SALVADOR, Brazil - After three days of seminars, teacher exhibitions and judging by an internationally renowned panel of education experts, today Microsoft Partners in Learning announced the winners of the 2009 Worldwide Innovative Teacher Awards at the Worldwide Innovative Education Forum. Partners in Learning recognizes and rewards teachers who demonstrate exemplary use of technology in the classroom to improve student learning. The 14 winning teachers — awarded first, second and third place in four categories — were chosen from among the 250 at the Forum representing more than 60 countries.

The Best Practice winners in the four main competition categories are Mandeep Atwal of England, Innovation in Community; Mark Sparvell of Australia, Innovation in Collaboration; Autumne Streeval and Harriet Armstrong of the United States, Innovation in Content; and Moliehi Sekese of Lesotho, Educators Choice. The 2009 Worldwide IEF award ceremony, held tonight in Salvador, Brazil, was attended by 400 educators, school leaders, government officials and others from more than 60 countries.

'The Innovative Teacher Awards exemplify the dedication and imagination of the world's most forward-thinking educators,' said Michael Golden, corporate vice president of Education at Microsoft. 'The energy and entrepreneurism of the winning teachers demonstrate the infinite possibilities that technology can create to improve learning opportunities and inspire future generations toward greater academic achievement. Microsoft remains committed to supporting the community in this quest. I'd like to extend warm congratulations to everyone who participated in this and the regional events that led up to today's celebration.'

The following are the top three finalists in each category, in finishing order:

Innovation in Community
• Best Practice: Mandeep Atwal (England), 'Young Voices'
• First Runner-Up: Ollie Bray (Scotland), 'Thinking outside the XBOX'
• Second Runner-Up: Lucrecio Filho de Oliveira (Brazil), Projeto 'Barreiro'

Innovation in Collaboration
• Best Practice: Mark Sparvell (Australia), 'Connecting Hearts Heads and Hands'
• First Runner-Up: Karina Batat (Israel), 'The Traveling Mascot'
• Second Runner-Up (Tie): Myreia Gussinye (Mexico), 'Tolerant'
• Second Runner-Up (Tie): Xiaoyong Tang (China), 'Exploration of Ant Behavior'

Innovation in Content
• Best Practice: Autumne Streeval and Harriet Armstrong (United States), 'US Industrial Revolution Tic Tac Toe'
• First Runner-Up: Damien Lebegue (France), 'Differentiated/adapted Teaching in PE'
• Second Runner-Up: Alex Vieira dos Santos (Brazil), 'Fontes De Energia'

Educators Choice
• Best Practice: Moliehi Sekese (Lesotho), 'Indigenous Plants'
• First Runner-Up: Janjira Phongchoo (Thailand), 'MS Excel Game Building Techniques'
• Second Runner-Up: Isabel Schapdryver (Belgium), 'Secondhandshop'

'Winning the Educators Choice award is certainly a great honor,' said Moliehi Sekese of Lesotho who won for her project Indigenous Plants. 'Just being here and seeing how teachers from all over the world are enriching the lives of students is ultimately even more rewarding.'

Since 2003, the Partners in Learning award competition has been recognizing individuals with the Worldwide Innovative Education Awards for excellence in teaching. Teachers participate in country-level and regional events. Winners move up to the Worldwide competition.

The judging community includes education experts from all over the world. At the event 36 judges representing 23 countries spend nearly 20 hours talking to the teachers and learning about their projects; then in a private room they discuss, debate and share with one another until the winners are finally selected.

'Every year the submissions seem to get better and better, and this year is no exception,' said Judge Eduardo O.C. Chaves of Brazil. 'The level of sophistication of these entries shows that teachers are continuing to innovate and expand the ways they use technology to help students all over the world realize their potential.'

Next year's Innovative Teacher Awards results will be announced at the 2010 Worldwide IEF, which will take place in Cape Town, South Africa. Country- and regional-level competitions will take place beginning in November 2009. Interested teachers should contact their local Microsoft office for more information or look online at http://www.microsoft.com/education/pil/partnersInLearning.aspx.

At the event, school leaders from 12 Mentor and 30 Pathfinder Schools also participated in a three-day workshop and were recognized for their leadership in driving system-level educational reform.

About the Innovative Education Forum

The Innovative Education Forum is an annual worldwide event. Regional forums are held around the world to create communities of teachers who can share ideas and best practices with their peers and facilitate the creation of collective knowledge. Subsets of regional forum participants are selected to represent their country at the Worldwide Innovative Education Forum.

About Microsoft Education

We believe that technology can expand the power of education and unlock the potential of students, educators and schools. Microsoft partners with education communities around the world to deliver relevant solutions, services and programs that focus on improved personalized learning outcomes.

About Unlimited Potential

Microsoft, through its Unlimited Potential vision, is committed to making technology more affordable, relevant and accessible for the 5 billion people around the world who do not yet enjoy its benefits. The company aims to do so by helping to transform education and foster a culture of innovation, and through these means enable better jobs and opportunities. By working with governments, intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations and industry partners, Microsoft hopes to reach its first major milestone — to reach the next 1 billion people who are not yet realizing the benefits of technology — by 2015.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq 'MSFT') is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass on Microsoft's corporate information pages. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may since have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/contactpr.mspx.

— WebWireID107227 —

'The Cool Beans' are the company's flagship property. They are a group of hip, contemporary, musicians with an old school flare. In 'The Cool Beans: We Need a Hit', The Cool Beans, the hippest band in the garden, have spent all their money producing their first song in hopes of landing a recording contract with the Kernel, the president of Marigold Records. The Bean's recording is stolen by rival band The Bad Seedz who are hoping to eliminate the competition and land a contract of their own.

Apart from being featured in this upcoming film, The Beans are poised to make a big mark on the music scene. Their first single 'Bean Somethin'' was released earlier this month on Daddy Bean Records.

Walsh Family Media is an independent intellectual property developer and animation studio based in NYC. The company was started in 2002 by Hollywood stuntman and entrepreneur Patrick Walsh Jr. The company's mission has been consistent since it's inception: 'To strengthen the connection between parents and their children by producing healthy, hip and fun family branded content where the only rule is to keep it cool!'

Walsh Family Media is continuing to 'keep it cool' by bringing an independent edge to an industry run by huge corporations. For instance, on November 11 Patrick Walsh will be riding a children's tricycle from Downtown Brooklyn to Midtown Manhattan to raise money for charity and to bring attention to independent film in NYC.

More information about 'The Cool Beans' can be found online at www.thecoolbeansmovie.com

About Patrick M. Walsh, Jr.

Patrick M. Walsh, Jr. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Walsh Family Media, LLC and is the creator, writer, Producer and Director of The Cool Beans; We Need a Hit. Walsh's business career began on Wall Street in the Government Bond department of Fundamental Brokers. At Fundamental, a lifelong curiosity and experience with computers enabled him to lead the implementation of a multi-million dollar, state-of-the-art trading system. After teaming up with Grammy Award nominated musician Danny Lavery to record songs for children, Walsh started on the road to developing his own unique kid-friendly property, Walsh left his career in business behind him for a life in the film industry.

In 1998, while continuing to develop music and ideas for a children's property Walsh began appearing as a stunt man and as an actor in both TV and film—most notably in The Patriot, The Day After Tomorrow and I Heart Huckabees. In 2002 Walsh started Walsh Family Media, LLC and began developing the property that would become 'The Cool Beans' full-time out of his Upper West-Side New York apartment. Today Walsh Family Media continues to operate out of a studio in Mid-Town.

www.walshfamilymedia.com

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November 6, 2009 – New York - Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa is pleased to announce the launch of its new and improved website. In addition to the site's many new features that make it easier to find them through the search engines and social media sites, the new design and interface present a dramatic improvement to the customer's experience. The new website for Orchid Aesthetics can be found at: http://orchidaesthetics.com

Orchid Aesthetics' goal is to provide their visitors with information to help them make informed decisions when considering aesthetic enhancement. The new site navigation, based on regions of the body, helps visitors browse a range of options and get recommendations on what services are offered for specific needs. In addition, Orchid Aesthetics has YouTube videos posted that share company information and client testimonials. Also offered are products for sale, gift certificates and a new blog on anti-aging and aesthetic enhancements, all of which will be update in the coming months.

New Service Announcement
A vast array of laser services was launched at Orchid Aesthetics in October 2009 and we are pleased to offer a 50% discount on packages of 4 or more until November 30th, 2009. Of particular note are the Non-Fractional Laser Skin Tightening treatments whose benefits include; no downtime, immediate results, and long-lasting results after the 4th treatment.

ABOUT ORCHID AESTHETICS
Orchid Aesthetics Medical Spa is a New York Rejuvenation Center providing a full array of laser services; non-surgical facelift, acupuncture facelift, chemical peels, anti-aging Botox injections, and facial fillers (Juvederm, Restylane, Perlane, Radiesse) administered under the direct supervision of an aesthetic physician. For more information about Orchid Aesthetics and their complete line of services and to request an appointment, go to: http://orchidaesthetics.com/

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— WebWireID107210 —

Throughout its 121-year history, National Geographic has encouraged conservation of natural resources and raised public awareness of the importance of natural places, the plants and wildlife that inhabit them and the environmental problems that threaten them. In the past four years, 54 articles in National Geographic magazine have been photographed by iLCP members. Photographers whose work has appeared in the magazine and who are scheduled to present at WiLD SPEAK include Michael Nichols, Brian Skerry, Paul Nicklen, Steve Winters, Tim Laman, Christian Ziegler, Frans Lanting, Jack Dykinga, Tom Peschak, Klaus Nigge and James Balog.

Tim Kelly, president of National Geographic Global Media and president/CEO of National Geographic Ventures, and Frank Biasi, director, conservation and special projects, National Geographic Maps, will speak at WILD9.

"We are excited to be part of WILD9 -- a vital forum that is closely aligned to our own mission to inspire people to care about the planet," said Kelly. "It speaks to our ongoing commitment to environmental storytelling across all of our media platforms. We constantly challenge ourselves to take these kinds of stories and find fresh ways to share them with our many audiences. It's an honor to have supported some of the conservation photography showcased at WILD9 and WiLD SPEAK, and we look forward to future collaborations with iLCP."

"This year's congress greatly expands our focus on the visual and written media professions as catalysts and influencers to raise awareness of environmental issues and on their role in achieving conservation outcomes," said WILD Foundation President Vance Martin. "National Geographic is an ideal sponsor of WILD9 by virtue of its commitment to conserving nature and traditional communities, and success in bringing issues, emotion and information to audiences regarding the beauty and fragility of our planet."

WILD9's principal theme is the key role that wilderness conservation plays in mitigating climate change and conserving biodiversity and other ecosystem services critical to human well-being.

Please send requests for images to media contacts below.

WILD9 is a partnership between The WILD Foundation and Unidos para la Conservación and relies on the support and participation of many partner organizations.

The National Geographic Society (www.nationalgeographic.com) The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to "increase and diffuse geographic knowledge," the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. National Geographic reflects the world through its magazines, television programs, films, music and radio, books, DVDs, maps, exhibitions, live events, school publishing programs, interactive media and merchandise. National Geographic magazine, the Society's official journal, published in English and 32 local-language editions, is read by more than 35 million people each month. The National Geographic Channel reaches 310 million households in 34 languages in 165 countries. National Geographic Digital Media receives more than 13 million visitors a month. National Geographic has funded more than 9,200 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geography literacy.

iLCP (www.ilcp.com) Its mission is to further environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography. iLCP is a project-driven organization, with a vision to translate conservation science into compelling visual messages targeted to specific audiences. iLCP works with leading scientists, policy makers, government leaders and conservation groups to produce the highest-quality documentary images of both the beauty and wonder of the natural world and the challenges facing it. From poaching to global warming, from habitat loss to cultural erosion, from sustainability to biological corridors, the work of conservation photographers covers the range of threats to biodiversity and is a critical component in the conservation toolbox.

The WILD Foundation (www.wild.org) Founded in 1974, WILD is the only international organization dedicated entirely and explicitly to wilderness protection around the world. WILD works to protect the planet's last wild places and the wildlife and people who depend upon them, because wilderness areas provide essential social, spiritual, biological and economic benefits. We believe that intact wilderness areas are an essential core element of a healthy modern society.

Unidos para la Conservación (www.unidosparalaconservacion.org) Founded in 1992, Unidos is a nonprofit Mexican conservation organization that has actively promoted the concept of wilderness conservation in Mexico. Its working strategy combines the establishment of alliances with government, nonprofit and corporate partners with the promotion of a conservation culture through publications and films in a search of conservation solutions through specific action.

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'As with other life insurance policies, a variable policy provides your beneficiary with permanent protection once you pass away,' the article, Variable Life Insurance Policy: More is Better than Less, describes. 'Despite the protection, many people neglect to purchase a life insurance policy simply because it's too linear for them. A variable life insurance, however, is unlike any insurance policy you'll ever come across.'

While a variable life insurance policy comes with all of the benefits of a standard life insurance policy, it differentiates itself by it also allowing the policyholder to divide a portion of the premium dollars to a separate account, typically made up of investment funds. These types of investment funds include: equity, money market, bond, and stock funds, among others.

If an investment fund does poorly, however, an investor will have less money available for the premiums. The policy's cash value and death benefit may decrease as well, meaning investors will have to put in more work to keep the policy active.

'Despite these obstacles, a variable policy offers plenty of punch to its holders,' the article emphasizes. 'If you're tired of the same old benefits a standard life insurance policy offers, contact your life insurance agent and inquire about how a variable life insurance policy can spice things up for you.'

Staff contribution: Rafael Onak

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In the 15 years that Lotto has been played, the National Lottery has paid out more than £32 billion in prize money, creating thousands of new millionaires and multi-millionaires.

The biggest individual Lotto win by a player agreeing to publicity was achieved in July 2004 when Iris Jeffrey landed a staggering 20.1 pounds million. Good Causes have also benefitted from the Lotto and other National Lottery games, with more than £23 billion being raised over the last 15 years.

Whilst the Lotto game has created an army of millionaires since it first began, not everyone who has won a prize has claimed it. UK lottery players have up to 180 days to claim a prize, and if that deadline is missed then the prize is given over to the Good Causes fund.

It would be understandable to think that only minor prizes would go unclaimed (http://www.national-lottery.com/blog/unclaimed-lottery-prizes.asp), but some very substantial Lotto jackpot wins have been unclaimed too. The biggest unclaimed prize so far was worth £9,746,996.

Lotto was the very first National Lottery game to be played in the UK, with the inaugural draw took place on Saturday 19 November, 1994. A Lucky Dip feature was introduced in March 1996 which allowed players to have their numbers generated at random, and today Lucky Dip entries are just as popular as hand-picked entries.

The potential to win life-changing jackpots certainly played a big role in the success of the Lotto, but so did the charitable aspect of the game. 28p of every pound spent on lottery tickets goes to Good Causes, and since the Lotto game started in 1994 more than 325,000 grants have been approved to support a variety of worthwhile projects in every part of the UK.

The immediate success of the Lotto game led to the development and launch of many other National Lottery games including scratchcards, Thunderball , Lotto HotPicks, Daily Play, EuroMillions and Dream Number. Players who feel nostalgic and would like to check the results for the very first lottery games can find a complete archive of results via http://www.national-lottery.com/results.asp.

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The study, published online in Cancer Prevention Research, is the first to examine green tea as a chemopreventative agent in this high-risk patient population. The researchers found that more than half of the oral leukoplakia patients who took the extract had a clinical response.

Long investigated in laboratory, epidemiological and clinical settings for several cancer types, green tea is rich in polyphenols, which have been known to inhibit carcinogenesis in preclinical models. Still, clinical results have been mixed.

"While still very early, and not definitive proof that green tea is an effective preventive agent, these results certainly encourage more study for patients at highest risk for oral cancer," said Vassiliki Papadimitrakopoulou, M.D., professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, and the study's senior author. "The extract's lack of toxicity is attractive - in prevention trials, it's very important to remember that these are otherwise healthy individuals and we need to ensure that agents studied produce no harm."

In the Phase II dose-finding study, 41 M. D. Anderson oral leukoplakia patients were randomized between August 2002 and March 2008 to receive either green tea extract or placebo. Participants took the extract, an oral agent, for three months at one of three doses - 500 per meter squared of body mass (mg/m2); 750 mg/m2 or 1,000 mg/m2 - three times daily. To best assess biomarkers, participants also underwent a baseline and 12-week biopsy, an important component in the design of the study, the researchers say.

"Collecting oral tissue biopsies was essential in that it allowed us to learn that not only did the green tea extract appear to have benefit for some patients, but we pointed to anti-angiogenic effects as a potential mechanism of action," said Anne Tsao, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, and the study's first author. "While preliminary because our patient population was so small, this gives us direction for further study."

Of those taking green tea at the two highest doses, 58.8% had a clinical response, compared with 36.4% in the lowest extract dose and 18.2% in the placebo arm. At an extended follow-up with a mean of 27.5 months, 15 participants had developed oral cancer, with a median time to disease development of 46.4 months.

Although not statistically significant, the green tea extract also improved histology and trended towards an improvement in a number of biomarkers that may play a vital role in predicting cancer development.

Another important finding, say the researchers, was that that the extract was well tolerated. Side effects, including insomnia and nervousness, were mostly seen in the high-dose group but produced no significant toxicity.

"While these are encouraging findings, much more research must be done before we can conclude that green tea may prevent oral or any other type of cancer. It's also important to remind people that this trial enrolled very few participants who, at the highest dose levels took the equivalent of eight cups of green tea three times a day," said Papadimitrakopoulo. "We need to further understand if green tea offers longer-term prevention effects for patients."

Papadimitrakopoulo and Tsao think that future studies with green tea in this high-risk population should focus on participants being exposed to the supplement for a longer time period. The researchers also stressed that the green tea extract studied in this trial was never sold over-the-counter and/or the Internet, both of which are not highly regulated. Rather, the compound was exclusively developed as a pharmaceutical.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 35,720 are expected to be diagnosed with oral and/or pharynx cancer and the five year survival rate is less than 50%.

The study was funded by Ito En, the company that produced the green tea extract.

In addition to Papadimitrakopoulou and Tsao, other M. D. Anderson authors on the study include: Waun Ki Hong, M.D., professor and chair of the Division of Cancer Medicine; Jack Martin, D.D.S., professor in the Department of Dental Oncology; Li Mao, M.D., adjunct professor, and Xi Ming Tang, M.D., Ph.D., research scientist, both of the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology; Adel El-Naggar, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Department of Pathology; Iganacio Wistuba, M.D., professor in the Department of Pathology-Research; Kirk Culotta, Phar M.D., Department of Pharmacy pharmacology research; Ann Gillenwater, M.D., professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery; J. Jack Lee, Ph.D., professor, and Diane Liu, both of the Department of Biostatistics. Other authors include Yuko Sagesaka of Ito En, Ltd. 11/05/09

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NASCAR driver David Ragan and the UPS (NYSE:UPS) team will have an extra 4.5 million fans cheering them this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway when Ragan gets behind the wheel of his No. 6 Ford Fusion, which will sport a new paint scheme that reflects UPS and Boys & Girls Clubs of America's (BGCA) UPS Road Code safe driving program.

The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, introduced a national program this year in collaboration with BGCA to teach the company's industry-leading safe driving techniques to teens. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, but UPS and its world-renowned drivers are making an effort to change that with the help of BGCA and Ragan.

"UPS drivers are among the safest on the road. The Road Code program gives us the opportunity to use our nationally recognized safe driving training to directly impact a need in our communities and prevent teenage deaths," said Ken Sternad, president of The UPS Foundation. "This special paint scheme captures our commitment to driving safety, starting with teens at local Boys & Girls Clubs, and sharing it with UPS NASCAR fans."

The new car design for the Texas race incorporates BGCA's logo, along with handprints from members of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas who are participating in the UPS Road Code program. The paint scheme was unveiled in a special trackside event featuring Ragan and these Club teens.

"Our entire race team is excited about the special Boys & Girls Clubs of America design we're running this weekend," said Ragan. "This is definitely a change from the normal look of our UPS car, and it's always fun to give the fans something new to get excited about. This car is certainly going to stand out on track and hopefully help bring some awareness to Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the UPS Road Code program."

Ragan became a spokesperson for the UPS Road Code program this season, supporting the program through a series of video and audio public service announcements that are available online and have been broadcast on radio stations nationwide. He's also been visiting some Boys & Girls Clubs near racing cities, speaking to the UPS Road Code teens about the importance of safe driving.

"Safety is a priority for me on and off the track, and being on the road is something that needs to be taken seriously," continued David. "It's easy to get distracted when you're in the car, but you need to be really focused when you're behind the wheel of a vehicle."

"We are extremely grateful to The UPS Foundation for bringing UPS Road Code to our teens, providing access to important safety training utilizing state-of-the-art simulators," said Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "The paint scheme for David's car is outstanding. It truly captures the essence of our Clubs, our kids, and our dedication to their safety."

Teens, parents, and others interested in learning more about safe driving and UPS Road Code should visit www.ups.com/roadcode. And for regular updates on UPS Road Code, safe driving tips and other UPS news, sign up for the UPS Twitter channel at twitter.com/ups_news.

— WebWireID107181 —

Adapted from the novel by James Jones and directed by Fred Zinnemann, 'From Here to Eternity' explores the troubled lives of several soldiers (and the women who love them) on an Army base in Hawaii in the months leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The film culminates in a large-scale re-creation of the attack, combined with actual documentary footage.

'From Here to Eternity' won Academy Awards® for Actor in a Supporting Role (Frank Sinatra), Actress in a Supporting Role (Donna Reed), Black-and-White Cinematography (Burnett Guffey), Directing (Zinnemann), Film Editing (William Lyon), Best Motion Picture (Buddy Adler, producer), Sound Recording (Columbia Studio Sound Department, John P. Livandary, sound director), and Writing – Screenplay (Daniel Taradash). The film also earned Oscar® nominations for Actor (Montgomery Clift), Actor (Burt Lancaster), Actress (Deborah Kerr), Black-and-White Costume Design (Jean Louis), and Music – Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture (Morris Stoloff, George Duning).

This new digital restoration by Sony Pictures was made from the only original elements still in existence, the fine-grain master positive, which was scanned at 4K to create a new 35mm negative, and features a digitally restored original soundtrack.

Tickets for 'From Here to Eternity' are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID, and may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office or by mail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. All seating is unreserved. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

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The Weather Channel® (TWC), in partnership with singing legend Aaron Neville and The Salvation Army, announces the release of "Holiday Party," a holiday music compilation album. The CD features the single "Please Don't Forget" by Aaron Neville, and a portion of the proceeds from the single and the CD, both available by download from theweatherchannelmusic.com, will be donated to The Salvation Army's Annual Red Kettle Christmas Campaign.

"We are very excited to expand The Weather Channel music collection with the release of our new holiday album, 'Holiday Party,'" said Robyn Coward, director of licensing and merchandising for The Weather Channel. "The timing of this campaign aligns perfectly with the holiday season and the recent launch of theweatherchannelmusic.com."

"Holiday Party" features a mix of upbeat and festive music. Along with classic holiday songs, the CD offers the all-new single "Please Don't Forget" by Grammy Award-winner Aaron Neville. A song about true joy and peace received from helping others, "Please Don't Forget" follows in the tradition of the "original" Salvation Army Christmas song "Silver Bells," which also is performed by a Salvation Army brass band on the CD. "Silver Bells," inspired by the iconic Salvation Army bell ringer, was originally recorded by Bing Crosby in 1950.

Neville also lends his voice to the holiday classics "White Christmas" and "Go Tell It On The Mountain" from his album "Christmas Prayer." "Holiday Party" features other well known artists such as Ray Charles, The Beach Boys, Amy Grant, The Salvation Army Ensemble, One Approved, Matt Belsante and Blessing. Classic holiday songs include "All I Want For Christmas," "Little Drummer Boy," the Charlie Brown Christmas Theme and others.

"One of the sounds I love about the holiday season is the 'ring ring' of Salvation Army bells at Red Kettles. It brings hope, happiness and awareness to so many around the U.S. It's such an honor to partner with The Salvation Army and The Weather Channel on this holiday collection and new song. 'Please Don't Forget' is just a reminder to reach out a hand to our brothers and sisters who may need a little extra help this holiday season and every season for generations to come," said Aaron Neville.

Aaron Neville will appear for the special premiere performance of "Please Don't Forget" Friday, Nov. 20 on Wake Up with Al, The Weather Channel morning show hosted by Al Roker and Stephanie Abrams. The Weather Channel, Aaron Neville and The Salvation Army also have joined forces to promote the single and the CD. TWC will support the effort from weather.com as well as on air. The single "Please Don't Forget" - available exclusively on the "Holiday Party" CD - and the full CD will both be available for purchase and download from theweatherchannelmusic.com. "Holiday Party" will be distributed to the retail market via EMICMG Distribution, a subsidiary of EMI Music. The CD will be available at major retailers such as Wal-Mart.

"The Salvation Army has a strong musical tradition so this partnership is a natural fit," said Major George Hood, national community relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. "This is an excellent way for people to help their neighbors in need by supporting the Red Kettle Campaign while enjoying some great music in the process."

The release of "Holiday Party" follows past CD release successes from The Weather Channel. In December 2007, TWC's debut album "The Weather Channel Presents...Smooth Jazz" hit number one on Billboard's current contemporary jazz charts and became a top-20 seller on Amazon.com. In spring 2008, a second "Smooth Jazz II" compilation was on Amazon.com's Top-40 list for several weeks. Both CDs are available at www.weather.com/store, Best Buy and Amazon.com.

About The Weather Channel Companies
The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC) is made up of The Weather Channel Network (TWCN), The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCi), and Weather Services International (WSI). The Weather Channel® is based in Atlanta and is seen in more than 99 million U.S. households. TWCN also operates Weatherscan, a 24-hour all-local weather network; The Weather Channel Radio Network; and The Weather Channel HD. TWCi, which includes the weather.com® site, The Weather Channel Desktop and The Weather Channel Mobile, reaches more than 40 million unique users online each month and is the most popular source of online weather, news and information according to Nielsen//NetRatings. WSI, headquartered in Andover, MA, primarily provides business-to-business weather services, particularly for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. TWCC is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for 129 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar spent is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/.

About Aaron Neville
Aaron was the first Neville to burn his way up the national charts when "Tell It Like It Is" hit number one in 1966. The Neville Brothers, with Aaron as one of the lead vocalists, went on to record a series of memorable albums, including Yellow Moon (for which Aaron wrote the title track). Aaron's solo career hit another high in the Nineties when Linda Rondstadt and George Massenburg produced Warm Your Heart. He won two Grammies for his duets with Linda Ronstadt on "Don't Know Much" and "All My Life," both Top Ten hits. In 1994, he won Best Country and Western Vocal Collaboration with Trisha Yearwood for "I Fall to Pieces." In this same period, he also won Best Male Singer two years running in the Rolling Stone critics' poll. After five decades of consistent hit-making, Aaron Neville has, in the words of one Rolling Stone writer, "reached a highpoint in a career marked by artistic superlatives. Bring It On Home - The Soul Classics is an album for the ages and Neville's most remarkable work to date." Aaron continues to record new music and tour internationally with both The Neville Brothers and with his Quintet featuring Charles Neville. For more information, go to http://www.aaronneville.com/.

— WebWireID107174 —

On October 4th a synthetic ice rink was constructed in downtown Boston, MA on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, the city's newest park, as a focal attraction of their 'Try Something New' Fall Festival.

According to Mike Gallant, President of Artificial Ice Events, 'An Artificial Ice Events rink was an anchor activity at the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy's fall festival…families enjoyed teaching young ones to skate in the comfort of short sleeves.'

Gallant explained, 'The application speaks to the organization's mission of maintaining and programming the Greenway with sustainable (green) practices.' The synthetic rink also allowed the Conservancy to test the public attraction of a rink without the high costs involved with a traditional ice arena.

This autumn has been an active time for the company, with a wide variety of events produced and locations visited. In September the company provided the ice arena for the Classic Chill Fest at the Seminole Casino in Hollywood, Florida featuring performances by Vanilla Ice.

A professional ice show with a cruise ship theme was recently produced for the W.B. Mason sales conference at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. Six Olympic level performers skated to a live band with a 30 minute choreographed performance.

This fall the company created a student skating party at Rutgers University in Camden, New Jersey. Hundreds of skaters took to the ice with a live DJ on hand and a fireworks display to close the evening.

Artificial Ice provided the synthetic ice rink for the Bauer National Sales Conference in Boca Raton, Florida last month. The ice surface allowed the sales force to experience the new line of Bauer hockey skates in a realistic skating environment.

About the Company

Artificial Ice Events specializes in the construction of synthetic ice rinks and provides professional event planning for clients across the nation. For more information about the green benefits and cost savings of synthetic ice, visit www.artificialiceevents.com, call 1-800-275-0185, or email info@artificialiceevents.com.

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The team at Ski & Trek, the company at the forefront of North West skiing retail, have come up with not one, but two excellent ways to beat the recession and get your holiday plans back on piste this year.

Firstly, they suggest that rather than forking out for flights, you get in your car and drive to the Alps. You won't be alone. Last winter ferry company P&O reported a significant rise in winter car and passenger traffic, despite the fact that overall the number of Britons taking ski holidays fell by 13 per cent.

According to P&O's Brian Rees, "Many of those extra cars and passengers were heading for the Alps."

The Ski & Trek team are so confident that this is a cheaper alternative to flying, they actually did it themselves last year, "Last winter I drove to the Swiss Alps; it's a breeze compared to how it was 20 years ago."

"The autoroutes cost about £55 each way in tolls, depending on your destination, and it took me (without breaking speed limits and stopping only for diesel, coffee, sandwiches and the occasional leg stretch) just over seven hours from Calais to parking outside my accommodation in Villars, Switzerland."

On top of this cheap alternative to flying, Ski & Trek are offering to kit-out a family of four in ski-gear for just £340. The package is set to include both adult male and female outfits and two kids' Dare2b freeride outfits. What's more, customers who quote this article when they contact Ski & Trek will be eligible to receive a further 10% off.

Don't let the recession stop you from enjoying a great skiing holiday this year - simply follow Ski & Trek's advice and you're guaranteed to have great fun for a great price.

Ski & Trek were established in 2008 with the sole aim of offering quality all-weather clothing for the discerning, price-conscious customer. To find out more about Ski & Trek, or to take advantage of one of their great deals, visit the website at: http://www.ski-trek.co.uk/about-us/company-today.html.

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The new work, the result of a Women Composer's Commissioning Competition held by Melodia Women's Choir, was written by Chris Lastovicka. The music is set to poems by Kay Ryan, the current U.S. Poet Laureate. Artistic Director Cynthia Powell will conduct.

''Notes Upon the Breeze' is fresh and inspired, full of subtlety and wit,' said Powell. The choir is now in its sixth season, according to Jennifer Clarke, executive director and founder, and is performing its third commissioned work by a woman composer.

The concert, filled with radiant music that reflects the meditative sentiments of autumn, also features "Songs of the Lights" by Latvian-born Canadian composer Imant Raminsh. Five songs from 'The Princess' by Gustav Holst will be performed by the choir, along with selections from Pergolesi's "Stabat Mater", which is recognized for its beauty and musical mastery.

The choir will be joined by the string performers of the Transfiguration Quintet and Taisiya Pushkar on the piano.

Melodia Women's Choir is comprised of 35 talented women singers who are selected through an auditioning process. The choir is described as having a "rich and ringing" sound, and has performed several sold-out concerts, including at Merkin Hall.

Chris Lastovicka's work has been performed at the Boston Early Music Festival, Merce Cunningham Studio, in Spoleto, Italy, by the New York City Opera at its VOX showcase of American Composers, and elsewhere.

The mission of Melodia Women's Choir is to create, explore and perform rarely heard women's choral music and to promote opportunities for women composers and musicians.

Jennifer Clarke, founder, is an arts consultant in New York who has worked with Symphony Space, Dancing in the Streets and the American Music Center. Melodia Conductor Cynthia Powell recently conducted choral scenes for Meredith Monk's Songs of Ascension at BAM. Melodia Women's Choir has been featured on WNBC, Women's Voices for Change and Women's eNews, and has been invited twice to perform at celebrations of Women's History Month of NYC.

Funding for Melodia's commissioning program is provided by the Sorel Charitable Organization and the Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation.

For more information see www.melodiawomenschoir.org.
____________________________________________________________________
CONCERT DETAILS

Melodia Women's Choir
'Notes Upon the Breeze'
Saturday, November 14, 2009
8 pm
Saint Peter's Church, Citigroup Center
Lexington Avenue at East 54th Street, New York City
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
Visit www.melodiawomenschoir.org or call 212-252-4134

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Dr. Bixby said being with the team for two days was a surreal experience. 'We fitted some of the finest athletes, one right after the other, so much talent in one room. These are true professionals who take their performance seriously. They were all so easy to work with.' Bixby himself fitted Guard Tim Duckworth, Safety Chip Vaughn, D.E. Will Smith, Connecticut's star T.E. Tyler Lorenzen and W.R. Tim Meachem, to name a few.

The Pure Power Mouth Guard technology is not reserved for professionals. 'We fit all kinds of athletes with the VERY SAME technology and guards the pros use. Some just want increased performance on the golf course or tennis courts; others are college athletes looking for every chance to improve. We've even found that singers and speakers benefit from wearing a PPM.'

Getting a Pure Power Mouth Guard is a simple two visit procedure. The first is a highly specialized but pain free fitting appointment that lasts about two hours. During the second appointment, the patient goes home with the mouth guard.

For more information on the PPM mouth guard, to see photos or blog with Dr. Bixby about his experiences with the pros, visit http://www.purepowermouthguard-ppm.com

About Dr Michael Bixby
Dr. Michael Bixby, DMD, FAGD is a General, Cosmetic and Neuromuscular/TNJ Dentist practicing at the Atlantic Center for Advanced Dentistry in Little Silver, NJ.

http://www.CosmeticDentists-NJ.com

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Sedation dentistry has been available for decades. With the realization that millions of Americans, nearly 30%, are afraid of the dentist, sedation dentistry has grown in popularity and demand.

Dr Sherzoy believes many of his NJ patients avoid regular dental care because of anxiety and fear. He is concerned about those patients who avoid dental care at all costs, even if they are in pain or discomfort. 'Dental negligence can lead to serious medical consequences. Many people don't associate conditions like diabetes, heart disease and stroke with dental neglect, but these are some of the major repercussions that can occur as a result of avoiding the dentist.'

With Conscious Sedation dentistry, the patient will experience a state of very deep relaxation. They can still speak and respond to the requests of others. According to Dr Sherzoy, 'Unlike General Anesthesia where a patient is completely unconscious, asleep, and unable to respond, patients under Conscious Sedation, are able to respond to commands and breathe on their own.'

Dr Sherzoy is trained in certified by the renowned DOCS Education. All of the DOCS programs are designed exclusively by practicing dental and medical professionals. They are built upon countless hours of study and research in the science and methodology of oral sedatives, patient psychology, and pain management and control.

To learn more about Dr Sherzoy and Bogota Dental Center, visit http://www.dentistbergencounty.com/

About Dr Sultan Sherzoy
For over 16 years, Dr. Sherzoy has been providing the Bogota New Jersey community with excellent dental care. Dr. Sherzoy specializes in all aspects of dentistry, including cosmetic dentistry, periodontal diseases, advanced prosthodontics and full mouth rehabilitation and root canal therapy.

Dr. Sherzoy is an active member of the ADA (American Dental Association), AGD (Academy of General Dentistry), ICOI (International Congress of Oral Implantologist) and AOI (Academy of Osseo Integration). He is also a fellow of ICOI, finally a regular attendee of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics.

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Anyone who drives a car undoubtedly places items on the front passenger seat. If a driver stops short or takes a last minute turn, these items can go flying to the floor or between the seat and door.

Drivers can be distracted by attempting to secure or to pickup these items from wherever they landed. Seat Strap is the perfect automotive accessory to prevent this from happening. Seat Strap keeps items securely in place as drivers turn, stop short or accelerate.

Seat Strap can be placed around any car seat, front or back. It provides a secure, non-slip grip to virtually any object placed on the seat. The Seat Strap keeps drivers and their belongings safe by reducing these distractions.

Holiday gift shoppers can take advantage of the Seat Strap introductory offer which includes 2 Seat Straps and a bonus visor strap for $14.95. More information and a product demonstration is available at http://www.seatstrap.com.

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Washington, D.C. -- Whitney Houston. Bob Marley. Edith Piaf. Placido Domingo. Busta Rhymes. Joni Mitchell. Whether influencing a genre or providing the soundtrack that defined a generation, each of these artists has established a firm place in music history. NPR is asking audiences to help decide which voices rise to the top for "50 Great Voices" -- a year-long exploration of iconic, distinct and memorable vocalists in recorded history, set to launch on-air and online in January 2010.

Voting is now open at the "50 Great Voices" site (npr.org/greatvoices): a striking interactive lets visitors listen to more than 100 nominated artists, and select their five favorites. Polling begins today and will remain open through November 16.

With "50 Great Voices," NPR is hoping to discover and rediscover awe-inspiring vocalists from around the world and across time. Last month, listeners and visitors to NPR.org were asked to nominate artists; NPR and a panel of experts whittled down the nearly 8,000 submissions to about 100 singers -- a mix of familiar names (we see you, Elvis Presley and Biggie Smalls) and surprising discoveries (like singer Alim Qasimov from Azerbaijan).

Audience votes will influence the final 50 artists to be profiled in the series -- which will spotlight the lives and legacies of these voices through radio pieces on all of NPR's programs, and online at NPR Music. The music discovery web site will offer additional content for all of the featured artists, including archival material, live performances, interviews and news.

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"The 'post' terms, thrown about vigorously by pundits, send out signals that the problems of our society related to gender and race have magically flown away in an unseen balloon," write the editors.

In the Fall 2009 edition, "Race, Feminism, Our Future," editors and writers take on race and feminism, two of the most provocative social, political and cultural topics of our times. The edition is a series of big-picture articles and visionary ideas.

In "Taking on Postracialism," Rinku Sen tackles the idea of postracialism and argues that just because a black man was elected President of the United States doesn't mean racial equality has been achieved. Sen says implementing policies to end racism won't erase it.

"Most Americans don't see racism as a system enabled by rules and structures," writes Sen. "They have no idea that when we lay seemingly race-neutral policies on top of the history of explicitly racist policy, the racial gap remains in place or grows."

To address racism and work toward achieving real racial justice Sen advocates re-framing the postracial discussion.

In "Birthers and Birchers: Hiding Behind Stars and Stripes," Loretta J. Ross makes a link between those who deny Obama's citizenship (birthers) and nativist, racist sympathizers (Birchers, named after members of the John Birch Society.) Ross warns that to ignore the far right allows the further spread of deceitful misinformation.

"We need to build a united human rights movement that won't allow wedge politics to divide us," writes Ross, who is the National Coordinator at SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective and a Consulting Editor on this edition of On The Issues Magazine.

Serena Garcia, Communications Coordinator at SisterSong, also consulted on this edition.

In a unique featured artist piece, Faith Ringgold narrates a multimedia slideshow of her story quilt, "How The People Became Color Blind and We Came to America." Ringgold is well known for her vast body of work that often combines painting, quilted fabric and storytelling.

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1. Christmas at Biltmore Estate: This is Asheville's biggest holiday event. Starting on November 6, America's largest home is decked out in festive finery. Candlelight Evenings are especially magical.

2. Downtown Asheville: Make holiday shopping more fun and relaxing while finding truly special gifts. Browse 200+ local shops and 30 art galleries. For a break, stop at one of the 50 restaurants or many coffee shops. Don't miss the" Seasonal Sizzle" fireworks downtown at 7 PM on December 5, 12 and 19.

3. Gingerbread Houses at Grove Park Inn: For a real treat, see the amazing display of gingerbread houses from the National Gingerbread House Competition at the famous Grove Park Inn Resort on November 18-January 3.

4. Biltmore Village: Located across from the entrance to Biltmore Estate, the Village is home to more than 40 unique shops. Visit the first weekend of December for Dickens in the Village.

5. Art: Asheville is a mecca for artists, so this is the place to find one-of-a-kind gifts. In addition to the galleries downtown and Biltmore Village, head to the Folk Art Center and the River Arts District.

6. Antiques: The best area in Asheville to find antiques is the Biltmore Antiques District with 13 stores within a mile and a half of the Biltmore Estate.

7. Winter Hiking: For the best views of the year, take a winter hike. With leafless trees, cool temperatures, less crowds and frequent bright blue skies, it may become your favorite time of the year to hit the trail.

8. Holiday Saving Packages: Stay in a home away from home, complete with the sights, sounds and smells of the holidays, at elegant bed and breakfast inns, many with special deals and packages.

9. Cabin Fever: For a quiet retreat from the holiday madness, escape to a romantic cabin or cottage.

10. Holiday Events: Catch one of the many holiday events in Asheville, from the Nutcracker to the Holiday Pops.

For more details on these, visit the 350-page free online travel guide at www.romanticasheville.com.

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