Thursday, February 28, 2013

Wore Jeans. Raised Cash. Paid it Forward.

How Zuri Salon and Spa's Dress Code compromise, created a philanthropic opportunity

Denver, CO, February 28, 2013 -- When the employees at the prestigious Zuri Salon and Spa, in Cherry Creek North, were looking for more work wardrobe options, owner Peter Friedauer struck a rather noble deal with his staff. While Zuri has always maintained a professional atmosphere, and dress code to match, Peter would agree to the staff-proposed "Blue Jean Friday," under one creative, and philanthropic condition. Any staff member wanting to participate in the coveted flexibility to wear jeans on Fridays would contribute a $5.00 cash donation towards charity.

"I thought it was a fun way to give my staff some different clothing options while doing something good for others," Peter says. "Blue Jean Fridays" ended up creating a chain reaction of good. Peter paid it forward to his staff and allowed them the comfort of wearing jeans to work. The Zuri staff paid it forward by raising donation money for Phoenix Multisport, an organization paying it forward by promoting sober lifestyles communities.

The impressive organization, Phoenix Multisport, supports a physically active community for individuals who choose to live a sober lifestyle after struggling for years with alcohol and substance abuse. In fact, Phoenix Multisport founder, Scott Strode became the recipient of the "2012 CNN Heroes Award", and he continues to strive for excellence as a leader. This motivation inspired the Zuri staff to raise donations to a grand total of $550 dollars over the last year. And did so, in the comfort of their blue jeans.

Contact:
Lindsay Appel
Splendid Fruition
Denver, CO
303-921-5683
lindsay@splendidfruition.com
http://www.splendidfruition.com

World-Renowned Vocal Ensemble Sweet Honey In The Rock Adds Something Different – A Jazz Trio! – On New Two-CD Live Set And Upcoming Special Shows Celebrating Musical Influences

February 26th Release on Appleseed Recordings, “A Tribute – Live! Jazz at Lincoln Center,” and Tour Dates Spotlight Quintet’s Inspirations and Versatility

Hollywood, CA, February 26, 2013 - Nearing its fourth decade, the internationally acclaimed, award-winning female African-American a cappella group Sweet Honey In The Rock was ready to follow its adventurous spirit and undertake a new challenge – to honor some of the seminal songs that first inspired its unique blend of folk, blues, jazz, gospel and ethnic music in a concert presentation utilizing an instrumental backing trio for the first time. Upping the ante, the singers decided to perform this special program at New York’s prestigious Jazz at Lincoln Center venue and to record their two-night appearance there in front of surprised and delighted audiences. Talk about working without a net!

In the opening moments of Sweet Honey In The Rock’s new 2-CD set, “A Tribute – Live! Jazz at Lincoln Center,” well-timed for February 26th release – concluding Black History Month and preceding Women’s History Month in March – group member Ysaye Barnwell recites a roll-call of some of the great female African-American vocalists whose songs helped shape the group and comprise much of “Tribute’s” repertoire, including Abbey Lincoln, Odetta, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba, Carmen McRae, Bessie Smith, and Sarah Vaughan.

The songs on this recording are drawn from those two shows at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall in April 2011. They were subsequently performed on several additional dates, and will be featured in at least five upcoming “Tribute” shows in February and March 2013. Adorned with new arrangements by Sweet Honey’s members, there are jazz standards such as “Love Me or Leave Me,” “Wild is the Wind,” and “Tell Me More and More and Then Some,” gospel/civil rights anthems melded into a “Freedom Suite,” Afro-centric songs (the Sixties hit song “Pata Pata,” “Sabumoya,” “Shuku Shuku,” and the closing “N'diarabi/Africa is Where My Heart Lies”), show tunes, blues, and a salsa-flavored original, “Let There Be Peace.”

Sweet Honey In The Rock’s distinctive swirl of a cappella vocals, encompassing waves of imaginative ensemble harmonies and occasional solo showcases, is heard unaccompanied, aside from the quintet’s hand percussion, on about half of the songs. Interwoven throughout the presentation are the understated instrumental contributions of the trio nicknamed “the Honey Men” – Stacey Wade (musical director/piano/keyboards), Parker McAllister (bass), Jovol Bell (drums, percussion) – who augment Sweet Honey’s exhilarating, soulful voices and confident, genre-crossing dexterity.

Founded in 1973 by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon at the (Washington) D.C. Black Repertory Theater Company, Sweet Honey In The Rock’s line-up currently includes returning original members Carol Maillard and Louise Robinson (Dr. Reagon retired from the group in 2004) and “long-timers” Ysaye Barnwell, Nitanju Bolade Casel, and Aisha Kahlil, as well as on-stage sign language interpreter Shirley Childress. The group has toured from Australia to Zimbabwe, performed in the White House at the request of President and First Lady Obama, accrued numerous honors (including a Grammy and several Grammy nominations , most recently for its first CD on Appleseed, 2007’s “Experience…101”), and established itself as an inspiring, empowering musical force worldwide.

Sweet Honey’s involvement in various social justice projects makes the group an ideal member of the independent Appleseed Recordings roster, which includes significant artist/activists Pete Seeger, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and South Africa’s Johnny Clegg, among others.

Upcoming “Tribute” tour dates:
2/28/13 Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA
3/1/13 McCarter Theater, Princeton, NJ
3/2/13 New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark, NJ
3/5/13 B.B. King’s, New York City
3/7/13 Howard Theatre, Washington, D.C.

Upcoming Non-“Tribute” tour dates:
3/8/13 Murphy Fine Arts Center, Baltimore, MD
3/9/13 Williamsburg Lodge, Williamsburg, VA
3/21/13 Kraakhuis, Gent, BE
3/23/13 Barbican Centre, London, UK
3/26/13 Royal Opera House Muscat, Muscat, OM
3/30/13 Bluesfest, Bryon Bay, AU
3/31/13 Bluesfest Bryon Bay, AU
4/1/13 Enmore Theatre, Newtown, AU
4/3/13 Hamer Hall, Melbourne, AU
5/11/13 Smothers Theatre, Malibu, CA
5/19/13 Brooklyn Academy of Music Opera House, Brooklyn, NY
7/17/13 Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL
8/3/13 Berkshire Choral Festival, Sheffield, MA

Founded in 1997 by activist attorney Jim Musselman, Appleseed Recordings is an independent, idealistic and internationally distributed record label devoted to releasing socially conscious contemporary, folk and roots music by a wide array of established and lesser-known musicians. Sweet Honey In The Rock is part of a roster that includes such politically active musicians as Pete Seeger, Buffy Sainte-Marie and South Africa’s Johnny Clegg, as well as seasoned, creatively evergreen “heritage” artists Tom Paxton, Tom Rush, Donovan, Jesse Winchester, David Bromberg, Jonathan Edwards, and Al Stewart, among others. The company’s approach has attracted many high-profile guest artists, including Bruce Springsteen, who has recorded six tracks for the label and was inspired to create his “Seeger Sessions” CD and tours after working on the first of Appleseed’s three Pete Seeger tribute releases. Appleseed has built a catalogue of more than 100 well-respected CDs, two Grammy Awards, ten Grammy nominations, and, most importantly, has produced music that is actually helping to change the world.

For more information, to request a review/airplay copy of “A Tribute – Live! Jazz at Lincoln Center” or an interview with Sweet Honey In The Rock, please contact:
Chip Schutzman – chip@mileshighproductions.com, 323-871-4821.

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
P.O. Box 93157
Hollywood, CA 90093
323-806-0400
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com

P2I Previews Advanced IPX7 Dunkable™ Technology at Mobile World Congress

With millions of users already benefiting from the company's splashproof liquid repellent nano-coating on Motorola and TCL Communication smartphones and tablets, P2i is unveiling its new, Dunkable™ technology at Mobile World Congress.

Hampshire, UK, February 28, 2013 - Dunkable™ is a game-changing hydrophobic barrier which allows electronics to function in liquids for an extended period of time. Differentiating itself from the splashproof technology, which is a hydrophobic layer approximately 1000 times thinner than a human hair, the Dunkable™ barrier enables manufacturers to reach an IPx7 water protection rating.

Dr. Stephen Coulson, Chief Technical Officer, P2i, said: “P2i recognizes the market need for a truly dunkable technology which goes beyond protecting against accidental splashes and spills. We have already proven on tens of millions of electronic devices that our everyday splashproof technology significantly reduces water ingress and dramatically increases reliability.

However those needing protection against full submergence for a significant period of time, require something extra. P2i’s cutting-edge Dunkable™ technology provides just this by preventing long lasting corrosion and water damage. Make no mistake; this technology signals the end of extra gaskets, membranes, snubbers, clumsy plastic jack plugs and ugly watertight cases. Dunkable™ is IPx7 without changing the look and feel of a smartphone.”

As a commercially successful innovator, P2i operates in five key market sectors, including Electronics, Lifestyle and Filtration.

It was first established in 2004 to commercialize liquid repellent technologies originally designed to protect soldiers’ military uniforms from chemical attack. P2i has an extended patent portfolio enabling the development of further technologies and application methods. Today, P2i operates as a global outfit, with expertise extending across the technology, engineering and implementation processes.

Carl Francis, Chief Executive Officer, P2i, said: “Dunkable™ represents the very latest advancement in nanocoating technology for the smartphone and tablet market. With over 60 patent families behind us, and dedicated teams researching functional nano-coatings such as anti-scratch, the future is very bright for P2i and our customers.”

Over the past two years P2i has received recognition for the successful leadership and commercialization of its nano-coating technologies through a great variety of industry awards and has been shortlisted for GSMA’s Global Mobile Awards 2013 in the ‘Best Mobile Technology Breakthrough’ category.

About P2i
P2i is the world leader in liquid repellent nano-coating technology. It was established in 2004 by Dstl/Ploughshare Innovations to commercialize liquid repellent treatments developed by the UK’s Ministry of Defence. Now on a commercial scale, P2i’s patented process has been successfully applied to a wide range of products in a wide range of markets including Electronics, Lifestyle, Life Sciences, Military & Institutional and Filtration & Energy. See http://www.p2i.com for more information.

Media Contact Natasha Verniquet +44 (0)1235 838 715 or natasha.verniquet@p2i.com

About Ploughshare Innovations
Ploughshare Innovations manages the commercial licensing to industry of intellectual property developed by the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Ploughshare’s goal is to give clients a competitive edge, by lowering technology risk, reducing R&D costs, speeding time to market, and maximizing the business opportunity. It provides leading edge, application focussed technology, backed up with the assurance of advanced IP support and protection. Ploughshare Innovations is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dstl.

Media Contacts Chris Goff +44 (0)1794 301602 or chris.goff@ploughshareinnovations.com

Contact:
Chris Goff
Ploughshare Innovations Ltd.
Unit 2, Nine Mile Water Business Park
Nether Wallop, Stockbridge
Hampshire SO20 8DR
+44 (0)1794 301602
pr@newsvend.com
http://www.ploughshareinnovations.com

Is Mississippi getting rid of Insurance Cards?

Insurance King was founded in 2000 out of Illinois and currently has employees licensed in 7 states for Auto and Motorcycle Insurance.

Rockford, IL, February 28, 2013 - Is Mississippi getting rid of insurance cards? On July 1st, 2013 in the state of Mississippi a police officer will have real time insurance information like policy number, the company name the car is insured with, when the last payment was received, and yes if the policy is currently in force at the time of a routine traffic stop. There will be a 6 month testing period so the insurance companies and the state can make sure the system is running correctly.

Insurance King was founded in 2000 out of Illinois and currently has employees licensed in 7 states for Auto and Motorcycle Insurance. Insurance King plans to grow in these states and eventually open offices to better serve the clients. Insurance King specializes in Low Cost Auto Insurance and also writes SR-22s.

Insurance King is making car insurance affordable for drivers in Mississippi. Motorcycle owners can currently quote, buy, print and ride online in Mississippi at www.insurancekingquote.com under the motorcycle tab and Automobile owners can request a quote over the phone or by visiting www.insurancekingquote.com .

Mississippi requires you to have Auto Insurance and Insurance King helps you drive legal for Less.

Contact:
Dan Block
Founder of Insurance King
Insurance King
127 N. Alpine Rd
Rockford, IL 61107
815-316-9522
dan@insurancekingquote.com
http://www.insurancekingquote.com

New Car Insurance Law in Mississippi

Insurance King is helping Drivers in the state of Mississippi understand the new law the state of Mississippi is enacting on July 1st 2013.

Rockford, IL, February 27, 2013 - Rockford IL New Car Insurance Law in Mississippi.

Insurance King is helping Drivers in the state of Mississippi understand the new law the state of Mississippi is enacting on July 1st 2013.


Mississippi has enacted Senate Bill 2631 which authorizes the department of Public Safety, in collaboration with the Insurance Commissioner and the Department of Revenue, to implement a motor vehicle insurance verification system to track uninsured motorists in Mississippi. This law became effective on July 1, 2012 except the vehicle registration provision in Section 5 which becomes effective on July 1st, 2013.

Mississippi Driver’s will soon learn about the state’s Automobile Insurance Verification System.

The Mississippi Automobile Insurance Verification System summarized does this;

* authorize the Department of Public Safety, in collaboration with the Insurance commissioner and the Department of Revenue, to implement a motor vehicle insurance verification system to track uninsured motorists in the state. The law requires the system be installed and operational by July 1, 2013, following a minimum testing period of six months

*give the Department of Public Safety rulemaking authority to implement provisions of the law, such as requiring insurers to make periodic insurance data file transfers to identify motor vehicles that are not covered by an insurance policy and to monitor ongoing compliance with the mandatory motor vehicle liability insurance requirements;

*authorize the Department of Revenue to deny a motor vehicle applicant a vehicle registration tag (both new and renewed) upon discovery that the person is uninsured after accessing the insurance verification system;

*but most importantly the Mississippi Automobile Insurance Verification system authorizes a law enforcement officer to access the system during a traffic stop or accident investigation to verify insurance coverage for the stopped motorist.

Get a Free Automobile insurance quote from Insurance King by visiting www.insurancekingquote.com or call a local office.

Contact:
Dan Block
Founder of insurance king
Insurance King
127 N. Alpine Rd.
Rockford, IL 61107
815-316-9522
Dan@insurancekingquote.com
http://www.insurancekingquote.com

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Arizona Commissioners Special Elk Tag at the Arizona Elk Society Banquet March 23, 2013

A coveted Arizona Commissioners Special Elk Tag is one of the premium auction items being offered during the 12th Annual Arizona Elk Society Banquet in Mesa, Ariz., on March 23.

Phoenix Arizona, February 27, 2013 - A coveted Arizona Commissioners Special Elk Tag is one of the premium auction items being offered during the 12th Annual Arizona Elk Society Banquet in Mesa, Ariz., on March 23. The tag will be sold during the Live Auction on Saturday.

Every dollar raised from this elk tag goes directly to the management of elk in Arizona and allows for a multitude of wildlife conservation projects. Management of the dollars and projects are in coordination with the Arizona Habitat Partnership Committee.

Projects range from water improvements, wildlife friendly fencing, wildlife studies, game surveys, translocations, habitat restorations, land acquisitions and more. Many of these projects are matched and further leveraged with other funding sources, labor, or supplied materials, stretching every dollar spent even further.

In the end, the real winners of the Special Big Game License Tag Program are the citizens of Arizona. Through the dedication of concerned hunters and sportsmen, Arizonans can continue to enjoy the state’s full complement of diverse wildlife for generations to come.

"This is a great opportunity for someone to be able to take an exceptional Rocky Mountain Elk while simultaneously raising critical funds needed for elk habitat and conservation efforts in Arizona," said AES President Steve Clark. "The Arizona Elk Society is proud to be part of this great effort and we appreciate the partnership we have with the Arizona Game and Fish to determine where these funds will be spent through the Habitat Partnership Committee"

The Special Elk Tag is good for one calendar year starting August 15, 2013, and good until August 14, 2014.

Other Special Tags include:
Arizona Special Buffalo Tag
Hualapai Exclusive Bull Elk Tag

Becoming an AES Member:
Joining the Arizona Elk Society is the best way to support Arizona’s Elk and other wildlife as well as protecting our Hunting Heritage for future generations.
JOIN NOW: www.arizonaelksociety.org

The vision of the Arizona Elk Society is to have quality wildlife habitat to support a balanced Elk Herd and benefit other wildlife. To provide today's youth with outdoor education and experience to get them, and keep them, involved in conservation, hunting and fishing.

Visit our website at www.arizonaelksociety.org or call 602-885-0835 for more information.

Contact:
Scott Kelly
Black Dog Promotions
9920 S. Rural Rd., Ste 108
Tempe, AZ 85284
480-206-3435
scott@blackdogpromotions.com
http://www.blackdogpromotions.com

Kickboard Raises $2 Million in Series A Funding Led By New Markets Venture Partners and Two Sigma Ventures

Funding Will Support Expansion of the Kickboard Team and Investment in Further Product Development

New Orleans, LA, February 27, 2013 – Kickboard, a web-based school analytics platform that allows educators and school leaders to capture, analyze and securely share critical student performance data, announced today that it has received $2 million in Series A funding led by New Markets Venture Partners and Two Sigma Ventures, with participation from several angel investors. The new round adds to $800,000 from previous seed and angel rounds, bringing the total amount raised to $2.8 million.

“Today’s announcement signals the start of an exciting period of growth for Kickboard,” said Jennifer Medbery, founder and CEO of Kickboard. “With this funding we plan to expand our team and invest in further product development, particularly enhanced dashboards that offer new ways to visualize student performance, including shared information from other tools teachers and school leaders use. In a performance-based culture, it is imperative that teachers, students and families have greater visibility into all elements of student performance so that they can take informed, decisive action and improve student outcomes.”

Kickboard enables schools to complement the deficiencies of their student information system by going beyond the gradebook to develop richer profiles of student progress that include multiple assessments, standards mastery, 21st century skills, reading growth and, most uniquely, student behavior, character strengths and personal interests. The platform’s dashboards provide real-time visibility into student performance in and across classrooms so that teachers have the information they need to make meaningful adjustments to instruction and interventions. With Kickboard, schools are able to improve data-driven teaching, increase collaboration among educators, better facilitate family communication and advance a culture of performance school-wide.

“We believe the answers to K-12 quality, innovation and scaled efficacy are born in authentic data at the classroom and, moreover, end user levels,” said Elizabeth Chou of New Markets Venture Partners. “Kickboard has created a unique and powerful platform that makes it possible for teachers and school leaders to easily and efficiently collect, analyze and act on student behavior and academic data. We recognize the wide-reaching and positive impact Kickboard can have on students’ lives and we look forward to helping the company expand and grow.”

Currently more than 200 schools nationwide have implemented Kickboard school-wide to support their performance-based culture and increase alignment, consistency and real-time visibility of student performance information. Additionally, due to demand from teachers requesting to use Kickboard in their classroom without waiting for school-wide adoption, Kickboard recently began offering free starter accounts to individual educators and teams of up to three teachers per school. The Kickboard starter accounts include most of the same features and functionality as the enterprise platform, allowing teacher leaders to use student data to advance a culture of performance in their school directly by fostering a more transparent, collaborative, growth-minded and results-driven environment in their classrooms.

“In many industries, thoughtful, user-conscious analytics and visualization of data can be incredibly powerful,” said Colin Beirne of Two Sigma Ventures. “Kickboard puts actionable real-time data at the fingertips of teachers and school administrators to better enable them to fine-tune their instruction and management, and ultimately better fulfill their school’s mission.  As strong believers in the power of data to drive insight and results, Two Sigma Ventures is proud to support Kickboard’s efforts to build strong, healthy schools where teachers and students thrive.”

For more information about Kickboard, visit www.kickboardforteachers.com.

About Kickboard
Kickboard is a web-based school analytics platform that allows educators and school leaders to capture, analyze and securely share critical student performance data. The platform’s features include simple yet powerful dashboards that increase the real-time visibility of student performance across classrooms, traditional and standards-based grading, one-click behavior data capture, easy to read charts and graphs and immediate performance reporting, including customizable report cards. With Kickboard, schools are able to improve data-driven teaching, increase collaboration among educators, better facilitate family communication and advance a culture of performance school-wide. Delivered as an on-demand solution, Kickboard can be easily integrated with a school’s SIS, and deployed in a single classroom or across an entire district. For more information, visit kickboardforteachers.com.

About New Markets Venture Partners
New Markets Venture Partners is a venture capital firm that invests in and actively assists innovative education, information technology and business services companies. The New Markets Team has decades of experience investing in and building high growth companies, maintains proprietary relationships with centers of innovation and has particular domain expertise around technology and education. It prides itself on working to add value before, during and after the investment process. Visit newmarketsvp.com for more information.

About Two Sigma Ventures
Two Sigma Ventures is a division of Two Sigma Investments, a leading technology company that applies a rigorous, scientific method-based approach to investment management. Since its founding in 2001, Two Sigma Investments’ vision has been to develop technological innovations that intelligently analyze the world’s data to consistently deliver value for its clients.

Two Sigma Ventures invests the proprietary capital of Two Sigma in innovative companies that harness technology, computing, mathematics or data to tackle problems in a new way. The firm invests in companies in various stages of growth and across a wide variety of industry segments, with a focus on companies that utilize technologies and competencies in which Two Sigma has expertise and that can potentially benefit from the firm’s deep expertise in research and technology.  For more information please visit www.twosigmaventures.com and www.twosigma.com

Contact:
Lindsey Read
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
937 408 9321
lread@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Alisa Boniello Releases World Premiere Music Video for “Can’t Love Me”

Fledging indie songwriter/singer Alisa Boniello, who burst on the music scene last year with her infectious debut single and video for “Lovestruck”

New York, NY, February 26, 2013 - Fledging indie songwriter/singer Alisa Boniello, who burst on the music scene last year with her infectious debut single and video for “Lovestruck”, will bow a brand new video of her rock/pop tinged saga, CAN’T LOVE ME, with a world premiere on video channels online March 5, 2013.

Boniello co-wrote “Can’t Love Me,” with noted songwriter/producer/arranger/musician Ron Haney (Alicia Keys, Drake) who also produced the track. The song chronicles a relationship that goes south after a woman discovers her man has cheated on her and can’t offer unrequited love.

Can’t Love Me,” was directed by film/video Joel Fendelman for Fendelman Films and was executive produced by Ramon Hervey II. Jimmy Ferguson served as Director of photography while Rae Dawn Johnson handled make-up with Julius Michael and Johnson served as hair stylists. Costume set design was created by up and coming fashion designer Antonio Estrada from Marteal & Estrada Fashions.

Boniello has been busy writing and recording several songs with Ron Haney for a potential EP release later in 2013.

For more information about Alisa Boniello please visit Alisa Boniello’s official website: http://www.alisaboniello.com.

For more information on Alisa Boniello, please contact Chip Schutzman at Miles High Productions: 323-806-0400 or chip@mileshighproductions.com

Contact:
Chip Schutzman
Miles High Productions
P.O. Box 93157
Hollywood CA, 90093
323-806-0400
chip@mileshighproductions.com
http://www.mileshighproductions.com/

Fastest Growing Kids Chore Site, My Job Chart, Launches Mobile Apps

The 311,000 Current Members, plus the 500+ Members Who Join Daily, Can Now Track what they Save, Share and Spend On the Go

Scottsdale, Ariz, February 26, 2013 – Answering the demand from its more than 311,000 users, My Job Chart now offers Apple and Android mobile apps, allowing parents and kids the opportunity to save, share and spend from anywhere. Mobile access to MyJobChart.com gives parents the opportunity to teach their kids financial responsibility and personal accountability throughout the day. The fastest growing online chore chart created the free apps for Apple iPhones, iPads and Android phones and tablets. A new mobile site is also available at m.myjobchart.com. With more than 500 new members joining daily, these apps allow this growing community to personalize chores, set up rewards and cash in points anytime, anywhere.

“Going mobile for My Job Chart makes perfect sense because users can access chore charts and rewards on the fly instead of having to wait until they get back to their computer,” said Gregg Murset, father of six and CEO and founder of My Job Chart. “Let’s face it, most family activities happen when we’re away from our desks. We really think our members will enjoy the ease and convenience of the new apps.”

Murset started My Job Chart in February 2010 as a solution for his family. In January 2011, a new site, with the capacity to help millions of users, launched with 50,000 members. Now, two years later, the member base has grown 500%, adding a quarter of a million people in less than 24 months.

“We’ve tackled one thing at a time to make sure users have a seamless and enjoyable experience when they use My Job Chart,” said Trevyn Meyer, Lead Software Engineer for My Job Chart. “With hundreds of members joining daily, we have been fielding a rising number of requests for mobility; these apps deliver freedom and usability, while still offering all the features of the traditional site.”

My Job Chart gives parents and their children a free way to personalize a chores and reward system. Since its inception, kids have completed more than 13.6 million jobs, earning 151 million points, which equals an earning power of $1.51 million.

As kids complete chores, My Job Chart keeps track of their earned points that they can save, share or spend. The site allows parents to set up bank accounts to teach the importance of saving; enables kids to share by donating to one of many charitable organizations, such as Heifer International and Operation Smile; and offers access to an integrated Amazon.com store where parents can purchase reward items or help kids learn responsible spending. The site doesn’t require financial incentives and parents can also create free rewards, such as a day at the park, a favorite meal or a family bike ride.

To download the app, search for My Job Chart in the app store on your mobile device or go to www.myjobchart.com/mobile_apps.

About My Job Chart
My Job Chart, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a free, easy to use, online and mobile chore chart and reward system designed to teach, organize and motivate kids to save, share and spend responsibly. After successfully raising two rounds of seed funding in 2010, which exceeded benchmarks, My Job Chart launched its new site in January 2011. Propelled by a third round of funding in 2012 the site has grown 500% in two years, adding nearly a quarter of a million members in less than 24 months. For more information on My Job Chart, visit www.myjobchart.com.

Contact:
Jenny Foust
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720-244-4268
jfoust@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Luxury Travel Ltd. has launched the new five day tour "The Ultimate Serenity of Southern Laos Tour ”

Embracing authentic experience in Laos, Luxury Travel Ltd. (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) has launched the new five day tour "The Ultimate Serenity of Southern Laos Tour ”

Hanoi, Vietnam, February 27, 2013 - Luxury Travel Ltd. (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) has served the luxury travel industry for many years, and their staff has acquired first-hand knowledge about the travel market. Their advisors have visited their recommended destinations, and have personally checked out the finest hotels, resorts, restaurants, unique experiential tours designed for discriminating travelers.

Champasak, in Southern Laos, boasts many historical sites as well as places of natural beauty, including the largest waterfall in Southeast Asia.


This trip emphasizes the scenic and natural beauty of Laos, minimizing your time in big cities, yet balancing authenticity with the best available accommodations and service.

During this trip, travelers will encounter various hill tribes and observe their life and traditions which have remained unchanged for centuries.

Fun activities include trekking, natural walks, cave exploration, boating, kayaking, elephant riding, and biking.

The tour price starts from US$ 699 per person in a twin share and includes all transportation, boat trips, meals, entrance fees and the services of an English-speaking guide. The company offers 50 USD free voucher gift for booking with a laoslux4lux secret code.

“This five day tour allows you to discover the exotic charm of Southern Laos and includes Tadlo, the Boloven Plateau, Done Khong, Khong Island, the Dong Daeng Khone Phapheng Waterfall and a (World Heritages site) and Vat Phou. We ensure that this trip to Laos will introduce you to an exciting experience, and a mix of natural, cultural and fun adventures, accentuated by exotic and off the beaten path places and lodges.’ Said Pham Ha, Founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Ltd.

For more information, visit www.luxurytravelvietnam.com

About Luxury Travel Ltd.
Vietnam-based Luxury Travel Ltd (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) is a long established Asian specialist in the art of travel and serves today’s most sophisticated travelers with luxury privately guided and fully bespoke holidays in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand. Luxury Travel Ltd. excels in designing tailor-made tours and providing unique travel experiences to fulfill the most sophisticated traveler’s expectations. Luxury Travel Ltd. has won numerous travel awards for excellent performance, including the most recent award: Best Luxury Tour Operator. www.facebook.com/luxurytravelcompany

Contact:
Linh Doan
Luxury Travel Ltd
05 Nguyen Truong To Str.,
Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi 84444
Vietnam
84439274120
marketing12@luxurytravelvietnam.com
http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com

What is a Home Inspector? - From McKissock

McKissock Launches Another Funny, Meme-Inspired Video Answering the Question: What Does a Home Inspector Do?

Denver, CO, February 26, 2013 - What actually happens during a home inspection? It depends who you ask. Home inspectors are called upon every day to look at properties, but what do their moms, clients and the rest of the world think they do? “What is a Home Inspector?” is a funny video that answers that question from a variety of perspectives.

People often have different ideas about how a home inspector’s job gets done. Whether helping keep people safe from electrical fires, pointing out signs of water damage or confirming that a certain home is a wise investment, this profession is full of hard-working professionals. This entertaining, meme-inspired video takes a comedic look at what they do and don’t do!


McKissock, the creator of the video series, is a trusted resource for state-specific, state-approved, engineering, land surveying and home inspection courses, regulation information and compliance. This video is aimed at home inspection professionals who can laugh at the different perceptions of their career; check it out at http://youtu.be/JTS4X-k94Ds.

“Home inspectors deserve a lot of respect for the hard work they do every day to help us stay safe and warm. But they also deserve a good laugh,” says Annie Creek, Business Development Manager for McKissock. “We love this series of videos because, no matter the career, we all have inside jokes about what we do – and won’t ever do!”

In many states, home inspectors are required to hold a state license and keep up their continuing education. Because rules and regulations vary across the country, it can be confusing to know what the home inspector requirements are for license renewal, including how long it will take, what forms are needed and the related fees. McKissock serves as a comprehensive resource about continuing education requirements and more. For license- and education-related questions, contact 1-800-328-2008.

For busy home inspectors who need a reminder for license renewal (because they are too busy saving cats and babies or inspecting cellars as you will see in the video), McKissock offers a free reminder service that will notify you when your license renewal date is approaching. Visit http://reminder.mckedu.com to sign up.

“Professionals have enough on their plate, so we provide reminders, coursework and compliance information and serve as an ally,” adds Creek. “We have a deep understanding of the lives of people who spend a lot of time in the field and don’t want to be concerned about license deadlines and paperwork.”

McKissock has affiliations directly with many associations to better assist professionals in receiving their continuing education credits. For those with a home inspector job, McKissock has met the standards and requirements of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) and the California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA).

From the McKissock website, state-licensed professionals have access to all they need to fulfill state requirements. We offer governing agency information and mandatory topics needed for license renewal; visit today and you can begin taking required coursework immediately. McKissock offers customizable packages or individual professional engineer, land surveying and home inspector courses. For more information, visit www.mckissock.com and search for your specific profession and location.

Contact:
Alicia Hassinger
Communications Strategy Group
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
720.933.8119
ahassinger@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Monday, February 25, 2013

Ottawa Self Defense, SAFE International Announces Launch of “SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog”

Ottawa Self Defense, SAFE International Announces Launch of “SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog”

Ottawa, ON, February 25, 2013 - (Straight Line PR) - SAFE International Self Defense would like to announce the launch of their new blog, "SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog". SAFE International is a leader in mobile personal protection/self defense instruction. They have taught more than 175,000 women since 1994. SAFE International specializes in women’s self defense parties, high school self defense, corporate self defense, as well as private self defense. What makes SAFE International so effective is that they don’t just teach the physical side of self defense but also the psychological and emotional sides.

What will you find on the Women Self Defense Blog? SAFE International will be covering all aspects of women’s self defense. There will be articles on the most important topic, which is how to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. There will be blogs on who an attacker chooses as their victim, and why they choose them. Have you ever wondered about how to handle specific self defense scenarios such as being attacked on an elevator? This will just be one of many topics that tips will be offered on Other topics will include car safety, home safety, distraction techniques an attacker will use, as well as how being too polite can be dangerous, plus much, much more.


Also included in the Self Defense Blog for women will be intelligent verbal strategies to deal with potential violence. There is no one solution to deal with violence and this is very true in regards to verbally dealing with an attacker or aggressive person. Many blogs will deal with the unique safety concerns of particular professions such as health care workers, real estate agents, plus others who deal with the public. But most importantly we will offer tips and advice to the average person who may face violence.

And for many most importantly, the physical self defense concepts will be discussed on the Women Self Defense Blog. Many of the articles will explore the differences between karate/martial arts and real world violence. You will be given tips and YouTube videos that will explain and demonstrate some basic, but highly effective self defense concepts.

SAFE International is gaining world-wide recognition for their self defense philosophies and the SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog is a great way to explore these philosophies if you never get the chance to participate in one of their seminars. You can also visit their main site at www.safeinternational.biz for information on their different women’s self defense courses.

Contact:
Chris Roberts
SAFE International™
15535 Cooper Rd.
Lunenburg, ON
Canada K0C 1R0
1 800 465-5972
chrisroberts@safeinternational.biz
http://www.safeinternational.biz

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Toronto Self Defense, SAFE International Announces Launch of “SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog”

SAFE International Self Defense would like to announce the launch of their new blog, "SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog".

Toronto, ON, February 24, 2013 - (Straight Line PR) - SAFE International Self Defense would like to announce the launch of their new blog, "SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog". SAFE International is a leader in mobile personal protection/self defense instruction. They have taught more than 175,000 women since 1994. SAFE International specializes in women’s self defense parties, high school self defense, corporate self defense, as well as private self defense. What makes SAFE International so effective is that they don’t just teach the physical side of self defense but also the psychological and emotional sides.

What will you find on the Women Self Defense Blog? SAFE International will be covering all aspects of women’s self defense. There will be articles on the most important topic, which is how to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. There will be blogs on who an attacker chooses as their victim, and why they choose them. Have you ever wondered about how to handle specific self defense scenarios such as being attacked on an elevator? This will just be one of many topics that tips will be offered on. Other topics will include car safety, home safety, distraction techniques an attacker will use, as well as how being too polite can be dangerous, plus much, much more.

Also included in the Self Defense Blog for women will be intelligent verbal strategies to deal with potential violence. There is no one solution to deal with violence and this is very true in regards to verbally dealing with an attacker or aggressive person. Many blogs will deal with the unique safety concerns of particular professions such as health care workers, real estate agents, plus others who deal with the public. But most importantly we will offer tips and advice to the average person who may face violence.

And for many most importantly, the physical self defense concepts will be discussed on the Women Self Defense Blog. Many of the articles will explore the differences between karate/martial arts and real world violence. You will be given tips and YouTube videos that will explain and demonstrate some basic, but highly effective self defense concepts.

SAFE International is gaining world-wide recognition for their self defense philosophies and the SAFE International Women Self Defense Blog is a great way to explore these philosophies if you never get the chance to participate in one of their seminars. You can also visit their main site at www.safeinternational.biz for information on their different women’s self defense courses.

Contact:
Chris Roberts
SAFE International™
15535 Cooper Rd.
Lunenburg, ON
Canada K0C 1R0
1 800 465-5972
chrisroberts@safeinternational.biz
http://www.safeinternational.biz

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Luxury Travel Ltd. Unveils the Limited Edition Vietnam Luxury Travel Guide Book

Vietnam’s First Luxury Travel and Tour Operator (www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) to Publish Guide Book to Promote Luxury Tourism

Hanoi, Vietnam, February 23, 2013 - The number of high-end travelers to Vietnam has continued to increase as more people seek luxury travel experiences in this exotic land. Luxury Travel Co., Ltd. is Vietnam’s first luxury travel operator, announcing the publication its second version of the “Luxury Travel Guide Book” for travel professionals and seasoned travelers.

The guide book is passport to the brand's impressive ensemble of Vietnam’s finest hotels and resorts, restaurants, shops, clubs, bars, inspirational travel experiences and optional tours. It unlocks the timeless hidden charms of Vietnam's most breathtaking landscapes, properties and geographical regions, from North to South.

The new pocket-sized guide holds insight that is truly unique, distilling insider advice on the types of unforgettable experiences that travel professionals, locals and the most seasoned travelers enjoy.

The Luxury Travel Ltd.’s sales and marketing manager, David Nguyen, said: “This unique guide book will be distributed at all majors trade shows around the world to provide information on company representative offices and its own fleet of vehicles, embassies, NGOs, shops, bars, clubs, lounges, luxury hotels and resorts throughout Vietnam. The publication aims mainly to help all our travel partners to sell Vietnam as a high-end travel destination with more confidence, and to bring more discerning travelers to the country.”

The Vietnam Luxury travel Guide Book is a visually stunning journey through the country's most treasured destinations, featuring shopping and dining recommendations, cultural happenings and insights from the award-winning Luxury Travel Advisor Team.

“The Luxury travel guide book is to help our travel partners in their promotional efforts and to make the job of selling these destinations easier, as well as to let our in house guests find the right experiences while traveling with us. We have filled the pages of our guide book with as much useful information as we can, while at the same time, keeping it interesting and enjoyable to read. We ensure a memorable travel experience for all travelers to our country. As the leader in the luxury tourism industry, we promote Vietnam as an emerging luxury travel destination on the world tourism map. Free copies are available at ITB Berlin 2013, Hall 26A/122” said Pham Ha, founder and CEO of Luxury Travel Ltd.

Luxury Travel Co., Ltd. (luxurytravelvietnam.com) is a 100% fully registered and privately-owned Vietnamese company. Luxury Travel has won numerous travel awards. Luxury Travel is headquartered in Hanoi and has offices in Danang and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Contact:
Linh Doan
Luxury Travel Ltd
05 Nguyen Truong To Str.,
Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi 84444
Vietnam
84439274120
marketing12@luxurytravelvietnam.com
http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com