendy Yet Risky in Wrong Hands; Darlene Ginnett, RDMS, Pacific Coast Ultrasound, Urges Expectant Parents to Scrutinize Credentials

Prenatal 'Memory' Ultrasounds are Trendy Yet Risky in Wrong Hands; Darlene Ginnett, RDMS, Pacific Coast Ultrasound, Urges Expectant Parents to Scrutinize Credentials

90 percent of expectant parents surveyed had little or incorrect knowledge about the short - and long-term risks of undergoing a 3D/4D ultrasound. Congratulations. You are having a baby. Now you can sit back and enjoy your nine months of pregnancy worry free. Right? "Wrong," says Darlene Ginnett, RDMS, CEO of Pacific Coast Ultrasound, a Los-Alamitos, CA-based certified independent diagnostic facility that specializes in prenatal ultrasound offering full diagnostics as well as 3D/4D limited diagnostic/elective ultrasounds.

Los Alamitos, CA (PRWEB) March 30, 2007

Congratulations. You are having a baby. Now you can sit back and enjoy your nine months of pregnancy worry free. Right? "Wrong," says Darlene Ginnett, RDMS, CEO of Pacific Coast Ultrasound, a Los-Alamitos, CA-based certified independent diagnostic facility that specializes in prenatal ultrasound offering full diagnostics as well as 3D/4D limited diagnostic/elective ultrasounds.

Ginnett's important message is this: Now is the time to arm yourself with all sorts of vital healthcare information to ensure that you and your baby enjoy nine healthful months, starting with understanding the risks and benefits of choosing to have a trendy 3D/4D elective memory or "keepsake" ultrasound. Expectant parents should know that they have the choice of both worlds: a wonderful emotional look at their infant before birth and the assurance of medical safety by choosing carefully the facility for their memories ultrasound.

In a recent survey conducted by Los Alamitos-based Pacific Coast Ultrasound, it was alarming to discover that 90 percent of expectant parents surveyed had little or incorrect knowledge about the short - and long-term risks of undergoing a 3D/4D ultrasound. One of the most startling revelations was that expectant parents believed that all memories or "keepsake ultrasound facilities" are equal. They are not.

According to Ginnett, it is vitally important for the public to be aware of the difference between keepsake boutique and a full-service, regulatory compliant facility that provides full medical and physician oversight like Pacific Coast Ultrasound. She explains, "Patients have the right to ask about the credentials and supervision of the providing facility, which should employ only registered ARDMS technologists but also include a California board-certified radiologist and medical director. They have the right to ask if they can perform diagnostic examinations and bill healthcare insurance, in addition to providing elective prenatal sessions."

The memories ultrasound uses 3D and 4D technology to provide for an exciting preview of their baby with detailed graphic image quality and motion. Says Ginnett, "This can be a great way for you and your family to bond with your unborn baby, but it can also pose risks to you and your baby -- a fact very few 3D/4D facilities make public."

Why is this risky? Ginnett explains that these 3D/4D facilities are increasingly operated by non-medical professionals that provide these tests in unlicensed, and non-regulatory compliant facilities, often by poorly trained or untrained-technicians who are not given a health provider's approval and without physician oversight. In fact, the FDA and American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) warn parents-to-be that these non-medical, non-supervised ultrasounds are unapproved and inappropriate.

Ginnett urges expectant parents to scrutinize the medical credentials of the ultrasonographer conducting your 3D/4D scan. Says Ginnett, "Is the technician an unskilled 'photographer,' or a certified ultrasonographer -- it makes a huge difference." Pacific Coast Ultrasound is overseen by a board certified medical director and supervising radiologists. Ms. Ginnett holds a Diagnostic Medical Sonography certification and is accredited by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (RDMS), in the subspecialties of obstetrics/gynecology, and abdomen and small parts.

Should expectant parents be concerned? According to Ginnett, they should absolutely be concerned. Besides concern that unskilled technicians could be performing and interpreting such ultrasounds and that the procedure is not always done under the supervision of a qualified physician, some facilities may be using equipment that is not in good working order.

Roya Rahkshani, MD, a respected obstetrician/gynecologist in Fountain Valley, CA, says that she is concerned if an untrained technician provides the 3D/4D test, a medical condition (mother or baby) or birth defect may go undetected leaving the mother with a false sense of security that her pregnancy is normal and well imaged at these sites.
Moreover, "Not all ultrasounds are created equal," says Nancy Hueppchen, MD, a maternal fetal medicine specialist at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. "Patients don't know the level of expertise of the person performing the procedure." Hueppchen says there is also the worry about ultrasounds not being conducted in medical settings. "These portrait facilities are not equipped to provide counseling should something go wrong, or proper guidance if a gross abnormality is suspected," she says.

The FDA also notes that some video companies have been known to use the ultrasound machine on higher energy exposures for as long as an hour to get the pictures. The procedure should always be done at the lowest possible energy output and for the least amount of time. Exposure to ultrasound for longer than the time specified by the FDA for fetal monitoring could pose a potential risk to the health of the mother and her developing fetus. Only a true medically compliant practice has the requirements of following these safe guidelines. For Medicare credentialing these practices must have state board certified reading radiologists and a medical director. The medical director is standard to assure the equipment is safe, calibrated for diagnostic accuracy and to require all medical licenses and CEU's are up to date on all the ARDMS, (American Registry Diagnostic Sonographer), technologists staffed to perform the studies.

For more information, please call Pacific Coast Ultrasound at 562-596-3428, 4622 Katella Ave. Suite 101 Los Alamitos, 90720 . www. pacificcoastultrasound. com

About Pacific Coast Ultrasound
Pacific Coast Ultrasound, based in Southern California, is a certified Independent Diagnostic Facility that is overseen by a board certified medical director and supervising radiologists. Pacific Coast Ultrasound specializes in prenatal ultrasound offering full diagnostics as well as 3D/4D limited diagnostic/elective ultrasounds. They use the highest 4D imaging technology from GE Medical Systems.
Www. pacificcoastultrasound. com

About Darlene Ginnett, RDMS
CEO
Pacific Coast Ultrasound

Darlene Ginnett is an accredited ultrasonographer with more than 13 years experience. She honed her considerable expertise at some of Southern California's finest healthcare facilities, including Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA. She earned her Associate of Science degree in Radiology Technology from Cypress College, Cypress CA. Cypress College is distinguished as a premiere educational facility, specializing in Radiology, accredited by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. Ms. Ginnett holds a Diagnostic Medical Sonography certification from Cypress College. She is accredited by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (RDMS), in the subspecialties of obstetrics/gynecology, and abdomen and small parts. Ms. Ginnett serves on several national healthcare boards, and is active in many healthcare related causes, including, Lili Clair Foundation at UCLA; Williams Syndrome Association, Precious Life Shelter, and the American Cancer - Relay for Life.

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When Planning a Vacation, Remember Your Feet: Podiatrists Recommend Packing Comfortable Shoes and a Few Foot Care Products

When Planning a Vacation, Remember Your Feet: Podiatrists Recommend Packing Comfortable Shoes and a Few Foot Care Products

Packing the right shoes and getting into a regular foot care regimen can go a long way toward making a vacation more pleasurable, when that extra care can really pay off. Podiatrists recommend NonyX Nail Gel for yellow, discolored toenails and CalleX Dry Heel Ointment for rough, dry feet or cracked heels.

Princeton, NJ (PRWEB) March 15, 2005

Travel takes a heavy toll on feet, particularly for those whose vacations include walking tours, hiking or simply strolling around to see the sights. Packing the right shoes and getting into a regular foot care regimen can go a long way toward making a vacation more pleasurable, when that extra care can really pay off.

A recent survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) revealed that 65 percent of vacationers spend the majority of the time with their shoes on, demonstrating the importance of selecting the proper footwear for shopping, sightseeing and engaging in outdoor activities. According to the survey, "selecting proper footwear is paramount to foot comfort." In addition, scheduling thirty-minute breaks between activities, or taking time out to relax or read at a café can help keep feet in the comfort zone.

While comfort is essential, a majority of both men and women prefer the latest sandal and shoe fashions. However, while 18 percent of participants in the APMA survey admitted to packing brand new or uncomfortable shoes for trips, women were much more likely than men to sacrifice their feet for fashion.

In spite of a preference for sandals, open-toed pumps and flip-flops, many individuals are embarrassed to wear summer shoes or go barefoot at the pool or beach because of rough feet, dry, cracked heels, or yellow, discolored toenails. Carol J. Buck, CEO of Xenna Corporation, said, "Both men and women are concerned about how their feet look, particularly in summer. NonyX® Nail Gel and CalleX® Dry Heel Ointment offer natural solutions to the problem of unattractive yellow or discolored toenails and flaky, rough skin on feet or cracked heels, which are much more noticeable when barefoot or wearing sandals or open-toed heels. With consistent use of our products, toenails become clear and healthy-looking and heels are soft, smooth and supple."

Dr. Bruce Bitcover, a Lawrenceville, New Jersey podiatrist, recommends Xenna's CalleX Dry Heel Ointment. He says, " I advise my patients to take care of their feet on a regular basis so that when vacations roll around, their feet are in top shape. "

Newly patented CalleX® Dry Heel Ointment has been shown in consumer studies to significantly reduce thickened areas while it moisturizes dry, flaky skin or cracked soles and heels within 15 to 30 days. Diabetic-friendly, acid-free CalleX moisturizes dry, rough or flaky skin and contains natural enzymes that exfoliate and thin thickened areas, while leaving normal skin unaffected.

For keeping toenails attractive, Boca Raton, Florida podiatrist, Dr. Bret Ribotsky recommends using NonyX® Nail Gel on yellow, discolored toenails, which "cleans nails from the outside in." "Early spring is the time to start using NonyX Gel, so that toenails look their best by summer," he says. NonyX Gel improves nail appearance by exfoliating the dark, yellow or thick granular material called keratin debris, which can build up under nails over time. Patented NonyX Gel softens, breaks down and then clears out unattractive keratin debris using natural ethanoic acid. According to Dr. Ribotsky, "Using NonyX is like brushing your teeth; it's a cleanser for toenails."

A recent clinical study confirmed NonyX Nail Gel significantly improves toenail color and clarity by exfoliating yellowing keratin debris from under the nail. To view a recent TV news release on NonyX Gel featuring Dr. Bret, go to http://easylink. playstream. com/networknewssource/nonyx/nonyx. wvx (http://easylink. playstream. com/networknewssource/nonyx/nonyx. wvx)

NonyX Nail Gel can be purchased in the footcare section of Rite Aid, Walgreens, Longs, Drug Emporium and most Medicine Shoppe drugstores. It is also available from podiatric physicians, independent pharmacies and online at www. drugstore. com and www. xenna. com. Callex Ointment is now available in the footcare section at Longs Drugs, from podiatric physicians and online at www. drugstore. com and www. xenna. com.

Xenna Corporation is a privately-held company which develops and distributes natural personal care products for skin, hair and nails.

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Low Cost of Living: Ribbon Cutting for Vista Boquete Panama Retirement Community Luxury Condominiums

Low Cost of Living: Ribbon Cutting for Vista Boquete Panama Retirement Community Luxury Condominiums

The Vista Boquete master-planned, gated community opened in style with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The luxury condominiums in Panama are located in the number one retirement location in the world.

Boquete, Panama (PRWEB) October 21, 2006

The ribbon was cut and Vista Boquete opened while publications such as "Fortune Magazine" and "International Living" named Boquete number one place to retire in the entire world.

The first wave of 79 million U. S. baby boomers turns 60 this year, and they are retiring early, according to published reports. Panama ranks number one in the world as the best choice for a retirement home, according to a recent study by “International Living.”

"Vista Boquete has been designed to meet the needs and expectations of people who want to retire in care-free luxury in a picturesque environment," explained Chad Smalley of http://www. Vista (http://www. Vista) Boquete. com, a luxury Panama retirement community.

Young, healthy, retired and soon-to-be retired boomers are looking for sunny beaches, golf, recreation of all kinds, and a beautiful home in a care-free, secure retirement community.

"Vista Boquete offers the best of both worlds," explained Smalley. "Our residents live in cool mountain settings with easy access to some of the most beautiful beaches only 30-minutes away. There are many, many people who want to live on the beach, however don't want to live in the heat and humidity. So that's why Boquete is perfect. Vista Boquete has year-round sunshine and consistent temperatures in the mid-70's virtually all the time, so our residents never have a heating or air conditioning bill."

Vista Boquete is indeed a first in the industry. The master-planned, gated community offers residents luxury surroundings and services in a maintenance-free community setting with mountain scenery, temperatures in the mid-70's year-round, and easy access to the beaches, golf, and other attractions.

"Our residents tell us they enjoy the conveniences of living in a luxury condominium, a sophisticated small town, the amenities, cultural diversity, along with a variety of restaurants, supermarkets, banks, first-class medical attention and its year round exquisite climate, all for a price that is considered to be the finest real estate opportunity in the world," said Smalley.

Boquete is rapidly replacing Costa Rica, and other popular Central American destinations for fun in the sun and luxury retirement, according to a recent news article in "USA Today."

"People like to live in luxury, but they also like to get the biggest bang for their retirement buck, and they can find that here. Lots of sunny, beautiful beaches, great golf, recreation, the political climate, the lack of hurricanes, and the U. S. dollar as currency are some of the many additional attractions," said Smalley.

About Vista Boquete:

Vista Boquete provides all the comforts of home and more in 42 spacious and superb luxury condominiums. With floor plans of 2,600 square feet, these modern condos feature three bedrooms and 3.5 baths, two large balconies that provide panoramic views of the picturesque town of Boquete and the majestic Caldera River, while overlooking impressive landscaping and the mountains surrounding the development.

Press Contact:

Chad Smalley

1-800-260-8512

Press release services provided by http://www. ThatPRGuy. com (http://www. ThatPRGuy. com).

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GreenHouse Energy, Governor Schwarzenegger Join in Driving the Future of Fueling in California

GreenHouse Energy, Governor Schwarzenegger Join in Driving the Future of Fueling in California

San Diego-based GreenHouse to distribute feedstock for E-Fuel MicroFueler™

Sacramento (Vocus) June 5, 2009

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined San Diego-based GreenHouse on the steps of the State Capitol this morning as E-Fuel Corp. unveiled the final production model of the revolutionary E-Fuel MicroFueler, a portable micro-refinery fuel system for consumer use. The State of California’s Department of General Services is also exploring a pilot program to test the MicroFueler with its flex-fuel vehicles. To see video from today’s press conference go to www. GreenHouseEnergy. com.

“We are making our state a cleaner, greener and healthier place for everyone, but our goals require revolutionary technologies and low-carbon fuels,” said Governor Schwarzenegger. “That’s why I get so excited about the entrepreneurial spirit of creative and innovative companies who have been inspired by our groundbreaking environmental policies and are putting people to work right here in California. It’s great news for our economy, our environment and our energy future.”

GreenHouse Energy, a division of GreenHouse, will be the exclusive distributor of the E-Fuel MicroFueler in California and Arizona.

“GreenHouse is fully committed to making private use of alternative fuel an affordable reality by the end of 2009,” said Chris Ursitti, GreenHouse CEO. “As a result of the Governor’s forward-leaning environmental policies, we will make home delivery of clean and affordable ethanol something every Californian can count on.”

The E-Fuel distribution system is a model for sustainability. The organic fuel is produced using carbohydrate waste products found abundantly in brewery waste, algae and cellulose (no corn or food-based products). Using state-of-the-art semiconductor technology, the appliance-sized units are pump-stations and ethanol distillers that can be installed at residences by the GreenHouse distribution team.

Each MicroFueler requires three kilowatts of electricity to produce a gallon of Efuel100, in turn one gallon of Efuel100 will generate up to 23 kilowatts of power. The ethanol generated will play an affordable and integral part in reducing California greenhouse gas emissions.

GreenHouse has partnered with notable companies including Karl Strauss, Gordon Biersch and Sunny Delight, to convert 29,000 tons of liquid waste using the Efuel 100 Microfueler process.

For more information about GreenHouse or the E-Fuel MicroFueler, visit www. GreenHouseEnergy. com.

About GreenHouse
GreenHouse is a purveyor of green building services and products, including the revolutionary at-home Efuel 100 Microfueler™. GreenHouse Energy offers consumers effective home improvement products that not only improve the environment, but also benefit homeowners financially through lower energy bills and reduced maintenance expenses.

About E-Fuel
The E-Fuel Corporation was founded in 2007 by Tom Quinn and ethanol scientist Floyd Butterfield to create efficient micro ethanol refinery products for people who want to break their dependency on oil. With more than 30 people employed in Los Gatos and Paso Robles, California and China, the employees of E-Fuel represent some of the top United States ethanol researchers and proven Silicon Valley professionals with diverse expertise in the ethanol, electronics, automotive and software industries.

E-Fuel creates ethanol micro refinery products that conform to U. S. safety and durability standards and include modern safety features. E-Fuel products are available for purchase online and through a network of worldwide resellers. For more information, visit http://www. microfueler. com (http://www. microfueler. com).

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ASAP Releases Winners of 2010 Alliance Excellence Awards

ASAP Releases Winners of 2010 Alliance Excellence Awards

Cisco, Novartis, Xerox, Turkcell and the Itanium Solutions Alliance Honored for Innovations Achieved through Strategic Alliances

Needham, Mass. (PRWEB) February 9, 2010

The Association for Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) today unveiled the winners of the 2010 Alliance Excellence Awards. Winners were announced in five categories: Alliance Program Excellence, Alliance for Social Responsibility, Emerging Alliance, Growth Company Alliance/Management Excellence and Long-Established Alliance. The winners in the respective categories are Cisco, Xerox, Novartis, Turkcell and the Itanium Solutions Alliance.

“Although compelling results metrics were a major criteria, our winners were chosen for more reasons than just sheer bottom-line success,” said Art Canter, president and executive director of ASAP. “Each of our winners’ stories also involved a great level of creativity, innovation and sheer original thinking for its alliance initiatives to flourish.”

Cisco Shows Senior Management Indispensability of Alliance Program 

Despite the overwhelming success of Cisco’s nationally-recognized 20 year-old alliance program that now produces $5 billion in annual revenues, an internal survey showed half of the company’s senior leadership team did not fully understand alliances’ role in Cisco’s overall strategy and success. The company’s subsequent internal awareness campaign conducted in 2009 increased recognition of alliances’ importance 50 percent to 97 percent across senior and executive vice presidents, regional sales and business unit heads and sales force personnel. The success of Cisco’s internal campaign earned it Alliance Program Excellence honors.

Cisco set about increasing internal recognition with a three-step campaign. First, the company’s vice president of strategic alliances Steve Steinhilber teamed with Harvard Business Press to publish the book “Strategic Alliances: Three Ways to Make Them Work,” an exploration of the inner-workings of Cisco’s alliance program and those of other successful alliance-minded companies. Steinhilber autographed and delivered hundreds of copies of the book, many of them to targeted Cisco executives. The latter initiative was part of Cisco’s larger “ambasSAdor” program designed to strategically pair alliance executives with other Cisco business leaders to brief them on how alliances contribute to their respective business segment/region’s success and how they can bring additional value in the future.

The last third of the campaign took place at the company’s annual sales conference in which Steinhilber “argued” with another Cisco executive on the merits of partnering with “compartners” versus development solely from within in a mock presidential debate format replete with political humor and fake TV spots.

All told, understanding of strategic alliances’ role at Cisco among senior leadership jumped from 50 to 89 percent. Big strides were also made in awareness among unit/region leaders (50 to 75 percent) and sales representatives (47 to 93 percent).

Novartis Malaria Initiative Saves 750,000 Lives

Many regions of the world fight a hard battle against malaria, a dangerous disease that claims one million lives annually, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). From the 1990s onwards, Novartis established landmark public-private partnerships that formed the basis for developing and distributing 300 million treatments of its anti-malarial drug, Coartem, without profit. This effort, known as the Novartis Malaria Initiative, has saved an estimated 750,000 lives to date, earning the pharmaceutical company ASAP’s Alliance for Social Responsibility award.

The Novartis Malaria Initiative began with an agreement between Novartis and Chinese officials to ultimately develop, test and manufacture an anti-malarial drug through a joint venture – the first collaboration of its kind in Chinese history. 2001 brought another historic pact as Novartis and the WHO signed an agreement to distribute Coartem at cost to the public sector of malaria-endemic developing countries. This agreement was unprecedented in the pharmaceutical industry, and was extended to the US President’s Malaria Initiative, the World Bank Malaria Booster Program, the airline tax charity UNITAID, UNICEF, Missionpharma, Doctors without Borders and several procurement partners. Other critical partnerships included a Kenya-based company charged with growing high-quality Artemisia annua plants that could supply the raw ingredient artemisinin needed for Coartem as well as a network of strategic suppliers in China that ultimately increased Coartem deliveries from four million in 2004 to 84 million in 2009. As the economies of scale improved, additional sourcing and manufacturing alliances slashed the Coartem cost structure in half.

In 2009, Novartis and Medicines for Malaria Venture launched a new pediatric formulation of Coartem, known as Coartem Dispersible, becoming the first dispersible fixed-dose artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). The Coartem Dispersible packaging won the 2009 Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council Award. The pack was recognized for aiding patient compliance thanks to clear separation per body weight, the availability of one full treatment course on the same blister and clear pictorials making instructions for administration easy to understand.

Finally, the “SMS for Life” pilot, a new public-private partnership initiated by Novartis, and involving The Roll Back Malaria Partnership, IBM, Vodafone and the Ministry of Health in Tanzania utilizes mobile phones, SMS messages and electronic mapping technology to bring visibility on stock levels of ACTs and quinine injectables at the health facility level on a weekly basis. This visibility helps eliminate stockouts to ensure anti-malarials are available to the patients, even in the most remote areas, where and when they need them.

Alliances Expand Xerox’s Share in High-Potential Eastern Europe, South Asia and Latin America Markets

In 2008, Xerox’s Developing Markets Operations (DMO) launched an alliance-driven initiative to grow sales in emerging countries, with a particular priority on Central and Eastern Europe, India and Brazil. Within one year, Xerox alliances in developing nations increased significantly. As a result, the number of Xerox signings in these countries also grew. Xerox DMO’s success in these parts of the world garnered the company ASAP’s Emerging Alliance award.

With Xerox’s established global alliance partners pushing the company to pursue opportunities in emerging countries, Xerox assigned a vice president of strategic alliances in emerging markets. It also placed dedicated leaders in four key regions in the developing world and part-time people in four other locations. The Xerox DMO team collaborates to implement and integrate internal processes with account management of the broader program, select a good mix of global and regional partners and serve as a local point of contact for its global strategic partners.

Xerox complemented its resources by signing contracts with global strategic partners under its “360° Strategy.” This approach enabled the company and its partners to generate revenues from all angles of the business relationship (e. g., sell-to, sell-through and buy-from) and provided a global delivery capability that could reach smaller countries.

Turkcell Partner Program Leverages Open Source Community to Develop Hundreds of New Mobile Applications

In the Growth Company Alliance/Management Excellence category, ASAP recognized Turkcell, the number two mobile operator in Europe in terms of subscriber base, for implementing 1,200 new and innovative mobile projects through 500 brands spread across 37 different sectors.

Turkcell and its ecosystem of more than 200 application service providers, content providers, service provider system integrators, independent service vendors and OEM business partners teamed up to empower aspiring entrepreneurs by providing the training, development, technical information, PR, marketing and financing support to give life to their imaginative ideas and bring them to market.

Turkcell made available its open source APIs for client authentication, location inquiring, mobile payment, SMS and MMS send, device model inquiring, direct debit and WAP Push mobile applications, while incentivizing partners to earn Turkcell’s Active Business Partner status, a category of partners that receives additonal Turkcell business and operational resources through positive revenues and excellent development performances. Turkcell engaged and actively promoted Active Business Partners and their entrepreneurs. 

Turkcell’s partner ecosystem has now delivered to market 270 new Business-to-Consumer projects, as well as 120 in the Business-to-Business realm.

Turkcell is the leading communications and technology company in four nations and boasts 62 million subscribers spread over eight countries. It is the number two mobile operator in Europe in terms of subscriber base. Turkcell is the 10th–largest technology company in the world and the fifth-largest among European companies, according to BusinessWeek. Turkcell is the first and only Turkish company listed on New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).

Nonprofit Alliance Fosters Common Goals to Increase Market Share for Itanium®-Based Servers

The nonprofit Itanium Solutions Alliance was founded in 2005 to support the adoption and ongoing development of software solutions based on Itanium, Intel’s high-end server processor architecture. ASAP has bestowed the Long-Established Alliance award on the Itanium Solutions Alliance for its role in establishing Itanium’s place in the high-end server market. 

The Alliance was co-founded by Intel and its global Itanium OEMs with a common goal of promoting the Itanium platform in sea of proprietary, closed-system alternatives. Through the Alliance, this group of founding sponsors committed to invest over $10 billion in the Itanium ecosystem through 2010.

Right from the outset, the Itanium Solutions Alliance had to maintain a tricky balance between competing server vendors Fujitsu, GroupeBull, Hitachi, HP, NEC, SGI, Unisys and Supermicro, as well as long time software rivals Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, RedHat, SAP and Sybase. Joining these sponsor and charter members since its founding are over 200 member companies including independent service vendors, systems integrators and corporate developers. Together, they make up a global community of Itanium stakeholders.

In order to effectively manage and lead such a varied group, a multilevel structure was formed consisting of a Steering Committee of mid-level agenda-setting officials, a Global Committee of program leaders, and Regional Committees in Japan, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

To foment the development of Itanium-based solutions for Unix, Windows and Linux-based operating systems, a Solutions Center Network was established in locations around the world. This provided local Itanium support to developers, regardless of server preference. Microsoft, Red Hat and Novell worked in conjunction with the Alliance to provide training, support and resources. “Enabling programs” also encouraged the porting of key applications to Itanium.

The multifaceted Alliance marketing strategy consists primarily of core PR and analyst relations and an annual Innovation Awards program. The Alliance also drives the development of key Itanium solutions-based content which it features on its website and through its growing network of social media channels. Since the Alliance’s founding, revenues generated by Itanium-based servers have nearly tripled and the number of Itanium-based applications on the market now number over 14,000. The latest generation of Itanium, code-named Tukwila, is now being launched and two more Itanium generations are in the works.

“As the business world moves towards a model that relies on collaboration, companies simply need to leverage alliances as successfully and creatively as our award winners have done,” said Canter. “We are proud to recognize the companies that have adapted to tomorrow’s way of doing business today.”

About ASAP
The Association for Strategic Alliance Professionals (ASAP) is the leading professional association dedicated to alliance formation and management. Founded in 1998, the organization provides a forum to exchange best practices and frameworks for cultivating the skills and toolsets needed to manage successful business partnerships and network with the world’s best alliance management professionals in several industries. Global sponsors include Cisco, Eli Lilly, IBM, Microsoft, Novartis, Procter & Gamble, USAA Insurance and Xerox. A complete list of sponsors is available at www. strategic-alliances. org.

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Global Dance Ambassador Kingdomchild Joins Thousands to Raise Money for WalkAmerica

Global Dance Ambassador Kingdomchild Joins Thousands to Raise Money for WalkAmerica

The March of Dimes WalkAmerica Foundation is ready to roll as thousands of people from across America sign up to raise money and awareness for the lives of premature and unhealthy babies. This year in Seattle, not only will they walk, they just might even dance the whole way through as a leader in the global dance movement joins in on the fundraising efforts.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) April 25, 2005 -

When it comes to using your feet and creating steps, a dancer or a choreographer is probably the one you should call if you have any questions. Though when it comes to raising money for babies, the March of Dimes WalkAmerica event is sure to lead you in the right direction. What would happen if the two met face to face? Well, that's exactly what will happen in Seattle on May 1st as international dance revolutionary Germaine "Kingdomchild" Moody takes off his dance shoes in exchange for his fundraising and walking shoes to help raise money for the March of Dimes. "I truly believe that in life, we all have a responsibility to help educate, heal, support, restore and comfort something or someone while here on this Earth. I'm humbled by this opportunity", expressed Moody, who is also the CEO of MoodTyme.

For more information on how you can help Kingdomchild raise money for WalkAmerica, please visit www. walkamerica. org/kingdomchild (http://www. walkamerica. org/kingdomchild )

For more information on the March of Dimes WalkAmerica events, please visit www. walkamerica. org

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Creating Cow Concerns Should Make Mad Consumers

Creating Cow Concerns Should Make Mad Consumers

U. S. consumers are known for their affection for food, so itÂ’s a wonder most Americans are responding so calmly to reports of mad cow disease discovered in a single animal in Washington State. ThatÂ’s good news, because clear thinking lends itself to better decision-making. WhatÂ’s not surprising, however, are attempts by activists and special interest groups of all kinds to scare consumers into making irrational choices.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) March 7, 2004

U. S. consumers are known for their affection for food, so itÂ’s a wonder most Americans are responding so calmly to reports of mad cow disease discovered in a single animal in Washington State. ThatÂ’s good news, because clear thinking lends itself to better decision-making. WhatÂ’s not surprising, however, are attempts by activists and special interest groups of all kinds to scare consumers into making irrational choices.

Ours is a safe, healthy and prosperous world, and we appropriately put a lot of effort into stamping out threats to our health and well being. Unfortunately, weÂ’re sometimes misled by groups that create and perpetuate groundless health scares to make a living: ambulance-chasing trial lawyers, anti-technology organizations, and some holistic food companies selling solutions to problems that donÂ’t exist. All these groups have seized on mad cow disease (called Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or BSE) as their next opportunity to make a buck.

The typical formula these activists employ is to trump up some bogus health claim, scare consumers into demanding new government rules, and rake in cash by taking advantage of the hysteria they caused. In this case, radical groups like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals hope to scare consumers away from meat and promote their vegetarian agenda. Next are a few unscrupulous organic food advocates, such as the Organic Consumers Association, who want to create a bigger niche for their products by vilifying the conventional food industry. And a number of trial lawyers have recently been seen trolling for business among people who are “concerned about contracting” the disease. Their motto: Afraid you might get sick? Call a lawyer.

What these groups havenÂ’t counted on is that the truth is actually being heard and, so far, Americans are responding appropriately. Although, in the 19 years since BSE was discovered, more than 150 people in Europe and the UK have been diagnosed with the human form of the disease after eating beef products contaminated with central nervous system tissue from infected cattle, not a single person has ever gotten it from eating meat in the United States. Eating organic isnÂ’t necessarily safer either. In England, the epicenter of the mad cow problem, BSE was found in both conventional and organic herds, so organic marketing claims linked to food safety and health are irresponsible and mislead consumers and farmers alike.

The only known way to prevent the spread of mad cow is by following certain basic animal feeding practices, which are already enforced by US regulations and are standard operating procedure among North American cattle ranchers. Additional rules issued since the discovery of that one sick cow in Washington make the safest system in the world even safer.

Look closely at this story, and you won’t find any good reasons for the kind of radical changes in regulatory policy the activists are demanding. What you will find is evidence that more regulation is not necessarily better. Imposing rules that have no basis in science just to make us feel better would, however, be highly costly for consumers and producers – raising food prices, limiting the availability of certain foods, and straining wallets across the country.

European countries failed to take the early and aggressive preventive steps the United States began putting in place in 1989. As a result, no one, least of all European officials, should have been surprised when a BSE epidemic hit. However, EuropeÂ’s hysterical response to the outbreak of mad cow cost taxpayers billions of dollars and resulted in the virtual collapse of the British beef industry. But the real loss was far more than money.

Because regulators abandoned common sense, consumers lost confidence in the governmentÂ’s ability to protect the food chain, and European producers lost the ability to make science-based decisions. Authority to protect the European food supply was taken from qualified doctors and scientists and put in the hands of politicians who set rules on the basis of opinion polls and activist group press releases. It would be a tragic mistake if we were to allow that to happen here.

American consumers enjoy the safest food supply in the world because we understand how science, technology and competitive regulation can be used to improve our health and well being. Before capitulating to broad new regulations that could actually make use worse off, not better, we’d all be wise to ask, “Where’s the beef?”

-- Gregory Conko is a Senior Fellow and Director of Food Safety Policy with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a Washington, DC-based public interest group, where he specializes in issues of food and pharmaceutical drug safety regulation, and on the general treatment of health risks in public policy.

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