Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Illinois Recycling Association Alerts Residents To A New Electronics Recycling Law Effective January 1, 2012

A variety of electronics are banned from landfills
Oak Park, IL (myPressManager.com) December 28, 2011
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The Illinois Recycling Association announces a ban on the disposal of electronics in Illinois landfills as of January 1, 2012. This is in accordance with a new Illinois State Law SB2106 (P.A. 97-0287), signed by Governor Quinn in August 2011, that has drastically limited the types of items that can be disposed in landfills. 

The Illinois Recycling Association worked with the Environmental Law and Policy Center to ensure that this new law did not result in extra costs to consumers, while addressing the increasing amount of electronics in the waste stream. USEPA estimates that 85% of electronics are currently not recycled; these items contain mined materials that can be reclaimed, reused and recycled. Recycling rather than dumping these items saves resources and creates jobs, many of them right here in the US. 

“Many members of the Illinois Recycling Association are electronic recyclers and since 2010, they have been working with electronic manufacturers to fund the recycling of residential items. With the passage of the 2011 law, more items are included and the goals for recycling are higher. This ensures recycling opportunities throughout the State of Illinois,” said Paul Jaquet, President of IRA. 

The law requires manufacturers to pay the cost of recycling; therefore, residents using drop-off sites will not be charged. 

“The glass in televisions and monitors is expensive to handle and some of the plastics are difficult to separate. There is a cost to recover these items, but the environmental benefits far outweigh any disadvantages,” explained Mike Mitchell, Executive Director of IRA. 

IRA was part of a statewide task force that worked to improve the law passed in 2009, originally setting the Jan. 1, 2012 disposal ban. The new law, signed this past summer, bans 17 specific items although most electronic recycling programs accept more than what is listed here. 

Televisions - Electronic Keyboards - Video Game Consoles - Digital Converter Boxes 
Monitors - Facsimile Machines - Electronic Mice - Videocassette Recorders 
Printers - Scanners - Small Scale Servers - Portable Digital Music Players 
Cable Receivers - Satellite Receivers - Computers (including desktop/laptop/tablet) 
Digital Video Disc Recorders & Players 


For information on recycling locations, check the Illinois Recycling Association website at www.illinoisrecycles.org

About us: 

The Illinois Recycling Association (IRA), a not-for-profit organization, was formed in 1980. It currently has 250 members consisting of municipal, county, and state recycling coordinators, businesses, haulers and processors, not-for-profit organizations, consultants, and manufacturers of recycled-content products. Our mission is to encourage the responsible use of resources by promoting waste reduction, re-use, and recycling through all venues. We also provide educational leadership through forums, programs and materials for the exchange of information and ideas and promote market development that encourages sound recycling initiatives.

 

 

http://mypressmanager.com/PressRelease.aspx?PRId=2110

Monday, December 26, 2011

NARCA Offers Attorney Workshop In Newport Beach

National Association to Focus on Law Practice Management

Washington, DC (myPressManager.com) December 26, 2011

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The National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys (NARCA) is hosting its 2012 Attorney Workshop on January 15th and 16th, 2012, in Newport Beach, California. The program begins with dinner on Sunday evening featuring an expert on employee motivation and continues on Monday with educational sessions and informal roundtable discussions. 

Unlike the educational programs offered at the NARCA Spring and Fall Collection conferences, which focus primarily on legal updates, ethics and compliance, the NARCA Attorney Workshop is dedicated to law practice management issues. Topics include: 

• Strategic Planning 
• Associate Attorney Retention and Advancement 
• Managing Attorney-Client Relationships 
• Employee Motivation and Compensation 

Registration is limited to NARCA member attorneys who may register through January 10th with early registration discounts available only through December 29th. Sponsorship opportunities are available. For further information about the NARCA Attorney Workshop, please contact Christina Salley of the NARCA staff at             941-373-1305       or christina@narca.org


Contact Information: 
Eric Rosenkoetter 
NARCA Director of Government & Public Affairs 
Direct:             512-914-5696       
Email: eric@narca.org 


The National Association of Retail Collection Attorneys (NARCA) is a nationwide trade association of over 700 skilled debt collection law firms and in-house counsel of creditors. NARCA members are committed to the fair and ethical treatment of all participants in the debt collection process. www.narca.org 

Monday, November 21, 2011

Stanley Freed, author and curator at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC releases new book: "Anthropology Unmasked, Museums, Science, and Politics in New York"

New York, NY (myPressManager.com) November 21, 2011

    Stanley Freed, author and curator at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City has just released his newest book, Anthropology Unmasked, Museums, Science, and Politics in New York City (Orange Frazer Press, $80).

In two volumes, illustrated with 220 black and white and color photographs from worldwide archives, Freed tells the story of how the AMNH began, from a single building in a rough isolated tract surrounded by vagabonds and drifters, and gradually evolved into one of the world’s preeminent scientific and cultural institutions. Today it remains a leader in basic research and one whose permanent exhibits are unmatched anywhere. Each volume is filled with fascinating stories about famous anthropologists such as Franz Boas, Clark Wissler, Waldemar Bogoras, and Margaret Mead, who all journeyed to remote and dangerous regions. Their field studies, and those of their colleagues, made major contributions to anthropology.

Stanley Freed has worked at the AMNH for over fifty-two years. When Freed was asked what he enjoyed the most about being an anthropologist at the AMNH he replied: “For me, three qualities of life in the AMNH were irresistible. First, there was the extraordinary freedom of research and publication enjoyed by all curators in the Department of Anthropology. Second, fieldwork was part of a curator’s role. A curator does not have to wait for a sabbatical year or a summer’s vacation to do field work. One can go to the field at almost any time and stay for as long as necessary. Finally, the department has been able to maintain its initial, clublike ambiance until the present day, despite a staff of strong-minded and fascinating characters. This fortunate circumstance helped to make it one of the happiest places to work in all of American anthropology.”

When asked why he wrote the book, Freed said: "In the 1980s, I joined the small group of anthropologists who were writing about the history of their subject. I believed that I could add some balance to American anthropological history, and that the best place to start was with museums - where the story began. The more I delved into the archives, the more I was fascinated. I was hooked."

The book will be available in December and copies can be purchased via www.amazon.com and www.orangefrazer.com. Call Sarah Hawley at Orange Frazer Press for more information. 937.382.3196.

Friday, November 18, 2011

New Free Website Kicks Off For Youth Sport & Interscholastic Coaches

Reston, VA (myPressManager.com) November 17, 2011

Youth sport and interscholastic coaches can now access the Coaches Toolbox, a new free website on hot-button issues regarding sport and coaching at http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/publications/teachingTools/coaching/. Produced by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), the website will be updated three times a year for winter, spring and fall sports, and will provide the latest must-have information and resources about safety and injury prevention, skill development, strength training, peak performance, post-workout recovery, nutrition, sport health care, sport psychology, professional development and college recruiting.

Sponsored by Refuel: “got chocolate milk?” from the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), website contributors include American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA), National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education (NCACE), National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), National Strength and Coaching Association (NSCA), Special Olympics, United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).

“An optimal sport experience requires caring, knowledgeable and professionally trained coaches,” said NASPE President Dennis Docheff, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO. “Through the Coaches Toolbox, we are offering a one-stop shop where coaches can learn what the experts are recommending on a multitude of sport-related topics. In addition, we are providing pertinent information that aligns with the National Standards for Athletic Coaches, NASPE guidelines and position statements.”

“MilkPEP is pleased to have helped make the Coaches Toolbox a reality for the members of NASPE/AAHPERD. Additionally, we hope coaches find the resources we’ve provided on the recovery benefits of lowfat chocolate milk useful for their high school athletes,” said Julie Buric, MilkPEP Vice President of Marketing.

From establishing the first position paper on Standards for Youth Sport Coaches (1984) to publishing the second edition of the National Standards for Sport Coaches (2006), NASPE is an advocate for quality sport programs. In 2008 NASPE partnered with NFHS to release the National Coaching Report, the only comprehensive report addressing both youth and interscholastic sport coaching education requirements in the United States. With over 50 million children under the age of 18 participating in organized sport programs, the purpose of the report was to educate the American public about the training and qualifications currently required to coach athletes whose quality sport experience is of number one concern.

The new Coaches Toolbox brings together all of NASPE’s and contributing organizations resources to help improve the sport experience. Parents across the country send their children to practices and events with the expectation that adult supervision will bring positive sport outcomes, maximal learning and skill development. Yet horror stories persist about dramatic increases in winning-obsessed parents, sport injuries, over-specialization of young athletes, and children quitting sports because they simply aren’t fun anymore.

Executive editor of the Coaches Toolbox is Andrew Mead, NASPE program manager. Members of the Reviewing Committee: Dave Allen, Mount Holyoke College, MA; Kim Bodey, Indiana State University; Mark Cole, Western Illinois University; Kristen Dieffenbach, West Virginia University; Tim Graham, Tumwater School District, WA; Rick Howard, The School District of Philadelphia, PA; Patrick McHenry, Castleview High School, CO; Melissa Murray, University of Southern Mississippi; Linda Schoenstedt, Xavier University, OH; and Mark Stanbrough, Emporia State University, KS, believe the new Coaches Toolbox will help good coaches become even better because quality coaches are the key to successful athletic programs.

National Association for Sport and Physical Education

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit http://www.naspeinfo.org.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

NEANY Inc. Chooses Florida For Fourth Office Location

Business development and government relations activities will be prime focus

Hollywood, MD (myPressManager.com) November 16, 2011

North Eastern Aeronautical Company Inc. (NEANY), headquartered in Hollywood, MD, announces the opening of its newest office in Niceville, FL. Recently ranked third in the nation for 8(a) Prime Contractors by Washington Technology, NEANY is a minority owned 8(a) certified research, design, test and evaluation firm specializing in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), sensors and electro-optics.

“I am thrilled to see the plans for our fourth location come to fruition,” said NEANY Inc. President Steven Steptoe. “Florida is well known for its robust business climate. With Eglin and Tyndall Air Force Bases, the Pensacola Naval Air Station, and numerous universities all located in the panhandle, I believe the area is a perfect fit for NEANY.”

NEANY’s Florida office will be the hub for the company’s business development and government relations operations. Lisa Mogensen, Director of Military Sales, will lead NEANY’s business development activities. Formerly with DRS Technologies and Lockheed Martin, Lisa brings over 25 years of business development and program management experience with her. Jenny Humbert, Director of State and Congressional Affairs, will oversee NEANY’s government relations and corporate communications efforts. Jenny brings fifteen years of government and public relations experience to NEANY, seven of those spent with the Florida Department of State and the Office of the Attorney General. The Florida office will be administered by Lisa Little.

NEANY Inc. has quickly grown from a small startup company to a significant force in the federal contracting arena. Certified as an 8(a) company in 2005, NEANY has been supporting the government and private industries in areas including Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unattended Ground Stations (UGS), ground-based sensor integration, prototype fabrication, and UAS pilot training, field deployment and logistics. NEANY scientists and engineers partner with universities and national laboratories to build and deploy enhanced sensor and system capabilities to satisfy ISR missions supporting the global war on terror. NEANY supports numerous UAS efforts including Persistent Ground Surveillance Systems (PGSS), High-Performance Engagement Lightweight Integrated Optical System (HELIOS), Persistent Surveillance Unmanned Aerial System (PSUAS), TigerShark, Copperhead, and their own UAS, the Arrow. In addition to the Florida office, NEANY is located in Patuxent River, Maryland, Arlington, VA, and Scottsdale, AZ. They also manage and operate a state-of-the-art UAS training facility in Yuma, AZ. NEANY employs 225 people and of those nearly 50% are deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan theaters of operation and provide UAS support to the U.S. warfighter.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Easing the Stress of Divorce for Los Angeles Veterans

Redondo Beach, CA (myPressManager.com) November 15, 2011

 
Honoring America’s military families, South Bay Mediation in Torrance, is offering divorce mediation services at no cost to military personnel, veterans and their spouses. Because mediation reduces the stress and expense of divorce for all involved, this service to military personnel is South Bay Mediation’s way of giving back to those who have served.

Eric Piety MA, founder and lead mediator, explains that South Bay Mediation helps couples manage their own divorce rather than turning it into an expensive legal battle. “With a skilled mediator, issues like child custody, spousal support, and division of property can be handled respectfully and without giving up decisions to a judge. Most importantly, the emotional trauma can be minimized for both spouses and children, and by the way, there’s no risk since mediation is a 100% voluntary choice for all parties. Both spouses must agree to any arrangements and therefore both spouses maintain control over the outcome. “

Asked why his agency started the Veteran Family Program, Piety responded “Military families, like all others, face the difficulties of maintaining a marriage in our modern world and in the midst of a suffering economy and high unemployment. In addition, military families must cope with the daunting stresses that deployment and long periods of separation have on a marriage. As proud as we are of our military families and the resilience they demonstrate, marital dissolution is a reality that cannot always be avoided. South Bay Mediation wishes to share its expert skills in order to ease the burden for those who have decided divorce is their only option.”

Mediation is rapidly becoming popular as an alternative to expensive and often damaging litigation. According to Piety, “Mediation is rapidly becoming the first choice for divorcing couples, especially those with children. To accommodate the new veteran family cases, South Bay Mediation has set aside specific time each week for the Veteran Family Program. Anyone who has served or is now serving in the armed forces will receive five (5) hours of divorce mediation at no cost. If there are still unresolved issues to be settled after five (5) hours have been completed, clients using this service may choose to continue mediation at a 50% hourly discount or may complete their divorce without the need for further assistance from South Bay Mediation. There is no obligation and absolutely no fees will ever be charged unless clients choose to do so after free services are completed.”

About South Bay Mediation: With 20 years of experience as a Behavior Therapist, Eric Piety brings highly developed skills in human interaction to the mediation table. Where legally oriented minds may find impasse, Eric is able to facilitate discovery of creative solutions based on the broad interests of each party. In addition to his MA in psychology, Eric received mediation training at the Loyola Law School - Center for Conflict Resolution in Los Angeles. Eric is the Director and Primary Mediator at South Bay Mediation.

To learn more about the Veteran Family Program, or any of the services offered at South Bay Mediation, contact: Eric Piety at South Bay Mediation (866-405-2219) or go online and fill out a free consultation request at: www.southbaymediation.org.

If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Eric Piety, please call Mr. Piety at 310-720-4264 or e-mail epiety@southbaymediation.org.

Monday, November 14, 2011

iKeepSafe’s Partner South West Grid for Learning Wins Another Prestigious Award

Washington, D.C. (myPressManager.com) November 14, 2011

The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe) is thrilled to announce that partner South West Grid for Learning (SWGFL) has won yet another prestigious award for their 360 Safe Tool: The British Computer Society’s Community Project of the Year Award.

The British Computer Society and Computing UK IT Industry Awards provide a platform for the entire IT profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence. This year’s awards featured 23 categories covering projects, organizations, technology and individual excellence.

Other finalists from the award gala (attended by 1,200 people) include: Tesco.com, BT, JP Morgan, Shell Aviation, Beam SRC, Community Gateway Association, Go ON Adopt, MSM, UK Safer Internet Centre, World Vision UK, WORLDwrite, and the Zoological Society of London.

Like the Generation Safe™ 360 Self-Assessment Tool—which is a customized version of South West Grid for Learning’s 360 Tool—schools use the tool to find out where they lie on the digital citizenship spectrum. Once they receive their results, they’re directed through the next steps for achieving Gold Medal School certification.

“We are delighted to have received this further prestigious national award, the 4th this year, for 360 degree safe,” David Wright, SWGFL e-safety consultant said. “It is clear from this and also the judge’s comments that the tool has significant impact in schools to the benefit of the children and staff. Preparing and improving online safety provision is an increasing priority for schools and their leaders and it is fantastic that 360 degree safe can help in this very regard.”

The three additional prestigious awards that Mr. Wright refers to include the: BETT (British Education Technology Tradeshow) Award, ISPA (Internet Services Providers’ Association) Award, and Nominet Award.

Across the United States and in Asia Pacific, teachers using the Generation Safe™ 360 Self-Assessment Tool have expressed their enthusiasm for the tool—clearly indicating that the awards are well deserved.

“Before Generation Safe, we talked about how to address issues of digital citizenship, but we had no common framework to drive our decisions,” explained Senior Director of Instructional Technology from Tamalpais Union High School District, Joel Hames. “Now that we have completed the 360 assessment, we have been able to develop specific action plans, and to involve a broader group of stakeholders. All of this is contributing to a more robust and impactful digital citizenship program in our district.”

iKeepSafe congratulates SWGFL for their impressive achievements this past year and looks forward to a continuous and successful partnership moving forward.


About the Internet Keep Safe Coalition

The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is a broad partnership of governors and first spouses, attorneys general, public health and educational professionals, law enforcement and industry leaders working together for the health and safety of youth online. The Coalition provides innovative resources, including parent tutorials and educational materials like the Faux Paw the Techno Cat® Internet safety book series and animated films for children. iKeepSafe uses its unique partnerships to disseminate the safety resources to families worldwide, including its Generation Safe™ pilot programs launched in China, India and Australia.

About the South West Grid for Learning

The South West Grid for Learning is a not for profit, charitable trust company, funded by 15 Local Authorities across the South West of England. The organization provides maintained schools and many other educational establishments throughout the region with safe, secure and reliable broadband internet connectivity; broadband-enabled learning resources and services and help, support and advice in using the internet safely.

10 Year Old College Football Fan Releases Roster App For iPhone

Tallahassee, FL (myPressManager.com) November 14, 2011

     A fifth grader from North Florida has released a college football app for iPhones. An avid college football fan, 10 year-old Jack Templeton came up with the idea for a college football roster app when he received an iTouch for his birthday. The 99 cent app provides users with all 120 Division I college football team rosters and schedules, as well as 13,152 player profiles. Jack and his father, Tim Templeton, believe Jack’s Rosters (the name of the app) is the fastest and most user friendly roster app on the market.

“My app is so easy to use and has so much cool information, every college football fan should download it,” said Jack. The inspiration for Jack’s app came from another idea he had when he just seven. Traveling to Gator games with his dad, Jack always wanted to know what players were in the game. Jack asked his dad to print an easy to read roster off his computer and his mom to laminate it. This evolved into 9” x 3½” durable laminated roster, attached to lanyard that father and son wore around their necks. While Jack’s laminated roster was convenient and useful, it was limited to one team and only included the player’s number, name, position, height, weight and year.

Jack’s passion for sports is turning into a fun family business. Jack’s younger sister Ellie (8) and brother William (6), help produce and count the laminated rosters, while Jack is the spokesman for his App. Mom, Dad and friends get the word out about Jack’s App through social networking and any other cost effective means they can come up with, like airplane banners at college football games.

Jack says he hopes to make enough money from his App sales to take his family on a trip to New York City and wants to buy a Mac computer so he can make “a bunch of cool Jack’s Rosters commercials,” to further promote his business. “I made my first sports video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9eofXEkdFs ) on my little brother’s iTouch, but would like a Mac computer so I can make real cool commercials, videos and movies with all kinds of special effects,” Jack says beaming.

What’s next for Jack’s Rosters? Well, a droid version will be released for the 2012 College Football season, as well as an NFL version and a high school football roster is being considered. As for his family, younger siblings Ellie and William are developing ideas for their own apps and are sure to follow in their big brother’s footsteps.

Jack’s Rosters can be downloaded by searching “Jack’s Rosters” in the iTunes App Store or visiting his website at www.JacksRosters.com.

ATTACHMENTS / LINKS

Local (Tallahassee, FL) Television News Story about Jack:

Link to Jack’s Rosters App on iTunes Preview page:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jacks-rosters/id465811227?ls=1&mt=8

Jack’s Rosters Website:
www.JacksRosters.com