Grammy Winning R&B/Pop Performer To Continue Relationship With Label As Member of Destiny's Child.
NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- The Grammy-winning R&B/pop superstar Kelly Rowland will no longer be recording with Columbia Records as a solo artist, it was officially announced today by the label.
Rowland, a founding member of Destiny's Child, the world's top-selling female group, will continue her relationship with Columbia Records in her ongoing role in the iconic ensemble.
"Because Columbia Records has been my home base as an artist for more than a decade, the decision to move out on my own required a lot of soul-searching," said Kelly Rowland. "As a solo artist, I felt the need to explore new directions, new challenges, and new freedoms outside my comfort zone and my friends and family at Columbia have been incredibly understanding about my evolution. I want to thank everyone at Columbia for the love and support they've shown and I will never forget how many good times we've had over the years."
"Kelly Rowland is one of our finest contemporary artists and a musical force to be reckoned with," said Rob Stringer, CEO, Columbia/Epic Label Music Group. "It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with Kelly and we will continue our working relationship with her under the Destiny's Child moniker. The decision for Kelly to seek other opportunities for her solo career was agreed upon mutually, and any reports to the contrary are false."
Singer, songwriter, performer, recording artist and actress Kelly Rowland rose to fame as one of the original members of Destiny's Child, the #1 female pop group of all-time. In 2002, during a hiatus with the group, Kelly released "Simply Deep," her first solo album featuring the #1 international smash single, "Dilemma," a duet with the rapper Nelly which earned Kelly her first Grammy Award outside Destiny's Child. In addition to selling more than 50 million records worldwide with Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland has sold more than 4 million copies globally of her two solo albums: 2002's "Simply Deep" and 2007's "Ms. Kelly," which included the international #1 chart-topping single, "Work."
Source: Columbia Records
CONTACT: Yvette Noel-Schure of Columbia Records, yvette.noel-schure@sonymusic.com
MOTOWN CELEBRATES THE 70th BIRTHDAY OF MARVIN GAYE, ONE OF THE MOST ACCLAIMED ARTISTS IN MUSIC HISTORY
Santa Monica, CA (March 30, 2009) /PRNewswire/—In the 50th anniversary year of Motown, April 2, 2009 will mark the 70th birthday of the late great Marvin Gaye. Sadly, April 1 will also mark the 25th anniversary of his tragic death the day before his 45th birthday. Motown's top solo male artist of the '60s, led by his "I Heard It Through The Grapevine"—at one time the biggest selling single in Motown history—Gaye became the label's most revolutionary artist in the '70s, breaking down barriers whether singing about the body or the soul, social consciousness or sexual politics. From his '60s classic "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," to his legendary rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, he defined the soul in "soul music."
Marvin Gaye's popularity and influence continues. His 1971 album What's Going On forever changed the subject matter of popular music; it's one of Rolling Stone magazine's top 10 albums of all time. In 1973, Let's Get It On became perhaps the most passionate and sexual album ever recorded, led by its title track, which remains one of the most popular songs of all time, a certified Gold single back in the day, and in the digital music era it's a Gold digital download and a Platinum-selling ringtone as well. In 1987, three years after his death, Gaye was rightfully among only the second group of artists honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. More recently, Marvin Gaye was No. 6 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Greatest Singers Of All Time.
Noting the milestones of his birth and passing, Motown/UMe will issue a special digital-only album on March 31, Marvin Gaye: Then & Now, a 14-track set of rarities highlighted by the previously unreleased "Soulie" (pronounced "sue-lee"), a 1966 recording recently unearthed by Motown's New York-based producer Mickey Gentile, and a hot funk 2009 remix of "I Want You," Marvin's No. 1 hit from 1976, by the renowned John Morales of M+M Productions. Other tracks making their online debut are: the deep vault track "It's Your Party," and his two super-rare late '50s Chess recordings with Harvey & The Moonglows ("Mama Loocie," "Twelve Months Of The Year"). Rounding out this special collection are Marvin's earliest, pre-hit Motown singles ("Witchcraft," "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide" and more).
Motown/UMe is also issuing a vinyl-only edition of United (Motown/UMe), Gaye's classic duet album with Tammi Terrell, on April 14. The standard by which all R&B male-female duos are measured, Gaye and Terrell first teamed on the 1967 album that included "If I Could Build My World Around You," "Your Precious Love" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough."
In addition, the ongoing, acclaimed "Motown 50" podcast series will feature special episodes on Marvin Gaye's life and music; Gaye is also well represented on the deluxe 10-CD box set Motown: The Complete No. 1's, which kicked off the year long celebration for Motown's 50th anniversary. Both The Real Thing, a DVD collection of his greatest television and concert appearances, and Gold, a 2-CD overview of his career, have recently been certified Gold. Gaye will also figure prominently in a two-hour documentary about Motown produced by the label's founder, Berry Gordy.
AT&T Previews David Cook's Newest Video During an 'AMERICAN IDOL' Commercial Break Wednesday, April 1, on FOX
AT&T Will Also Offer Exclusive 24-Hour Access to Watch the Full-Length Video on the Mobile Phone, Internet and Home TV
ATLANTA, March 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- David Cook fans will want to stay glued to next week's AMERICAN IDOL results show, as AT&T announced today it will offer viewers a sneak peek of David's newest video, "Come Back To Me," during an AMERICAN IDOL commercial break on Wednesday, April 1, on FOX.
The winner of AMERICAN IDOL Season Seven, David will be releasing his latest 19 Recordings/RCA Records single, "Come Back To Me," off his platinum selling self-titled debut album to radio on April 6. Thanks to AT&T, the Official Wireless Sponsor of AMERICAN IDOL, the wait is almost over.
In addition to previewing a 30-second clip of the video during an AMERICAN IDOL commercial break, immediately following the sneak peek airing, AT&T will offer exclusive 24-hour access to the entire video directly from customer's mobile phones, online, or from their home television.
-- AT&T wireless customers can get a link to watch the full-length video on their mobile phones via AT&T CV by texting "COOK" to "8008." -- AT&T U-verse(SM) TV customers can access the video through their Video On Demand (VOD) menu in the Featured category or in the Music section of the Free On Demand category.
-- All fans can watch the video online at www.music.att.net .
In addition to the video, AT&T customers can also purchase and download a ringtone or Answer Tone(TM) of "Come Back To Me," as well as any of David's other popular songs through the AT&T MEdia Mall from their handsets or online - www.att.com/mediamall .
Be sure to tune in to AMERICAN IDOL on Wednesday, April 1 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. Fans can find out more about David by visiting http://www.davidcookofficial.com/ or calling David's mobile hotline at 816-463-4003.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services, the nation's fastest 3G network and the best wireless coverage worldwide, and the nation's leading high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of their three-screen integration strategy, AT&T operating companies are expanding their TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE(R) magazine's lists of the World's Most Admired Companies and America's Most Admired Companies. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com/.
(C) 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies.
Note: This AT&T news release and other announcements are available as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. For more information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom. Source: AT&T Inc.
Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas arrives at ROCK Fashion Week at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Florida, Friday, March 27, 2009, where she held her 34th birthday bash. (Photo credit: Phillip Angert / ROCK Fashion Week)
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Rock Fashion Week 2009 at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Top Designers and Celebrities Converge for Fashion and Flair in the Sun, Including Designer Richie Rich and His Muse, Actress Pamela Anderson
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: Video, hard copy requests, downloadable MPEG2, contact information and more available at http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/37415/press.html
STORY SUMMARY:
Designer Richie Rich hugs his muse Actress Pamela Anderson
The fashion elite were out in full force for this year's Rock Fashion Week 2009 at the historic Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The bright lights and steamy nights of Miami Beach played host to the hottest residents on the fashion block -- from designer shows including Richie Rich, Russell Simmons, Monarchy, Caroline D'Amore, Abi Ferrin, b. Michael, LeiMarco and more, to the sizzling celeb-filled after-parties that followed.
On Friday, March 27, 2009, Richie Rich hosted a press conference to announce his newest venture, featuring special guest and muse Pamela Anderson, prior to his runway show that evening. Pamela also crawled up onstage to join Richie during his fashion show. Later that night, Fergie celebrated her 34th birthday at Rock Fashion Week with a bash at LIV in Fontainebleau, along with friends and family, including Josh Duhamel and fellow members of the Black Eyed Peas, and many more.
Additional celebrities in attendance at Rock Fashion Week included Dennis Rodman, Lil' Jon, Caroline D'Amore and many more!
For more information, please visit: www.rockfashionWK.com.
PHOTO CAPTIONS: 1. Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas arrives at ROCK Fashion Week at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Florida, Friday, March 27, 2009, where she held her 34th birthday bash. (Photo credit: Phillip Angert / ROCK Fashion Week)
2. Actress and model Pamela Anderson (center) joins designer Richie Rich (left) onstage after his runway show at ROCK Fashion Week at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Florida, Friday, March 27, 2009. (Photo credit: Phillip Angert / ROCK Fashion Week)
FOR TECHNICAL INFORMATION OR HARD COPY, PLEASE CALL: MultiVu Media Relations, 800-653-5313 EXT. 3
/PRNewswire -- March 28/
Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/broadcast/37415/press.html Source: Rock Fashion Week
Peter Gabriel, Diego Luna, and Jaguares' Saul Hernandez Meet With President Calderon to Stop Violence Against Women in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua, Mexico
Mexico City, March 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, rock legend Peter Gabriel, actor Diego Luna, Jaguares' Saul Hernandez, and Patricia Cervantes, the mother of Neyra Cervantes, who was disappeared and murdered in 2003, met with PresidentFelipe Calderón to urge him to increase his efforts to end the violence and murders of women in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua.
Mr. Gabriel said, "We came to bring a message from thousands of people around the globe. The world has not forgotten the hundreds of women who were brutally murdered in Juarez and Chihuahua in the past sixteen years." He added, "The families have waited long enough for answers. "
During the meeting, President Calderon suggested that participating NGOs provide him with a list of priorities related to feminicide and that authorities meet with these NGOs periodically to review progress on these issues. Within the confines of legal proceedings, he also committed to make this process transparent to the general public.
The Attorney General and the Minister of Interior, who also participated in the meeting, both committed to personally follow up on the cases of Neyra Azucena Cervantes who disappeared in 2003 and her cousin, David Meza, who spent three years in jail after being tortured into confessing to her murder. These stories are the focus of the film, "Dual Injustice," co-produced by WITNESS, the human rights NGO founded by Mr. Gabriel, and Comision Mexicana de Defensa y Promocion de los Derechos Humanos (CMDPDH).
The artists, along with Patricia Cervantes, presented President Calderon with a petition signed by thousands of people from around the world. They thanked him for this groundbreaking meeting and the renewed hope it offered for the women of Juarez and Chihuahua.
Since 1993, over 470 women have been violently killed in Ciudad Juarez and Chihuahua, Mexico - in a phenomenon known as feminicide. More than half of the victims have been women and girls between the ages of 13 and 22 years. Their mangled bodies often show signs of sexual violence and many have yet to be positively identified. Explanations for the murders have ranged from forced prostitution and organ trafficking, to satanic rituals and the production of snuff movies. However, there has been no sufficient evidence pointing to one particular theory.
(IRVINE, Calif., March 27, 2009) /PRNewswire/ — Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN) hosted a star-studded event last night in Hollywood to launch LATISSE™ Wishes, a charitable public awareness campaign designed to help make wishes come true. Actress Brooke Shields and beauty expert to the stars Anastasia Soare will lead the campaign to generate $1 million to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
The LATISSE™ Wishes campaign was borne out of the tradition of blowing on an eyelash to make a wish come true and leverages the excitement surrounding the availability of Allergan's LATISSE™ (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03%, the first and only science-based prescription treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for hypotrichosis of the eyelashes (inadequate or not enough lashes) that is used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, fuller and darker.
"In the short time LATISSE™ has been available, the product has already made many women's wish lists," said David E. I. Pyott, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Allergan. "While LATISSE™ may fulfill the wish for more prominent eyelashes, we also wanted to shine the spotlight on the Make-A-Wish Foundation and provide support for the important work it does in granting children's wishes."
The LATISSE™ Wishes campaign launched with an initial donation of $500,000 from Allergan to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Consumers are encouraged to help double this amount to $1 million by registering their support at www.LATISSE.com to help grant the wishes of children in their local communities. Between now and December 31, 2009, Allergan will donate $5 for each new visitor who registers online, up to an additional $500,000.
"Every 40 minutes the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish to a child with a life-threatening medical condition. Forty seconds is all it takes to visit www.LATISSE.com to register your support and help make wishes come true," said David Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. "We urge everyone to log on to the LATISSE™ Web site and register their support to help grant the wishes of children in their communities."
"I am delighted to be a part of LATISSE™ Wishes, to not only help educate women on an eyelash growth product that is the first to be scientifically proven, but also to support a worthy organization such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation," said Shields. "I remember being a child and blowing on an eyelash hoping my wish would come true, and as a mother I've passed this tradition onto my children. Through LATISSE™ Wishes and in partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation, we can keep the tradition alive and fulfill the hopes of so many more children around the country."
In addition to Shields and Soare, other stars including Debra Messing, Angie Harmon, Marisa Tomei, Mandy Moore, Debi Mazar, Jewel, Jennifer Coolidge and Perrey Reeves attended last night's red-carpet kick-off event for the LATISSE™ Wishes campaign. Over the next several months, campaign ambassadors Shields and Soare, who both use LATISSE™ solution, will travel to cities across the country hosting informational events aimed to further support the campaign and its goal of providing $1 million to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Local events will be held in New York, Miami, Dallas, Minneapolis and San Francisco.
"In my business I constantly work to help make women's beauty wishes come true and now we can help children's wishes come true through the LATISSE™ Wishes campaign," said Soare. "I am excited to bring this worthy campaign to cities across the country."
For more information about the LATISSE™ Wishes charitable awareness campaign, please visit www.LATISSE.com.
About LATISSE™ LATISSE™ (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker. Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes. The once-daily prescription treatment is applied to the base of the upper eyelashes with a sterile single-use-per-eye disposable applicator. While individual results may vary, LATISSE™ users can expect to experience results in as little as eight weeks, with significant results in 16 weeks. To maintain effect, continued treatment with LATISSE™ solution is required, and if use of LATISSE™ is discontinued, eyelashes will gradually return to where they were prior to treatment over a period of several weeks to months (average eyelash hair cycle).
Important LATISSE™ Information LATISSE™ (bimatoprost ophthalmic solution) 0.03% is a prescription treatment for hypotrichosis used to grow eyelashes, making them longer, thicker and darker. Eyelash hypotrichosis is another name for having inadequate or not enough eyelashes.
LATISSE™ Important Safety Information Do not use LATISSE™ solution if you are allergic to one of its ingredients.
LATISSE™ solution is intended for use on the skin of the upper eyelid margins at the base of the eyelashes. If you have a history of abnormal intraocular pressure (IOP), you should only use LATISSE™ under the close supervision of your physician.
LATISSE™ use may cause darkening of the eyelid skin which may be reversible. LATISSE™ use may also cause increased brown pigmentation of the colored part of the eye which is likely to be permanent.
If you are using other prescription products for lowering eye pressure or have a history of eye pressure problems, use LATISSE™ under close physician supervision.
If you develop or experience any eye problems, eyelid reactions, or have eye surgery, consult your physician immediately about the continued use of LATISSE™.
The most common side effects after using LATISSE™ solution are an itching sensation in the eyes and/or eye redness. This was reported in approximately 4% of patients. LATISSE™ solution may cause other less common side effects which typically occur on the skin close to where LATISSE™ is applied, or in the eyes. These include skin darkening, eye irritation, dryness of the eyes, and redness of the eyelids.
Full prescribing information is available at www.LATISSE.com and www.allergan.com.
About Make-A-Wish Foundation The Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world, with 66 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 174,000 wishes in the United States since its inception. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish®.
About Allergan, Inc. Founded in 1950, Allergan, Inc., with headquarters in Irvine, California, is a multi-specialty health care company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative pharmaceuticals, biologics and medical devices that enable people to live life to its greatest potential — to see more clearly, move more freely, express themselves more fully. The Company employs more than 8,500 people worldwide and operates state-of-the-art R&D facilities and world-class manufacturing plants. In addition to its discovery-to-development research organization, Allergan has global marketing and sales capabilities with a presence in more than 100 countries.
Allergan Medical, a division of Allergan, Inc., offers the most comprehensive, science-based, aesthetic product offerings under its Total Facial Rejuvenation™ portfolio, including BOTOX® Cosmetic; hyaluronic acid and collagen-based dermal fillers; and physician-dispensed skin care products. Allergan Medical also offers the industry's widest range of silicone gel-filled and saline-filled breast implant options for reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery, and leading minimally invasive devices for obesity intervention treatment.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements", including statements regarding research and development outcomes, efficacy, adverse events, market and product potential and other statements regarding LATISSE™.
These statements are based on current expectations of future events. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from Allergan's expectations and projections. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, general industry and market conditions; technological advances and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in the research and development and regulatory processes; challenges related to product marketing, such as the unpredictability of market acceptance for new products and/or the acceptance of new indications for such products; inconsistency of treatment results among patients and the potential for product failures; unknown risks associated with the investigational devices that are the subject of clinical trials; potential difficulties in manufacturing new products; general economic conditions; and governmental laws and regulations affecting domestic and foreign operations. Allergan expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as required to do so by law.
Additional information concerning these and other risk factors can be found in press releases issued by Allergan, as well as Allergan's public periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the discussion under the heading "Risk Factors" in Allergan's 2008 Form 10-K. Copies of Allergan's press releases and additional information about Allergan is available on the World Wide Web at www.allergan.com or you can contact the Allergan Investor Relations Department by calling (714) 246-4636.
Allergan Contacts: Caroline Van Hove (714) 227-5911 (media) Heather Katt (714) 697-2981 (media) Make-A-Wish Contact: Brent Goodrich Media Relations Manager (602) 279-9474, ext. 5210 (media) bgoodrich@wish.org Share the power of a wish® is owned by the Make-A-Wish Foundation®.
I dedicate this YouTube Video to the NIGERIAN WOMEN ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA (NWAG).
Dear Totty, Yes. I know that you are really pretty and sexy and you make the hearts of the dandy and randy men to beat faster whenever they see you, but I love Nwag more than you. Nwag who makes me sing Georgia on My Mind. Of course Nwag is prettier and sexier and wiser too, because she is not hawking herself on the street or at the club. Nwag is the queen of the women of valor and while you are busy debasing yourself so cheaply and stupid, Nwag is busy celebrating our womanhood and honoring women of valor in America and Nigeria. In fact, my darling nwayi ngaga Nwag is awarding more 29 scholarships to brilliant female students in the 36 states of Nigeria.
Yes, the raunchy girls can rock and roll and shake their booty as they like, but the wise ones are burning the midnight oil and making top grades and getting Nwag’s scholarships and making the Honors List and joining the Ivy League of the Women of Valor who are the real women after my heart, because romance is loving a woman of honor for a woman of honor is a woman of valor. The Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31.
Video: Cosmetic Procedures Up In All Ethnic Groups Except Caucasians In 2008
Largest Increase In Hispanics, Up 18%, New ASPS Plastic Surgery Statistics Show
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., March 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Tough economic times may have caused a decline in some areas of cosmetic surgery, but procedures among ethnic patients are up. According to statistics released today by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), ethnic cosmetic procedures increased 11 percent in 2008, with more than 3 million performed, while procedures among Caucasians dropped 2 percent. Cosmetic procedures among Hispanics, the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the U.S., experienced the greatest growth: up 18 percent.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/plasticsurgery/37338/
"We're seeing a rise in Hispanics opting for cosmetic procedures that coincides with the growth we're seeing in the nation's population," said ASPS President John Canady, MD. "Less social stigma, as well as, advances in procedures allow patients to maintain their ethnic look. While the majority of patients continue to be Caucasian, the profile of the typical patient is changing."
Mexican-American Raquel Laurent, 41, recently had an injectable filler and light laser skin resurfacing to refresh her appearance during these tough economic times. "I've always been interested in cosmetic procedures. And, like many people, I'm more willing to invest in something that lasts many months compared to say a vacation. How you look and feel is important, no matter what your ethnicity."
It's no coincidence Laurent opted for the benefits of cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures. In fact, overall, minimally-invasive procedures were up 5 percent in 2008, ASPS statistics show. Minimally-invasive procedures with the largest increases included injectable fillers and facial rejuvenation procedures.
"Laser skin resurfacing and chemical peels can provide tremendous results when done by a board-certified plastic surgeon familiar with ethnic skin," cautions ASPS Member Surgeon Tripti Burt, MD, who performed Laurent's procedures. However, in the wrong hands, these procedures can lead to pigment irregularities and scarring."
Hispanics comprised 10 percent of the 12 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures performed in 2008, with nearly 1.3 million procedures; African Americans made up 8 percent with 910,000 procedures, up 10 percent; and Asians accounted for 7 percent with 866,000 procedures, up 5 percent.
The most commonly requested cosmetic minimally-invasive procedures for all ethnic groups were Botox(R), injectable fillers, and chemical peel.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. Representing more than 6,700 physician members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
Video: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/plasticsurgery/37338 Source: American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
CONTACT: ASPS Public Relations, +1-847-228-9900, media@plasticsurgery.org
MOËT &; CHANDON UNVEILED SCARLETT JOHANSSON AS THE FIRST FACE OF CHAMPAGNE AT FABULOUS "TRIBUTE TO CINEMA" EVENT
Moët, the Champagne of Cinema, Revealed its Iconic Muse before a Dazzling Array of International Who's Who, including Thandie Newton, Joseph Fiennes and Melanie Laurent 25 March, 2009, London, U.K. /PRNewswire/ — Moët & Chandon, the champagne of cinema, last night introduced its highly-anticipated celebrity spokesperson at the brand's "Tribute to Cinema" gala at the Big Sky studio in London: the effervescent Scarlett Johansson. Always the legendary pioneer, Moët is the very first champagne House to introduce a Hollywood celebrity ambassador as the face of the world's most loved champagne.
Celebrating among the delighted and glamorous guest list was array of British and international movie stars and socialites, including Thandie Newton, Joseph Fiennes and Melanie Laurent.
Moët's "Tribute to Cinema" theme infused every detail of the evening, which was held at London's Big Sky film studio. British and international celebrities arrived in "red carpet" attire and were elegantly greeted by House President Frédéric Cumenal. Following the Moët red carpet tradition from the international film festivals the House supports, celebrities were then invited to autograph a Moët & Chandon Nebuchadnezzar, which will be auctioned off in direct support of Scarlett's charity of choice, international aid agency Oxfam and its climate change work.
Upon entering the studio, guests were instantly plunged into an enchanting sensorial cinema experience, an audio and video projection of the most celebratory moments from iconic films. The pièce de résistance was the fabulous gilded Moët cork in the center of the studio, symbolizing Moët's ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Around 10:30pm, to the delight and surprise of all present, Scarlett Johansson was revealed as the Hollywood face of Moët & Chandon. Frédéric Cumenal escorted her into the event from the red carpet, where the guests warmly received her.
Moët and the movies are intrinsically similar, as both share magic with the world and make people dream. Like the movies, Moët is also a powerful and enchanting symbol of celebration, in good times and in these financially difficult times.
"Moët and the movies both tell compelling stories and share authentic emotions with the world," explained Scarlett Johansson, the Hollywood face of Moët & Chandon. "I am honored to have been chosen as their ambassador and to make history with the brand, as the first celebrity face of champagne!"
"Scarlett Johansson was the obvious choice as our ambassador because she, like Moët, has a magical story to tell and makes people dream", said Frédéric Cumenal, President of Moët & Chandon. "She is a true icon of celebration — refreshingly spontaneous, generous, glamorous and she lives life to the fullest both on-screen and off".
In yet another fabulous surprise following the champagne toast, the gilded cork opened, revealing iconic London trendsetter-cum-DJ Jefferson Hack and Paris-born Jerry Bouthier behind turntables, transforming the studio into a glamorous dance floor, where guests celebrated for the rest of the evening.
Moët will launch an international advertising campaign starring Scarlett Johansson from April 2009, which was shot by renowned photographers Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott. The campaign will include print, outdoor and online advertising, featuring Moët and Scarlett as icons of celebration and reinforcing the brand as the champagne of cinema.
ABOUT MOËT & CHANDON Recognized for its quality and prestige, Moët & Chandon is the champagne of cinema and the reference for fabulous celebration around the world. Founded in 1743, the House continues its legacy of celebration and its mission to share magic with the world through its strong commitment to cinema. Moët has been the official champagne of the Golden Globes for almost two decades, and the exclusive champagne of the 2009 Oscars®. Moët is also a longtime sponsor of the Deauville American Film Festival in France and the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. Generations of legendary actors, actresses, producers and directors have celebrated their achievements with Moët & Chandon.
Schering-Plough partners with the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics to tell the delightful story of "Breathless Bethany Buttercup"
KENILWORTH, N.J., March 24, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — Asthma is the most common chronic condition among children, with approximately 6.8 million children currently with asthma in the United States.1,2 It accounts for almost 13 million missed school days each year and is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among those younger than 15 years of age.3,4 With statistics like these, a diagnosis of asthma can often be daunting for parents and children. Parents often struggle with the best way to talk to their children about asthma, and many children with asthma report a desire not to be treated differently from other children.5 To help parents speak with their children about asthma and support children coping with their disease, Schering-Plough Corporation has partnered with the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) to develop a fun, yet educational, storybook, Breathless Bethany Buttercup, that uses a little girl's story about her experience with asthma to provide information about asthma management.
"When my daughter, Danielle, was first diagnosed with asthma, I was in need of a way to help me talk to her about the condition and the importance of using medication to help her feel better," said Julie Driggers of Omaha, Nebraska. "It is great to see that there is now an informative resource like this storybook available for children. This storybook also conveys the seriousness of asthma and highlights the importance of working with your doctor to develop an asthma action plan."
Some children find it difficult to accept an asthma diagnosis, which makes the role of a parent all the more vital. According to a 2007 study published in the journal Pediatric Nurse, it is important for parents to talk to a physician about ways to build their child's self-confidence and prevent them from feeling stigmatized when they display difficulty coping with their asthma.6 Parents should also monitor their child's asthma and continue to work with their child's physician to determine an appropriate asthma management plan.7
"We're excited to collaborate with Schering-Plough on the development of an asthma storybook for children," said Nancy Sander, founder and president of the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics. "The number one reason why parents call our organization is to find answers to questions about medications and how to help their children to take them as prescribed. Breathless Bethany Buttercup provides the perfect forum for parents and children to talk about asthma and how to manage their condition."
Breathless Bethany Buttercup was written by Tolya Thompson and illustrated by Curt Walstead. With playful rhymes and colorful illustrations, the storybook appeals to early elementary school-aged students and parents can order a free copy through Schering-Plough and the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics. For more information or to receive your own copy, visit www.asthmastorybook.com or www.breatherville.org.
About Pediatric Asthma Asthma is a chronic disorder characterized by inflammation of the air passages, resulting in the temporary narrowing of the airways that transport air from the nose and mouth to the lungs.8 Asthma symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, can occur and can impact multiple aspects of patients' lives.9 Asthma is the most common chronic condition among children1, and it is the cause of 7 million outpatient asthma visits to physician offices and nearly 200,000 hospitalizations among children each year in the United States.3 It is also the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age of 15.4
About Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) Founded in 1985, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics is the leading national nonprofit family organization dedicated to eliminating suffering and death due to asthma, allergies and related conditions. AANMA's core areas of expertise are education, advocacy and outreach. Call 800.878.4403 or visit www.breatherville.org.
About Schering-Plough Corporation Schering-Plough is an innovation-driven, science-centered global health care company. Through its own biopharmaceutical research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough creates therapies that help save and improve lives around the world. The company applies its research-and-development platform to human prescription, animal health and consumer healthcare products. Schering-Plough's vision is to "Earn Trust, Every Day" with the doctors, patients, customers and other stakeholders served by its colleagues around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is www.schering-plough.com.
References "Childhood Asthma." Challenges for the 21st Century: Chronic and Disabling Conditions. National Academy on an Aging Society, No. 8 June 2000. www.agingsociety.org/agingsociety/pdf/asthma.pdf "Fast Stats A to Z: Asthma." National Center for Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/asthma.htm "Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use and Mortality: United States, 2003-05." National Center for Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/ashtma03-05/asthma03-05.htm. "Asthma & Children Fact Sheet." American Lung Association, September 2007. http://www.lungusa.org/site/apps/nl/content3.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=2058817&content_id={05C5FA0A-A953-4BB6-BB74-F07C2ECCABA9}¬oc=1.
"Talking to Your Child About Asthma." American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology, 2000. http://www.aaaai.org/patients/allergic_conditions/pediatric_asthma/talking_to_child.stm Butz, Arlene M., et. al. "Shared Decision Making In School Age Children with
"Asthma in Children: Creating an Asthma Action Plan." Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/asthma/HQ00273.
"Asthma Facts and Figures." Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2005. http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=8&sub=42
"What is Asthma?" National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, May 2006. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Asthma/Asthma_WhatIs.html Video
Related Links www.asthmastorybook.com
www.breatherville.org
www.schering-plough.com
Media Contacts: Julie Lux 908-298-4774 Investor Contacts: Janet Barth Joe Romanelli 908-298-7436
Program features works by Peter Pucci, Heidi Latsky, Carla Vannucchi, Robert Koval, and Kitty Lunn
NEW YORK / Monday, March 23 / PRNewswire/ — Kitty Lunn will present her Infinity Dance Theater, a non-traditional company for dancers with and without disabilities, in new works by Peter Pucci, Heidi Latsky, Carla Vannucchi, and Ms. Lunn, along with an Infinity favorite by Robert Koval from the company's first season in 1995. Performances will be held May 28-31 at Joyce SoHo.
For Kitty Lunn, the season will be a celebration of 50 years in dance. The New Orleans native started dance classes as a child and performed with several companies, including the Washington Ballet, where she danced in Swan Lake, Giselle, Les Sylphides, The Nutcracker, and the full company repertory. Lunn moved to New York in 1967, and in 1987 while preparing for her first Broadway show, she was injured in an accident which left her paraplegic. Determined to show that dancers can move in a multitude of ways, Lunn founded Infinity in 1995 to expand the boundaries of dance and change the world's perceptions of what a dancer is. In addition to regular New York seasons, the company's schedule has included appearing at festivals in Italy, two seasons at the Kennedy Center in D.C., and the 1996 Cultural Paralympiad in Atlanta. Lunn is also active as an actress on stage and TV (including a long stint on "As The World Turns"), a dance educator and an advocate for people with disabilities.
For its Joyce SoHo season, Infinity has commissioned a work from brilliant Italian choreographer Carla Vannucchi, who has worked with the companies of William Forsythe and Pina Bausch, and is a master teacher of Horton and Graham techniques. For Ms. Lunn, she has created Portrait of Frida, which explores the relationship of Frida Kahlo to her paintings. Set to music by Carlos Chavez, the solo adds paint and canvas to the dance.
Acclaimed choreographer Peter Pucci returns to Infinity with Lead Me Home, featuring Kitty Lunn and her husband, actor Andrew Macmillan. The concept of this new work began as a tribute to Ms. Lunn's father, who passed away just prior to the company's 2006 season. As the piece developed, it began to encompass the 50 years of her love affair with dance, as well as her relationship with her husband and with her chair. The piece will feature live Celtic harp and Gaelic vocal as a tribute to her father's Scottish roots.
The program's third premiere is The Empty Tomb by Heidi Latsky in collaboration with Kitty Lunn. Ms. Latsky, a former principal dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, was called a "choreographer and dancer of uncommon intelligence and fluidity" by Jennifer Dunning (The New York Times). Set to the Stabat Mater by Pergolesi and ancient Aramaic chant, the piece focuses on Mary Magdalene's journey on Easter morning, depicting a woman of great personal strength who mourns the incredible loss of a beloved one and discovers faith, peace, and hope in the wake of extreme brutality.
A fourth premiere entitled Water/Fire, choreographed by Ms. Lunn, features an original score composed and performed live by the acclaimed percussionist William Catanzaro, with additional percussion by Jerome Morris. Water/Fire reflects the ways in which human bodies, some with and some without disabilities, work with and amongst one another in and out of harmony and balance.
To convey Infinity's diverse spectrum of dance, the company will revive After All, founding member Robert Koval's stirring work about love, loss and loyalty in relationships. After All was commissioned by and premiered at the 1996 Cultural Paralympiad in Atlanta.
Infinity Dance Theater is supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; The Shubert Foundation; the Fund for Creative Communities/NYSCA, administered by the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council; The Harkness Foundation for Dance; and other generous contributors.
Ticket Information Thursday-Sunday, May 28-31 (Thurs-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 3pm) Joyce SoHo, 155 Mercer Street (Houston/Prince) Tickets: $25, $15 students/seniors/people with disabilities, free for personal care attendants Purchase tickets in advance at www.joyce.org or (212) 352-3101 or onsite one half-hour before curtain.
"...a marvelous creature, an exquisite dancer with an upper body of seamless fluidity, a touching emotional tone in her movement quality, and a complete mastery of her instrument. Did I mention that she performs from a wheelchair? She has made a friend and partner of her wheelchair, and the results are both creative and gratifying."
Phyllis Goldman, Backstage
"(Infinity Dance Theater) is the embodiment of Lunn's conviction that the spirit of dance can be just as elegantly expressed in different forms"
Randy Blaun, WE Magazine
About Joyce SoHo The creation of Joyce SoHo was made possible by the magnanimous support of the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust. Joyce SoHo is supported by private funds from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, First Republic Bank, The Harkness Foundation for Dance, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, The Shubert Foundation and The Starr Foundation; and by public funds from the New York City Council; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs; the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art. Special support for Joyce SoHo provided by the Lila Acheson Wallace Theater Fund established in The New York Community Trust by the founders of the Reader's Digest Association, Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Foundation for Contemporary Arts.
Kanye West performing at Perez Hilton's One Night in Austin Presented by Dell. (PRNewsFoto/Dell) AUSTIN, TX UNITED STATES 03/24/2009
24 Mar 2009 11:00 Africa/Lagos
Perez Hilton Throws Another Epic Event
SURPRISE PERFORMANCE BY KANYE WEST CLOSES SXSW
INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCES FROM LITTLE BOOTS, LADYHAWKE, YELLE AND MORE
AUSTIN, Texas, March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Famed Blogger and music enthusiast Perez Hilton partnered with Dell to bring his signature "One Night In..." series to Austin for a second time during the 2009 SXSW festival on Saturday night. Hilton hosted the most anticipated party of this year's SXSW in a pink dazzling, "perez-licious" get-up and wrapped up the festival with a surprise performance by Kanye West.
The party kicked off with comedian Margaret Cho, followed by surprise act Indigo Girls. The night carried on with performances by amazing artists including Ladyhawke, Yelle, Little Boots, Solange, Ida Maria, Thunderheist, Rye Rye, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Aaron LaCrate, Kraak and Smaak and Jeppe.
"It was all about the music, and we had some of the most amazing women and divas from all over the world, and from all different musical genres, performing on one stage - on one truly special night," said Hilton. "Dell really knows how to throw a party and that was evident by the great crowd and energy that this event produced."
Kanye West, Amber Rose and Perez at Perez Hilton's Event Presented by Dell. (PRNewsFoto/Dell) AUSTIN, TX UNITED STATES 03/24/2009
The audience was in for a huge surprise when Kanye West rocked the stage with a 30-minute set jam-packed with hits about half way into the party. The awe-struck crowd went crazy. The venue was filled with music enthusiasts, artists and celebrities alike. The star-studded event was host to actress and musician Juliette Lewis, actress/fashion designer/musician Taryn Manning, actor Ethan Suplee from the cast of "My Name is Earl," Jamie Burke, the new face of ck one, and Mandy Lauderdale.
The "One Night In..." series, which premiered in Austin last year, has boasted a stellar array of international acts and has been credited with ushering a host of new talent into the spotlight. Artists that have performed throughout the series have included: Katy Perry, Lady GaGa, The Ting Tings, Estelle, Mika, Eric Hutchinson, and N.E.R.D., to name a few. Since its debut, Perez Hilton has taken "One Night In..." across the globe with events in Toronto, New York City and Liverpool.
As a part of their partnership with Hilton, Dell is bringing the party to Perez fans worldwide with in-depth, exclusive online coverage of the event at the Dell Lounge. To watch band performances, red carpet moments and behind-the-scenes footage, sign up at www.delllounge.com/perez to get a secret link that will grant VIP access to the party via the web.
"Dell inspires people to look at technology as an expression of style and individualism," said Susan Kittleson, Director of Americas Consumer Marketing for Dell. "We're thrilled to team with Perez Hilton to support great music and make content available to people who are passionate about music."
In the back of the venue Dell provided a Dell Lounge Playground with a full swingset and slide. In addition, a Dell Mini bar was set up allowing attendees to update their social networking pages and more. Additional sponsors who helped make the event a success included Alize, Dos Equis, Cafe Bustelo, FUZE Beverage, FIJI water, Tito's Vodka, Red Bull and Parkside Restaurant.
About Dell:
Through innovative experiential programs like last year's Dell Summer Rocks music festival tour featuring the Dell Dome, and now Perez Hilton's One Night in Austin, Dell helps passionate fans celebrate the beautiful collision of technology and music. Products like the Dell Inspiron Minis and Wasabi handheld wireless printer and shopping experiences like the Dell Design Studio are redefining value, personalization and customization for connected mobile lifestyles.
About Perez Hilton:
Cubano and Miami Native Perez Hilton is the Internet's most notorious gossip columnist. The LA Times calls Perez, "like US Weekly, the Star, the Enquirer and Life & Style all rolled into one sweet yet snarky, sagacious yet salacious gay man." Perez was named the #1 Web celebrity for 2007 and 2008 by Forbes Magazine and as one of the 15 most influential Hispanics in the US by People en Espanol.
Since launching in 2004, PerezHilton.com has become one of the leading go-to sites for celebrity news. In February 2008, eMarketer identified perezhilton.com as one of the top 5 websites for college aged women, beating out MySpace! The UK's prestigious Observer newspaper named perezhilton.com (#6) one of the 50 most powerful blogs. In May 2008, Perez kicked off a daily nationally syndicated radio show in 7 of the top 10 markets in North America. Perez has also become a celebrity in his own right. In 2007 he premiered his own show, What Perez Sez on VH1. Appears on television (ABC, CNN, E! News, Dateline, NBC, MTV, VH1, and Much Music); and has been featured in the L.A. Times, The Wall Street Journal, Paper Magazine, CBS News, US Weekly and InTouch Weekly and many more. Recently Master P. launched his mobile website at m.perezhilton.com, now his gossip gangsters can be updated anywhere they go!
CONTACT: Giant Noise, Jada Williams, +1-646-649-4933, jada@giantnoise.com; or Entertainment Fusion Group, Joyce Sevilla, +1-310-432-0020, ext. 108, Joyce@efgpr.com; or BMF Media Group, Bruce Starr, +1-212-591-0101, bruce@bmfmedia.com; or Dell, Bob Kaufman, +1-512-723-5494, Bob_Kaufman@dell.com
Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands opens 60th edition of Keukenhof in Lisse
LISSE, March 19, 2009 /PRNewswire/ — By baptizing the new Spring Garden tulip, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands officially opened the 60th edition of the international flower exhibition, Keukenhof, on March 18. In this jubilee year the theme 'USA, New Amsterdam: New York, 400' strengthens the bonds of friendship with the numerous American visitors, as well as Dutch discoverer Henry Hudson. Approximately 10 percent of customers purchasing tickets from the Keukenhof box office originated from the United States. And four centuries ago, Hudson stepped ashore on what is now Manhattan — on behalf of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, the Dutch East India Company, who in those times ruled the seas — thus establishing New Amsterdam, later re-named New York. It made Hudson and the Dutch indirectly responsible for establishing the city as we know it today.
In the past six decades Keukenhof has enjoyed a warm interest from the members of the Royal Family. On May 2nd, 1972, then Queen Juliana and the Prince Consort Bernhard celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary and in 2001 Princess Maxima made her first public appearance at Keukenhof.
Emphasizing the theme for 2009, Prof. Dr M.J. Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam, and Congressman Maurice Hinchey, addressed the audience.
Spring Garden is a Darwin-hybrid tulip, bred by Plant Research International Wageningen from a Madame Lefeber and a tetraploide and furthermore upgraded by Fluwel in Burgerbrug. Natural blooming is around end of April.
America in flowers The 2009 theme is impressively showcased by a portrait of the world famous Statue of Liberty in flowers, a scene measuring 26 by 17 yards, which incorporates more than 50,000 flower bulbs.
Keukenhof 2009 has designed an American-themed route starting with the Hudson River at the park's entrance. From there a swaying path of blue grape flowers illustrates the two streams of New York, and leads the visitors along recognizable American locations such as Brooklyn, Harlem, and Wall Street. A walk of fame pictures a.o. present former First Lady Laura Bush, as well as James Last and Manhattan in flowers.
In the 32-hectare historic park, some seven million tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and all other spring bulbs exuberantly grow. This year the park will be open from March 19th until May 21st.
For further information: Keukenhof, Annemarie M.M. Gerards-Adriaansens, pr manager, +31 (0)252 465505, fax: +31 (0)252 465565 a.gerards@keukenhof.nl
The World Fashion Week's Channel is still under construction, but you can watch the shows and so much more on their YouTube Channel.
“World Fashion Awards honors individuals and entire cultures who make fashion memorable”
20 Mar 2009 12:55 Africa/Lagos
World Fashion Awards Announces Winners in Moscow
MOSCOW, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 18, 2009, the World Fashion Awards ("WFA") named the best of the best in the Russian fashion industry. The ceremony was held in Moscow and was broadcasted worldwide by the World Fashion Channel.
The special World Fashion Award for Professional Achievement went to Alexander Shumsky, President of Russian Fashion Week ("RFW") and head of Artefact Communications Agency -- the prominent Russian PR company specializing in luxury, fashion, travel and lifestyle.
"We honored Alexander Shumsky as a pioneer who did the basic things that developed the Russia fashion industry. His Russian Fashion Week is the only professional event in Russia with a record of fashion discoveries and great influence on the whole market," said Igor Udalov, President of World Fashion Channel on the ceremony.
Russian Fashion Week, which began in 2000 in Moscow, is renowned as the biggest fashion event in Eastern Europe. RFW is famous for discovering new fashion talents and for showcasing the best Russian and ex-Soviet Union designers as well. Russian Fashion Week, which is held every April and October, is supported by the Russian Federation Ministry of Culture and features several international shows each season. Designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Jenny Packham, Jeremy Scott, Julien Macdonald, Matthew Williamson, La Perla, Frankie Morello, Armand Basi and Agatha Ruiz de la Prada have all showcased their collections in Moscow at RFW.
Internationally renowned Russian designer Slava Zaitsev received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding career spanning nearly 50 years. Slava Zaitsev just turned 71 years old and still holds a top position in Russian fashion. He was nicknamed Red Dior by the international media for creating glamorous collections during the era of the Soviet Union. Slava Zaitsev and his son Egor, who is famous for his avant-garde collections, are participants in Russian Fashion Week. Slava Zaitsev is also the founder of the Lamanova Fashion Contest which every year since 1998 has been awarded to Russia's best young designer.
The World Fashion Awards was founded by the World Fashion Channel in 2008 to recognize the most important people in fashion in Russia. The World Fashion Channel is an international satellite TV channel about fashion and headquartered in Switzerland with representative offices in Milan, Moscow, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Istanbul and Los Angeles. Russia is one of the key markets for the World Fashion Channel which reaches over 1 billion viewers in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Launched in 2005, the World Fashion Channel covers the latest fashion events, recent fashion and style news, current fashion trends, the lives of top models, backstage stories, photo session reports and designers' biographies along with celebrity red carpets, retro fashion returns, music videos and the best fashion shows from the most acknowledged designers.
For more information:
Maria Popova, RFW International Affairs Director popova@artefact.ru Artefact Communications Agency Tel: +7 (495) 232-14-75/76/77/78 http://www.rfw.ru/
This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.
Source: Russian Fashion Week
CONTACT: Maria Popova, RFW International Affairs Director, +7(495)232-14-75-76-77-78, popova@artefact.ru
Is there humour in the picture of the woman kissing the monkey dressed as a man?
20 Mar 2009 10:00 Africa/Lagos
All Humour is Caused by Just Eight Patterns
CARLISLE, England, March 20/PRNewswire/ -- Evolutionary theorist Alastair Clarke has today published details of eight patterns he claims to be the basis of all the humour that has ever been imagined or expressed, regardless of civilization, culture or personal taste.
"All it takes is the surprise recognition of one of these patterns to trigger humour," says Alastair Clarke. "Sometimes a single pattern is the cause but just as often combinations of two or three are recognized simultaneously. Theoretically there is no limit to the number of patterns that may combine to make a person laugh."
Clarke has stated before that humour is based on the surprise recognition of patterns but this is the first time he has narrowed them down to eight specific types.
"Some of the patterns are quite simple and easy to understand. The most basic is what we call positive repetition, which just means that something is repeated in a similar form with the same purpose. The repeated item can be anything - an action, an entity, or a property.
"Then there's opposition, in which something is turned against itself. You might think of this as seeing a reflection in a river or turning an arrow back to point in the other direction, creating a pattern of symmetry.
"Another is what we call 'scale,' where we take something and repeat it in a different size. The item remains the same but the scale it's on changes, which is a common way to form a visual pattern.
"Unfortunately not all the patterns are quite so intuitive. Completion, qualitative recontextualization, translation, division and applicative recontextualization make up the remaining five.
"While it may seem bizarre to some, these few patterns are the real stimulus that makes us laugh, regardless of the content of the sit com we're watching or the funny story we're being told.
"They've also played a vitally important role in the evolution of the ingenuity of the human race. Their unconscious recognition has enabled humans to develop an intellect capable of analysis and invention on an unprecedented scale."
Clarke's findings are published today in a book entitled The Eight Patterns Of Humour, part of a series based on his Pattern Recognition Theory. A free eBook is available at http://www.pyrrhichouse.co.uk/eightpatterns for a period of 30 days.
"The book describes the eight patterns in detail and then goes on to explain precisely what people find amusing in more than a hundred different types of humour, demonstrating the unparalleled universality of the theory."
Clarke's research is based on the observation of many thousands of instances of humour. The analysis of ten thousand of these is to be made freely available on the internet as The Humour Ten Thousand during 2009. For more information visit http://www.pyrrhichouse.co.uk/research.
http://www.pyrrhichouse.co.uk
Notes to editors:
Alastair Clarke is an evolutionary theorist living in Cumbria, United Kingdom. He was educated at Oxford and London universities. http://www.pyrrhichouse.co.uk/alastairclarke
Superstar's Latest Single From I AM...SASHA FIERCE Rockets To Top Of Billboard's Dance Single Club Play Chart
NEW YORK, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Pop superstar Beyonce has rocketed to the #1 slot on the Billboard Dance Single Club Play chart with "Diva," the latest single from her best-selling I AM...SASHA FIERCE album. Beyonce's sister Solange is closely following her sibling on the same chart with her own hit single -- "T.O.N.Y." -- at #11.
Released as a digital download and CD single on January 20, 2009, "Diva" has already been certified as a Gold ringtone by the RIAA.
An audacious video for "Diva," lensed by acclaimed director Melina Matsoukas, premiered on iTunes on December 22 in tandem with the video for "Halo," the third single from I AM...SASHA FIERCE.
Cowritten and produced by Beyonce, the irresistibly hypnotic dance track provocatively redefine "Diva" as the "female version of a hustla."
After reaching #5 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, "Diva" bulleted up the Hot 100 to #19, earning Beyonce her 16th Top 20 single. A genuine crossover success, "Diva" has reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, #3 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and #19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
"If I Were A Boy," the first single from I AM...SASHA FIERCE, held down the #1 spot on the Billboard/iLike digital chart for 16 straight weeks, the longest run in the history of the chart.
Americans Spend More Time Looking in the Mirror as Unemployment Rate Soars
Perfectly pressed pleats, shiny shoes, neatly manicured nails; Americans focus on being well suited for the interview process
SAN FRANCISCO, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The footage and photos are compelling. Over 3,700 job hungry Americans in their finest "interview suits" queue around hotel corridors and spill into Manhattan streets anxiously waiting to enter a job fair two weeks ago. With employment losses exceeding 600,000 a month for three straight months for the first time since 1939, interviewing for a job has taken on an entire new level of importance for most of the country.
In a nation where casual Friday in the workplace has trickled into a five-day-a-week norm at many companies, a plethora of unemployed Americans are being forced to make a paradigm shift and give their approach to interviews a "fresh coat of paint." A well-pressed suit, polished shoes and a new haircut are suddenly "musts" when scores of other applicants are competing for the same position and so much is at stake.
Oliso, a high-performance iron manufacturer headquartered in San Francisco, makes it its business to ensure that Americans look their best. "An appropriate moniker for this era is 'The Iron Age' - as in, Americans are breaking out their irons, many for the first time, in record numbers to ensure they look their absolute best before heading off to an interview," reports Ehsan Alipour, president of Oliso Irons. "As the saying goes, 'you only have one chance to make a good first impression,' and perhaps this has never been more important to Americans than right now," Alipour continued.
In addition to the focus on fastidiousness, another result of the current economic state is that Americans are forgoing trips to the dry cleaner in exchange for the cost-free exercise of pressing their pleats at home. Dry cleaning costs combined with the gas required to get to the dry cleaner, are pushing this cash-strapped nation to dust off their old iron or invest in a new high tech, high-performance one.
Oliso Smart Irons offer the following tips to those in search of the immaculate image when heading out for a job interview. If there are problems with the outfit you plan to wear, the time to fix them is not when the interview confirmation finally lands in your Inbox.
-- Plan ahead! -- Shop in your closet: Most don't have the resources to purchase a new suit. Take a hard look in your closet at what you already own. Rather than buy something new, dress up or stylize your old suit with a different shirt, tie or scarf. This can bring an entire new look to an old outfit. -- Wrinkles are wrong. Showing up for an interview in the "perfect" outfit that is wrinkled tells your perspective boss that either you don't care or that you are too lazy to iron it. Use the vertical steam feature on your iron to steam out your suit jacket while it's on the hanger. Wrinkles will fall out in tough-to-fix areas such as the arms, shoulder and back of the jacket. There is no need to pay for the cleaning of a suit at the dry cleaner when all it needs is a quick freshening up with steam. -- If your closet is cramped, chances are you are going to need to steam out or iron your outfit before wearing it, even if it's still in the bag from the dry cleaner. -- Polish your shoes. Even if you think they don't need it, a good polish to an old pair of shoes makes them shine and appear brand new. -- Make sure your socks match your shoes and suit, and are thigh high. You don't want an interviewer to be distracted by your bare leg when you cross your leg during an interview and your pants leg rides up. -- Short skirts (above the knee) have no place in the interview process even if it's part of a suit. -- Remove your nose ring and/or tongue ring if you have them. If you have tattoos that are visible, do your best to cover them. Right or wrong, why take the chance that the person interviewing you may not be a fan of such things. You can always reveal these once you get hired, if it's appropriate.
For these and other tips for looking your best for a job interview, visit www.oliso.com
Source: Oliso Smart Irons
CONTACT: Jennifer Gear of Cogent Public Relations, +1-781-937-3489, jennifer@cogentpr.com, for Oliso Smart Irons
