Emirates Adds Fifth U.S. Gateway with New Service to Dallas/Fort Worth

Beautiful air hostesses of the United Arab Emirates airline.

2 Feb 2012 17:00 Africa/Lagos

Emirates Adds Fifth U.S. Gateway with New Service to Dallas/Fort Worth



DALLAS, Feb. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- DFW AIRPORT -- Emirates, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, launched its new service from Dallas/Fort Worth to Dubai today. It is the fifth gateway for Emirates in the United States, and the fourth new route to join the airline's international network in 2012.

Emirates will serve Dallas/Fort Worth daily with a Boeing 777 aircraft offering the highest standards of passenger comfort, including private suites in First Class, lie-flat beds in Business Class and generously-sized Economy Class seats. EK221 leaves Dubai daily at 0245hrs, arriving at Dallas/Fort Worth at 0905hrs. The return sector, EK222, leaves Dallas/Fort Worth at 1150hrs, arriving at Dubai International Airport at 1220hrs the following day.

"Emirates' newest U.S. destination is a thriving and dynamic metroplex, which is home to one of the highest concentrations of Fortune 500 companies in the country," said Nigel Page, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Americas. "A direct link with Dubai will open new vistas for North Texas, with key trading and business centers in the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent now just one stop away."

"The new Emirates daily service to Dubai is a monumental development for DFW Airport, because it opens up a key region of the world for the citizens of Dallas/Fort Worth," said Jeffrey P. Fegan, CEO of DFW International Airport. "We are very pleased to have Emirates, one of the world's most highly regarded airlines, connecting DFW and Dubai, two of the world's top airport hubs."

"This daily flight is a big deal for both North Texas and our partners in the U.A.E.," said Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price. "Our world is getting smaller, and it's crucial that we take advantage of every opportunity to expand our global business and tourism presence. This connection certainly does that. Fort Worth is excited about the doors that will open thanks to this daily connection with our partners in Dubai."

"The direct flight creates a bridge between our two cultures and opens up endless economic opportunities for our region and the cities within it," said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. "And it comes at the perfect time, as our economy rebounds and exports climb upwards. Dallas continues to be a multinational city that the world is coming to and we welcome Emirates to DFW Airport."

"The United Arab Emirates is the single largest export market for American goods in the Middle East and trade continues to grow sharply, up more than 20 per cent in 2011 compared to the previous 12 months," said His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States.

"The U.S. is on target to surpass its pre-downturn 2008 record of $14.4 billion in total exports to the U.A.E. and this new Emirates route will spur hundreds of millions more in local economic activity. It will also attract more U.A.E. investment to Texas and more Texas investment in the U.A.E.," added His Excellency Mr. Al Otaiba.

On board today's inaugural flight from Dubai were Nigel Page, Emirates' Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Americas, and John Podgore, President, American Business Council. Upon landing, the Emirates delegation was met by over 100 business leaders from the Dallas/Fort Worth region.

Dallas/Fort Worth becomes Emirates' 121st global destination. Customers flying Emirates from Dallas/Fort Worth will be able to connect seamlessly to points across the Far and Middle East, Indian sub-continent and Africa via the airline's state-of-the-art hub in Dubai.

"Not only does our new Emirates service offer the fastest commercial journey times between North Texas and the Middle East, but also the most comfortable and entertaining experience in the sky," added Mr. Page.

Adding to the ease of travel, passengers can use emirates.com to book great rates for hotel and car rentals. Whether looking for a holiday at Disney properties, or an exclusive trip to Atlantis in either the Bahamas or Dubai, Emirates has access to over 23,000 hotels worldwide to meet every traveller's need. Hotel and cars can be simply added to an existing Emirates flight booking, through the airline's Manage a Booking section, or arranged without booking a flight at all.

Emirates Holidays, Emirates' tour operating arm, will feature Dallas/Fort Worth in its 2012 A World of Choice brochure. The annual brochure features over 100 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Indian Ocean, Asia, Australasia, Europe and the Americas. Three hotels and resorts in Dallas/Fort Worth will be included in the brochure, as well as additional properties available on request.

Emirates will continue to expand its network over the coming months. In addition to the new Dallas/Fort Worth service, flights to Lusaka and Harare started yesterday; Seattle will launch on March 1st, Ho Chi Minh Cityon June 4th and Barcelona on July 3rd.

About Emirates

Emirates currently serves 121 cities around the globe with a young and technologically advanced fleet of 162 wide-bodied aircraft that are equipped with industry-leading comforts in the air.

Additionally, Emirates has 241 wide-bodied aircraft on order, worth more than US$84 billion, and is the leading customer of the Airbus A380, with 19 in its fleet and 71 on order.

Renowned for its excellence in service and innovation, both on board and on the ground, Emirates holds an impressive array of prestigious awards, most recently including Air Transport World's 2011 "Airline of the Year" award and Frommer's selection of the Emirates Lounge at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport as one of the 2011 "Top Airport Lounges in North America."

Media Contact: Marvin Singleton
Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Tel: (214) 363-3990
msingleton@pstrategies.com


SOURCE Emirates Airline

Web Site: http://www.emirates.com

Tweet

France Gives Medical Aid To Victims of Kano Bombings

Red Cross give first aid to an injured person in northern Nigeria.

PARIS, Feb. 2 2012/African Press Organization (APO) / - After the terrible terrorist attacks that hit the city of Kano, France is mobilized to help victims through the delivery of 600 kilograms of medical aid that will to treat people injured in the violence.

The terrorist attacks of 20 January in the city of Kano have two hundred dead and several hundred wounded who were evacuated to local health facilities, public and private. Since then, attacks, on a smaller scale, continue to plague the city daily. According to information from the Minister of Health, Government of Kano State, more than two hundred wounded are currently hospitalized in public hospitals of the state.

Medical aid, issued today in Kano, will benefit the public hospitals and will follow up with two hundred injured including gunshot wounds, open fractures and burns.

We recall the commitment of France in the fight against terrorism and our solidarity with Nigeria to face this terrible ordeal. That was the message that had brought the Minister of State during his visit to Kano in November.


Source: France - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
2 Feb 2012
23:02	Bristow Group Reports Financial Performance for Its 2012 Third Fiscal Quarter and Nine-Month Period Ended December 31, 2011
15:08	Bristow Group Announces Quarterly Dividend
14:17	US Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson to Lead Energy Trade Mission to Africa
11:01	France / Nigeria - Livraison d'une aide médicale (2 février 2012)
09:41	Royal Dutch Shell plc: 4th Quarter and Full Year 2011 Unaudited Results
08:20	Royal Dutch Shell Sets Out New Growth Agenda

Tweet

Racine, Wis. Elementary School Makes Final Chapter: One Million Books Read

Racine, Wis. Elementary School Students Reach the Final Chapter: One Million Books Read


Racine Reads: Dream Big! mascot Booker the Owl visits students during One Book, One Grade, One Community Event on January 23, 2012.

Racine Reads: Dream Big! Program Goal Achieved in Just 18 Weeks

Racine, Wis., February 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Just 18 weeks after Racine Reads: Dream Big! launched, Racine elementary school students have one million reasons to celebrate after reaching the program’s ambitious goal to read one million books during the 2011-2012 school year. More than 10,000 students in nearly 500 classrooms participated in the community-based initiative which aimed to get the community fired up and focused on one issue — literacy.

“I’m so inspired by the passion for reading that our community has shown in support of Racine Reads: Dream Big!,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “What is so powerful and moving about this program is the personal investment and passion of the students and teachers. Congratulations to everyone who has helped make this a reality.”

Racine Reads: Dream Big! is sponsored by SC Johnson and is a partnership with the Racine Public Library, the City of Racine, Racine Elementary Schools, the Racine Civic Centre, Racine Literacy Council, Family Literacy of Racine, Cops ‘N Kids, and Girls Inc.

Reading Matters
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), fourth graders who reported having 25 books or more at home had higher scores on reading tests than children who said they didn’t have many books. The NCES state reading assessment shows that 68 percent of fourth graders in Wisconsin read at an average level and only 34 percent at a proficient level. The Center also reports that one child in four grows up not knowing how to read.

“The stats speak for themselves. This program supports building strong reading skills and inspires our teachers to engage their students in creative ways to develop reading habits that will positively impact their lives forever,” said Racine Mayor John Dickert. “Our accomplishments as a community around this program make it possible to set Racine apart and serve as a model for literacy programs in other communities.”

The holistic program was developed to surround students with reading everywhere they go and to engage them in different mediums. At school, teachers, students and principals are engaged through program tool kits which track reading totals and milestones. At home and in the community, the program has brought literacy to life through author visits, live performances and readings, and volunteer opportunities.

“This program is so much fun and it’s making a big impact,” said Ann Laing, Interim Superintendent, Racine Unified School District. “We’ve heard so many great stories about the creative ways teachers are motivating their students and the celebrations taking place at self-imposed milestones. Rewards have ranged from reading with flashlights on pajama day to wearing their best clothes to school for a Fancy Nancy tea party.”

Racine Reads: What’s Next

Even though the students have hit the program goal, Racine Reads: Dream Big! activities will continue throughout the school year.

Upcoming events include:
February 16, 2012 – Author Visit: Dr. Richard Allington
The community will have an opportunity to hear Dr. Richard Allington, an expert in educating teachers on the best methods to teach reading. Dr. Allington has written more than 100 research articles and a number of books on this topic including Classrooms that Work: They Can All Read and Write. During his visit, Dr. Allington will speak to both educators and parents.


March 2, 2012 – Read Across America Day
The National Education Association’s (NEA) Read Across America Day, now in its 13th year, is a program focused on motivating children and teens to read. To support Read Across America Day, which coincides with Dr. Seuss’ birthday, Racine Reads: Dream Big! will implement a volunteer program placing community and business leaders in every classroom throughout Racine.

March – Battle of the Books
Each year, the Racine Public Library coordinates a Battle of the Books literature contest for Racine’s fourth- and fifth-grade students. Teams are composed of up to four students representing area public and private schools. In preparing for the tournament, participants read and become knowledgeable about the content of approximately 40 books selected for the Battle by youth services librarians. Meets are held over a four-week period at the Library and highest scoring teams are declared the champions. To date, the Library has seen a 40 percent increase in the number of teams registered, which is a direct result of Racine Reads: Dream Big! participation.

April 26, 2012 – Author Visit: Rosemary Wells
The author of the popular Max and Ruby children’s book series, Ms. Wells will be in Racine to meet with families during a free community presentation the evening of Thursday, April 26.

Racine Reads: Dream Big! Celebration
The program will officially culminate with a community-wide celebration at the end of the school year.

For more information on events related to Racine Reads: Dream Big! visit www.racinereads.org or the program’s Facebook page.

www.RacineReads.org


Media Contact:

Jam Stewart
262-260-2440
jmstewar@scj.com

Tweet

Cultural Influences Impact Retirement Planning and Decision-Making

An ING study showed cultural influences impact retirement planning. Among the findings, African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics rely more on the Internet and media for financial guidance than Whites.

ING Study: Cultural Influences Impact Retirement Planning and Decision-Making
Research finds non-whites more likely to rely on the media and Internet for information; Hispanics feel least prepared for retirement

Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado de prensa en Español.

Windsor, Conn. February 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — ING U.S. released key findings today from a comprehensive study1 commissioned by the ING Retirement Research Institute that examined the attitudes, behaviors and preparedness of different ethnic groups, including African-Americans, Asians and Hispanics, regarding their future retirement. The research showed that while Americans of all backgrounds encounter similar barriers to saving and planning, cultural differences account for disparate experiences among the groups. For additional information or to view the report, visit http://ing.us.

According to the study, Retirement Revealed, all populations found retirement planning to be a daunting task. However, ING’s research showed that Hispanics feel the least prepared, with 54 percent indicating they feel “not very” or “not at all” prepared. This compares with 50 percent of African-Americans, 48 percent of white and 44 percent of Asian respondents indicating that they don’t feel prepared. These feelings correspond with the amount saved in employer-sponsored retirement plans, where Hispanic respondents reported having the lowest average balances ($54,000) in their retirement plans. This amount was considerably less than the average balance across all groups ($69,000). In contrast, Asian respondents reported having the highest average plan balances ($81,000).

“All Americans face the growing responsibility of planning and saving for retirement. However, there are distinct cultural differences that may affect some groups more than others when it comes to getting or staying on the right path,” said Maliz Beams, CEO of ING U.S. Retirement. “As a leading retirement provider at the workplace and in the retail market, our mission is to help individuals retire with the dignity and financial security they deserve. Our goal is to take the important cultural reference points from this study and turn them into customized solutions that help all our customers become better prepared — regardless of their background.”

Other key findings from the Retirement Revealed study include the following:

Financial Information:

Non-whites were more likely than whites to get their investment information and guidance from the Internet and media. African-Americans (54 percent), Asians (53 percent) and Hispanics (50 percent) indicated that the media and Internet were the primary source of getting advice and guidance compared to 45 percent of white respondents.
Whites were more likely to use a financial professional.
While nearly one-in-three (28 percent) of overall respondents are currently working with a financial professional, only three-quarters (75 percent) of this group indicated their adviser looks at their complete financial picture.
Face-to-face communication with a financial professional is ranked the highest in terms of value provided in getting information about their retirement plan and other employee benefits.

Barriers to Saving:

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) of respondents admitted to having barriers to saving. Among the groups, African-Americans said debt was their biggest barrier. Needing to know more about their savings options is a greater barrier to savings for Hispanics than for any other group.

Planning Goals:

Hispanic respondents were less focused on their future retirement goals — well over half (57 percent) have never calculated how much money they will need to continue their current lifestyle upon retirement.
Seven-in-10 (70 percent) Hispanics did not have a formal investment plan to reach those goals.
Only three-in-10 (29 percent) of overall respondents have a formal investment plan; African-Americans are most likely to have one (32 percent); whites are least likely (28 percent).

Emergency Savings:

Just under half (41 percent) have virtually no emergency savings (one month or less). This increases to nearly half for Hispanics (47 percent) and 50 percent for African-Americans, while only one-in-four Asians have one month or less saved for emergencies.

Purchasing Priorities:

Asians appear to be most prepared for retirement, but had a tendency to place a higher priority on lifestyle choices, such as purchasing a nice house or car, than planning for retirement.

“There are certainly more similarities than differences among the ethnic groups when it comes to retirement planning, but distinctions do exist and understanding them can be critical to future retirement success,” added Fabian Gonzalez, vice president of Multicultural Sales at ING U.S. “For example, many times in the Hispanic community, parents will sacrifice their own financial future in order for their children to advance. By researching and learning about the rationale behind decisions like this, we can better understand our customers and help them achieve their financial goals.”

Additional findings from the study include:

Nearly one-in-four African-Americans (23 percent) have life insurance coverage equal to four to five times their salary, higher than the total population (18 percent). This corresponds with African-American respondents indicating that they were the most likely to leave life insurance proceeds to their heirs (70 percent vs. 53 percent of the total sample).
More than six-in-10 (63 percent) of African-Americans cite reducing debt as their most important short-term financial goal.
Hispanics are the most likely (57 percent) to want more education about investments and retirement options from their employer, compared to all respondent groups (47 percent).
Asians are the least likely to have a last will and testament (26 percent), compared with 31 percent for Hispanics and 37 percent for white respondents.

For additional information on the ING’s Retirement Revealed study and to read the report, visit http://ing.us.

1 Findings are from an online survey conducted by ORC International during the period of Oct. 5-13, 2011. Respondents were 4,050 adults (including 500 African-Americans, 500 Hispanics and 350 Asians) between the ages of 25 and 69 who are employed full-time with an annual household income of $40,000 or greater. Data were weighted to make the results representative of the U.S. population.
Press inquiries:

Phil Margolis
ING U.S.
Office: 860.580.2676
Cell: 860.805.7642
Phil.Margolis@us.ing.com

About ING
NG U.S. is a subsidiary of Dutch-based ING Groep N.V. In the U.S., the ING (NYSE: ING) family of companies offers a comprehensive array of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which includes retirement plans, life insurance, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative investments, institutional investment management, annuities, employee benefits and financial planning. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves approximately 15 million customers across the nation. For more information, visit http://ing.us.

Media Contact:

Phil Margolis
ING U.S.
Office: 860.580.2676
Cell: 860.805.7642
Phil.Margolis@us.ing.com

Tweet

Small Businesses and Social Media: Is Facebook Right for Your Brand?

1 Feb 2012 21:44 Africa/Lagos

Small Businesses and Social Media: Is Facebook Right for Your Brand?

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Social media has been a boon to many small business owners, however, anyone who has managed social media presences for businesses knows that the time commitment can be significant. Busy small business owners don't have time to waste, so determining whether or not a social network makes sense for the business – and taking a realistic look at what the maintenance of the social presence requires are important considerations for small business owners.

This week on Beyond PR, PR Newswire's vice president of social media, Sarah Skerik, tells the story of helping a friend with a niche business decide whether or not Facebook is a viable channel for her brand. The two part series discusses evaluating whether or not Facebook is right for a small business, outlines how Facebook works and sketches a basic plan for building a fan following and delivering business results.

Part 1: Is Facebook Right for Your Small Business?
http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/01/31/is-facebook-right-for-your-small-business/

Part 2: Developing a Facebook Plan for a Busy Small Business Owner
(http://blog.prnewswire.com/2012/02/01/developing-a-facebook-plan-for-a-busy-small-business-owner/)

The Beyond PR blog highlights communications tactics and trends in public relations, investor relations, social media, SEO and content marketing.

PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com) is the premier global provider of multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, sustainability officers, public affairs and investor relations officers to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry 57 years ago, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, optimize and target content — from rich media to online video to multimedia — and then distribute content and measure results across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel, multi-cultural content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to engage opportunity everywhere it exists. PR Newswire serves tens of thousands of clients from offices in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, and is a UBM plc company.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20000306/PRNLOGO )

Media Contacts:
Rachel Meranus
Vice President, Marketing and Communications
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6776
Rachel.Meranus@prnewswire.com

Meryl Serouya
Marketing and Communications Associate
PR Newswire
+1.201.360.6009
Meryl.Serouya@prnewswire.com

SOURCE PR Newswire Association LLC

Web Site: http://www.prnewswire.com

Top Topics

Pennsylvania Governor Corbett Opens Groundhog Day Festivities, Punxsutawney Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter Weather

January U.S. Retail Sales

Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Hit New Record Lows - Again

Quarterly Earnings Reports

Super Bowl

Valentine's Day

Banana Republic to Debut Mad Men Spring 2012 Collection

Tweet

Fans Crash Servers for Early Preview Screenings of "TITANIC" in 3D

1 Feb 2012 22:12 Africa/Lagos



Fans Crash Servers for Early Preview Screenings of "TITANIC" in 3D
SELL-OUT CROWDS IN THE U.S. AND ACROSS THE WORLD WILL BE AMONG THE FIRST AUDIENCES ANYWHERE TO SEE THE RE-MASTERED MOVIE ON VALENTINES DAY, FEBRUARY 14th, IN ADVANCE OF THE FILM'S WORLDWIDE RE-RELEASE ON APRIL 6th

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fans the world over rushed the web in the last 24-hours - crashing multiple servers in the process - to secure advance tickets for the now sold-out February 14th preview screenings of TITANIC in 3D, Paramount Pictures and Twentieth Century Fox International jointly announced today. In a matter of hours, sell-out screenings were reported throughout the United States and in countries around the world, following the launch of the special screening program on January 31st. Moviegoers who were lucky enough to secure a seat will now be among the first people anywhere to see the newly re-mastered TITANIC in 3D, in advance of the film's worldwide release on April 6th.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/19991206/PARLOGO)

These special fan screening are being presented exclusively in RealD 3D and will be held in the following cities: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Dallas, Boston, Phoenix, Seattle, Houston, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, San Diego, Denver, Sacramento, Orlando, Tampa, Minneapolis, Montreal, Vancouver, Cleveland, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Portland, Kansas City, West Palm Beach, Raleigh, San Antonio, Hartford, Charlotte, San Antonio, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Austin, Edmonton, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Grand Rapids, Calgary, Columbus, Fresno, Ottawa, Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Oklahoma City. Internationally, these special one-time only preview screenings will take place in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan and the UK.

Cameron, who also directed the breakthrough 3D epic AVATAR, will bring TITANIC to life as audiences have never seen it before, digitally re-mastered to an unparalleled 4K 3D, harnessing the innovative technology of StereoD. The re-release of TITANIC also coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic setting sail on April 10, 1912. Written, directed and produced by James Cameron, TITANIC is the second highest grossing movie of all time. It is one of only three films to have received a record 11 Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director; and launched the careers of stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

Called "A spectacular demonstration of what modern technology can contribute to dramatic storytelling" by Variety upon it's release in 1997, the long in the works 3D conversion was overseen Cameron and his Lightstorm producing partner Jon Landau who produced the hit movie.

Learn more about TITANIC in 3D at http://www.titanicmovie.com/

About Paramount Pictures Corporation

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Twentieth Century Fox

One of the world's largest producers and distributors of motion pictures, Fox Filmed Entertainment produces, acquires and distributes motion pictures throughout the world. These motion pictures are produced or acquired by the following units of FFE: Twentieth Century Fox, Fox 2000 Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Animation and Fox International Productions.

About Lightstorm Entertainment

Lightstorm Entertainment is a film production company founded by Academy Award winning filmmakers James Cameron and film producer Jon Landau. The company has produced blockbuster hits including "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "True Lies," as well the Academy Award® winning "Titanic" and most recently "Avatar," which stands at the biggest grossing movie of all time.

SOURCE Paramount Pictures Corporation

CONTACT: Katie Martin Kelley, Paramount Pictures, Executive Vice President Publicity, +1-323-956-2821, kmk@paramount.com; or Hilary Clark, Fox, Executive Vice President, International Publicity, +1-310-369-5156, Hilary.Clark@fox.com

Tweet

The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness

1 Feb 2012 16:06 Africa/Lagos

The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness

Festival favorites screen for causes in Los Angeles




LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new venture connecting films, celebrities and news to related charities, CineCause will kick off their 2012 Spotlight Tour with the theme of Happiness, presenting 3 award-winning films to audiences in the Los Angeles area, February 10-12. The event will take place at the Edgemar Theatre (http://www.edgemarcenter.org) in Santa Monica, featuring: The Economics of Happiness, Happy and Project Happiness.

The Spotlight will provide local audiences with information and creative opportunities to donate and/or get involved with related causes. "With dedicated college courses, books being published and films being produced, the subject and science of happiness is finally getting the attention it deserves. We're excited to present local audiences with these terrific films that creatively explore this challenging theme," says CineCause CEO Jon Fitzgerald.

The event will kick off Friday February 10th with Project Happiness, directed by John Sorensen, created and produced by Randy Taran, featuring the Dalai Lama, George Lucas, Richard Gere and neuroscientist Richard Davidson. From the alleys of Nigeria and the beaches of California to the mountains of India, ordinary young people lead us on an extraordinary journey to explore the nature of lasting happiness.

"We are delighted to partner with CineCause and participating filmmakers to further our collective message that a happy world is possible, as well as support causes that empower children, families, and communities to create happier, more meaningful lives," says Project Happiness Creator and Producer Randy Taran. Taran and one of the student participants from the film, Emily Crubaugh, will be on hand for Q&A discussion and book signing following the film.

Happy, directed by Roko Belic, will play Saturday, February 11. The film sets out to answer many questions on the subject of happiness. Taking us from the bayous of Louisiana to the deserts of Namibia, from the beaches of Brazil to the villages of Okinawa, Happy explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion.

The Economics of Happiness reveals how globalization is accelerating climate change, destroying jobs, fraying the fabric of our communities and adding to the stress of modern life. Most importantly, the film shows that these trends can be reversed. With stunning footage and thought provoking commentary from thinkers and activists on every continent, the film demonstrates that a better world is not only possible, it's within our reach.

Event Sponsors include: Barefoot Wine and Bubbly, Knowitall, YES! Magazine and Edgemar Theater for the Arts.

Ten percent of all sponsorships, ticket, and merchandise sales will go to related charities. Links to purchase tickets and more detail on each of the films, including related causes and articles, can be found at www.cinecause.com. Tickets are also available through Eventbrite at (http://happinessshowcase.eventbrite.com).

CineCause is a filter to quality film programming and curates showcases of films based on theme, subject or topic, pairing socially relevant films with related causes. Audiences learn more about causes, have an opportunity to make a donation, and participate in a collective effort to affect positive change.

For more information, please visit: www.cinecause.com

Available Topic Expert: For information on the listed expert, click appropriate link.
Randy Taran
http://www.profnetconnect.com/randytaran

SOURCE CineCause
CONTACT: Jon Fitzgerald, +1-310-827-5900, jon@cinecause.com, or Lisa Braun Dubbels, +1-651-343-7315, lisa@catalystpublicity.com

Web Site: http://www.cinecause.com

1 Feb 2012
16:06	The CineCause Spotlight Tour Kicks off 2012 with Happiness
10:36	Research strategy to realize Africa's tremendous rice potential unveiled
31 Jan 2012
17:35	UNITED ANNOUNCES NEW DOMESTIC ROUTES FROM HUB CITIES 06:07 Somalia / ICRC remains fully committed to helping Somalis 04:57 African Union Hosts Fund-Raising Luncheon for the Pan-African University (PAU)

Tweet

Nigerian Prisons, the Courts and Imprisoned Terrorists

Inside a typical prison in Nigeria.

Nigerian Prisons, the Courts and Imprisoned Terrorists

~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi

The Nigerian courts and the prisons have in the last few months become intensively involved in terrorists being imported from our streets into the penal system.
Nigeria, unlike the Euro-American or Western world does not have the enormous technological, security and psychological experience to put a full handle on the ‘war of terror’.

Yet, hundreds of reported arrested members of Boko Haram sect are continuously being tossed into our already overcrowded prisons. Certainly, everyone including the prison personnel, convicts and the persons awaiting trial as well as their respective families are likely to be increasingly preoccupied with safety concerns
Considering that both the domestic and foreign terrorists come into the prisons with endured religious, political and social influences, these detained and convicted terrorists currently under lock up, could make our prisons, recruiting grounds for more secret fanatical and dangerous plans. Is Nigeria even slightly prepared for this type of terror in closed settings like prisons?

The United States of America known for many of its prison and detention facilities has locations like undisclosed prisons, floating prisons(e.g. Ships), and foreign based secret prisons called “black site”. But this not the case with Nigeria.
Even if Nigeria was to use the existing prisons to house terrorist convicts or suspects, what could be the danger of creating a swelling population of predominantly extremist Muslim units, and won’t that lead to the feelings that Islam is under attack?

To ensure that our prisons are safe, how is the government preparing the prisons and the society that we are not locking up persons of a special religious group?
Since this whole Boko Haram challenge is a new test and fresh experience to us, we will need to create tough different interrogation procedures, special solitary units, and high tech security environment as many of these suspects are ‘high-value’ terrorism villains.

We will need to begin interrogations of these prisoners using specially trained prison staff and officers in order to yield useful psychological and social information that could lead to the unraveling of their unique tactics, and to future terrorist plots.

As we know the Nigerian prisons are use to non-ordinary offenders unlike Boko Haram terrorists known for their strong dogmatic beliefs and religious motivations.
So with many of them fully radicalized as part of their personal ideals, aspirations and experience, we must begin to put in place intelligence-based , psychological and rehabilitative processes and programs to help DE-radicalize them from their violent prone mental, emotional, social behaviors. This will cost money but it is worth it.
Now is the time for the government to provide a penal environment that could fully ensure the safety, security and orderly operation of our prison facilities with the protection of prison personnel, their families and the protection of the public in mind.

In order to ensure tight surveillance and to keep a close watch on the terrorists’ movements in our present prisons, we need to also prepare our courtrooms for the trial of terror suspects and ensuring the safety of the presiding judges, prosecutors and witnesses as well as their families.

The current anti-terrorism legislation has called for the imprisonment of terrorist convicts as long as 20 years. But we have a problem; the 2011 Anti-Terrorism Act is mainly preventive and prohibitive in terms of its potency as it does not have a full-blown legislative aspect in regards to the full handling of terror suspects or convicts in the prison system.

Prisons by all measures plays a much bigger big role in the war on terrorism, therefore the nation must be protected by getting the penal system technologically and financially prepared in regards to the special training of officers. And assist with preparing existing prisons for terrorist attacks.

Let us believe that very soon we will see the set-up of high-security prisons with appropriate infrastructure and rehabilitative programs in the model of prisons in America or other security conscious nations.


~ John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D., is the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Psychological Association (NPA), Abuja. Jos5930458@aol.com 08126909839.

Tweet

The Nigerian Actor Who Looks Like Pastor T. B. Joshua

Lucky Ejim


Pastor T.B. Joshua

The Nigerian Actor Who Looks Like Pastor T. B. Joshua

Lucky Ejim is the only well known Nigerian actor who looks like the famous Pastor Temitope Balogun Joshua, popularly known as T. B. Joshua, the Nigerian minister, televangelist and faith healer who is the founder and leader of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN). So, Lucky should fit the lead role of a biopic on the present life of the pastor.

Onyekachi 'Lucky' Ejim is a world class actor who is based overseas and popularly known for his lead role in The Tenant, the film he directed himself and he has also excelled in other roles on TV and the big screen.

A biopic on Pastor Joshua will definitely attract millions to the cinemas in Nigeria and other countries and can be a very effective vehicle for evangelism worldwide.

~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, author of Children of Heaven, Scarlet Tears of London, Bye, Bye Mugabe, In the House of Dogs, and other books.










Top Topics

The 10 Most Educated Countries in the World

academic rankings

economic rankings

environmental rankings

miscellaneous

social rankings

technological rankings

Tweet

US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa

31 Jan 2012 05:26 Africa/Lagos

US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa

WASHINGTON, January 31, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

January 30, 2012


Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns wrapped up his week-long visit to Africa today in Ethiopia. As head of the U.S. delegation to the African Union Summit, he met yesterday and today with a number of leaders in Addis Ababa, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, South Sudanese President Kiir, Sudanese Foreign Minister Karti, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles, Libyan Prime Minister al-Keeb, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang, and Kenyan Foreign Minister Wetangula. Over the weekend, the Deputy Secretary was in Uganda, where he met with Ugandan President Museveni and visited a public-private partnership at Wagagai, one of more than a hundred clinics that the United States supports in Uganda to provide preventive care and comprehensive maternal and child health services. He also traveled on January 28 to South Sudan, where he met with a number of senior officials including Vice President Machar.

Throughout his meetings at the African Union, as well as in Ghana, Uganda, and South Sudan, the Deputy Secretary highlighted our ongoing commitment to work with African partners to support gains in democratic governance, sustainable development, economic growth, and the peaceful resolution of conflict. His discussions also covered a range of security, political, and humanitarian challenges facing the continent. The Deputy Secretary expressed deep concern regarding the Government of Sudan's continued denial of humanitarian access to Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, and also underscored the need for Sudan and South Sudan to quickly reach agreement on oil and related financial issues. Various leaders he met with expressed concern about the growing threat posed to Nigeria and the region by Boko Haram. The Deputy Secretary stressed that the United States will continue to support the Government of Nigeria on this and other challenges facing the country. On Somalia, the Deputy Secretary noted U.S. support for the work of the African Union Mission in Somalia and the need for the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) to make steady and sustained progress on the Roadmap in advance of the end of the TFG's mandate in August. The Deputy Secretary highlighted ongoing U.S. collaboration and partnership with the African Union on a broad range of issues, and assured leaders of the U.S. commitment to continue to assist the African Union in augmenting its capacity to address the many opportunities and challenges facing the continent.

In Ghana, Uganda, and Ethiopia, the Deputy Secretary took the time to engage with a cross section of young leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society activists engaged in every sector of society. The Deputy Secretary's visit, coming on the heels of the Secretary's visit to West Africa last week, reaffirms the high priority that the Obama Administration attaches to Africa, and the special emphasis the United States has placed on engaging the continent's next generation of leaders.


Source: US Department of State

Top Topics

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index® Decreases Slightly

Home Prices Continued to Decline in November 2011 According to the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices

U.S. News & World Report Announces 2012 Rankings of the Best U.S. Hotels

Consumer Survey Finds One in Five Women Would Abstain from Sex for Six Months to Avoid Paying Monthly Bills

Quarterly Earnings Reports

Super Bowl

Valentine's Day

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
31 Jan 2012
05:26	US Deputy Secretary Burns Completes Week-long Trip to Africa
30 Jan 2012
16:00	Ritchie Bros. and CIM set new record at World of Concrete charity auction
14:30	Blue Sphere Signs an Emissions Reduction Purchase Agreement With Vattenfall, One of Europe's Largest Producers of Power and Heat
11:16	Africa / Opening Remarks to Regional Journalists on the Margins of African Union Summit
10:23	Election du Président Boni Yayi à la Présidence de l'Union africaine (30 janvier 2012)
05:10	Spinlet Debuts Digital Distribution Technology for African Markets at Midem 2012

Tweet