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TEDxYouth@FortWorth Announces Inaugural Youth Event to be Held on November 17, 2012 at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas

Posted by on February 20, 2012 1 comment

TEDxYouth@FortWorth Announces Inaugural Youth Event to be Held on November 17, 2012 at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas












Fort Worth, TX (PRWEB) February 17, 2012

The organizers of TEDxYouth@FortWorth will hold their inaugural event at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) on November 17, 2012. The day-long independently organized event, licensed by TED, will feature approximately 25 area students presenting original ideas based on the theme, “Youth Ideas Worth Sharing.” The event is part of TEDxYouthDay, a series of events planned by TEDx organizers worldwide, with the idea to inspire and engage youth and tied to Universal Children’s Day on November 20, 2012.

TEDxYouth@FortWorth will be the culmination of a nine-month long process of idea generation, participant selection, idea and delivery refinement, and finally, presentation.

Approximately 70 students from Fort Worth public and private schools and educational organizations will be selected to attend the program. Selected youth will participate in an eight-week TEDx Talk Training course which will help refine the student’s idea and presentation delivery.

“Even the most amazing idea gets lost when not conveyed effectively,” says Dr. Jeff Johnson, Chairman of TEDxYouth@FortWorth. He adds, “The sole purpose of our training is to help the participating students discover the best in themselves.” A hallmark and differentiator of the Fort Worth TEDx Talk Training program is that each student is given one-on-one mentoring with an experienced adult public speaking coach to help them “find their voice.” Dr. Johnson and other TEDxYouth@FortWorth organizing committee members are active Toastmasters International members.

“The TEDxYouth@FortWorth youth event is a unique opportunity for the students of Fort Worth to learn how to express their ideas clearly in a public forum,” says, Dr. Danna Diaz, director of Student Engagement with the Fort Worth Independent School District. She adds, “The speaking and presentation techniques learned will serve our students well in preparing for college.”

After successful completion of the eight-week TEDx Talk Training course, students can apply to be one of approximately 25 presenters at TEDxYouth@FortWorth.

Presentations during the day-long event at the BRIT will be made before a live audience of other participants and will also be simulcast to schools and other TEDxYouth sites. It promises to be a day of inspiring talks and conversation.

For more information about TEDxYouth@FortWorth, please visit http://www.tedxyouthfortworth.com

About TEDx, x = independently organized event

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

About TED

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. Started as a four-day conference in California 26 years ago, TED has grown to support those world-changing ideas with multiple initiatives. At TED, the world’s leading thinkers and doers are asked to give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Talks are then made available, free, at TED.com. TED speakers have included Bill Gates, Jane Goodall, Elizabeth Gilbert, Sir Richard Branson, Benoit Mandelbrot, Philippe Starck, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Isabel Allende and former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Two major TED events are held each year: The TED Conference takes place every spring in Long Beach, California (along with a parallel conference, TEDActive, in Palm Springs), and TEDGlobal is held each summer in Edinburgh, Scotland.

TED’s media initiatives include TED.com, where new TEDTalks are posted daily; the new TED Conversations, enabling broad conversations among TED fans; and the Open Translation Project, which provides subtitles and interactive transcripts as well as the ability for any TEDTalk to be translated by volunteers worldwide.

TED has established the annual TED Prize, where exceptional individuals with a wish to change the world are given the opportunity to put their wishes into action; TEDx, which offers individuals or groups a way to host local, self-organized events around the world; and the TED Fellows program, helping world-changing innovators from around the globe to become part of the TED community and, with its help, amplify the impact of their remarkable projects and activities.

For information about TED’s upcoming conferences, visit http://www.ted.com/registration.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







All Fancy Dress Gears Up For World Book Day

Posted by on February 18, 2012 1 comment

All Fancy Dress Gears Up For World Book Day











Wickford, UK (PRWEB UK) 23 January 2012

All Fancy Dress, one of the UK’s leading costume retailers, is gearing up for what promises to be the biggest World Book Day yet. On 1st March 2012 schools up and down the country will be celebrating World Book Day, an annual event that encourages children to read more. Many of these schools actively encourage pupils to dress up as their favourite fictional characters as well.

According to Matt Foden, Marketing Director of All Fancy Dress, ‘It’s great to see more and more schools encouraging pupils to wear fancy dress costumes to their World Book Day events. For younger children the act of dressing up as a fictional character really helps them to bring the books to life. And anything that encourages more children to read has to be a good thing!’

The costume retailer has reported a 200% increase in sales of Book Day costumes over the last three years. According to Matt, ‘the period leading up to Book Day is now our second busiest period of the year, and there is every indication that demand is set to increase over time.’

The two most popular kinds of childrens fancy dress costumes during this period are, according to All Fancy Dress, Harry Potter outfits and also the Wizard of Oz range. However, more and more children are taking to wearing historical costumes as well, especially from the Victorian and Medieval eras.

About All Fancy Dress

http://www.allfancydress.com is well known for its extensive range of fancy dress costumes available to customers across the UK and beyond. Its popular range of outfits includes everything from Halloween to History, and everything inbetween.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Chicago Startup SuperfanSuits.com is Taking Rapid Growth to Stores Nationwide

Posted by on February 15, 2012 1 comment

Chicago Startup SuperfanSuits.com is Taking Rapid Growth to Stores Nationwide










Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 05, 2012

With full-body Superfan Suits showing up everywhere, from ESPN  commercials, to basketball, football and hockey games, the Halloween Costumes and Sport Teams Apparel industries have taken notice and been in contact with SuperfanSuits.com about stocking the company’s products. SuperfanSuits.com has been able to grow exponentially in 2011, in visibility and reach, and also as a business.  With well over 50,000 faithful Facebook fans, the dedication to their consumer base has allowed Superfan Suits to be uniquely responsive. This is in large part thanks to a business plan based upon personalized customer service, real-time social media interaction and a customizable, quality product.

As the mainstream demand for full-body spandex costumes has grown, Superfan Suits has added to their base product line of two-colored split suits, and single colored suits (including the wildly popular Lime Green), a new range of prints and textures, as well as themed costumes. Halloween was all about Alien and Skeleton suits, while winter offered the sought-after Santa, Mrs Claus and Elf costumes. The year-round demand for Superfan Suits has resulted in an expanded product line with seasonal suits for St. Patrick’s Day and 4th of July as an addition to Halloween and Christmas. Superfan Suits now offers over 100 different suit variations and plans to continue expanding in 2012.

Since the company was founded in 2008 it has primarily been a direct-to-consumer online retailer. This year, Superfan Suits will be a strong presence in retail stores across the United States. This will allow the company’s products to become even more accessible to consumers through other costume vendors, in addition to the options already found on SuperfanSuits.com. Superfan Suits will be attending the Halloween & Party Expo in Houston in January 2012, a four-day event that boasts the highest number of buyers from around the world. Look for Superfan Suits in retailers nationwide, and check out SuperfanSuits.com and the company’s Facebook page for news on the company and the new products for 2012.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







One of America?s Largest Churches Begins The Story Experience

Posted by on February 12, 2012 1 comment

One of America’s Largest Churches Begins The Story Experience












Grand Rapids, MI (PRWEB) February 03, 2012

Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., launches a year-long, church-wide study of Zondervan’s book The Story February 4 and 5, 2012, during its weekend services.

Senior Pastor Dave Stone and Teaching Pastor Kyle Idleman will teach from a different chapter of The Story every week. There will be a few weeks throughout the year that Southeast breaks from The Story — Easter, a few weeks in the summer, and Christmas. With three regional campuses, incorporating The Story in all of Southeast’s programs is no small task.

“For 31 weeks this year we’ll use The Story as a tool to drive home different messages and Biblical themes,” Stone said. “Kyle [Idleman] or I will teach on one chapter of The Story each week. And then in your Weekend Group, your Community Group, your Men’s Group, your Women’s Group, you will continue that discussion and that application of each week’s chapter. And even our Children’s Ministry and Student Ministry are in on the play.”

From staging in weekend worship to the children’s lessons to weekly devotionals in The Southeast Outlook newspaper, The Story will be included in many facets of the church this year.

“We’re excited that our entire church family is going to be threaded together by the same Bible story each week,” Stone said. “I think this will be an enlightening and exciting journey for our entire church. I can’t wait.”

Attendees will receive a different perspective on the weekly chapter of The Story depending on the group they may attend throughout the week. However, one thing’s for sure: Attendees will leave their groups feeling closer to one another and, most importantly, God’s Word.

“I’m also excited that our groups and classes of all age levels will also be going through The Story because it will unite us as a church around our anchor—God’s Word,” Idleman said.

In June 2012 Southeast will celebrate its 50th anniversary as a church. To commemorate, Zondervan printed a special edition of the The Story to recognize the church’s milestone, which is available at Southeast’s bookstore The Living Word.

“What better way to celebrate than to reaffirm our commitment to God’s Word for the next 50 years,” Idleman said. “That’s the foundation the church was built on, and it will continue to be the foundation we stand on.”

“The Story has become an international movement and Southeast Christian Church caught the vision to utilize The Story to engage and ignite their entire congregation— ages 1 to 100,” says Bob Rogers, Vice President, Direct Marketing & Sales. Zondervan is honored to be partnering with Southeast Christian Church as they experience The Story.”

Outreach Magazine listed Southeast Christian Church as the fourth largest church in America in 2011 with an average weekly attendance of more than 20,000. Southeast began in 1962 with 53 members. For more information about Southeast Christian Church, visit their website: http://www.SoutheastChristian.org

Like The Story at facebook.com/SpeakTheStory, follow The Story on Twitter at @TheStorylives and share experiences using the hashtag, #TheStory. For more information on The Story, please visit TheStory.com.

About Zondervan

Zondervan is the world’s leading Christian publisher of books whose authors are noted for their excellence in the craft of writing as well as their worthy contribution to the ongoing global evangelical conversation. The works published by Zondervan not only confirm readers’ faith and understanding, they also challenge and stretch readers’ thinking. For more than 75 years, Zondervan has delivered transformational Christian experiences through general, ministry, and academic resources by influential leaders and emerging voices, and been honored with more Christian Book Awards than any other publisher. Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Mich., Zondervan publishes bestselling resources that are sold worldwide through retail stores, online, and by Zondervan ChurchSource, and are translated into nearly 200 languages in more than 60 countries. Visit Zondervan Books at http://www.zondervan.com/books.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







HOK Partners With U.S. Green Building Council on Design of New Orphanage and Children’s Center in Haiti

Posted by on February 10, 2012 1 comment

HOK Partners With U.S. Green Building Council on Design of New Orphanage and Children’s Center in Haiti














NEW YORK, NY (PRWEB) January 11, 2012

HOK is the U.S. Green Building Council’s official design partner for Project Haiti, a facility targeting LEED® Platinum certification that will replace a Port-au-Prince orphanage and children’s center devastated by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that rocked Haiti and killed 316,000 people two years ago, on Jan. 12, 2010.

The project seeks to provide a safe, healthy home for the children who will occupy the Fondation Enfant Jesus orphanage and children’s center. And it is a commitment of the Clinton Global Initiative, which convenes global leaders to create innovative solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges.

“The challenge — to design, build and operate a highly sustainable project that will help these Haitian children — is an amazing opportunity,” said HOK Director of Sustainable Design Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C. “We are creating a replicable, living textbook of sustainable design tailored to the Haitian culture that we hope will influence the future of architecture in the region.”

The main three-story, L-shaped structure is organized around a central courtyard –– a focal point for the orphanage’s social life. It is flanked by kitchen, dining and training spaces. The design responds to the dense urban condition and prevailing easterly trade winds by organizing all the spaces around a courtyard facing east. As with the vernacular “Gingerbread” style of Haiti, the building rises around this courtyard and features deep outdoor balconies.

“Our goal is to create a nurturing and restorative place,” said HOK’s Thomas Knittel, AIA, LEED AP, design leader in the firm’s Seattle studio. “We are striving for net zero water and waste, and for the building to provide a net positive energy source.”

The design of the building massing, orientation, openings and materials take full advantage of passive design principles to provide a healthy, comfortable environment. Building systems will require minimal maintenance and provide independence from the city’s unreliable power grid. They will harness excess energy to power street lights and public charging stations on the street.

“Creating a healthy, safe environment for children is the most important work we can do in the green building industry, and Project Haiti Orphanage and Children’s Center is about helping the children of Haiti who are facing ongoing devastation following the earthquake that took place two years ago,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of the U.S. Green Building Council. “We are deeply honored to have HOK’s support as the committed design partner for Project Haiti. They bring incredible expertise that will allow us to create a replicable, resilient model for rebuilding that can be replicated throughout the world.”

HOK’s design team is integrating biomimicry to create a locally attuned and responsive building solution. The building references the local Kapok tree, both in the branching support system of the balcony system and the low emissivity, heat-shedding characteristics of its second skin.

The below-grade area will serve as the building’s “roots,” cleaning and storing water and recycling nutrients from waste into biogas for cooking. The first three stories will function as the structure’s “trunk.” Protecting the building like tree bark, a “boundary layer” will shield exterior walkways and vertical surfaces from direct sunlight while allowing for daylighting and natural ventilation. Rooftop gardens will serve as the “foliage,” supporting the solar energy system and providing additional green space.

To guarantee a safe water supply, HOK’s team designed a closed-loop system that collects, treats and stores water on the site. A biodigester will treat the waste and provide gas for cooking.

Security is important in Port-au-Prince. Visitors will enter through a series of thresholds: from public, to semi-private, to private space. The design includes a safe zone that will protect residents during natural disasters.

To promote Haiti’s rich artistic heritage, the design team will use local materials and artwork, especially ironwork, murals and woodwork crafted by local artisans.

Established in 2003, Fondation Enfant Jesus is a non-government, non-denominational charitable organization that operated the original orphanage on the building site. The construction site and currently condemned orphanage is located in Del Mas, Rue Fernand de Baudiere, in Port-au-Prince.

HOK is a global architectural firm that provides planning and design solutions for high performance, sustainable buildings and communities. HOK’s involvement in Project Haiti is an initiative of HOK IMPACT, the firm’s approach to social responsibility through pro bono design work, charitable donations and volunteerism. The Project Haiti design team is an all-volunteer group of HOK architects, engineers, designers and sustainability experts.

With a community including 79 local affiliates, nearly 16,000 member organizations and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, the U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. To support Project Haiti, visit http://www.usgbc.org/haiti.

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CSZ Introduces Shock and Vibration Testing to Help Manufacturers Improve Product Designs

Posted by on February 7, 2012 1 comment

CSZ Introduces Shock and Vibration Testing to Help Manufacturers Improve Product Designs











Shock and Vibration Testing


Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) February 05, 2012

To help original equipment designers and manufacturers verify the reliability and quality of new products and components, Cincinnati Sub-Zero (CSZ) Testing Services introduces it comprehensive range of shock and vibration tests in two laboratories located in Cincinnati, OH and Detroit, MI. The tests simulate the conditions the item and/or its packaging will face.

Most frequently employed by companies in the defense, automotive, aerospace, computer, medical, and electronics industries, shock and vibration testing verifies the durability of items that are regularly transported, handled, and potentially could be dropped. These include computers, handheld devices, medical devices, radios, and measurement devices.

“Simulating product exposure to a similar environment within a controlled testing process will produce a better product by making it more reliable,” explains William Jackson, test manager for CSZ’s Cincinnati facility. “Testing will prove the viability of a product’s durability once testing has pinpointed areas of concern for potential failure.”

The firm’s three types of vibration capabilities include random and sinusoidal to create a steady-state environment, and shock testing (half sine, sawtooth, squarewave, pyrotechnic, shock response spectrum, and analog capture methods) to create a transient environment. Employed independently or in mixed mode, the tests evaluate the impact of simulated transportation, packaging, sudden impact, gunfire, or detonation on the product.

CSZ’s shock and vibration testing equipment tables hold products with a footprint up to 2 x 2 feet and weighing up to 750 pounds. Shocks up to 100g can be attained, as can sinusoidal vibrations ranging from 5 to 3,000 Hz, and random vibrations up to 8,000 force pounds. All tests comply with the standards established by the governing bodies of multiple industries, including Mil-Std 810, Mil-Std-202G, ASTM, IEC 60068, as well as any customer-specified test protocols. For more information, please contact Cincinnati Sub-Zero Testing Services in Cincinnati at (513) 793-7774 or in Detroit at (586) 997-3589, via email at csztesting(at)cszinc(dot)com, or visit their website on-line at http://www.csztesting.com.

“Because products are exposed to a variety of conditions both in transport and in use, we’ve developed a series of shock and vibration testing procedures that ensure our customers receive the most thorough and complete analysis of the testing processes administered,” says Lonnie Orr, test manager for CSZ’s Detroit facility.

In addition to—and frequently in conjunction with—shock and vibration testing, CSZ performs environmental, HALT and HASS, corrosion, and climatic testing (including extreme temperatures and humidity changes) for companies nationwide. Both of CSZ’s testing laboratories are outfitted with the most current testing technologies, and are staffed by a team of on-site test technicians who coordinate a tailored, cost-effective shock and vibration testing solution to meet specific product development needs.

CSZ’s shock and vibration testing services are available for virtually any product at any point in the design cycle, with quotes returned within 48 hours and confidential, accurate, and valid test results delivered within three days after testing concludes.

For more information, please contact Cincinnati Sub-Zero Testing Services at (513) 793-7774, via email at csztesting(at)cszinc(dot)com or visit their website online at http://www.csztesting.com.

About CSZ Testing Services Inc.

CSZ Testing Services is a leading environmental test laboratory located in Cincinnati, OH and Detroit, MI area; offering high quality environmental, HALT and HASS, corrosion, climatic, shock and vibration testing services. Established in 1988 as ESSC Test Laboratory, ESSC changed its name to CSZ Testing Services in 2008 and is a division of Cincinnati Sub-Zero (CSZ) Products, Inc. which also provides a large selection of environmental test chambers. Both of CSZ Testing’s facilities are A2LA Accredited laboratories with ISO/IEC 17025 compliance and proudly operate with high quality standards. CSZ Testing Services’ headquarters are located at 11901 Mosteller Road, Cincinnati, OH 45241.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Panopta Highlights Winners and Losers of its Holiday Availability Index

Posted by on February 5, 2012 1 comment

Panopta Highlights Winners and Losers of its Holiday Availability Index










Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 17, 2012

Panopta, a leading provider of advanced server monitoring and outage management solutions, announced the results of its Panopta Availability Index – 2011 Holiday eCommerce edition. Over the course of six weeks, starting right before Thanksgiving and ending on New Years Day, the site has tracked the downtime of all major online retailer websites. After analyzing the results, some of the losers had downtime of more than seven hours in one instance, while the winners had zero downtime throughout the entire holiday season, showing the differences of those who are prepared versus those who were not.

Overall, online retailers who experienced outages around the beginning of the holiday season tended to fix their issues quickly. There were three times the number of downtime minutes during Thanksgiving weekend than in all of December, showing that once retailers saw their sites going down, they quickly reacted, possibly by adding more servers and enhanced infrastructure. Site performance was much more consistent in December as compared to November, with one spike on December 23, the last day to order with overnight shipment to be delivered in time for Christmas.

Over 50 sites had no downtime at all and had very quick response times, including Apple.com, Staples.com, REI.com, and Kohls.com. On the flipside, over 70 sites monitored did have significant downtime, including 22 sites with outages lasting more than three hours. Some of these include TigerDirect.com, OfficeDepot.com, and Gamefly.com.

Compared to the 2010 index, the sites that performed well continued to do so (including the big three Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com). Some that had extensive trouble in 2010 made a big improvement – JCPenney.com and Express.com both had 100% uptime versus fairly significant downtime numbers in 2010. Similarly, TheNorthFace.com decreased its downtime by approximately 90 percent. Not all sites saw this same improvement, OfficeDepot.com had nearly eight hours of total downtime, better than 2010 but still substantial, and Levenger.com improved slightly but still had over four hours of total downtime. The downtime minutes almost certainly translated to lost revenue, which if aggregated across all sites would likely amount to millions of dollars, showing that by investing in the infrastructure (i.e. monitoring, servers, etc.), online retailers can avoid this loss and instead, improve sales.

The full availability report is available on Panopta’s website and at http://bit.ly/2011holidayecom. For more information on this report, please email info(at)panopta(dot)com.

About Panopta

Panopta is a leading provider of advanced monitoring and outage management tools for any sized online business, who need to effectively manage service interruptions and reduce downtime. The company provides online tools and resources that equip its customers to minimize outages, improve communication across team members and increase accuracy and efficiency. Panopta manages an international monitoring network, with locations throughout North America, Europe, Asia and South America. For more information, please go to http://www.panopta.com.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Divorce Tool Box Divorce Coaches Offer 8 Tips During International Child-Centered Divorce Month on How to Effectively Co-Parent After Divorce

Posted by on February 2, 2012 1 comment

Divorce Tool Box Divorce Coaches Offer 8 Tips During International Child-Centered Divorce Month on How to Effectively Co-Parent After Divorce












Dothan, AL (PRWEB) January 31, 2012

Because January has been International Child-Centered Divorce Month, Divorce Tool Box founder and Certified Divorce and Family Mediator Audrey Silcox offers 8 tips good for any month to help parents keep focused on their children before and after a divorce. Her extensive experience in high-conflict cases within the judicial system has shown that parents who do so are much more successful at transitioning into the life of co-parenting. With over a million children affected by divorce in the U.S. each year, Silcox says that child-centered divorce is vital for parents, their children, and society as a whole, both now and in the future.

January has been named International Child-Centered Divorce Month because more divorces are filed during that month than any other. Six years ago, author and divorce activist Rosalind Sedacca, initiated National Child-Centered Divorce Month in the U.S., which has grown to cities around the world, where divorce experts are offering special educational events including teleseminars, workshops, discussion groups, and coaching aimed for divorced or soon-to-be divorced parents.

One such U.S. expert is Audrey Silcox, a Certified Divorce and Family Mediator who recently founded Divorce Tool Box, a division of Sildrey Corporation. After 16 years of working with divorcing couples, including as a court-appointed mediator, she has witnessed first-hand how essential customized parenting plans can be for children’s present and future well-being both before and after a divorce. Via telephone and online divorce coaching sessions, she makes her expertise available to individuals or couples before or after they enter the legal arena which can save her clients time, money, and needless additional heartache and expense later if such plans are not carefully thought out.

Says Silcox, “When children are involved in divorce, it is important to customize a custody and co-parenting plan that will withstand the test of time, minimizing changes in parents’ lives while also reducing the psychological impact of divorce in their children’s lives. In fact, for many couples, the most difficult aspect of divorce is making these custody decisions that will forever change the circumstances and time spent with their children.”

For children, these parental decisions and their aftermath can be even more wrenching. According to the Center for Divorce Education, “research has shown that even five years after the breakup of the family, only about a third of the children affected can be described as doing especially well, meaning that they are able to cope successfully in most areas of life. A final third are still intensely unhappy, dissatisfied with life and moderately to seriously depressed.”

“In my experience,” adds Silcox, I’ve seen children who feel guilty thinking they may have caused their parents’ divorce, other children who strongly desire–despite a divorce being final–that their parents will reconcile, or worst of all, those children who feel trapped in the middle of parental conflict. Clearly, the ability of parents to stay focused on the best interest of their children is of utmost importance.”

To that end, Audrey Silcox offers the following 8 tips to help families not only survive divorce, but also reap the benefits of effective co-parenting.    

1. Children of different ages will perceive and experience changes that divorce brings in different ways due to their age and cognitive ability. Young children may experience regression, for example, while older children may resort to playing the role of caregiver to their parents in order to lend emotional support. In any case, parents should be aware that each child will likely display different reactions to divorce due to the variables of personality, age, and cognitive development.

2. To keep abreast of children’s concerns about the transitions during and after divorce, parental communication in open discussions with their children is essential. Because a parent may be stunned by a child’s questions, it is certainly advisable to take a few moments before answering their children’s questions. Parents, how you answer these questions about divorce will always be remembered by your child, so please think before you speak.

3. It is important to maintain relationships by allowing children to feel free to continue loving both parents. While divorce often causes or increases animosity between parents, remember that parents are divorcing each other; children are not divorcing their parents. Allowing children to express love for the parent they are not living with can be accomplished in many ways such as daily phone calls, texts, or emails and remembering special holidays such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or a parent’s birthday by encouraging making or purchasing a gift for the child to present or mail to the other parent.    

4. Aim to make life as normal as possible for the children because they typically desire their lives to be similar to that of their peers. Self-identity through equating how one is similar and different to their peers is normal, and how divorced parents make decisions concerning their children can greatly affect this self-identity. Throughout my 16 years of working in the divorce field, I have heard children complain, for example, how they must have two birthday parties, one hosted by each parent, even though both parents live in the same town. Children have discussed with me how this makes them different from their friends, and how they wish their parents would make just one day a year—such as their birthday—be “normal.”

5. Ways for the non-custodial parents to stay involved in their children’s lives can include activities such helping with homework, attending extracurricular activities, and daily communication. This type of involvement demonstrates to children that both of their parents, although now divorced, remain involved in their lives and security.

6. It is best that each parent communicate directly with the other when circumstances about their children arise, instead of sending messages through their children as a go-between. When children verbalize messages from one parent to the other, emotional reactions by the receiving parent can result, causing the child to feel responsible, anxious, or stressed. Parents can avoid this by communicating directly with each other either in person, or by phone, text, or email.

7. Maintaining similar expectations between homes creates consistency which benefits not only children, but also their parents. Children desire boundaries and consistent routines that establish a sense of security as well as known expectations in each home environment. When expectations and routines differ widely, children may play one parent against the other, which some parents may leverage by “giving in” to a child’s wishes, a practice which may come back to haunt a parent as their child matures. Of course, certain boundaries and expectations may need to be revisited over time, as children mature and their needs change.

8. Unless divorced parents keep conflict to a minimum, their children may feel they have to play the role of mediator between parents. This causes undue guilt and stress for the child who must then carry the extra burden of awareness of adult problems. When a parental discussion involves a disagreement, it is best for both parents and children if parents do not discuss the matter in front of their children or where children can overhear one or both sides of the conversation.

In summary, says Silcox, “Particularly in my work with high-conflict cases within in the judicial system, I’ve seen that parents who keep the focus on their children before and after divorce are much more successful at transitioning into the life of co-parenting, which is vital. With the annual number of divorces now at 1.4 million in the U.S., according to ABC News on May 13, 2011, and according to the Coalition for Divorce Reform, over one million children being affected each year, it’s clear that child-centered divorces are the key to psychological and financial well-being, not only for divorced parents and their children, but also for society as a whole, both now and in the future.”    

Divorce Tool Box is a new program providing telephone coaching by experienced professionals for individuals or couples contemplating or currently undergoing divorce. Custody parenting plans, assets and liabilities, division of property and money matters, along with emotional support are some of the issues addressed in customized, confidential, and convenient phone sessions to help people make wise decisions before entering the legal arena. This guidance can help ease a difficult process as well as save countless hours and costs in legal fees. Appointments are made by phone at (251)639-5788 or online at http://www.DivorceToolBox.com.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Tie-a-Tie.net, the #1 Site Teaching Men to Tie a Tie, Breaks New Year?s Eve Visitor Record

Posted by on January 30, 2012 1 comment

Tie-a-Tie.net, the #1 Site Teaching Men to Tie a Tie, Breaks New Year’s Eve Visitor Record










San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) January 10, 2012

Tie-a-Tie.net, the world’s most popular neck and bow tie tutorial website, today announced that a record-breaking 100,000 visitors visited the site on December 31, 2011, presumably to learn how to tie their neck and bow ties for that evening’s New Year’s Eve festivities. The number is more than double the number of visitors the site had the previous New Year’s Eve.

Tie-a-tie.net offers video, written and pictorial instructions to teach men how to tie the most popular tie knots, including Four-in-Hand, Half Windsor, Pratt, Windsor and Bow Ties. The site also offers tutorials on how to fold a pocket square and a handy Tie Length Calculator, which calculates the tie length that would best fit a man based on height and collar size measurements.

“We were happy to see such tremendous traffic on New Year’s Eve. I have to believe that the unprecedented interest in how to properly tie a tie this year indicates that more men were celebrating New Year’s Eve in formalwear. It’s perhaps symbolic of the economy picking up,” said Tie-a-Tie.net’s owner Hendrik Pohl. “Men are caring more about how they look and putting more effort into getting dressed up. I believe the data also proves that ties are still one of man’s most favorite fashion accessories.”

For the first time ever, Tie-a-Tie.net is releasing information about its visitor trends to the public. The site receives over four million visits each year and is ranked first on search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo and even China’s Baidu for the popular search phrase “how to tie a tie.”

Data analysts have deduced a number of interesting facts about when, where and why men don ties and formal wear based on the site’s visitor patterns. Presuming that the larger the spike in visits the more men are getting dressed up that night, the site has come to the following conclusions:

1. More men get dressed up in formal wear on New Year’s Eve than on any other night of the year.

2. After New Year’s Eve, Christmas Eve, the 4th of July and Thanksgiving are the three biggest “tie holidays.”

3. Saturday nights typically receive more than double the site visits than any weekday, as men everywhere prepare for dates and other special occasions.

4. The growth in traffic shows that the tie is still one of men’s favorite fashion accessory.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.







Dewar Nurseries Earns Veriflora

Posted by on January 28, 2012 1 comment

Dewar Nurseries Earns Veriflora® Certification











VeriFlora Certification Mark


Emeryville, CA (PRWEB) January 02, 2012

Dewar Nurseries, Inc. of Apopka, Florida has met the stringent requirements to earn Veriflora certification for sustainability in the growing process. Recognized as the gold-standard in the floriculture and horticulture industries, Veriflora® certification requires growers to meet strict sustainable agriculture standards including water conservation, energy efficiency, ecosystem protection, and integrated waste management. In addition, growers must comply with fair labor practices that ensure a safe, equitable and healthy work environment, and industry-leading product quality requirements.

Veriflora certification is conducted by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a global third-party certifier of environmental, sustainability and agricultural product quality claims. This independent certification process involves detailed on-site inspections, documentation audits, in-depth interviews, annual monitoring, and demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.

“We are excited to welcome Dewar Nurseries to the Veriflora program,” said Nathan Smith, SCS’ Food and Agriculture Sustainability Services Director. “When growers’ products are Certified Sustainably Grown™ it differentiates them from competitors and provides their clients with the assurance that they support fair labor practices and environmental sustainability in their operations.”

“Dewar Nurseries has, over the years, had a deep desire to be a good community citizen, giving back in many ways to local outreach,” said Alex Dewar, co-owner of Dewar Nurseries. “When, in recent years, the Veriflora program became the premier program to spotlight the need for sustainable practices in crop production and responsibility for good stewardship of our resources and environment, as well as ethical relationships with our employees, we enthusiastically embarked on the effort. While we have always had such concerns, the Veriflora program will surely, in the years going forward, multiply our focus on the environment and on people.”

For additional information about products available from Dewar Nurseries, visit http://www.dewarnurseries.com or call 800-329-1188.

Founded in 1963, Dewar Nurseries operates facilities in Orange County, Palm Beach County, and Lake County, Florida, encompassing approximately 971,600 square feet of greenhouse and 6,141,960 square feet of open field production. Principal crops include containerized Garden Roses, in which we are the largest producer in the US, floral crops including Poinsettias, Hydrangeas, Mums, Easter Lilies, Asiatic and Oriental and Calla Lilies, Tulips and Hyacinths, Kalanchoes, Hibiscus, an assortment of small fruits for the homeowner, and a program of perennials.

Veriflora® is an agricultural sustainability certification and eco-labeling program of Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a global leader in third-party auditing, certification and standards development. To learn more, visit http://www.Veriflora.com or http://www.scscertified.com.

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Vocus©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.