Office Chairs Still Contributing to Low Back Pain

Office Chairs Still Contributing to Low Back Pain

Despite increased awareness of workplace ergonomics, a recent Spine-health. com poll shows that people with desk jobs still have more back pain after a day in their office chairs.

Chicago, Ill. (PRWEB) January 30, 2006

Most office workers’ backs feel worse after their work day, despite the growing emphasis on workplace ergonomics and ergonomic office chairs, according to a new poll by Spine-health. com (http://www. spine-health. com (http://www. spine-health. com)).

Fully 70% of the poll respondents said that their backs felt significantly worse (52%) or somewhat worse (18%) at the end of their work day as compared to the start of their day. The Spine-health. com poll of 1,137 people with desk jobs shows that fifteen percent felt about the same after work, and only 15% felt better after work.

“It should come as no surprise that sitting for long periods in an office chair can cause low back pain. Sitting adds large amounts of pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs (even more than standing), and often people with desk jobs don’t move around much and/or they slouch, causing even more strain on spinal structures,” says John Triano, DC, PhD, a chiropractor in Plano, Texas, and author of several Spine-health. com articles about workplace ergonomics. “However, the poll results do suggest that ‘ergonomics’ is not yet well understood or applied in the office environment. Just having an office chair labeled as ‘ergonomic’ isn’t enough by itself to prevent low back pain.”

According to Spine-health. com, what matters most when selecting an office chair isn’t price or if the chair is labeled ‘ergonomic’ but rather whether the chair is adjustable – including chair height, seat depth and arm rests - and whether it helps the person’s lower back arch slightly forward. When setting up an office chair, the single most important first step is actually to set the desired height of the work surface, based on the type of work to be done and the individual’s height. Then, proven guidelines can be used to adjust the office chair according to the individual’s unique physical proportions, e. g., elbows should rest at a 90-degree angle when hands are on the keyboard.

Throughout each work day, people with desk jobs should avoid slouching or leaning forward. Utilize the office chair’s lumbar back support the way it was meant to be used by ensuring your low back is aligned against the back of the office chair.

Another important point: avoid static posture while sitting. “Even if you use your office chair properly, sitting for prolonged periods will usually cause fatigue and discomfort. Stand, stretch or walk for at least a few minutes every half hour,” adds Dr. Triano.

Further information on office chairs, ergonomics, and other low back pain treatment options can be viewed at http://www. spine-health. com (http://www. spine-health. com).

Contact:

Sylvia Marten

312-224-4150

About Spine-health. com

Spine-health. com provides in-depth information and resources for patients with back pain, neck pain, and a full range of spinal disorders. Written and peer-reviewed by spine specialists, the site includes thousands of pages of original articles.

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The Biggest Pharmaceutical Services Company in the US Caremark Rx Announces Their Plans to Participate as a Prescription Drug Plan Sponsor

The Biggest Pharmaceutical Services Company in the US Caremark Rx Announces Their Plans to Participate as a Prescription Drug Plan Sponsor

Research and Markets (researchandmarkets. com/reports/c31812) has announced the addition of Caremark Rx Business Intelligence Report to their offering.

Dublin (PRWEB) January 30, 2006

Research and Markets (http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c31812 (http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c31812)) has announced the addition of Caremark Rx Business Intelligence Report to their offering.

Caremark is one of the largest pharmaceutical services companies in the U. S., with net revenue of approximately $25.8 billion (including approximately $4.6 billion of retail copayments) in 2004. Caremark’s customers are primarily sponsors of health benefit plans (employers, unions, government employee groups, insurance companies and managed care organizations) and individuals located throughout the United States.

Caremark dispenses pharmaceuticals to eligible participants in benefit plans maintained by its customers and utilizes its information systems to perform safety checks, drug interaction screening and generic substitution. During the year ended December 31, 2004, Caremark managed over 484 million prescriptions for individuals from over 2,000 organizations. Caremark’s pharmaceutical services are generally referred to as pharmacy benefit management (“PBM”) services and involve the design and administration of programs aimed at reducing the costs and improving the safety, effectiveness and convenience of prescription drug use. Caremark generates substantially all of its net revenue from dispensing prescription drugs to individuals who participate in benefit plans maintained by its customers. Caremark’s PBM customers generally enter into integrated pharmacy benefit management contracts with the company.

Caremark operates a national retail pharmacy network with over 60,000 participating pharmacies, seven mail service pharmacies, the industrys only FDA-regulated repackaging plant and 21 licensed specialty pharmacies for delivery of advanced medications to individuals with chronic or genetic diseases and disorders. During 2004, Caremark processed approximately 43 million prescriptions through its mail service pharmacies and processed approximately 441 million retail pharmacy claims. Caremark Rx, announced in September 2005 that it has received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to participate as a prescription drug plan sponsor (PDP).

This Business Intelligence Report provides the information and analysis you need on Caremark Rx to gain an understanding of what makes the company one of the leading pharmacy benefit managers and specialty pharmaceutical distributors in the country. The BusIntell Report includes the following sections: Industry Overview/Trends, Company Overview, Corporate Strategy, Internet Activities, Company Executives, Financial and Statistical Information, detailed Lines of Business, Customers and Sources.

Summary

Our BusIntell Report provides the information and analysis you need on Caremark Rx to gain an understanding of what makes the company one of the leading pharmacy benefit managers and specialty pharmaceutical distributors in the country. The BusIntell Report provides the following sections: Industry Overview/Trends, Company Overview, Corporate Strategy (including Strengths/Weaknesses), Internet Activities, Company Executives, Financial and Statistical Information, detailed Lines of Business, Customers and Sources.

For more information visit http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c31812 (http://www. researchandmarkets. com/reports/c31812)

Laura Wood

Senior Manager

Research and Markets

Press@researchandmarkets. com

Fax: +353 1 4100 980

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Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET Helps New York Jets Defensive Tackle Kris Jenkins Lose Weight for 2010 Season

Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET Helps New York Jets Defensive Tackle Kris Jenkins Lose Weight for 2010 Season

Four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle using weight-loss expert Dr. Sanford Siegal's special diet cookies to trim down for the start of Jets training camp

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 22, 2010

When New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan challenged star defensive tackle Kris Jenkins to a weight-loss contest, Jenkins turned to renowned physician, author, and weight-loss expert Sanford Siegal, D. O., M. D., best known as the creator of the popular Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® weight-loss brand. Coach Ryan recently challenged Jenkins and teammate Damien Woody to a three-man contest to see who can drop the most pounds by the start of the Jets training camp. While the losers of the contest have agreed to make a donation to the winner's charity, Jenkins has even more incentive to win: the team reportedly wants the anchor of their defense to be at 360 pounds in order to maximize his speed and continue to dominate the line of scrimmage.

Jenkins, who is a four-time NFL Pro Bowl athlete, weighed 390 pounds at the beginning of the competition. He's now at 368 pounds, just eight pounds from his goal.

After investigating various weight-loss plans, Jenkins visited Dr. Sanford Siegal, the South Florida physician and "Cookie Doctor" who has achieved international fame for his weight-loss system that uses his proprietary cookies and shake mixes to satisfy hunger and enable one to stick to a reduced-calorie diet.

"With such a hectic schedule, I don't have time for a complicated diet plan. I need a system that's convenient and that works fast," said Jenkins. "I read about Dr. Siegal's approach on www. CookieDiet. com and, after watching some of the news stories posted there, I decided to see him at his Miami clinic."

To reach his goal weight of 360 pounds, Jenkins is exercising, eating right, and using Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® weight-loss system under the personal supervision of Dr. Siegal.

Jenkins is one of a growing number of celebrities who have used Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® to lose weight. Last week, reality TV star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi revealed that she successfully used Dr. Siegal's cookies to reach her goal to lose ten pounds in time to enjoy this summer at the Jersey Shore.

"There's no magic to losing weight. It's a matter of burning more calories than you consume. However, that's easier said than done because of hunger. Hunger wrecks diets," said Dr. Siegal. "Like a half million patients before him, Kris Jenkins is following a reduced-calorie diet and using my cookies to keep his hunger in check. I'm confident he'll win the competition and, more importantly, reach a healthful weight."

Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® is continuously in the news. Recent profiles include:

ABC's Good Morning America
Http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=u9fuI9yzx4o (http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=u9fuI9yzx4o)
WFAA-TV Dallas
Http://www. wfaa. com/news/local/64574632.html (http://www. wfaa. com/news/local/64574632.html)

NFL Network
Http://www. nfl. com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/09000d5d81937f2e/Kris-Jenkins-interview (http://www. nfl. com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/09000d5d81937f2e/Kris-Jenkins-interview)
ABOUT SANFORD SIEGAL, D. O., M. D.

Dr. Sanford Siegal is a practicing physician, author, and weight-loss expert who conceived the idea of a diet based on a hunger-controlling cookie in the early 1970s while writing a book about natural food substances that are particularly effective at satisfying hunger. He engineered a food to control hunger and enable his patients to stick to the low-calorie diet that he favors. After a number of years of experimentation, Dr. Siegal developed a formula for a particular mixture of amino acids that resulted from combining certain food substances. He baked his formula into a cookie and tried it with a few patients. Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® was an immediate success. Soon, his South Florida medical practice had expanded to include 14 clinics and he was supplying his cookies and other foods to hundreds of other doctors throughout North America.

Since 1975, Dr. Siegal's medical practice, Siegal Medical Group, has treated more than 500,000 overweight patients with Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET®.

In 2007, Dr. Siegal began offering his cookies, shake mixes, and other products through CookieDiet. com (http://www. CookieDiet. com) (which has more than 125,000 members) and retail stores including Walgreens and GNC.

Dr. Siegal is the author of numerous books on subjects ranging from the role of fiber in diets, hypothyroidism, and hunger control. His latest book, Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet Book: How a Doctor and His Cookie Helped 500,000 People Lose Weight Fast (2009, Hyde Park Publishing Ltd., 320 pages, ISBN 978-0-9822728-3-19999), is available at Amazon. com, BN. com, Barnes & Noble stores, and Walgreens. com.

Media Relations:

Dr. Siegal's COOKIE DIET® (CookieDiet. com)
877-377-4342

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Compex ®, Leaders in Electronic Muscle Stimulators, Sponsors the Jelly Belly Cycling Team Presented by Kenda

Compex ®, Leaders in Electronic Muscle Stimulators, Sponsors the Jelly Belly Cycling Team Presented by Kenda

The sport team will be incorporating the Compex neuromuscular electrical stimulation device to their training regimen.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) February 15, 2010

Compex® Electronic Muscle Stimulators (http://www. shopcompex. com/compex-sport-elite. html) recently announced its sponsorship of the Jelly Belly Cycling Team presented by Kenda– a US Continental pro men’s cycling team which competes at National Race Calendar events and select UCI races overseas. The team is known for their colorful jersey and the sport performance jelly beans Sport Beans® by Jelly Belly Candy Company.

DJO, the worldwide leader in the research, design and manufacturing of Neuromuscular Electrical Muscle Stimulation (NMES) technology through its Compex® brand of products, is the first U. S. company to offer consumers a FDA-cleared, over-the-counter, portable muscle stimulator for enhanced sports performance and improved physical fitness, which is used by professional sports teams and athletic training coaches worldwide.

“Compex and the Jelly Belly Cycling Team presented by Kenda have a great synergy – we’re excited that the Team has incorporated Neuromuscular Electrical Muscle Stimulation (http://www. shopcompex. com/content/cycling) (NMES) technology into its 2010 training regimen. Compex can help the cyclists achieve the highest level of performance possible,” said Greg Houlgate, Director of Sales and Marketing for Compex.

NMES enables users and sport participants to exercise more muscle fibers in less time by reproducing the body’s natural process of voluntary muscle contractions (http://www. shopcompex. com/content/jelly-belly-sponsor/) with high-intensity “optimal” electrical impulses. Numerous clinical studies conducted over 20 years in sport participants have proven that when Compex is applied to the motor nerve, it provokes a deeper and more complete muscle contraction than what can be attained through standard voluntary training or activity.
-more-
The Team is pleased to join the ranks of elite athletes worldwide who have embraced this technology, said Danny Van Haute, Team Director Jelly Belly presented by Kenda. “Compex will help the team achieve a more efficient workout regimen and will also help them recover quicker after a strenuous training session or race.”

After training with neuromuscular electrical stimulation, athletes can expect progression in their overall strength, power and speed, as well as a quicker muscle recovery after training. In addition to enhanced muscle performance, athletes can also expect to experience improvements in their circulation and faster reduction in lactic acid blood flow.

Compex will feature an Active Recovery Zone at many of the expos where the Jelly Belly Cycling Team presented bv Kenda will race this year. For more information visit www. shopcompex. com.

About DJO Incorporated

DJO is a leading global developer, manufacturer and distributor of high-quality medical devices that provide solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management. The Company's products address the continuum of patient care from injury prevention to rehabilitation after surgery, injury or from degenerative disease. DJO products are used by orthopedic specialists, spine surgeons, primary care physicians, pain management specialists, physical therapists, podiatrists, chiropractors, athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals. In addition, many of the Company's medical devices and related accessories are used by athletes and patients for injury prevention and at-home physical therapy treatment. The Company's product lines include rigid and soft orthopedic bracing, hot and cold therapy, bone growth stimulators, vascular systems, electrical stimulators used for pain management and physical therapy products. The Company’s surgical division offers a comprehensive suite of reconstructive joint products for the hip, knee and shoulder. DJO's products are marketed under the brands Aircast®, DonJoy®, ProCare®, CMF™, Empi®, Saunders®, Chattanooga, DJO Surgical, Compex®, Cefar®-Compex® and Ormed®. For additional information, please visit www. DJOglobal. com. For additional information about Compex please visit www. shopcompex. com

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Fountain and Décor Website Debuts New Blog

Fountain and Décor Website Debuts New Blog

For a little over two years, TranquilTimeFountains. com has offered some of the best indoor fountains that help with calming people down in the home. Now, they've recently launched a new blog to go into detail about the positive properties of these water fountains.

Stafford, VA (PRWEB) May 6, 2009

According to a study by the American Institute of Stress and the American Psychological Association, 66 percent of Americans would seriously welcome help in dealing with stress in their lives and that a contributing factor to increasing substance abuse amongst teens are related to their perception of stress.

Stress affects everyone at different levels, but it's a national epidemic, nonetheless. There are several ways to de-stress and most people start with reassessing the atmosphere in their home to find a calming factor. One way is to utilize the natural sound of an indoor water fountain to achieve this.

"The stress relieving properties and the positive effects of white noise is something that people who are highly stressed out need in their lives," said Debra Stout.

Stout is the founder of www. TranquilTimeFountains. com, a site that specializes in indoor water fixtures, such as table top fountains and stone fountains. The website, which launched in February 2007, provides the kind of variety in fountains that can find a place in many homes, while simultaneously help people bring good health in to fruition.

"I love water fountains and when I was deciding on what my business route was going to be, I saw these beautiful natural stone fountains and I knew that it was going to be a match," Stout said of Tranquil Time's origins.

TranquilTimeFountains. com, at over two years old, is also going through a few changes, which includes Stout possibly expanding the product line ("I'd like to add some resources for home décor and healthy green living") and a new informational blog.

The blog, www. TranquilTimeFountains. info, addresses the health benefits of having an indoor fountain in the home. Stout assures that the blog will go in detail about how the sound of water will enhance the tranquility for the stressed out person.

Such as the nature of her business, Stout makes sure that each order is looked over by her and keeps the line of communication open with her customers.

"Every order is important to me and any problems are taken care of immediately and with compassion," said Stout. "People don't need to add any more stress in their lives and I try to facilitate the best solutions and have the best products I can through the site."

About the Company:
TranquilTimeFountains. com is a part of Stout Ventures, which is owned and operated by Debra Stout.

Contact Information:
Debra Stout
Www. TranquilTimeFountains. com
(540) 752-1767

IePlexus, Inc.
Www. iePlexus. com

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E-Builder Makes List of 50 Hottest Companies as a Provider of Construction Management Software

E-Builder Makes List of 50 Hottest Companies as a Provider of Construction Management Software

E-Builder construction management software continues to gain recognition as an industry leader

Ft. Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) July 12, 2010

e-Builder, the leading provider of integrated construction project management software (http://www. e-builder. net/construction-project-management-software. html) announced today that it has been selected to The Constructech 50, a listing of the most influential construction technology providers with a strong and ongoing market presence as determined by the editors and editorial advisory board of Constructech magazine.

“We are experiencing record double-digit growth in 2010, no small feat given the current economic environment,” said Jonathan N. Antevy, e-Builder co-founder and CEO. “The ability of our software to reduce project costs without impacting scope or schedule and our rapid deployment approach to software delivery is what is driving our growth and success.”

E-Builder continues to gain momentum as the premier provider of program and project management software (http://www. e-builder. net/construction-management-software. html) to capital project owners, and other leading construction industry firms. This year the company celebrated its 15-year Anniversary, entered into a strategic partnership with MedAssets, and just last month announced the University of Chicago as a new client.

Some of the criteria used in determining the list include having a strong product/service aimed at the construction industry, ongoing customer satisfaction and growth, as well as outreach and educational efforts for the construction industry, among other considerations. The Constructech 50 continues to function as a snapshot of the current construction climate. The construction industry is still an ever-changing marketplace, but the use of innovative technology continues with a solid presence.

“Choosing the top 50 solution providers in the construction space was no small feat,” says Peggy Smedley, editorial director, Constructech magazine. “After much debate and discussion, we believe these 50 companies are bringing consistent and important solutions to those in the construction industry. And for their accomplishments, they should be commended.”

About e-Builder
E-Builder is the leading provider of fully integrated capital program and project management software (http://www. e-builder. net/capital-project-management-software. html) for top facility owners and companies that act on their behalf. The company’s flagship product, e-Builder Enterprise, improves capital project execution resulting in increased productivity and quality, reduced cost, and faster project delivery. Since 1995, e-Builder’s technology leadership and construction industry focus has provided thousands of global companies, government agencies, healthcare and educational institutions managing billions of dollars in capital programs with solutions to improve the plan, build and operate lifecycle. The company is privately held and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, visit www. e-Builder. net.

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HotGigs Inc. to Transform Dynamics of Contract Workforce

HotGigs Inc. to Transform Dynamics of Contract Workforce

HotGigs is a new service that provides companies an organized search engine that finds contract talent in a highly fragmented market. FREE to hiring managers needing contract talent now, HotGigs allows companies to view contractor rates and search nearly 10,000 pre-rated independent contractors as well as contractors from staffing and consulting companies.

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) March 31, 2005

HotGigs, the contract talent marketplace, today announced an innovation in sourcing contract talent. HotGigs' unique service, HotGigs. com (http://www. hotgigs. com (http://www. hotgigs. com)), bridges the gap between corporate America's $76 billion annual need for contract workers and their ability to efficiently find talent.

Nearly 10,000 independent contractors and more than 2,000 consulting and staffing companies are promoting their available contract talent on HotGigs. com. Employers use HotGig. com's Search Engine to instantly research contractor rates and locate pre-referenced and ranked contractor profiles from the growing network of staffing suppliers across America and Canada.

The solution provides:

•Absolutely free instant access to an expanding marketplace of independent contractors and staffing companies;

•Real-time data on contract labor rates for major outsourced workforce categories, including IT, HR, creative, marketing, accounting, financial, administrative, factory, and healthcare;

•A place for consulting and staffing firms to post and promote available contract resources and place those individuals with more than 1,000 employers, among them Fortune 1000 and emerging growth companies;

•A market for independent contractors and freelancers to promote their skills and availability to employers and staffing firms; and

•Streamlined Internet features, such as contractor profiles, customized search agents, peer networking tools, and one-click contact between employers and contractors.

"Ninety percent of companies use contract labor to manage workforce needs. The problem for most employers is that there's no easy way to find and compare the best contract resources from thousands of firms and independent contractors," says HotGigs founder and CEO Doug Berg. "In an attempt to streamline the sourcing process, many employers have elected to use a limited number of staffing firms to source contractors, which compounds their difficulties by constraining their access to a wider universe of potential workers. To achieve business improvement, hiring companies must have access to a broader talent pool, while obtaining strategically important competitive rate-per-hour information."

HotGigs comprises an integrated package of features that help employers, staffing companies, and contract workers network with one another.

•For Employers: HotGigs solves a significant challenge facing businesses that must consistently plan, acquire and manage contract workers. The U. S. contract marketplace changes every hour of the day and is highly fragmented with 9,000 staffing companies and hundreds of thousands of independent contractors. HotGigs gives instant access to an entire market via its Web site HotGigs. com and provides hourly rates of contract resources from both staffing firms and independent contractors—free of cost.

Early adopters of HotGigs include people such as John Doyle, Managing Director of J. Walter Thompson, Minneapolis, who says: "HotGigs has been invaluable in helping us win business by enabling us to react to client needs immediately. We have been able to instantly find available contract resources from HotGigs' network of subcontractor resources."

•Staffing & Consulting Companies: HotGigs helps staffing companies automate the process of promoting and placing talent. To shorten the lag time between one project and the next, staffing companies need a way to announce availability, while reducing the repetitive task of responding to requisitions. HotGigs blends the features of an Internet job board with a staffing exchange and an open vendor management system, making it easy to promote available contract workers. Staffing firms pay a $2,500 annual subscription per sales person.

•For Independent Contractors and Freelancers: Independent Contractors have always been challenged with marketing themselves from one engagement to the next. For a basic subscription of $30 per quarter or an annual fee of $100, HotGigs helps freelancers profile themselves, know the competitive rates for their unique skills, understand the demand for those skills, and promote themselves directly to employers and staffing firms.

"As the economy picks up, we believe the rates for contract workers will get significantly more competitive and services like HotGigs will make it easier for companies to transition from engagement to engagement. HotGigs provides a way to quickly respond to upcoming projects," says Berg. "Through our work with early adopters of this service, we're continually hearing how companies are using us to grow their businesses, by ensuring that companies can staff quickly and affordably."

HotGigs

HotGigs is a contract talent marketplace for hiring managers, staffing companies, and independent contractors in 15 professional categories. Approximately 10,000 independent contractors, 2,000-plus staffing companies, and 1,000 companies who hire contract talent, including Fortune 1000 and emerging growth companies across major markets in the U. S. and Canada, are using HotGigs' Web site, HotGigs. com (http://www. hotgigs. com (http://www. hotgigs. com)), to fill their contract workforce needs.

Leveraging the exceptional experience of founder and CEO Doug Berg at developing talent markets such as techies. com, an Internet career portal for IT professionals, HotGigs has a executive team of business veterans to create a profitable contractor marketplace that enables clients to save time and money and transform their businesses.

For more information, visit www. hotgigs. com or call 1-866-HOT-GIGS.

Editors Note: Please contact David Southgate at (787) 843-4734, (787) 557-6542 for more information or to arrange interviews.

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BALLE Atlanta Membership Opens and Provides Locally-owned Businesses a New Resource and Support Network

BALLE Atlanta Membership Opens and Provides Locally-owned Businesses a New Resource and Support Network

BALLE Atlanta is a business-member organization that catalyzes the success of local, independent businesses that contribute to the health and wellbeing of our community. Besides great opportunities for networking and business support, if you join now you will be eligible for 2 great perks! For a limited time, we are offering half-price annual memberships for charter business members as well as a chance to win a free registration for the BALLE annual conference in June 2006 ($350 value)!

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) May 4, 2006

BALLE Atlanta is a business-member organization that catalyzes the success of local, independent businesses that contribute to the health and wellbeing of our community. BALLE Atlanta is a program of Inspiring Futures, which is a local affiliate network of the international Business Alliance for Local Living Economies.

Membership

Membership provides access to benefits and also funds programs that benefit local businesses. Members of BALLE Atlanta have a direct interest in the future of our communities and bioregions. Our members include local business owners, non-profit leaders, government represenatitives and engaged citizens. BALLE Atlanta provides several pioneering programs that contribute to the success of our local businesses. Consider joining today and contribute to strong communities where people are engaged in shaping their future and in a healthy natural environment!

Benefits of membership

Membership benefits focus on contributing to the success of locally-owned, responsible businesses. When you sign up, you will get:

A listing in the BALLE Atlanta online Marketplace, featuring your products, services, and company story - a great online marketing resource!

Discount and free networking and social events to help you form business relationships with others that share your values.

Discounts and free educational events for building best practices in your company.

Access to Local First campaigns and resources for promoting local business.

Opportunities to promote your business in Inspiring Futures web site, events, and newsletter.

Act fast for extra benefits!

For a limited time, Inspiring Futures is offering two great opportunities for new charter members of BALLE Atlanta: 1/2 priced membership* AND a chance to win a free registration to the BALLE conference in Vermont!

*1/2 price membership only applicable to business memberships (ie not Marketplace listings or Individual or NGO memberships).

Sign Up Today!

To sign up, just fill out the form here. We will provide you with the 1/2 price pricing between now and June 21, 2006.

Have questions? Please feel free to contact us. http://inspiringfutures. org/resources/news/membership (http://inspiringfutures. org/resources/news/membership)

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NoPornNorthampton Reaches Out to Springfield, MA, Neighborhood with Advice on Adult Enterprises

NoPornNorthampton Reaches Out to Springfield, MA, Neighborhood with Advice on Adult Enterprises

Adult enterprises can put their surroundings at risk for "secondary effects": crime, blight, hazardous trash and harassment of passersby. NoPornNorthampton has mailed over 1,700 letters to voters in Springfield, MA, suggesting actions they can take to reduce these risks and enjoy safe, prosperous neighborhoods.

Northampton, MA (PRWEB) May 1, 2007

Adult enterprises can put their surroundings at risk for "secondary effects" (http://nopornnorthampton. org/categories/Secondary%20Effects. aspx). These include crime, economic blight, hazardous trash and the harassment of passersby. NoPornNorthampton, a citizens' group in Northampton, MA, has mailed over 1,700 letters to voters in the nearby city of Springfield suggesting actions they can take to reduce these risks and enjoy safe, prosperous neighborhoods.

Citizens of Northampton, MA, formed NoPornNorthampton in June 2006 in response to plans of Capital Video Corporation to locate a new store next to residential neighborhoods there. Established in 1979, Capital Video calls itself "the largest adult retail chain in the nation." It is headquartered in Cranston, RI.

NoPornNorthampton operates the website NoPornNorthampton. org (http://www. nopornnorthampton. org/), a large repository of information about the harm of porn and adult enterprises. It describes actions that municipalities can take to reduce this harm, such as zoning adult uses away from homes and regulating viewing booths for health. Towns such as Kittery, Maine, have found that even simple actions like removing the doors from viewing booths can substantially reduce the incidence of unsafe sex in them.

In the fall of 2006, the Northampton City Council, satisfied that the peril of secondary effects needed to be addressed, passed legislation to regulate the size and location of adult enterprises.

NoPornNorthampton has mailed over 1,700 letters to voters in the Apremont Triangle area of Springfield, home of a Capital Video outlet called Amazing. net, to share what we have learned about how to mitigate the harm from adult enterprises. The full text of these letters is published on NoPornNorthampton. org (http://nopornnorthampton. org/2007/04/30/nopornnorthampton-reaches-out-to-springfield-ma-neighborhood-with-advice-on-adult-enterprises. aspx). We suggest the people of Springfield:

1) Pass viewing booth health regulations, including removing the doors from the booths.

2) Shut down adult enterprises as public nuisances when they generate more crime, blight and unsafe activity than the surrounding neighborhood can reasonably tolerate.

3) Pass improved adult-use zoning regulations for Springfield. This includes requiring adult enterprises to be located at least 500-1,000 feet away from homes, schools, houses of worship and other locations where children are likely to be found. Existing adult enterprises can be compelled to move within a specified period of time, such as 1-5 years (this is called "amortization").

4) Encourage local media to cover these issues more closely. Sometimes media outlets are inclined to go easy on adult enterprises because of perceived First Amendment issues. Other media outlets receive substantial advertising revenues from the sex industry.

NoPornNorthampton does not advocate for increased government censorship of media. All of our regulatory suggestions have been upheld by US courts as compatible with the First Amendment. Regulations such as adult-use zoning have generally been found to impose only slight burdens on speech, while securing important public benefits. Common objections and concerns are answered at length in our Frequently Asked Questions section, found on the home page of NoPornNorthampton. org (http://www. nopornnorthampton. org/).

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Wisdom and Dignity from a 21-year-old Cancer Patient

Wisdom and Dignity from a 21-year-old Cancer Patient

Mother Shares Son’s Courageous Battle with Testicular Cancer in New Nonfiction. A cancer diagnosis is devastating news no matter what the circumstance. But at age 21, the majority of young men are coping with final exams and first dates rather than chemotherapy and radiation. In her new nonfiction, The Boy and His Death: A true story, debut author Marga Beukeboom shares the inspirational story of her son, Benjamin, and how he, at 21, conducted his battle with testicular cancer.

Amersfoort, The Netherlands (Vocus) August 2, 2010

A cancer diagnosis is devastating news no matter what the circumstance. But at age 21, the majority of young men are coping with final exams and first dates rather than chemotherapy and radiation. In her new nonfiction, The Boy and His Death: A true story (published by iUniverse), debut author Marga Beukeboom shares the inspirational story of her son, Benjamin, and how he, at 21, conducted his battle with testicular cancer.

According to the National Cancer Institute, cases of testicular cancer have been consistently on the rise worldwide for the past 40 years and are the most common malignancy among men aged 15 – 35. One of the most easily treatable forms of cancer, about 1 in 24 cases prove to be fatal although more and more men are diagnosed every year.

When Benjamin was diagnosed, Beukeboom admits she’d never even heard of the disease. She poignantly describes how her son, mature beyond his years, coped with rapidly declining health and a grim prognosis throughout his three-year battle against the cancer ravaging his body. Refusing to limit him to traditional treatments of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, Beukeboom set out with her son in search of alternative treatments.

Mother and son travel from Texas to New York; to Denmark to England, and finally back to the small town of Baarn in the Netherlands as they seek out various therapies, both conventional and holistic. Beukeboom gives valuable insight into the different alternative treatments available to cancer patients, some of which proved to be successful. However, as his health continued to fail him further, Benjamin was forced to confront the possibility of death.

Wise and intuitive, Benjamin fought the anger and denial common to anyone living with a terminal illness. He vowed to look at his disease as a blessing and decided that if he were to die from cancer, then his death would mark the completion of his task here on earth. Blind to her son’s spirituality, Beukeboom candidly writes about her obsession with finding a cure.

On a journey marked with dignity and grace, Beukeboom and her son learn together that there exists more between heaven and earth than they ever could have imagined. The Boy and His Death is a compelling narrative intertwined with messages of hope and courage that simultaneously raises awareness about testicular cancer.

About the Author
Marga Beukeboom is a Dutch native who lived and worked in the United States during the 1990s. She currently resides in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, and is an advocate of non-destructive, alternative cancer treatments. She has worked as an international project manager and consultant and has 25 years experience in the field of information technology. The Boy and His Death is her first published book.

IUniverse is the premier book publisher for emerging, self-published authors. For more information, please visit http://www. iuniverse. com.

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Paul Burke Presents "The Twelve Steps of 'Burke's Law'"

Paul Burke Presents "The Twelve Steps of 'Burke's Law'"

When Paul Burke wrote "Burke's Law," he had a list of the major points that he wanted to embellish upon to make a complete manual and guide for weight training and fitness training for all men, especially those over 40 years old. Of these important topics were what Burke called "The Twelve Steps." The Twelve steps are a way that men over 40 can recover from using the "Old Paradigm," and begin anew. They are the pillars and foundation from which Burke's Law was built.

Marlboro, NJ (PRWEB) July 10, 2006

“To understand Training the “Burke’s Law” way, put yourself inside of this and you will feel the meaning: Imagine all of the energy that is harnessed as atomic molecules are compressed so densely, that the reaction to this, is a devastating explosion with nuclear fury.”

Spencer, MA (PRWEB) July 10, 2006 -- Paul Burke: The Author of the groundbreaking, critically acclaimed fitness book, “Burke’s Law,” A New Fitness Paradigm for the Mature Male, says that “recovering from the Old Paradigm takes lots of hard work and dedication.” His “Twelve Steps of Burke’s Law” is designed to help you recover from your old way of training, dieting and thinking, and bring you into the place where your mind, body and spirit all unite to find the unique physical strength and value that every man possesses.

These twelve steps are not written in the book as a list; rather, the book was written by using the Twelve Steps that he constructed as a guide to ensure that all the key points that Burke wanted to make were made within the two covers of his great book. In this short Press Release there will be a few of the Twelve Steps spoken of here and there. To read them all and discover what Burke’s Law is about in the compressed way, go to: Paulburkefitness. com/twelvesteps. htm (or: Paulburkefitness. com and click on: The Twelve Steps)

In the book, within every section, every chapter, even every sentence there is a reference to the Twelve Steps but not directly. They are important for you to know because they are like putting "Burke’s Law" into a tiny time-capsule. If there were but twelve statements that I could make about the importance of beginning to train the Burke’s Law way as opposed to all of the other ways; these would be the statements. They are in essence the means to an end, both figuratively and metaphorically.

Burke, who believes that everyman over 40 should not only be working out for cardio-vascular health; but, each man should be training with weights in Burke’s intensity packed format (Burke’s Law). Burke says that aging men need to retain as much muscle as possible. Burke says that as we age, we lose muscle mass and that does many negative things to our bodies. First, once you reach about the age of 40, the body begins to lose hormonal communication and thus starts making less testosterone and less Growth Hormone; however to take Growth Hormone as the anti-aging solution is a big risk according to Burke: “It appears to me (and many great scientists working in this field) that it isn’t the amount of Growth Hormone that is missing, per se; rather, it is the individual cells that are not allowing penetration (caused by insulin resistance) and the breaking down of the communication network of cell to cell; cell to hypothalamus, and Hypothalamus to pituitary and so on down the line.”

“There is a later part of a male’s life," Burke adds, “where he goes into andropause (The male version of menopause) and this can be corrected by seeing a top-notch endocrinologist and have testosterone levels measured to see if one is in need of hormonal replacement therapy. All of these topics are explained in detail in my book. The real ideal situation is for aging men to retain as much muscle mass as is possible so that this Biological Marker of Aging can be held off for as long as possible.

Burke is not only uniquely qualified to speak to and teach middle-age men, but his appearance in the flesh is something that stops one in their tracks. “Many times I have to take out my driver’s license to prove that I am going on 51 years of age,” Burke says with a smile. “To me,” Burke continues, “there are two ages; you have a chronological age and you have a biological age.” “Now, sometimes they match and sometimes they go in the wrong direction,” he says shaking his head. “There is some part of this anti-aging idea that is totally genetic; however, most people have a great deal of control of how fast they age by eating correctly and exercising correctly -- it's that simple; yet, that complex.” “I can show you, Burke adds, “men who are aging very fast because they are training too often and/or too much, or worse; they are taking steroids and those little nuggets of temporary muscle-reward will age you inside faster than cigarettes and alcohol together.

"My intention is to keep educating people about the wonders, marvels and miracles of the human body. If I had but a sentence or two to sum it all up, I think I would put it something like this: You have but one life, one body, one mind and one spirit; the more you create for others, the stronger your spirit grows. The stronger your mind and spirit, the longer your body will go.”

About Paul Burke

Paul Burke received his Master's Degree in Integrated Studies from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His life-long experience as a champion bodybuilder, arm wrestler, actor and academic professor brought him to write a very detailed book about exercise, fitness and nutrition for the mature male. For more information, visit www. PaulBurkeFitness. com.

"Burke's Law,” A New Fitness Paradigm for the Mature Male, (Trafford Publishing, 2005) is available at www. PaulBurkeFitness. com, Amazon. com and all other online book retailers. It will be in stores in time for the winter Holidays.

Contact Information:

Paul Burke

800-810-3010

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Target, Anthropologie Add Bath By Bettijo To Product Offerings

Target, Anthropologie Add Bath By Bettijo To Product Offerings

Target, Anthropologie Add Bath By Bettijo To Product Offerings

Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) March 22, 2005

Two of the nationÂ’s top retailers have added Bath By BettijoÂ’s soothing tub teas to their product offerings. Target. com added the tub teas to its online store, while Anthropologie stores nationwide will also carry these top-sellers effective immediately.

“We are delighted that both Target and Anthropologie are carrying our tub teas,” said Bettijo B. Hirschi, creator of Bath By Bettijo. “The tub teas are one of our best-selling items. Career women, stay-at-home moms, teens and retirees, alike, all love indulging with this at-home spa treatment.”

Bath By BettijoÂ’s Tub Teas offer a fragrant blend of herbs and botanicals that you soak in rather then sip. Simply fill a warm bath, infuse one of the delicious blends and then climb in for a long, healthy soak. Available in two aromatherapy blends:

Soothing Lavender Chamomile Tub Tea – A blooming lavender field in the heart of France is as near as the tub’s faucet. Clarifying and relaxing dried Lavender, Chamomile and Calendula blossoms are blended with precious Lemon Verbena leaves, to transform bathwater into a comforting oasis. Cares will float away as mind and body rebalance, making this one perfect to use before a restful night’s sleep.

Relaxing Eucalyptus Spearmint Tub Tea – This blend infuses bathwater with Spearmint, Eucalyptus leaf, Juniper Berries, Balsam Fir, and Rosemary for an invigorating and energizing soak. Breathe in the purifying steam and feel stress evaporate. Skip the shower and start the day feeling relaxed and refreshed with this herbal pick-me-up.

Each tub tea is packaged with a reusable antique tea infuser. To use place a tablespoon of tub tea in the infuser and steep as a warm bath fills. Tub tea blends are also perfect facial steams for a super stress releaser when there isn't time for a bath. Simply add a tablespoon to a bowl of boiling water, hold your face over the bowl, cover your head with a soft towel and breathe in the purifying steam. Each tub tea contains enough herbs for approximately 30 treatments.

Bath By BettijoÂ’s Tub Teas have a suggested retail price of $24 each.

Created by Bettijo B. Hirschi, Bath By Bettijo offers a comprehensive collection of natural, handmade soaps, toiletries, and other aromatherapy bath and body products. The Company’s “Go Beyond Ordinary” philosophy means that all of Bath By Bettijo’s products are designed to help you create your own personal home spa experience and enhance your body care regimen.

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Petlane™ Proudly Serves America's Companion Animals Every Day of the Year

Petlane™ Proudly Serves America's Companion Animals Every Day of the Year

Dynamic New Direct Sales Organization Developed By The Founder of Discovery Toys. Targeting The Multi-Billion Dollar Pet Industry. Offering Proprietary Products for Companion Animals, Including Many Exclsuive Items Designed By and Sold Solely Through Petlane.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 25, 2005

Lane Nemeth, founder of Discovery Toys, moves from kids to pets with her newest venture, PETlane™, which offers over 200 proprietary products for discriminating pets and their owners, including many items designed by and sold exclusively through PETlane™.

Successfully launched in June 2002, PETlane™ is quickly becoming America's number one career advancement opportunity. A direct sales organization targeting the 64.2 million pet owners throughout the country, and the $34.3 billion pet products industry, PETlane™ offers pet enthusiasts and entrepreneurs the chance to put their passion for pets to work as they grow a home-based business supported by exceptional product and proven leadership.

Incorporating a growing team of over 200 Pet Advisors dispersed throughout the US, PETlane™ is a home-based business driven by knowledgeable pet-owners, those in the pet safety and rescue industries and passionate entrepreneurs. Advisors are trained to provide both important information and proven products designed to enhance the lives of our companion animals.

Led by Nemeth and Dr. Laura Pasten, one of the country's preeminent veterinarians, PETlane™ Advisors host in-home Pet PAWties and local fundraising events all year long, each created to inform and educate other pet enthusiasts about the latest health, medical and safety news on behalf of our pets. Each and every product offered by PETlane™ is diligently researched and veterinarian-approved to both substantiate and 'speak to' the most up-to-date needs of our most loyal family members. Products range from health and safety to home accessorizing, travel, gift, feeding and more.

Nemeth's mission for PETlane™ is two-fold: To provide distinct products designed to make our companion animals lives as safe and sound as possible; and to provide an opportunity for pet enthusiasts and entrepreneurs to embark on a low-risk career offering unlimited income potential supported by on-going support and training programs. Further, by creating a forum for animal lovers across America to band together, both customers and Pet Advisors are learning invaluable information while creating new and exciting social circles with others with similar interests all over the country.

Interested Pet Advisors and purchasers PETlane™ product can learn more about the company bi visiting www. petlane. com; or calling 888.870.8324.

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California Broker Magazine Introduces Comprehensive Insurance Directory

California Broker Magazine Introduces Comprehensive Insurance Directory

The California Directory is an indispensable resource for life and health insurance agents and financial planners.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 29, 2005

California Broker Magazine released its annual resource directory for life and health insurance brokers and financial planners doing business in California. It features detailed profiles and contact information for carriers, independent brokerage agencies, and state associations in order to give brokers the critical information they need to do business in the state.

The California Directory is an indispensable resource for life and health insurance agents and financial planners.

Listings include the broker contact e-mails and websites. The online version has links to theses websites. The directory includes GA sources for 43 categories of insurance products from acupuncture to worksite marketing and everything in-between. It is available online at www. calbrokermag. com; a print version is also available.

About California Broker Magazine

California Broker Magazine is the most highly respected insurance magazine in the state. It has a 22-year track record of editorial and graphic excellence. The magazine has received two Golden Graphic awards from the American Society of Business Press Editors. The magazine has twice received the prestigious Paladin Award for service to the insurance industry from the Los Angeles Assn. of Health Underwriters.

For more information, visit www. calbrokermag. com or contact Lexena Madden at 818-848-2957 or directory@calbrokermag. com.

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Women’s Healthcare – 2005 Focus Of Professional Teleconference: What’s Working Now - What's Ahead

Women’s Healthcare – 2005 Focus Of Professional Teleconference: What’s Working Now - What's Ahead

“The Future of Women’s Healthcare – 2005” a special teleconference, has been scheduled for Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 1:30 p. m. Eastern time. The program has been organized for health, wellness and managed care professionals engaged in providing health services and programs for women.

MANASQUAN, NJ (PRWEB) October 11, 2004

“The Future of Women’s Healthcare – 2005” a special teleconference, has been scheduled for Thursday, October 21, 2004 at 1:30 p. m. Eastern time.

The program has been organized for health, wellness and managed care professionals engaged in providing health services and programs for women. The event is sponsored by Wellness Program Management Advisor and Wellness Junction. com.

Many healthcare professionals acknowledge that there are gaps and challenges in providing comprehensive healthcare services to women.

Heart disease remains the leading killer of women. Stroke and diabetes are also among the top five leading causes of womens' deaths in the U. S.

Estimates show that one in two women will die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 27 who will die of breast cancer, which is perceived by women to be their greatest risk.

Nearly half of women over age 45 who visit their obstetrician/gynecologist as their primary care provider are not being screened for cardiovascular disease, found one study.

The problem is that women's health program offerings range from minimal at some hospitals and managed care organizations, to full-blown, ahead-of-the-curve clinical and education programs that address the essence of the range of needs in women's health.

Women's health is unique and distinct in terms of how healthcare is organized and delivered, according to researchers at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ.)

Among the many womenÂ’s health issues, according to the AHRQ:

  Women are more likely to be underinsured than men.  Many medical conditions are unique to women.  On average, women live longer than men and therefore experience more chronic conditions throughout their lifetime.  The type of healthcare women receive is influenced by non-clinical health determinants, such as race, level of education, and socioeconomic status.  Women's interactions with the healthcare system are characterized by fragmentation of services, poor communication with clinicians, and gender bias in receipt of treatment and services. While fragmentation of care is not limited to women, it is more pronounced.

"The Future of Women's Healthcare - 2005" will focus first on new clinical and health research activities, then look at what's working now and what's ahead for hospital and health plan-based women's health programs.

The panel of presenters are Rosaly Correa-de-Araujo, MD, MSc, PhD., senior advisor on women's health, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Wendy Kuran, vice president, WomenÂ’s Health Solutions, PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc., and, Bonnie Wittman RN, MBA, director of women's health, Florida Hospital System.

The topics to be covered during the conference include:

 Strategies for developing comprehensive approaches to women's health  Broadening access to healthcare services for women  Coordination of services for women and access to specialists and sub-specialists in women's health  PacificareÂ’s integrated approach with 30 Programs and Services focused on serving women  Why becoming a leader in women's health is a cornerstone of the health planÂ’s strategy as a health and consumer services organization  How healthcare systems can design programs to serve women's health in the year ahead  The programs and services that resulted in Florida Hospital being ranked as one of the top ten hospital's in the country for women  Health promotion and clinical preventive services for women  Improving quality of care  Emerging opportunities in womenÂ’s health programs

The registration fee covers a telephone hookup from a site and as many as possible may “listen-in” at a site. Smaller organizations are permitted to join together and share the cost and dial in from one location.

The “early bird’ registration fee is $199 per site to participate in the live program and receive all conference “hand-out” materials.

Full details on the management-level program are available online at:

Http://www. healthresourcesonline. com/edu/whk. htm (http://www. healthresourcesonline. com/edu/whk. htm)

Professionals may also call toll-free number 1-800-516-4343 for more information on the program or to register.

Contact: Health Resources Publishing, 1913 Atlantic Avenue F4, Manasquan, NJ 08736, 800-516-4343, fax 888-329-6242.

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For Information Contact:

Margaret E. Bokelman

Health Resources Publishing

1913 Atlantic Avenue F4

Manasquan, NJ 08736

732-292-1100

Fax 732-292-1111

Mbokelman@healthresourcesonline. com

Logicalis Healthcare IT to Receive Spotlight at HIMSS09 in Chicago

Logicalis Healthcare IT to Receive Spotlight at HIMSS09 in Chicago

Leading international healthcare solutions provider brings a customer experience approach to using technology, services and partnerships in an effort to create an integrated EMR/EHR approach.

Bloomfield Hills, MI (PRWEB) March 31, 2009 - Logicalis, an international provider of high-

Performance technology for today's critical healthcare information technology (http://www. us. logicalis. com/healthcare-it/) (IT) environments, brings its customer experience approach to the upcoming 2009 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition at McCormick Place in Chicago. Recognized as one of the premier conferences in the healthcare industry, HIMSS09 brings together healthcare professionals across the globe for this annual gathering.

Logicalis healthcare professionals are ready to strategize electronic health record (http://www. us. logicalis. com/healthcare-it/) (EHR) readiness with healthcare providers at Booth #4838 on the HIMSS exhibition floor. With the looming October 1, 2009 deadline to qualify for ARRA Healthcare IT Subsidy funding, Logicalis will share its healthcare focused integration experience and implementation resources. Karen Burton, healthcare solutions specialist, commented on Logicalis participation in HIMSS:

"At the annual HIMSS conference, we have an opportunity to meet with people who are looking for a healthcare solutions provider versed in EMR/EHR that will help them ready their infrastructure, off-load their IT staff to focus on EHR, and develop rapid deployment plans for these solutions. Logicalis can talk with each individual one-on-one about their own needs. The HIMSS exhibition makes it easy for us to meet with customers interested in our customer experience approach to providing healthcare solutions, as well as those looking for the right option for their electronic health record system."

Logicalis has worked closely with healthcare providers for more than two decades. This experience gives Logicalis consultants a unique perspective on the very specific IT requirements healthcare providers have.

"Logicalis' expertise in healthcare made the selection of a technology solution provider easy," said Bill Colbert, VP/CIO University Hospital, Augusta, GA. "They clearly understand the key challenges and opportunities healthcare providers like us face today and how to best address them with an eye toward maximum efficiency and utilization while minimizing the risks involved in rolling out new technologies to support the increased requirements for records retention in our industry."

"When we look to improve the way our IT infrastructure supports the clinical applications, our relationship with Logicalis makes Logicalis an obvious choice," said Michael Sweeney, CIO, Fox Chase Cancer Center. "Logicalis works with us to ensure we get effective solutions and very competitive prices."

Logicalis also plans to highlight its joint effort with Avnet Technology Solutions, an operating group of Avnet, Inc., and its HealthPath™ University (http://www. ats. avnet. com/solutions/healthcare/). Avnet HealthPath is an educational resource for healthcare practices, offering industry expertise and partnerships with industry-leading technology suppliers. HealthPath University gives solutions providers the ability to deliver a complete healthcare solution and reduce the overall cost associated with the development and delivery of healthcare products and services.

"Logicalis has invested significantly in its healthcare practice and in the healthcare education of its sales and technical consulting staff," commented David Hutchinson, director, Healthcare Solutions, Avnet Technology Solutions, Americas. "The many healthcare organizations Logicalis works with have benefited from the industry-focused knowledge Logicalis brings to the table as a result of Avnet's HealthPath University."

The HIMSS annual conference is expected to attract about 30,000 attendees, ranking it as one of the largest healthcare IT and management systems conferences in the world. The 2009 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition (http://www. himssconference. org/) will take place April 4-8, 2009, at McCormick Place, Chicago.

To get the full experience of its commitment to healthcare IT, Logicalis encourages all who will be attending HIMSS09 to visit booth #4838 on the exhibition floor. For more information about healthcare IT solutions from Logicalis, including a podcast and feature story, as well as customer experiences from the healthcare industry, please visit http://www. us. logicalis. com/healthcare-it (http://www. us. logicalis. com/healthcare-it).

About Logicalis

Logicalis is an international provider of high-performance technology solutions. With more than 1,500 people worldwide, Logicalis delivers smart solutions based on specific needs, not the latest IT trend. Logicalis provides options, direction and support to more than 6,500 corporate and public sector customers. The company attributes its success to the everyday positive experiences with its customers and strategic partners such as IBM, HP, and Cisco.
For more information on Logicalis Healthcare Solutions: http://www. us. logicalis. com/healthcare-it (http://www. us. logicalis. com/healthcare-it)

Logicalis has annualized revenues in excess of $1 billion, from operations in the UK, US, Germany and Latin America. Logicalis is a division of Datatec Limited (LSE/JSE:DTC), a $4 billion multi-national organization listed on the AIM market of the LSE and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. With more than 30 offices in the United States, the company's U. S. headquarters are in Bloomfield Hills, MI. For more information about the Logicalis experience, visit www. us. logicalis. com.

About HIMSS

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is the healthcare industry's membership organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded in 1961, with offices in Chicago, Washington D. C., Brussels, and other locations across the United States and Europe, HIMSS represents more than 20,000 individual members and more than 300 corporate members that collectively represent organizations employing millions of people. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational and professional development initiatives designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to ensuring quality patient care.

About FCCC

Fox Chase Cancer Center is one of the leading cancer research and treatment centers in the United States. Founded in Philadelphia in 1904, as one of the nation's first cancer hospitals, Fox Chase was also among the first institutions to be designated a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center in 1974. Today, Fox Chase conducts a broad array of nationally competitive basic, translational, and clinical research, with special programs in cancer prevention, detection, survivorship, and community outreach.

About University Hospital

University Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital that receives no local funding. With 581 licensed beds, this acute care hospital serves a 25-county region in Georgia and South Carolina and continues to lead area hospitals in market share. Their medical staff of independent primary care physicians and specialists who practice at University provide everything from routine preventive and diagnostic care to comprehensive cardiovascular and oncology services, and so much more. Since 1999, University has been named the Consumer Choice Award winner for overall quality and image. The Consumer Choice Award is based on an independent survey of consumers conducted by National Research Corporation to recognize the most preferred hospitals in metropolitan areas across the country.

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U. S. Preventive Medicine®, Greenbrier Clinic Sign Agreement to Deliver Preventive Medicine Services

U. S. Preventive Medicine®, Greenbrier Clinic Sign Agreement to Deliver Preventive Medicine Services

Greenbrier Clinic Joins The Global Prevention Network™

Dallas/W. Va. (Vocus) June 2, 2010

U. S. Preventive Medicine®, the leader in disease prevention services, has announced that Greenbrier Clinic has signed a participation agreement with the company to become a worldwide referral partner for members of The Prevention Plan™ seeking executive health, preventive medicine interventions and specialty follow-up care.

Under the agreement, Greenbrier Clinic will become a participant in The Global Prevention Network™, a select group of preeminent health care institutions with recognized research, preventive services and executive health programs in the U. S. and internationally. Affiliates in The Global Prevention Network enable U. S. Preventive Medicine to provide both national and global prevention solutions for individuals, employers, and government entities, and serve as educational partners in U. S. Preventive Medicine’s international outreach efforts.

Located in the West Virginia wing of the renowned Greenbrier Resort and Conference Center, the Greenbrier Clinic was formed in 1948 by progressive business leaders who understood that healthy executives are the cornerstones of healthy corporations. The clinic combines a relaxing environment with unparalleled diagnostic evaluation and care.

"U. S. Preventive Medicine is committed to providing our members with access to the most respected health care institutions around the globe. With a rich history that began in 1778 with its White Sulphur Springs, the Greenbrier has embodied the concept of wellness for over 230 years. Today, the Clinic offers the most advanced diagnostic equipment and expertise available. The Greenbrier Clinic will be a strong addition to our growing network of distinguished preventive and specialized care affiliates,” said Christopher Fey, Chairman and CEO of U. S. Preventive Medicine.

“The Greenbrier Clinic, this country's pioneer of preventive medicine, is very excited to affiliate with U. S Preventive Medicine. Since inception in 1948 our medical staff has always advocated the importance of preventive medicine and impact this has on longevity. Many major corporations, government dignitaries, professional sports figures and celebrities have frequented the clinic over the past 62 years," said H. Ed Jones, Administrator of Greenbrier Clinic. “Historically, most of our established patients return every year for their annual evaluation. Our oldest patient has never missed his annual health evaluation in 55 years,” said H. Ed Jones.

The Global Prevention Network provides The Prevention Plan members concierge service directly to the finest health systems in the world for executive health, early disease detection assessments through advanced diagnostic technology, and specialized follow up care. Other network affiliates include the Cleveland Clinic FL, Mayo Clinic FL, Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Scripps Health, American Hospital in Paris and Parkway Health in Singapore.

U. S. Preventive Medicine pioneered The Prevention Plan™ product suite to address the growing health care needs nationwide and internationally. From wellness and chronic care management to The Prevention Plan Prime for seniors, The Prevention Plan offers a comprehensive suite of tools across the entire preventive health care continuum.

Other proprietary innovations include the: 1) Prevention Score™, a tool that tracks an individual’s prevention efforts and key health indicators throughout the year; 2) ROI Calculator that integrates comprehensive national data analytics with a company’s specific information to predict how much the organization can save over time with The Prevention Plan products; and 3) ROI Guarantee to offer clients a reassurance agreement that defined goals will be realized.

About U. S. Preventive Medicine
U. S. Preventive Medicine® is leading a global preventive health movement focused on saving lives and money by keeping people healthy and better managing chronic conditions before they progress. The company provides an integrated continuum of prevention programs—primary, secondary and tertiary—that are based on the clinical science of preventive medicine. The Prevention Plan™, the world’s first preventive health benefit, moves beyond traditional wellness to identify each individual’s top health risks and design a customized plan of action supported 24/7 by nurse coaches. The company is accredited in wellness and health promotion by NCQA and disease management by URAC.

About Greenbrier Clinic
The Greenbrier Clinic’s state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment assures maximum comfort and safety to patients as well as accurate, early diagnosis of medical issues. The medical staff fosters a personal relationship with patients, which builds trust and enhances patients’ understanding of their health. The Clinic’s emphasis on preventive health counseling encourages healthy people to safeguard their most valuable asset, which benefits both the individual and his or her employer. Visitors can enjoy all of the resort's luxurious amenities, including three championship golf courses, tennis facilities, the Greenbrier Spa, and the superb Greenbrier cuisine.

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Energize Your Managers This Summer To Do More With Less

Energize Your Managers This Summer To Do More With Less

Seasoned veterans share their secrets and techniques in BridgeFront's new educational series.

Portland, OR (PRWEB) July 20, 2010

BridgeFront, an online education firm, announces Tuesday its newly released Leadership Development and Managerial Skills educational training courses. Courses include topics such as coaching, generational differences, performance issues, delegation and harassment in the workplace. BridgeFront's comprehensive leadership library is designed to boost organizational leadership skills and competencies, allowing management to achieve more-with-less resources.

"I just finished my training yesterday and thought it was one of the most interesting and informative training I’ve had in quite awhile," said Cheryl Sherlock of Kaiser Permanente. "It kept my interest and gave me a fantastic outlook on the processes I need to understand."

Over the past six months, top experts have joined BridgeFront to author its newly released leadership and management skills library. One of the course authors is Gaylyn Sher-Jan, the founder and President of OnCourse Group, Inc., an innovative management and human capital consulting firm.

"Behind every good leader is a foundation of skills they have worked to develop and hone," says Gaylyn Sher-Jan, who has coaching executives for the past 12 years. "We are making those skills simple to understand, practice, and adopt so every person in a leadership position and their organization can benefit."

In addition to its leadership education, BridgeFront encourages organizations to consider its 'Communication with Customers' library. This library offers 15 online courses on everything from how to handle the irate customer, to listening and questioning techniques. Organizations can choose from the entry level or intermediate level courses that range in length from a quick 30 to 45 minutes.

"Effective communication with customers and employees is an essential skill for all managers," says Kent Lane, COO of BridgeFront. "That's why we encourage organizations to begin with our communication skills courses. After these foundational skills are accomplished, then management can focus on developing competencies in other leadership skills like performance management and task delegation."

A sample demonstration course from our leadership skills library is available from the BridgeFront. com web site. These courses include engaging audio, scenario-based review questions, a post-test, a 'Certificate of Mastery,' and extensive administrative monitoring features. BridgeFront's courses are accessible online for a full year.

For more information, visit http://www. BridgeFront. com/solutions_education_leadership. php (http://www. BridgeFront. com/solutions_education_leadership. php) or call (866) 447-2211.

About BridgeFront:
Rated as a top-tier provider by its clients, BridgeFront delivers online education to healthcare, government, business and education - large and small. A reliable hosted learning management system allows organizations to take skill-building courses as-is, to modify courses or design their own. Helping organizations build competencies in compliance, the revenue cycle, nursing and customer service communications - BridgeFront stands a leader in responsiveness and service.

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The Heat Is On - Free Fitness Phone Coaching Offer!

The Heat Is On - Free Fitness Phone Coaching Offer!

Master Fitness by Phone Coach, Kathleen Pileggi or Lansdale, PA offers free coaching sessions with purchase of a Caltrac, and provides tips for exercising in hot weather.

(PRWEB) July 11, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For Information Contact: Kathleen Pileggi

215-588-6701

The Heat Is On - Free Fitness Phone Coaching Offer!

(PRWEB) July, 2003 -- Kathleen Pileggi, of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, a Master Fitness by Phone(r) Coach and ACE (American Council on Exercise) certified Personal Trainer is offering two Free coaching sessions with purchase of a Caltrac accelerometer (a pager-like device that accurately measures calories burned during activity) to the first five people who contact her. This device is used as part of her fitness phone coaching program.

And, if you do not see the value in using this motivation tool after the two sessions, she will happily refund your purchase. Experience what it is like to get instant feedback from your exercise efforts. Your new body is just a phone call away.

Now, here are some "heat" tips to safely exercise in the warmer weather and to avoid heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and lung damage from pollution.

Don't exercise during the hottest part of the day (between 10am and 2pm). Early morning and early evening are best.

Don't perform a strenuous water workout in a heated pool during the summer. You can dehydrate and overheat even though you're in water. And yes, you do need to rehydrate after a water workout.

Don't continue to exercise if you are dizzy, faint or nauseous. These can signal heat exhaustion, which if not heeded can turn to a more serious condition of heat stroke. Rest in the shade and drink water.

Don't exercise when the air pollution index is high in order to prevent damage to your lungs. Check your local paper for a health advisory. 

The heat is on - enjoy!

Pileggi offers a novel phone coaching program that is guaranteed to get clients motivated and committed to an exercise program and get results. She offers a 100% Money-Back Guarantee within the first 6 weeks!

Ms. Pileggi is the "Alive & Well" WNPV fitness expert, offers talks on motivation and fitness, and welcomes all questions from the media or the general public.

You can contact her by telephone at 215-588-6701, via e-mail at kpileggi@earthlink. net, or by fax at 215-855-0525. Visit the Fitness by Phone(r) website at www. fitnessbyphone. com.

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Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide How to Keep your Teeth or Live Without Them

Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide How to Keep your Teeth or Live Without Them

Saundra Goodman announces the release of Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide. Got Teeth? is a guide for healthy living and achieving a beautiful smile, even with replacement teeth. It illustrates the importance of the mouth/body connection and good oral health for our overall well-being.

Daytona Beach, FL (PRWEB) August 10, 2007

Saundra Goodman announces the release of Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide. Got Teeth? is a guide for healthy living and achieving a beautiful smile, even with replacement teeth. It illustrates the importance of the mouth/body connection and good oral health for our overall well-being.

As with most chronic diseases, periodontal disease does not just affect your mouth. Poor oral health can cause bad eating habits and is as related to obesity as it is to diabetes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, pre-term low-birth weight babies, and many other diseases. Osteoporosis has been linked to periodontal disease as people approach middle age and bone density loss begins.

Got Teeth? is also a first person perspective about the trauma of losing one's teeth. Along the way, Saundra sprinkles bits of wisdom - and humor - combining to make a very comfortable reading experience about a very uncomfortable subject. "Why don't we know these things BEFORE we're faced with tooth loss?" she asks. "BECAUSE NOBODY TALKS ABOUT IT" All the childhood experiences, myths, fears, and realities meld into a chronic denial about the state of our oral health.

Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide is well-researched, packed with teeth-saving tips, real dental experiences, fears, social stigmas, insurance facts, notes and quotes by dental professionals, and good old-fashioned humor.

"Got Teeth?" by Saundra Goodman is a must read for anybody facing the prospect of undergoing periodontal therapy in order to save their teeth. She has provided a very entertaining road to achieving a healthy goal and along the way dispels fearful myths and legends. She has a wonderful ability to create excitement and reduce anxiety. It was my pleasure to read this book and I recommend it." Raymond A. Kenzik, DDS, Ormond Beach, Florida.

Visit the web site: www. gotteethguide. com
Got Teeth? A Survivor's Guide is available at amazon. com
Paperback: 220 pages Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, LLC (April 11, 2007) Language: English ISBN-10: 1598582992 ISBN-13: 978-1598582994

About the Author:

Saundra Goodman was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and moved with her family to Los Angeles, California, where she attended Hollywood High School. She worked in various industries, including 15 years as an assistant to independent producers in the television industry and in the NBC Movie and Mini-Series Department. Currently living in Daytona Beach, Florida, Saundra works in the marketing field. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida in 2002. Saundra is an informed dental patient and a consumer expert.

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THE COPY BUSINESS a novel by DON HARGREAVES Current Developments in Genetics Leading to Human Cloning Have an Impact on the Lives of Everyone

THE COPY BUSINESS a novel by DON HARGREAVES Current Developments in Genetics Leading to Human Cloning Have an Impact on the Lives of Everyone

The recent decision by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to allow the creation of 'designer babies' in certain circumstances is bound to increase public debate and bitter controversy. 'The Copy Business', a novel, just released, written by Don Hargreaves entertains and informs on a serious subject in an entertaining way promoting interest, discussion and understanding. The book is not science fiction.

(PRWEB) August 1, 2004

Following the recent decision made by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to allow the creation of ‘designer babies’ to help seriously ill siblings, the Media is buzzing with information, views and opinions.

Cloning can be good news or bad news depending on your point of view. Those in favour see the benefits in terms of health, well being, and the possibility of being able to increase the mental and physical attributes of human beings. Those against advance strong social, religious, ethical arguments demanding that genetic research into cloning should be severely limited and controlled, if not totally banned.

Don Hargreaves in his thrilling new novel, ‘The Copy Business’, brings these arguments out into the open. Though the subject is serious, the book is entertaining. The story revolves around Government suppression of genetic research, which in consequence is driven underground. A situation is thereby created similar to that under Prohibition in the USA, and the current drug scene. The demand remains, and criminals step in to fill the gap. Result, - murder, blackmail, arson, corruption, and big profits for the barons of underworld.

Putting the word ‘cloning’ into an Internet Search Engine on Friday 23 July 2004 produced 2,500,000 web pages of information. Public concern and interest in genetics, especially where the end result is human cloning, is already considerable and growing daily, as is the desire for more information on all aspects. ‘The Copy Business’, a sensible, non-technical novel informs in an entertaining way, and will help to promote interest, discussion and understanding.

The author is a retired businessman living in Spain.

Published by – www. trafford. com

Available at - www. amazon. com

The Author  - www. donhargreaves. com

WDH

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Fall NYC Conference Highlights Mom Business Owners

Fall NYC Conference Highlights Mom Business Owners

The first Super Mom Entrepreneur Conference and Expo kicks off in New York City, with plans to make super moms into super mom entrepreneurs nationwide.

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 25, 2010

On October 30th, 2010, hundreds of moms will converge upon the Big Apple to learn how to turn their Small Business into Big Business at the Super Mom Entrepreneur Conference & Expo being held at the New Yorker Hotel. Organizers Heather Lopez of Happy Healthy Mom and Lucinda Cross of Corporate Mom Dropouts have teamed up to bring together some of the most influential and powerful authorities in business for moms, in order to show moms from all walks of life how to realize their potential to become “Super Mom Entrepreneurs.”

Lopez and Cross shaped this year’s conference theme – Building Economic Futures and Creating Financial Stability - to encourage all mom idealists, mom creators and newbies in business to discover their unique and authentic purpose, create their economic futures and create a lifestyle business they love, while supporting their family in all sects. This call to action will be delivered by a world-class roster of more than 20 newsmakers and expert leaders. According to Heather Lopez, “Many conferences targeted at women, do not take into account the unique needs and strengths of moms. It is not easy to build a business with children underfoot and our conference intends to help educate and support moms to find their path to success without compromising their ability to be good parents.”

Program highlights for the conference include:
· Keynotes by Savor The Success’ Angela Jia Kim, Count Me In/ Make Mine a Million’s Nell Merlino, and Mompreneurs® Online’s Ellen Parlapiano.
· 16 workshops designed to teach moms how to start, build, & grow their businesses, led by powerful speakers such as, the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur Mike Michalowicz, the Entreprenette Sarah Shaw, Self Made Millionaire Bonnie Marcus of the Bonnie Marcus Collection, Mom Corps CEO Allison O’Kelly and more.
· A B2B & Mom2Mom Expo allowing both the opportunity for moms to highlight their own businesses and for moms to access products and services to grow their businesses.
· Numerous networking opportunities, including a pre-conference networking mixer on Friday night, designed to build lasting connections and support between attendees.
· An Awards & Grant Cocktail Hour, featuring the announcement of the winner of the Super Mom Entrepreneur Fund grant, a small grant designed to help a mom start or expand her business.
In response to the surging popularity of Moms in Business and the demand for a conference in the heart of NY Empire State, organizers have taken a number of steps to expand the conference’s reach and make it accessible to moms in the tri-state area and throughout North America. In an effort to give more mothers an opportunity to experience the inspirational and transforming event, conference speakers and mom entrepreneurs Mindee Doney and Julie Pickens, the co-inventors of Boogie Wipes, are offering an all expenses paid trip to one lucky mom entrepreneur. All interested moms, whether they have a successful business, are a new start-up, or are thinking of starting a business down the road, are eligible to enter. To be considered, visit the Boogie Moms' blog, www. thebusinessofbeingamom. com, between July 1st and September 1st, fill out the form and tell them a bit about your business or business idea, your goals, and how the Super Mom Entrepreneur conference would benefit you. The winner will be chosen by The Boogie Moms and will receive an all expenses paid trip, including airfare to the conference (from anywhere in the Continental US or Canada), lodging for two nights, conference registration fees, and two hours of business consulting time with Mindee and Julie, The Boogie Moms.

The Super Mom Entrepreneur Conference & Expo has already garnered the support of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and is looking for support from various sponsors and exhibitors who also believe in supporting moms in business and who understand the household purchasing power moms possess. Limited volunteer positions are available, with preference given to moms who can not afford to purchase a ticket. Official conference registration began on July 15th, 2010.

For more information about The Super Mom Entrepreneur Conference & Expo 2010, visit www. supermompreneur. com.

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Eriksen Translations Provides Urgent Medical Translations for Public Use in Haitian Relief Efforts

Eriksen Translations Provides Urgent Medical Translations for Public Use in Haitian Relief Efforts

Eriksen Translations Inc. is partnering with Carnegie Mellon University to provide translations of critical medical phrases for the relief efforts in Haiti.

Brooklyn, NY (PRWEB) January 27, 2010

Eriksen Translations (http://www. eriksen. com), a leading language services provider, is working together with the Language Technologies Institute (LTI) of Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science (CMU SCS) to make urgently needed translations of medical triage and treatment phrases available to relief organizations in Haiti. 1,600 phrases in English and Haitian-Creole have been released and are available with limited restrictions at http://www. speech. cs. cmu. edu/haitian/ (http://www. speech. cs. cmu. edu/haitian/). Already being used by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, the terms that Eriksen's linguists translated consist of questions and answers that are part of any medical providers basic interactions with a patient from first contact to simple instructions on what to do after being treated.

"When Jeff Allen, the former lead linguist of the original Haitian Creole DIPLOMAT project at CMU's LTI/Center for Machine Translation, put out a call for help with this project after the earthquake, we responded immediately. Thanks to our extensive work with government (http://www. eriksen. com/Industries/Government. aspx) and healthcare (http://www. eriksen. com/Industries/HealthCare. aspx) organizations serving the Haitian population here in New York, we had the linguists and the process in place to be of service right away," said Vigdis Eriksen, president and CEO of Eriksen Translations. "The wonderful thing about the Carnegie Mellon project is that we are both attending to the immediate need for simple phrases and providing sector-specific customization for a machine translation database that will be utilized for language technology applications that are being developed."

Eriksen's translations are augmenting data that was collected by CMU over a decade ago for the only fully functional speech-to-speech Haitian-Creole system in existence, a part of the NESPOLE! translation project, which was jointly funded by the US National Science Foundation and the European Commission fifth research framework. LTI is providing the speech and text data with minimal restrictions in order to allow others to develop language technology for Haiti, in parallel with their own efforts to help with this crisis. Data is being published to the website on an ongoing basis as it is completed, in order to be of use to organizations as quickly as possible.

About Eriksen Translations Inc.
Eriksen Translations Inc. is a comprehensive provider of multilingual services in over 100 languages including translation, interpreting, typesetting, project management, Web localization, and cultural consulting. Founded in 1986, Eriksen helps organizations in a broad range of industries excel across print, desktop, and Web environments in the domestic and global marketplace. For more information, please visit www. eriksen. com.

About Carnegie Mellon University's Language Technologies Institute
The Language Technologies Institute (LTI) at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) conducts extensive research on computational linguistics, machine translation, speech recognition and synthesis, information retrieval, computational biology, machine learning, text mining, knowledge representation, computer-assisted language learning, and intelligent language tutoring. For more information, please visit www. lti. cs. cmu. edu/ (http://www. lti. cs. cmu. edu/).

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WestEd Named One of the Best Places to Work in Bay Area

WestEd Named One of the Best Places to Work in Bay Area

WestEd has been named one of the Best Places to Work in the Greater Bay Area. The award recognizes the agency's achievements in creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains high-quality staff.

(PRWEB) April 10, 2005

WestEd, a nonprofit research, development, and service agency, has been selected as one of the top 100 Best Places to Work in the Greater Bay Area in 2005 by the San Francisco Business Times, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, and Deloitte. This is the second consecutive year that WestEd has been so honored. The prestigious award recognizes that the agency attracts, retains, and engages high-quality employees through positive working conditions, benefits, and corporate culture.

“I am pleased and honored that WestEd has again been recognized as an outstanding place to work,” says Glen H. Harvey, WestEd’s Chief Executive Officer. “To meet our organization’s goals delivering high-quality work that makes an impact on education and human development requires exceptional commitment by a highly-talented staff. We recognize our employees’ talents and contributions by offering good benefits, implementing sound but flexible policies, and fostering supportive working conditions. WestEd’s organizational culture rewards creativity, hard work, collaboration, and mutual respect.”

This yearÂ’s awards program for the Bay Area attracted about 400 entries. Nonprofit organizations contended with for-profit corporations in this year's competition, making WestEd's high ranking an even more significant achievement.

Companies were evaluated on two types of information gathered. First, each company completed a questionnaire about their retirement plans, health insurance, performance-based reviews, employee training, tuition and transportation reimbursement, management communication with employees, and other benefits and policies.

All Bay Area-based employees of participating companies were then given an opportunity to respond online and anonymously to questions about the company. Employees responded to questions addressing pride in the company; whether and how the company encourages, supports, and recognizes achievement; open communications; fairness of compensation; and relationships with coworkers and immediate supervisors. To be eligible for the Best Places to Work list, at least 50 percent of a companyÂ’s employees had to respond to the survey. Thousands of employees took part in the survey, and their responses carried more than 60% of the weight in the final tally of scores.

"Even in the most challenging times, there were some companies that never took their eyes off the importance of investing in their most valuable assets — the ones that walk out the door at 5 o'clock (or later) every evening,” says Mary Huss, Publisher of the San Francisco Business Times. "These companies know that an engaged workforce is a productive workforce, and ultimately that has a positive impact on the bottom line. [They] exemplify why the Bay Area is such an outstanding and sought-after place to live and work."

About WestEd

WestEd, a national nonprofit research, development, and service agency, works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults. WestEd has 16 offices nationwide, from Washington and Boston to Arizona and California. Its corporate headquarters are in San Francisco. More information about WestEd is available at WestEd. org.

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Global Costume Jewelry Market to Reach US$21.1 Billion By 2010, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc

Global Costume Jewelry Market to Reach US$21.1 Billion By 2010, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

World costume jewelry market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 4.63% to reach US$21.1 billion by the year 2010. The market is highly volatile and is characterized by rapidly changing fashion trends and consumer preferences for style, and design. Product lifecycles are shorter with capricious consumer tastes and preferences resulting in quick product model obsolesce. Fashion fads and trends have a profound influence on various types of costume jewelry.

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) March 5, 2008

World costume jewelry market stands enthused by the increasing emphasis laid down by consumers on fashion and style. Demand for costume jewelry and fashion accessories, such as, rings, earrings, bracelets, bangles, lockets, and brooches, is waxing at a healthy pace, driven largely by consumer preference for affordable, yet fashionable jewelry. Costume jewelry has tailored looks and styles borrowed from fine jewelry. However, updated impressions of these are needed to supplement and accessorize the latest apparel from couture houses and the fashion industry. Fashions in costume jewelry are generally reflected in the ready-to-wear apparel and accessories industry.

Given the relative inexpensiveness and affordability of costume jewelry, purchases are predominantly impulsive especially for the younger generation. Designing of costume jewelry is closely in line with the apparel market. Strong economic development in developing countries, rise in GDP, standards of living, and disposable incomes, are all factors fuelling the market's growth. Growing sophistication of consumer tastes in the developed markets is fingered as a key reason for sales gain in these markets. Design innovations from manufacturers and fashion designers are helping attract fashion-savvy consumers. Unique designs, durability, and high quality are all variables for product success in the marketplace.

Costume jewelry market (http://www. strategyr. com/Jewelry_Costume_Market_Report. asp) worldwide is dominated by the United States with an estimated 32.49% share in the year 2007, as stated by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. Asia-Pacific represents the fastest growing market, mirroring a projected CAGR of 6.93% over the period 2000 to 2010. In the Necklaces, bracelets & chains (http://www. strategyr. com/Jewelry_Costume_Market_Report. asp) market, sales are forecast to rise by US$3,853 million between the period 2007 to 2015. Global sales of Brooches, Pendants & Pins (http://www. strategyr. com/Jewelry_Costume_Market_Report. asp) are projected to reach US$2.0 billion by the year 2015. Ear Rings (http://www. strategyr. com/Jewelry_Costume_Market_Report. asp) market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to grow at a robust CAGR of 9.52% over the 2011 to 2015 period.

Leading players operating in the global costume jewelry market include Avon Products Inc, Adrian Buckley Jewellery, DCK Concessions Ltd, H. Stern Com. & Ind. S. A, K&M Associates, The Colibri Group, Roman Research Inc., and Swank Inc.

The report titled "Jewelry, Costume: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides incisive insights into the emerging and dominating trends in the fashion jewelry market. The study provides updates on 'What's in' in the costume jewelry market in terms of design and fashion appeal, in addition to identifying and discussing factors propelling growth, factors affecting consumer buying decisions, and issues impacting the industry. The report profiles leading players operating in the global and regional markets. Latent demand patterns in product markets, such as, Ear Rings, Necklaces, Bracelets & Chain, Rings, Brooches, Pendants & Pins, and Cuff Links & Studs, are quantified across major geographic market verticals including the United States, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, among others. Also provided in the report is an enumeration of recent mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic industry activities.

For more details about this research report, please visit http://www. strategyr. com/Jewelry_Costume_Market_Report. asp (http://www. strategyr. com/Jewelry_Costume_Market_Report. asp)

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) (http://www. strategyr. com) is a reputed publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company is globally recognized as one of the world's largest market research publishers. The company employs more than 700 people worldwide and publishes more than 880 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers a range of more than 60,000 smaller research products including company reports, market trend reports and industry reports encompassing all major industries worldwide.

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Telephone 408-528-9966
Fax 408-528-9977
Email press(at)StrategyR. com
Web Site www. StrategyR. com

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