Monthly Archives: December 2014

Entertainment

Powerful Child Abuse Prevention Tools are Just a Click Away

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Local non-profit RAACE launches new website to help parents protect children from sexual abuse

Baltimore, MD, December 19, 2014 – The number of children and teens who are sexually abused in the U.S. remains at epidemic levels– 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys are sexually abused by age 18. Even worse, over 90% of offenders are someone the child knows and trusts. To combat this epidemic, Maryland-based non-profit Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere (RAACE) has launched a new website that provides a wealth of information and educational materials to help families protect children against the often-silent epidemic of child sexual abuse.

RAACE, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has been working for more than 10 years to help educate families about the dangers of child sexual abuse and what they can do to prevent the victimization of their children. The new website provides families with quick, easy access to a wide range of free, age-appropriate educational materials, including the organization’s in-depth Power of Prevention Guide Book.

According to RAACE founder, Kenneth Smith, “Education and awareness are the first critical steps toward preventing child sexual abuse. Our new site is a great resource that anyone can use to learn how to prevent child sexual abuse, what signs to look for if you suspect your child is being abused, and what each of us can do to shine a light on the epidemic of abuse and help end it.”

In addition to all the education materials available, the new site also offers ways to connect with other RAACE supporters, including a special community site where people can ask questions, share experiences, and take part in forums focused on topics related to child sexual abuse prevention and the issues that abuse survivors may face. The site also makes it easy to find RAACE events that are part of the organization’s Prevention Tour. During the tour, RAACE staff travel around the state to family-friendly events and use RAACE’s two-story, carnival-style “Big Wheel” to catch the attention of event-goers and teach them how they can help prevent child sexual abuse.

“As a community, we have the potential to make a dramatic and positive impact on children and families,” adds Smith. “We’re able to do this work thanks to the support of our RAACE Fans. And it’s even easier to support RAACE now that we’re part of the Network for Good.”

Contact: Brad Brickel
410-893-1001
brad.brickel@raace.org

For more information about RAACE and its ongoing work to end the epidemic of child sexual abuse, visit www.raace.org.

Contact:
Dina Wasmer
Incite Creative, Inc.
P.O. Box 95
Cockeysville, MD 21030
410-366-9479
info@incitecreativeinc.com
http://www.incitecreativeinc.com

Art

Lily Nava is now in the Gallery’s Artist Showcase

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Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is extremely pleased to announce Lily Nava has been named the gallery’s latest featured artist.

Jupiter, FL, USA (December 18, 2014) — Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is extremely pleased to announce Lily Nava has been named the gallery’s latest featured artist. She will now be shown in and promoted in the gallery’s Artist Showcase.

Lily is an accomplished, self-taught, visionary artist currently residing in Southern California. Her art work is transformative and filled with the intangibles of her emotions through color, movement and luminosity. Her paintings are charged with positive energy, while expressing an overwhelming sense of tranquility. Viewers are transported to mystical, light filled, other-worldly dreamscapes, where they become the story teller, as they linger inside the images, seeking answers to their own life’s questions.

Her works are influenced by the Fusionart style of painting, which is founded in European painting technology. What is poured onto her canvas is the emotional and spiritual energy of the artist, fusing with whatever is longing to be expressed. Since 2010, Lily’s images have been juried into humanitarian artist calls such as “The Peace Project” which is curated by the Whole 9 Gallery in Los Angeles. She donates her images every year to raise funds to elevate world peace, assist humanity and build communities.

Her “earthly” art won over the juror panel at “Sustainable Silicon Valley” Art Expo”, held at NASA Research Center in Mountain View, CA, which called on artists to submit images for planetary sustainability; she has been invited back every year since 2013 to have her images included in the ongoing building of the vision for planetary solutions.

Her works have been exhibited and collected across the USA. To see more of Lily’s works, visit her website at http://www.lilynavagallery.com.

About Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery

Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery conducts monthly themed art competitions and monthly art exhibitions for new and emerging artists on a worldwide basis. It is Light Space & Time’s intention to showcase this incredible talent in a series of monthly themed art competitions and art exhibitions by marketing and displaying the exceptional abilities of these worldwide artists. The art gallery website can be viewed here: http://www.lightspacetime.com.

Media Contact:
John R. Math
Light Space & Time Online Gallery
118 Poinciana Drive
Jupiter, FL 33458
888-490-3530
info@lightspacetime.com
http://www.lightspacetime.com

Software, Technology

BatchOutput XLS for Microsoft Excel Is Now Available on Mac App Store

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Zevrix Solutions announces that BatchOutput XLS, its output automation solution for Microsoft Excel, is now available on Mac App Store. BatchOutput automates printing of multiple documents and allows to carry out professional PDF production directly from Excel, eliminating the need for time consuming post-processing. In addition to batch printing users can optimize PDF files for various target devices, apply variable file names and protect PDF against unauthorized use.

Toronto (ON), Canada (December 17, 2014) — Zevrix Solutions announces that BatchOutput XLS, its output automation solution for Microsoft Excel, is now available on Mac App Store. The software provides advanced solutions for demanding enterprise and office publishing environments through automation of printing and professional PDF output. Mac users can download and purchase BatchOutput XLS on Mac App Store at $20 under Productivity category.

In addition to batch printing, BatchOutput XLS allows to carry out powerful professional PDF production directly from Excel, helping users simplify and streamline the conversion process. For example, users can leave BatchOutput to print hundreds of Excel files overnight, and then pick up the completed job next morning.

With BatchOutput XLS, users only need to select Excel files and adjust output settings, and the software will do the rest automatically. BatchOutput XLS is the only program that brings advanced PDF creation options right to Excel user’s fingertips:

–Batch print and export Excel files to PDF with a click of a button.
-Compose variable output file names based on page number, user name, date and other values.
–Reduce PDF file size and optimize documents for web, print or electronic publishing.
-Encrypt and password-protect PDF from unauthorized copying, printing and viewing.
-Apply Quartz filters to change PDF colors, brightness and other qualities.

BatchOutput XLS is a part of the Zevrix BatchOutput family which also includes output automation solutions for Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe InDesign and PDF workflows.

Pricing and Availability:
BatchOutput XLS can be purchased from Mac App Store for US$19.99, as well as from Zevrix website and authorized resellers. Trial is also available for download. BatchOutput XLS requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later and Microsoft Word 2008 or 2011.

About Zevrix Solutions

Located in Toronto, Canada, Zevrix Solutions provides productivity solutions for Adobe Creative Suite software, PDF and graphic file diagnostics, digital delivery and Microsoft Office on Mac OS. Zevrix Solutions makes it easier for professionals to achieve more while doing less by automating their everyday tasks, producing error-free documents, saving disk space and cutting down on production costs.

Contact:
Leo Revzin
Owner
Zevrix Solutions
105 McCAUL St, Suite 301
Toronto Ontario M5T 2X4 Canada
858-206-0607
media@zevrix.com
http://www.zevrix.com

Entertainment

Carmel Valley Wine Experience Includes 9 Wineries and Tasting Rooms on a 12-Mile Scenic Stretch of Carmel Valley Road in Monterey California

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Carmel Valley Wine Experience Offers Cellar Passes Just in Time For the Holidays and New Year.

Carmel Valley, CA, December 18, 2014 – Compared to the sizeable California wine region in Napa, the Carmel Valley appellation is a mere pinprick on the state’s oenological map. Lacking the notoriety and sheer volume of the famous valley to the north, Carmel Valley has evolved into a destination hot spot of its own — only for different reasons.

California’s 13th oldest appellation (designated in 1983) the Carmel Valley boasts oak-studded hillsides bathed in sunlight, an abundance of open space split by a meandering river, and a charming village with character and characters. With just 300 acres under vine, the Carmel Valley AVA retains its charm and genuineness, deserving consideration from wine lovers who desire a less-hectic, more-hospitable wine tasting destination.

A tour along a 12-mile scenic stretch of Carmel Valley Road in Monterey County reveals wineries, tasting rooms, art galleries, amazing foods and thousands of acres of parkland. Absent is the traffic, crowds and expensive restaurants familiar to massive wine regions that find themselves dog-eared in travel guides. The Carmel Valley Wine Experience is a collective of Carmel Valley tasting rooms that offer resources and insight to travelers as well as unique access and member benefits to visitors that so wish it.

The Carmel Valley Wine Experience highlights the valley’s wine tasting opportunities, while embracing its slow pace of life, leisure activities such as hiking and golf, as well as the boutiques, galleries and bevy of fine restaurants and cafes. The special quality that allows Carmel Valley to transcend the ordinary is evident in the Carmel Valley wineries and tasting rooms. The rugged Carmel Valley begins at the mouth of the Carmel River and the dramatic valley runs in a southeastern direction along the river. Dominated by red Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Burgundian grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The tasting rooms also feature wines from throughout Monterey County, including the Arroyo Seco and famed Santa Lucia Highlands.

Most of the valley’s tasting rooms are just a short stroll from each other, allowing visitors to take a wine tour on foot. For those who don’t want to drive at all, Monterey-Salinas Transit Bus 24, called the Grapevine Express, stops at many of the wineries. It departs from the Monterey Transit Plaza, located across from the Cooper-Molera Adobe in Old Monterey.

While often lively, Carmel Valley’s tasting rooms provide a warm, personal interaction with tasting hosts and often the winemakers themselves. It’s all part of the Carmel Valley Wine Experience. Drink it all in soon.

Carmel Valley Wine Experience Cellar Pass:
· $50.00 per pass.
· A Cellar Pass gives its holder eight (8) tickets, each ticket good for the opportunity to taste at any member wineries.
· Good for a single standard flight per winery, the holder has 12 months (from purchase) to visit members’ tasting rooms.
· Additional discounts of up to 10% applied to Cellar Pass holder’s purchases.
· The Cellar Pass makes a perfect holiday gift.
· Available online and at www.cvwineexperience.com/purchasepass or at Carmel Valley Wine Experience members tasting rooms.
· Redeem your receipt for your Pass at member wineries – Bernardus or Holman Ranch)
· With your Cellar Pass enjoy complimentary corkage at Will’s Fargo Steakhouse + Bar on member bottles by showing the Cellar Pass.

Carmel Valley Wine Experience Background:
Organized by the Carmel Valley Chamber of Commerce, visit www.cvwineexperience.com to learn more about the collective of tasting rooms that make of the Carmel Valley Wine Experience as well as events, membership and general visitation information. Connect via facebook at /carmelvalleywineexperience

Wine Experience Members:
Bernardus
5 W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.bernardus.com  |  831-298-8021  |   11am – 5pm, Daily

Chesebro Wines
19 E Carmel Valley Road, Suite D, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.chesebrowines.com  |  831-659-2125  |  2pm – 6pm, Thurs & Fri : 1pm – 6pm, Sat & Sun

Cima Collina
19 E Carmel Valley Road, Suite A, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.cimacollina.com  |  831-620-0645  |  Noon – 6pm, Daily

Coastview Vineyard
Opening Soon in the Carmel Valley

Holman Ranch
19 E Carmel Valley Road, Suite C, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.holmanranch.com  |  831-659-2640  |  11am – 6pm, Daily

Idle Hour
9 Del Fino Place, Ste 101 Carmel Valley, CA, 93924
www.idlehourwinery.com | 831-298-7526 | 11am – 5pm, Thurs-Sun

Joullian Vineyards
2 Village Drive, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.joullian.com  |  831-659-8100  |  11am – 5pm, Daily

Mercy Vineyards
40 W Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.mercywines.com  |  831-659-4321  |  1pm – 5pm, Thurs – Sun

Parsonage
19 E Carmel Valley Road, Suite B, Carmel Valley, CA 93924
www.parsonagewine.com  |  831-659-7322  |  11am – 5pm, Daily

Contact Info:
· www.cvwineexperience.com
· https://www.facebook.com/CarmelValleyWineExperience

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox
Carmel, CA 93923
831-747-7455
http://www.cvwineexperience.com

Entertainment

Monterey Symphony Announces Spring 2015 Concerts

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Tickets on Sale for Charismatic Glow: February 20-22, 2015

Monterey, CA, December 15, 2014 — The 69th season of the Monterey Symphony continues into Spring 2015 with a brilliant range of classical performances sure to astound you! International guest artists will perform colorful works with the Monterey Symphony orchestra on the stages of Sherwood Hall in Salinas and Sunset Center in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Mini-series subscriptions are still available for the remaining four concerts in Spring 2015, along with a three-concert FlexPass that allows you to choose concerts up to the day of the event subject to availability.

Mini-series subscribers are assured the best seats available, free ticket exchanges, and VIP privileges. Celebrate this colorful season with the Monterey Symphony, along with the 10th Anniversary of Music Director and Conductor Max Bragado-Darman.

The Spring 2015 repertoire blooms with Spanish pianist, Joaquin Achúcarro, in February, and Icelandic violinist, Judith Ingolfsson, in March. The fifth concert in April, Majestic Realm, alludes to the nostalgia felt for our homeland, with what is certain to be a spectacular performance by violist Roberto Díaz, President of the Curtis Institute of Music and former principal violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. The season closes in May with a flamboyant, all orchestral grand finale, Invitation to Dance. Without question, The Colors of Music has something for everyone. (Schedule and details below)

Photo of Joaquin Achúcarro, guest pianist of February concert “Charismatic Glow”
Concert III: Charismatic Glow

* February 20, 21, 22, 2015
* Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody is an immensely popular work, featuring the acclaimed talents of Achúcarro, and promises to be a performance not to miss. Dvorák’s Symphony No. 7 is considered by many to be one of the finest examples from the golden age of the symphony.

* Max Bragado-Darman, conductor
* Joaquin Achúcarro, piano
* Giménez: Prelude to La Boda de Luis Alonso
* Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43 featuring Joaquin Achúcarro, internationally acclaimed pianist from Spain
* Dvorák: Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, Op. 70
* Concert Sponsored By:

Joaquin Achúcarro, guest pianist:
Described as “one of the greats” by ABC in Madrid and “the consummate artist” by the Chicago Sun-Times, internationally acclaimed Spanish pianist Joaquín Achúcarro has performed recitals in 60 countries and has played with over 200 orchestras, including the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, La Scala of Milan, London Symphony, London Philharmonic, Philarmonia, Chicago Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, RIAS Berlin, Sydney Symphony, Tokyo Philharmonic, Tokyo Symphony, National de France, Hallé, City of Birmingham, Royal Scottish, RTA Ireland, Western Australia, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Sta Cecilia Roma, RAI, Arena de Verona, Orchestra Verdi, and the National Orchestras of Spain, Chile, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela, among many others. He has performed under an impressive list of 342 of the world´s greatest conductors, such as Abbado, Boult, Chailly, Mehta, Menuhin, Ozawa and Rattle.

Born in Bilbao, Spain, Achúcarro studied in Madrid, Paris, Vienna, and Salzburg.

His international career was launched with his victory in England at the 1959 Liverpool International Competition and subsequent debut with the London Symphony, and from that time, he has maintained an uninterrupted concert schedule. Since 1989, Achúcarro has held the specially endowed Joel Estes Tate Chair in piano at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, adjusting his teaching periods to his busy performance schedule. He is also a Professor at the Summer International Courses of the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy.

He has received Spain’s highest honors in the arts including the Premio Nacional de Música, the Gold Medal of Fine Arts, and the Great Cross of Civil Merit honoring his lifetime achievement. He was also named “Artist for Peace 2000” by UNESCO and “Beloved Son” by the city of Bilbao, and received the “Universal Basque” awarded by the Basque Government.
Source: http://joaquinachucarro.wordpress.com

The Facts:
Fridays at 7:30 p.m. ($20; all seats general admission) at Sherwood Hall, 940 N Main St, Salinas, CA 93906

Saturdays at 8 p.m. ($29-$79) and Sundays at 3 p.m. ($29-$79) at Sunset Center, San Carlos Street at 9th Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93921

Pre-Concert Lecture Series: All concerts will feature a free pre-concert lecture at the concert hall one hour prior to the performance. These lectures, provided by Dr. Todd Samra, offer intriguing facts and historical context about the composers and the pieces to be performed, which greatly enhance the concert-going experience. To learn more about Dr. Samra, visit: http://www.montereysymphony.org/?attachment_id=3832

To purchase tickets or a mini-series subscription, call 831-646-8511 or visit http://www.montereysymphony.org/current-season/ for season details.

Enjoy the best of harmony for your ears, and flavor for your palate, with the Monterey Symphony Supper Club! Share your love of classical music with fellow patrons over three-course dinners and hand-selected wines. Local restaurants that are hosting the Monterey Symphony Supper Club this season include: Vesuvio, Portobello’s, Andre’s Bouchée, Il Fornaio, La Dolce Vita, Gino’s, and Anton & Michel. For reservations, call 831.646.8511 or visit http://www.montereysymphony.org/special-events
Upcoming Spring 2015 Concerts:

Concert IV: Ethereal Skies
* March 20, 21, 22, 2015
* Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto will be spectacular with Ingolfsson and Maestro Max interpreting one of the most romantically beautiful violin concertos. Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 is a challenging work from one of history’s finest symphonic composers, and Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture is simply delightful.
* Max Bragado-Darman, conductor
* Judith Ingolfsson, violin
* Weber: Abu Hassan Overture
* Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35 featuring Judith Ingolfsson, internationally acclaimed violinist from Iceland
* Sibelius: Symphony No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 82
* Concert Sponsored By:

Concert V: Majestic Realm
* April 17, 18, 19, 2015
* William Walton was a master British composer whose works reflect a level of complexity in melody, meter, and form that enthralls both listeners and musicians alike. Johann Strauss, the Viennese waltz king, and Prokofiev, the Russian master, are also featured.
* Max Bragado-Darman, conductor
* Roberto Díaz, viola
* J. Strauss: Overture to the Gypsy Baron
* Walton: Concerto for Viola featuring Roberto Díaz, President of the Curtis Institute of Music
* Prokofiev: Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131
* Concert Sponsored By:

Concert VI: Invitation to Dance
*  May 15, 16, 17, 2015
*  The work on this program that will surprise and thrill is the Ginastera, which may incline our audiences to not sit still…with encore appearances by Weber, Dvorák, and Rachmaninoff, featuring stylized dances of immense beauty and energy.

* Max Bragado-Darman, conductor
* Weber: Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65
* Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Op. 45
* Dvorák: Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, Nos. 1, 3, 8
* Ginastera: Four Dances from Estancia, Op. 8a
* Concert Sponsored By:

Contact the Monterey Symphony Box Office at 831-646-8511 or email ticketing@montereysymphony.org to purchase tickets or for more information regarding discounted group, student and military rates.

Monterey Symphony, Photo by DMT Imaging

The mission of the Monterey Symphony is to engage, educate and excite our community through the performance and continual discovery of symphonic music.

The Monterey Symphony, under the artistic leadership of Music Director & Conductor Max Bragado-Darman, is the only fully professional, full-season orchestra serving the communities of the Monterey Bay, Salinas, Salinas Valley, Big Sur, and San Benito County. It provides triple performances of a six-concert subscription series at Carmel’s Sunset Theater and Salinas’s Sherwood Hall, as well as youth education programs that include visits to classrooms by musicians and culminate in full-orchestra concerts for schoolchildren.

The Monterey Symphony is a nonprofit, public benefit corporation, supported in part through the fundraising efforts of the Friends of the Monterey Symphony, and through grants from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The Harden Foundation, The Robert and Virginia Stanton Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, The Todd Lueders Fund for the Arts of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, The Community Foundation for Monterey County, The Berkshire Foundation, The Monterey Peninsula Foundation, The Pebble Beach Company Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Arts Council of Monterey County, The S.T.A.R. Foundation, The Hind Foundation, Upjohn California Fund, and many other generous foundations and individual donors.

For additional information, please call 831-646-8511 or visit our web site: www.montereysymphony.org.

Contact:
Lindsey Little
Monterey Symphony
2560 Garden Road, Suite 101
Monterey, CA 93940
831-646-8511
llittle@montereysymphony.org
http://www.montereysymphony.org

Technology

XebiaLabs Ranks 15 on Deloitte Fast 500 List

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EMA Ranking validates clear business value behind software automation.

Boston, MA (USA), December 12, 2014 — XebiaLabs, the leading provider of software automation for bringing applications quickly to market, today announced it achieved a 15th place ranking in the 2014 Deloitte Technology Fast 500TM for the Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region.

XebiaLabs achieved an impressive 8,609 percent growth rate over a five-year span to win the 15th place out of 500 companies ranked. The Deloitte program is the pre-eminent technology awards program in EMEA and now in its fourteenth year.

“We’re delighted to receive this recognition but we must credit our growth to the fact that businesses are seriously under pressure to turn their innovative ideas into usable software,” said Coert Baart, XebiaLabs CEO. “This means ‘concept-to-cash’ in days, instead of weeks or months. But due to existing legacy systems and outdated release processes, this rarely happens. Continuous Delivery by XebiaLabs changes the game. For starters, it radically removes waste and time from the software production process.”

Continuous Delivery takes all manual processes associated with building software — from testing, deployment, configuration and monitoring — and fully automates that cycle. Combined with customer feedback, creating a competitive software build & release machine is possible for your business.

International corporations such as General Electric, Expedia, Xerox, KLM, and Société Générale use XebiaLabs to accelerate software applications into the marketplace while reducing costly errors and downtime.

About the Deloitte Technology Fast 500TM:
The Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) is the pre-eminent technology awards program in EMEA and now in its fourteenth year. Combining technological innovation, entrepreneurship and rapid growth, Technology Fast 500 companies – large, small, public and private – span a variety of industry sectors, and are leaders in hardware, software, telecom, semiconductors and emerging areas, such as clean technology. These companies are transforming the way business is done today. For more information contact emeafast500@deloitte.co.uk.

About XebiaLabs:
XebiaLabs is the fastest-growing, leading global provider of automation software for DevOps and Continuous Delivery helping companies to accelerate the delivery of new software. XebiaLabs’ products provide the automation, efficiency and insight organizations need to meet the demand for faster software deployment cycles. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Boston, XebiaLabs has a worldwide network of sales offices and partners. For more information, please visit www.xebialabs.com .

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz, Principal
MediaPR.net, Inc
Marblehead, MA – USA
+1 (781) 990-3463
vcruz@mediapr.net
http://www.xebialabs.com

Technology

Enservio Finds Guns & Ammo Overvalued in Claims

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“Member of the Family” sentiment increases perception of value.

Needham, MA (USA), December 12, 2014 — Enservio, Inc., a leading provider of software and services across the entire value chain of contents claims processing, today announced that firearms and ammunition are commonly overvalued in insurance claims from more than 50% to 126% respectively. Enservio data also finds that approximately 10% of the $2 billion in claims it processes annually contain guns, ammo and firearm accessories.

According to GunPolicy.org, the estimated rate of private gun ownership (both licit and illicit) in America is 101.05 firearms per 100 people, making the U.S. the highest per capita in the world for the possession of firearms.

“The chances of a field adjuster or claims inventory professional finding a gun while on the job are extraordinarily high,” said Enservio Senior Contents Consultant Chad Horlbogen, who has 26 years of advanced firearms experience and tactical weaponry training. “Americans love their guns, but valuing them can be difficult. Being a specialty item, firearms have unique characteristics that claim pros need to know about in order to fairly reimburse or replace these items correctly.”

A common perception held by policyholders is that guns depreciate very little and are worth more than what they paid for them–in some cases, more than retail value. One reason for this thinking is due to the fact that they are constructed of solid, lasting materials.

“Many people believe that all guns appreciate in value. They are often passed down between generations, and considered a member of the family,” added Horlbogen.

State and federal restrictions placed on purchasing guns can also amplify their perceived values. For these reasons Enservio recommends obtaining expert appraisal on this specialty product category.

Enservio Findings:

* Handguns: Average policyholder claims $285; actual cash value is $186
* Rifles: Average policyholder claims $291; actual cash value is $186
* Rifle Ammunition: Average policyholder claims $104; actual cash value is $46
* Rifle Magazines: Average policyholder claims $36; actual cash value is $10
* Shotgun scopes: Average policyholder claims $62; actual cash value is $31

In an effort to educate claims adjusters on the key value factors behind valuing firearms and ammo, interested parties can tune in to hear Chad Horlbogen present a 30-minute webinar on “Best Practices for Valuing Firearms” by visiting: http://www.enservio.com/web-overview/firearms-on-demand-webinar

About Enservio, Inc.:
Enservio® software and services help you solve one of the biggest issues in property insurance – knowing what’s inside an insured’s home or business. This visibility helps you right-price your policies upfront, settle claims quickly and accurately, manage replacements to keep customers happy, as well as run your business more efficiently. Founded in 2004, we are headquartered in Needham, MA, with offices and professional staff across the U.S. Enservio is a strategic partner of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) in their continued fight against insurance fraud. For additional information, please visit the company’s web site www.enservio.com or call 888.567.7557. Connect with Enservio via LinkedIn (http://us.linkedin.com/company/enservio), Twitter (https://twitter.com/enservio), and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/enservio).

Enservio is a registered trademark of Enservio, Inc. All other trademarks referenced are the property of their respective holders.

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz, Principal
MediaPR.net, Inc
Marblehead, MA – USA
+1 (781) 990-3463
vcruz@mediapr.net
http://www.enservio.com

Entertainment

School Counselor Teaches Resiliency to Combat Future School Shootings

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Releases third book called, “Relax”.

Westlake, OH (USA), December 12, 2014 — Middle School Counselor Kasey Kellem says about 50% of the students she works with have problems with anxiety. That’s one of the reasons why she wrote the book “Relax.” Recently released through Halo Publishing International, it’s the third book in a three-part series called “Mind Over Matter” or M.O.M. Geared toward pre-school students, each book teaches a certain characteristic of becoming resilient.

“Everybody faces adversity at some point in life,” says Kellem. “The earlier children learn how to become resilient, the easier it will be for them to deal with the challenges and obstacles that come with life.”

Through her research, Kellem found that teens and young adults are not prepared to handle adversities such as bullying, conflict, divorce, abuse, death and disease, which may occur in their lives.

“This lack of resiliency, I feel, has been the cause of increased school violence and shootings,” says Kellem.

She studied 9 school shootings along with the most recent one at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Almost two years ago to the day, on Dec. 12, 2012, Adam Lanza fatally killed his mother and then shot 20 children and six adult staff members before he took his own life. The troubled boy was a target of relentless bullying who also dealt with disease and divorce.

Kellem’s books teach on the five characteristics of resiliency: 1.Believe that you can get through adversity; 2. Surround yourself with those who love and support you; 3. Take time and find ways to relax; 4. Set goals and follow your dreams; 5. Maintain a sense of humor. She says these characteristics help kids develop social competence, problem-solving skills, critical consciousness, autonomy and a sense of purpose. Kellem says all the students responsible for school shootings dealing back to Columbine in 1999 were missing one or more of these factors.

Kellem says she and her husband both practice the five characteristics of becoming and staying resilient. Currently, she lives with Multiple Sclerosis, while her husband is fighting metastic cancer.

“We live with hope and a positive attitude despite the stressors in our life,” says Kellem. “We are surrounded with loving and supportive people and we look for humor in everyday situations. We still keep busy but find ways to relax each day. Finally, we still believe in our dreams and that we will overcome our challenges. This is what gets us through life.”

You can purchase The Mind Over Matter (M.O.M) books including “Relax” through Halo Publishing. Each sells for $16.95

“These books are also designed to be decorations on bookshelves, nightstands, or desks in a child ´s bedroom or playroom which will serve as constant resiliency reinforcement,” says Halo Publisher Lisa M. Umina.

Biography:
Kasey Kellem is a middle school counselor and a former special education teacher, who has devoted her life to help children who are facing adversity to become resilient. She has earned a Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in Special Education and an Educational Specialist Degree in Counseling. She is a devoted wife, stepmother, sister, daughter and friend.

Press & Media Contact:
Lisa M. Umina, Publisher
Halo Publishing International
1100 NW Loop 410, Suite 700-176
San Antonio, TX 78213 – USA
+1 877-705-9647
contact@halopublishing.com
http://www.halopublishing.com

Entertainment

Step into Nature: Nurturing Imagination & Spirit in Everyday Life

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The New Book Published by Beyond Words/Simon & Schuster by Monterey County Author Patrice Vecchione Will Launch March 2015 Vecchione’s Book Tour for 2015 Announced

Carmel, CA, December 12, 2014 – Step Into Nature is a guide to make nature personal again, to stimulate awareness and increase our understanding of the environment while inspiring readers to develop and strengthen their imaginations. Being in nature doesn’t mean flying off to remote, faraway places. Nature is as close as opening your front door—the sky above, the miniature gardens that insist their way up between the sidewalk cracks, the river just down the road.

Patrice Vecchione shows readers how nature can support and enhance their own creative output, invigorate their curiosity, and restore their sense of connection to the earth. Plus, throughout the text Vecchione includes “Cabinets of Curiosities,” exercises and suggestions for practical and unexpected ways that readers can stimulate their imaginations, deepen their relationships with nature, and experience the harmony between creativity, spirit, and the natural world.

BOOK TOUR 2015
Tuesday, April 7, Santa Cruz Book Launch: Bookshop Santa Cruz, 1520 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz, CA, 831-423-0900. 7:30pm

Thursday, April 9, Monterey Book Launch: Carmel Art Association, Dolores, between 5th & 6th in Carmel by the Sea, CA, sponsored by Pilgrim’s Way Books, 831-624-4955, 6:00pm

Saturday, April 11, Poetry Workshop: Tor House, Carmel, CA, Patrice@patricevecchione.com or elliotrr3@redshift.com. 10:00 – 4:00pm

Tuesday, April 14, Book signing/talk: Elliott Bay Books, 1521 10th Ave, Seattle, WA, 206-624-6600. 7:00pm

Thursday, April 16, Talk/book signing: Annie Bloom Books, 7834 Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR, 7:00pm

Thursday, April 23, Talk/book signing: Bookworks, 4022 Rancho Grande Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM. 505-344-8139. 7:00pm

Friday, April 24 – Tuesday, April 28, Imagination & Inspiration in the South West: Writing Retreat at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House in Taos, NM and a visit to Georgia O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiu. Patrice@patricevecchione.com.

Tuesday, April 28, Talk/book signing: The Ark Bookstore, 133 Romero St, Santa Fe, NM, 505-988-3709. 4:30 – 6:00pm

Thursday, May 7, Workshop/book signing/reception: OLLI@CSUMB, 100 Campus Center, CSUMB, Seaside, CA. 831-582-5500. mcrompton@csumb.edu. 4:00 – 6:00pm

Friday, May 8: All Roads Lead to the Mother: Art Reception & Book Signing. Patrice will exhibit her collage and sign copies of her book.

Studio One in Big Sur. (Located above Local Color at the Village Shops in Big Sur, 35 minute drive south of Carmel.) Reception and book signing. 831-206-2475. 6:00pm
Saturday, May 9: Step into Nature: Making Art with Erin Gafill. Collage, painting and writing workshop with Erin and Patrice.10:00 – 4:00. Workshop includes lunch, $125. Studio One in Big Sur. 831-206-2475. 10:00 – 4:00pm.

Tuesday, May 19, Talk/book signing: Barnes & Noble, 894 Marsh St, San Luis Obispo, CA, 805-781-8334, 2:00pm

Tuesday, May 19: Talk/book signing: Chaucer’s Books, 3221 State St, 805-682-6787Santa Barbara, CA, 7:00pm

Friday, May 15: Talk/book signing: East West Bookshop, 324 Castro St, Mountain View, CA, 650-988-9800, 7:30 – 9:00pm

Saturday, May 16: May Step into Nature: Writing & Imagination Workshop, East West Bookshop, 324 Castro St, Mountain View, CA, 650-988-9800, 11:30 – 3:30.

Advance Praise for Step Into Nature
“If you take Patrice hand she will take you on a walk…Then she’ll deposit you back in your comfortable chair with a kiss on your head. And only later will you find that your pockets are quite full of turquoise and in your hair, feathers.” – Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D. author of Blue Mind

“Patrice Vecchione has given us a true workbook for the senses, full of beautiful methods and exercises for getting ever-closer to our surrounding world. Read it and your travels into nature will be enhanced and changed. I shall never head for the woods without a ladder and a hammock again.” – David Rothenberg, author of Bug Music and Why Birds Sing

“In words carried as lightly in hand as a new-found robin’s egg, Patrice Vecchione invites readers into a warm and ranging conversation… Step Into Nature illumines the intimate connection between inner and outer, contemplative and wild, and shows the reasons these connections matter.” – Jane Hirshfield, author of The Beauty (poems) and Ten Windows: How Great Poems Transform the World

About the Author:
Patrice Vecchione, is the author of Writing and the Spiritual Life, about which The Writer magazine said, “Trust the voice of Patrice Vecchione.” She is the author of two books of poetry and the editor of many highly acclaimed anthologies. Vecchione offers creative writing and collage workshops—inside and out—at universities, libraries, parks, and community and spiritual centers, including the Esalen Institute. She lives in Monterey, California with her best beloveds—her husband, two cats, and a garden often in bloom. patricevecchione.com.

Contact:
Marci Bracco Cain
Chatterbox PR
Carmel, CA 93923
831-747-7455
http://patricevecchione.com

Business

Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicles Vs. Hydrogen on Demand, Hydro Dynamics HHO, Inc

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A Hydrogen Report/Update where the public and businesses can learn current and future use’s of Hydrogen as a fuel source.

Boca Raton, FL, December 12, 2014 – New release future fuel Hydrogen is here; the most abundant element on the planet is being used to reduce pollution and the consumption of fossil fuels. It has been used since the 1800’s as a fuel and fuel supplement. NASA has been using Hydrogen to power spacecrafts since the 1950’s. Next year large automobile manufacturers; Toyota and BMW plan to release pollution free Hydrogen powered automobiles.

California has been targeted for the release; it is currently the only state that has Hydrogen fueling stations. Currently there are only a few stations in the United States which are located in California. Major oil companies are hoping to have as many as 20 fueling stations in the Los Angeles area by mid 2015.

Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars have been designed to have the same traveling distance as a similar conventional gasoline engine vehicles. The cost will start in the mid $50,000 range. The initial release of Hydrogen vehicles will be compact models and will have all the options of their gasoline counterparts. The positive factors are; Hydrogen is pollution free. The negative factor is the lack of fueling stations, the unknown cost of fuel and weight limitations.

Hydrogen on Demand as a supplement is available today; it has been used to power engines for over 200 years. An engine that uses clean Hydrogen can reduce its carbon footprint +/- 90% and increase the fuel efficiency in Diesel & Gas engines as much as +/- 50%. The cost of a good Hydrogen Booster is a few hundred dollars for a small engine up to $1,000 or more for larger Diesel engines.

The positive factors are: Hydrogen on Demand is available now worldwide. It can be installed easily on any engine and the pollution and fuel savings can be substantial. It can be added to diesel engines helping to reduce pollution and increase MPG +/- 50%. It runs on water an inexpensive plentiful resource. The negative factors are: maintenance and bad publicity resulting from Hydrogen products that did not work. Many DIY kits and internet plans to build a Hydrogen generator do not work, Those who use a glass jar or plastic bottles beware, Hydrogen is very explosive and can be dangerous, if not handled properly.

The HydroDynamicsHHO.com team has been advancing Hydrogen Technologies since 1999. They are excited about the new advancements which can help the public save on the cost of energy and reduce pollution. The time to act is now! The new Hydro Dynamo Booster is a state of the art Hydrogen Booster (+/-93%) available to Individuals, Companies and Governmental agencies interested in saving fuel and helping the environment. For the latest information and updates email or call.

GO GREEN – Burn Clean!

Press Release Distributed by Straight Line PR service (http://www.straightlinepr.com)

Contact:
Cary Nagdeman
Hydro Dynamics HHO, Inc.
20920 Concord Green Dr
Boca Raton, FL 33433
866-374-0002
info@HydroDynamicsHHO.com
http://www.HydroDynamicsHHO.com