Send2Press Newswire

Renowned Fertility Advocate Pamela Madsen Launches Blog and Website

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:20:41 GMT

Prominent Consumer Educator Brings Trademark Frankness and Humor to the Sensitive Topic of Reproductive Health

NEW YORK, N.Y., Oct. 7 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Pamela Madsen, one of the nation's most outspoken and recognized fertility educators and patient advocates, returns to the public stage with the launch of her new website and daily blog, The Fertility Advocate, found at thefertilityadvocate.com. The founder and former executive director of the American Fertility Association (AFA), Ms. Madsen has spent more than two decades on the cutting edge of policy and public education about infertility issues and treatment as well as fertility preservation and protection.

She has developed a reputation for incisive, unflinchingly honest and often witty commentary and analysis. With The Fertility Advocate blog, she continues her ongoing quest to get accurate and timely information into the hands of consumers and media.

At www.thefertilityadvocate.com, Ms. Madsen weighs in every day about rapidly unfolding scientific, medical, physical, political, social, environmental and economic aspects that affect every single person's reproductive health and procreative capabilities. She tackles everything from the hidden effects of sexually transmitted diseases on fertility and the latest developments in reproductive medicine, to the fight for health care access and age-appropriate, scientifically accurate and culturally sensitive sex education.

Ms. Madsen brings the expertise she's honed on the frontlines of fertility patient advocacy while serving as the executive director of the AFA and WorldFAM, a global initiative uniting dozens of patient leaders from around the world.

The singular perspective Ms. Madsen developed during these years gives her one-of-a-kind vision and voice that's made her a sought-after authority on Capitol Hill in Washington, among federal regulatory agencies and commissions, and with the media.

Among her accomplishments, Ms. Madsen:

* Founded and led the American Fertility Association (AFA) in establishing itself as the premier patient advocacy organization for education and support surrounding fertility, infertility treatments, adoption, surrogacy, and childfree living. Her work in the field has been honored by other advocacy organizations including RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association and the New York City Chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

* Represented patient issues in meetings with leaders from the National Institutes of Health, FDA, National Conference of State Legislators, the President's Council on Bioethics and the Centers for Disease Control.

* Has spoken at the annual conferences for American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology and International Consumer Support for Infertility (iCSi), for which she also served as a board member.

* Spearheaded the launch of World Fertility Awareness Month, now known as WorldFAM, an international movement designed to increase public awareness about infertility.

* Has participated in more than 1,500 interviews with print, online, and broadcast media including appearances on Oprah, Dateline NBC, the Today Show and 60 Minutes.

* Coordinated an international study of fertility education and awareness among more than 17,000 women in 10 countries.

In addition to The Fertility Advocate, Ms. Madsen serves as the new Director of Public Education at the Sher Institutes for Reproductive Medicine (SIRM). In that position, she continues her mission to reach out to women and men, professionals and laypeople to shed light on the important role of fertility preservation and protection in the continuum of overall wellness and health.

Ms. Madsen has helped shatter the myths and taboos that surrounded infertility and its treatments. She is one of the leading voices for full reproductive rights for everyone regardless of marital status or sexual preference. She makes the biological clock - one of the most poorly understood aspects of reproductive life - a key element in her unique approach to fertility preservation education.

Beyond The Fertility Advocate blog and website, Ms. Madsen is taking fertility education to the doorstep of college campuses, local and national women's organizations, professional groups, advocacy and religious organizations to make sure that women and men truly understand their reproductive lifecycles, their reproductive health and potential. She's currently booking speaking engagements and presentations around the country. Please note that Ms. Madsen will not accept honoraria or other compensation for her appearances.

Contact:
Pamela Madsen
917.703.3785
pmadsen@thefertilityadvocate.com

All trademarks acknowledged.

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Pamela Madsen, Fertility Advocate blog

Allegro Gets Traction with Direct Marketing Blog

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:06:59 GMT

CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 2 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Allegro Communications, Inc., a direct marketing firm and developer of FreshDM, recently announced the launch of an information-rich blog called Allegro Marketing Discussions. Allegro's blog is designed to help direct marketing and media professionals find expert answers to today's important marketing questions. The blog covers traditional topics, such as when to use a teaser on direct mail package and what motivates customers, as well as contemporary issues, including on-demand marketing and current email best practices.

Check out Allegro's blog at www.allegrolink.com/blog (redirects to: allegrodiscussions.blogspot.com).

The Marketing Discussions blog is an evolution of Allegro's popular printed discussion papers. In this new digital format, Allegro experts can interact with customers, prospects, and other marketers. Many of Allegro's clients are leveraging CRM solutions and software-as-a-service platforms, such as Salesforce.com, as a key method of gaining competitive advantage. Marketers like Allegro gain insight from every customer interaction and use online tools to create and build long-term, one-to-one relationships.

According to Ada Vaughan, Executive Vice President of Allegro Communications, "Allegro's blog gives us the opportunity to share expertise and knowledge with a larger audience. We are excited to provide a searchable archive of valuable tips and direct marketing resources, in order to engage readers and continue to build our credibility in the marketing industry."

Allegro Communications, Inc. is a direct marketing firm based in Chicago, Illinois with 18 years of experience helping its clients create strategic, results-driven direct marketing communications. For more information, visit Allegro's website at www.allegrolink.com.

FreshDM, a web-based application developed by Allegro, allows a company's marketing managers or sales team to quickly and easily create custom, variable print and direct mail. To learn more about FreshDM, go to www.freshdm.com.

FreshDM also works on a subscription basis to help Salesforce.com customers empower their users to design and send custom printed marketing materials. Find out more by searching on FreshDM on the Salesforce.com AppExchange at www.appexchange.com.

All trademarks acknowledged.

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Allegro Communications FreshDM, Direct Marketing Blog

A New Romance Travel Guide For Sedona

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:46:10 GMT

SEDONA, Ariz. - Feb. 7 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Phyllis Johnson Innovative Strategies, LLC announces Sedona Romance Travel (SedonaRomanceTravel.com), an online travel newsletter that captures the spirit of Sedona. A personal journey that guides the reader and describes why Sedona is a special place for romancing the spirit and nourishing the soul. A place where lives and relationships can change forever.

The publisher has traveled internationally tracking life style trends for global companies for over three decades. Her research of the personal development and spirituality trend has taken her all over the world from Egypt to Peru and eventually led her to Sedona.

SedonaRomanceTravel.com shares her personal experiences of Sedona and many of the people and services that have enriched her spiritual journey. Her observations of this spiritual evolution has led to recognition of a new kind of romance emerging.

A romance of the spirit that opens the heart and creates an opportunity for more open and loving relationships.

A new romance that is about ease and relaxation and simply being "real."

Connecting spiritually heart to heart. Having fun exploring the trails of an ancient land that echoes with messages for each soul to hear.

And for women who have men in their lives who need to be gently led, a customized Men's Guide has been created for helping men to plan an unforgettable romantic getaway in Sedona. The guide also includes a carefully researched list of glorious gift ideas!

Sedona Romance Travel shares how to experience a new kind of romance in Sedona and take experiences home that will be remembered for a lifetime!

Learn more at: www.SedonaRomanceTravel.com.

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Sedona Romance Travel newsletter, Phyllis Johnson Innovative Strategies

New Printing and Mailing Blog Provides Direct Mail Tips and Information

Mon, 07 Jan 2008 17:14:47 GMT

WAYNE, N.J. - Jan. 7 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The Ballantine Corporation, a full-service direct mail production company, announces the launch of a new printing and mailing blog that contains a variety of direct mail information, tips, news, case studies, and more.

The printing and mailing blog (ballantine.com/blog/), launched in the summer of 2007, has grown in size and content.

"We started the blog to easily communicate with our industry peers who are Web 2.0 savvy," Ryan Cote, Director of Marketing for The Ballantine Corporation, said. "It's been a great tool and the majority of postings are related to direct marketing news and tips."

A recent posting to the blog discusses a survey released by B-to-B-Magazine that indicates direct mail spending will increase in 2008 and will be used with both online and email marketing to yield an effective and integrated marketing plan.

Other topics include: how to prevent offsetting on direct mail pieces; a revived #10 direct mail voucher package; and how to tweak double postcards to increase cash orders.

In addition, bloggers can visit the site to receive updates on postal rates for 2008; the latest in integrated marketing techniques; headline direct marketing news; and more.

The printing and mailing blog also links bloggers to case studies so they may learn about what their industry peers are doing - what's working and what's not.

The blog's post categories are varied. In addition to case studies and direct marketing news and tips, other categories include, but are not limited to: Ballantine news and press releases; creative tips and advice; and printing news. There is even an area for marketers who are concerned about the environment. They can post information about ways to conserve and recycle materials and discuss other concerns related to the green scene under "Going Green."

And, for direct mail marketing professionals who would like to know how their direct mail holiday campaign stacked up to their peers, Ballantine has released their Holiday 2007 Direct Marketing Industry Report which can be downloaded from their blog.

Founded in 1966, The Ballantine Corporation has evolved from offering print production services to also providing mailing, creative and one-to-one marketing solutions.

For more information on Ballantine, visit: www.Ballantine.com.

Copyright © 2008 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, The Ballantine Corporation, printing and mailing blog

Parents Will Pay For Better Neighborhoods, But Can They Find Them?

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:56:00 GMT

PALO ALTO, Calif. - Nov. 28 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Parents are concerned that their children are not playing outside, and they are willing to pay a lot of extra money for a house in a better neighborhood. That's the conclusion of a new survey published on Playborhood.com, an online community for parents who want their children to play outside in their neighborhoods.

Two thirds said they would move to a house with substantially better play opportunities for their children, and they would pay tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars extra for those houses. Almost 50% of parents said they would pay over $50,000, and over 15% said they would pay over $200,000.

They survey also found that "school district" and "type of street" were the two most important neighborhood- and child-related considerations that parents used when buying their present home. However many complained that the weren't able to find out how many children were in the neighborhood or if those children played outside prior to buying their house.

"Many parents are dissatisfied with their current neighborhoods because their kids aren't playing there," said Mike Lanza, CEO of Playborhood, the parent company of Playborhood.com, "but they don't know how to find better ones. The real estate industry is failing them."

Playborhood recently launched its first Playborhood Local site for Palo Alto and Menlo Park, CA, to help parents there create more play opportunities for their children. The company plans to launch other Playborhood Local sites for many other American communities in 2008.

"Childhood as we parents experienced it decades ago is vanishing in America," said Lanza. "Kids used to play on their own in their neighborhoods every day." Over 80% of all children in the United States never play in their neighborhoods without adults present, according to a the survey. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the figure is even higher - over 90%.

Today, in their free time, most children either stay inside in front of screens - TVs or computers - or they are driven around to adult-organized activities by their parents. Experts such as Kenneth Ginsburg of the American Academy of Pediatrics argue that free play - i.e. play that is driven by children, not adults - is essential to children's development, and they regret the marked decrease in free play experienced by children in America.

The Playborhood.com survey finds that parents are also very concerned by this. Over 80% expressed a desire that their children's play time increase in the coming years.

To see Playborhood online, visit Playborhood.com at playborhood.com or Playborhood Palo Alto / Menlo Park at pamp.playborhood.com.

Copyright © 2007 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Playborhood real estate survey, social network for parents

Dominican Republic: Finest Beaches, Highest Peaks

Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:49:00 GMT

Unbiased Travel Information About Dominican Republic from Datravelers.com

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Sept. 25 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The Dominican Republic has caught a lot of tourist attention lately, as they have realized that its sand beaches are eternally white, and as new luxury resorts are constructed. But beyond luxury hotels and the best beaches in the region, the Dominican Republic is one of the most diverse countries in the Caribbean. It is a country which really has something for everyone.

You can be like the archetypal tourist, lazing on the beach under swaying palm trees and sipping rum cocktails while catching up on your reading. Or, you can don a wet suit and go white-water rafting, leap off waterfalls, hike up the highest mountain in the Caribbean, cycle the country paths and tracks, and do any number of action-packed activities to pump up the adrenaline. However, the Dominican Republic is more than just a playground. It has a culture that goes back for centuries long before Columbus discovered the island. Indigenous Amerindians lived here and a number of Taino archaeological sites and cave drawings can still be seen.

The Dominican Republic is recognized by the UN, and millions of tourists, as having some of the best beaches in the world. After the beaches, you can go to the Parque Nacional Los Haitises to see the Taino cave drawings, mangroves, if you like, and ride a horse to the El Limon waterfall and bathe in the cool pool at the bottom.

Up in the cooler climate of the mountains is the town of Jarabacoa, the center of most adventure sports, which has three rivers, with waterfalls, rapids and ravines. White water rafting, tubing, kayaking, and canyoning are available choices. But even for the less active, there are lovely walks to accessible waterfalls, or horse riding to interesting views and some homegrown flavor at the local coffee factory. You can spend a few days trekking up Pico Duarte, the highest mountain in the Caribbean and the delight of botanists and bird watchers. Temperatures can drop below freezing at night. You trek through tropical rainforest and experience several micro climates on your way to the top.

Cycling is a big activity in the Dominican Republic, which is the best place in the Caribbean for mountain biking. Bike tours range from an easy half day downhill cruise for anyone who can ride a bicycle, to strenuous expeditions lasting a week when you camp out and leave hotel comforts behind.

The far southwest of the country around Barahona is much drier, has more wildlife, and much fewer tourists. The Lago Enriquillo, part of the Cabritos National Park, is 30 meters below sea level, exceptionally salty, and is home to crocodiles, iguanas, and flamingos. In these parts, they mine larimar, a pale blue semi-precious stone found only in the Dominican Republic, and it is possible to visit the mines.

When to Go
The Dominican Republic has 50,000 hotel rooms and millions of tourists. The height of the tourist season is mid-December to mid-April, when the weather is colder and drier than at other times of the year. Hotel prices will be higher at this time of the year. May and June can be rainy and humidity starts rising. The official hurricane season is June to November, although it has been more of August-November in recent years. In between hurricanes, there can be some lovely weather, albeit interspersed with some rain. But this is the cheapest time to visit and many places will be very quiet. If you come between mid-January and mid-March, you may catch the height of whale-watching season, as whales linger for a while on their way to the North Atlantic.

Planning Your Trip
The capital, Santo Domingo, and nearby towns are full of hotels. Most of these are all-inclusive, designed to offer everything you could need for a beach holiday. Jarabacoa and Baharona, and other towns, specialize in small hotels and guest houses catering to the independent traveler. Make sure you bring plenty of good, high factor sunscreen, because the tropical sun can burn you even if the winds are cool or the sky cloudy. Mosquito repellent is a must (to avoid malaria or dengue), and just to be sure, when the sun goes down cover up with shoes, socks, long sleeves and trousers.

About Datravelers
DaTravelers (www.DaTravelers.com) is a website where travelers can host their own travel blogs (blogs.datravelers.com), upload photos (photos.datravelers.com) and find unbiased travel information.

Copyright © 2007 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Dominican Republic Travel Information, Datravelers blog

Asian Celebrity Vloggers Robbed in Thailand

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:35:00 GMT

CHIANG MAI, Thailand - Apr. 17 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- The three members of the popular online show Huge In Asia (www.hugeinasia.com) were robbed of their camera and film equipment yesterday in central Chiang Mai, the trio claims. Local officials have not yet identified any of the culprits but say that an investigation is underway.

The three California natives - Kai Hasson, Nate Houghteling, and Alan Niles -were on location in Thailand's northern city to document Songkram, a weeklong celebration of the Thai New Year, when they were accosted by a band of "hysterical hoodlums," according to their account.

"We were in the middle of a great segment, when literally hundreds of men and women started accosting us," Houghteling said. Niles and Hasson maintain a different account of the events, recalling at most three assailants, all male.

The three do agree that their attackers were Asian. "They were short and had black hair," said Hasson from the back of an ambulance, "You put it together."

As online shows increase in popularity, industry experts worry that major celebrity vloggers, like the members of Huge in Asia, may become targets. "Huge in Asia getting jacked should serve as a wake-up call to the whole alternative media industry. With neither security nor crew to protect them, these reporters are completely exposed," said Internet commentator Greg Marliave.

Public interest in this robbery stems from fear that it may prevent the comic trio from producing their Asian travel vlog, the most popular of its kind in America. Over the past five months, Huge in Asia - a show about "life, liberty, and pursuit of international fame" - has delighted viewers with its humorous portrayal of misadventure and culture clash.

Huge in Asia put itself on the map with a smash hit, "Ghostride the Volvo," which they released last November. The two-minute short, protesting the Oakland A's proposed move to Fremont, has currently been viewed over a million times on the Internet video portals YouTube and MySpace combined.

Capitalizing on its early success, Huge in Asia now boasts one of the most dedicated followings in the online video world. With such memorable shorts as "Love in the Time of Avian Flu" and "What Am I Eating?," the show has developed a unique style and has expanded the range of its viewership.

Despite their recent setback, the members of Huge in Asia vow to return to the small screen before long. "We've overcome adversity before during our travels, this is in no way a death blow," said Niles. Hasson echoed his friend's promise. "There's no question we'll be back. I'm not going to let three Asians get between me and my dream of becoming an Asian celebrity."

Text provided by the news source.

Patient AdvoCare Launches PatientSafetyBlog.com

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 18:00:00 GMT

Website Offers Patient Safety Stories to Make You Laugh, Cry, and Warn a Friend

NEEDHAM, Mass. - Apr. 12 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Healthcare industry veteran and Managing Principal of Patient AdvoCare Ken Farbstein launches PatientSafetyBlog.com today. The website is a collection of real-life stories and lessons on staying safe in the healthcare system. Each story includes expert analysis from Farbstein to educate readers on what went wrong and what people can do in their own lives to prevent similar medical errors.

"Our goal is to teach and encourage patients and patient advocates to become knowledgeable, pro-active, and empowered partners with their doctors and nurses. The website provides unbiased advice to keep our parents, children and other loved ones with acute or chronic illnesses healthy and safe from medical errors," says PatientSafetyBlog.com Blogger-in-Chief Ken Farbstein.

More than 100 stories already are available at PatientSafetyBlog.com, which soft-launched in late 2006. Stories describe the medical misadventures of celebrities as opposite as Justice William Rehnquist and Cuban leader Fidel Castro, Anna Nicole Smith and CBS news reporter Ed Bradley, former New England Patriots football coach Charlie Weis and baseball pitcher David Wells, British Foreign Secretary Sir Anthony Eden and humorist Art Buchwald. Stories concern treatment with drugs from aspirin to Zyprexa, from brain surgery to ankle surgery, affecting millionaires and homeless boys, multi-million dollar lawsuits and unpublicized errors.

Stories describe misdiagnoses, overdoses, undertreatment, wrong drug errors, adverse drug reactions, and other types of medical and surgical errors, affecting people with cancer, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, addictions, brain injuries, hospital-acquired infections, kidney disease, pneumonia, rare diseases, and other conditions.

Every story on the website teaches a lesson about living safely within the healthcare system. "Patients and their advocates need to dig in and learn how to actively seek the best care from our chaotic and broken healthcare system," adds Farbstein. "That's why I make sure that a solid, practical, specific suggestion for patients and providers accompanies each story."

PatientSafetyBlog.com also offers free resources for patients and patient advocates, including drug interaction checks, symptom/cause checks, a medical dictionary, medical news, and more.

Readers can submit their stories, and share them with the community of readers. Anyone can use PatientSafetyBlog.com immediately by going to www.PatientSafetyBlog.com.

About Patient AdvoCare
Patient AdvoCare, a Massachusetts-based patient advocacy practice, is led by Managing Principal Ken Farbstein. Ken advises patients and their families on living longer, healthier lives, and preventing medical errors. He extensively advised the heads of Harvard teaching hospitals, addiction treatment centers, medical groups, and health maintenance organizations on ways to improve the quality of care.

His contribution enabled a multi-hospital system to win the $25,000 first annual Premier Award for Hospital Medication Safety. Farbstein also has helped healthcare provider clients win other awards, e.g., for reducing alcohol and substance abuse.

Text provided by the news source.

Hockey Website Promotes 'Save the NHL Night Out' on January 20th

Thu, 04 Jan 2007 22:14:00 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Jan. 4 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Fed up with the current state of the NHL? You're not alone. Thousands of traditional hockey fans are stock piling their picket signs and they have set a date to be heard. On January 20th, fans across North America are being called on to bring personalized signs, to each of the 13 NHL home games, that display their displeasure with "the new NHL." A website, www.hockeyfansunite.com, has been established to promote what is being called the "Save the NHL Night Out."

The goal of the site is quite clear, with content ranging from links to articles about declining television and attendance, polls on what might bring fans back to hockey, suggestions on how to improve current rules, and articulate columns written by contributors to the site.

According to the Night Out promoter, Matt Sigafoose, "Traditional hockey fans have had it with the state of today's game and the NHL is paying the price. [NHL Commissioner] Gary Bettman can feed the average uninformed sports fan what he wants about attendance numbers. But what is truly appalling is that Mr. Bettman would try to convince loyal hockey fans that attendance shot up after a season long strike. That is 100% impossible. It took Major League Baseball years to recover after their strike. NHL television and attendance ratings are down this year and will continue to tumble if the game continues down its current path."

Another rant. Another cry from a loyal hockey fan. Well, yes, but it doesn't stop there. While it is easy enough to complain, the hard part is offering suggestions for improvement. And hockeyfansunite.com delivers. According to Mr. Sigafoose, "The goal is to bring back a more traditional style of hockey. While Gary Bettman thought that the solution to bringing back fans was to increase scoring, he was mistaken. His grand plan of marching players to the penalty box every few minutes for yet another obstruction call disrupts the flow and emotion of the game for fans. North American hockey fans, especially American hockey fans, crave emotion and physical play in their game. These are the characteristics that make the National Football League so popular and these are the characteristics that, years ago, made the NHL popular."

"Emotion" along with "physical" are indeed themes that the site is pushing. Hockeyfansunite.com is adamant that an increase in fights is not what they are looking for. According to Mr. Sigafoose, "It's simple. Pre-meditated, emotionless fights don't belong in the NHL. If players want to drop the mitts to boost their team morale or deter another player from taking cheap shots, so be it. The league absolutely needs more of that. For every one guy that gets hurt in a hockey fight, five guys get hurt for cheap shots. Players know there are rules, like the instigator, there to protect them. So they whack and hack away at other players with their stick and then turn around and dive to draw a penalty when touched. It works in the context of today's rules, yet it sickens hockey fans to watch it."

While it doesn't take long to figure out that the hockeyfansunite.com isn't particularly pleased with the NHL Commissioner's resume, they don't blame him solely. "The Todd Bertuzzi incident was a major black eye for the sport and I think it made the NHL tighten its stance on fighting," Sigafoose remarks. "What non-hockey fans don't understand is, that wasn't a straight up fight. It was a mugging. And it wasn't the mugging that drew attention; it was the end result (a broken neck and ended career for Steve Moore). It's a shame that the success of hockey has paid for such a misguided reaction."

Putting the Bertuzzi reaction aside, hockeyfansunite.com is most concerned with the new rules implemented after the strike. According to the site, there are ways to increase scoring and keep emotion and physical play in the game; the combination of the two is what will ultimately bring back the average hockey fan.

According to Sigafoose, the answer isn't too difficult. "If Mr. Bettman wants to fill seats and boost television ratings, he has to truly mean it when he says things like the league needs rivalries. His actions, to this point, don't support his words. He suspends players for sticking up for their teammates. He has created rules that have killed the emotion in the game. Bring back the emotion, the passion, and the physical play that once defined hockey and he will fill those empty seats. The research and anecdotal evidence is overwhelming. He just has to listen to those that pay the bills... the NHL fans."

To learn more about January 20th's Save the NHL Night Out, visit www.hockeyfansunite.com.

Text provided by the news source.

Copyright © 2007 Send2Press® Newswire, a unit of Neotrope®
TAGS: Send2Press Newswire, Save the NHL Night Out, loyal hockey fan

Sunshine State News Heats up with 'Covering Florida'

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 18:30:00 GMT

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Dec. 15 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A new online site "Covering Florida" will focus on news, commentary and features written by journalist Kay B. Day about the fourth largest state in the nation. Day says a central news forum for information about elections, crime, and neighborhoods in Florida will give a more unified impression of a state that is often viewed as fragmented because of politics.

"During the midterm elections," says Day. "There was so much useful information out there. But there wasn't a central location for Floridians."

She wrote about the election, providing links to sites offering information about candidates and issues. "We had an amendment related to eminent domain," Day says. "But there was little information out there your average person could understand. I'm a writer and I had to read and re-read the 'legalese' on the official government sites." She saw that amendment as critical, because it specified regulations for seizure of personal property by developers and others.

But the focus goes beyond nuts and bolts news. "I like writing features too, and I do a recurring 'First Person' at least once a month. This essay deals with subjects ranging from holiday celebrations to wildlife like the great egret."

She had come home from covering an event for one of the newspapers she writes for. "And there in my driveway was a great egret picking lizards off the shrubbery," she says. Grabbing her camera, she tracked the egret. "The Florida Times Union published one of the photos," she says. "But I had several, and I wanted to let others know about the habits of these birds." So she featured a photo and story at "Covering Florida."

The space shuttle offered another opportunity. Day planned to cover the STS-116 launch. "Then it was postponed because of the low cloud cover." She got the shot anyway, when it launched days later. "My daughter was with her boyfriend. She saw the huge light in the sky and grabbed her digital camera. She got a great photo.

One of the most heavily read stories is a column she did about gangs. Day read an article about the MS-13 gang at the online site Family Security Matters (familysecuritymatters.org). She writes a monthly column about global politics for the site. When she saw another writer's story about this dangerous gang, she looked up additional information. "Sure enough, MS-13 has a presence in Florida, even in my home city," she says.

A self-confessed news junkie, Day writes for newspapers, magazines and Net sites. "I write on for our daily newspaper, and also have essays in publications like the Christian Science Monitor. I do a bi-weekly column about poetry for the Web site of The Writer magazine." She also strings for UPI and freelances "one-ups" for other magazines. She's been an independent journalist for over 20 years.

Author of two books, with two more in the works, Day is an award-winning poet in what she calls her "other life." She just returned from reading in a program, "Florida Poets Arrive," at the Library of Congress in Washington, D. C.

With "Covering Florida" she says she hopes to "expand the great news coverage we already have here." She uses blogging software to produce content.

Days says most bloggers write personal journal entries, but the blog tools offer a perfect format for a column about the Sunshine State. "And we're not only a big state, we are a very interesting state. Florida has hot news!"

More information: http://coveringflorida.blogspot.com

MyImmigrationStory Lets Immigrants Tell Their Own Stories

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 20:08:00 GMT

DAYTON, Ohio - Oct. 19 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A website launched by Cuban-born author and marketing executive, Raul Ramos y Sanchez, www.MyImmigrationStory.com, enables U.S. immigrants from all nations to share their immigration stories in their own words.

"The site's goal is to show the human side of immigration. I think the time is ripe," says Ramos.

The home page of the site features this mission statement: Statistics do not tell the story of immigration. People do. Since its inception, this nation has been continually infused with the energy of newcomers. Yet their assimilation has seldom been smooth. The challenges we face today are not new. Only the stories are.

*(Photo Caption: Author Raul Ramos y Sanchez.)

"By showcasing the stories of individual immigrants, MyImmigrationStory.com can help bridge the rapidly growing chasm in the heated national debate over immigration," says Ramos. "We need more grassroots efforts at reconciliation in this brewing crisis. It's time to look beyond the stereotypes and recognize our common humanity."

Online since late April, the site features the stories of immigrants from Cuba, Cyprus, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Poland and Sweden. Visitor comments to the stories enrich the dialog. In addition, the site has received endorsements from a wide spectrum of organizations including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, the Human Rights Initiative of North Texas, the National Society for Hispanic Professionals, and the Future of Freedom Foundation.

Ramos is reaching out to the media, civic groups, professional associations, and immigrant organizations to spread the word about the site and encourage immigrants from every nation to participate.

For more information visit: www.MyImmigrationStory.com

Watching the Watchers Creator Launches 'Liberals Only' Forum

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:38:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS, NV - July 19 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Anthony Levensalor, original founder and creator of liberal hotspot "Watching The Watchers" has launched LiberalsOnly.com, a new discussion forum-based site, complete with blogs, contests for products and services, and community involvement.

There's just one catch: You have to be a Liberal. Conservative and GOP hardliners will be turned away, and the forum provides a link on each post to report it to administrators for action.

"It's not about exclusion, necessarily," Levensalor said. "It's about bringing together a community of people in the country, the majority of which are liberal."

Who decides who's a Liberal and who isn't? The community. Posts are sent to the administrators of the site for review if someone thinks they're stirring up trouble. If the administrators think the post is a problem, they'll send a message to the poster and delete the post. Too many warnings, and you get "banned" from the site, meaning you can't post messages on the forum.

LiberalsOnly.com is also beginning a contest system to recruit more members. They're giving away three DVDs of the user's choice in the first round. Levensalor explains: "The contests are to add a little something special to the site, to allow our members to do fun things that enhance the community and, at the same time win something for their time. It's a give-something-back model."

Why another forum? Aren't there a ton of political discussion forums out there?

"There is no shortage on the web of discussion forums, that's absolutely true," says Levensalor. "What we're providing is a progressive, liberal format without the distraction of trolls. Liberals and progressives who want a decent conversation and debate without the nastiness can find a home here."

More information: http://www.liberalsonly.com

Two Guys With Flys, Ink Introduce: The World's First Official - Fishing Blog to Become a Book

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 12:45:00 GMT

MEDFORD, OR (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- In earth shattering news that only a bored newspaper editor, looking to fill space can appreciate, Two Guys With Flys Publications (www.twoguyswithflys.com) has just relesed a humorous new gift book just in time for the holidays.

Yes,

The Two Guys With Flys Are Back!!

Were they ever gone?

Were they ever here in the first place?

Does anyone care?

Two Guys With Flys,Ink who back in 1999 took the fishing world by storm - O.K. by "mildly unpleasant weather" - are back with a new product for 2005.

The Fish wRap 2005

No, it is not a new "wrapping" to keep fish fresh for a full year.
No, it is not "Diddys" comeback CD of the year.
No, it is not the evening news' worldwide fishing results.

It's a "blog".
No - wait it's a book.

It's a BLOOGK??

The Fish wRap 2005, started out as a blog, and turned into a full blown book.
The Fish wRap 2005, may be the world's first fishing blog to become a book.

Don't be jealous.

A.J. Klott, one of the two fly guys, is the author of The Fish wRap 2005. The other fly guy, Patrick David Pelzel, pressed a few buttons and made it look like a book and decided he wanted credit for editing and formatting the book.

It's a funny book, and we mean more than just funny looking.

A.J. writes of fishing experiences with friends,kids,dogs,bears and women... that should just about cover it all. He also takes a satirical look at current hot topics like steroids,high gas prices, outsourcing jobs, and putting fish on the moon??

Once again, the "two guys" have missed any logical marketing opportunities and short of standing on the corner in Medford, Oregon with a sign board - are offering the book "EXCLUSIVELY" on their website (www.twoguyswithflys.com) or by calling Toll Free at 877-777-4278.

Or, you can break into their place of business and steal one, while they are napping.

Those who wish to part with their hard earned money and "own a piece of blogging history", will have to spend $14.95 + shipping. Which is less than the cost of naming a "star" after someone, and will actually give you a physical product!!

You can even sample some of the stories on their website before you buy. The book should be enjoyed by both fishermen and non-fishers alike, if not you can always use it as a fly swatter next summer....

Happy Holidays - The Two Guys With Flys.

For more information or to order you can contact A.J. Klott at 877-777-4278, e mail him at arnie@mind.net. Website is: www.twoguyswithflys.com

Stephen Weber Says That Authors Complain of Raw Deals by High-Tech 'Vanity Presses'

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 10:45:00 GMT

FALLS CHURCH, VA - September 20 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- A high-tech successor to yesterday's "vanity" presses is luring thousands of aspiring authors with notions of money and fame. But today's would-be Hemmingways still end up buying most of their books and don't earn a cent, said Stephen Weber, publisher of Self Publish in 90 Days, a Web site that examines the self-publishing industry.
http://www.weberbooks.com/publish.htm

In years past, a few well-known vanity presses lured aspiring authors with advertisements in the back of magazines. Amateur novelists who dreamed of becoming the next Mark Twain mailed in their manuscripts, and were invariably told they had real writing talent, but some funds were required to produce and promote their book.

Today more than 75 modern-day vanity presses are aggressively advertising for new authors on the Internet. But since most American homes already contain a PC and software capable of producing a book, today's vanity presses call themselves "self-publishing" or "subsidy" houses. But many authors still end up disappointed and complain that the company did little to promote their work, Weber said.

AuthorHouse, one of the best-known subsidy presses, is rated worst according to a new book that evaluates author contracts. The ratings appeared in "The Fine Print: What Print-on-Demand and e-Publishing Contracts Really Say" by Mark Levine. He says authors who know how to negotiate with a publisher can increase their royalties as much as 600 percent.

Authorhouse received a rating of 2 out of 10 in Levine's book. "They were the lowest because their contract was terrible, [and] their upfront fees were ridiculous for what you get," Levine said. Based in Bloomington, Ind., AuthorHouse claims to be the "world's largest and most experienced self-publishing house," and has produced 27,000 titles, according to promotional materials on the company's Web site.

iUniverse received the best rating, 8.9, and Xlibris was in the middle of the pack at 4.6. One other major subsidy house, PublishAmerica, didn't receive a rating because not enough information was available. About 74 subsidy or vanity presses are described in the book. More information is at http://www.book-publishers-compared.com

Levine was recently interviewed on Publishing Basics radio by host Ron Pramschuffer. The complete interview is http://www.wbjbradio.com/viewshow.php?id=31&aid=#.

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