Monday, October 31, 2011

How Facebook Made The Mighty Macs the Highest Grossing Film



With over 800 million users, the world's largest social network is making it easy for film advertisers to target the perfect consumer with the perfect message to get them to show up at the box office.



WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For the filmmakers of The Mighty Macs, last weekend's highest grossing limited release film, Facebook put a new spin on film marketing by offering advertisers the ability to target consumers based on their 'Favorites.' The strategy is simple: target an audience based on the 'Favorite films' posted on their Facebook page, then deliver a compelling message that informs them that there is a new film that is just like their favorite movie.

"If you know what a Facebook user's favorite films have been in the past, you can predict what their favorite films will be in the future," said Sean Wolfington, owner of Tier10Marketing.com, the marketing company that worked with Facebook executives to conduct a laser targeted campaign that helped catapult the new inspirational sports film, The Mighty Macs, into the #1 top-grossing limited release film the weekend it opened in theaters. "Most films are marketed through giant TV campaigns. Because this movie didn't have the budget, we created a 'Targeted TV' campaign that reached consumers who have the highest statistical probability of showing up at the theater for this type of inspirational sports film with a message they cannot deny."

Here is how it worked - Facebook users who covet inspirational sports films based on true stories, like the ever-popular movies Rudy and Hoosiers, and have posted these movies as "Favorites" on their Facebook page, are the target audience. After determining these targets, marketers can filter them based on demographics. "The Mighty Macs began as a limited release in less than 1,000 theaters, so we targeted Facebook users who live within driving distance of the theaters that are showing our film," said Wolfington.

After identifying the target audience, the filmmakers produced a video to send to the consumers to motivate them to come to the box office on opening weekend. As fate would dictate, Rudy Ruettiger, the real-life "Rudy" who inspired the film about his life, saw and loved The Mighty Macs, and volunteered to promote it, saying, "The Mighty Macs is the Rudy of this generation."

The filmmakers utilized an interview with Ruettiger, in which Rudy praised the film, saying, "If you liked Hoosiers and Rudy, you will love The Mighty Macs." With Ruettiger's permission, the short video clip was distributed by Facebook to Facebook users who had chosen Rudy as one of their favorite movies. In short, consumers who love Rudy, received a video from Ruettiger encouraging them to go see The Mighty Macs, and to "Share" the clip with their Facebook friends. With the average Facebook user having 180 friends, the viral power of a user clicking "Like-Share-Comment," now more than ever, creates the potential for videos to spiral into global Internet sensations.

With Facebook enabling Ruettiger to tell Rudy lovers who live close to hosting theaters to go see The Mighty Macs, the strategy lends for the most targeted film marketing campaign in history. What is also unique is the filmmakers only pay when users click on the video initially, and not for impressions of the video or when users share with friends.

"We call this strategy 'Targeted TV' because it gives us all the upside of TV, with its powerful combination of sight, sound and motion, with the ability to deliver the right message to the right consumer. In this case it's the consumer who loves inspiring sports films, particularly, Rudy. It's a perfect campaign because people who love the real-life Rudy want to listen to what Rudy loves, especially films that inspire him," said Tim Chambers, the writer, director and producer of The Mighty Macs.

"We call the second half of the campaign, 'Social TV' because users who "Like" the Ruettiger video can share it with all of their friends and then the whole process repeats itself indefinitely," added Wolfington. "When 'Targeted TV' becomes 'Viral TV' with the click of a button, it is a very effective way to attract customers who have the highest statistical probability of going to see The Mighty Macs."

"Traditional TV can't target to that level of detail today and consumers can't 'Like' and 'Share' commercials the way they can with videos online," Wolfington emphasizes. "This is the future of marketing. It's amazing!"

About The Mighty Macs: The Mighty Macs is based on the incredible true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College team that started in obscurity but became the original Cinderella story in women's basketball when a national champion will be crowned for the first time in women's basketball. This newly founded team of pioneers went from barely making that inaugural tournament to the first dynasty in their game. And Cathy Rush, the woman that changed the game for the better, became immortalized when she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last year. The Mighty Macs stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush; David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush; Marley Shelton as Sister Sunday; and Academy Award and Tony Award winner Ellen Burstyn as Mother St. John. The Mighty Macs opened in theaters on October 21st and was released in 1,000 theaters through Sony Pictures. Tim Chambers wrote, produced and directed, with executive producers Vince Curran, John Chambers, Thomas Carl, Bud S. Smith, Pat Croce and Sean Wolfington, who also owns Tier10Marketing.com, the company that architected this new social media marketing strategy for films.

To see the video of Ruettiger praising The Mighty Macs, please visit the following link: http://vimeo.com/30606493

Other related links are listed below:

Film Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_VXhJCetwc
Film Website: http://www.themightymacs.com
Film Press Release: http://www.themightymacs.com/pressroom/pressmaterials
Marketing Company: http://www.tier10marketing.com

SOURCE Tier 10 Marketing

RELATED LINKS
http://www.tier10marketing.com





The 7 billionth Person in the World


Baby 7 Billion: A milestone for girls' survival rights. (PRNewsFoto/Plan International)

31 Oct 2011 19:25 Africa/Lagos


Baby 7 Billion: A Milestone for Girls' Survival Rights

PR Newswire

LUCKNOW, India, Oct. 31, 2011

LUCKNOW, India, Oct. 31, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Child rights organisation Plan India today celebrated the birth of a girl in Uttar Pradesh as the world's symbolic 7 billionth person. The organisation described ‘Baby 7 Billion' as a milestone for comprehensive action for survival rights of girls.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111031/DC96700)

In an event held outside Lucknow, the capital of India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, the newborn girl was given a birth certificate by the local administration.

#Baby7Billion girl was born at 7.20 am India time to Vinita (23) and Ajay (25) at a community health centre in Mall near Lucknow in India's state of Uttar Pradesh. She has been named "Nargis" - a beautiful flower. Nargis was born a healthy baby and weighed nearly 3 kgs (6lbs 60z).

Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director, Plan India said: "By celebrating the birth of a girl as Baby 7 Billion we are drawing attention to the serious issue of India's declining child sex ratio."

Hundreds of thousands of female foetuses are being terminated in India every year even though sex-selective abortions and use of ultrasound technology for foetal gender-determination is illegal in the country.

According to India's 2011 Census, the ratio of girls to boys has dropped to an all time low since records began. Today, there are just 914 girls for every 1,000 boys between 0 and 6 years.

Plan India has launched the Let Girls Be Born campaign in six Indian states to galvanise action to address the issue of female foeticide.

"Plan has been working in India for the last three decades and the survival, protection and development rights of girls have been a key focus of our community development work. With ‘Let Girls be Born' we are raising awareness and advocating for the fundamental survival rights of girls," added Bhagyashri Dengle .

In Uttar Pradesh, Plan's partner Vatsalya is working with communities and making them understand the social consequences of widening gender gap. Plan chose Uttar Pradesh to mark the birth of Baby 7 Billion as the state accounts not only for the highest number of births but also the highest number of ‘missing girls'. With a population bigger than that of Brazil, it has just 899 girls for every 1,000 boys. The situation is similar in other states such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the country's capital, Delhi.

As part of Plan's initiative, Baby 7 Billion, along with other six newborn girls from the same community, will be sponsored by several eminent women from India. They will support the sponsored girls for the next seven years – the key period for survival and childhood development – and serve as ambassadors for girls' survival rights. The organisation will report back on the development of Baby7 Billion girls at regular intervals.

Arti Kirloskar , Secretary, Plan India Board is spearheading this initiative and the other eminent personalities joining her are: Abha Narain Lambah, Conservation architect; Anoushka Shankar, Sitarist; Mallika Sarabhai, dancer and choreographer; and Sunita Narain , environmental activist.

Kirloskar said: "Through this small initiative we want to demonstrate that through concerted efforts we can bring in a lasting change in the lives of millions of girls. Allowing girls to be born and giving them equal chances in life is critical and it does not cost much to ensure a quality life."

For more information, please visit www.Plan-International.org.

SOURCE Plan International

CONTACT: CONTACT: Meg Cangany of Plan International USA, +1-202-223-8325 x 139, meg.cangany@planusa.org



Saturday, October 29, 2011

American and Australian Filmmakers Meet at Ausfilm Week 2011



Australian and US Film Industries Collaborating Through Ausfilm Week 2011

Ausfilm Week 24 – 28 October, 2011

Los Angeles, California, 24 October, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Ausfilm and representatives of the Australian film industry come together in Los Angeles this week (24-28 October) for Ausfilm Week 2011. Ausfilm Week aims to build and maintain relationships between the Australian and US film industries to encourage co-production of international film and television with Australia.

Ausfilm Week features a series of events covering all aspects of production including film screenings, breakfast seminars, development lunches, a gala dinner and cocktail events where Australian filmmakers and industry professionals discuss filmmaking in Australia with their US colleagues and encourage them to access Australia’s Screen Production Incentives which includes the Producer Offset – a 40% incentive for films with significant Australian content.

Ausfilm Week provides the platform to present Australia as a world-class film destination with its diverse locations near sound stages, Oscar-winning talent & crew and attractive tax incentives available to American producers in partnership with the Australian film industry.

The incentives available include the 40% Producer Offset, 30% Post, Digital and Visual Effects incentive and 16.5% Locations incentive.

Targeted one-on-one meetings between leading Australian filmmakers, US studios, development executives, production companies and packaging agents will take place during Ausfilm Week 2011 to discuss collaboration for the development of Producer Offset projects.

Australian director Shane Abbess (Gabriel) commented “As an Australian filmmaker living in Los Angeles, I’ve found Ausfilm to be that often crucial link between our industry at home and here. Their events are a must for anyone looking to bridge the gap between two of the strongest film communities on the planet.”

Australian projects currently include Baz Luhrmann’s version of The Great Gatsby which is filming at Fox Studios, Director Alex Proyas is prepping his motion capture for the film Paradise Lost and Happy Feet 2 is close to wrapping, ready for its November launch.

Australian Post, Digital and Visual Effects houses have proven their capabilities and secured significant work for blockbuster international features including Captain America, Thor, Don’t be Afraid of the Dark and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 & 2.

The third annual Ausfilm Week programme will open tonight with a preview screening of the upcoming Australian feature A Few Best Men, with cast including Olivia Newton-John walking the red carpet at the Linwood Dunn Theatre.

About Ausfilm:
Ausfilm is a partnership organisation between private sector and government film industry representatives. It comprises Australia's Federal, State and Territory Governments and 25 private-sector companies. Ausfilm’s objective is to connect international filmmakers worldwide with Australia. For more information on Ausfilm Week and filming in Australia visit www.ausfilm.com


Media Contacts:
Kristy Officer
Ph: +61 424 174 957
Vivien Flitton
Cell: +1 310 570 1014



Friday, October 28, 2011

More than Five Million Americans Abuse Painkillers Each Month



More than Five Million Americans Abuse Painkillers Each Month

During Medicine Abuse Awareness Month, BeSmartBeWell.com shares the story of Julie, who overcame a nearly fatal addiction to painkillers

Chicago, October 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Drugs are everywhere. The use of prescription painkillers has increased dramatically in recent years, and prescription drug abuse is now the nation’s fastest-growing drug problem. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, more than 5 million Americans misuse painkillers each month. Opioid painkillers—a class of very powerful and potentially addicting pain relievers—are the most common source of drug overdose deaths, resulting in more unintentional deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.

Who is taking all these drugs? Americans like Julie, a preschool teacher who suffered from back pain and became addicted to painkillers. “When you think of an addict, you think of the person laying in the street that’s addicted to heroin,” Julie says in her video on the site. “You don’t think of the person that’s living down the street from you and is addicted to painkillers.” Watch Julie’s video at BeSmartBeWell.com to see her complete story.


Julie



Teens and prescription drug abuse

Because prescription drugs are so widely available, they’re also more accessible to teens, with nearly 2 million teens abusing prescription drugs each year. According to a survey sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, more than half of high school seniors said that opioid (narcotic) drugs like Vicodin and OxyContin would be fairly easy or very easy to get. Watch Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership at Drugfree.org, discuss prescription drug abuse among teens at BeSmartBeWell.com. Parents can also get educated about the most commonly abused prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including the street names kids use to describe them, with the new BeSmartBeWell.com Drug Guide.

Where can I learn more?
BeSmartBeWell.com/Drug-Safety is a website that provides practical information to help identify and prevent prescription drug abuse. Produced by the country’s largest customer-owned health insurer in collaboration with medical experts and national health organizations, BeSmartBeWell.com features: Life stories of real people struggling with health and safety issues, expert Q&As, reputable resources and links, health news, in-depth articles and health quizzes.

At the site, visitors can also register for the monthly Spotlight Newsletter and News Alerts for in-depth articles and breaking news on drug safety and other health topics.
About Be Smart. Be Well.

BeSmartBeWell.com is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Divisions of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

Media Contact:
Ross Blackstone
Media and Public Relations Manager
Health Care Service Corporation
972.766.1735
Ross_Blackstone@hcsc.net

ALL OTHER INQUIRIES:
editor@besmartbewell.com 312.653.BSBW (2729)



Media Landscape Presents New Opportunities for Communicators to Earn Media

28 Oct 2011 18:18 Africa/Lagos


PR Newswire's New White Paper, Earned Media Evolved, Discusses How the Transformed Media Landscape Presents New Opportunities for Communicators to Earn Media

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Oct. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As content continues to maintain its place at the core of audience engagement and the influence of social media intensifies, brands and organizations are presented with growing opportunities to earn media.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/52956-pr-newswire-white-paper-earned-media-evolved-landscape-social-echo

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110719/NY37427LOGO)

PR Newswire's new white paper, Earned Media Evolved, explores why communicators must strategically navigate the shifting media landscape to remain relevant and how to do so to uncover powerful new opportunities and influence decision makers and consumers. It takes an in-depth look at what initiates the sharing of content and how brand and user-generated content can become valuable currency amplified through social networks. Leading brands also reveal how they leveraged their own social networks to drive engagement.

For complete information, download the complete white paper here.

As an industry thought leader, PR Newswire regularly produces original, relevant content aimed at offering public relations, investor relations and marketing professionals advice and strategies necessary to reach their communications goals. To access additional information and content, visit PR Newswire's Knowledge Center.




About PR Newswire
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.

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

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Thursday, October 27, 2011

We Need to Talk About Kevin is Best Film at London Film Festival



The movie adaptation of We Need to Talk About Kevin, the 2003 novel of American author Lionel Shriver is the winner of the best film at the 55th BFI London Film Festival on Wednesday. The novel won the Orange Prize for fiction in 2005.

The British-American film described by Mike Collett-White as an unflinching portrayal of a mother's troubled relationship with her son featured Oscar winner Tilda Swinton, starring as Eva, Kevin's mother



Kevin (Ezra Miller), 15, commits a massacre at his high school and goes to jail. Stunned, his mother, Eve (Tilda Swinton) can only react to tragedy when it begins to correspond with her husband, Franklin (John C. Reilly), who lives far and recalls the boy's troubled past.

We Need to Talk about Kevin premiered at the last Cannes Film Festival, was directed by Scottish film maker Lynne Ramsay. It beat eight other films, including Russian Alexander Sokurov’s Faust that won the Golden Lion at the 68th Venice International Film Festival.

"In the end, we were simply bowled over by one film, a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love," said John Madden, chair of the judging panel.
"'We Need to Talk About Kevin' is made with the kind of singular vision that links great directors across all the traditions of cinema."

The festival closes Thursday evening with a gala screening of The Deep Blue Sea, Terence Davies' adaptation of Terence Rattigan's play starring Rachel Weisz.


~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima


Click here to read the novel.



The following is the press release on the 55th BFI London Film Festival.

The 55th BFI London Film Festival, in partnership with American Express announced the winners at its high profile awards ceremony, supported by Montblanc at London's LSO St Luke's yesterday evening. Hosted by Marcus Brigstocke, the four awards were presented by some of the most respected figures in the film world.

Best Film: We Need To Talk About Kevin, directed by Lynne Ramsay
Celebrating the most original, intelligent and distinctive filmmaking in the Festival, the Best Film award, presented in partnership with American Express, was chaired by John Madden who presented the award with fellow judge Gillian Anderson.

On behalf of the jury John Madden (Chair) said: "This year's shortlist for Best Film comprises work that is outstanding in terms of its originality and its stylistic reach. It is an international group, one united by a common sense of unflinching human enquiry and we were struck by the sheer panache displayed by these great storytellers. In the end, we were simply bowled over by one film, a sublime, uncompromising tale of the torment that can stand in the place of love. We Need to Talk About Kevin is made with the kind of singular vision that links great directors across all the traditions of cinema."

Best British Newcomer: Candese Reid, actress, Junkhearts
This award is presented in partnership with Swarovski and honours new and emerging film talent, recognising the achievements of a new writer, producer, director, actor or actress. The award for Best British Newcomer was presented by Edgar Wright and Minnie Driver to Candese Reid, for her acting role in Junkhearts, a sophisticated, social drama about hope and the search for redemption. Starting acting at the age of nine, she joined Nottingham's prestigious Television Workshop, and her role in Junkhearts, at the age of 18, was her first professional acting role. Candese also received a bursary of £5,000 courtesy of Swarovski.

Chair of the Best British Newcomer jury, Andy Harries said, "Candese is a fresh, brilliant and exciting new talent. Every moment she was on screen was compelling."

Sutherland Award Winner: Pablo Giorgelli, director of Las Acacias
The long-standing Sutherland Award is presented to the director of the most original and imaginative feature debut in the Festival. This year, Argentinian director Pablo Giorgelli took the award for his film Las Acacias, a slow-burning, uplifting and enchanting story of a truck driver and his passengers. The director received his Star of London from film director Terry Gilliam.

The jury commented: "In a lively and thoughtful jury room debate, Las Acacias emerged as a worthy winner, largely because of the originality of its conception. Finely judged performances and a palpable sympathy for his characters makes this a hugely impressive debut for director Pablo Giorgelli."

Grierson Award for Best Documentary: Into the Abyss: A Tale of Death, A Tale of Life, directed by Werner Herzog
The award is co-presented with the Grierson Trust, in commemoration of John Grierson, the grandfather of British documentary. Recognising outstanding feature length documentaries of integrity, originality, technical excellence or cultural significance, the jury was chaired by Adam Curtis and the award went to Werner Herzog's coruscating study of the senselessness of violence and its consequences.

BFI Fellowship: Ralph Fiennes and David Cronenberg
Awarded to an individual whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to film culture, the Fellowship is the highest accolade that the British Film Institute bestows and was awarded to Canadian auteur David Cronenberg whose film A Dangerous Method premiered at the Festival on Monday. The Fellowship was presented by Jeremy Thomas and Michael Fassbender.

Ralph Fiennes, one of Britain's pre-eminent actors, who has just made a bold and critically well received transition to film directing with his festival film Coriolanus, was also presented with a Fellowship, this time from fellow actor and personal friend Liam Neeson.

Greg Dyke, Chair, BFI said: "The BFI London Film Festival Awards pay tribute to outstanding film talent, so we are delighted and honoured that both Ralph Fiennes, one of the world's finest and most respected actors and David Cronenberg, one of the most original and ground-breaking film directors of contemporary cinema, have both accepted BFI Fellowships - the highest accolade the BFI can bestow. I also want to congratulate all the filmmakers and industry professionals here tonight, not only on their nominations and awards, but also for their vision, skill, passion and creativity."

The Star of London award was commissioned especially for the Festival and designed by leading sculptor Almuth Tebbenhoff.

Jurors present at the ceremony included: Best Film jurors John Madden, Andrew O'Hagan. Gillian Anderson, Asif Kapadia, Tracey Seaward and Sam Taylor-Wood OBE; Sutherland jurors Tim Robey, Joanna Hogg, Saskia Reeves, Peter Kosminsky, Hugo Grumbar, and the artist Phil Collins. Best British Newcomer jurors Anne-Marie Duff, Tom Hollander, Edith Bowman, Stephen Woolley and Nik Powell; and Grierson Award jurors Mandy Chang of the Grierson Trust, Charlotte Moore, Head of Documentary Commissioning at BBC, Kim Longinotto and Adam Curtis.

Other guests included: Alfonso Cuarón, Sheharazade Goldsmith, Duncan Kenworthy, Aaron Johnson, Paul Gambaccini, Chair of the BFI Greg Dyke, Chief Executive Amanda Nevill and Festival Director Sandra Hebron.



Wednesday, October 26, 2011

The Book Muammar Gaddafi Should Have Read Before His End



There is a book that even atheists are scared of reading.
If only Muammar Gaddafi had read it before he was killed.



The gripping Scientists Discover Hell: As Astronauts Find Heaven is a frightening book to read, even for atheists.
I have read it and ordered and sent over 40 copies from Amazon to several people, including the leading Christian ministers in Nigeria and the United States. I gave a copy to Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

Muammar Gaddafi failed to read it and can never read it again. But if you can read this post, then don't fail to read this book before it is too late.

Click here for more details.



Steve Jobs Loathed Google Till His Last Breath On Earth?



Steve Jobs loathed Google till his last breath on earth?

Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs swore that Google’s Android was stolen from his iPhone, according to Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography of Jobs. The book is number #1 on Amazon.

“I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong,” Jobs told Isaacson.
“I‘m going to destroy Android because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go to thermonuclear war on this. They are scared to death because they know they are guilty,” Jobs swore.
The biography was released after Jobs lost his long battle with pancreatic cancer on October 5, Jobs was disappointed , because he had been a mentor to Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.


About the Biography


Based on more than forty interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson has written a riveting story of the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

At a time when America is seeking ways to sustain its innovative edge, and when societies around the world are trying to build digital-age economies, Jobs stands as the ultimate icon of inventiveness and applied imagination. He knew that the best way to create value in the twenty-first century was to connect creativity with technology. He built a company where leaps of the imagination were combined with remarkable feats of engineering.

Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written nor even the right to read it before it was published. He put nothing off-limits. He encouraged the people he knew to speak honestly. And Jobs speaks candidly, sometimes brutally so, about the people he worked with and competed against. His friends, foes, and colleagues provide an unvarnished view of the passions, perfectionism, obsessions, artistry, devilry, and compulsion for control that shaped his approach to business and the innovative products that resulted.

Driven by demons, Jobs could drive those around him to fury and despair. But his personality and products were interrelated, just as Apple’s hardware and software tended to be, as if part of an integrated system. His tale is instructive and cautionary, filled with lessons about innovation, character, leadership, and values.


About the Author
Walter Isaacson, the CEO of the Aspen Institute, has been chairman of CNN and the managing editor of Time magazine. He is the author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life and of Kissinger: A Biography, and the coauthor of The Wise Men: Six Friends and the World They Made. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and daughter.



Friday, October 21, 2011

Zondervan Signs Book Deal With Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter


Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter


21 Oct 2011 15:46 Africa/Lagos


Zondervan Signs Three-Title Publishing Agreement with Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter

PR Newswire

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 21, 2011

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Oct. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading Christian publisher Zondervan has established a publishing partnership with former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Under the agreement, Zondervan will release three Christian titles, including a children's book inspired by President Carter, as well as a trade book title and a Bible title that will both be authored by the nation's 39th President.

"We are honored to be working with President Carter," said Zondervan president and CEO Scott Macdonald. "President Carter is known for being a man of strong faith and he has collected a great deal of wisdom and insight to share based on his experiences, his personal journey and his walk with Christ. These three very different titles are intended to reach different readers through the voice of one of our nation's most respected and successful leaders. My prayer is that these titles accomplish just that, to God's glory."

Through the Year with Jimmy Carter: 366 Daily Meditations from the 39th President (ISBN: 0310416779) will release in January 2012. In it, Carter shares the personal stories and life lessons God has taught him over three decades of practical Bible teaching delivered to his Sunday school classes in Plains, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. The devotional format is designed to encourage readers to meditate on a new passage everyday for one year.

Published by Zonderkidz and authored by Elizabeth Raum, Gift of Peace: The Jimmy Carter Story (ISBN: 031072756) is a biography of Carter's life written for children. The book recently released and is available in bookstores and at all major online retailers.

NIV Lessons from Life Bible: Personal Reflections with Jimmy Carter (ISBN: 0310950813) will hit stores in March 2012. The Bible will feature the entire text of the bestselling NIV translation and will be filled throughout with Carter's personalized experiences, reflections, observations, and insights, including life lessons he's learned throughout his walk with God and how he has applied the Word to his daily life.

"I chose to partner with Zondervan on these three projects due to their established track record and reputation as a capable publisher that operates with integrity. It has been a pleasure working with their team," said President Carter. "I'm excited to introduce these new titles, and my prayer is that God will use them to touch the hearts and minds of readers."

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 www.zondervan.com/books.

SOURCE Zondervan

CONTACT: Tara Powers, +1-616-233-0500, tpowers@lambert-edwards.com

Web Site: http://www.zondervan.com/books




Half of Americans Do Not Believe President Obama Will be Re-elected


President Barack Obama

20 Oct 2011 15:08 Africa/Lagos

Half of Americans Do Not Believe President Obama Will be Re-elected

President's job rating one year from election lower than five of past six presidents at same time

PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2011

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- One year from now the country will be in the final days of the 2012 presidential campaign. Most likely the final debates will have been held and the two candidates will be on their final campaign trips wooing undecided voters. President Obama will be trying to move on to a second term and one of the Republicans will be trying to stop that. However, the President is heading into this year-long campaign with only one-third of Americans (33%) giving the job he is doing positive ratings while two-thirds (67%) give him negative marks. This is almost unchanged from last month when 32% gave him positive ratings and 68% gave him negative ones.

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These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,463 adults surveyed online between October 10 and 17, 2011 by Harris Interactive.


Looking back


Going back to The Harris Poll Vault, we can take a look to see what the ratings of other presidents were one year before they attempted to win a second term. Only one, Jimmy Carter had lower ratings with 25% of Americans giving him positive marks while three-quarters (74%) gave him negative ratings.

Click here for the full report.

Top Topics

Herman Cain Rises to the Top among Republicans for the GOP Primary Win

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: October New-Vehicle Retail Selling Rate Holding at a Higher Level

Turmoil in Libya

Quarterly Earnings Reports

Halloween 2011

Baseball Playoffs & World Series

Occupy Wall Street



Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time

21 Oct 2011

15:44 Entrepreneurs Across the Americas Call on G20 Governments to Recognize Their Vital Role in Job Creation and Innovation
20 Oct 2011
15:08 Half of Americans Do Not Believe President Obama Will be Re-elected
10:30 United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Endorses John Bryson as the Next United States Secretary of Commerce
19 Oct 2011
20:51 U.S. Rep to U.N. Says Obama Wants Senate to Ratify Arms Treaty




Muammar Gaddafi: From Hero To Zero


Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi[1] (Arabic: مُعَمَّر القَذَّافِي‎ Muʿammar al-Qaḏḏāfī (June 1942 – 20 October 2011)


The rise and fall of Muammar Gaddafi is just another classic tragedy of one of the most charismatic rulers in the history of the world since Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, the fifth Emperor of Rome (37 AD - 68 AD).

It is really ironic that Gaddafi who was once the hero of his people was now a villain they had to topple and kill without trial.

I don't have to write anything more than what many people have already written and reported online and offline. But I advise every literate African to read What does Gaddafi's fall mean for Africa? - Opinion - Al Jazeera English.



~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor, Nigerians Report.




Zombie Boy Goes Beyond the Cover



Dermablend Professional and Zombie Boy Go Beyond the Cover

Trusted coverage brand asks viewers to look beyond first impressions with new online video campaign (Tweet this)




NEW YORK, N.Y., October 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Do you judge a book by its cover? That’s what Dermablend Professional, the #1 dermatologist recommended coverage brand in the U.S., is asking with its newest online video campaign, “Go Beyond the Cover.”

For this initiative, Dermablend Professional recruited Rico Genest, also known as Zombie Boy, the 26-year-old model and fashion muse best known for his head-to-toe skeletal tattoos. Genest gained attention after appearing in Lady Gaga’s video for “Born This Way,” as well as walking the Thierry Mugler runway in Paris, to name a few. His notoriety and unique appearance have also earned him a cult Facebook following.

To create the “Go Beyond the Cover” message, Dermablend Professional teamed with Tuxedo Agency to produce a video featuring Zombie Boy. During the shoot, a team of makeup artists applied Dermablend Professional Leg and Body Tattoo Primer and Leg and Body Cover to completely cover Zombie Boy’s tattoos on his head, neck, chest, stomach and arms. In the video, a completely tattoo-free Genest slowly rubs away the Dermablend Professional product to reveal the tattoos that lie beneath. The video, as well as behind-the-scenes footage revealing the makeup application and Genest’s reaction to seeing himself without tattoos, can be seen at www.gobeyondthecover.com and on the Dermablend Professional Facebook page.

The message? Don’t judge a book by its cover. As the “Go Beyond the Cover” video makes abundantly clear, what appears to be real at first glance isn’t necessarily the case. People are often quick to judge a person based on outward appearances instead of looking beyond to discover the individual’s true character. As the video depicts, it’s easy to transform one’s image with just a few swipes of a makeup sponge, yet we need to be inspired to discover who that individual really is. It’s important to remember to always look beyond what’s on the outside.

For 30 years, Dermablend Professional has been helping people put their best face forward with its line of coverage cosmetics. From tattoos to undereye circles to more serious skin conditions, Dermablend Professional provides an array of products that deliver reliable coverage.

“In this ‘Go Beyond the Cover’ video featuring Zombie Boy, his appearance was masked using just a few Dermablend Professional products,” said Renee Mininni, assistant vice president of marketing for Dermablend Professional. “The point that we hope to drive home is that sometimes we catch ourselves judging an individual based on appearance alone, but appearances can be easily changed. Dermablend Professional provides products for those seeking coverage and it will do the trick flawlessly but be inspired to go beyond the cover.”

Dermablend Professional can be purchased at Macy’s, Ulta, Dillard’s and also at select Lord & Taylor, Bon Ton, Carsons and Boscovs locations, and online at www.dermablend.com.