Mom's Mlog Musings Might Muster Mass Movement and Motivate Mothers, Maybe...

Launch of Blog Featuring Musings from an Entrepreneurial Mom Offers Compassion and Sane Solutions
 
Press Release by: Cherry Communications 
PR Agency: Cherry Communications

 

(openPR) - Albany, New York. (April 20, 2006)–- A new weblog launched this week to help women struggling with the dual identities of mother and business professional to realize that they are not in this fight alone. Mommy, Inc. (www.mommy-inc.com), contains a variety of features from rants, solutions, helpful articles, and business tactics from Public Relations Professional Shannon Cherry, APR, MA.

 

Cherry, owner of Be Heard Solutions (www.beheardsolutions.com) a public relations ‘e-firm’, is the mother of three-month old twin girls. She uses the Internet to work with clients locally and across the world and her company helps small business owners and independent professionals to get more customers by launching successful marketing communications programs that grow their businesses.

 

“Being a mother and an entrepreneur is tough, but totally worthwhile,” says Cherry, “And that's why I decided to start this blog: to share my experiences, thoughts and interesting details I find with others who may be interested in this type of journey.”

 

It is impossible to assume that one can perfectly merge the roles of being a mother and an entrepreneur, but Cherry believes that by documenting every step of the way, she is joining the circle of working mothers teaching and learning from each other. Women can read about her mistakes and try to avoid them, or learn of her success and try to take that same path.

 

The personalized advice on the blog will reflect Cherry’s personal philosophies concerning childcare, business tactics, and the role of women in the business-arena. This diverse blog includes easy accessibility to previous posts in which you can sort by headlines in addition to having an archive for all blog postings.

 

Cherry says her blog will provide an excellent opportunity for working mothers to not only take away from what she has to say, but also for them to provide inspiration and tips in return as well.

 

Based in the Capital Region of NY, Be Heard Solutions is a strategic communications firm that works with businesses and nonprofits all over the country to develop results-oriented marketing and public relations programs. For more information, contact Shannon Cherry at 518-248-6592 or email: Shannon@BeHeardSolutions.com.

 

Based in the Capital Region of NY, Be Heard Solutions is a strategic communications firm that works with businesses and nonprofits all over the country to develop results-oriented marketing and public relations programs. For more information, contact Shannon Cherry at 518-248-6592 or email: Shannon@BeHeardSolutions.com.

 

Cherry Communications
184 Lancaster Street
Albany, NY

 

518.248.6592
Shannon@cherrycommunications.com
www.cherrycommunications.com
www.beheardsolutions.com

Enhanced Regional Based Directories Hatched By Ezilon.com Directory

 

Ezilon.com Launches Enhanced Regional Based Directories

Ezilon Directory has rolled out its improved regional directories, a targeted search service focused to assist business and online users to access information within specific regions.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) April 24, 2006 -- Ezilon Directory has rolled out its improved regional directories, a targeted search service focused to assist business and online users to access information within specific regions.

Ezilon.com, part of Mbrasilla Corporation, is a directory with search engine founded with the purpose of providing individuals and companies around the world with easy-to-access information on different continental regions that include: North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

Ezilon.com increases its market share in the Internet industry by sticking to its fundamental marketing niche (localizing directory search). "As the size of the Internet increases, so does the emphasis on niche contents and searches," says Charles Michael. Ezilon.com provides easy solutions to web based search issues. Often times Internet users would like to search for business or person(s) or just plain information within a certain area but until now this had not been an option. Users would need to sift through pages of results in order to find an appropriate listing. Ezilon.com simplifies this process by allowing users to search only for region specific information. Each region has its own individual website for each searching and all sites can be accessed from the individual search sites. Ezilon.com therefore provides that option for business and Internet public.

We also offer the same variety of search capabilities as major search engines, as well as free classified ads, headline news, soccer/football, country briefs and marketplace section providing information for interesting and relevant contents.

Any business or general website wishing to be included in Ezilon.com directory may submit their website for review and inclusion. Ezilon.com only accepts website submissions from around the world with information pertaining to regions interest. You are therefore encouraged to list your websites while the present offers last.

Our goal is to provide targeted localized quality information to the visitors seeking information pertaining to regions covered by Ezilon.com network of directories and search.

For more information please visit Ezilon.com

###

Press Contact: Charles Michael
Company Name: Ezilon.com
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 281-7544855
Website: http://search.ezilon.com/

SAS To Get SAP To Support And Secure Search

SAS and Google to Deliver Expanded Search Capabilities for Business Intelligence; New Technology from SAS and Google Will Enable Organizations to Improve Search Results by Providing Relevant Context around Everyday Business Queries

 

CARY, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 19, 2006--SAS, the leader in business intelligence, today announced new technology with Google that will allow joint clients to perform contextually relevant searches through the popular Google search interface to surface information, analysis and reports from SAS(R) business intelligence (BI) software beginning this summer. The combination of the Google Search Appliance with the SAS(R) Enterprise Intelligence Platform will give users more information than what ordinary keyword searches would return from an initial query, enabling them to think and act more strategically on their business intelligence knowledge.

 

Google OneBox for Enterprise uses the same technology that provides information on stock tickers or weather information on Google.com. In the same way that SAS has expanded access to BI information by creating targeted user interfaces for its software that match the skill levels of individual users, SAS and Google will provide joint customers who activate the OneBox for Enterprise feature of the new Google Search Appliance - announced by Google today - with a familiar, secure way to search for real-time information delivered by SAS BI software.

 

Google OneBox for Enterprise combined with SAS enterprise business intelligence delivers relevant search results for business users in the same way it does for any visitor to the Google website looking for information about local news, weather or restaurants. For example, when a SAS customer types a phrase such as "fourth quarter 2005 sales" into a Google-powered intranet search engine, it will return a snapshot of relevant information including reports, data, and analysis along with links to other results that could consist of the top selling products, top salespersons or top 10 customers for that time period. In this way, the powerful combination of Google search technology and the SAS Enterprise Intelligence Platform now understands more than just what the user means and returns more than what they expect, making it easier and more accurate to make effective management decisions. All search results are filtered through existing enterprise security protocols, delivering intelligence tailored to each user's individual access rights.

 

"Google is excited to work with SAS to deliver business intelligence information and help employees spot trends right from their Google search box," said Dave Girouard, Vice President and General Manager of Google Enterprise. "We're aiming to make enterprise search as comprehensive and useful as web search and our partnership with SAS is a big step forward in that direction."

 

"SAS is committed to delivering the best business intelligence in the industry by enabling organizations to get access to relevant information when they need it," said Keith Collins, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of SAS. "The combination of SAS' business intelligence and Google's search expertise allows customers to quickly access and understand critical information by exposing associated data, analysis and reports to even more business users, broadening the value and impact of business intelligence and helping companies improve their own enterprise BI strategies."

 

This is the first of many technology initiatives that SAS and Google will spearhead to help organizations eliminate information silos by sharing relevant knowledge across business units. For more information, please visit www.sas.com/google.

 

About SAS
SAS is the leader in business intelligence software and services. Customers at 40,000 sites use SAS software to manage and gain insights from vast amounts of data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions, more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers, compliance with governmental regulations, research breakthroughs and better products. Only SAS offers leading data integration, intelligence storage, advanced analytics and traditional business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know(R).

 

SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. (R) indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

 

Contacts
SAS
Bob Chase, 919-531-4327; bob.chase@sas.com

 

SAS
Source: via Business Wire
Updated  04/10/2006  by company 
Headquarters: Cary, NC
Website: http://www.sas.com
CEO: Dr. James(Jim) Goodnight
Employees: 10,000
Organization: Private
Revenues: $1.68 billion (2005)

Book News Video Podcast Assults Users

 

Book News Video Podcast Hits Niche Market

CleverMedia TV uses new medium to reach book lovers.

ENGLEWOOD, CO (PRWEB) April 17, 2006 -- A television program on the Internet might seem like the most unlikely place to find book news. But that is where you will find Book Stories, a weekly video podcast about all things literary.

Book Stories is a weekly five-minute show featuring book news, trivia and interviews with authors and publishers. It is free for anyone to watch on the Internet by visiting http://bookstories.org.

Video podcasting is a new emerging medium that allows small video programs for target markets to reach anyone. Book Stories is produced by Colorado-based CleverMedia, which is also known for its Web-based game sites. CleverMedia is launching its own TV network of over-the-Internet programs. Book Stories is the first of these programs and has been produced weekly since January.

"While we plan to produce a variety of programs, Book Stories is our first because all of us here share a great interest in books," said Gary Rosenzweig, executive producer for CleverMedia TV. "We think that book news is a good niche subject for video podcasting."

Each episode of Book Stories starts off with news, focusing on the latest legal, censorship and promotional issues in the publishing industry.

At the heart of each show is an interview or special feature. Featured author interviews have included Kevin Baker, Giles Carwyn, Todd Fahnestock, and Kathy Brandt. Book Stories has introduced viewers to newly published books of a variety of genres, ranging from historical fiction to fantasy.

In addition to the Book Stories Web site at http://bookstories.org, one can receive Book Stories by subscribing to its video podcast through the site, or from Apple's iTunes Music Store. From there, owners of the latest video iPod can download the program to their iPod to watch on the go. Thousands of audio podcasts and hundreds of video podcasts are now available from various sources and on various topics.

Press Contact: Gary Rosenzweig
Company Name: CLEVERMEDIA
Phone: 303-534-0550
Website: http://bookstories.org

New Magazine On Consumer-Focused Healthcare

 

ONE Magazine Launched New Quarterly: Smart Step in Consumer-Focused Healthcare

A new consumer publication – ONE – has launched this month, instantly becoming one of metro Denver’s largest circulation magazines. The 300,000-circulation quarterly magazine focuses on health and well being and establishes HCA-HealthONE LLC as the leading source of healthcare information for area consumers.

DENVER (PRWEB) April 15, 2006 -- A new consumer publication – ONE – has launched this month, instantly becoming one of metro Denver’s largest circulation magazines. The 300,000-circulation quarterly magazine focuses on health and well being and establishes HCA-HealthONE LLC as the leading source of healthcare information for area consumers.

ONE is the insider’s guide to current health and wellness trends. The first issue contains articles of interest to all ages and genders: from knifeless brain surgery to preventing sports injuries and much more. The next issue, due out in January, will continue to serve as a road map for asking the right questions and finding the right answers about healthcare today.

“Until ONE, people in metro Denver haven’t had a reliable, single source devoted solely to medical information and healthcare news,” says Linda Kanamine, HealthONE Vice President of Public Affairs. “I think they’ll be surprised to read about the amazing array of research, treatments and medical technologies that exist right here in their own backyards.”

HealthONE partnered with Wiesner Publishing LLC to publish the glossy, four-color magazine. As the first publication of its kind in Denver, Publisher Maureen Regan says, “It is so encouraging to be a partner with a company that is breaking ground in their efforts to connect with people in their communities and provide information that will ultimately make us all smarter healthcare consumers.”

The medical industry is constantly changing with new technologies, new treatments and new preventions developing every day. “The need to stay informed and to become better educated has never been greater,” Kanamine adds. “ONE was created to be a support system for Coloradans to navigate the complicated world of staying healthy.”

In addition to copies mailed to homes, the magazine can be obtained at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, the Denver Chamber of Commerce or any HealthONE hospital.

HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with 8,700 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians. Recently named Colorado's "Best Company for Working Families -- large business category," the health system was created in 1995 as a 50/50 joint venture between various affiliates of HCA and HealthONE Alliance, a Colorado nonprofit organization.

HealthONE includes: The Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza; North Suburban Medical Center; Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center; Rose Medical Center; Sky Ridge Medical Center; Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital; Swedish Medical Center; seven surgical centers; more than 35 occupational medicine/rehabilitation, Broncos Sports Medicine, specialty, and outpatient diagnostic imaging clinics; as well as AIRLIFE, which provides critical care air and ground transportation for the HealthONE system.

# # #

Press Contact: Amy Santisi
Company Name: HealthONE
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 303-584-6038
Website: http://www.onemagazineonline.net

Crime Not Virtual On The Web

Just An Online Minute... Web Crime Continues To Climb

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 by Wendy Davis
 
Even after all this time, the so-called "Nigerian letter" scam last year managed to bilk the marks who fell for it to the tune of $5,000, on average, according to a new report from the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

 

Of course, it shouldn't be surprising that people continue to fall for fraud schemes. After all, spammers wouldn't continue unless they were turning profits, despite all the well-publicized warnings that e-mails from Nigeria promising money to those who pay an "advance fee" are not legitimate.

 

Overall, complaints about online crime were up last year. The Internet Crime Complaint Center received more than 231,000 complaints last year--up 12 percent from 2004. The center referred almost half--around 97,000--to law enforcement authorities; almost all of the referrals concerned fraud.

 

The report also found that the cost of fraud appears to be rising. Last year, the total reached over $183 million--almost triple 2004's $68 million in losses.

 

The most commonly reported fraud stemmed from Web auctions, which accounted for 63 percent of complaints. Non-delivered merchandise and/or payment represented 16 percent of complaints, while credit card and debit card fraud accounted for 7 percent.

 

The Internet Crime Complaint Center also reported that most perpetrators--75 percent--and victims--64 percent--were men. Additionally, men lost far more money than women ($1.86 dollars lost by men for every $1 dollar lost by women).

 

 Comments? Questions? Email us!

 

 
Just An Online Minute for Tuesday, April 11, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/

 

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Publishers, Start Your Media!

Welcome To The Next Seller's Market

 

by Mike May, Thursday, April 6, 2006
THERE WERE A TON OF lessons to come out of OMMA Hollywood last week. As the person who programmed the show, monitored each of 40 sessions, solicited feedback on over 100 speakers, and generally took the pulse of the audience on the show's content, no lessons were more salient to me than this: we're officially in a seller's market.

 

Here's the evidence for this trend I saw at the show:

 

The fullest rooms and the liveliest post-session discussions featured publishers and, in particular, new inventory options from publishers--and, even more specifically, new video inventory options from publishers. That's except for when behavioral targeting sessions ran concurrently. I made the mistake of programming "On Their Best Behavioral" at the same time as "Video in the Media Mix," and saw many attendees streaming between them, nearly colliding like packets on a congested network.

 

The first day's Keynote Panel featured executives from AOL, Yahoo!, FoxSports.com, Disney and MSNBC. It positively crackled, as an audience of hundreds of media buyers and planners hung on these publishers' words. It wasn't long ago that a panel of publishers was read by many on the agenda as a 'networking break.' Now it's must-attend content.

 

Even the second day's Keynote Panel, which was comprised entirely of client-side marketers, was hijacked by a publisher perspective. Shawn Gold, senior vice president of marketing at MySpace.com was on the panel, and the audience's interest in Hilton and ConAgra and Universal Pictures and Unilever was overshadowed by their preoccupation with turning teens on Shawn's site into brand ambassadors.

 

There was far more circling back during track sessions and even in hallway conversations to the impact of social networks on media planning, than there was to the formation of Denuo and other issues of agency organization.

 

Talent is being poached by brand marketers from publishers (like Doug Neil at Universal Pictures, via AOL) instead of the other way around (remember Yahoo's coup three years ago in luring Cammie Dunaway away from Frito Lay?).

 

Only a few years ago, the entire industry hitched its wagon to comments by people like Larry Light at McDonald's, or research by Rex Briggs at Marketing Evolution. At that point I would have taken Coca-Cola's Webmaster as a conference keynote, and allowed him to spend 45 minutes talking about meta tags and referrers. A few weeks before OMMA Hollywood, by contrast, I spent 30 minutes on the phone with the director of media and communication at Coca-Cola about his proposed role at the show. He noted that he was looking forward to telling the Coke story on stage. "We're doing amazing work with wireless and gaming in Europe and Asia, and it's time we get some credit for it, instead of it all going to Yahoo," he said. One of the world's biggest advertisers chomping at the bit to steal an online publisher's thunder? Times have changed.

 

There are a thousand reasons for this shift in the market equilibrium, and while identifying, vetting and ranking them would be an entertaining and self-congratulatory debate, I'll leave it to someone else. At some point in the past year, online had its Chuck Fruit moment. It had a thousand Chuck Fruit moments. So here we are-- now what do we do to smooth out the valley that will inevitably follow this peak?

 

So far it looks like we're doing what we did last time:

 

Google is raising another couple billion dollars, and joining a VC firm is suddenly fashionable again.

 

The press release wars have been joined again (and the battle has expanded into the blogosphere).

 

Start-ups (particularly in social media) are leading with their exit strategy once more, aiming more at getting acquired than building a sustainable business.

 

We're scheduling, programming, promoting, sponsoring and attending industry events with a fervor not seen since 2000.

 

None of this is bad, of course (particularly the last bit about events). But as we go down this road again, we have to be mindful--vigilant, even--about remembering previous missteps. Now would be a good time to reread business plans or strategy powerpoints from 2000--not for resurrectible ideas, but retrospective wisdom. They may be the closest things we have to a diary, like this one that I found excerpted on a blog just today.

 

An 11-year-old boy began this diary in 1946, and revisited his entries almost four years later. "I found this diary and read it. I sure must have been girl crazy," he reflects. I hope we can be as wise about our future as a 15-year-old was about his past.

 

Mike May, principal of The Acorn Group, blogs on interactive media events at www.e-venting.net.

 

Online Publishing Insider for Thursday, April 6, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/

 

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Harper's Bazaar Magazine Scores Points

Harper's Bazaar Magazine

 

by Larry Dobrow, Thursday, April 13, 2006
JUST AS A CROSS word has never passed my lips, so too has Harper's Bazaar never passed my mag-stacked coffee table--or really, the coffee table of anybody I know. I've cast my steely glare upon many an acquaintance's copy of Vogue, many an Elle, veritable dungheaps of InStyle. But Harper's Bazaar? Not so much.

 

Upon perusing the mag's April issue, I realized why: content-wise, it's basically indistinguishable from the aforementioned titles. Presentation-wise, it sits a full tier below. Attitudinally and tonally... well, start digging the hole now.

 

As I understand it, to exist in the world of haute couture, one needs clunky, oversized sunglasses, a healthy contempt for those who would deign to venture into Applebee's, and the ability to annihilate an unfelicitously bedecked peer in seven words or fewer ("Darling, those cuffs practically scream 'dust bowl'"). Enjoying Harper's Bazaar demands those same three things, plus a willingness to pore over pages more cluttered than a sorority gal's hair-scrunchy drawer.

 

Given that it purports to cover a business that simultaneously prides itself on its minimalism and fabulousness, the mag's mode d'expression (that's four years of high-school French right there) doesn't make a whole lot of sense. The "What's New" and "Great Finds" pages are fashion journalism for the ADD set, each festooned with around ten images, five subheads and pithy spasms of text. Harper's Bazaar packs even its front-of-section introductory pages with a mishmash of fonts, point sizes and sidebars, and seemingly poaches its retro-'80s fonts right off a Bloomingdale's bag.

 

Then there's the words. Not that anybody reads a publication like Harper's Bazaar for its turn-of-a-phrase dexterity, but the magazine's stories generally fall somewhere between laughable and appalling. Yes, the editor's note recalling the late '70s/early '80s punk-style heyday avoids fashion-world preciousness. But as far as first-person recollections go, the "Personal Style" in-search-of-pants expedition ain't exactly In Cold Blood.

 

"Living Without Regrets" serves up wishy-washy introspection like "memory is a dreamscape, and a dreamscape has no expiration date." Unlike borscht, ma cherie (four years of French--impressive, no?). Plus captions like "Tisci winked at the gravity of couture with geek-chic glasses" tend to generate overly dramatic eye-rolling among those who wink at those who wink at the gravity of couture, bespectacled or no.

 

Too, the April issue shoots itself in the foot with alarming frequency. Its "Shop Like an Expert" piece suggests that personal shoppers may be as accessible to Janey Strip Mall as NASCAR or Leno's monologue, yet the story almost entirely betrays that central premise with a photo captioned "Nicole Richie leaves Maxfield with a security escort." Sure, you and I may have been escorted out of any number of chi-chi Madison Ave. boutiques by security, but it was likely for decidedly non-customer-service-related reasons. The whole you-have-access proposition is thereby bunk.

 

Not surprisingly, the April Harper's Bazaar does best when it concentrates on the purdy gurlies. As opposed to the front-of-the-book one-pagers, the "Fashion's Best Looks" photo spreads afford their subjects plenty of room. You can't tell a whole lot about the duds featured in "Brave New Shapes," but the spare use of light and color render the shots among the issue's most alluring. I'd comment here about Kate Moss rebounding from her recent PR problems with a nine-page spread, but to my untrained eye she appears as blankfaced as ever--and isn't that what the industry always dug about her in the first place?

 

Harper's Bazaar also scores points with its tacit acknowledgement that women over the age of 28 actually exist. The "Fashionable Life" retrospective on Anjelica Houston comes across as considerably more knowing than the usual where-are-they-now? dreck, while the 25 or so pages devoted to age-appropriate fashion and beauty choices give equal love to gals in their 20s and 60s.

 

Ultimately, though, the magazine just doesn't offer enough that can't be found in much better form elsewhere. Slapping cliché headers like "Hottest, Newest, Latest" and "Update Your Look" and "Hot List" atop one-page spreads might allow a section editor to leave the office a few minutes earlier, but their women's-mag ubiquity renders them meaningless. Like any number of fashion titles, Harper's Bazaar could really use a more cogent raison d'être (again: four whole years).

 

Larry Dobrow is a Contributing Writer.

 

Magazine Rack for Thursday, April 13, 2006:
http://publications.mediapost.com/

 

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Companies Empty Pockets For Blog, Podcast, RSS Advertising

 

New PQ Media Research: Blog, Podcast, RSS Advertising Grow Fastest Among Alternative Media, Surging 198% in 2005, and Forecast to Grow 145% in 2006 Study Finds Podcast Advertising Will Be Larger Than Blog Market by 2010

Combined U.S. spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising bolted 198.4% to $20.4 million in 2005, and is expected to grow another 144.9% to $49.8 million in 2006, according to exclusive research released today by PQ Media, a custom media research firm.

Stamford, Conn., April 11, 2006 – Combined spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising bolted 198.4% to $20.4 million in 2005, and is expected to grow another 144.9% to $49.8 million in 2006, according to exclusive research released today by PQ Media, a custom media research firm. But podcast advertising, nonexistent until 2004, is expected to be a larger market than blog advertising by 2010, according to Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook, the first of five installments in PQ Media’s Alternative Media Research series. This groundbreaking series, the culmination of more than six months of primary research, is the first source to define, size and structure the burgeoning alternative media sector.

Blog advertising accounted for 81.4%, or $16.6 million, of total 2005 spending on blog, podcast and RSS advertising, collectively known as user-generated online media. But the blog segment will comprise only 39.7%, or $300.4 million, of overall expenditures in 2010. Podcast advertising, meanwhile, reached $3.1 million in 2005, and is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 154.4% to $327.0 million in 2010, when it will be a larger market than blog advertising. RSS advertising, non-existent until mid-2005, generated $650,000 in 2005.

“Blog, podcast and RSS advertising are being driven by some of the same factors boosting the growth of the overall alternative media sector: continued audience fragmentation, the perceived ineffectiveness of traditional advertising, and the elusive but coveted 18-to-34-year-old demographic,” said Patrick Quinn, president of PQ Media. “Blog, podcast and RSS advertising have demonstrated an ability to reach younger demographics as well as influentials, and the media tend to be highly engaging. These are attractive trends to brand marketers that are focused on return on investment.”

The relatively small size of these markets is an indication of the newness of the media, the lack of standard metrics and various technology issues, Quinn added. “As advertising networks become more effective, user engagement escalates, and the industry works through its technology and measurement challenges, we expect user-generated media to grow at triple-digit rates over the next five years,” said Quinn.

Technology, auto and media brands are the most active in user-generated media advertising, accounting for more than half of total advertising spending in 2005, with the food & beverage and apparel categories rounding out the top five. The technology, auto and media categories will continue to generate more than half of all advertising in 2010.

Total spending on user-generated online media is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 106.1% from 2005 to 2010, reaching $757.0 million in 2010, according to Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook. By comparison, the overall alternative media industry including, among others, markets such as branded entertainment, digital out-of-home advertising, mobile marketing and video-on-demand marketing, is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 14.8% in the five-year period to $253.7 billion in 2010.

PQ Media’s Alternative Media Research Series will also include reports covering the overall alternative advertising and marketing industry, including all 22 alternative media segments, and the first report to size and forecast the global market for branded entertainment, among others. These publications are available solely through PQ Media’s website at www.pqmedia.com. An executive summary of Blog, Podcast and RSS Advertising Outlook is available online at http://www.pqmedia.com/blog-podcast-rss-advertising.html.

PQ Media is the world’s leading provider of alternative advertising and marketing research. The firm also delivers exclusive data and information on traditional media, including advertising, marketing services, consumer and business media, and media usage. Founded in 2002, PQ Media has two major practice areas through which we provide custom and syndicated research to brand marketers, media buyers, media companies and financial institutions. PQ Media is located at Two Stamford Landing, Suite 100, Stamford, CT 06902. Phone is 203-921-0368; Fax, 203- 921-0367; E-mail, email protected from spam bots.

Contact: Wendy Marx
Company Name: Marx Communications
Phone: 203-445-2850
Website: www.pqmedia.com  
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Author of the Month Selected

Novelist Joan Roberston Author of In The Winter of Her Season selected as Author of the Month

 

Novelist Joan Roberston Author of In The Winter of Her Season Selected as C & B Book's April 2006 Author of the Month

 

[ClickPress, Thu Apr 06 2006] Novelist Joan Roberston author of In The Winter of Her Season selected as C & B Book's April 2006 Author of the Month. Joan Robertson was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, but comes from parents of West-Indian heritage.

 

Early in life, women's sorrows had left a deep impression upon her, regardless as to whether these women had derived from the West Indies, Africa, or America. Joan's opportunity to travel around the world has sealed her understanding of the common thread among women of color: their hardships and sorrows that they have overcome had bred their ironclad strength. This understanding was first penned in a poem, entitled And . . ., that Joan had gotten published at sixteen years old by a newspaper periodical named Dark Horse. During her younger years, many of her poetry had appeared in other newspaper periodicals and anthologies of university presses.

 

After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Baruch College in New York City, Joan Robertson has accumulated twenty years of experience as a technical writer within the financial services industry. However, she has never forgotten her love for creative writing.

 

Her first inspirational novel, entitled In The Winter Of Her Season, was published in May 2005 by PublishAmerica. For this creative endeavor, Joan has won an award for Best Inspirational/Spiritual Novel at the 1st Aspicomm Self-Publishing Symposium and S'Indie Awards.

 

This novel has also provided Joan Robertson the opportunity to conduct annual workshops at the international organization Voices In Action, based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Voices In Action provides assistance to adult and adolescent victims of child sexual abuse. The organization helps victims become survivors, like the protagonist of her novel Sandra Hamilton. Joan's other speaking engagements about this subject matter include Long Island University in New York, as well as other events around the country.

 

Joan's vision for her creative career is to continue to write about women characters that have transcended challenges and to also write novels about their joy.

 

In the Winter of Her Season
Retail Price:$19.95
C&B Price: $16.95

 

Book Description
Sandra Hamilton, a young businesswoman, travels to Massachusetts to help care for her cancer-stricken father, Reverend Doctor Trevor Hamilton, Junior. Upon arriving, Sandra is haunted by the ghosts of her childhood, stemming from secrets only she knows, but does not address.

 

After her father's initial crisis is over, Sandra finds her journey just beginning. Not only does her mother die, but Sandra also suffers other losses, causing her to spiral into deep-rooted despair. All the while, however, one particular question plagues her: Why has her life been spared?

 

The answers begin to reveal themselves to Sandra through what she believes to be her mother's voice, a voice only Sandra can hear. Sandra pieces the puzzle together with the help of her dreams, revelatory occurrences, and the insight of Reverend Dexter, leading her to believe that she must transcend her challenges, even at the risk of tearing her fragile family apart.

 

Review
Highly recommended. I guarantee that "In The Winter of Her Seas", will touch everyone who reads it. Ms. Robertson takes you on a journey of life, the ups and downs of the main character Sandra Hamilton. Pain finds it's way into the life of Sandra as a innocent child and continues its' journey throughout her adult years; destroying her dreams. Depression, fear, shame sends Sandra through own personal hell. Secrets are hidden deep inside her mind, to seek comfort and to find relief, Sandra turns to alcohol. Sandra mind and heart are broken beyond repair. If you can't trust those you love and admire, who can you turn to? The only one that can help Sandra is God, yet, she turns away from Him, feeling that He won't help her, where can she turn now?

 

Ms. Robertson tells a story of family betrayal, from the pulpit to the bedroom. Some things are just unforgivable, but necessary for your healing process. After reading this novel the reader will realize that forgiveness is a wonderful tool; it is the elevator to a new life. Everyone should read, "In The Winter of Her Season" The Truth will set your free. However, forgiveness will give you the power and control to a better and new life. Very inspirational.

 

You may purchase Joan Robertson's National Best Selling book directly from the publisher's online bookstore at www.PublishAmerica.com. Alternatively, you may order the novel from other online bookstores such as www.Amazon.com, www.BN.com, www.Cushcity.com, and www.cbbookdistribution.com

 

Company: PA Public Relations Company
Contact Name: phillipandrews
Contact Email: phil.andrews@papublicrelations.com
Contact Phone: 718.380.2062

Smash: Tennis Magazine Not Broken

Smash

 

by Larry Dobrow, Friday, April 7, 2006
TENNIS DEMANDS OF ITS players etiquette usually associated with finishing school. It imposes attire requirements more stringent than those of Vegas nightclubs. It includes the word "love" in its scoring. Tennis: it's EXTREME.

 

Or so the folks behind Smash would have you believe. Announcing on its cover the onset of a "tennis revolution," the mag takes more of its cues from MTV than from the sport's traditionally understated publications. Readers get a "Cribs"-like visit to the trophy-strewn home of the Bryan brothers, a "House of Style"-ish Miami fashion spread, and fresh-from-the-red-carpet snapshots of players intermingling with "Total Request Live" mainstays like Lindsay Lohan. But for the puzzling absence of Downtown Julie Brown playing air guitar on a vintage ceramic-graphite Donnay, you'd wonder what kind of sport/celebrity miasma you've wandered into.

 

This may be a spectacularly misguided approach in theory, but it works considerably better in execution. For all its dopiness (a bottom-of-the-page crawl detailing Andy Roddick's Starbucks faves) and force-fed attitude ("Editor's Babble," rather than "From the Editor's Desk" or something similarly harmless), Smash attempts to do something different--a laudable goal in itself, given the by-the-numbers construction of most sports titles targeting younger athletes.

 

In places, the Spring 2006 issue succeeds independent of its attitude and approach. Especially on the design front, Smash aces the competition ("aces"... get it? get it? whoo! tennis! yeah!). Pop-arty illustrations inject personality into the didactic "Into the Zone" section, while a coat-of-arms motif adds graphic luster to the profile on Scot next-big-thing Andy Murray. The mag also pushes the envelope a bit with its photo selections, including one that would appear to feature Murray puking forth a veritable river of Gatorade.

 

Despite a title more commonly associated with Wayne's World and street hockey, the front-of-book "Game On" section offers a lively fusion of celebrity-magazine staples and jockish blather. An item on supposed "punk tennis" practitioner name-drops Johnny Ramone; Olympic dud Bode Miller checks in with a few out-of-character respectful nods to Pete Sampras. One of the section's few straight-faced items, however, proves its sharpest: a savvy "How to Get Sponsored" primer for young players.

 

Elsewhere, the Spring 2006 issue's quirky content choices alternately surprise and entertain. As an old-school twerp weaned on Lendl and Wilander, I dig the circa-1972 "Back in the Day" shot of Ilie Nastase (didn't he have a quaint nickname, like "Nasty" or "Batshit Insane Ill-Mannered Romanian Guy" or something?) surrounded by a gaggle of female fans. The "Five on the Verge" mini-profiles offer similar color, striving for more than the usual coach/publicist-approved fluff.

 

Smash doesn't work quite as well when it downshifts into more traditional fare. "Marat Safin Uncensored" comes across as considerably less edgy and amusing than its title implies, plus a few well-chosen sidebars (scholarship stats, a quickie piece on the lost post-Katrina season of Tulane's tennis teams) can't enliven the otherwise plodding guide to college tennis.

 

The occasional attempts at lad-mag humor, especially in the "Smash 15" collection of pleasantries and potshots, arrive stillborn ("05: Sorry, we don't have a No. 5. We're taking an injury timeout--writer's cramp, or something."). Devoting fewer pages to actual tennis gear than to fashion/technology chaff would appear to compromise the mag's ostensible tennis-first mission. And a note to sports editors of the world: nobody cares what happens to be blaring from players' iPods--or from anybody's iPod, really, save for Elvis Costello's.

 

Finally, while everybody sure likes to ogle blonde-n-purty Maria Sharapova, Smash really needs to get a grip on its Maria fixation. The "Maria's Pages" collection of photos and observations ("elephants are amazing and friendly") elicits little more than unintended giggles. Speaking of which, I'll give ten bucks to the first person who can come up with a clever G-rated caption for the "Photo Ops" shot of Sharapova with Uma Thurman. Myself, I couldn't even get down into PG-13 territory.

 

When I grabbed Smash off the newsstand, I figured that its daffy extreme-tennis blueprint would provide easy fodder for a Magazine Rack bludgeoning. As it turns out, the mag's backers may be onto something with the youth/sport/celebrity mix. I suppose we'll know for sure if a host of similarly punchy hockey and golf titles make their way onto newsstands in the months ahead.

 

Larry Dobrow is a Contributing Writer.

 

Magazine Rack for Friday, April 7, 2006:
http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm
?fuseaction=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=41972

 

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Hot Banana Puzzled Why Email Marketing Efforts Not Effective

 

Hot Banana Adds Landing Page Manager, A/B Testing, Thumbnail Image Viewer, Advanced Group Workflow, and Salesforce.com Integration

New marketing functionality gives marketing departments a single technology platform for all their Web site and eMarketing needs.

Barrie, ON (PRWEB) April 6, 2006 -- Hot Banana Software Inc., a leader in Web Content Management software for marketing, today announced the availability of Hot Banana Version 5.4. The upgrade is focused on new and advanced Web Content Management functionality and the further integration of multiple eMarketing modules to help give marketing users a single, easy-to-use platform from which to manage their Web site content and eMarketing campaigns. All the marketing enhancements in this release are designed to better standardize and improve the efficiency and performance of the marketing campaign process and to implement best practices for setting up, tracking and measuring campaigns, to maximize the ROI.

“Hot Banana Version 5.4 is focused on delivering high-value and integrated Web Content Management and eMarketing solutions to marketing departments,” says Krista Lariviere, CEO, Hot Banana Software Inc. “Marketing is a rapidly changing discipline and eMarketing is becoming much more important, as Web sites are at the hub of all eMarketing activities. Hot Banana is now able to provide our clients with a world class Web Content Management solution, focused on Web site management and optimization best practices, and an Active Marketing solution, that contains everything needed for marketing professionals -- including affiliate tracking, Web analytics, CRM integration, A/B split testing, PR, email marketing and event management, to name a few.“

Web Content Management with Integrated eMarketing
Hot Banana V5.4 is helping to overcome marketers' challenges by consolidating many of the tasks and functions that are related to the Web site and eMarketing. By integrating both of these functions, Web Content Management software can become a core platform technology, and can play a significant role in providing an organization with a consistent interface, work environment, process and metrics framework. The clear benefit to this approach is the improved customer Web site experience, better executed and tracked eMarketing campaigns, best practices and a consistent view of ROI across the entire Web site.

Hot Banana’s Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite offers a complete solution to meet all the needs of an eMarketer. The following are the major features and benefits of the Hot Banana V5.4 upgrade. Dozens of smaller improvements have been made and added to improve overall Web site performance, functionality, security and workflow.

Hot Banana Web Content Management Upgrades

Advanced Group Workflow -- Administrators can now assign and manage tasks to groups of users to specific sections of the Web site, and the workflow can now be configured and managed more closely to the organizations’ business processes.
    
Design Template Integration -- Agencies and organizations managing multiple Web sites are able to apply and manage multiple design templates across multiple Web properties.

Thumbnail Image Viewer -- The Digital Asset Manager can be opened in either a file or thumbnail viewer, this combined with enhanced file folder and sub-directory management of digital assets now offers a robust and more simplistic Digital Asset Management process for non-technical users. Additionally, multiple assets can be mass uploaded and advanced search can be conducted on all assets.

Hot Banana Active Marketing Upgrades

Landing Page Manager -- All aspects of Landing Page creation and management is looked after by Hot Banana. Landing Pages have built-in lead tracking from multiple lead sources (search engines, affiliates, email campaigns etc.), A/B testing with click and conversion stats, multi-step form builder for conversion best practices, Web analytics, scenarios, report integration, and design template management.

Salesforce.com Form Integration -- eMarketing campaigns can now be taken to the next level by capturing Landing Page form data and passing it directly into salesforce.com.

Web Page Personalization -- data from multiple sources can be passed directly to a Web page to auto-populate and personalize Landing Page forms so personal information can be delivered to unique Web page visitors.

Event Management -- Hot Banana now has a complete end-to-end event registration process available. The event management process includes, custom event landing page, multi-step registration form builder, email confirmation, registrant database, attendee name labels, email event reminders, billing, invoicing, and management reporting.

Flash Video Management -- Flash media can be easily stored in .FLV format in the Digital Asset Manager and added to a Web page as a container and played directly by the Web page visitor.

“One of the most exciting things about Hot Banana V5.4 is that many of the new features are now adding considerable value and cross-functionality to other existing Hot Banana modules, making the overall Web Content Management and eMarketing capabilities of Hot Banana even more powerful and compelling than before.” added Krista. “For example, our Hot Banana email engine and Communicator are now linked to the Landing Page Manager, our affiliate tracking and search engine conversion tools can now be linked to any Web site page. And now, top quality Micro Marketing Sites can be built using Flash, containing streaming Flash videos and using Hot Banana Web Content Management and Landing Page technologies. Additionally by integrating more cross-functional eMarketing technologies, Hot Banana V5.4 has also added value to our partner relationships with WebTrends, ExactTarget and PRWeb.”

Availability

Hot Banana Version 5.4 is available immediately as licensed software, or, as an On Demand Software as a Service (SaaS) solution.

About Hot Banana Software, Inc.

Founded in 1999, Hot Banana Software powers Corporate Web sites, Intranets, Extranets, Micro Marketing Sites and Landing Pages for more than 200 companies worldwide in more than 16 languages. Designed for non-technical users, Hot Banana’s core technology is an easy-to-use, fully-loaded Web Content Management Suite designed to manage a Web site's content creation, publishing and optimization process.

Hot Banana’s Active Marketing Solution is an ideal eMarketing platform for corporate communications, branding, sales lead generation, lead conversion, email and retention programs. Hot Banana For Agencies, is the company’s latest initiative to help marketing agencies manage and publish Forms, Landing Pages and Micro Marketing Sites.

Hot Banana is available directly, or from 20 Channel Partners Worldwide, either On-Demand (SaaS), or Licensed. Clients include: InsureMe, Hondros College, General Board of Global Ministries -- UMC, Algoma Steel, Bell Industries, Parents Action for Children, Archdiocese of New York, Ansell Healthcare Europe, World Vision, Beaver Machine, Los Alamos School Board (New Mexico), Law Society of Upper Canada, Expertech, and The County of Simcoe. Hot Banana Software Inc. is profitable and privately held. For more information, visit www.HotBanana.com, or call 866-296-1803.

Hot Banana, Active Marketing and Active Marketing Web Content Management Suite are trademarks or registered trademarks of Hot Banana Software Inc. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.

Media Contact for Hot Banana

David Terry,
VP Sales and Marketing,
Hot Banana Software Inc.
705-792-3880 ext. 222

# # #

Press Contact: David Terry
Company Name: HOT BANANA SOFTWARE INC.
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 705-792-3880
Website: http://www.hotbanana.com

Southern Living Magazine

Southern Living

 

by Larry Dobrow, Thursday, April 6, 2006
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, magazine redesigns are an exercise in futility. Brighter colors, larger photos, a few extra sidebars... isn't this pretty much the publishing equivalent of throwing the same exact ingredients into a stew, but in a slightly different order? If you really want to get readers to pay more attention, I suggest incentivizing them with a free Mr. Coffee doohickey, like banks used to do.

 

With its April issue, Southern Living becomes the latest title to cruise on down redesign boulevard, though the mag refers to the exercise as a mere "freshening [of] its graphic design." They seem quite eager to yap about it, as witnessed by a before-and-after package that landed with a muted thump upon my doorstep. It contained the usual breathlessly worded press release ("dynamic content," "exquisite recipes," etc.) and copies of both the April 2005 and April 2006 issues. However, it also contained an exquisitely appended guide to the April 2005 issue, appointed with not one, not two, but eight purple post-it notes. Ooh, catchy colors. I find myself drawn to them like a moth to the flame, or a Marlon Brando to the ham-and-cheese.

 

Ignoring the obvious question--why the person in charge would specifically call my attention to the 2005 issue, rather than the freshened-up 2006 one--I figured this represented a primo opportunity to test my magazine-redesigns-are-bunk theory. Hence the following post-it-note-by-post-it-note comparison of Southern Living circa April 2005 and Southern Living circa April 2006.

 

Purple post-it note one: The "Features" table-of-contents page: The 2006 edition boasts a slightly narrower font, plus the "On Our Cover" blurb finds itself freed from the tyranny of a green box. The photo layout and sizing remains about the same. Advantage: none.

 

Purple post-it note two: The "Contents" table-of-contents page: The bricky travel/gardens/homes/foods story listing survives the facelift, as does the photo motif: both issues contain shots of a water-themed travel scene, flowers, an entrée and a home interior. The 2006 edition spreads the four photos out, as opposed to stacking them down the left side of the page. As Keanu Reeves once famously opined, "Whoa." Advantage: none.

 

Purple post-it note three: "Food Finds": 2006 adds visually catchy mini-headlines, plus an extra stamp-sized photo. 2005's sidebar boasts a yellowish background tint; 2006 goes with orange. My colorblind dad would have some serious, serious issues with this decision. Advantage: none.

 

Purple post-it note four: "Garden Letters": "Editor's Notebook" has been redubbed "According to Steve" and relocated from the top to the bottom-righthand corner of the page. I'm not sure why this merited a post-it note. Maybe I'm supposed to be paying attention to the Mr. Goodwrench ad on the other side of the page? Advantage: none.

 

Purple post-it note five: the "Come Home and Relax" feature: For the sake of this exercise, I'll compare this with the 2006 version's "Fresh, Breezy Style" piece. The latter boasts fewer and slightly larger pictures, plus a "Get This Style" box o' tips. Both feature clunky, non-involving leads ("Great design stands the test of time, as showcased by this home that has survived many storms since it was built in the 1840s" versus "Choose the right location, and you don't have to forego a great garden when you build a home at the beach"). Design-wise, each story draws attention to a single word in its title: 2005 uses a scripty font for "Relax," while 2006 goes the italicized route for "Breezy." I get paid to notice these things. Advantage: none.

 

Purple post-it note six: "Decorating Step-By-Step": Welcome mats or galvanized buckets--choose your poison. 2006's modular photo layout, however, is unquestionably, indubitably more pleasing to the untrained eye. Huzzah! We have a winner! High-fives all around! Advantage: 2006.

 

Purple post-it note seven: "From Our Kitchen": 2006 features more color, an extra teensy photo and less text. I'm getting bored now. Advantage: none.

 

Purple post-it note eight: "Healthy & Light": Gustatory snob that I am, I prefer 2005's penne with butternut squash sauce to 2006's rosemary green beans with lemon rind and some other junk. Graphically, 2006 doesn't cram every inch of space with words words words everywhere, though 2005's "Making Smart Choices" box is missed. Advantage: 2006.

 

Wow--talk about a barn burner. The freshened-up 2006 Southern Living triumphs over the 2005 version by a staggering margin of two wins to none, with six ties... and my redesigns-don't-add-diddly theory withstands one of the most rigorous challenges in the recent history of comparison shopping. So there you have it. Thanks for playing along at home. Good night, and good luck.

 

Larry Dobrow is a Contributing Writer.

 

Magazine Rack for Thursday, April 6, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/

 

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Some Minneapolis Library Areas Still Lack Sponsor Names, Ebay Considered

New Minneapolis Central Library Features Specialized Areas, Comprehensive Resources for Business Patrons

 

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 6, 2006-- Highlights include Best Buy Technology Center, Minnesota's only U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library, Jobs & Careers Center and Small Business Center   

 

On Saturday, May 20 at its grand opening event, the Minneapolis Central Library, the center of the Minneapolis Public Library's integrated, 15-library system, will unveil new specialized areas designed to offer business patrons unparalleled access to resources for virtually any of their business-related needs.

 

Highlights of the new areas include the Best Buy Technology Center, Minnesota's only U.S. Patent and Trademark Depository Library, the Jobs & Careers Center and the Small Business Center.

 

The Best Buy Technology Center
The center, located on the first floor, offers complete wireless computer access, in addition to 16 computers for training, and a variety of educational activities including courses in applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook. In addition, computer-related workshops will be presented on topics such as resume writing, conducting an online job search, how to use business and government online databases, among other topics.

 

The Patent & Trademark Depository Library
Minnesota's only U.S. Patent Depository Library, the Patent & Trademark Depository Library houses complete patent records from 1790 to the present, including Minnesota patents for Rollerblades, Scotchgard fabric and apparel protection, Post it Notes and more.

 

The Jobs & Careers Center
A resource for encouraging self-exploration for job searches and career choices, the Jobs & Careers Center offers a large collection of books on topics such as resume writing, interviewing techniques and job trends and qualifications.

 

The Small Business Center
The Small Business Center is a resource for small business owners and entrepreneurs, including materials on developing business plans, filing a business with the Secretary of State, obtaining financing, developing marketing strategies, investigating permit and licensing requirements, learning accounting practices and developing job descriptions and personnel policies.

 

Other resources available on the second floor include: national and international business directories with company, product and brand information, and industry statistics; investment materials, including historical quotations and current analyses; and resources on American industry, safety and manufacturing standards.

 

About the Minneapolis Central Library
The Central Library is part of the Minneapolis Public Library system, which was created in 1885 according to the belief that the community would be stronger and more prosperous if knowledge was shared rather than held as a private commodity. Today, the Minneapolis Public Library is an interconnected system of 15 libraries that strives to connect all people with the transforming power of knowledge. In collaboration with the city's other branch libraries, the new Central Library reflects why Minneapolis has prospered into one of the nation's most literate cities.

 

Note to media:
For digital images of the new Central Library, visit www.mplib.org and click on Minneapolis Central Library.

 

Contacts
Minneapolis Central Library, Minneapolis
Media Contact:
Karen Louise Boothe, 612-630-6239
klboothe@mplib.org

Complex Magazine

Complex

by Tobi Elkin

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - AT A TIME WHEN magazines and the entire print world are supposedly dying a slow, painful death, Complex magazine, a jam-packed, visually-laden affair, appears to be thriving and having fun doing so.

The magazine, four years old as of the April/May 2006 issue, is basically a style/lifestyle guide for urban and definitely hip 18-to-34-year-old males who appreciate the hip-hop/rap ethos and everything that goes along with it. The magazine, founded by designer/mogul Marc Ecko, is built on the flip book model--on one side, there is a celebrity-driven cover; on the other side, there's, typically, airbrushed sex kittens in various poses inviting readers into the mag's shopping guide.

Overall, the design-driven pub features tons of quick-hit Q&A-style interviews, edgy and imaginative fashion shoots filled with the high-fashion t-shirts, jackets, and other apparel, recommendations on how to pull it all together, and all the latest and greatest consumer technologies, cars, accessories, and, oh yeah, sneakers.

Sneakers is the operative word here; sneaks are elevated to a rare art form in Complex. Yes, sneakers are curated to near flawless perfection categorized by brand, history, personality, and style,as if they were human, which leads us to wonder, are they? Go, sneakers!

Complex was the first U.S. magazine to create a shopping guide for men, says Richard A. Martin, the magazine's editor-in-chief. Martin joined the title at launch in 2002. The idea of positioning the book as a shopping guide for men was Ecko's, says Martin: "Guys like to shop, they need to shop, but they don't like to admit it, so we designed the magazine to have a shopping element to it to lure the guys in."

The shopping guide portion of the mag's April/May issue features, surprise, more sneakers: sneaker ads, sneaker spreads, and a great section titled "Addicted," with all kinds of style reconnaissance ranging from Japanese tailored jackets, handknotted rugs, style Q&As, and compilations of key looks.

The April/May issue also features a section dubbed "Complex Individuals" with profiles, or rather Q&As, with such iconoclasts as Hiroshi Fujiwara, designer of Japanese footwear (he's 40, by the way); Houston rap legend Pimp C; DJ A-Trak; SoCal boutique owner Andrew Lee; "Alpha Dog" star Emile Hirsch; the comic book duo Joshua and Jonathan Luna; and Baltimore-based rapper Travis "Bossman" Holifield.

The April/May feature well boasts an interview with a post-rehab, rather beefy Eminem, as one of my colleagues noted. But the crowning glory of the issue is, you guessed it, "101 Things You Didn't Know About Sneakers," an all-important, all-knowing guide to sneaker culture. The guide is filled with all kinds of arcane trivia. Take bits like No. 1: The earliest reference to "sneaks" appeared in 1873 in the book In Strange Company; No 25: Sneakers took a starring role in the 1961 film "The Absent-Minded Professor;" No. 45: Graphic design student Carolyn Davidson designed the Nike Swoosh in 1971; and No. 85: Etnies made the first pro-model skate shoe. The only possible conclusion I can draw: I seriously need to bone up on sneaker trivia.

The pub's Web site is also "new and improved," according to a house ad for complex.com in the April/May issue. The site is touted as a destination for the latest news and information about new brands and product launches, offering behind-the-scenes footage from magazine photo shoots and cover stories (an excellent idea that we've seen elsewhere, for example on Vogue's Style.com), special promotions and giveaways, blogs from designers, artists, and "style icons," and a music jukebox with the magazine's top picks.

The current issue also features an interview with actress Olivia Wilde, who played Mischa Barton's lesbian love interest on "The O.C." for about two seconds. She apparently has a hot sex scene in the forthcoming "Alpha Dog" with, who else, Emile Hirsch, who also appears in the mag.

Referring to GQ and Details, Martin says: "They're still great for their audience but there isn't something for this new class of guys who are in a style evolution." Martin says this new breed goes to college dreaming up clothing companies. "Style is part of their American dream," he adds.

Of Complex readers, Martin says: "We really reflect American culture in terms of its generational lines, rather than class or race lines. This generation of guys grew up with friends that were Latin, black, Asian, and white. They accept race better than any generation before us."

While the mag's readers also check out Mass Appeal, The Fader, The Source, and DoubleXL, Martin sees these as primarily downtown, young trendsetter pubs that might not exist without a New York and Los Angeles reader base. Complex, on the other hand, has a more national--even international--appeal.

"Guys care about what they wear. Whether they're on a farm in Iowa, in a hip-hop group in San Francisco, or are dentists in Dallas, they want to know what's cool," Martin observes.

The magazine boasts a rate base of 330,000, its fifth increase since launching at 275,000. A redesign, which Martin spearheaded, has been ongoing for the last few months. When the April/May issue hits streets on April 11, readers hopefully will find a cleaner, easier-to-access look and feel, with graphic/type treatments now more prevalent than icons.


Tobi Elkin is Executive Editor, MediaPost.

Magazine Rack for Wednesday, April 5, 2006: http://publications.mediapost.com/
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Hosting Provider Chosen for 2006 Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA Competitions

 

RIS Technology Selected by Miss Universe Organization to Host Website for 2006 Miss Universe®, Miss USA® and Miss Teen USA® Competitions

RIS Technology, Inc., a growing Los Angeles-based Internet hosting company, announced today that they have signed a multi-year agreement with the Miss Universe Organization, producers of the Miss Universe®, Miss USA® and Miss Teen USA® Competitions.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) April 5, 2006 -- RIS Technology, Inc., a growing Los Angeles-based Internet hosting company, announced today that they have signed a multi-year agreement with the Miss Universe Organization, producers of the Miss Universe®, Miss USA® and Miss Teen USA® Competitions.

“We found that the combination of RIS’ expertise and experience in hosting large scale media events and their excellent customer service very attractive.” said Paula M. Shugart, President of the Miss Universe Organization. “We were impressed by RIS’ reliable infrastructure, and are confident that we won’t have to worry about scalability and performance during our upcoming telecasts.”

RIS provides the Miss Universe Organization a managed event hosting solution that combines the RIS’ high-availability hosting platform with dynamic server capacity and global content distribution. All of the components in the solution are fully redundant and performance optimized, from the enterprise quality servers to the fully meshed network, load balancers, and security devices.

“We have lots of experience hosting websites for large scale media events where flash traffic would cripple normal hosting configurations.” says Nate Johnson, RIS’ Chief Technology Officer. “We combine our high availability network with dynamic server capacity and global content distribution to allow organizations to handle 300 to 400 times the amount of traffic they might see on a normal day.”

RIS’ has become a leading event web hosting provider, servicing high profile clients such as the Hollywood Foreign Press (Golden Globes) and The Recording Academy (Grammy’s). By utilizing multiple, dynamically scaled web-servers and a world-wide content distribution service, RIS ensures that their customers sites perform optimally throughout the telecasts. Additionally, RIS’ active traffic reporting system will allow the Miss Universe Organization to monitor the site performance in real time and to verify world wide availability.

About RIS Technology Inc.
RIS (Reliable Internet Systems) Technology provides high-quality custom hosting solutions through a robust, redundant network infrastructure and top of the line equipment. This base provides for a scalable, secure, and reliable Internet application hosting environment. Their personal approach is really what differentiates RIS from other hosting companies. RIS’ attention to detail, ability to customize, and the desire to understand their clients’ business and presence on the Internet continues to build on the company’s success.


About Miss Universe Organization
The Miss Universe Organization, producers of the Miss Universe®, Miss USA® and Miss Teen USA® Pageants, are a Donald J. Trump and National Broadcasting Company, Inc. (NBC) partnership.

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Press Contact: Luci Kwak
Company Name: RIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 213-840-6654
Website: www.ristech.net

Saddam Hussein Sued For Copyright Infringement

Kim Jong-il sues Saddam Hussein for copyright infringement
 
Press Release by: PriorMart AG 

 

(openPR) - PriorMart - 2006-04-01 - Kim Jong-il, "the dear leader" of impoverished North Korea, seems to have discovered a new option for improving the national income. While North Korea must defend itself against charges of producing counterfeit notes, the dictator strikes back.

 

On the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), the international court of the World Trade Organization in Geneva/Switzerland, the dictators attorney, French star lawyer Jacques Vergés, placed charges for the infringements of copyrights in accordance with TRIPS, the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights from 1994, in more than 200 cases. Kim Jong-il consideres several national campaigns, that Hussein run between 1997 and 2001 for the improvement of optimism of the 26 million Iraqi, as its intellectual property. Further he claims, Husseins strategy of gaining international attention by presenting himself as the No. 1 enemy of the U.S. was a product of the PR-advisors of his father, Kim Il Sung. Also the planned development of weapons of mass-destruction has been prepared already in the 80's in a strategic paper of his father, his lawyer declared. He considers it as a proof that North Korea was far ahead in the development by the year 2001.

 

Kim Jong-il appoints numerous former Iraqi government officials, who confirm that Hussein plagiarized from his dictator colleague. He demands a 250 billion US dollar penalty and expects the State of Iraq to be liable as the successor of the fortune and the debts of Saddam Hussein. Proceedings were instituted on March 31st 2006. Hussein has not commented.

 

About
PriorMart AG with offices in Potsdam and Brandenburg a.d.H., both Germany, is a technology company and a supplier of services simplifying proof in copyright protection. The company was founded in May 2005 and is privately held.

 

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Press contact: Peter Schilling
http://www.priormart.de
press@priormart.com

Secrets to Getting A Thinner Wallet

 

Secrets to Getting Targeted Traffic To Your Website

John Reese – a veteran marketer who had generated more than 1.57 Billion Web Site Visitors to his sites since he started marketing online, now shares all secrets with actual results.

Orlando, Florida (PRWEB) November 9, 2005 -- After six months of implementing what the new Marketing Course “Traffic Secrets” has taught, owners entrepreneurs from 52 countries now gathered to show the world real Proofs.

They now shared detailed information about how the course changed their business forever – many include screenshots of their web site traffic logs and even merchant account statements to give you Proof of what they accomplished. Altogether, there were over 100 fully documented success stories.

For more success stories and information, Go to : http://www.alotcash.com/

“Traffic Secrets” covers these following:

How to build and geometrically grow the number of highly targeted leads and prospects coming to your website that translate into cash and profits...

How to leverage your lead generation to gain more consistency in the number of prospects you get, and create more stability and growth in your business...

How to build so much momentum in the flow of visitors coming to your business that taking your website down is the only way to stop it...

How to easily discover which sources of leads are really making you money (and quickly trash the ones that are sucking your time and profits)...

How to get as much as 4-5 times more leads for the same advertising dollars, and squeeze every ounce of profit out of every visitor you generate...

How to tap many "hidden," super-abundant sources of good quality leads (as many as several hundreds of thousands) for absolutely 100% zero cost...

How to dump, once and for all, all the dumb, costly and ineffective methods that only create one-time spurts of junk traffic that will never buy from you...

How to create and follow a complete "attack plan," especially if you're currently relying on only 1-2 sources for generating your leads — because they can change and dry up overnight (they often do)...

How to get your hands on proven, time-tested lead generation strategies that really WORK — and not "sounds good" regurgitated "theory" that everyone and their dog has seen, read or heard before...

For more success stories and information, Go to : http://www.alotcash.com/

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Press Contact: James Yee
Company Name:
Email: email protected from spam bots
Phone: 65-6388-3469
Website: http://www.alotcash.com/