Monthly Archives: April 2012

Technology

Corero Network Security Appoints Ashley Stephenson as Executive Vice President

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Veteran Technology Entrepreneur will lead Corero’s Global Expansion Strategy.

Hudson, MA (USA), Tuesday – April 17th, 2012 — Corero Network Security (CNS: LN), the leading provider of DDoS Defense and Next Generation IPS (NGIPS) solutions, today named veteran IT industry expert Ashley Stephenson as executive vice president. An Internet technology entrepreneur, Stephenson, who has operating experience in the United States, Europe and Asia, will lead Corero’s global expansion strategy.

“We are delighted to have someone of Ashley’s caliber join Corero. His proven executive leadership experience, international expertise and channel know-how will help us take the company’s solutions to the next level in the escalating battle against cyber attacks,” said Marty Meyer, CEO of Corero.

Stephenson co-founded or led several IT companies as chairman or CEO including Reva Systems, acquired by ODIN, and Xedia Corporation, acquired by Lucent. Most recently, he has provided strategic advisory services to leading companies on the evolution of the global IT market. Stephenson has served on the board of directors of several startups and industry consortia. He also was awarded “CEO of the Year” by the Massachusetts Telecommunications Council.

“I’m very excited to join Corero. The company’s game-changing DDoS Defense and Next Generation IPS technology make this a unique opportunity to expand the business as the network security market continues to experience explosive growth,” Stephenson said.

“We will continue to build on our strategy to work with key partners around the globe to build out an intelligent next generation defense infrastructure against cyber attacks. The more enterprises and institutions we protect, the more we learn about the evolving nature of the threats. It is a win-win-win for our partners, our customers and Corero,” Stephenson added.

Corero’s products and services provide its customers with a robust, high-performance defense against the constantly evolving and increasingly sophisticated realm of cyber attacks. Its DDoS Defense System (DDS), which stops DDoS attacks, and NGIPS solutions are pro-actively protecting the networks and IT resources of enterprises, service providers and government organizations worldwide.

About Corero Network Security:
Corero Network Security (CNS: LN) is an international network security company and the leading provider of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) defense and Next Generation Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) solutions. Corero’s products and services provide comprehensive, integrated, high-performance protection against constantly evolving network-borne cyber threats. Customers include enterprises, service providers and government organizations worldwide. Corero’s appliance-based solutions are highly adaptive and preemptively respond to modern cyber attacks, known and unknown, protecting critical information and online assets. Corero’s products are transparent on the network, highly scalable, and feature the lowest latency and highest reliability in the industry. Corero is headquartered in Hudson, Mass., with offices around the world.

Press & Media Contact:
Victor Cruz, Principal
MediaPR.net Inc
1 Cabot Road
Hudson, MA 01749 – USA
(978) 594-4134
vcruz@mediapr.net

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Automotive

Dunkermotor Intelligent Servo Motor Size Reduced 25%, While Retaining Full Power

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Dunkermotor reduces size of its 45mm iBLDC™ (Intelligent Brushless) motors with integral 4-quadrant speed controls by 25%, while maintaining power, torque and efficiency.

Elgin, IL, April 16, 2012 – Responding to customer requirements for smaller size, higher power density intelligent servo motors, Dunkermotor has been able to shorten its iBLDC™ (Intelligent Brushless DC) motors with integral 4-quadrant speed controls in the 45mm frame size by 25%, while maintaining the same power and torque capabilities and motor efficiencies.

The length of the new BG45x15SI was reduced from 120mm to 88mm (4.7 to 3.5 in.) and the length of the more powerful BG45x30SI was reduced from 135mm to 103mm (5.3 to 4.0 in.)

Under the banner of “everything on board” these high power density, under 100 watt, compact intelligent servo motors offer true 4-quadrant digital speed control with programmable features.

The new BG45SI motors, with a height and width dimension of 44 mm (1.73 in.) feature newly designed digital control and power electronics that offer a significant overall package size reduction of over 25% compared to its predecessors. In addition, the motor connector design has been updated for further space saving and convenience in mounting and connection.

With a 12 or 24 volt power source, at a nominal speed of 3000 rpm, the longer of the two units, the BG45x30SI is continuous duty rated for 80 watts (1/10 hp) power output. Based on the improved design, however, the motors can achieve peak powers of four times the continuous duty rating and, therefore, a starting torque of up to 100 N-cm (142 oz-in) is possible.

The motor target speed can be set using an analog +/-10VDC input signal. Alternatively, different set speeds can be selected via digital inputs using simple start-up software.

The drive has a total of 4 digital inputs. Of these, two are for selecting the four operating conditions: rotation clockwise/counter-clockwise, stop with free running, and stop with holding torque. The other two digital inputs are designed for the selection of the fixed motor speed with acceleration and deceleration ramps.

In addition, there are 3 digital outputs with pulse output functions (12 pulses per revolution), the direction of rotation – assigned and fault output signal.

Other than long-life ball bearings, the motors contain no other wear-prone mechanical components and are, therefore, ideally suited for continuous duty applications.

“These versatile, intelligent brushless motors are designed for dependable, long-life use in a wide variety of factory and commercial automation, as well as medical and laboratory equipment, applications,” said John Morehead, vice president, business development for Dunkermotor. “Next to reducing parts count, being able to reduce size is one of our top customer interests and that has driven this improved new design.”

The BG45SI motors are part of a complete family of modular components such as planetary and worm gearboxes, encoders, and brakes which offer virtually infinitely variable configurations to meet most application requirements.

About Dunkermotor:
Headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, Dunkermotor is the North American sales, technical support and logistics subsidiary of Dunkermotoren GmbH, for 60 years the global quality and value leader in customized, configurable sole-source fractional horsepower motion control solutions composed of BLDC, PMDC and AC electric motors, gearmotors, controls, encoders and brakes, as well as linear motion solutions. With headquarters in the Black Forest in Bonndorf, Germany and production and/or logistics facilities in Europe, Asia and the U.S., Dunkermotoren employs 1000 globally and produced over 3.4 million motors in 2011 for the factory and commercial automation, specialty machinery, medical, solar power, packaging, semiconductor, and mass transportation industries.

Contact:
John Morehead
Dunkermotoren USA Inc.
2511 Technology Drive, Suite 105
Elgin, IL 60178
224-293-1300
john.morehead@dunkermotoren.com

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Entertainment

THE GLAMMERS presents “Six Hours Later”, the new single from the indie rock trio. An experience that goes beyond music

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THE SETTING: a pub in Edinburg, Scotland, where indie bands play their music. THE STARS: a Scottish guitarist and singer, a French drummer, and an Argentinean bassist – all in their twenties.

Hollywood, CA, April 16, 2012 – THE SETTING: a pub in Edinburg, Scotland, where indie bands play their music. THE STARS: a Scottish guitarist and singer, a French drummer, and an Argentinean bassist – all in their twenties. THE SCENE: three young musicians meet one night, become friends, and form a band that in 2007 rocked myspace.com with a couple of singles. The result of this equation is the power trio THE GLAMMERS (www.theglammers.com), now launching their new single, Six Hours Later.

“Six hours later” talks about the first encounter of the band. The song is the first track of the group’s first album – to be launched this year. It is an autobiographic song played in the purest indie rock style. Syd, She and Rex Glammer, the group members, wanted to tell the story of their very first encounter; each of them coming from different countries and backgrounds. To learn how it all started, let’s go back in time and discover a little bit more about each member of THE GLAMMERS.

SYD GLAMMER, the guitarist and lead singer, was born to Scottish parents (an unconventional couple – an inventor and an archeologist). Introverted but very creative, SYD spent his childhood listening to his father’s vinyl records – Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Doors, just too name a few. When his parents tragically were killed in a plane crash, Syd enrolled in an art school in Edinburg, his hometown. SYD is dedicated to his passion – the rock and roll from the 1960s and 70s. He also collects vintage sound equipment.

REX GLAMMER, the drummer, was born in Annecy, France, and is the son of a hippie couple who lived in an agricultural community in the Alps. As his grandparents participated in the historic May 1968 worker strikes in Paris, REX carries on his family political convictions. Among his favorite music artists are The Kinks, The Who, Leonard Cohen, and Patti Smith. He also loves Banksy’s graffiti and always tries to explore the cities he visits, photographing graffiti for his collection.

SHE GLAMMER, the bassist, is an Argentinean girl from Buenos Aires. She might as well be considered a world citizen since she spent her childhood travelling with her parents who are diplomats. Fascinated by drawings, tattoos and fashion, SHE listens to Blondie, Madonna (of course!), Velvet Underground, Sex Pistols, and David Bowie. When she was 17, she packed her bags put her contrabass in her backpack and travelled the world playing in different bands.

The trio met and found that they were passionate for music and had undeniable talent when it comes to music and art. SYD enrolled in Edinburg Art School after spending his childhood being homeschooled. REX was sent to the art school when his parents noticed his incredible talent. And SHE… well, she arrived in Edinburg carrying her backpack and her double bass after roaming about Europe. To make a living during her travels, She started working in that pub where SYD and REX frequented, and where indie bands played every night. It took just one encounter to unite the three to form a band.

The first two songs from THE GLAMMERS to debut in myspace were, “Messensheriff” and “Don’t Lose It” (listen at www.theglammers.com). The hit songs had more than 1.5 million views (music and videos). After these releases, THE GLAMMERS took some time to revamp their vow to create cool indie rock music.

The global launch of “Six hours later”, planned for April 10th, brings back the band’s indie roots, the rough lyrics, and the stylish universe of a band that transcends reality in search of an experience that goes beyond music. The single will be sold on iTunes and Amazon.com, in addition to other online stores (learn more at the band’s official website: www.theglammers.com).

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

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

Entertainment

Gucci Mane Doing Big Projects in Tampa, FL

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Gucci Mane Makes Appearance at Club Underground While Working on Major Film Project

Tampa, FL, April 13, 2012 – Hip-Hop star Gucci Mane is not being the ordinary rapper nowadays. He’s been busy focusing on branching out of the music world and making a transition to the big screen. Gucci recently took over the city of Tampa to work on the film “Spring Breakers” and to also make an appearance at Club Underground. The Atlanta, GA native has been excited about working on the new movie and getting his acting on. “Spring Breakers” is slated for an early 2013 release and features mega stars James Franco and Selena Gomez along with a host of other celebrity cameos. James Franco is best known for his role as The Green Goblin in the Spider Man Movie series. Selena Gomez who is another major film artist stars on Disney’s “Witches of Waverly Place” and has also starred in “Ramona & Beezus in 2011.”

Gucci Mane made an appearance at Club Underground where he partied with adoring fans and members of his entourage. The Southern breed emcee is a regular performer at Club Underground, so Gucci popping up wasn’t a big surprise for many of the regular club goers. Club Underground is usually one of Gucci’s favorite spots to party when he’s in Tampa. On Saturday, Club Underground featured Gucci Mane for their Celebrity Easter Weekend and offered drink specials and a live DJ all night long.

Gucci is in the works of releasing new music and several other film appearances for 2012 and 2013. “Gucci Mane has a charismatic appeal and knows how to appeal to his audience. I only expect big things from him in the very near future.” Replied, Durby Brandon of Capital Connections Agency. For information regarding Gucci Mane or info about “Spring Breakers” log on to: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2101441/

Club Underground is located at: Club Underground is located at 802-806 e Whiting Street (On the Corner of Jefferson) Downtown Tampa, FL. To book an event at Club Underground or to perform at during a live show please calls 813-221-3582.

About Capital Connection Agency:
CCA boasts a very successful track record booking major talent for events from coast to coast and all across the globe. Capital Connections’ pool of A-list talent turns the night life into a real cash cow for club owners and venues every year. CCA has location on the East and West Coast, Paris, Spain and in Canada. CCA has been providing talent for over a decade and they do not plan to stop offering quality talent any time soon. You can find more information about Capital Connection Agency at: 1-866-785-1117 http://www.capitalconnectionsagency.com or Durby.Brandon@capitalconnectionagency.com

Contact:
Darnell Clark
Image Makers Media Group, LLC
646 Antone Street
Atlanta, GA 30318
412-353-9240
Dclark@imagemakersmedia.com
http://www.capitalconnectionsagency.com

Business

LeaderSail Signs TripInsurance.com as Preferred Travel Insurance Provider for JROTC Seamanship Program

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LeaderSail Recommends TripInsurance.com to Provide Comprehensive Travel Coverage for High School Cadets Training at Sea in the British Virgin Islands.

LOS ALTOS, Calif. (April 15, 2012) — TripInsurance.com (http://www.TripInsurance.com), the most trusted online resource to help travelers find the trip coverage they need at savings of 40% or more, today announced that LeaderSail (http://www.leadersail.org), a leadership development program that trains JROTC cadets at sea, has signed TripInsurance.com as the Preferred Provider for travel insurance for students participating in their programs.

Now in its fourth year, LeaderSail takes young men and women from JROTC programs around the country to the British Virgin Islands on one-week and two-week training voyages. The shipboard seamanship training is structured to build character and promote leadership skills in the cadets, but enrollees are required to carry some form of travel insurance, including travel medical coverage before they sail.

“When we decided to move our on-board training to the British Virgin Islands, we discovered that the insurance coverage that most students carried had exclusions that prevented coverage in case of emergency in the West Indies,” explains Wayne Walker, Program Director for LeaderSail. “Although we have never had a problem, we know accidents can happen. That’s why we require all our cadets to carry travel insurance in case of a medical emergency. We have found that Tripinsurance.com offers the best rates and has the best customer service for our needs, and if students can’t provide their own insurance we know that TripInsurance.com will offer the coverage they need.”

According to Walker, TripInsurance.com was able to tailor its insurance packages to meet LeaderSail’s unique requirements, and make it easy for cadets to easily sign up for the insurance they need. The program requires that participants carry at least $25,000 in travel medical coverage and $250,000 coverage for medical evacuation. In addition to the medical travel insurance the program requires, TripInsurance.com also offers trip cancellation policies and other kinds of travel insurance that can prove extremely valuable to cadets who may be delayed in transit to meet the ship or in case of some other routine travel problem. And Walker says he has peace of mind knowing that he can reach an insurance representative by telephone at any time.

“LeaderSail has a unique insurance need that we can easily accommodate through our carrier network,” said Dan Skilken, President and CEO of TripInsurance.com. “And by making us a Preferred Provider, we can offer customized insurance packages at incredible rates that their cadets won’t be able to match elsewhere. This relationship allows us to work closely to create custom programs so everyone wins.”

About LeaderSail
LeaderSail is a leadership development program structured around sail training and marine exploration. The program was developed by JROTC instructors and tailored for cadets from all services – Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy. The program offers the adventure of a lifetime with hands-on leadership and seamanship training in the British Virgin Islands.

The LeaderSail program is open to teenagers participating in the JROTC program. For more information, visit http://www.leadersail.org.

About TripInsurance.com
TripInsurance.com is the online resource for comprehensive, comprehensible, and affordable travel insurance. Most travelers really don’t understand the details and benefits of travel insurance, and buy based on recommendations from their travel agent or a third party. TripInsurance.com simplifies buying travel insurance by providing comparison shopping online for the best coverage at the lowest prices. TripInsurance.com is committed to making insurance terms easy to understand, providing the best available coverage categorized by customers’ specific needs, and allowing travelers to buy direct from leading underwriters to achieve savings of 40% or more. The company is fully licensed for Property and Casualty, Life, and Accident and Health insurance in all 50 states, and the staff are fully trained and licensed insurance professionals.

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

Contact:
Dan Skilken
TripInsurance.com
(408) 215-2900
dan@tripinsurance.com

Tom Woolf
Gumas Advertising
(415) 259-5638
twoolf@gumas.com

Art

Come Discover the Essence of a City, Through “MY CITY”, Presented by Sublime Galleria

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“My City” – Group art exhibition featuring 6 eminent artists, curated by noted curator – Mr. Giridhar Khasnis, to be held at Sublime Galleria, UB City on from the 13th April – 30th May 2012…

Bangalore, India, Saturday – April 14th, 2012 — Sublime Galleria, dedicated to promoting performing and fine arts, today unveiled another exciting collection, ‘My City’, showcasing paintings that illustrate the artists’ perceptions of the energy and essence of a city and their interpretation of urban life. This repertoire of art work, which has been tastefully curated by the noted and eminent Mr. Giridhar Khasnis, showcases the works of 6 reputed artists, namely B. Devaraj, Manjunath Hassan, Praveen Kumar, Shivanand Basavanthappa, Urmila V.G. and V.G. Venugopal. The works of these artists will be on display till the 30th of May 2012. Synonymous with introducing a mélange of established and upcoming artists to the city and showcasing artworks across a wide range of mediums, Sublime Galleria promises to present to the art lovers of the city another exciting opportunity to appreciate and satiate their appetite for exquisite creativity and meaningful art with ‘My City’.

Uzma Irfan – Founder of Sublime Galleria & Executive Director, Prestige Group said, “Since its inception, Sublime Galleria has attempted to showcase a wide range of artists and works of art across a gamut of mediums, both explored and unexplored. Through ‘My City’, we aim to present the interpretations of 6 noted artists about the pulse of a city and modern lifestyle. We hope that art lovers of Bangalore enjoy this exhibition.”

About ‘My City’ – The Show:
A city means different things to different people. Our perception of a city is not constant but ever changing. In this show, six artists interpret the concept of a city through different vantage points, and explore its colours and contours in unique ways. In their work, they offer fresh and diverse perspectives, subtly hinting at a city’s delights and mysteries; symbols and emblems; shades and nuances; burdens and trappings; relationships and contradictions.

The paintings in this exhibition are not just pretty pictures or empty slogans. They are little vignettes of and delicate commentaries on the perception of a city; each one presented with intimate feeling, contemplation and unpretentious understanding.

About Sublime Galleria:
The Sublime Galleria ( http://www.sublimegalleria.com ), India’s first Sky Gallery, founded by Ms. Uzma Irfan – Director, Corporate Communications, Prestige Group in 2009 is dedicated to the support and promotion of fine arts and performing arts. To this end it regularly organizes exclusive art pageants featuring the work of upcoming artists. These shows and exhibitions are well attended by art connoisseurs and buyers from across the globe and offer budding artists a much needed platform to showcase their talent.

Located in UB City, which is today the city’s hotspot for Fashion, Luxury and Fine Art, Sublime Galleria provides the perfect setting for the city’s art aficionados to indulge their passion.

Strongly believing in the need to support young and upcoming artists, Uzma Irfan founded Sublime Galleria to help provide a platform for them to exhibit their work. Uzma believes that fine art is an integral part of our rich culture and we should strive to keep these art forms vibrant and accessible to society.

Sublime Galleria ( http://www.sublimegalleria.com ) has promoted the works of several artists across categories. Some examples of the mélange of work exhibited at Sublime in the past include ‘Genesis’ by Simran KS Lamba – a unique presentation of mixed media artwork in coal tar, and more recently, ‘Crossroads’ – a unique celebration of Fine Art by four leading artists – G. Subramanian, Gurudas Shenoy, Jasu Rawal and Milind Nayak.

Sublime Galleria has earlier showcased the works of Aamina Shazi, Amit Sharma, Anoop H, Ashish Parma, C P B Prasad, Devanshi (Tina), Farah Ahmed, Kalabhakesari, Manoj Masand, Pallon Daruwala (Established artist), Pragya Jain, Priyanka Gupta Agarwal, Rupesh Patrick, Shukla Chowdhury, Simran KS Lamba, Soraya Taher Merchant, Srividya and Tala Afsin.

Visit http://www.sublimegalleria.com for more information on the Art Gallery!

About the Curator:
Giridhar Khasnis
Giridhar Khasnis is a freelance writer, columnist and independent curator. More than six hundred pieces of his writing on art, literature and world cinema have appeared in newspapers and magazines including Deccan Herald, The Hindu, The Week and Swagat. Among the art shows he has curated are Furniture on Canvas (2007); The Root of Everything (2009); Skin: a photo-art show (2009); Moment, intercepted (2009); The Open Cage: Homage to Francis Bacon (2009); and A Twist in the Tail (2011).

About the Artists:
B Devaraj
(b. 1966, Channenahalli, near Bangalore / BFA and MFA in Painting from CKP, Bangalore). Winner of National Award, Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi; H K Kejriwal Young Artist Award; Senior Fellowship from HRD, Government of India.

Manjunath Hassan
(b.1980, Hassan / BFA in Painting from CAVA, Mysore; MVA from Bangalore University). Winner of Arnavaz-Vasudev Foundation Award; Robert Bosch Art Grant; Camlin Professional Award (with art tour of Europe).

Praveen Kumar
(b.1971, South Kanara / BFA in Painting from DMS Fine Arts College, Mysore). Winner of Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy award (Bangalore) and Lokamanya Tilak Art Foundation Award (Pune).

Shivanand Basavanthappa
(b. 1975, Sindhanoor / BFA from MMK College of Visual Art, Gulbarga; MFA from CKP, Bangalore). Winner of National Lalit Kala Academy award, H K Kejriwal Young Artist Award, and Camlin Professional Award (with art tour of Europe).

Urmila V G
(b.1978, Bangalore / BFA in Painting from CKP, Bangalore; MFA in Printmaking, Santiniketan). Participated in International Print Festivals in Japan, Spain, Germany and Turkey. Winner of National Lalit Kala Academy scholarship.

V G Venugopal
(b.1976, Kasargod / BFA in Painting (Gold Medal) from CAVA, Mysore; MFA in Printmaking from CKP, Bangalore). Winner of Camel Art Foundation Award; HK Kejriwal Young Artist Award, K K Hebbar Art Foundation Award.

Press & Media Contact:
Urmila Biswas / Lakshman Babu
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Bangalore, India
Ph: 9886099736 / 9845706155
urmila.biswas@ogilvy.com

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Business

Flying L Distributors hosting a Seminar on Overcoming Drought Landscape Damage

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Seminar available to help you maintain landscape during extreme conditions.

Georgetown, Texas, April 14, 2012 — Last summer’s drought conditions in the area were one of the most damaging to landscapes in recent history. According to Mark Countryman – a Georgetown horticulture expert “No plant will be totally resistant, but properly utilizing drip irrigation, ‘water-wise’ plants and mulch can give you an attractive, low-maintenance landscape even through extreme weather conditions”. The other factor we will be dealing with now and in the future is water rationing – according to Paul Lindholm “using the right soil conditioner is one way to help manage your valuable water resources”.

Flying L Distributors, a local Shaklee Independent Distributor, will be hosting a seminar on Wednesday April 18th at 2:00PM and again at 7:00PM on “Overcoming Drought Landscape Damage.” The location will be at Independent Bank in Georgetown, Texas 1503 Rivery Blvd. There is no cost for the event and it will last less than an hour but will be packed with information that you can put to use right away with your yard, garden or other spring landscape project. Mark Countryman will be presenting valuable information that will help you not only survive but thrive in all conditions. Mark has a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M and a Masters degree from Texas Tech combined with over 30 years experience in the landscape industry – including projects in the Middle East where heat is abundant and water scarce.

Nature has put everything in your soil that is necessary to grow abundant healthy plants. The most economic way to manage your soil is to add an igniter to the soil and thus begin inner action never before possible. This is where Basic H, a Shaklee product, comes in. Basic H is not a plant food as such, but helps get action in the soil that builds soil health. Basic H can improve water infiltration, or penetration, up to 300%. Paul Lindholm, a local rancher and Independent Shaklee Distributor who uses Basic H on his ranch will also present how Basic H makes “water wetter than wet.” Holding water at the root level longer will help your plants in drought or extreme conditions.

Media Contact:
Mary & Paul Lindholm
Flying L Distributors
Independent Shaklee Distributor
512-355-3431
Lindholm@shaklee.com
http://lindholm.myshaklee.com

Business, Financial

DeYoe Wealth Management Advises Clients to Prepare Now for End of Bush Tax Cuts

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Berkeley-based Financial Advisor Offers Concrete Strategies To Minimize Negative Impact from Pending Loss of Tax Incentives.

BERKELEY, Calif – April 14, 2012 — Jonathan K. DeYoe of DeYoe Wealth Management cautions that planning ahead to address 2012 taxes is just as important as filing 2011 return by April 17. DeYoe is advising his firm’s clients to begin preparing immediately for the end of the Bush Tax Cuts.

Bush signed a number of tax cuts into law in 2001 & 2003 that were extended after a very contentious debate on the congressional floor in 2010. Once they complete their 2011 taxes, DeYoe recommends to his clients that they immediately begin their tax planning for 2012 and beyond, a time without the Bush-era tax incentives.

“Once someone receives a benefit, it is very hard to take it away,” said DeYoe. “Unfortunately, given the state of our federal budgets, I think it’s highly unlikely we’ll see a continuation of the Bush tax cuts after the end of this year. Spending must come down and tax rates must go up.”

DeYoe recommends that his clients discuss the following strategies with their financial advisor or accountant:

1. No one knows for sure where income tax rates are going, but unless Congress acts with new legislation, both income & investment taxes will increase in 2013. To ease into these tax increases, the first thing taxpayers can do is to accelerate income into 2012. For example, if they are expecting a year-end bonus from their employer, ask to be paid no later than December 31, 2012. If they are a small business owner, taking more income in 2012 and less in 2013. At the same time, defer as many deductions as possible into 2013. If a business can wait to purchase that new equipment or remodel an office until next year, it might be a good idea to do so.

2. To make sure taxpayers are not caught short of cash come tax time next year, review federal and state withholding exemptions now. Should tax rates spike, it will probably be a lot easier to pay a little bit of that tax every month this year rather than having to come up with a large lump sum at tax time in 2013.

3. Once the Bush tax cuts expire, taxpayers can expect that taxes will consume a larger share of all future investment returns. However, investors probably won’t see an even increase across the board. For example, taxes on capital gains could go from 15 percent to 20 percent (a 33 percent increase) while taxes on qualified dividends might go from 15 percent to 40 percent (a 164 percent increase). Since the tax changes will affect total return based on the type of assets held, this is definitely worth discussing with a financial planner or investment advisor. Everyone should review their asset allocation together and reduce the “expected” returns built into their financial plan.

4. If investors have large gains in their current portfolios or have company stock options they’ve been waiting to exercise, 2012 might be a better year to recognize those gains rather than giving up more of those gains to taxes in 2013.

5. Finally, the estate and gift tax exemption is slated to drop from $5 million to $1 million in 2013. This estate and gift tax exemption may be the single best tax management opportunity for large estates in the tax code today. Anyone with a large estate should talk to a CPA, attorney and financial advisor about taking advantage of the gifting portion of this benefit before it disappears.

“The clock is ticking,” said DeYoe. “Our recent history tells us that Congress, especially one as divided and contentious as this one, is unpredictable. We can wish that they come together, but a wish is not a plan. We must consider and act upon the reality of coming tax increases at all levels of income.”

About DeYoe Wealth Management
Based in Berkeley, California, DeYoe Wealth Management is passionate about helping clients pursue financial independence on their terms. The firm offers access to comprehensive financial services, including customized asset management, holistic financial planning, and insurance solutions tailed to meet the needs of our clients and their families. Our objective is to help our clients maximize their Happiness Dividend, working towards financial independence while realizing their dreams. DeYoe Wealth Management uses a six-step process to make sure our clients’ investment strategies keep pace with their changing lifestyle, planning for current needs and future goals. For more information, visit http://www.deyoewealthmanagement.com.

-Ends-

Jonathan K. DeYoe is not a CPA. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations to any individual.

Jonathan K. DeYoe, AIF® & CPWA® is a registered principal with and securities and advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor – Member FINRA/SIPC.

Contact:
Nancy Wright Cooper
DeYoe Wealth Management
(510) 848-0012, ext. 103
ncooper@deyoewealthmanagement.com

Tom Woolf
Woolf Media & Marketing
(415) 259-5638
tomw@woolfmedia.com

Business

Brazil is Attracting Alternative Investors, says AAA

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Brazil is attracting a huge amount of investment attention at the moment, claims AAA, who urges investors to consider the Latin American country as a place to make some cash.

Boston, MA, USA, April 14, 2012 — Brazil is attracting a huge amount of investment attention at the moment, claims Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA), who urges investors to consider the Latin American country as a place to make some cash.

A large number of people who had never before considered alternative investments are now taking a closer look at some possibilities in emerging economies, such as Brazil, China and India. “It’s not as easy as it once was to invest in stocks and shares and make your fortune in the US,” claims AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson.

“Instead, many of us are looking to alternative asset classes, such as real estate, forestry and impact investing in countries that are experiencing rapid economic growth.”

Brazil is set to host the Olympics in 2016 and the FIFA World Cup in 2014. Both of these events have ensured that the local steel industry is booming. AAA said that this has meant growth for the demand for sustainably produced charcoal.

Mr Johnson explained: “Measures have been taken to discourage the steel industry from using unsustainable timber in their charcoal. As a result, plantations, such as the one managed by Greenwood Management, are likely to see huge demand for their ethical products.”

Plantations, such as the ones managed by Greenwood, usually focus on fast-growing, hardy species that can be used in charcoal manufacture, furniture making and construction. AAA said that the demand for timber from sustainable sources is likely to increase further in the coming years as China and India continue to seek out raw materials.

Anyone interested in investing in Brazilian timber plantations can do so from as little as around $15,000. “AAA advocates ethical forestry investment as a way to make a difference while making money.

“Ensuring timber is grown using sustainable forestry management methods helps locals to safeguard the future of the industry for the next generation,” added Johnson.

About Alternative Asset Analysis:
The remit of Alternative Asset Analysis is to analyse and provide news on the global performance of a wide range of alternative asset classes including, but not restricted to, commodities, real estate, forestry, foreign exchange, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.

Media Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Software, Technology

TravelTools Launches Revolutionary Map Cloning Software Capacity for Destination Marketing Organizations

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Cartonova recently announced a version upgrade to its TravelTools software. This upgrade gives destination marketers the capacity to build an endless number of interactive Google maps in minutes without additional investments in time, programming, or licensing fees.

Wenonah, NJ, USA – April 14, 2012 — Cartonova recently launched a new version upgrade of TravelTools-a one-of-a-kind software application that handles DMO website tools such as maps, events, and itinerary-builders. The recent upgrade brings unlimited map-building power to destination marketers and event planners.

Company President Mark Mattson explains, “TravelTools has always made great interactive maps. It’s what we’re good at. Like other developers, we made maps one at a time and our clients had to pay for each new map. All that is a thing of the past with Version 2.0. Now, our users can make their own maps in minutes without cost. Each map can have its own geographic focus and zoom level. It can have its own categorization scheme and points of interest. We even added a page template selector so the maps can be fed into specific web pages or mobile apps. Each map is outputted as an embeddable URL or short code.”

Mattson emphasizes the wide-ranging potential of his new product. “Organizations don’t need just one good interactive map. They need hundreds. Using our new version, an organization can launch a new map for every convention or trade show. It can even launch a sophisticated map for events as small as block parties or concerts at the park. This type of custom mapping not only helps people, it empowers local businesses and dues-paying members by giving them a chance to be seen at the very times and places where people congregate. Because these maps cost nothing to make, a destination marketer can run a sophisticated $3,000 map for an afternoon event of 500 people and then trash it the very next day. Maps take minutes to make and cost absolutely nothing.”

Mattson also talks about what this means to the overall value propositions of local destination marketers. “These good folks are being asked to do more with less in hard economic times. Dues-paying members increasingly grumble about what organizations have done for them lately. Revenue streams are dwindling. Organizations are looking for ways to fill funding gaps by cutting costs and/or monetizing their assets. Since this new system is highly interactive at any geographic scale or location, destination marketers can use it for general promotions of dues-paying members and/or fee-for-marketing services. Imagine how valuable a system is if you can connect local businesses with attendees at targeted venues and events using advanced technology that is cost free and instantly deployed.”

Moreover, Mattson sees his new product as expanding the tool market horizontally by representing economies that can be passed along to even small organizations that have been traditionally disenfranchised by over-priced technology solutions.

Media Contact:
Mark Mattson
Cartonova
307 N Jefferson Ave
Wenonah, NJ 08090
856-889-0102
mark@cartonova.com
http://www.cartonova.com