All posts by staronepr

FRA Supports Kenya Campaign against Illegal Logging

September 28, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

A move in Kenya to strengthen laws that prohibit illegal logging has been praised by Forestry Research Associates (FRA). The Kenya Forestry services is arranging for timber and charcoal dealers across the globe to work together to outlaw the illegal practise. The Kenya Forestry Services Act stipulates that anybody engaging in cutting timber or burning charcoal unlawfully will be fined Kshs 50,000.

Seattle, United States, September 28, 2012 — A move in Kenya to strengthen laws that prohibit illegal logging has been praised by Forestry Research Associates (FRA). The Kenya Forestry services is arranging for timber and charcoal dealers across the globe to work together to outlaw the illegal practise. The Kenya Forestry Services Act stipulates that anybody engaging in cutting timber or burning charcoal unlawfully will be fined Kshs 50,000.

FRA advocates sustainable forestry in all its forms and supports environmental conservation and the international requirement of ten per cent tree cover, which Kenya is working towards.

Africa has made great improvements in its green policies in recent times and this latest campaign encourages local people to work with Kenya Forest Services (KFS) and Community Forest Associations (CFA) to embrace conservation.

Busia County Forestry Services Coordinator James Were points out that the Forestry Act amendment of 2005 requires formation of registered groups to deal in charcoal and timber. “Anyone caught masquerading in the timber business without a license of origin from KFS, will face the law non-selectively,” he said.

The Kenya government policy supports commercial forestry either by individuals or groups as long as green measures are adhered to. Timber investment is growing in popularity across the globe and FRA recommends sustainably managed plantations, such as the Greenwood Management scheme operated in Brazil.

Here, investors can strengthen their portfolio and snap up a piece of forestry land for as little as $10,000, which is a lot less than is involved when buying forestry independently. Greenwood manage these plantations and support the local community by offering jobs.

“Demand for timber is rising and this is an investment that can help you beat inflation,” said FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins. “Alternative investments are becoming more popular and the Kenyan government’s green policies prove that it is essential to work with companies that actively advocate sustainable forestry.”

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

Business

Nova Southeastern University Launches $50 Million Coral Reef Research Center in Hollywood, Fla.; saves thousands with FPL’s Economic Development Rate

September 28, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

Juno Beach, FL (September 28, 2012) — Nova Southeastern University (NSU) opened its new $50 million Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research, the largest facility of its kind in the country, on Sept. 27 in Hollywood, Fla.

The Center qualified for Florida Power & Light Company’s specially discounted economic development rate new or expanding businesses that meet certain minimum requirements in terms of jobs created and added energy usage, which will save tens of thousands of dollars on electric bills over four years.

At a price tag of $50 million, the Center has created 22 new academic jobs and 300 construction jobs, and it will employ 50 graduate students as well as preserving 22 existing academic jobs.

“Reefs across the world are under extreme threat from both global and local stressors. Research is urgently needed for improved understanding, management, and conservation. Our research is funded by grants and contracts, and conducted in a state-of-the-art facility right here in South Florida,” said NSU President George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D. “We are grateful for this discounted rate because savings in operational expenses translates into an increased ability to keep our tuition competitive for our students and conduct research activities that help benefit society.”

Protecting coral reefs also helps to protect the livelihoods of thousands of South Floridians. Florida is home to 84 percent of the nation’s reef ecosystems. These ecosystems contribute more than $6 billion annually to South Florida’s economy and contribute to a total of roughly 71,000 tourism, government, academic and research-related jobs, according to NSU.

“We are very pleased that our economic development rate was able to help support NSU’s efforts to grow their program and create jobs while also helping to protect the coral reefs that are crucial to the environment and Florida’s economy,” said Pam Rauch, FPL’s vice president of development and external affairs.

FPL offers discounts off its already-low business rates that are among the very lowest in the state and well below the national average as part of the company’s ongoing effort to support Florida’s future by helping businesses power economic growth. Businesses eligible for FPL’s economic development rate receive a discount on their standard base energy and demand charges over four to five years. Visit http://www.PoweringFlorida.com for more information.

For more information on the Center, visit http://www.nova.edu/ocean/excellence or contact Ken Ma, NSU associate director of public affairs, at ken.ma@nova.edu or 954-621-7961. For more information on how to support the Center, contact Wendy Wood-Derrer, NSU-OC assistant director of development, at wendyw@nova.edu or 954-262-3617.

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the largest electric utility in Florida and one of the largest rate-regulated utilities in the United States. FPL serves 4.5 million customer accounts in Florida and is a leading employer in the state with approximately 10,000 employees. The company consistently outperforms national averages for service reliability while customer bills are below the national average. A clean energy leader, FPL has one of the lowest emissions profiles and one of the leading energy efficiency programs among utilities nationwide. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla. – based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE). For more information, visit http://www.FPL.com.

Media Contact:
FPL Media Line
Florida Power & Light Company
700 Universe Blvd.
Juno Beach, FL 33408
305-552-3888
amelia.gomez@rbbpr.com
Visit http://www.PoweringFlorida.com for more information.

Business

AAA Praises Green Investment Report from EIRIS

September 26, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

AAA has welcomed a new report from EIRIS, the responsible investment research firm, which points out that the case for ethical investment has never been stronger.

Boston, MA, USA, September 26, 2012 — Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has welcomed a new report from EIRIS, the responsible investment research firm, which points out that the case for ethical investment has never been stronger.

Alternative investments are growing in popularity as the banking crisis continues. Figures from the report show £11.3 billion has been invested in green and ethical projects and AAA recommends the sustainable plantations run by Greenwood Management in Brazil and Canada, where demand for timber is growing as the population’s wealth increases.

James Howard, director at Emerald Knight, points out that many are skeptical about the stability of traditional investments, as saving rates become less and less competitive. By contrast, timber investments have beaten inflation over the past 100 years by an average of 3.3 per cent.

EIRIS figures also should that the number ethical investors has tripled, from 250,000 to three-quarters of a million. There is even a specialist ethical bank, Triodos, for those who want to support green investing.

Emerald Knight research found 16 per cent of Brits would only ever invest for personal profits, while 30 per cent think that you can have both profits and principles when it comes to investing.

AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, agrees with that sentiment and points out that, as ethical investments become more mainstream, there will be an increased demand for global green schemes.

“Forestry investment is popular because it works on two levels,” Mr Johnson said. “It provides jobs for poor people in deprived areas – then, as their wages increase, helps them source timber for housing and furniture, something they take great pride in.”

“Projects such as Greenwood Management‘s plantations schemes in Brazil are popular with individual investors and groups – a minimum investment of only $10,000 can get you started and it’s a sound investment for the future.”

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

Biotech

Biotage® announces EVOLUTE® EXPRESS 96-well plates; simplified, fast and efficient SPE using the Load-Wash-Elute procedure

September 26, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

Biotage® (STO: BIOT), introduced EVOLUTE® EXPRESS, a novel family of 96-well plates that simplify polymer-based SPE by employing a streamlined 3-step protocol; Load-Wash-Elute.

Uppsala, Sweden, September 26, 2012 — Biotage® (STO: BIOT), a leading global supplier of solutions and technology for analytical and medicinal chemistry, introduced EVOLUTE® EXPRESS, a novel family of 96-well plates that simplify polymer-based SPE by employing a streamlined 3-step protocol; Load-Wash-Elute. By using this novel approach and removing the conditioning and equilibration steps, necessary with traditional bio-analytical SPE procedures, processing and method development times are dramatically reduced without loss of analyte recovery or method robustness.

The EVOLUTE® EXPRESS design provides a uniform flow in the processing of aqueous samples and eliminates the need to re-run samples due to well-clogging. This clear flow technology makes EVOLUTE® EXPRESS particularly efficient and effective when used with SPE automated systems whilst adding a distinct advantage by allowing consistent, rapid and reliable manual processing of the plates.

“Biotage has built a reputation for offering products that simplify Sample Preparation, promoting high throughput and reliability. This new product addresses a real concern for many analysts who have to re-run samples due to well-clogging and sample variability. The minimal 3-step approach of Load-Wash-Elute will considerably improve the way SPE is performed and offer significant time savings for all bio-analysis labs” says Gavin Jones, Sample Preparation Product Manager, Biotage.

EVOLUTE® EXPRESS 96-well plates are packed with polymer-based EVOLUTE® chemistries (ABN, CX, WCX, AX and WAX) to address most application needs, and a new sorbent selection plate for screening and method development has been added.

For further information visit http://www.biotage.com or call:
In Europe: +46 18 56 57 10
In North America: (Toll Free) 1 800 446 4752
In Japan: +81 422 28 1233
Other areas, please call: +46 18 56 57 10.

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For further press information at Biotage please contact:
James Churchill
Marketing Communications
Biotage GB Limited
Distribution Way
Dyffryn Business Park
Ystrad Mynach
Hengoed, Wales CF82 7TS
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1443 811 849
Mobile: +44(0)7875484778
E-Mail: james.churchill@biotage.com

About Biotage
Biotage offers solutions, knowledge and experience in the areas of analytical and medicinal chemistry. Customers include the world’s top pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as leading academic institutes. The company is headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden, with offices in China, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and a worldwide network of distributors. Biotage has 272 employees with sales of 428.9 MSEK in 2010. Biotage is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Nordic Stock Exchange. Website: http://www.biotage.com.

Business

Impact Investors can help to Protect Valuable Environments

September 26, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

Impact investing can help environmentalists to protect vulnerable and valuable land from being destroyed, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

Boston, MA, USA, September 26, 2012 — Impact investing can help environmentalists to protect vulnerable and valuable land from being destroyed, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

Environmental groups have always relied quite heavily on philanthropists and private sector sponsors to protect land. In a number of incidents, groups have paid millions of dollars for areas of land, simply to protect them as habitats for species. The Nature Conservancy is one such group that believes this is a good approach to protecting wildlife and precious eco-systems.

Recently, the Nature Conservancy’s Mark Tercek claimed that the money is drying up and that impact investing could provide the solution. AAA, an alternative investment advocacy group based in Boston, agrees. The organisation’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, said: “There is a shortage of funds for these kinds of projects these days and it is now necessary to try to attract investors into this kind of investment.”

AAA claims that a large number of investors are now looking to align their investments with social and environmental projects that will do good over the long run. Some projects are far from lucrative, but will at least protect money from being lost in the volatile stock markets.

Investing in projects like the sustainable forestry project being managed by Greenwood Management in Brazil is a good option for those who are environmentally conscious but cannot afford for their investment to not deliver returns. Those who invest in timber or in forestry projects tend to see better returns than those investing in stock and bonds, according to figures taken over several years.

Investing in timberland also has other benefits. From a social perspective, it helps to encourage sustainability which can help local communities to safeguard the forestry industry for generations to come. From an environmental perspective, managed forests provide timber that can be used instead of timber from vulnerable forests.

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

Travel

Luxury Travel Ltd Launches Off the Beaten Path Tour in North Vietnam 12 days

September 25, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

This newest adventure tour includes Hanoi – Duong Lam Ancient Village – Sapa – Muong Khuong – Bac Ha – Ha Giang – Dong Van – Cao Bang – Ba Be Lake.

Hanoi, Vietnam, September 25, 2012 — Vietnam is a tropical paradise of charming people, heavenly beaches, brilliant green rice paddies and lush emerald rainforests.

This Vietnam adventure trip will take travelers to the most isolated, but also very beautiful areas in the far north of Vietnam, where they can see many different hill tribes and magnificent scenery.

Travelers will see the weekly market on the way north, as well as terraced rice fields in Mu Cang Chai and Hoang Su Phi, that have been newly recognized as national heritage sites in Vietnam.

Travelers will also see the charming town of Pho Bang, the breathtaking pass at Ma Pi Leng, Dong Van Rock Plateau, MeoVac Town, beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall and historic Pac Bo Cave.

Travelers will also take a peaceful boat trip on Ba Be Lake and experience a home stay with Tay people in a house on stilts.

The Off the Beaten Path Tour in North Vietnam price starts from US$1248 per person for 2 persons (26.208.000VND). Price includes all private pick up and drop off services, all transportation, accommodation in twin, boat trip, bike, meals, porters, entrance fees, and the services of an English or French-speaking guide. This offer is valid until 30 December 2013.

“North Vietnam has many rough, remote and mountainous regions, and many of them have just opened to intrepid travelers. This Vietnam adventure trip will take you to the most isolated, but also very beautiful areas in the far north of Vietnam, where you can see many different hill tribes and magnificent scenery. This is perfect in Mid September, you can admire the most beautiful mature rice fields on terrace in Sapa, Hoang Su Phi and Mu Cang Chai. This tour will emphasize your interactions with many hill tribes in order for you to have a well-rounded and profound learning experience that you will value forever.” Said Pham Ha, CEO of Luxury Travel Ltd.

Vietnam’s first luxury tour operator/DMC (http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com) based in Hanoi with offices throughout Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand, Luxury Travel is exceptional in designing tailor-made tours and providing unique travel experiences. Opened in 2004, the Luxury Travel Company Limited has its own offices, luxury vehicles, luxury travel advisors, and representative offices in California, London, Paris, and Sydney. The company’s depth of experience and large infrastructure enable it to create unique itineraries with the operational confidence to fulfill client expectations. Luxury Travel Ltd won numerous travel awards for excellent performance including the most recent Guide Award 2012: “a long established Asian specialist in the art of travel and serves today’s most sophisticated travelers with luxury privately guided and fully bespoke holidays.”

Media Contact:
David Nguyen
Sales and Marketing Manager
Luxury Travel Group Ltd
05 Nguyen Truong To Str.,
Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi 84444
Vietnam
84439274120
marketing@luxurytravelvietnam.com
http://www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com

Biotech

Biotage Moving Into Mass Directed Flash

September 25, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

Biotage® (STO: BIOT), announces that Biotage is in late stage development with its partner Microsaic Systems plc of a fully integrated solution for Mass Directed Flash with Biotage’s flagship flash purification system Isolera™.

Uppsala, Sweden, September 25, 2012 — Biotage® (STO: BIOT), a leading global supplier of solutions and technology for analytical, medicinal and peptide chemistry, announces that Biotage is in late stage development with its partner Microsaic Systems plc of a fully integrated solution for Mass Directed Flash with Biotage’s flagship flash purification system Isolera™. A presentation will be held at the JASIS meeting in Makuhari, Japan on 5th September, 2012. The new solution will become commercially available in early 2013.

“This is a game changer in flash purification that will allow chemists to significantly improve their work flow. We have high expectations on the forthcoming launch of this product that will further strengthen our purification business,” says Toshiyuki Yachi, Vice President of Marketing.

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Entertainment

Second Annual Miss Pacific Beach Pageant Is About More Than Just Beauty

September 25, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

PB Millionaire’s Event Focuses On Homeless Youth Project In San Diego.

San Diego, California, USA (September 25, 2012) — The Second Annual Miss Pacific Beach Pageant, which will be held at PB Bar & Grill on Saturday September 29th, is expecting another big turnout. The brainchild of Jim Lawlor, locally known as the “PB Millionaire,” was a huge success last year with a capacity turnout of over 400 people. In fact, the enthusiastic fans standing in line outside stretched around the block – some waiting for more than an hour to get in. (See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ruv3JEaEK4)

The Grand Prize winner of the Miss Pacific Beach Pageant will receive $3,000, however, Lawlor plans to present a check beforehand for $3,000 to Photocharity, which helps the homeless youth here in San Diego. Jeffrey Sitcov, Chairman, will accept the check on behalf of his organization.

Lawlor is also the executive producer of the PB Reality Show which will be filming the behind-the-scenes action of the pageant. The show has been a tremendous success. Since the first episode was released last Spring, the show has gone viral – building up a cult-like following within the local community. In fact, the show’s Facebook page has over 61,000 fans. (See Episode One here: http://youtu.be/CIJAIBrWYT4)

One of the duties of the newly crowned Miss Pacific Beach will be to promote Lawlor’s various charitable causes. Her first order of business will be to attend the Photocharity walk on October 7th, only one week after the pageant.

Lawlor will be one of three judges that will choose the next Miss Pacific Beach. Contestants will be judged on three categories: a personal interview, a fashion show, and a bikini contest. “I think it’s important to find someone that gets along well with all of our staff and represents us well throughout the community,” said Lawlor.

The pageant begins at 8PM on Saturday, September 29th. PB Bar & Grill is located at 860 Garnet Avenue, San Diego, CA 92109.

Contact: Victoria Smith / Tel: (858) 822-8693
E-Mail: pbreality@gmail.com
Website: http://www.pbreality.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thepbrealityshow
Photocharity: http://www.photocharity.org

Biotech

Biotage Unveils New Fully Automated Microwave Peptide Synthesizer

September 25, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

Biotage® (STO: BIOT), introduced an innovative new synthesis platform for peptide researchers at the 2012 European Peptide Symposium in Athens, Greece.

Uppsala, Sweden, September 25, 2012 — Biotage® (STO: BIOT), a leading global supplier of solutions and technology for analytical, medicinal and peptide chemistry, introduced an innovative new synthesis platform for peptide researchers at the 2012 European Peptide Symposium in Athens, Greece. The Biotage® Initiator+ Alstra is a fully automated, single channel, programmable microwave peptide synthesizer and is the latest addition to Biotage’s growing family of peptide synthesis platforms.

The Initiator+ Alstra is an ideal tool for peptide chemists synthesizing peptides, peptoids, PNA and peptidomimetics, including extremely difficult modifications. The system’s inherent flexibility for reagent set-up, makes it a highly effective platform for both small and large scale synthesis from 5 µmol to 2 mmol. With a working volume from as low as 0.6 mL, the Initiator+ Alstra is perfectly suited for small scale microwave peptide synthesis, especially when the use of expensive building blocks is required e.g. PNA. The system’s robotic liquid handler and precise digital syringe pumps reduce reagent and solvent consumption, thus reducing cost and minimizing waste.

The Initiator+ Alstra is programmable via a large 10″ touch screen with drag and drop functionality for optimizing pre-installed or user defined methods. A built-in wizard makes programming a synthesis sequence effortless and a calculation table, which is generated, provides the quantities of reagents required, allowing the user to very quickly go from an idea to execution.

“Initiator+ Alstra is an extremely simple to use work horse which fills an important gap in the toolbox of the Peptide researcher. Its state of the art interface, simplicity of operation, speed, size and price are all optimized to match the increasing demands which Peptide Chemists are under today”, say’s Dr. Amit Mehrotra, Peptide Product Manager at Biotage. “This product is the result of customer input and demands and we are very excited to now be putting it into their hands”.

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Software, Technology

Zevrix Graphic Inspector Now Supports Mac OS X Mountain Lion

September 24, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

Zevrix Solutions announces Graphic Inspector 1.7.18, a maintenance update to its quality control solution which checks entire folders of graphic files for potential problems according to specific workflow requirements. The software provides graphic professionals of any trade with the most exhaustive info on multiple images and vector graphic files, saving the time and hassle of checking them manually. The new version introduces full support for Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.

Toronto (ON), Canada – September 24, 2012 — Zevrix Solutions today announces the release of Graphic Inspector 1.7.18, a maintenance update to its quality control solution which checks entire folders of graphic files for potential problems according to specific workflow requirements. The software provides graphic professionals with the most exhaustive info on multiple images and vector graphic files, saving the time and hassle of checking them manually.

“I’m surprised no one else thought of it before: to display every bit of useful information about vector or raster graphic files and flag the ones that match rules you define,” writes Jay Nelson in Layers magazine, “With its combination of price, utility, and thoughtful design, Graphic Inspector is a rare gem.”

The new update introduces full support for the recently released Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and addresses some issues related to processing of Adobe Illustrator CS6 files.

Graphic Inspector provides a professional quality control solution for users of any trade, whether it’s print, prepress, web design, electronic publishing or digital photography. With its powerful checkup presets, Graphic Inspector lets users create custom preflight settings tailored to their workflow requirements, and quickly locate files with specific attributes. For example, Graphic Inspector can warn users about all files whose color mode is RGB, format – JPEG, resolution is below 200 dpi, ICC profile doesn’t contain “USWebCoated”, and so on.

Graphic Inspector offers the following key features:

-Check entire folders of images and vector graphic files
-Powerful checkup presets for different workflows
-Common checks such as resolution, color mode, ICC profile and file size
–Professional prepress checks: spot colors, fonts in vector graphics, image compression
-Complete EXIF, IPTC and GPS metadata
-Save preflight data as text

Pricing and Availability:
Graphic Inspector can be purchased from the Zevrix web site for US$39.95, as well as from authorized resellers. Graphic Inspector is free with purchase of PDF Checkpoint or InPreflight Pro for Adobe InDesign. Trial is also available for download. Graphic Inspector is a Universal Binary and available for Mac OS X 10.4.2-10.8.

About Zevrix Solutions

Located in Toronto, Canada, Zevrix Solutions provides productivity solutions for Adobe Creative Suite software, PDF and graphic file diagnostics, file delivery, and Microsoft Office on Mac OS. Zevrix is dedicated to help professionals increase their profits through automating everyday tasks, producing error-free documents, saving disk space and cutting production costs. For more information, visit http://www.zevrix.com.

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

Solutions for Adobe InDesign & the Graphics Industry