EIN Presswire: Books Live Feed Press Releases

Communications Expert David Margulies Says Devil's Advocate Could Have Prevented Komen PR Problems

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:32:03 +0000

Communications Expert David Margulies Says Devil's Advocate Could Have Prevented Komen PR Problems

PR Newswire

DALLAS, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- David Margulies, author of the book Crisis Management in the Internet Age, notes that Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation's recent news headlines illustrate how important it is that every organization incorporates a devil's advocate in their decision making process.

"In any institution, fully vetting proposals by debating the pros and cons leads to better decision making and helps avoid public relations pitfalls," said David Margulies, author of the book Crisis Management in the Internet Age and president of the Margulies Communications Group. "A devil's advocate tests an organization's policies against how an average consumer, customer, donor, voter, regulator or the news media might react."

The recent controversy surrounding the Komen Foundation illustrates a common problem; the foundation is supervised by a small, closely knit board of directors. People with similar viewpoints and life experiences tend to reinforce each other's beliefs or want to avoid disagreement and controversy. A more diverse board of directors or the presence of a devil's advocate from outside the foundation's leadership could have easily identified the fallout from the decision not to grant further support to Planned Parenthood.

"In litigation it is common to stage a mock trial where a defense attorney argues the plaintiff's side of the case to help find weaknesses in the defense," said Margulies. "Many organizations neglect this process."

A complete discussion of the issue would have provided an opportunity to evaluate the likely response from Planned Parenthood supporters, the Foundation's own donor base and whether the justification for the decision would withstand close scrutiny.

Sometimes the process of utilizing a devil's advocate leads a decision not to move forward with a controversial initiative. Other times, it makes sure that the organization has fully evaluated the likely fallout and has developed a communications plan that addresses controversial issues immediately, instead of dealing with negative coverage as it occurs. Without a communications strategy, organizations often mishandle their public response, and risk having controversies dragged out over an extended period of time.

David S. Margulies is the author of the book Crisis Management in the Internet Age and founder of the Margulies Communications Group, a public relations and crisis management firm based in Dallas.

SOURCE David Margulies

Maine Defense Attorney William T. Bly Contributes to Newly Released DUI Vehicular Homicide Defense Book

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:09:00 +0000

With DUI defense lawyers in mind, Attorney William T. Bly (williamblylaw.com/attorney-william-bly) has contributed valuable legal information as a co-author to the newly released book "Defending DUI Vehicular Homicide Cases, 2012 ed.: Leading Lawyers on Understanding DUI Cases, Developing a Thorough Defense, and Negotiating Settlements (Inside the Minds)."

The 260 page paperback edition presents sound business and legal guidance from various nationally renowned DUI attorneys on how to handle cases involving clients under the influence who have been charged with vehicular homicide or manslaughter. Readers can glean such information as key legal trends and recent influential cases and how these changes affect both counsel and client.

New attorneys as well as seasoned practitioners will find useful tips discussed by top legal minds such as Attorney Bly's on how to prepare an aggressive defense, contest the prosecution's case, utilize experts and evaluate evidence. Readers will also discover valuable information on how to overcome challenges like emotional dynamics, changing technology, complex scientific evidence and stricter penalties.

Attorney William T. Bly of Maine is a skilled criminal defense attorney who has handled countless misdemeanor and felony drunk driving cases. Attorney Bly has authored a chapter of the book "Inside the Minds" titled "Laying the Groundwork for the Successful Defense of a DUI Manslaughter Case" as well as being a main contributor of exemplary documents for attorney case use. Book details and ordering info can be found here: http://www.aspatore.com/store/bookdetails.asp?id=1242.

"Understanding the law, the rules of the game and its players is crucial in successfully defending clients. 'Inside the Minds' provides defense lawyers with the information and tools they need to accomplish this challenging goal in DUI vehicular homicide cases," said Attorney Bly.

Author/Attorney William T. Bly is the president of The Law Office of William T. Bly located in Biddeford, Maine with services provided throughout the state. Attorney Bly obtained his law degree from the University Of Maine School Of Law with a focus on criminal defense. Attorney Bly is a U.S. Army veteran as well as a member of numerous Law Associations and has been recognized for excellence in the criminal and DWI fields. Visit http://williamblylaw.com for more info.

Law Office of William T. Bly
50 Adams Street
Biddeford, ME 04005
(207) 571-8146
http://williamblylaw.com/attorney-william-bly

Corel Completes Acquisition of Roxio(R) Business From Rovi Corporation

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Corel today announced that it has completed the acquisition of the Roxio® business from Rovi Corporation. With this deal, Corel has expanded its product portfolio to include Roxio's broad range of digital media and security solutions, including Roxio Creator®, the industry's most popular digital media suite and Roxio® Toast®, the leading media conversion software on the Mac® platform. Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Corel now adds the Roxio product line, including the following well-known products, to its portfolio:

Roxio Creator® - Software to enhance, preserve, capture and share your digital media
Roxio® Toast® - The ultimate multi-media toolkit for your Mac
Roxio® Game Capture - Software and hardware solution to record your console gameplay
Roxio® Easy VHS to DVD - Convert analog video tapes to digital video for sharing on DVD, online and mobile devices
Roxio® CinePlayer® DVD Decoder - Watch your favorite DVDs on Windows Media Player
Roxio® BackOnTrack™ Suite - Complete media protection solution that automatically keeps your memories safe and protects your PC from both hardware and software disasters
Roxio® Secure Products - Powerful encryption for optical media and USB flash drives

"We want Roxio's customers and partners to know that these products are an important addition to our portfolio and they will have a great home with Corel," said Shawn Cadeau, Senior Vice President, Global Marketing at Corel. "We look forward to bringing together the best of what Corel and Roxio have to offer as we work to deliver even richer, more rewarding experiences to our customers."

With this acquisition, Corel will take advantage of its well-established global infrastructure to dramatically broaden distribution of Roxio products into new international markets. In addition, the company will draw upon the complementary video, photo, audio, and disc burning technologies found in both Roxio and Corel software to give users even more capabilities and further enhance Corel's overall product portfolio. Corel also sees significant opportunities in combining the strengths of Corel's and Roxio's established retail and direct sales channels and large customer bases.

In a separate news release today, Corel also announced the introduction of its first Roxio product, Roxio® VHS to DVD 3 Plus. Today many customers have precious memories recorded on old tapes that are degrading over time and the devices to play them may eventually disappear. Roxio Easy VHS to DVD 3 Plus makes it easy to transfer your VHS, Hi8 and V8 video tapes to digital video formats and save them to DVD. New easy-to-use features make your videos look great and also offer sharing to YouTube™, Facebook® and mobile devices like iPhone®. For more information about Roxio Easy VHS to DVD 3 Plus, please visit www.roxio.com/EasyVHStoDVD.

For more information on Corel, please visit www.corel.com.au. For more details on the Roxio product line, please visit www.roxio.com.

About Corel

Corel is one of the world's top software companies with more than 100 million active users in over 75 countries. We develop software that helps people express their ideas and share their stories in more exciting, creative and persuasive ways. Through the years, we've built a reputation for delivering innovative, trusted products that are easy to learn and use, helping people achieve new levels of productivity. The industry has responded with hundreds of awards for software innovation, design and value.

In February 2012, Corel acquired Roxio's broad range of digital media and security solutions, expanding its product portfolio with new products including the industry's most popular digital media suite and the leading media conversion software on the Mac platform.

Our award winning product portfolio includes some of the world's most widely recognized and popular software brands, including CorelDRAW® Graphics Suite, Corel® Painter™, Corel® PaintShop™ Pro, Corel® VideoStudio®, Corel® WinDVD®, Corel® WordPerfect® Office, WinZip®, Roxio Creator® and Roxio® Toast®.

© 2012 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved. Corel, the Corel logo, the Corel Balloon logo, BackOnTrack, Cineplayer, CorelDRAW, Painter, PaintShop, Roxio, Roxio Creator, Toast, VideoStudio, WordPerfect and WinDVD are trademarks or registered trademarks of Corel Corporation in Canada, the United States and other Countries, WinZip is a registered trademark of WinZip International LLC. All other product names and any registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.

Contact
Ms Joy Tsai
Corel APAC PR
Office: + 886-2-26273777 # 6319
Email: joy.tsai@corel.com

Chronicle Books Acquires THE ART OF TALKING BACK By Media Coach Bodine Williams

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:29:19 +0000

Leigh Haber, Editor-at-Large for Chronicle Books announced the acquisition of North American rights for Bodine Williams' The Art of Talking Back: 21 Rules for Media Interviews & Other Defining Moments. Agent Sam Hiyate of The Rights Factory arranged the deal.

The Art of Talking Back presents 21 famous interviews, the players, the fallout and the lessons learned. On her selection Haber, who was the editor for Al Gore's book, An Inconvenient Truth, said, "I love this book because it does for communicating in a social media-dominated world what the classic Elements of Style continues to do for the printed word."

The Art of Talking Back is a bible for going on the record. It is the first book to present rules of conduct along with techniques - because interviews reveal character. "In an era where a verbal misstep can reverberate around the globe in seconds, Bodine Williams engagingly and authoritatively instructs us on how to learn from the past, and speak confidently in the present," said Haber.

Williams, a former journalist for CTV and NBC news was the spokesperson for the International Red Cross and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. She is a communications consultant who specializes in helping companies develop verbal identities with brand language and leadership platforms.

The Art of Talking Back presents defining moments from Mitt Romney to Joan of Arc. "This is the age of the interview," says Williams. "You can't land a job or get elected president if you can't ace one."

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Bodine
Williams, please contact:
The BrainStorm Group
Joe Murphy
416.506.9930 x 275
jmurphy@brainstormgroup.com

Dr. Diana Kirschner, Best-Selling Author and Love Expert, to Share Her "Top Secrets for Lasting, Passionate Love" in Free Web Series Starting Feb. 7

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:08:32 +0000

Dr. Diana Kirschner, Best-Selling Author and Love Expert, to Share Her "Top Secrets for Lasting, Passionate Love" in Free Web Series Starting Feb. 7

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

WHAT: Get ready for Valentine's Day and join Dr. Diana Kirschner in a free web series on the "Top Secrets for Lasting, Passionate Love." Whether you are just dating, in a committed relationship or married, Dr Diana's insights are sure to transform your relationship. She will share her insightful tips on how to create a more fulfilling and loving relationship, in three episodes focused on: cultivating intimacy, showing appreciation/gratitude, and practicing careful communications. Tom Clifton, Animoto cofounder, will also share tips on leveraging the power of video to enhance relationships.

WHO: Renowned relationship expert, psychologist and best-selling author of Love in 90 Days and Sealing the Deal, Dr. Diana Kirschner has more than 25 years helping thousands of singles, couples and families create love, success and harmony in their lives. The web series is hosted by Animoto, the number one online video creation service.

WHERE: Available at www.youtube.com/Animoto, the web series premiers on Feb. 7, with new episodes added on Feb. 14 and Feb. 21.

SOURCE Animoto

Corel Completes Acquisition of Roxio(R) Business From Rovi Corporation

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Corel now adds the Roxio product line, including the following well-known products, to its portfolio:

Roxio Creator® - Software to enhance, preserve, capture and share your digital media
Roxio® Toast® - The ultimate multi-media toolkit for your Mac
Roxio® Game Capture - Software and hardware solution to record your console gameplay
Roxio® Easy VHS to DVD - Convert analog video tapes to digital video for sharing on DVD, online and mobile devices
Roxio® CinePlayer® DVD Decoder - Watch your favorite DVDs on Windows Media Player
Roxio® BackOnTrack™ Suite - Complete media protection solution that automatically keeps your memories safe and protects your PC from both hardware and software disasters
Roxio® Secure Products - Powerful encryption for optical media and USB flash drives

For more information on Corel, please visit www.corel.com.au. For more details on the Roxio product line, please visit www.roxio.com.

About Corel

Contact
Ms Joy Tsai
Corel APAC PR
Office: + 886-2-26273777 # 6319
Email: joy.tsai@corel.com

UPDATE: Blancspot Media Launches Interactive Social News App for Google TV

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:35:00 +0000

Blancspot Media, LLC today announced it has extended its award winning interactive news service with its launch of Blancspot for Google TV. "We created Blancspot to offer a social news experience that would follow users from their Android phones, tablets and now to Google TV. As a result, news becomes socially relevant to young adults who are looking to engage with a more creative and positive way to consume and share media. We are thrilled Google has featured Blancspot on the Google TV Android Market," said founder and CEO Camille LeBlanc. Blancspot arrives in the living room as the first truly interactive global news service available for television viewing.

"The global reach of Blancspot has been exciting to see expand and adding large screen format brings an engaging, socially connected news experience right into the living rooms and dorm rooms of young adults. We believe this is an underserved group, one that grew up in fundamentally different ways than the average news consumer and they are seeking a fundamentally different experience when learning about the world," said LeBlanc.

Backed by Hollywood Producer Frank Marshall, Blancspot Media is a next-generation, global media company focused on engaging the fastest-growing, most media literate and technically astute generation in history. Blancspot goes beyond reporting the news to provide an engaging framework for users to connect with their communities and get involved in topics that interest them. Blancspot's news platform delivers content in a rich, cinematic and interactive experience that has captivated the youth market across the globe. "We're focused on creating a marketplace of ideas, engagement, and commerce to provide a better news option for the digital native," LeBlanc added.

Pricing and Availability
The Blancspot service is now available on Google TV Android Market (https://market.android.com/search?q=blancspot&so=1&c=apps) for a one-time fee of $1.99. The iPad, iPhone and iPod touch are available through the Apple iTunes.

About Blancspot Media, LLC
Founded in 2010, Blancspot Media, LLC is a privately held, privately financed company headquartered in San Francisco, CA. Blancspot is a social news network that provides a cinematic, unbiased view of global events. The service launched in August 2010.

Press Contact:
Blancspot Media, LLC
+1.917.952.7082
press@blancspot.com
Media Kit: http://blancspot.com/press_kit.html

Blancspot Media reaches Television Audiences on Google TV

Media Alert: BlogHer Named a 2012 OnMedia Top 100 Winner

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:16:00 +0000

BlogHer, Inc., the premium cross-platform media network and publisher for women, announced today that it was chosen by AlwaysOn as one of the OnMedia Top 100 winners for 2012. Winners will be recognized at AlwaysOn's OnMedia event at the Time Warner Center in New York City on February 22, 2012.

This honor awards innovative tech companies that have emerged as leaders in the fields of advertising, media, marketing, branding and publishing. Inclusion in the OnMedia 100 signifies leadership amongst its peers, game-changing approaches, and technologies that are likely to disrupt existing markets and entrenched players.

BlogHer is now one of the top women's Community Lifestyle networks and the sixth largest Food network online (comScore), hosting over 3,000 premium blogs.

About BlogHer:
Reaching 37 million women each month (Nielsen Site Census, December 2011), BlogHer (http://www.blogher.com) is the leading cross-platform media network created by, for and with women social media leaders. BlogHer developed and leads the marketplace with the most robust economic and networking opportunities for women in social media and brands seeking to engage in authentic and persuasive dialog with them. Founded in February 2005 by Elisa Camahort Page, Jory Des Jardins and Lisa Stone, BlogHer publishes and syndicates news, information, advice and recommendations to and from 3,000 premium blogs, delivers uniquely insightful research on women in social media across interest areas, hosts the world's largest conferences for women in social media and curates a daily news service, BlogHer.com. BlogHer's investors are Venrock, Comcast Interactive Capital, and Azure Capital Partners.

Media Contact:
Elaine Wu
BlogHer Inc.
650-551-1364, x 245
Email Contact

Red Staple Announces Release of Innovative e-Book Authoring Tools

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:05:00 +0000

A Walled Garden Alternative, Red Staple Enables the Creation of ePubs and Enhanced iBooks That Include Video, Audio, Images and Links for Commercial Distribution on a Wide Range of Platforms

Red Staple, Inc., a pioneer of tools that enable artists or distributors to easily create digital packages for rapid commercial distribution on a wide range of platforms, today announced the official release of their electronic book (e-book) authoring tools, which had their worldwide debut last September in the Startup Alley at TechCrunch Disrupt SF.

Based on open standards (ePub) and designed using HTML5 for use on any digital device, the browser-based, Red Staple Enhanced ePub Authoring Tools enable publishers of all sizes and independent authors to make their work accessible to as many customers as possible via commercial digital platforms, including Apple iBookstore, Google Books, Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, and Barnes & Noble Nook.

"Since our debut at TechCrunch Disrupt, we have received many requests to release our authoring tool beyond our beta testers," said Lori Jordan, co-founder and CEO of Red Staple. "The message we heard over and over was that the industry wants a solution that offers the widest opportunity to make works commercially available, which is what our open standards approach allows. Being browser-based really resonated too with authors, artists, and publishers because they don't have to buy additional hardware or find a technical wizard to help them make their entrance into the digital world."

For a limited time, Red Staple is offering basic ePub conversion/creation for $29. This includes uploading word docs, inserting images, inserting links for books with fewer than 500 (Word doc) pages and $59 for greater than 500 pages. For those with video and audio assets to include with the written content, Red Staple offers enhanced ePub capabilities for $99.

"Simplifying the process for providing extra content with the primary purchase has been a key driver for us. Our flagship authoring tool for creating music LPs/Extras that was launched last year at SxSW is just one example," said Jordan of Red Staple. "In the world of electronic book publishing, there are so many more assets available we really started seeing our authoring tools as a means for blending those assets in ways that help authors and their publishers to truly enhance and differentiate their offerings."

From start to finish, the process can take as little as one day. After setting up an account, the authoring tools can be used for free. The fee is charged when the validated file is downloaded. Publishers and authors using the Red Staple authoring tools have full ownership of the file created. The deliverable includes two edits after purchase.

"Part of our mission at L.A. Theatre Works (http://www.latw.org/) is to provide wide and affordable access to our superb audio collection of classic and contemporary theatre," said Trond Knutsen, Audio Sales Director of L.A. Theatre Works. "What Red Staple brings to the table is a way for us to leverage the new reading devices people are carrying, like their iPhones, Nooks, iPads and Kindles. With the ability to create e-Books of plays, where our recordings are embedded so you can listen to these great performances as you read the manuscript, Red Staple helps us extend our reach even further as more audiences discover the joys of our award winning productions."

From Private to Public to Commercial Release:

Red Staple is developing tools that create templated layouts for those who want a creation (not conversion) tool that is based on Open Standards. Following the path they've already established, these creation tools will make page layout simple and the insertion of video / audio easy. The output will be an ePub file.

Availability:

The Red Staple Enhanced ePub Authoring Tools are available now. More information is available at http://books.red-staple.com

About Red Staple, Inc.

Red Staple, Inc. is a pioneer of tools that enable independent artists (i.e. writers, musicians and filmmakers) to easily and affordably package their own creative content in a unique way for rapid distribution on digital platforms. Red Staple's founders, Lori Jordan and Dee Jordan, veterans in the digital/new media space are passionate about helping artists tell their story by pulling from ALL relevant digital assets they've created, which helps garner a fuller understanding and appreciation for their work. More information is available at www.red-staple.com.

For more information, contact:
Annie Gladue
Jedemi Communications for Red Staple, Inc.
415-302-8990
Email Contact

Blancspot Media Launches Interactive Social News App for Google TV

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:15:00 +0000

New African American Romance Series from Debut Author Sparkles with First Novel, North Star and iPod Touch Contest

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:03:00 +0000

New African American Romance Series from Debut Author Sparkles with First Novel, North Star and iPod Touch Contest

North Star is a captivating romantic tale that takes readers on an unforgettable journey that embraces family bonds, pop culture, Twitter, and community service in Toms River, New Jersey

PR Newswire

EDISON, N.J., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Soul Mate Publishing (SMP) announced the acquisition of a new contemporary African-American romance series from debut author Angeline M. Bishop.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120207/PH46685-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120207/PH46685-b )

Deborah Gilbert, Senior Editor of Soul Mate Publishing, secured world rights of the Sheridan series which follows the romantic relationships of the Sheridan siblings after the loss of their mother. North Star takes inspirational themes of family bonds and community involvement and gives readers a passionate romance.

North Star, the first title, published in November 2011, will be followed by South Beach, Wild West, and Big East. This February, the North Star iPod Touch contest will promote the great artists on the North Star Soundtrack and Apple's all-new iTune U app, which gives educators and students everything they need on their iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch to teach and take courses. Romance readers should visit www.angelinembishop.com for more contest details.

Inspired by the volunteers of a local community center and her ten year work experience at Rutgers University, Angeline created North Star leads Caresse Aldana and Graham Sheridan. She desires to transport romance readers from their stressful lives with sensual love stories that feature captivating characters with strong family values.

Deborah Gilbert of SMP says: "We're delighted with the success of North Star and proud to announce this new series as Angeline prepares for her first visit to Romance Slam Jam conference in Little Rock, Arkansas this spring. She's a fantastic storyteller and we are very excited to continue our relationship with her."

NORTH STAR is available for ebook purchase online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Soul Mate Publishing.

About the Author
Angeline was born in Washington, D. C., but lived most of her life in New Jersey and considers the 'Garden State' her home. Her childhood passion for writing led to a degree in English Literature and a membership in Romance Writers of America.

She is the 2011 recipient of the Southern Burlington County NAACP's Rising Star award and a current board member of Write of Passage, Inc., a nonprofit organization that supports under-served artists in the Baltimore, MD, area. She provides aspiring novelists with writing resources to help them strengthen their craft.

For more information or interviews please visit the author at www.angelinembishop.com or email amb.novels@yahoo.com. Follow @ambishop1 on Twitter for the latest news.

CONTACT: Angeline Bishop, PH:1-848-459-4505

SOURCE Angeline M. Bishop

New Book Now Available Nationwide: When My Mother No Longer Knew My Name: A son's "course" in "rational" caregiving

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:45:00 +0000

New Book Now Available Nationwide: When My Mother No Longer Knew My Name: A son's "course" in "rational" caregiving

PR Newswire

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "All families must accept responsibility for caring for their aging and aged relatives at home, instead of warehousing them in nursing homes and other facilities," says trends analyst and forecaster, and family caregiver, Stephen L. Goldstein, Ph.D. (trendsman@aol.com, www.rationalcaregiving.blogspot.com).

Goldstein's memoir/how-to, When My Mother No Longer Knew My Name: A son's "course" in "rational" caregiving, should be the first book families read to prepare for caring for aging relatives. It's the caregiver's "one-minute manager." Each brief, compelling, highly readable chapter turns what a son learned on-the-job into immediate help for others. Step-by-step, Goldstein traces how his caregiving role evolved from nominal to 24/7. "To begin with, I had to convince my mother to move in with me, which required delicate diplomacy," he remembers. "Eventually, I had to learn how to deal with the various phases of her dementia—getting used to finding a sandwich in the clothes dryer, changing her diaper (on rare occasions, thank God!), keeping her from choking to death, and finally caring for myself after she died.

"I wrote the book I would have wanted to read before and while I was my mother's caregiver—but which I never found!" Goldstein says. "No theory here! It's all useful information. Strategically placed throughout the book are 75 practical tips to turn my experience into advice others can use. My narratives make caregiving real. My tips make it manageable—even joyful." The book includes a "Cargiving Readiness Self-Assessment" so current and potential caregivers can benchmark and enhance their ability to manage the often lonely, challenging, unpredictable, and overwhelming roles they may assume.

When My Mother No Longer Knew My Name is a one-man support group, written like a friend who's "been-there-done-that," talking anecdotally, but authoritatively, to a friend who needs help. It is raw and gritty, as well as funny and inspiring. It makes people weep, but also gives them hope that they can overcome a mountain of seemingly insurmountable challenges, for which they likely feel devastatingly unprepared.

When My Mother No Longer Knew My Name is available at www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, www.hellgatepress.com, other online booksellers and at bookstores nationwide. It is published by Grid Press, an imprint of L&R Publishing, Ashland, Oregon, www.hellgatepress.com.

SOURCE Dr. Stephen L. Goldstein

Legendary Power Broker and Leading Travel Authority on Customized Experiences Shares Invaluable Insight

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:08:30 +0000

Legendary Power Broker and Leading Travel Authority on Customized Experiences Shares Invaluable Insight

Valerie Wilson Travel's Founder, Chairman & CEO, Valerie Ann Wilson, Releases Valerie Wilson's World...The Top Hotels & Resorts; Launches Book Tour and Supports American Heart Association's initiative -- Go Red For Women®

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Valerie Ann Wilson, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Valerie Wilson Travel (VWT), one of the largest privately owned, debt free and family-managed travel consulting firms in the United States, reveals today, the Second Edition of Valerie Wilson's World...The Top Hotels & Resorts (Valerie Wilson Publications). To celebrate the company's 30th anniversary and the release of her new book, Valerie, a heart attack and bypass survivor, continues her endorsement of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women®. She has donated $10,000 to the program and will donate $10 per book sold during February, American Heart Month, and at specific Go Red For Women® events in 2012.

The highly anticipated, stunning book showcases her favorite, most luxurious and spectacular hotels and resorts around the world. Each property featured includes her valuable insight, lyrical descriptions and beautiful photographs, some of which Valerie took herself. From Venetian palaces to chic Hong Kong skyscrapers to overwater bungalows in the Indian Ocean, Wilson shares nearly 400 favorites in Valerie Wilson's World…The Top Hotels & Resorts. She often refers to herself as a frustrated Hotelier. In her book, she invites the reader to a bird's eye view of her personal and unique observations that only Valerie, a highly respected leading authority in the travel industry, could provide.

"Travel has been a long lasting passion of mine, and nothing thrills me more than to offer clients insider access to an exceptional array of hotels and resorts," said Valerie. "Life is about taking journeys, creating memories and cherishing new experiences. I believe that a life of travel embodies all of these elements. My wish for the book is to take readers along with me, and through my eyes glimpse of some of the most beautiful places in the world."

VWT unveiled its new campaign in honor of its 30th Anniversary, Every Legacy Has Its Journey, Every Journey Has Its Legacy, which follows its award-winning introduction of the new tag line "The Power of Access™" and Travel without Boundaries campaigns in 2010 and 2011. Valerie Ann Wilson along with her two daughters, Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg and Kimberly Wilson Wetty, Co-Presidents & Co-Owners, hosted a 30th year anniversary and book launch event on February 2nd at the Astor Library of The St. Regis New York. A multi-city book tour in such cities as Washington, Palo Alto, Hilton Head, Greenwich and Chicago will follow.

Headquartered in New York City, Valerie Wilson Travel is currently in the midst of a year-long celebration of its 30-year anniversary. To commemorate the milestone, in addition, VWT will host a series of Travel Fest events in 2012 for valued clients in their branch locations throughout the United States. Clients will interact with VWT leadership and management team members, VWT local travel advisors, and their preferred partners.

About Valerie Wilson Travel

Valerie Wilson Travel exceeds expectations by creating exclusive itineraries that are uniquely inspired and tailor made for its customers. All of the 15 Valerie Wilson Travel locations are proud members of Virtuoso®, the world's premiere luxury and experiential travel network comprised of the top travel agencies and the finest travel providers, as well as a resource for premiere destination experts in the world. Our travel consultants offer the greatest purview to the essence of a destination. With extensive knowledge and experience in all areas of business and leisure travel, this savvy company provides The Power Of Access™ to make every trip seamless, trouble free and memorable.

For more information about Valerie Wilson's World...The Top Hotels and Resorts, Second Edition, and the full list of book tour dates visit www.valeriewilsonsworld.com.

Web: www.valeriewilsonsworld.com
Web: www.valeriewilsontravel.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/valeriewilsontravel
Twitter: @VWT_Travel
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/VWTravel

For more information, please contact:

Bettina L Klinger, President
KlingerVision, Inc.
Tel: 212-592-1386
Email: bklinger@klingervision.com

Judy Lee
Rubenstein Public Relations
Tel: 212-843-9241
Email: jlee@rubensteinpr.com

SOURCE Valerie Wilson Travel

CSMonitor.com Launches Site Upgrade on eZ Publish Enterprise

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0000

CSMonitor.com Launches Site Upgrade on eZ Publish Enterprise

PR Newswire

SKIEN, Norway, February 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Award-winning News Organization is the Most Visited eZ Publish Site in North America

eZ Systems AS, creator of the award winning Open Source Web Content Management Platform eZ Publish, today announced the successful upgrade of CSMonitor.com by long time business partner Mugo Web.

CSMonitor.com (http://www.csmonitor.com) has been using eZ Publish to complete their Web first strategy, driving growth through their online channels since 2009. The Christian Science Monitor turned to eZ for their out-of-the-box functionality to handle their publishing and editorial process. eZ Publish is able to track and manage the state of each piece of content as it moves through the workflow. This enables the editorial team to be more agile, while keeping much-needed control over the production and placement of the content. Now journalists and editors around the world can publish articles efficiently, intuitively and around-the-clock.

With greater control and agility, over the past year, the site has enjoyed increased traffic overall. "A key contributor to our increasing traffic is the fact that editors are now asked to enhance their articles with related content such as other articles, blogs, photo galleries and videos. To help them do that efficiently, we needed a simple mechanism to find relevant associations," commented David Scott, Online Director, The Christian Science Monitor. "eZ provided the solution so we could more easily enrich the content and increase page views-per-visit and therefore impressions and revenue."

In November of 2011, CSMonitor.com upgraded its content management system and server architecture in response to recent traffic growth and to better position itself for future growth and innovation… read more...

Additional information: eZ Systems Headquarters, Klostergata 30, N-3732 Skien, Norway, Tel. +47-35587020, email: info@ez.no, Web: http://www.ez.no

Media contact: Stefanie Lightman, ifridge & Company, Email: Stefanie.lightman@ifridge.com

SOURCE eZ Systems

Library Foundation Opens Nominations for 2012 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Library Foundation Opens Nominations for 2012 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award

Public invited to nominate authors from Feb.7 - March 23

PR Newswire

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A call for nominations for the 2012 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award opens on Feb. 7 and extends through March 23, 2012. The award is a program of The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation and recognizes the contributions of Indiana authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation. It is funded by the generosity of The Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120207/DE48287LOGO)

The goal of the Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award is to elevate the written arts in Indiana, inspiring Hoosiers' love of reading and drawing greater attention to "home-grown" literary greats. The award celebrates authors whose quality work has made, or has the potential to make, a lasting public impact.

The Indiana Authors Award invites involvement beginning with the nomination process and continues throughout the year with outreach to organizations serving readers and writers and an interactive website, culminating with a day of free public programs and a ticketed Award Dinner on Sept. 29, 2012 at the Central Library in Indianapolis.

Nomination forms are available until March 23 at www.indianaauthorsaward.org. The nomination process is quick, easy and free of charge. Participants who nominate an author by March 1 will be entered for a chance to receive special prizes from the Library Foundation. Complete information and eligibility guidelines are included on the nomination forms. Authors nominated in previous years, who were not selected as award recipients, are eligible for nomination again in the 2012 Authors Award.

Any published writer who was born in Indiana or who has lived in Indiana for at least five consecutive years is eligible for nomination. A nine-member, statewide award panel will select winners in three categories from the publicly nominated authors:

National Author - $10,000 prize: A writer with Indiana ties, but whose work is known and read throughout the country. National authors will be evaluated on their entire body of work.
Regional Author - $7,500 prize: A writer who is well-known and respected throughout the state of Indiana. Regional authors will be evaluated on their entire body of work.
Emerging Author - $5,000 prize: A writer who has published no more than two books during his/her lifetime. The title(s) must have been published within the last 10 years. Emerging authors will be evaluated on these specific works.

In addition to a cash prize, each author's Indiana hometown public library will receive a grant of $2,500 from the Library Foundation.

"The panel of literary educators and professionals who select the winning authors is amazing, but their work can't begin until readers from across the state send them nominations," said Marianne Glick, vice chairwoman of The Glick Fund. "Even if you've nominated your favorite writers in the past, definitely visit indianaauthorsaward.org to make sure they're in the running this year."

Last year's awards included a public program celebrating Indiana authors and an award dinner raising more than $68,000 for the Library Foundation. At the dinner, Margaret McMullan was presented with the National Author award while Helen Frost received the Regional Author award and Micah Ling received the Emerging Author award. These authors, as well as their hometown Indiana libraries, each received grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000.

To submit a 2012 nomination or to learn more, contact The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation at (317) 275-4700 or visit www.indianaauthorsaward.org.

SOURCE The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation