Thursday 18 December 2008

Brownbook.net Comes To The Aid Of The 7 Out Of 10 Small Businesses That Still Don’t Have A Website

The global business directory that anyone can edit, Brownbook.net, has released an integrated affordable simple-to-use website builder, for only $98 a year. It’s now easier than ever for small businesses to get online.

Florida, USA / London, United Kingdom / Montreal, Canada:
The global business directory, Brownbook.net, announced today the launch of its simple-to-use online website creator.

Brownbook’s website creator

The simple fact is that small businesses need a website to be able to compete in today’s tough economy. Despite this, according to Jupiter Research, half of all small businesses with less than 10 employees do not have a website, and neither do 7 out of 10 sole trader businesses. Entrepreneur.com says, “If you have a business, you should have a website … if you don't have a website, you're losing business to other companies that do.”

The reasons so few small businesses actually have a website are varied – they don’t know how to build websites so they don’t know where to start, they are confused by competing suppliers trying to sell them services they don’t understand, and of course, restrictive costs and their limited funds.

“Brownbook.net’s new standalone business website builder wipes all those considerations away in one fell swoop,” says Dave Ingram, Brownbook’s CEO. “We’ve made it really easy for small businesses to create their own websites in a matter of minutes. The intuitive and simple to use wysiwyg editor together with well written help pages make the whole process of creating a web site effortless.”

Brownbook’s DIY wysiwyg website creator tool is available for a simple one-off annual fee of only $98. It comes with free hosting, unlimited pages which can include images, videos, maps, reviews, and the site can be updated as many times as is required at no extra cost.

As soon as a small business has its website online, it allows it to engage in internet marketing by driving prospects to it.

Here is a video of a website being created from scratch:


Here are two examples of Brownbook-created websites:

Jolly Gnome Garden Services: http://www.brownbook.net/businesspage/view/31012971/jolly-gnome-garden-services/3/Home

Kuen Kung Fu: 
http://www.brownbook.net/businesspage/view/31013261/kuen-kung-fu/10/Home

About Brownbook.net
Founded in 2008, Brownbook.net is the world’s largest user-contributed keyword-based (rather than category-based) local business directory, with over 27 million businesses already listed in 230 countries. Any business is entitled to a free listing that includes their business name, address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail, website, VoIP, Instant Messenger and tags. Businesses can choose to pay a small annual fee ($22) to enhance their listing allowing the addition of photos, videos, widgets, detailed marketing information, and full customization, as well as priority in search results. Built upon the foundations of wiki-principles and collaborative production, transparency and openness between users, low- or no-cost services for businesses, totally self-service processes, rewarding users, and now with its own in-built website creator, Brownbook.net aims to be THE global business directory.
http://www.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net/press

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Warren
Brownbook.net
Brownbook Limited
London Road
Sayers Common
West Sussex
BH6 9HS

+44 (0)208 1235 466
sarah@brownbook.net
http://www.brownbook.net
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Friday 12 December 2008

ASOS Unveils its Spring/Summer 2009 Menswear Collection

For S/S 09, the ASOS menswear design team has been looking towards the two strongest over-riding influences of the moment – PREPPY and PSYCHEDELIA.

London, United Kingdom: The online fashion store, ASOS.com, today revealed its menswear collection for spring and summer of 2009 at a central London location to UK and international media.

Preppy Tec

Psych Out

Ian Bryder, Head of Menswear Design, asos.com, comments, “For our Preppy trend – which we’ve christened ‘Preppy Tec’ – we’re presenting a sharp, contemporary take on the classic American Ivy League look but with a softer, more colourful palette, influenced by the Italian Paninaro scooter gangs that influenced terrace fashions of the 80’s and 90’s.

“Classic men’s casualwear pieces from button-down shirts and chinos to sweatshirts and nylon technical jackets are given modern makeovers to create a highly wearable, yet very on-trend look.

“The current psychedelic influence of bands such as festival favourites MGMT, shows itself in our other trend - which we’re calling ‘Psych Out’. Hippy-era cultural references and ethnic accessories from full-moon party holidays clash with the more streetwise west coast surf dropout style of our other favourite band of the moment, Iglu and Hartley.”

Festival season essentials and summer holiday favourites such as denim shorts, printed vests, hoodies and cargos are updated into patchwork-checked fabrics and dip-dyed finishes for that ‘hanging out in Venice Beach’ look with full-on tie-dyed pieces for the most brave out there.

Collegiate takes a new direction, fusing the classic all-American preppy look with urban sportswear influences to create a sharper, more contemporary feel. 'Ivy League' shirts and college sweats are updated with fresh re-worked and de-constructed graphics whilst styling them with technical jackets, slim chinos and formal shorts, offering a modern twist to a classic look.


Preppy Tec

Fusing casual and formal elements, this collection draws inspiration from an eclectic mix of influences from the soul boys of the Style Council era to 'Paninaro' subculture references. The dominant candy-bright palette is updated with a sleek background set against grey sportswear and neutral chino-style trousers.

Key pieces include lightweight nylon hooded jackets, flat fronted formal shorts and button-down shirts. Accessories are paramount to this look with Wayfarer style sunglasses, Italian tassle loafers and the raffia trilby, all working together to create this silhouette.

A fusion of social influences, Psych Out combines 1980's California surf culture with the techno hippy festival scene to create a bold new way of dressing. Not for the faint-hearted, this trend offers escapism in the form of psychedelia, tie-dye, dip-dye and vintage bold brights.

Psych Out

This story embodies youth culture with techno hippy festival influences. Shorts are key to this trend and are offered in patchwork, bold coloured checks and loud printed beach and board styles. The palette is softened with the introduction of washed brights adding a mature and vintage feel to this statement trend. Cut and sew detailing adds interest to jersey and outerwear pieces alike.

Top-to-toe accessories are fundamental to the overall look; colour block and printed plimsoles, ethnic style headbands and bandanas work together with embroidered and leather bracelets and belts to complete the look.

About asos.com
Launched in 2000, asos.com is firmly established as the UK’s leading online fashion store. asos.com offers an extensive range of own-brand women’s and men’s fashion, designer labels, lifestyle accessories and cult beauty brands. asos.com is the second most visited on-line clothing store in the UK attracting over one million visitors per week, and has received numerous awards such as Drapers E-tailer of the Year 2006, Retail Week Online Retailer of the Year 2007, and Business XL Company of the Year 2007, to name a few. http://www.asos.com

For more information, images and samples, please contact:
Rob Davies
asos.com
Greater London House
Hampstead Road
London
NW1 7FD

020 7756 1027
press@asos.com
http://www.asos.com


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New Arrival! asos.com Moves into Maternitywear

New Arrival! asos.com Moves into Maternitywear

asos.com, the highly successful UK-based online fashion-store, has added maternitywear to its product range for the first time

London, United Kingdom: asos.com is pleased to announce that the latest line to be added to the highly popular online store is maternitywear.

Expectant mums shouldn’t have to sacrifice style for maternity but it can be a real struggle to find fashion-forward maternity wear, especially at Christmas time. Luckily the UK’s leading online fashion store, asos.com, has launched an on-trend capsule maternity collection, just in time for the Christmas party circuit.

Cross Front Taffeta Prom Dress

One Shoulder Chiffon Corsage Dress

Embellished Strap Babydoll Dress

Available on site now, the asos.com maternity collection features a selection of fabulous frocks taken from the main asos range which cover all the key trends including lace, the prom, the maxi and the one shoulder dress, plus a carefully edited collection of tops, denim, gorgeous winter coats and loungewear.

Debbi Ball, Head of buying, said: “Our fashion-forward maternity range has all your Christmas party outfit dilemmas sorted in one easy click of a mouse.”

Lace Jet Button Sleeveless Blouse

Pleated Swing Coat

Asymmetric Hem Lace Strappy Dress

The collection consists of 50 pieces with prices ranging from £8 for a top, £28 for a dress and £70 for a coat. http://www.asos.com/Women/Maternity/Cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=5813

About asos.com
Launched in 2000, asos.com is firmly established as the UK’s leading online fashion store. asos.com offers an extensive range of own-brand women’s and men’s fashion, designer labels, lifestyle accessories and cult beauty brands. asos.com is the second most visited on-line clothing store in the UK attracting over one million visitors per week, and has received numerous awards such as Drapers E-tailer of the Year 2006, Retail Week Online Retailer of the Year 2007, and Business XL Company of the Year 2007, to name a few. http://www.asos.com

For more information, please contact:

Susie Young
asos.com
Greater London House
Hampstead Road
London
NW1 7FD
0207 836 1284
press@asos.com
http://www.asos.com
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Thursday 27 November 2008

Brownbook.net’s New Listing Customization Features Further Widen Gap with Traditional Online Directories


For the first time, businesses can differentiate themselves from every other listing in the directory as Brownbook.net releases its suite of advanced yet easy-to-use business listing customization tools

Florida, USA / London, United Kingdom / Montreal, Canada: The free global online directory that anyone can edit, Brownbook.net, released today cutting edge new features that allow businesses, for the first time ever, to fully customize the way their business listings appear on screen.

Brownbook.net was already the first directory to move away from traditional ‘pigeon hole’ categorization in favor of tags (keywords) alone. Now, with its full listing customization offering, it has entered a class of its own within the online directory and local search arenas.

The new customization tools have been included as part of the enhanced listing fee – costing a negligible £11 or $22 per year.

“At last, all business listings don’t have to look the same!” says Marc Lyne, COO of Brownbook.net. “With Brownbook.net, through the use of rich media - like videos, images (such as your company logo), text descriptions and even embedded widgets in your listing - you can easily show the individuality and uniqueness of your business and make it stand out, helping to convert prospects into customers. You can even drag and drop page elements to change the layout of your listing to create the look and feel you want it to have, and the inbuilt wysiwyg text editor allows a choice of fonts, sizes, colours, and table layouts. All this for a negligible cost! Other directories can charge hundreds of dollars a year for nothing more than a sterile box listing that looks identical to everyone else’s with a fraction of the functionality that Brownbook offers.”

Marc Lyne, COO of Brownbook.net

A video demonstration, by Marc, of how to use Brownbook's new customization features can be seen here:



Brownbook’s new customization features allow users to:
  • drag and drop page elements to change the layout of their page
  • add photos, videos, logos, marketing information and more
  • add external widgets, such as news feeds or a “MeeboMe” messenger widget that enables users to respond in real-time to sales enquiries
  • re-use Brownbook features (like the listing’s Map or Reviews) as “Bidgets” (Business Widgets) elsewhere, such as on their own website or blog
Examples of a customized page that includes a full complement of both rich media and widgets:
http://www.brownbook.net/business/186/nauteriors-fitted-bed-linen-for-boats.
http://www.brownbook.net/business/31008544/sjk-products-ltd

Example of a blog that is re-using Brownbook Bidgets (Map and the Reviews Bidgets):
http://miracledrywash.blogspot.com.

“The release of Brownbook’s customization features gives users an extremely powerful new marketing tool, all for a negligible annual fee, introducing a new era for the online directory business,” concludes Marc.

What the analysts are saying about Brownbook.net
About Brownbook.net
Founded in 2008, Brownbook.net is the world’s largest user-contributed keyword-based (rather than category-based) local business directory, with over 27 million businesses already listed in 230 countries. Any business is entitled to a free listing that includes their business name, address, contact telephone numbers, e-mail, website, VoIP, Instant Messenger and tags. Businesses can choose to pay a small annual fee (£11 or $22) to enhance their listing allowing the addition of photos, videos, widgets, detailed marketing information, and full customization, as well as priority in search results. Built upon the foundations of wiki-principles and collaborative production, transparency and openness between users, low- or no-cost services for businesses, totally self-service processes, and rewarding users, Brownbook.net aims to be THE global business directory.
http://www.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net/press

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Warren
Brownbook.net
Brownbook Limited
London Road
Sayers Common
West Sussex
BH6 9HS

+44 (0)208 1235 466
sarah@brownbook.net
http://www.brownbook.net
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Thursday 20 November 2008

Brownbook Provides a Cost-effective Way to Carry On Advertising Despite Everything


Businesses that advertise during a recession outsell their competitors by 256%, claims study

London, United Kingdom: Brownbook.net, the free online directory that anyone can edit, offers an extremely cost-effective way of increasing a company’s online presence – essential in today’s financial climate.

McGraw-Hill Research analysed the advertising expenditures of 600 companies across 16 different industry categories during the recessionary periods of the early 80’s. The results of the research showed that companies who maintained or increased their advertising spend during times of recession achieved significantly higher growth in revenue and brand awareness, both during the recession, and for the following three years. In fact, the sales of those companies who advertised aggressively during a recession rose 256% over their competitors who eliminated or decreased their marketing and advertising expenditure.

The overall consensus across business commentators is that companies should continue to invest in marketing if they are to survive the current credit crunch.

David Ingram, CEO Brownbook.net

“Continuing to invest in this way is perhaps easier said than done,” notes David Ingram, CEO Brownbook.net. “Money for advertising and promotion is often the first part of the budget to be sacrificed when times are tight. Today, businesses are faced with new challenges as many of the traditional advertising mediums are not as effective as they used to be. New ways have become mainstream such as: having a website; blogging; using twitter; selling online; using video online; managing testimonials online; customer forums; and the use of social networks. Brownbook.net offers companies a completely free new way of obtaining and constantly enhancing their valuable online presence with many new tools to help businesses.”

Business commentators also agree that, when money is tight, companies have to look for new, smarter ways to operate and promote themselves. Brownbook.net is the new way to promote any businesses of any size and type, anywhere in the world.

“Unlike traditional directories, Brownbook.net is ‘by the people, for the people’ – anyone can add or update a business listing. It is based on ‘wiki’ principles, like Wikipedia,” added Ingram.

About Brownbook.net
Founded in 2008, Brownbook.net is the world’s largest user-contributed local business directory with over 27 million businesses already listed in 230 countries. Any business is entitled to a free listing that includes their business name, address, contact telephone numbers, email, website, VoIP, Instant Messenger and tags. Businesses can choose to pay a small annual fee (less than a round of coffees) to enhance their listing by adding photos, videos, a business description, and priority in search results. Built upon the foundations of wiki-principles and collaborative production, transparency and openness between users, low- or no-cost services for businesses, totally self-service processes, and rewarding users, Brownbook.net aims to be THE global business directory.
http://www.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net
http://blog.brownbook.net/press

For more information, please contact:

Sarah Warren
Brownbook.net
Brownbook Limited
London Road
Sayers Common
West Sussex
BH6 9HS

+44 (0)208 1235 466
sarah@brownbook.net
http://www.brownbook.net
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Print Manager Plus Receives Award of Excellence from Tech and Learning Magazine

35 outstanding education technology products saluted by prestigious
26-year-old recognition program


The Tech & Learning Award of Excellence 2008

Clearwater, Florida and London, United Kingdom: Print Manager Plus® 2008 Standard Academic by Florida-based Software Shelf International, Inc was one of 35 education technology products presented, last week, with the Tech & Learning Magazine’s Award of Excellence.

A panel of more than 30 educators, who tested more than 100 entries at San Francisco Bay Area schools, decided on the winners. “Choosing the finalists was no easy task,” said Kevin Hogan, Editorial Director for the Tech & Learning group. “Those companies that passed muster should feel proud of this accomplishment.”

The other winners encompassed a wide range of high-quality offerings such as numerous Internet-based programs, software for handheld devices and several special hardware/software combination packages that address management, safety, communication, differentiated learning, and other key areas in education.

“For Print Manager Plus to have been recognised as outstanding education technology and for it to be awarded alongside so many important and influential products is a welcome acknowledgement of Software Shelf’s dedicated staff and their work,” stated Bill Feeley, Software Shelf CEO.

Tech & Learning, Inc.
For over 27 years, San Bruno, California-based Tech & Learning has been -- and continues to be -- the leading resource for K-12 leaders. Its publications, Web sites, and events provide factual and evaluative information on trends, products, and strategies to educators who purchase technology products in their districts and schools. Tech & Learning delivers the highest quality content and essential resources to manage, train, and teach technology. For more information, visit www.techlearning.com

About Software Shelf
Software Shelf is the worldwide leader in tightly integrated Windows Print Management solutions. Established in 1994, its flagship product, Print Manager Plus, is used by thousands of organizations worldwide and is available in over 60 countries. It was awarded the Hewlett-Packard Outstanding Partner of the Year Award in 2007 and is listed in GuideMeGreen, the online directory of environmentally-friendly products and services.


For further information, please contact:

Danny Byrnes
Software Shelf International, Inc.
601 Cleveland Street
Suite # 710
Clearwater, FL 33755
United States
Phone: +1 727 445 1920
Phone: +1 800 962 2290
Fax: +1 727 445 9223
Email: sales@softwareshelf.com
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.com

Tatjana Kunze
Software Shelf International, Inc.
Vitality House
2-3 Imberhorne Way
East Grinstead
West Sussex, RH19 1RL
United Kingdom
Phone +44 1342 310950
Fax +44 1342 302405
Email: sales@softwareshelf.co.uk
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.co.uk
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On the Mike with Mike Sherman is Going Global

Mike Sherman Productions signs a three-year contract with Global Broadcasting Company to broadcast its premier music lifestyle television show across the world

Delray Beach, Florida: Mike Sherman Productions, Inc that produces “On the Mike with Mike Sherman”, one of the nation’s premier music lifestyle television shows, will be taking its show to the rest of the world from Jan 1, 2009.

Mike Sherman with the Grammy Award-winning rapper Ludacris

Mike Sherman Productions has signed a three-year contract with The Global Broadcasting Company, Inc. to begin broadcasting “On the Mike with Mike Sherman”, beginning in January 2009 on Total Hip Hop Television across western and eastern Europe including Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Northern Italy, Switzerland and the Baltic states, with more countries being added throughout the year.

The ultimate reach of its audience will be approximately 10 million subscribers across 16 countries with a total available subscriber population of 80 million.

This is a breakthrough achievement for Mike Sherman Productions as penetrating the international market has been a big goal for the company since the inception of the show 3 years ago. “One of my major ambitions has been to get international distribution for the show via both TV and the Internet,” said Mike Sherman, creator and presenter of the show. “I’m very excited that, in the new year, we will finally be broadcasting across the world.”

Mike Sherman with multi-platinum selling pop singer Rihanna

Now the rest of the world can enjoy, up-close-and-personal interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and live concert performances from a long list of today’s superstars such as Rihanna, Robin Thick, Snoop Dogg and Akon, to name a few.

Viewers can check the Listings link on http://www.mikeshermanshow.com to find out when the show is broadcast in their area. It can also be viewed on the website in its entirety shortly after each live television broadcast.

About The Global Broadcasting Company, Inc.
The Global Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a global media company based in Los Angeles, California – the entertainment capital of the world. The senior management team of Carol Angela Davis, Mark Geragos, Lisa Jones Johnson and Walter Jones has a wide range of experience in the television and film industries as well as in law and finance. The company launches global 24-hour television channels featuring underground and independently produced entertainment, sports, kids, lifestyle, financial and news programming that is additionally suited for audiences who want to learn English.
http://www.globalbroadcastingcompany.tv

About On the Mike with Mike Sherman
In 2006 “On the Mike with Mike Sherman” debuted on Saturday night on My 33 (My Network TV, a CBS affiliate) in Miami. Today, the show, now called “On the Mike with Mike Sherman”, is syndicated both domestically and on 5 international networks. Mike Sherman, a successful stockbroker and founder of Delray Beach-based MSP, Inc., has always had a love and passion for pop, hip-hop and R&B music. He created a show that has brought millions of viewers to TV screens across the US and now across the world, successfully bringing urban communities closer to exclusive interviews, VIP events and A-list celebrities.
http://www.mikeshermanshow.com

For more information, please contact:

Andrea Arandia
Mike Sherman Productions, Inc.
1401 Estuary Trail
Delray Beach
FL 33483
USA

Tel: +1 561 243 0429
andreaarandia@aol.com
http://www.mikeshermanshow.com
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Tuesday 11 November 2008

Software Shelf’s Print Manager Plus Attains a 50% Saving on all Printing Costs

Results show that implementing Software Shelf’s print control software is a sensible and practical way to improve the bottom line. That’s good news in these financially insecure times.

An average employee wastes 6 pages per day; that's 1,410 pages a year

Clearwater, Florida and London, United Kingdom: Software Shelf International, Inc. is proud to announce the results of a recently conducted client survey which looked into the degree to which Print Manager Plus - its leading print control and monitoring software - reduces the printing costs of its clients.

The key findings were that: the software can save between 30% to 50% of all printing costs, and that the software usually pays for itself, easily, within its free 30-day evaluation period. This is because it has an instant effect on the consumption of toner, paper, printer wear and tear and IT resources.

“This all adds up to huge savings,” says Software Shelf CEO, William Feeley. “Print Manager Plus not only audits all aspects of printing, but also allows an organization to fully control its printing with quotas, restrictions and reports. This control and report data can be used to cut back on wasted printing, restrict any aspect of printing, fully utilize current print resources, and fully account for all printing expenses. And so, this usually hidden expense can now be fully accounted for and controlled,” he concludes.

Because Print Manager Plus allows companies to successfully audit, restrict, quota and control print traffic over any network and any heterogeneous environment, they can really control their printing and so not only gain instant and complete return on investment, but also achieve a massive reduction in costs.

Auditing & Reporting Include:
  • Over 130 individual reports, statements, and charts.
  • Reports by User, Groups, OU, Workstation, Server, Accounts, Client, Billing Code.
  • Detailed Savings Reports.
  • Audit heterogeneous network environments.
  • Supports Work Groups, Active Directory and LDAP.
  • Printers Audited includes: Dot Matrix, Inkjets, Laser Jets, Multifunctional devices, Large Format Printers, and Plotters.
  • Print Job data collected is: Time/Date Printed, Document Title, Document Type, Page Count, Copy Count, Page Size, Print Job Size, Black & White Output, Color Output, Duplex, N-Up, Large Format Printing by Inches and Centimetres.
Printing Restrictions Include:
  • Deny printing for print jobs over certain number of pages.
  • Deny printing if the number of copies exceeds.
  • Deny printing if the document size is greater than.
  • Deny printing if the document is reprinted within so many seconds.
  • Deny or Allow printing if the document title contains specific keywords.
  • Deny printing if the document is color.
  • Deny printing if the document is Black and White.
  • Enable Date/Time Restrictions.
Printing Quotas Include:
  • Set a currency quota to a user.
  • Set a page quota to a user.
  • Set a quota by user by printer or group of printers.
  • Reset or Increase quotas automatically.
Printing Security and Authentication:
  • Set print job verification.
  • Set print job authentication by user password.
  • Set print job authentication by username and password.
  • Set print job client billing verification.
  • Set print job client billing authentication by client password.
  • Set print job client billing authentication by user password.
  • Set print job client billing authentication by username and password.
  • Allow users to create client accounts on the fly.
  • Allow users to add comments to their print job.
  • Allow batch printing.
About Software Shelf
Software Shelf is the worldwide leader in tightly integrated Windows Print Management solutions. Established in 1994, its flagship product, Print Manager Plus, is used by thousands of organizations worldwide and is available in over 60 countries. It was awarded the Hewlett-Packard Outstanding Partner of the Year Award in 2007, a Tech & Learning Awards of Excellence in 2008, and is listed in GuideMeGreen, the online directory of environmentally-friendly products and services.

For further information, please contact:

Danny Byrnes
Software Shelf International, Inc.
601 Cleveland Street
Suite # 710
Clearwater, FL 33755
United States
Phone: +1 727 445 1920
Phone: +1 800 962 2290
Fax: +1 727 445 9223
Email: sales@softwareshelf.com
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.com
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Marc Koska’s Safe Injection Campaign Set to Save Millions of Lives in India


Safepoint UK’s “One Injection, One Syringe” message comes to India on a grand scale

Marc Koska OBE, founder of SafePoint Trust

East Sussex, 11 November 2008: Marc Koska OBE, (the British inventor of the single-use auto-disable syringe), together with his charity SafePoint UK, is embarking upon a one-week life-saving healthcare education mission to India on an enormous and unprecedented scale, starting 14 November 2008.

According to a recent study by Indian Clinical Epidemiology Network (IndiaCLEN), around 65% of injections administered in India are unsafe – because they are performed with reused or unsterile equipment.

Health problems resulting from unsafe injections worldwide, according to these annual figures from the World Health Organization, has reached epidemic proportions:

• 230,000 HIV infections
• 1,000,000 Hepatitis C infections
• 21,000,000 Hepatitis B infections

Resulting in:

• 1,300,000 deaths

Marc set up SafePoint Trust in 2006 to educate the public on the dangers of re-using syringes with its “One Injection, One Syringe” message, in order to reduce the misery, illness and deaths being needlessly caused through unsafe injections.

On 14th November 2008, Marc will lead a SafePoint team to India with the aim of informing hundreds of millions throughout that country of the fatal consequences of re-using syringes, by means of the SafePoint-produced public information film (or public service announcement) called ‘Sachin’. This is the moving story, narrated by Dr Kiran Bedi, the highly celebrated Indian social activist, about Sachin - the little boy who contracts HIV through the reuse of a syringe by his doctor. The film leaves no doubt that prevention is better than cure.


Click here to watch the film in English:
http://www.sharenow.com/base/content/48564/


Click here to watch the film in Hindi:
http://www.sharenow.com/base/content/48563/

SafePoint claims that it will be the biggest media buyer throughout India for that week (14-21 November 2008), covering an incredible:

  • 14 hours of prime TV broadcast across 23 channels
  • Radio broadcasts from Dr Kiran Bedi spanning 160 cities, playing 28 times in each, making a total of 4,480 broadcasts
  • 307 cinemas that will screen ‘Sachin’ 4 times per day per cinema, making a total of 8,596 screenings

In addition, the SafePoint team, split into four groups, will hold concurrent press conferences in Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Chandigarh, commencing 14 November. In total, the teams will cover 14 regions over a gruelling four days.

Preventing the devastating effect that unsafe injections have on innocent people’s lives is the driving force behind Marc’s tireless campaign. SafePoint offers a solution to the problem by informing the next generation and by raising awareness about this silent epidemic. The charity’s educational campaigns on injection safety have the bold aim of ensuring that the 16 billion medical injections given globally every year are given safely.

Focused and passionate social entrepreneur, Marc Koska, who has already been credited with saving well over 5.5 million lives through the invention of his auto-disable syringe, hopes that many more millions of lives will soon be saved as a result of his forthcoming campaign in India. The campaign is also expected to bring about major changes for the better in the way global healthcare is administered.

“We will be asking the public and legislators of India to sit up and listen to our life-saving message,” says Marc. “We intend to both empower the people of India by opening their eyes to the dangers of reusing syringes, as well as to increase demand for the implementation of legislation in this field. This is paramount to our campaign.”

Marc Koska, OBE
Inventor of the single-use auto-disable syringe, social entrepreneur, Marc Koska, is the founder of SafePoint Trust and was awarded the Order of the British Empre in 2006 for his contribution to healthcare.
http://www.marckoska.com

Dr Kiran Bedi
Dr Kiran Bedi is an award-winning Indian social activist and one of the most celebrated and widely known police officers of the Indian Police Force (now retired). She was awarded the Mother Teresa Memorial National Award for Social Justice in 2005.
http://www.kiranbedi.com

SafePoint Trust
SafePoint Trust is a registered UK charity that has the aim of solving healthcare problems through education, predominantly in the developing world and focusing on injection safety.
http://www.safepointtrust.org

For more information, please contact:

Ginny Simpson
SafePoint UK
The Granary
Pippingford
East Sussex
TN22 3HW
United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 (0)1825 713 722
Fax: + 44 (0)1825 713 838
Mob: +44 (0)7595 206923
Email: info@safepointtrust.org
Web: http://www.safepointtrust.org
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Thursday 30 October 2008

"On the Mike with Mike Sherman" Moves to Prime Time



One of the nation’s premier music lifestyle television productions is moving up for a double run to prime time on Monday evenings in the US Virgin Islands

Delray Beach, Florida: Mike Sherman Productions, Inc. (MSP Inc) today announced that its show “On the Mike with Mike Sherman" , one of the nation’s premier music lifestyle television productions is moving up for a double run to prime time on Monday evenings at 8:30 pm on the CW network WCVI in the US Virgin Islands - http://www.wcvi.tv - starting November 1st 2008. The show will also be repeated on Saturday evenings.

“Due to the show’s strong ratings and popularity that Mike has built up here in the US Virgin Islands, it has been a fan favorite since its inception back in July of 2008,” says Marty Adamshick, VP of programming for CW, WCVI.

Mike Sherman with Chamillionaire

“In a world of economic uncertainty, high gas prices and all-out chaos, it’s nice to see a television show that takes you away for thirty minutes and puts a smile on your face. One of the key ingredients that makes Mike’s show so successful is Mike Sherman’s vibrant personality and the high-profile celebrity guests he has on the show each and every week,” says Adamshick. “I wish we had more shows like this in our line up!”

Mike Sherman with Christina Milian

The list of celebrities that Mike has interviewed on the show is endless and includes Chamillionaire, Christina Milian, Brook Burke, the Bee Gees, Snoop Dogg, to name but a few.

Viewers can check the Listings link on http://www.mikeshermanshow.com to find out when the show is broadcast in their area. It can also be viewed on the website in its entirety shortly after its television live broadcast.

Mike Sherman with Brook Burke

About On the Mike with Mike Sherman
In 2006 “On the Mike with Mike Sherman” debuted on Saturday night on My 33 (My Network TV, a CBS affiliate) in Miami. Today, it is syndicated all over the country. Mike Sherman, a successful stockbroker, founded MSP, Inc. in 2005 out of his love and passion for pop, hip-hop and R&B music. He created a show that has brought millions of viewers to TV screens all across the nation. In the hope of bringing the urban community in south Florida closer to exclusive interviews, VIP events and A-list celebrities, Mike has created up-close and personal relationships with media moguls worldwide. “On the Mike with Mike Sherman” can be seen every Saturday on the My 33 Channel and on many other channels across the US, as well as on 5 international networks throughout the world.

For more information, please contact:

Andrea Arandia
Mike Sherman Productions, Inc.
255 NE 2nd Ave #258
Delray Beach
Florida 33444
USA

Tel: +1 561 243 0429
andrea@mikeshermanshow.com
http://www.mikeshermanshow.com


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Friday 17 October 2008

African Wildlife Photographer, Michael Huggan, Reveals His Trade Secrets with the Launch of His New Book

A perfect Christmas gift for budding photographers, the long-awaited, “African Wildlife Photography - How to Take That Special Picture” is now available

Alton, Hampshire: Award-winning photographer, Michael Huggan , reveals his trade secrets in his first book which he has just released, entitled, “African Wildlife Photography - How to Take That Special Picture”.

Condensed into 40 pages, this soft back book measures only 17 x 17cm which means it can be carried in a camera bag and, therefore, be quickly and easily referred to at any time.

Black Rhinoceros – Masai Mara, Kenya

It answers questions such as, “What is the best lens and camera body combination? What is the best aperture? shutter speed? storage devices? bean bags? and much more.

“If you are a budding photographer and would like to try your hand at African Wildlife – this book is for you, as it contains lots of information that will assist you in getting that special picture,” says Michael. In fact, it includes 24 stunning examples of Michael’s work, giving the location and technical information on camera settings (speed, aperture and camera/lens combinations) of each.

Impalas – Senengeti, Tanzania

“The origins of the book started with requests for information from friends and attendees of some of the talks I give, so I initially produced a 4-page handout; I think it is important to let people take away something useful from the evening. I have many many books on wildlife photography, but none of them have, what I call, real practical information to help the aspiring photographer get that special picture.”

The first 15 pages of “African Wildlife Photography - How to Take That Special Picture” by Michael Huggan can be previewed here: http://www.blurb.com/books/349364 and the book can be purchased from Michael’s own website here: http://www.michaelhuggan.com/salesarea.php It is priced at only £10 (plus £1 postage and packing for the UK).

About Michael Huggan
Michael, a long-time Nikon user, lives in Hampshire. His photographic experience covers a wide range of subjects from the natural world, lifestyle and business to Michael’s passion of wildlife photography for which he is most well known. His interest in wildlife photography heralds from many visits to the African continent. In 2003 Michael gained his Associate Distinction (ARPS) in nature photography with the Royal Photographic Society and in 2007, he was awarded the Royal Photographic Society’s Travel Group Digital Section Gold Medal. In 2008, he received the Photographic Society of America’s Honorable Mention Ribbon. His photography, available as limited edition pictures, calendars, note cards and exhibition-range framed pictures, can be viewed and purchased at http://www.michaelhuggan.com/salesarea.php Michael is a supporter of the Born Free Foundation.

For more information, please contact:

Michael Huggan, ARPS
Michael Huggan Photography
Cranford House
Alton Lane, Four Marks
Alton
Hampshire
GU34 5AJ

01962 773697
michael@michaelhuggan.com
http://www.michaelhuggan.com


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Thursday 2 October 2008

Zakee Launches Exclusive Capsule Collection for asos.com

Designer Zakee Shariff’s “Zakee for asos” collection designed exclusively for asos. New designer collaborations proving a great success.

London: Zakee Shariff, the London-based artist and designer is collaborating with asos.com to produce an 11-piece capsule collection named “Zakee for asos”.

Launching at the end of September 2008, the collection taps into Zakee’s signature handwriting of illustrative expertise, craft-like embroidery and lo-fi graphic grace, making the collection instantly recognisable.

Red Tiger Stripe Jersey Dress

"I'm so excited to be working in collaboration with asos to produce a capsule collection. I have used my prints and motifs and transferred them to ultra feminine and fun designs,” says Zakee Shariff.

Satin Bright Tiger Print Kimono Dress

Users of asos.com can choose from a fabulous array of dress silhouettes and prints, across a variety of colourways. “Farida” mixes mini heart prints with a button front princess collar to create dreamy fashion delicacies, whilst “Frilly” livens up the Zakee world with striking rose prints and signature star motif. For bolder looks, Zakee’s statement rainbow darts across a tiger print tunic named “Fred”, and vivid blue animal prints appear on floaty dress “Felicity”.

Crepe Peterpan Collar Dress with Tiger Embellishment

For those dress down days, there is an adorable tiger print oversized “Fifi” tee to bring out one’s inner fashion roar! And the styles from “Frankie”, “Freddie”, “Ferdie” and “Fella” must not be forgotten. Whichever shoppers opt for, they will have an instant new-found fashion friend!

Zakee for asos - Price range: £15 to £60

http://www.asos.com/Women/A-To-Z-Of-Brands/Zakee-Shariff/Cat/pgecategory.aspx...

Notes to the Editor
Zakee Shariff set up her studio in 1993, making art and working freelance with a variety of fashion and textile-based clients. In 1996, she launched the Zakee Shariff ladies clothing collection, with a younger diffusion line called Maggie, introduced in 2001. Both brands were extremely popular, selling across the globe, and a cult following developed for Zakee’s work.

About asos.com
Launched in 2000 by Nick Robertson, asos.com is firmly established as the UK’s leading online fashion store. asos.com offers an extensive range of own brand women’s and men’s fashion, designer labels, lifestyle accessories and cult beauty brands. asos.com is the second most visited on-line clothing store in the UK attracting over 3.3 million unique visitors per month, and has received numerous awards such as Drapers E-tailer of the Year 2006, Retail Week Online Retailer of the Year 2007, and Business XL Company of the Year 2007, to name a few.

For more information, please contact:

Susie Young
asos.com
Greater London House
Hampstead Road
London
NW1 7FD

0207 836 1284
press@asos.com
http://www.asos.com


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Tuesday 30 September 2008

asos.com Enlists Experts To Create Limited Edition Products For Sale.

Rare or hard-to-find denim, vinyl, trainers and sunglasses to form part of asos.com ’s innovative ‘Untitled’ initiative.

London: ‘Untitled’ is the innovative new menswear project initiated by online retailer asos.com. Developed from the idea that limited edition products captivate men, ‘Untitled’ invites experts in denim, vinyl, trainers, sunglasses and new designers, to collate, and then offer to asos.com, a series of rare, hard-to-find or limited edition products for sale. The project propels menswear forward on asos.com and highlights some of the current creativity in men’s fashion and lifestyle products.

Denim expert Neil Christopher was eager to offer his services to asos.com. As a denim addict, Christopher has traveled America sourcing denim for hip stores in New York and Japan. Having worked for denim giants Boxfresh, Carhartt, North Sails and Levi’s, he now develops garments for radical denim brand Kato. For ‘Untitled’, Christopher has hand-selected exclusive Kato pieces especially for the collection and all are offered numbered and in small quantities.

Kato 5-pocket jeans: £240

Limited edition sunglasses always cause limited edition envy, so asos.com invited expert Fraser Laing to offer his vision for the project. Archiv, Laing’s company was set up in 1997 to sell exclusive vintage eyewear. As Laing explains, “Since then there have been two main rules in pursuit of that goal. One; always keep eyewear which is emblematic of Arckiv’s style, and two; never sell anything which isn’t well designed or well made.” For the ‘Untitled’ project, Laing has selected contemporary limited edition styles along with vintage frames such as the 5317, which was worn by iconic jazz musician Herbie Hancock in1986.

Vintage Carrera sunglasses: £95-£450

Rare vinyl has become something of a style status symbol and vinyl authority Jim Henderson threw his support behind the ‘Untitled’ idea. Owner of the world’s largest independent record store Amoeba, Henderson offers music lovers every kind of music from the top 40, to the best in underground rock, hip-hop, soul, electronic, new and classic jazz, from his stores in San Francisco and Hollywood. “As with our amoeba stores and amoeba.com,” explains Jim Henderson, “asos represents a local and global culture with style, drawing from, but not flaunting, its expertise. This particular project is introducing its users to new concepts and ideas, bringing an awareness of others who strive for expertise in their fields.” Amoeba’s leading vinyl-buying expert, Rick Frystak, selected the records for the project, choosing rare vinyl albums from multiple eras, genres and styles.

“Some Girls” vinyl by the Rolling Stones: £10

London-based fashion writer and author of ‘Modern Menswear’, Hywel Davies approached new international menswear designers, and commissioned them to design limited edition garments especially for the 'Untitled' project. Swedish Patrik Soderstam, a graduate from Central Saint Martins, who describes himself as a clothes maker and multi-talent, has designed 5 different limited edition graphic t-shirts which are both bold and dynamic. Berlin-based Carola Euler offers a grey pleat front sweatshirt combining her utilitarian design approach for this project. Another Berlin designer, Frank Leder has handmade wool scarves and combined his obsession with historical Germany but applying vintage enamel badges. London-based Jean-Pierre Braganza contrasts with expertly cut patterns that emphasise the human figure and offer unexpected detailing – he offers low crotch, slim leg black wool trousers with leather panel detail for this project. Deryck Walker completes the group with his new take on the white shirt, utilising his intricate pattern cutting and attention to detail.

Patrik Soderstam t-shirt: £50

On-line trainer store Crooked Tongues has been selling hard-to-find trainers since 2000, and was enlisted to attract all trainer geeks. Highlights of their selection include the Adidas 35th Superstar, which was the culmination of the celebrations surrounding 35 years of the Shelltoe. As Charlie Morgan from Crooked Tongue explains, “It's an iconic design that's timeless and needs little introduction, but as the final release of 35, only a tiny run was released to friends of Adidas. The materials and packaging are incredible, and while few pieces maintain their original appeal, these are still something of a benchmark in how you present a premium, rare release.”

Nike SB “What The Dunk” trainers £750

asos.com is going to radical measures to offer directional and exclusive products for their customers. The project confirms asos.com menswear as a trend-setting and opinion-forming brand, offering exciting and cool products to their style-savvy shoppers. The Untitled collections launch on 16th October, but act quickly, as product is, of course, strictly limited edition.

About asos.com
asos.com is the UK’s largest online fashion and beauty store, attracting over one million visitors a week. With over 9,000 products available and 500 new lines added each week, asos.com is the online shopping destination. Since launching in June 2000, asos.com has won numerous awards including ‘Retail Week Online Retailer of the Year’ 2007 & 2008, ‘Cosmopolitan Retailer of the Year 2008’ and ‘In Style Best Online Shop 2008’.

For further information, images and samples please contact:

Rob Davies
asos.com
2nd floor, Greater London House
Hampstead Rd
London
NW1 7FD

020 7756 1027
press@asos.com
http://www.asos.com


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Monday 29 September 2008

Award-winning Photographer, Michael Huggan, Releases his 2009 African Wildlife Calendar

Calendar comprises a collection of spectacular photos taken during Michael’s recent trip to the Masai Mara, Kenya

African Wildlife 2009

Alton, Hampshire: Michael Huggan , the gold medallist and Associate of the Royal Photographic Society (APRS) proudly announces that his African Wildlife Calendar 2009 is now available.

The calendar comprises 13 breathtaking shots - one for each month of the year plus the cover photo.

Front cover of African Wildlife 2009

“The images chosen for my 2009 calendar are from a trip to Kenya, early in 2008. This was a turbulent time for Kenya as political unrest and riots resulted in a huge impact on visitor numbers to the country. However, determined as ever to go, my wife and I travelled to the Masai Mara, staying once again at Governors main camp.

African Buffalo (March)

“This was the first time I had ever experienced the Masai Mara with green grass, not brown! This was a result of the tremendous rain and thunderstorms that frequently deluged the plains, and our tent!” recounts Michael.

“Fortunately for us, the heavy rains came at night. However, during the day the build up of storm clouds dispersed with sunshine bathing the plains and animals in a truly spectacular light. January’s image of the hippo and November’s image of the tree and elephants show the quality of the outstanding light.”

Hippopotamus (January)

Michael Huggan’s 2009 African Wildlife Calendar – the ideal Christmas gift - is exclusively available here: http://www.michaelhuggan.com/salesarea.php . It measures 42 x 29 cm (A3), is priced at £10 plus postage & packing (only £3 for delivery to UK addresses) and includes stunning shots of lions, cheetahs, African buffalo, hippopotamus, giraffe, elephants, leopards and impala.

“Africa has a special place in my heart and I hope some of the passion I share for this magnificent country is conveyed through the images in my 2009 calendar. Each month tells a story, and I trust you will enjoy the journey throughout the year ahead!”

About Michael Huggan
Michael, a long-time Nikon user, lives in Hampshire. His photographic experience covers a wide range of subjects from the natural world, lifestyle and business to Michael’s passion of wildlife photography for which he is most well known. His interest in wildlife photography heralds from many visits to the African continent. In 2003 Michael gained his Associate Distinction (ARPS) in nature photography with the Royal Photographic Society and in 2007, he was awarded the Royal Photographic Society’s Travel Group Digital Section Gold Medal. In 2008, he received the Photographic Society of America’s Honorable Mention Ribbon. His photography, available as limited edition pictures, calendars, note cards and exhibition-range framed pictures, can be viewed and purchased at http://www.michaelhuggan.com/salesarea.php . Michael is a supporter of the Born Free Foundation.

For more information, please contact:

Michael Huggan, ARPS
Michael Huggan Photography
Cranford House
Alton Lane, Four Marks
Alton
Hampshire
GU34 5AJ

01962 773697
michael@michaelhuggan.com
http://www.michaelhuggan.com


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Thursday 18 September 2008

Back to School - Use of Software Shelf’s Print Management Software Means Real Savings For Schools



Award-winning software allows schools and colleges to reduce their printing by 50% or more


School printing; a major drain on school finances unless tightly
controlled.
Image by http://voelectronicsclub.org

Clearwater, Florida and London, United Kingdom: Print Management Software firm Software Shelf International, Inc. announced today, at the beginning of the new academic year, a reminder to schools, colleges and universities that its print monitoring and limiting software offers a workable way for them to substantially reduce their operating costs. In these times of looming recession and financial instability, tight cost control is the key to the future of any organisation. Print Manager Plus 2008 Standard Academic Edition provides a practical and environmentally-friendly way for educational establishments of all kinds to do just that.

The award-winning software allows secondary schools, K12 schools, universities, colleges and non-profit organizations to track, control, quota and restrict student and staff printing across the network. Case studies have shown that this software can reduce printing by 50% or more.


William Feeley, Software Shelf CEO

“It’s really easy to use and is 100% software based, so no additional hardware is needed at all,” says Software Shelf CEO, William Feeley. “It runs on Windows Server or Workstation NT/2000/XP/2008 and can track printing from any operating system, so any school could install this software tomorrow and start reducing its paper and ink costs immediately.”

The benefit the software provides schools and colleges is best expressed by its customers themselves:

“We couldn’t afford technology upgrades for our school. After installing Print Manager Plus we cut our printing costs in half - from £24,000 to around £12,000 and are now able to afford upgrades.” — Kevin Bowker, The King’s Academy, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, UK.

“Print Manager Plus gave us the ability to make students and teachers accountable for what they print and how much. Users are now pausing before they print and with the ability to set limits to print jobs, the 100-page books that were being sent are a thing of the past. Print Manager Plus is a great product for taking back control over spiraling print costs and saving the environment from wasteful printing.” — Administrator, Wesley Chapel High School, Florida.


Print management software, Print Manager Plus

The product is also very ‘green’ in that it reduces paper wastage, thereby saving trees, energy (in the production of paper and its distribution) and water; the manufacturing of paper is a very thirsty process. Based of average paper savings per client and the total number of its clients worldwide, it was recently calculated that Print Manager Plus is responsible for saving 200,000 trees globally every month!

About Software Shelf
Software Shelf is the worldwide leader in tightly integrated Windows Print Management solutions. Established in 1994, its flagship product, Print Manager Plus, is used by thousands of organizations worldwide and is available in over 60 countries. It was awarded the Hewlett-Packard Outstanding Partner of the Year Award in 2007 and is listed in GuideMeGreen, the online directory of environmentally-friendly products and services.

For further information, please contact:

Danny Byrnes
Software Shelf International, Inc.
601 Cleveland Street
Suite # 710
Clearwater, FL 33755
United States
Phone: +1 727 445 1920
Phone: +1 800 962 2290
Fax: +1 727 445 9223
Email: sales@softwareshelf.com
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.com

Tatjana Kunze
Software Shelf International, Inc.
Vitality House
2-3 Imberhorne Way
East Grinstead
West Sussex, RH19 1RL
United Kingdom
Phone +44 1342 310950
Fax +44 1342 302405
Email: sales@softwareshelf.co.uk
Website: http://www.softwareshelf.co.uk

Source: Enterprisewire® News Service © Enterprisewire News Service

print management software, print monitoring, print limiting, paper saving, saves paper, reduces wastage, saves trees, reduces costs
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