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IOC Announces Olympic Highlights of the Week

(PRWEB) April 27, 2012

IOC ACTIVITIES

PRESIDENT

On 24 April in The Hague (Netherlands), IOC President Jacques Rogge took part in a talk and round table. The Prince of Orange, an IOC member, also attended.

INTERNATIONAL SPORTS FEDERATIONS

SUMMER IFS

This year, World Athletics Day will preferably be held on 12 and 13 May. As part of the centenary celebrations of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), 12 youth age group athletes, (one boy and one girl per Area, aged 16-17) will be invited to the IAAF Centenary Gala in Barcelona (Spain) on 23 and 24 November 2012. The World Athletics Day – IAAF Centenary Draw to decide the lucky winners will take place in July 2012.

During a visit to Sofia (Bulgaria), International Boxing Association (AIBA) President and IOC member, Ching-Kuo Wu, and AIBA Vice-President and President of the European Confederation Humbert Furgoni met the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Rosen Plevneliev, Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Sports Minister Svilen Neykov, Boxing Federation President Krassimir Ininski and NOC President Stefka Kostadinova. The main subject of the visit was AIBA’s professional boxing programme and the role that Bulgaria can play in its development.

On 22 April, International Cycling Union (UCI) President and IOC member Pat McQuaid, accompanied the President of South Korea, Myung-bak Lee, on a bike ride along a section of Korea’s extensive network of cycle paths. McQuaid was in South Korea for the start of the eight-day Tour of Korea and the Korea Cycle Grand Festival, held in parallel with the national tour. The government has invested in 2,000km of bicycles paths nationwide.

Two Russian athletes, Svetlana Tsarukaeva and Khadzhimurat Akkaev, have been voted the Best Lifters of 2011 by readers of “World Weightlifting” and the public worldwide. The two winners received the “Jenő Boskovics Lifter of the Year Challenge Trophy” at a ceremony organised recently in Moscow (Russian Federation). It was presented to them by International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) President Tamás Aján, who is also an IOC honorary member, and Kornel Jancsó, Editor in Chief of “World Weightlifting”, in the presence of Russian Weightlifting Federation President Sergey Syrtsov and many other personalities.

The women’s water polo teams from Spain, Italy, Russia and Hungary recently earned their ticket to the London Games at the Qualification Tournament held in Trieste (Italy) from 15 to 22 April. These teams will join Great Britain, Australia, the United States and China. The draw for the Olympic tournament will take place on 5 May 2012 in London.

The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)’s 2012 World Cup, an official test event, is currently taking place in London at the Royal Artillery Barracks. Britain’s Minister for Sport and the Olympics, Hugh Robertson, visited the venue and met ISSF President and IOC member Olegario Vázquez Raña and ISSF Secretary General Franz Schreiber. Over 800 athletes representing over 100 countries are competing in 15 Olympic events. It is worth noting that only 390 shooters will compete at the Games this summer.

This week, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) organised the first ever coaching course in Iraq, in the city of Erbil. Fourteen women and 11 men took part in this course, funded by Olympic Solidarity and supported by the ITU. All the manuals and reference sources had been translated into Arabic, which will aid in triathlon’s development not only in Iraq, but also in the entire Arab region. ITU President and IOC member Marisol Casado, accompanied by ITU Executive Board member Ahmed Nasser, attended this course, and also met the Iraqi NOC President and the Iraqi Sports Minister.

WINTER IFS

The World Curing Federation (WCF) and the Canadian Curling Federation (CCA) recently announced that the city of Fredericton will host the 2013 World Senior Men’s and Women’s Curling Championships and World Mixed Doubles. These three events will take place from 13 to 20 April at the Grant-Harvey Centre. Over 30 teams should compete for the mixed doubles title, while over 40 teams should be vying for the men’s and women’s world titles.

NATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEES

With a few months until the London Games, the Chilean NOC has just published Chilenos Olímpicos: Historia de la Participación Nacional en los Juegos Olímpicos de Verano 1896/2008 [Olympic Chileans: the history of national participation in the Summer Olympic Games from 1896 to 2008]. Funded by Olympic Solidarity, this book is by journalist Cristián Muñoz Funck.

The IOC’s Worldwide Partner, Procter & Gamble, recently launched its Gracias Mama [Thank You, Mom] campaign in Colombia. Among the many personalities at this event were Colombian NOC President Baltazar Medina, and the athletes who have already qualified for London 2012, Mariana Pajón, Paulo Cesar Villar and Angelica Hernández, accompanied by their mothers, as well as the mother of boxer Jeisson Monroy.

On 18 April, British Olympic Association (BOA) Board of Directors approved the appointment of the British Golf Association Limited (BGAL) as the National Governing Body for Olympic golf and an officially recognised member of the BOA.

We recently learned that Olympic medallist Elizabeth Ferris died on 12 April. She was the last Briton to win an Olympic medal in diving – bronze in the 3m springboard at the Rome 1960 Games. She assisted in the creation of the IOC Women and Sport Commission, of which she has been a member since 1995. She also assisted in the creation of the British Olympians Club and the World Olympians Association (WOA), of which she was Vice-President for over 10 years.

On 18 April, the Italian NOC (CONI) hosted a ceremony to present the “Collari d’Oro” Sporting Merit awards and honorary diplomas to the best athletes, technicians, sports leaders and sports companies for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti was present on this occasion, and received from CONI President Giovanni Petrucci a personalised set of the official equipment of the Italian delegation for London 2012. A tribute was paid to the three Italian athletes who have died in recent months practising their respective sport: Marco Simoncelli, Vigor Bovolenta and Piermario Morosini.

At the Ajinomoto National Training Centre, the Japanese NOC recently received students from Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences’ Leisure Management division (Netherlands). This one-week visit to Tokyo was part of the students’ project on the impact of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on a city. The Director of the NOC President’s Office, Yasuhiro Nakamori, and the young students from Rotterdam, a city in the running to organise the Winter Youth Olympic Games in 2018, exchanged opinions and comments on how the Games can be a catalyst for positive change in host cities.

On 22 April at the Kaunas Sports Hall, a ceremony was held to commemorate 90 years of the Lithuanian Basketball Federation. The event was attended by Lithuanian basketball veterans, distinguished guests from abroad and Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. Present and former heads of world and European basketball federations as well as the NBA congratulated the Lithuanian Basketball Federation and basketball players of all generations in a televised message. On this occasion, Lithuanian NOC President Arturas Poviliunas, presented legendary Lithuanian basketballer Arvydas Sabonis – currently President of the Federation – with the NOC’s Olympic Rings award.

With 100 days to go until the London Games, all the members of Mongolia’s national teams were able to conduct face-to-face discussions with the President of Mongolia, Ts. Elbegdorj, who was accompanied by Mongolian NOC President Demchigjav Zagdsuren. Mongolia has currently secured 14 Olympic places in the marathon, shooting, wrestling, boxing, archery and swimming. Ten other athletes will compete in judo and weightlifting. The NOC hopes to send up to 40 athletes to London.

We have just learned that, on 30 March in Bratislava, the Slovakian Olympic flame was lit electronically by Slovakian NOC President Frantisek Chmelar, who passed it to Slovakia’s oldest Olympian, 89-year-old kayaker Jan Matocha. He then passed it on to the athletes preparing for London 2012: Danka Bartekova (shooting) and Samuel Piasecky (gymnastics). The next day, the torch, named “Slovak message to the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London 2012” with the motto of “We All Are One Team” began its relay, which will travel the country for 84 days before returning to Bratislava on 23 June, Olympic Day.

Swedish athlete Ingeborg “Kickan” Sjöqvist celebrated her 100th birthday on 19 April. She is the oldest Olympian in the world. Ingeborg competed in the diving competitions at the Los Angeles 1932 and Berlin 1936 Games. In Los Angeles, she was the only woman out of 51 athletes in the Swedish delegation. In an interview, she declared that she will be following the Games this summer.

Through Olympic Solidarity, the Uruguayan NOC, whose President is IOC member Julio Cesar Maglione, awarded a grant to coaches Federico Camiña (basketball) and Mariano Miraldi (judo) to participate in the 27th training course in sports sciences for coaches. This course will be held between 12 April and 10 July 2012 at the Sant Cugat High-Level Centre in Barcelona.

RECOGNISED ORGANISATIONS

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) recently launched the first web site of the Oceania Paralympic Committee (http://www.oceaniaparalympic.org). This new site provides information on member countries, athletes and sports, as well as the on the IPC and the Paralympic Games, ranking of Paralympic sports and anti-doping issues.

For more information, please contact the IOC Media Relations Team.

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Consumer Product Innovation Lab Invites New Product Companies to Bentonville, Arkansas, April 27-29 to Learn from the Pros

Bentonville, AR (PRWEB) April 24, 2012

This weekend, the country’s foremost experts on consumer product innovation and marketing will bring inventors and entrepreneurs from all over the country to Bentonville, Arkansas for its “Selling to the Masses” workshop.

The workshop will be taught by some of the most experienced and respected names in retailing and consumer product marketing, and provides an answer to the high number of consumer products that are launched annually but fail to succeed.

According to a study by Harvard Business School, 30,000 new consumer products are launched each year and 95% of them fail. Selling to the Masses is designed to change that statistic.

“Selling to the Masses and the affiliated Consumer Product Innovation Lab have the potential to dramatically increase the success rate of all the new products that go to market each year by arming early stage companies with the tools, resources, and connections they need to go to market,” states Matt Fifer, co-founder of the Consumer Product Innovation Lab.

Bentonville, Arkansas is not only home to the world’s largest retailer, Walmart, but also to more than 1,200 of the most successful consumer brand teams.

“There is nowhere in the world with a greater concentration of knowledge and experience when it comes to taking consumer products to market,” Fifer continues.

Instructors and guest speakers include current and former executives from some of the world’s most successful retailers and consumer product companies.

Space is limited but early stage consumer product companies can still register for the April 27 to 29 workshop. Applications for the Consumer Product Innovation Lab will be made available to course attendees.

For more information on the Selling to the Masses workshop, visit http://www.SellingtotheMasses.com.

About the Consumer Product Innovation (CPI) Lab

The Consumer Product Innovation (CPI) Lab is a Bentonville, Arkansas-based accelerator that helps early stage consumer product companies take their products from idea to the shelves of the worlds major retailers by providing expertise and capital.

About the Mentors

Mentors and instructors include: Bob Connolly – Executive Vice President Merchandising (ret.), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Tom Muccio – President of Global Customer Teams (ret.) Procter & Gamble, Andy Murray – Founder & Chairman (ret.) Saatchi & Saatchi X, and Lois Mikita – Senior Vice President / GMM Apparel & Home (ret) Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., among many others.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Gift Baskets Company Conducting Search for New Vendors

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 20, 2012

Gift baskets are a way to convey a wealth of sentiments, and can be an appropriate gift for expressing sympathy, joy, appreciation, and many sentiments in between. However, mygiftbasketideas.com, has found that despite its extensive line up of baskets, that customers want even more of a selection. Thus, the company has decided to conduct a search for new gift basket vendors.

Company representative Sarah Barkley shares, “The decision to search for new vendors is not something that we approached lightly. We have been in this business for some time now, and like to think we have a solid idea as to what the average gift basket shopper is looking for. Expanding our product lineup is always something of a gamble. On one hand we are pleased that we can potentially fit the bill for a greater number of customers, but on the other hand we always have this nagging doubt that perhaps we have misread the needs of our typical and our growing market.”

Barkley also shares that the company is considering vendors that can provide items that will result in gift baskets that are a little bit more quirky, flirty, and fun, “Certainly we do recognize that a large portion of our market relies on us to deliver baskets for corporate purposes, or even to express sympathy. However, we have seen a very positive response to some of our themed baskets that offer a bit of humor and fun with them. Everyone can appreciate the gift of chocolate or cookies, but a funny plush bear or humor-infused coffee mug, and even daringly witty goodies can really set the tone for those occasions that are somewhat more casual.”

The company invites any vendors of gift baskets to submit their name and information at the website if they fit the above characteristics. To work with the site, companies must make quality products, ship on time, every-time, be online via e-mail and phone every working day, and accept returns and refunds on the rare occasion they’re necessary.

Customers can see the expanded lineup, and vendors can submit their information, at the company’s home page which is, http://www.mygiftbasketideas.com.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Olympic Qualification at Synchronised Swimming Test Event

Olympic qualification at Synchronised Swimming test event

(PRWEB) April 17, 2012

The FINA Olympic Games Synchronised Swimming Qualification, Presented by Visa which begins this Wednesday will see over 160 athletes from 34 nations compete for the final three team places in the Synchronised Swimming competition at London 2012.

The event, which doubles up as a London 2012 test event and is part of the London Prepares series, will see over 16,000 spectators watch the action across five days. World class athletes and teams, including current Olympic and World Champions Russia and host nation Great Britain will demonstrate their precision skills in the Aquatics Centre.

The event will not only be a crucial event for the athletes as they compete in the venue where they will contest Olympic medals this summer, it is also a chance for the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to test operations ahead of the Games. These include testing the timing, scoring and results systems and specifically involve testing the pool, under water speakers and underwater cameras for judging.

Debbie Jevans, Director of Sport at LOCOG said: “This will be our third competitive test of the Aquatics Centre, but it is just as important that we test the pool for the Synchronised Swimmers and give our workforce a chance to work as a team with 100 days to go until the start of the Games.”

Colin Grannell, Executive Vice President, Partnership Marketing at Visa Europe said: “As we get closer to the Games the London Prepares series is a vital tool for athlete preparation and more importantly for Synchronised Swimming qualification in the venue they will actually compete in. The test events give Visa an essential opportunity to test our payments network so that we are one step ahead and ready to go for Games Time.”

During the Games, the Synchronised Swimming will take place from 5-10 August with 104 female competitors trying to win medals in the Duet’s and Team’s competitions.

For more information visit http://www.londonpreparesseries.com

Notes to editors:

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office.

About Visa Europe

In Europe, there are 445 million Visa debit, credit and commercial cards. In the 12 months ending September 2011 those cards were used to make purchases and cash withdrawals to the value of €1.7 trillion. 14% of consumer spending at point of sale in Europe is with a Visa card, and almost 80% of that is on Visa debit cards.

Visa Europe is owned and operated by more than 3,700 European members and was incorporated in July 2004. Visa Europe is independent of global Visa Inc., with an exclusive, irrevocable and perpetual licence in Europe, while both companies operate to ensure global interoperability. As a dedicated European payment system Visa Europe is able to respond quickly to the specific market needs of European banks and their customers – cardholders and retailers – and to meet the European Commission’s objective to create a true internal market for payments.

Visa enjoys unsurpassed acceptance around the world. In addition, Visa/PLUS is one of the world’s largest global ATM networks, offering cash access in local currency in over 200 countries.

For more information, visit http://www.visaeurope.com

About Team 2012

Team 2012 presented by Visa is a fundraising programme designed to provide UK athletes with the tools and support to reach their full potential and win more medals at European Championships, World Championships – and of course at the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012. It is a joint venture between the British Olympic Association, ParalympicsGB, UK Sport and LOCOG. Alongside the vital role played by The National Lottery and Exchequer funding, Team 2012 will help fund our athletes over the next two years. The vast majority of funds raised through Team 2012 will be distributed by UK Sport through its World Class Performance Programme which ensures that the UK’s most talented athletes have every chance of reaching their potential. Having run their programme since 1997, UK Sport has developed a highly successful ‘No Compromise’ approach, which ultimately means taking no short cuts in resourcing the best athletes to realise their medal ambitions. Funding is provided to athletes via their sport’s governing body, in support of a performance programme that includes coaching, training and competition support, medical and scientific services and equipment and access to the best facilities.

London 2012 Games partners:

The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners – adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Dearborn National® Promotes Healthy Smiles with Activity Book during National Children’s Dental Health Month

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 30, 2012

The American Dental Association has designated February as National Children’s Dental Health Month. Knowing that prevention is always better than treatment, Dearborn National has created a fun way to promote children’s good oral health habits, which are so vitally important to giving them an early start on a lifetime of healthy teeth and gums.

As part of its ongoing dental wellness efforts, Dearborn National will mail “Fun with Healthy Teeth,” an engaging, informative children’s activity booklet promoting good oral health, to members with children three to five years old who are believed to be at risk for dental decay.

As an added bonus, members who receive this mailing have the opportunity to complete the Tooth Chart from the activity book to receive a free Child’s Dental Starter Kit! The kit features Kid’s Crest® Toothpaste, Oral-B® Stages Toothbrush and Kid’s Flosser from Procter & Gamble—a partner in the Dearborn National Dental Network discount program for dentists.

As entertaining as it is informative, the book is designed to challenge and equip children—and the adults in their lives—to practice good, daily, oral health habits. So it’s sure to put smiles on recipients’ faces, while also helping to ensure that their smiles are the brightest and healthiest that they can be.

“Participating in National Children’s Dental Health Month, and raising awareness about the importance of dental health at an early age, is an integral part of our proactive approach to providing members with targeted wellness initiatives,” said John Doyle, Chief Marketing Officer.

About Dearborn National®

With more than 40 years of experience, the Dearborn National brand companies offer a broad selection of insurance products, including Group Benefits (employer-paid/voluntary), Worksite and Individual, as well as an array of enhanced product services. Combined, we are licensed in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico. Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company (HCSC), is the parent company of the Dearborn National brand companies. HCSC is the largest non-investor owned health care insurer in the United States and the fourth largest overall.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Upshot Takes a New Approach to Digital Asset Management

Upshot Generator

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 26, 2012

Upshot, a privately owned Chicago-based marketing agency founded in 1994, has launched Generator, a web-based Digital Asset Management (DAM) system geared toward both consumer-focused and B2B marketing organizations.

Upshot is taking a different angle on the world of DAM with a solution coupled with agency services, including dedicated Asset Librarians, Production Design and Graphics Specialists. “There are a lot of great DAM systems out there,” noted David Albert, SVP Digital Products, “but most organizations don’t have the specialized resources needed to effectively manage their ever-increasing marketing assets in a way that will improve efficiency and boost ROI. Our approach is to give marketers a platform for DAM, coupled with services they can use as needed to help increase productivity.”

With most organizations being inundated with the explosion of additional marketing channels such as social media, Upshot believes this integrated approach removes another headache from already overwhelmed marketing and IT staffs.

“Nowadays, marketers can’t rely on disparate sources to track and manage their assets,” continued Albert. “They’re being tasked to provide images, videos, logos and creative files to numerous vendors, partners, media outlets and, in some cases, even customers who help them spread their brand message. Generator ensures these assets are properly routed and organized, giving the right people the right access and marketers peace of mind.”

Upshot clients include Crown Imports, Disney Vacation Club, Kraft Foods, Hilton Worldwide, New Balance, P&G, Subway and Post. For more information about Generator visit upshotgenerator.com

Upshot Generator Contact: David Albert

SVP, Digital Products

davidalbert(at)upshotmail(dot)com

312.895.6211

About Upshot

Upshot (upshot.net) is an independent Chicago-based marketing agency that inspires people to take action with a focus on consumer, shopper and business-to-business marketing. Clients include Procter & Gamble, Crown Imports, Hilton Worldwide, SUBWAY® Restaurants, New Balance and Kraft Foods to name a few.

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, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Road Race Vantage Point Capacity Increased

Road Race vantage point capacity increased

(PRWEB) January 25, 2012

The London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today confirmed that one of the best vantage points on the Olympic Road Race route will have a spectator capacity of up to 15,000.

LOCOG given green light to increase spectator capacity on one of the best vantage points of the Olympic Cycling Road Race route
Survey shows National Trust land will benefit from work done in the area
Ticketing plans for this area will be released in due course

Five months of detailed work, following the London Surrey Cycle Classic test event in August, have enabled the spectator capacity on the Zig-Zag Road incline and Donkey Green area of Box Hill in Surrey to increase from 3,500. The final capacity will be confirmed when the work is completed and a health and safety report is carried out.

LOCOG, working in close partnership with land owners National Trust and landscape and wildlife advisers Natural England, will give spectators the chance to watch the races from the Zig-Zag Road incline and Donkey Green on Box Hill, while protecting the wildlife in the area.

The area will offer spectators a fantastic view of the race, with the men’s race looping Box Hill nine times and the women’s twice. Access will be ticketed in line with London 2012 aims to provide fair access and safety at venues.

Next week the National Trust will begin work to safely remove scrub along the Zig Zag road. This will allow for the increased capacity and also encourage chalk grassland to grow following the Games, making more room for endangered species such as man orchids and small blue butterflies to flourish.

The rest of the route –which travels through six London boroughs, four Royal Parks and Surrey countryside, before heading back into central London for the finish on the Mall- offers spectators approximately 120km of road to watch the race for free. Spectators can also view the race for free from other roads on the Box Hill Loop, excluding the Zig-Zag Road incline and Donkey Green.

London 2012 Director of Sport, Debbie Jevans, said: “We are delighted to welcome people to watch the Olympic Road Race from the Zig-Zag Road and Donkey Green at Box Hill. We will give people the chance to see a generous amount of Road Race competition at one of the best stretches of road which we are able to do following the test event and our learnings there. Spectators will have a unique viewing position on the route, there is another 120km of route which is free to spectators, including some great points through London and The Royal Parks.”

Andy Wright, the National Trust Countryside Manager for Box Hill said: “It’s great news that so many people will be able to enjoy the races in this wonderful natural setting. The surveys conducted by LOCOG are the most thorough ever carried out on this site and will really help us manage the habitat for the long term.

“The scrub alongside the road has very few species living in it so when we remove it, it doesn’t matter if people walk in those areas. Gradually, over the years, that land will turn into chalk grassland which is a much richer habitat – supporting around 60 to 100 species of plants, animals and insects per square metre.”

Working together with the National Trust and Natural England, LOCOG has ensured sustainability is a top priority in delivering the Olympic Road Races. London is the first summer Host City to embed sustainability in its planning from the start.

The work begins on 30 January and the Zig-Zag road will be closed for a week. Strips of land on both sides of the road will be trimmed but occasional “bridges” of overhanging trees will be left in place to allow dormice and other woodland creatures to cross.

Jim Smyllie, Natural England’s Executive Director for Delivery, said: “Natural England has a responsibility to ensure that the wildlife on this very special site is effectively protected, and it is great news that LOCOG’s survey shows that careful scrub clearance will restore degraded habitat and at the same time enable more spectators to view the thrilling road cycling events of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The cycling road races will be world class events in world class scenery and the restoration work at Box Hill will help ensure they leave a living legacy.”

In March work will take place to lay a BT fibre optic cable to the top of Box Hill. This will enable efficient communication, recording of results, broadcasting and timing during the Olympics. It will also provide high speed broadband capabilities to the area in future.

In April the National Trust will re-surface the Zig Zag road.

For images for media use visit the National Trust FTP site:

https://ftp.nationaltrust.org.uk/

Notes to editors:

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office

London 2012 Games partners:

The Worldwide Olympic Partners who support the London 2012 Olympic Games and the National Olympic Committees around the world are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos, Dow, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Procter and Gamble, Samsung and Visa.

LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners – adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are seven domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, ArcelorMittal, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are now twenty-eight domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Aggreko, Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, CBS Outdoor, Crystal CG, Eurostar, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, G4S, GSK, Gymnova, Heathrow Airport, Heineken UK, Holiday Inn, John Lewis, McCann Worldgroup, Mondo, NATURE VALLEY, Next, Nielsen, Populous, Rapiscan Systems, Rio Tinto, Technogym, Thames Water, Ticketmaster, Trebor and Westfield.

There is one domestic Tier One Paralympic Games-only Partner, Sainsbury’s and one domestic Tier Three Paralympic Games-only Supplier, Otto Bock. The London 2012 Paralympic Games also acknowledges the support of the National Lottery.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Drunkorexia Combines the Worst of Teen Alcohol Abuse with Body Image Problems, and Sunset Bay Academy Explains This Growing Trend and Its Causes

Teenagers Drinking Problem

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) January 18, 2012

As many parents may know, high school can be a frightening and exhilarating time. Teens get their first taste of freedom as parents get to watch their sons and daughters go off to prove themselves in a demanding social environment. Responsible parents will warn about the dangers of drinking and exercising self-control, but that control can take a dangerous form in the shape of what is being called “drunkorexia.”

On one hand, some high school teens are forgoing food in order to stretch their alcohol budget. These teens want to drink because they feel compelled or may actually have a problem of some sort. Recent studies from the American Collage Health Association found that “31 percent of students met the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse and 6 percent for a diagnosis of alcohol dependence in the past 12 months.” Not eating allows students to get drunk faster, further increasing the buzz they get from their budgets.

On the other hand, other high school teens are drinking and forgoing food for more physiological reasons. Studies show that 16% of students are combining an eating disorder with a drinking problem in an effort to lose more calories. Most of these students are women.

Aside from the obvious health concerns of binge drinking, mixing alcohol with malnutrition is a dangerous gamble. While both deprive the body of vital nutrients, combining alcohol and poor eating habits in teens is a recipe for disaster. The long-term and short-term effects include impaired cognitive abilities, which often result in lower high school academic performance and increased risk of some of the more dangerous results of high school alcohol abuse.

Alcohol abuse in high school leads to hundreds of thousands of injuries, sexual abuse, and impaired decisions. More disturbingly, there is an apparent link between alcohol addiction and abuse and suicide attempts. Combine alcohol with warped body image and the danger of teen suicide increases dramatically.

The phrase “a perfect storm” is often overused, but drunkorexia may be on its way to creating the perfect situation for teen problems to collide in the perfect way to lead to tragic conclusions. High school is a stressful time for teens. Yes, they have a freedom, but with that freedom comes an increase in responsibility. Almost 85% of students reported stress and more than 3 in 5 reported stress cases are so extreme that work was impossible. Women suffer more from this since almost a quarter believed their body image experiences were traumatic.

While drunkorexia is a relatively new trend, we can’t ignore its implications. Simply banning alcohol is not an issue. Alcohol use is a symptom of deeper problems, and drunkorexia is perhaps, unfortunately, the best evidence of this. Some high school students are actively drinking for social reasons. Others jump in because alcohol gives them another tool to practice their self-loathing.

Alone, eating disorders and alcohol abuse are scary enough. In Therapeutic Boarding Schools like Sunset Bay Academy, you will find programs designed to help both teens fight alcohol addiction and eating disorders. Sunset Bay Academy understands that it’s not enough to simply remove the symptoms. We must give parents and teens the tools to fight back these problems.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Gilman Law LLP Is Actively Investigating A Class Action Lawsuit On Behalf of Investors of Diamond Foods, Inc.

Gilman Law LLP A Leading Securities Fraud Law Firm

Naples, FL (PRWEB) December 28, 2011

Gilman Law LLP, a leading national securities law firm, is actively investigating shareholder allegations that Diamond Foods, Inc. (“Diamond Foods”) and certain of its officers and directors violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5, by issuing false and misleading information. Diamond Foods engages in processing, marketing and distributing snack products.

For over 30 years, the lawyers at Gilman Law have been involved in all major aspects of securities fraud litigation. The firm specializes in cases involving stock manipulation, securities fraud, and shareholder rights violations. If you purchased or otherwise acquired shares of Diamond Foods, Inc. between April 5, 2011 and November 1, 2011 (“Class Period”), you may contact Gilman Law LLP by January 6, 2012 to discuss your rights, including as to recovery of your losses or to obtain additional information.

A shareholders class action lawsuit was commenced in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Diamond Foods issued the following materially false and misleading statements concerning the Company’s business and financial results: (1) Diamond allegedly failed to disclose that the Company had underestimated the ultimate price to be paid to walnut growers; (2) Diamond Foods improperly accounted for its cost of sales and as result, overstated their financial results; (3) The Company lacked adequate internal and financial controls; and (4) as a result of the false and misleading statements, the Company lacked a reasonable basis for their positive statements about their business, operations, and prospects. dockets.justia.com/docket/california/candce/3:2011cv05386/247344/ Case No.: 2011-cv-05386

According to the Complaint, on April 5, 2011, Diamond Foods announced that it was going to acquire the Pringles snack business from The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) and finish the acquisition by December 2011. However, shareholders allege that Diamond Foods lacked any reasonable basis for this timeframe. It was not until November 1, 2011 that Diamond Foods finally disclosed that their acquisition of Pringles would be delayed until the first half of 2012 due to internal investigations of the above allegations. In reaction to this news, Diamond Foods shares declines $ 11,33 per share, or 17.67%, to close on November 2, 2011 at $ 52.79 per share, on unusually heavy trading volume.

If you wish to join the Diamond Foods class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, please visit http://www.investment-losses.com or contact Gilman Law LLP at (888) 252-0048.

For over 30 years, the lawyers at Gilman Law have extensive experience representing both individual and institutional investors in securities have been involved in all major aspects of securities fraud litigation. The firm specializes in cases involving stock manipulation, securities fraud, and shareholder rights violations. Gilman Law is ready to assist investors nationwide who have sustained losses as a result of Diamond Foods’ alleged fraud. For more information on the Diamond Foods’ Investor Class action lawsuit or our other current investigations, please visit http://www.gilmanlawllp.com or http://gilmanlawsecuritiesstocksbondsfraud.com. For a free evaluation of your case, please contact Gilman Law TOLL FREE at (888) 252-0048.

Contact:

Gilman Law LLP

Beachway Professional Center Tower

Suite 307

3301 Bonita Beach Road

Bonita Springs, FL 34134

(239) 221-8301

Toll Free 888-252-0048

gilmanlawllp.com

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Original Force Accelerates its Render Pipeline with PipelineFX’s Qube

(PRWEB) December 11, 2011

Rendering is always the most expensive part of any production. That is why savvy and expanding Chinese 3D animation outsourcing company, Original Force, chose the top full service render farm management company, PipelineFX, and their software, Qube!™, to organize and optimize their rapidly growing rendering pipeline.

With over 700 full-time employees, multiple sites throughout China, and a renowned client base that includes Dreamworks, EA, Microsoft and THQ – Original Force has become one of the fastest growing animation outsourcing companies in China. This growth, and the high level of client expectations that come with quality clientele, have made the creation of a highly efficient production pipeline an absolute necessity. With rendering being a vital, albeit expensive, part of the production puzzle, it became critical for Original Force to quickly find a rendering management solution that would create a more efficient pipeline that was also flexible enough to keep up with their tremendous growth.

For years, Original Force’s render management software had either been simple or free. It worked ok, but not great. As the complexity of their projects began to grow, Original Force found that simplistic rendering software couldn’t handle the needs of their workload. On top of this, Original Force was also using a lot of different software and technology at the same time. Programs such as 3ds Max, Maya, V-Ray, mental ray, and RealFlow were all part of their pipeline, and needed to be compatible with whatever solution they decided on. They found their answer in Qube!, a world class render farm management solution designed and supported by PipelineFX – a full service rendering company.

“We decided to look at Qube! since we knew it had been around the longest, and was being used by some of best production studios in world,” said Harley Zhao, CEO at Original Force. “We started out with a few licenses as a test; but once the results started rolling in, we could tell that we had made the right decision and implemented it across the company. The impact was huge. Qube! easily eclipsed our old rendering solutions, which saved us money, and gave us back a lot of time.”

Another big problem Original Force faced this year was how to efficiently manage the enormity of their render farm. Their farm consisted of more than 400 HP blades, and over 3000 cores. These CPUs needed to support different teams with different needs during the production process. If the farms were not managed efficiently, the firm would burn out a lot of money. With Qube! in place, this problem never materialized, as Qube! maximized Original Force’s CPU cores, memory and rendering software licenses. This alone proved to be a huge cost savings, since extra memory means extra time and more money to a creative production studio.

“It was really important to us that PipelineFX was a full service company that could provide comprehensive support and training. I am not quite sure how big of a team they have, but anytime we needed support, they were there to help. The success of our pipeline can now be attributed to PipelineFX and Qube! We are glad we chose PipelineFX as our partner for render farm management.”

PipelineFX will be demonstrating Qube! at SIGGRAPH ASIA on Tuesday December 13th and Wednesday the 14th from 9:30am to 6:00pm and Thursday the 15th from 9:30am to 5:00pm. PipelineFX can be found at booth D-14.

About Original Force

Original Force is a China-based outsourcing company providing top-quality art production services to the video game, TV, and film industries. OF offers a comprehensive set of high quality and low cost outsourcing production services to clients globally. Since being established in 1999, we have been strived for excellence and worked worldwide in a variety of digital methods. Our quality services have earned us a magnificent reputation among our clients, such as EA, THQ, 2K Games, Microsoft, SEGA, Activision, Sony, Tencent, etc. Original Force just won a TV animation production contract for Dreamworks. Original Force currently has over 700 full-time staff and is one of the fastest-growing outsourcing companies in China.

About Qube!™ and Smart Farming™

Qube! is an intelligent, mature and highly scalable render management solution that can be quickly integrated into any production workflow, and is backed by world-class technical support. Smart Farming delivers intelligence to production pipelines by providing business-critical insight into render pipelines, maximizing investment in rendering infrastructure and automating manual processes. Qube! works out of the box with all leading content creation applications and is truly cross-platform with all software components available on Windows®, Linux®, and Mac OS®X operating systems.

About PipelineFX:

As the leading provider of intelligent render farm management solutions for digital content creation, PipelineFX provides software, support, consulting and training services worldwide. Over 500 customers across film and visual effects, post production, broadcast, design, games and education include Arc Productions, BaseFX, BBC, Cinesite, Deluxe, Digital Domain, Electronic Arts, General Motors, L.M.U., Laika Studios, Lockheed Martin, Method Studios, NBC, NHK, Original Force, Pratt University, Procter & Gamble, ReelFX, RIM, Smoke & Mirrors, South Park Studios, Technicolor, and Telemundo. PipelineFX is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, and has offices in London, Honolulu, Portland, Austin, Las Vegas, and Vancouver.

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©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.