Raleigh Convention Center Blasts Past Goal, Grabs LEED Silver

January 15, 2012 / admin / No comments


Raleigh, N.C. (Vocus) October 28, 2009

Committed to helping customers ‘green’ their meetings, the Raleigh Convention Center (RCC) exceeded its own goals, attaining the Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification. While the award puts the RCC alongside six other U.S. centers that have achieved a degree of LEED certification*, the region’s overall sustainability profile makes it a one-of-a-kind destination.

Says Laurie Okun, the center’s director of marketing, “This is one of many reasons for planners and visitors to think of Raleigh when they think of smarter, greener meetings.”

RCC had originally sought only LEED certification from the United States Green Building Council. LEED certification distinguishes building projects that have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability by meeting the highest performance standards. ?LEED ratings were always part of the consideration, ” says Dan Pruitt, senior project manager with Barnhill Construction. “As we moved forward, we realized we had accumulated enough points to make Silver a reachable goal.”

The LEED effort included promoting an energy-efficient design, recycling building materials, and designating the building as being cigarette smoke-free. The certification process outlines a number of available points awarded for promoting environmentally friendly building concepts. During the design phase, the design team, the construction management team, and City staff began identifying cost-effective measures that earned the project the requisite point totals.

?With good management, these measures offset a lot of costs,? Pruitt says. ?The LEED process requires expending some funds, but there are savings in the long term and it?s a great accomplishment.?

One such cost-saving effort included coordinating the design of the electrical, air conditioning, heating, and building envelope systems to make the center 30 percent more energy-efficient than a normal building would be. Other features included elements aimed at reducing water usage by 20 percent, locating the building in a prime location to maximize use of mass transit, committing the project to recycling at least 50 percent of the construction waste, and purchasing at least 20 percent of the building materials locally.

But RCC is about more than what happens within its very modern walls (http://www.raleighconvention.com). Sustainability initiatives on-going in the City of Raleigh include LED lighting, greening the City?s vehicle fleet, renewable energy projects, rainwater harvesting and public-private collaboration, among others. Researchers at institutions such as NC State University and companies like CREE (the LED pioneer) seek out environmentally-friendly breakthroughs. And as the capital city, Raleigh is home to the state headquarters of groups such as the NC Sustainable Energy Association and the Sierra Club.

“Being one of the few LEED certified convention centers in the country certainly puts us at a competitive advantage when trying to attract conventions and meetings where sustainability is one of the key requirements in the RFP process for the convention center or city,” says Dennis Edwards, CEO and president of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. “This certification adds to the number of positive reasons why Greater Raleigh is a major player in the convention market.”

Adds Okun, ?The certification is a new piece in a bigger picture that includes Research Triangle Park, state government and NC State’s Centennial Campus. With the cutting-edge technology and energy solutions being developed there every day, this certification highlights our commitment to sustainability. We’re in sync with the leading environmental and architectural studies programs at our local academic institutions. And we’re proud to be aligned with the City of Raleigh’s leading sustainable initiatives that include required LEED certification for new and expansion projects.?

For more information, please contact Raleigh Convention Center Director Roger Krupa at 919.996.8505 and visit http://www.raleighconvention.com.


The country’s other six LEED certified convention centers — David L Lawrence Convention Center , Pittsburgh PA: Gold; Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix AZ: Silver; Spokane Convention Center Expansion, Spokane WA : Silver; Portland, Oregon Convention Center Expansion – Oregon Convention Center, Silver; Monona Terrace Convention Center, Madison, WI: Silver; McCormick Place Convention Center West Expansion, Chicago IL : Certified.

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The Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants Blasts China For Its Toxic Drywall & For Being The World’s Largest Counterfeiter

January 11, 2012 / admin / No comments


Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 4, 2010

Americas Watchdog’s Global Piracy and Counterfeiting Consultants have been warning about the potential of a devastating exported disaster from China for years. The group is saying, “it was never a question of if very poorly made Chinese products would kill citizens of other nations, it was really more of a question about how soon. Unlike the Japanese, who take pride in their work product, the Chinese have no such internal barometer. It’s always been about making a buck, about being really cheep, and its always been about greed.” The group says, “while we continue to be extremely worried about China as the world leader in counterfeiting drugs or cigarettes, their toxic Chinese drywall has just floated to the surface of the US housing market punch bowl. Toxic Chinese drywall is going to effect millions of US homeowners and their families in ways that are not yet known–because there is no health data on the effects of exposure to wallboard exported from China to the USA–but it’s going to be really bad.” Last year Americas Watchdog created the Chinese Drywall Complaint Center as a platform to share and gather information about toxic Chinese drywall and/or imported Chinese gypsum, that was then processed by US manufacturers without proper safety testing protocols — Http://ChineseDrywallComplaintCenter.Com.

But the Chinese are taking over the world–right? Wrong. The Global Piracy and Counterfeiting Consultants are saying, “toxic Chinese drywall is going to be a deal killer for most US consumers. Made in China is about to a become radioactive brand for the average US citizen, and in all likelihood, this sentiment will become a virus that will effect most of the industrialized world.” Translation: China is about to get cooked as a major US trading partner, and they can be replaced by India, or other up and coming nations or regions. The group is saying, “toxic imported Chinese drywall/gypsum-dumped in US ports is going to be the last straw in what has been one US consumer disaster after another, when it comes to Chinese-made products.” Http://GP-CC.Com

President Obama is all over this toxic Chinese drywall issue? Wrong. The Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants are saying,”when the average US consumer begins to understand how poorly the Obama Administration has responded to the US toxic Chinese drywall disaster, he will be a one-term wonder as a US President. He will also be the last US President that will ever bow to a Chinese official.” The group is saying, “President Obama and his absolutely pathetic US Consumer Products Safety Commission have yet to recall one sheet of toxic Chinese drywall, and to our knowledge President Obama has yet to address this US homeowner disaster one time–even though its been in the US news everyday for a year. Change–this is not what US voters thought they were getting.”

What are the indicators on toxic Chinese drywall? According to the Chinese Drywall Complaint Center,”indicators of toxic Chinese drywall include homeowners with failed, or degraded electrical systems, or repeated air conditioning coil failures, combined with homeowners, or their family members experiencing upper respiratory issues, nose bleeds, severe headaches, and other severe medical issues.” The group says,”the worst symptoms appear to be in the extreme US Southeast-we think because of extreme humidity, combined with high heat. However, we are now beginning to discover toxic drywall on the US West Coast & Mid West. We fear when its all said & done- toxic Chinese drywall will be discovered in all 50 US States, and has the potential of effecting hundreds of thousands of US homes, if not more.” The time lines for imported toxic Chinese drywall are 2001-to-early 2009. The real PR problem for China begins when the health effects related to exposure are known by US citizens, and homeowners. Http://ChinesedrywallComplaintCenter.Com

Were the Chinese counterfeiting drywall products & then exporting this building product to the US? The Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants says, “we fear yes. We and others have discovered Chinese drywall that says made in the USA, with phoney fire rating codes on the wallboard. We have also discovered blank drywall with nothing written on it at all—called blanks—-this came from China as well.”

So where do we go from here? The Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants is saying, “if China has no concerns about the quality of its products, or the fact that they are the largest counterfeiter in the world–we should cut a deal with India that has teeth. Teeth includes stiff penalties for counterfeiting, re-engineering of patented products, theft of intellectual property, etc.” The group is saying, “the plus side of an India that eclipses China as one of our most important trading partners is we also get a friend that will back the US and its allies, when it comes to the lunatics who currently lead Iran, or other rouge nations, or states. China can become BFF’s with Cuba, Venezuela, Sudan, Iran, and North Korea-Who needs China after this?.” For more information please contact the Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants at Http://GP-CC.Com

According to the Global Piracy & Counterfeiting Consultants, “aside from the fact that Chinese unbridled greed will effect untold hundreds of thousands of US homeowners & their children, the Chinese actually slaughter themselves with their counterfeits or knock off’s all the time. They just won’t bother to tell their citizens the truth. With friends like China-who needs an enemy?”

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French Connection Launches Ladieswear Spring Summer 2010

January 7, 2012 / admin / No comments

London, UK (PRWEB) February 7, 2010

French Connection launches Spring Summer 10 collection, full of colour, shine and all things fine. It’s a tale of two style tribes – 50′s teen rockabilly’s hop amongst punks from the 80′s, the clash is evident on both proportions and tailoring giving a new 50′s slant with graphic florals creating a softer, vintage backdrop.

The spring summer style (http://www.frenchconnection.com/category/womens+Trousers/Trousers.htm ) collection sits like a back-to-school pencil case full of Caran d`Ache coloured hues – everything fresh and exciting ready for its first outing. The mix of casual to formal pieces is even, endorsing the freedom of creating an individual style with a juxtaposition of clean cut lines with softer silhouettes in fluid fabrics.

Bold electric blue blazers are worn oversized with contrasting purple lining over neon Hawaiian floral dresses (http://www.frenchconnection.com/category/womens+Dresses/Dresses.htm ) and exposed zips. The double-breast blazer dress with bold gold buttons gives a nod to the 50′s whilst providing a take on an 80′s classic. Bold retro prints in deep jewel colours are mixed with fluro brights on high shine batwing dresses.

Trousers (http://www.frenchconnection.com/category/womens+Trousers/Trousers.htm ) are a contrast of silhouettes – sharp cigarette pants in black, neon Hawaiian print or electric blue, are given gold zip detailing on the waist and ankle, to be worn with oversized shirts or bustier tops – Sandra Dee style. Pleated harem trousers in soft to touch fabrics feature throughout the range in muted tones of beige and black – contrasted with striped or draped vests. 50′s rain Macs are updated in bold blue with gold branded buttons, which can be worn cropped and oversized for a more relaxed feel.

Knitwear is playful, with multi coloured liquorice Allsort stripes in short sleeve jumpers and body con skirts (http://www.frenchconnection.com/category/womens+Skirts/Skirts+Shorts.htm ) – and a hero piece knitted dress with batwing sleeve detail.

French Connection iconic embellished dresses and mini skirts have moved on to incorporate more intricate, eclectic designs in acid brights. Fluorescent vintage floral prints adorn high waisted skirts, peplum detailed dresses, pinafores and bustiers – set against black to give them a rock’n'roll edge. Formal, muted pieces create a subtle backdrop to the brash range with colonial inspired pieces including silk all-in-one jumpsuits, cropped front pleat blazers and belted shirt dresses – all in a soft pebble tone.

A capsule range of monochrome pieces create easy to wear, chic style. Black silk dresses are given sheer shoulder and back cut out detailing; a full length black high shine maxi dress exudes Grecian chic, with a block colour dress with back zip detailing offering a stylish alternative to classic work wear.

Shoulders are still exaggerated but given softer detailing with contrast colour ruffles on dresses, t-shirts and tops. As spring turns into summer the collection evolves into clean 90′s inspired lines mixed with 50′s beachwear and retro Hawaiian florals on hot pants and cut out detail dresses.

It’s like a washed out photograph from a 50′s vacation in Hawaii gets discovered in the 80′s and inspires a collection where fashion means business but also lots of fun.

About French Connection

French Connection was founded in 1972 by Stephen Marks who set out to create well-designed womens clothing (http://www.frenchconnection.com/ ) that would appeal to a wide audience. French Connection now offers a fashion-forward clothing range with a quirky spin on design, priding itself on quality and affordable prices.

Having established a strong core clothing business, through design and an idiosyncratic sense of style, French Connection has recently expanded its portfolio into exciting new areas including men’s and women’s toiletries, sunglasses, watches and shoes.

Driven by innovation and change, the brand’s strength lies in mixing new ideas with the basic promise of quality and affordability, established more than 30 years ago when the business was founded. Throughout this expansion and diversification the principles have remained the same; design-led products presented in a unique and innovative way.

PR Contact:

Tobie Lewis

French Connection

Centro One

39 Camden Street

London

NW1 ODX

0207 036 7274

http://www.frenchconnection.com

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Electric Cigarettes Deliver Nicotine Satisfaction without Smoky Haze and Harmful Toxins

January 4, 2012 / admin / No comments

Rochester, IN (PRWEB) February 17, 2010

It may look like an ordinary cigarette, but don’t be fooled by the familiar weight and shape between your fingers, the same smooth satisfaction upon inhalation.

NJoy e-cigarettes are a revolutionary alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes, which contain potentially harmful toxins and chemicals; and allow smokers to alleviate their nicotine cravings without guilt.

Making its debut this month, http://www.SafeTobaccoProduct.com is an online haven for smokers who struggle with thoughts or realities of the health risks, social hindrances and economic problems associated with cigarette and cigar smoking. Here they are welcomed by an informational awakening, a refreshing perspective, on smoking with the introduction of NJoy.

Each package contains five cartridges, which individually provide a continual source of nicotine for up to one week, depending on the frequency of the smoker. When the cartridge is low, the battery-operated cigarette will flicker to inform you that the filter needs to be changed or the battery needs to be charged. The cigarettes produce no smoke – just an odorless vapor that dissipates in seconds – require no flame and eliminate side effects such as yellow teeth and wrinkles.

“You can smoke NJoy anywhere, restaurants, doctors’ offices, airplanes; it’s even suitable to use around asthmatics and children. Just start puffing to trigger the nicotine release,” said Phyllis Clemans, Web site founder.

Clemans’ fascination for NJoy began when her husband, Robert, was told he was on the verge of lung surgery due to his prolonged term as a smoker. This grim news inspired him to cut back on his habit right away and inevitably led him to NJoy, which allows him to satisfy his nicotine addiction without the health risks. Clemans’ admiration is now additionally a heart-felt gratitude.

To learn more about the many benefits of this revolutionary product, shoppers are encouraged to visit the Web site’s newly formulated blog. This interactive tool,

http://www.SafeTobaccoProductBlog.com, will also be used by Clemans to discuss her husband’s health and experiences with NJoy.

Stop struggling to quit and start smoking right!

About the Company:

SafeTobaccoProduct.com is owned and operated by Phyllis Clemans.

Phyllis Clemans

http://www.SafeTobaccoProduct.com

(574) 835-2903

iePlexus, Inc.

http://www.iePlexus.com

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Look Who?s Talking: New Communications Tower at Hacienda Matapalo Emphasizes Industry Growth in Costa Rica

December 31, 2011 / admin / No comments


Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) February 23, 2010

A new communications tower on the Hacienda Matapalo site not only emphasizes Costa Rica’s technology growth, but will benefit future residents of the property, handling both cellular phone calls and wireless Internet.

¿Puede usted ahora oírme?

Perhaps if you asked that question a few years ago, the answer would be a resounding and crackling ?No.? But, for future residents of Hacienda Matapalo the answer to ?Can you hear me now?? will be a loud and clear ?Si!? as a new communications tower was recently installed on the property.

In recent years communications in Costa Rica have undergone tremendous changes, and the transformation has been for the better. Sparked by the country?s technological growth and advancements, cell phone reception has improved as the demand for more phones has increased. In 2007 cell phone customers surpassed traditional telephone users by nearly 700,000; 1.5 to 1.437 million. Because of the increase, new towers, such as the one erected on the Hacienda Matapalo site, are being installed across the country to meet the demand, especially for 3G services which are now available throughout Costa Rica.

The growth rate has been so explosive, thanks in part to the increase in Americans and Canadians who have purchased real estate in Costa Rica, that in 2009 the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) ? the government agency that had operated and controlled all communications in Costa Rica for many years ? abdicated much of its authority to the newly-formed Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (Sutel), which became responsible for approving and regulating competition in telecommunications.

With a pledge by the Costa Rican government to increase its cell phone coverage and with a single agency no longer having a stronghold over communications, private companies were allowed to come into the market; their competition helping to upgrade the country?s communications infrastructure.

?For those who question the government?s commitment, a simple horseback ride on the trails at Hacienda Matapalo should convince cell phone users otherwise,? said Ed Sklar, Hacienda Matapalo?s chief operations officer. ?There?s nothing quite like receiving a call in a rain forest when civilization seems to be the furthest thing from your mind. This wouldn?t have been possible a few years ago. The new tower will make calls in the area easier to make and receive.?

While the Costa Rica government states on one of their Web sites that only citizens and permanent residents are supposed to own telephones, in reality land lines are easily attainable. All one has to do is show an electric bill in their name to get a land line.

As for cell phones, that?s a little harder, although the privatization of telecommunications is making it easier. Many U.S.-based telephone companies have made arrangements with the Costa Rican government to enable their service to work in Costa Rica and additionally, there are several companies that rent or lease cellular telephones. Most of the major car rental companies also rent cell phones.

Cell phones are not the only technology that is impacting Costa Rica. There are now more than 1.5 million Internet users in the country and because the information age is booming in the land of Pura Vida, high speed Internet is now becoming commonplace. While Quepos has had high speed DSL for some time, ICE has begun expanding its broadband coverage southward across the Southern Pacific Coast, and the coverage area includes Hacienda Matapalo. According to CNN en Español, The Latin Business Chronicle ranks Costa Rica as second highest Latin American country in technological advancements due to their high Internet penetration. The new communications tower at Hacienda Matapalo handles Internet surfing for Wi-Fi users. Internet service in Costa Rica is provided by several companies, both public and private. For a list of companies and their Web sites, visit http://haciendamatapalo.com/communications.htm.

Cost

The cost of maintaining a DSL Internet line in Costa Rica is about $ 38 USD a month. While the fee can vary depending on which Internet service provider is used, phone service in Costa Rica is not only consistent, but reliable and inexpensive. Home phone service averages about $ 3.80 USD a month based on 60 minutes of use with additional minutes billed at $ 0.013 each. Monthly cell phone bills can run from $ 10 USD to $ 20 USD depending on usage. However, there is a catch. For those who make a lot of international calls back to the U.S. or Canada, the charges can add up.

Traditionally, long distance rates ran anywhere from $ 0.45 USD to $ 0.90 USD per minute depending on the country being called. But competition is forcing rates to fall and some people have chosen to use callback services that save them money. Once considered illegal because it seemingly defrauded the Costa Rican government of revenue, free trade has enabled some companies to use a technology where U.S. based computers place conference calls between callers and third parties.

Another trend in combating high long distance costs is the advent of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology. Previously blocked in Costa Rica, ICE has begun allowing VoIP which requires broadband connections like DSL to be used in order to make and receive quality calls. While there are many services available, one of the most popular and fastest growing service is Skype, which enables users to make or receive calls from their SkypeIn number from anywhere in the world.

Another VoIP service is magicJack, which allows users to make virtually unlimited calls from their personal computer. For about $ 20 USD a year, users can enjoy having a telephone number with their home area code, and as long as their computer is turned on and they are connected to the Net through a broadband modem, they can receive calls anywhere in the world. The hardware, which is about the size of a cigarette lighter and plugs into a USB port, is ready to use in minutes. ?We use magicJack at our Hacienda Matapalo offices in Costa Rica,? said Keith Blackburn sales associate at the Hacienda Matapalo office in Quepos. ?Features like voicemail and automatic message notification by email come in handy.?

To learn more about Skype and magicJack, visit http://haciendamatapalo.com/communications.htm.

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Magnalight.com Upgrades RCL360 to a 50 Watt HID Remote Controlled HID Spotlight for Marine, Industrial and Military Applications

December 27, 2011 / admin / No comments


Kemp, TX (Vocus) February 24, 2010

Larson Electronics? magnalight.com announced that is now produces the RCL360-HID-RF-M wireless remote controlled spotlight with magnetic base with a 50 watt High Intensity Discharge (HID) ballast and bulb combination. This HID spotlight produces 4500 lumens and creates a bright, white beam that reaches 4,100 feet. Configured with a flood lens, the RCL360-HID-RF-M remote controlled spotlight can cover an area 425 feet wide and 425 feet long. Equipped with 400 pound grip magnetic base, a 16 foot coil cord with cigarette plug and wireless handheld remote control, this remote control spotlight is applicable to the utility, marine and military markets.

?At the moment, the RCL360-HID-RF-M is the most powerful remote controlled spotlight available for low voltage vehicle and boat applications,? said Rob Bresnahan with Larson Electronics? magnalight.com. ?This spotlight draws approximately 4 amps on 12 volts and 2 amps on 24 volts, making it extremely efficient. For operators working with 300 watt and 400 watt incandescent lighting on utility vehicles, military vehicles and boats, this light provides a brighter, whiter beam at only a tenth of the current draw. Equipped with a strong magnetic base and detachable cord that can be configured with a cigarette plug, battery ring terminals, alligator clips or even NATO connector, this remote controlled spotlight can meet the needs of most any low voltage application. The RCL360HID is also available in permanent mount with a wired dash joystick controller for applications where radio communications could interfere with IED jammers, radar configurations or certain types of two way radios.?

?We have been upgrading the Golight Stryker with a 35 watt HID bulb and ballast packages for more than a year,? continued Rob. ?Now we are doing the same with the K&H Nightray spotlights. However, the Nightray spotlight is built for more industrial applications, like mining and oilfield applications. As such, it uses larger components and offers more room in the chassis. We are able to fit the larger ballast and starter into the housing and the main controller board has a higher amp rating which allows us to go with 50 or 70 watts. We also had to replace the lens and reflector to accommodate the heat produced by a 50 watt HID package and bring proper focus to the bulb. Finally, we have to make some adjustments to the receiver and other electrical components in the light to adjust for the interference put off by the ballast. Generally speaking, this is pretty major upgrade to the fixture, and the modifications add a few pounds to the light. However, the way this light is geared, it is designed to move much greater weights anyways. So, in the end, we actually do more modifications to the HID NIghtrays than we do to the HID Golights. The industrial design, US manufacturing and high quality components, creates a higher price point for the RCL360-HID series than the 3200 lumen HID Golight upgrades, like the GL-3049H-M or GL-3021H. Operators need to balance the application requirements with the cost. In both cases, operators will get more light, have longer lamp life and draw less current than comparable incandescent spotlights. There are significant differences in foot print, form factor and design that operators need to consider in choosing an HID Nightray or a HID Golight. We have all the specifications, dimensional drawings and manuals on magnalight.com to help operators to make that decision.?

?The most important aspect to these modifications is our experience and choice of components. In nearly 18 months of upgrading the HID Golights, we have never had a single bulb or ballast failure. The 50 watt components that we choose for the K&H Nightray upgrades are the same ilk, and we have been using these components in our 50 watt HID-6600 work lights for 3 years. So the components are solid and after working through our Golight HID upgrades for the last 8 months, we understand how to configure the spotlights for saltwater, extreme vibration and extreme temperatures. There are some very discrete details involved in upgrading these lights, that the Golight upgrades have revealed. In some cases, the design of the Nightray itself eliminates certain issues, like the ability to mount the light upside down. We even have this RCL360-HID-RF-M model mounted on helicopters without issue. It makes an ideal temporary lighting solution and the slip drive motors protect the light when the wind buffets it around. Once again, the low amp draw and beam output comparable to the 600 watt incandescent light replaced, were the compelling factors. ?

Larson Electronics? magnalight.com offers a wide array of spotlights, flood lights and work lights for marine, industrial and military applications. Ranging from explosion proof lighting to high powered remote controlled spotlights, Larson Electronics offers a wide array of lighting solutions for low voltage and high voltage applications. You can learn more about the RCL36-HID-RF-M 50 watt HID spotlight with wireless remote control at magnalight.com or contact 1-800-369-6671 (1-214-616-6180 international).

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For the Love of Jazz in B flat ?The Artie Shaw Story?

December 23, 2011 / admin / No comments


Palm Springs, CA (PRWEB) August 3, 2010

Sunn Classic Pictures, Inc. (?Sunn?) announced today that it has acquired all rights related to the motion picture, television and all other ancillary rights related to the life story of bandleader and composer Artie Shaw, which was negotiated with Shaw?s estate entertainment attorney A. Edward Ezor. Shaw, known as having the Golden Clarinet and being the King of Swing, sold over 100 million records during his career.

?Sunn? has also secured the rights to use Artie Shaw?s musical library, which consists of hundreds of his digitally re-mastered songs. Hugh Kelley and Lang Elliott will write the screenplay which will go into development immediately. The story will focus primarily on the nostalgic years of Hollywood, the glamour stars, the period music, WWII and the influence that Artie Shaw?s music had on later contemporary artists such as: Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, The Righteous Brothers, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Darin, Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, Smokey Robinson, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and many others.

Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky on May 23, 1910) was an American jazz clarinetist, composer and bandleader. Shaw grew up in New Haven, Connecticut, where, at the early age of 13, he began learning the saxophone. By age 16, Shaw switched to the clarinet and left home to tour with a band. Arriving in New York, he became a session musician through the early 1930s. From 1925 until 1936, Shaw performed with many bands and orchestras, including those of Johnny Caverello and Austin Wylie. Shaw?s later arrangements incorporated symphonic music, which stemmed from his 1929 and 1930 inclusion in Irving Aaronson?s group, the Commanders.

Shaw first gained critical acclaim in 1935 at a swing concert at the Imperial Theater in New York with his ?Interlude in B-flat.? During the swing era, Shaw?s big band was popular with hits like ?Begin the Beguine? (1938), ?Stardust? (with a trumpet solo by Billy Butterfield), ?Back Bay Shuffle,? ?Moonglow,? ?Rosalie? and ?Frenesi.? He was an innovator in the big band idiom, using unusual instrumentation. Shaw was backed with only a rhythm section and a string quartet when he performed ?Interlude in B-flat.?

In addition to hiring Buddy Rich, ?the world?s greatest drummer,? Shaw also signed Billie Holiday as his band?s vocalist in 1938; becoming the first white bandleader to hire a full-time black female singer to tour the segregated southern United States. Ms. Holiday, together with her partner Lester Young, influenced jazz and pop singing with such songs as: ?God Bless the Child,? ?Don?t Explain,? ?Lady Sings the Blues? and many others. However, she left the band due to hostility from audiences in the South, as well as from music company executives who wanted a more ?mainstream? singer. Shaw?s band became enormously successful, and his playing was eventually recognized at least as equal to and in most circles better musically then that of bandleader Benny Goodman.

Despite a string of hits which sold more than 100 million records, Shaw prized innovation and exploration in music more highly than popular success and formulaic dance music. He fused jazz with classical music by adding strings to his arrangements, experimented with bebop, and formed ?chamber jazz? groups that utilized such novel sounds as harpsichords and Afro-Cuban music.

Shaw formed a long series of musical groups including such talents as: vocalists Helen Forrest (one of the most popular female vocalists during the Big Band era); Mel Tormé (nicknamed The Velvet Fog); Drummers Buddy Rich and Dave Tough; guitarists Barney Kessel, Jimmy Raney and Tal Farlow; and trombonist-arranger Ray Conniff; among countless others. . A singer in his own right, Shaw also co-wrote ?Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire.? For his personal theme, Shaw composed the morose ?Nightmare,? with its Hassidic nuances. In a 1970s televised interview, Shaw derided the often ?asinine? songs that bands were compelled to play night after night. In 1994, he told Frank Prial (?The New York Times?), ?I thought that because I was Artie Shaw I could do what I wanted, but all they wanted was ?Begin the Beguine?.?

During World War II, Shaw enlisted in the United States Navy and later formed a band, which served in the Pacific theater (similar to Glenn Miller?s wartime band in Europe). After playing for Navy personnel for 18 months (sometimes as many as four concerts a day in battle zones, including Guadalcanal), Shaw returned to the U.S. in a state of physical exhaustion and received a medical discharge. In the late 1940s, Shaw performed classical music at Carnegie Hall and with the New York Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein.

Like Benny Goodman and other leaders of big bands, Shaw fashioned a small group from within the band, which he named the Gramercy Five, after his home telephone exchange. Band pianist Johnny Guarneri played a harpsichord on the quintet recordings and Al Hendrickson played an electric guitar, which was unusual in jazz recordings of the time. Trumpeter Roy Eldridge later became part of the group, succeeding Billy Butterfield. The Gramercy Five?s biggest hit was ?Summit Ridge Drive.? A CD of The Complete Gramercy Five sessions was released in 1990.

Shaw would quit the music business and take sabbaticals throughout his career. One of these sabbaticals included studying advanced mathematics, as cited in Karl Sabbagh?s ?The Riemann Hypothesis.? His first interregnum, at the height of his success, was met with disbelief by booking agents. They predicted that Shaw would not only be abandoning a million-dollar enterprise but that nightclub and theater owners would sue him for breach of contract. Shaw?s offhand response was, ?Tell ?em I?m insane. A nice, young American boy walking away from a million dollars, wouldn?t you call that insane??

In 1954, Shaw stopped playing the clarinet, citing his own perfectionism, which, he later said, would have killed him. In 1981, he organized a new Artie Shaw Orchestra with clarinetist Dick Johnson as bandleader and soloist. Shaw himself guest conducted from time to time, ending his self-imposed retirement.

After Canadian filmmaker Brigitte Berman interviewed Shaw, Hoagy Carmichael, Doc Cheatham and others for her documentary film Bix: ?Ain?t None of Them Play Like Him Yet? (1981) about Bix Beiderbecke, she went on to create an Academy Award-winning documentary, Artie Shaw: ?Time Is All You?ve Got? (1985), featuring her interviews with Shaw, Buddy Rich, Mel Tormé, Helen Forrest and others.

In 1991, Artie Shaw?s musical materials and awards were donated to the University Of Arizona School Of Music. In 2004, he was presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

A self-proclaimed ?very difficult man,? Shaw was married eight times: (1) Jane Cairns (1932?33). (2) Margaret Allen (1934?37). (3) Actress Lana Turner (1940), an American actress under contract to MGM, who starred in many films such as ?Love Finds Andy Hardy,? ?Ziegfeld Girl,? ?The Postman Always Rings Twice? and ?Peyton Place? for which she was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress. (4) Betty Kern (1942?43), the daughter of songwriter Jerome Kern. (5) Actress Ava Gardner (1945?46), also under contract to MGM. Ms. Gardner was nominated for the Best Actress Academy Award for ?Mogambo.? Some of her other films included ?The Night Of The Iguana,? ?Earthquake? and ?The Cassandra Crossing.? Besides being marred to Artie Shaw she was married to Frank Sinatra, Mickey Rooney and Howard Hughes. Ava Gardner was known as a ?man-eater? and, while married to Howard Hughes, he dislocated her jaw and she felled him with a marble ashtray. She thought she had killed him and apparently didn?t care. (6) Kathleen Winsor, who authored ?Forever Amber? (1946?48). (7) Actress Doris Dowling (1952?56), a chorus-girl on Broadway later starred with Ray Milland in ?The Lost Weekend.? She followed up in the Best Picture-winning film for the Oscar entitled: ?The Blue Dahlia,? which starred Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. (8) Actress Evelyn Keyes (1957?85), best known for her role as Suellen O?Hara (sister to Scarlett O?Hara) in the l929 film ?Gone With The Wind.? Keyes was under contract to Cecil B. DeMille and did a series of films at Paramount Pictures Studio. Later Keyes appeared in ?Here Comes Mr. Jordan,? ?The Al Jolson Story? and ?The Seven Year Itch? with Marilyn Monroe.

Artie Shaw was attracted to some of the most beautiful and talented women of the Silver Screen. He dated such stars as Denise Parker, Joan Crawford, Lena Horne, Paulette Goddard, Jane Carns, Margaret Allen, Better Grable, Judy Garland, Yvonne De Carlo, Peggy Maley, Olivia Johnson, Lina Romay and many others. Other stars who also dated these ladies included Clark Gable, Douglas Fairbanks, Glenn Miller, Henry Fonda, Humphrey Bogart, Jimmy Stewart, Orson Welles, Ronald Reagan, Cary Grant and Howard Hughes. Shaw worked and socialized with many of these stars including Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra.

In 1946, Shaw was present at a meeting of the Independent Citizens? Committee of the Arts, Sciences and Professions. Olivia de Havilland and Ronald Reagan, part of a core group of actors and artists who were trying to sway the organization away from communism, presented an anti-communist declaration which, if signed, was to run in newspapers. There was bedlam as many rose to champion the communist cause, and Artie Shaw began praising the democratic standards of the Soviet constitution. In 1953, Shaw was brought up before the House Un-American Activities Committee for his leftist activities. The committee was investigating a peace activist organization, the World Peace Congress, which it considered a communist front.

Shaw did many big band remotes, and he was often heard from the Blue Room of New York?s Hotel Lincoln. It was the location of his only regular radio series as headliner. Sponsored by Old Gold Cigarettes, Shaw broadcast on CBS from November 20, 1938 until November 14, 1939.

At the height of his popularity, Shaw reportedly earned $ 60,000 per week. For a comparison, George Burns and Gracie Allen were each making US $ 5,000 per week during the year. The Artie Shaw Orchestra provided the music for their radio show. Shaw also acted on the show as a love interest for Gracie Allen. Burns and Allen first made it into radio as the comedy relief. Prior to radio they had been working as a husband and wife vaudeville team. After the death of Gracie Allen, George Burns went on to have a motion picture career in such films as ?Oh God.?

Shaw?s recording of ?Nightmare? was used as the theme soundtrack for BBC Radio?s adaptation of the Philip Marlowe novels by Raymond Chandler.

Shaw made several musical shorts in 1939 for Vitaphone and Paramount Pictures, and he portrayed himself in the Fred Astaire film ?Second Chorus? (1940), which featured Shaw and his orchestra playing ?Concerto for Clarinet.? The film brought him two Oscar nominations, for Best Score and Best Song (?Love of My Life?). He collaborated on the love song ?If It?s You? sung by Tony Martin in the Marx Brothers? film, ?The Big Store? (1941). In 1950, he was a mystery guest on ?What?s My Line?” And during the 1970s he made appearances on The Mike Douglas Show and The Tonight Show.

Many of his recordings have been used in motion pictures. His recording of ?Stardust? was used in its entirety in the closing credits of the film ?The Man Who Fell to Earth.? Also, Martin Scorsese used the Shaw theme song, ?Nightmare,? in his Academy Award-winning Howard Hughes biopic, ?The Aviator.? Shaw is mentioned in the CBS television show ?NCIS? by Ernie Yost, the fictional Medal of Honor recipient, in the episode ?Call of Silence.?

Shaw credited his time in the Navy as a period of renewed introspection. He entered psychoanalysis and began to pursue a writing career. His autobiography, ?The Trouble With Cinderella: An Outline of Identity? was published in 1952 (with later reprint editions in 1992 and 2001). Revealing downbeat elements of the music business, Shaw explained that ?The Trouble With Cinderella? is ?nobody ever lives happily ever after.? He turned to semi-autobiographical fiction with the three short novels in ?I Love You, I Hate You, Drop Dead!? (1965, reprinted in 1997), which prompted Terry Southern?s comment: ?Here is a deeply probing examination of the American marital scene. I flipped over it! Shaw?s short stories, including ?Snow White in Harlem,? were collected in ?The Best of Intentions and Other Stories? (1989).

Sunn Classic Pictures, Inc. is a motion picture, television, cable, home video and DVD producer and distributor. Created in the mid ?70s, ?Sunn? owns interest in a library of films and television series which includes ?Grizzly Adams.? ?Sunn? also distributes a number of films and has developed ?Pinocchio In The Hood,? a live action musical adventure; ?Dorf: USMC? based on the Dorf character created by Tim Conway (i.e., ?Dorf On Golf?). Both screenplays are written by Hugh Kelley and Lang Elliott. Production is scheduled for 2011. For more information on ?Sunn,? please visit its corporate web site at: http://www.SunnClassicPicturesInc.com

Press Contact:

Judy Garland / Judy Garland & Associates

Telephone: 310-376-1337

Fax: 310-376-9606

E-mail: TotoOfOz(at)aol(dot)com

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Global Installed Base of Vending Machines to Reach 35.2 Million Units by 2015, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

December 20, 2011 / admin / No comments

San Jose, CA (Vocus) September 15, 2010

In the current era of convenience and instant gratification, effective elimination of the need to stand in long checkout lines at supermarkets and convenience stores, is driving growth of the vending industry. The last decade witnessed dramatic evolution of the vending industry. Growing from the confines of dispensing convenience foods & beverages to consumers on the go, this ultimate self-service vehicle is today used in retailing a wider range of products, such as, fresh flowers, cameras, audio books, DVDs/CDs, video games and music, among others. Technology advancements have made vending services more cutting-edge, offering compelling benefits to modern time-pressed consumers. Technology innovations have also helped change consumer perception of vended products, infusing greater trust in the reliability of the machines, and in the quality of both the service rendered and in the products vended. Cashless, remote-monitoring machines represent a noteworthy innovation that allows consumers the unrivalled convenience of using credit and debit cards for payment. Growing levels of sophistication in equipment engineering has helped develop multi-functional vending machines capable of operating at multiple temperatures. This allows for simultaneously vending assorted products that require different storage temperatures.

From providing multiple payment options to easy-to-use menus, these machines have made shopping faster, easier, and more reliable. The Internet additionally has helped support growth of the vending industry with Internet kiosks opening up additional avenues for growth. Retailing of Internet access services such as, web surfing, e-mail, video e-mail, games, and online bill payment are growing in popularity with customers, such as business travelers, demanding on-the-go connectivity to the world-wide-web. Vending of services, such as, movie tickets, and pre-paid mobile recharge cards, although currently a fledging concept is expected to gain momentum in the upcoming years.

Vending machines industry has weathered the recession better than several other businesses for a host of reasons. The impact of recession has been fairly minimized by the industry?s diversity in the product mix vended. Additionally, encouraging growth in developing Asian markets has helped cushion the recession blow. The recession interestingly has spurred certain factors in favor of driving up the business case for vending machines. For instance, frugal consumer purchasing behavior has encouraged the use of vending machine cafes, which help cash strapped consumers save on service charges paid to the waiter. Traditional retail outlets like c-stores are exhibiting willingness to purchase and install vending machines as part of their strategies to prune costs, as these machines help reduce sales staff and the expenses incurred on their maintenance.

While a medley of all of these factors has featured in cushioning the industry?s decline, several other factors have aided in the deterioration of the industry?s business variables. Revenues for products sold through vending machines in the year 2008 & 2009 was particularly subdued as demand in key sectors such as manufacturing, financial institutions and banks, was affected by company closures, and staff downsizing. Consumer disposal incomes remained constrained and so were profit margins of industry’s mainstay, cold beverages. With vending being mostly a work-place service, rising rates of unemployment sharpened the blow, followed by decline in purchase frequencies and quantities. Legislative changes additionally exerted pressure on certain categories of products dispensed through vending machines like cigarettes, alcoholic beverages, snacks and confectionery. Sales of cigarette vending machines especially have and will continue to feel the hardest blow with governments in most countries banning smoking in public places.

As stated by the new market research report on vending machines, Japan and the US, together accounts for 50% of the global installed base. Global annual sales of products through vending machines are expected to reach US$ 192.9 billion by 2015. In United States, market for beverages sold through vending machines is expected to reach US$ 38.93 billion by 2015.

Leading players profiled in the report include American Vending Machines, Inc., Azkoyen SA, Crane Merchandising Systems, Dixie-Narco, Inc., Fuji Electric Retail Systems Co., Ltd., Glory Ltd., GTECH, Maas International, Royal Vendors, Sanden Corp., Tomra Systems ASA, and Westomatic Vending Services Ltd.

The research report titled ?Vending Machines: A Global Strategic Business Report? announced by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. provides a comprehensive review of market trends, drivers, issues, profiles of major players, product developments and other strategic industry activities. Product sales through vending machines, such as, beverages, food, cigarettes, and other products & services, are analyzed in US$ Million by geographic regions including the United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan), Middle East, and Latin America. The installed base of vending machines, such as, beverage vending machines, food vending machines, cigarette vending machines, and other vending machines, is analyzed in thousand units across geographic regions including United States, Canada, Japan, Europe, and Rest of World.

For more details about this comprehensive market research report, please visit – http://www.strategyr.com/Vending_Machines_Market_Report.asp

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) 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 over 800 people worldwide and publishes more than 1200 full-scale research reports each year. Additionally, the company also offers thousands of 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

Web Site http://www.StrategyR.com/

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ElectroNic Brand E-Cigarettes Let Smokers Say Yes to Enjoyment Without Tobacco, Ash, or Fear of Being Shunned

December 16, 2011 / admin / No comments

Myrtle Beach, SC (PRWEB) September 26, 2010

The new-to-market ElectroNic e-cigarette device provides a satisfying smoking experience without tobacco, for people who enjoy nicotine, but hate the problems associated with traditional cigarettes. ?Tobacco smoke produces fine particulate matter which is the most dangerous element of air pollution for smokers and non-smokers,? reports ElectroNic spokesperson Jason Meritt. He points to a controlled experiment conducted by the National Cancer Institute, in Milan, Italy which found that the air pollution emitted by cigarettes is 10 times greater than diesel car exhaust.

?But the ElectroNic e-cigarette creates no ash, and the user exhales a mist rather than smoke, so it can be enjoyed anywhere, even when smoking is banned,? he observes.

A Realistic Smoking Experience

ElectroNic?s patented electronic cigarette design produces more vapor than traditional e-cigarettes giving the user a more realistic smoking experience. ?A standard ElectroNic e-cigarette has about the same amount of nicotine as a Marlboro Light cigarette, but without the tar, flame, carbon monoxide, smoke, carcinogens, and other dangerous chemicals that are associated with tobacco-burning cigarettes,? says Meritt.

ElectroNic adds to the authenticity of the smoking experience with an LED light on the front of the electronic cigarettes that lights up when the user draws. ?This is purely for aesthetics,? explains Meritt. ?These LEDs appear to be red hot while puffing, but are always cool to the touch and never a fire hazard.

Cleaning Up a ?Dirty? Habit

Beyond health issues, much of the controversy regarding cigarettes revolves around the smoke, ash, and smell that traditional tobacco-based products produce. The same particles in smoke that cling to the lungs also cover surfaces, stain walls and linger in the air.

The vapor produced by ElectroNic, however, is smokeless. It dissipates after being exhaled and does not leave the lingering odor of tobacco in its wake. This eliminates the need to worry about a smoky smell clinging to clothes and hair after a smoke break, and even prevents the pungent ?smoker?s breath? associated with tobacco use.

Per-Pack Price of Tobacco Gone Wild

In an effort to tax cigarette smokers out of their habit as well as generate revenue during hard economic times, 47 U.S. states have increased their cigarette tax rates more than 100 times in less than a decade. ?In 2010, the average cost of a pack of cigarettes is around $ 5, including taxes, depending on where you live,? reports Meritt, quoting a story in the New York Times. ?But in New York City, for example, which puts the highest combined state-local tax burden on smokers, the cost of a pack is now close to $ 11, a $ 2 rise from just over a year ago.?

These skyrocketing costs can also be countered with ElectroNic e-cigarettes which are priced at about 75% of their tobacco-based equivalent. ?The ElectroNic cigarette cartridge is, in the vast majority of cases, the equivalent of a pack and a half of paper cigarettes in smoking time,? says Meritt. ?That makes ElectroNic an affordable option for smokers looking for the best electronic cigarettes, a healthy solution to nicotine cravings and an alternative to the high price of tobacco.?

For additional information about the revolutionary new ElectroNic electric cigarette device, to place an order, or to request a complimentary e-cigarette kit that is provided free with a subscription to monthly cartridge refills, please visit http://www.thebestelectroniccigarettes.com

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Cell Phone Radiation: We Know the Dangers, What are the Solutions? Ann Louise Gittleman Ph.D. has a Master Plan for Safety

December 12, 2011 / admin / No comments


San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) November 23, 2010

In 2005, Ann Louise Gittleman was diagnosed with a benign tumor of the parotid, one of the salivary glands located just below the earlobe. It’s a very rare tumor most often caused by ionizing radiation from X-rays, which she hadn’t been exposed to. But, she had been addicted to her cell phone, and on it constantly, for years.

In 2008, researchers in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that individuals who kept their cell phone against one side of their head for several hours a day were 50 percent more likely to develop parotid tumors.

Unfortunately, like most Americans, she was under the false assumption that cell phones and other household electronics were safe. Now, she knows better. And it is even more crucial to be aware of the danger to children.

Paul J. Rosch, MD, clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College and emeritus member of The Bioelectromagnetics Society says “Children are more severely affected because their brains are developing and their skulls are thinner. A two-minute call can alter brain function in a child for an hour, which is why other countries ban or discourage mobile phone use under the age of 18.?

In fact, the very electronic and digital innovations that have made modern life more convenient and efficient are also exposing people to thousands of artificial electromagnetic frequencies and wavelengths never before experienced by human beings.

There are simple ways to reduce exposure in the rooms where Americans spend the most time in?the bedroom, family room, and home office:

1. Remove Wi-Fi and cordless phone chargers in the bedrooms

Cordless phone chargers emit radio frequency power even when not in use. The pulsed digital signals are more damaging than the analog signals, and they should not be anywhere near the head of the bed. Baby monitors should not be placed closer than 6 feet to the crib.

2. Walls do not stop magnetic fields

The backs of refrigerators produce large electromagnetic fields which go through walls?so if a family room shares a wall with the refrigerator, the sofa should not be against that wall. It is also recommended to stay out of the kitchen when self-cleaning ovens are operating; these oven settings use very high wattage to burn debris off the oven walls.

3. Don?t cradle your laptop

It may be called a laptop, but pregnant women especially should keep a good distance. Even before birth, children are exposed to electropollution in the womb. Since a fetus spends 40 weeks essentially floating in a sack of water (a well known conductor of electricity), it is particularly vulnerable.

Consumers need to be more aware. San Francisco became the first city in the nation to adopt an ordinance requiring retailers to inform consumers about the radiation levels of mobile phones at point of sale. This and similar measures should be implemented in every retail outlet selling mobile phones (and other electronics) throughout the country.

Everyone’s at risk when it comes to electropollution, the new invisible pollutant. It was once thought cigarettes, lead paint and tanning beds were safe. Electropollution has the potential of being even more deadly for people now, future generations and our planet.

Ann Louise Gittleman is an award-winning New York Times best-selling author of over 30 books on health and healing. Her latest,Zapped; Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn?t be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Ways to Outsmart the Hazards of Electronic Pollution, was just published by HarperOne.

Cell phone radiation in the news:

Oakland-Emeryville parents fight cell towers

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/11/17/BAPT1GCUTR.DTL

NorCal parents fight cell towers near classrooms (Syndicated by AP)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2010%2F11%2F17%2Fstate%2Fn051841S97.DTL

Residents Wary of Cellphone Radiation

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Residents-Wary-of-Cellphone-Radiation-108757794.html

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