PBS NEWSHOUR NamesTom Kennedy Managing Editor/Digital News

PBS NEWSHOUR names veteran multimedia journalist Tom Kennedy Managing Editor/Digital News
PBS NEWSHOUR TOM KENNEDY Veteran Multimedia Journalist Tom Kennedy named Managing Editor/Digital News at PBS NEWSHOUR. (PRNewsFoto/PBS NEWSHOUR) ARLINGTON, VA UNITED STATES.

ARLINGTON, Va., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tom Kennedy, an internationally known visual journalist and multimedia editor, has been tapped to lead the PBS NewsHour's online news operations as Managing Editor/Digital News. Kennedy brings over 35 years of print and online journalism experience, including positions as Managing Editor for Multimedia at washingtonpost.com and Director of Photography at the National Geographic Society. He has created, directed, and edited visual journalism projects that have earned Pulitzer Prizes, as well as EMMY, Peabody, and Edward R. Murrow awards.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120426/DC95615 )

Kennedy now teaches photo editing, including multimedia editing and storytelling, and visual journalism at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He also works as a multimedia consultant with assorted corporations and non-profits. He will begin work at the NewsHour in June.

As Managing Editor/Digital News, Kennedy will be responsible for the NewsHour's online content strategy and the overall growth of the program's digital operation. It is an area where he has much experience. At washingtonpost.com, Kennedy conceptualized and developed its multimedia section, and created the first documentary video team to produce stories for an American newspaper-based web site.

"Tom is a great addition to the NewsHour team," said Linda Winslow, Executive Producer of PBS NewsHour. "This job calls for a creative journalist with editorial and management skills, and Tom is that person. I'm confident that not only will he ensure that all NewsHour-produced digital material – text, video, social media – meets the NewsHour's strict editorial standards, but that he will further develop multimedia skills and creativity throughout our staff."

Prior to joining washingtonpost.com, Kennedy was the Director of Photography at the National Geographic Society for ten years. He directed the Photographic Division that produced all still photography for the Society, with the primary focus on National Geographic Magazine. He also worked as Deputy Graphics Director at the Philadelphia Inquirer, where he directed two projects that earned Pulitzer Prizes for feature photography. Earlier in his career, he worked as a photojournalist at The Gainesville (FL) Sun and The Orlando (FL) Sentinel Star.

Kennedy has served on the Board of Advisors for The Knight Center for International Journalism within the School of Communication at the University of Miami, and on the Board of Visitors for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. He has also been an advisor to visual journalism programs at the University of North Texas and University of Florida. Kennedy graduated cum laude with a degree in journalism from the University of Florida.

PBS NEWSHOUR is seen by over 5 million weekly viewers and is also available online, via public radio in select markets and via podcast. The program is produced in association with WETA Washington, D.C., and WNET.org in New York. Major corporate funding for the PBS NEWSHOUR is provided by BNSF, CITI, and AT&T, with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers.


SOURCE PBS NEWSHOUR

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America's Most Athletic Family - Jones Brothers Unbreakable Bond

*FLASH QUOTES AND RIGHTS-FREE VIDEO*


LAS VEGAS, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With a pro football player, a college football standout about to be drafted to the pros, and the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, proud parents Arthur and Camille Jones of Endicott, New York, may have the most athletic sons in America.

"The Jones brothers are three guys who are very competitive, but we have a bond that can never be broken," said youngest brother Chandler, a 6-foot-5-inch, 265-pound defensive end for the Syracuse Orangemen who will be drafted into the pros next week.

"We're real passionate about everything we do and we bring out the best in each other," said oldest brother Arthur, a 6-foot-3-inch, 311-pound defensive end for the Baltimore Ravens.

"I was the skinny kid with no co-ordination," said 6-foot-3-inch middle brother Jon, who defends his UFC 205lbs title tomorrow against No.1 contender Rashad Evans on Pay-Per-View. "Both my brothers were always great at football but when I wore the helmet and pads, I looked so skinny with these long legs poking out they called me 'Bones.' But I found my calling in the UFC, and on Saturday night in Atlanta, both my brothers will be Octagonside to see 'Bones' Jones do his thing."

For rights-free video of the Jones brothers helping Jon prepare for this weekend's big fight, click here for 50 second and 3 minute versions of film: http://on.ufc.com/HYl2cy

UFC®145 will be available live on Pay-Per-View at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on UFC.TV, iN DEMAND, DirecTV, DISH Network, Avail-TVN, and in Canada on BellTV, Shaw Communications, Sasktel, and Viewer's Choice Canada for a suggested retail price of $44.99 US/$49.99 CAN for Standard Definition and $54.99 US/$59.99 CAN for High Definition.

For more information or current fight news, visit www.ufc.com. All bouts live and subject to change.


About Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can't-miss events that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC® is the world's premier mixed martial arts organization. Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, and with offices in London, England, Toronto, Canada and Beijing, China, UFC® produces more than 30 live events annually and is the largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world.

In 2011, the UFC burst into the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports Media Group. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This includes the longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now air on FX in an exciting new live format.

In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over 149 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different languages. UFC content is also distributed commercially in the United States to bars and restaurants through Joe Hand Promotions. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed executives in sports, with over two million followers on Twitter.

Ancillary UFC businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine, the best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel, trading cards, and articulated action figures.

SOURCE The Ultimate Fighting Championship

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Oprah Winfrey To Deliver Commencement Address To The Spelman College Class Of 2012

Lady Oprah Winfrey


19 Apr 2012 17:00 Africa/Lagos

Global Media Leader & Philanthropist Oprah Winfrey To Deliver Commencement Address To The Spelman College Class Of 2012

HIV/AIDS advocate Dazon Dixon Diallo , C'86, and actress and social change agent Anna Deavere Smith to receive Honorary Degrees

ATLANTA, April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A multimedia mogul whose international imprint is emblazoned on television, film, online and magazine publishing, satellite radio and Broadway, Oprah Winfrey is a significant example of how women can change the world. She's broken the glass ceiling in a male-dominated industry and leveraged her success as an entrepreneur to support many causes, including education. On Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m., at the Georgia International Convention Center, the Mississippi native, who received an honorary degree from Spelman College in 1993, will inspire approximately 550 graduates when she delivers the commencement address to the Class of 2012, and receives the institution's National Community Service Award.

Known for her focus on improving the lives of others through various charitable initiatives, education is at the heart of Ms. Winfrey's philanthropic efforts. Through her Angel Network, she has helped establish 60 schools in 13 countries and donated $1 million to six charter schools in the United States in 2010. Her Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program has provided millions of dollars in support to financially challenged students and her 2002 Christmas Kindness initiative in South Africa helped over 50,000 children experience a million moments of happiness. However, among her best known endeavors is the establishment of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, where she has invested more than $40 million to educate students in grades seven through twelve.

Spelman College has a special relationship with the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. Three students from the academy have been accepted as first-year students at the college, as part of the Class of 2016. In addition, Spelmanites have participated in internships at the academy, tutoring students and serving as resident assistants.

"We are thrilled to welcome Oprah Winfrey back to our campus to receive this well deserved award. I know her address to the Class of 2012 will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the graduates, as it did in 1993," said Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph.D., president.

Honorary degrees will be bestowed upon public health advocate Dazon Dixon Diallo, C'86, founder and president of SisterLove Inc., one of the first HIV/AIDS non-profit organizations in the Southeast founded by a woman and devoted to women, and highly-acclaimed actress, playwright and professor Anna Deavere Smith.

"As the global leader in the education of women of African descent, our mission is to provide an experience rooted in academic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and to inspire a life-changing commitment to community involvement and positive social impact," added Dr. Tatum. "All of our honorees are tangible examples of the roles women can play in changing the world."

Dr. Ronald E. Peters , eighth President of the Interdenominational Theological Center, will serve as Baccalaureate speaker to the Class of 2012. Dr. Peters, a New Orleans native, is an internationally recognized preacher, author and advisor on social witness policy and urban theological education. Baccalaureate service will be held on Saturday, May 19 at 9 a.m. on the Spelman College Oval.

Spelman College:
Founded in 1881, Spelman College is a highly selective, liberal arts college widely recognized as the global leader in the education of women of African descent. Located in Atlanta, Ga., the college's picturesque campus is home to 2100 students. Outstanding alumnae include Children's Defense Fund Founder Marian Wright Edelman; Sam's Club CEO Rosalind Brewer, JPMorgan Chase Foundation President Kimberly Davis, Former Acting Surgeon General and Spelman's first alumna President Audrey Forbes Manley, Havard College Dean Evelyn Hammonds, Author Pearl Cleage and Actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson. For more information, visit www.spelman.edu.

SOURCE Spelman College
CONTACT: Terrilyn Simmons, +1-404-270-5822, tsimmons8@spelman.edu

Web Site: http://www.spelman.edu

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World's Largest Native American Cultural Event

caption: The Gathering of Nations, the world's largest gathering of Native American and indigenous people, takes place in Albuquerque, New Mexico between April 26 and 28, 2012. During the "Grand Entry," thousands of Native American dancers simultaneously enter University of New Mexico University Arena dressed in colorful regalia to the sounds of beating drums. (PRNewsFoto/Gathering of Nations).

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest gathering of Native American and indigenous people will take place in Albuquerque, N.M. between April 26 and 28, 2012. The 29th Annual Gathering of Nations, considered the most prominent Native American powwow in the world, will host tens of thousands of people and more than 500 tribes from throughout the United States, Canada, and around the world.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120418/LA89239)

The three-day event will include more than 3,000 traditional Native American singers and dancers competing in 32 dance categories, and more than 800 Native American artisans, craftsmen and traders displaying and selling their work. In addition, 36 indigenous bands will be performing a wide variety of musical genres. Vendors in the Native Food Court will offer guests a large selection of food choices ranging between southwestern-style cuisine and traditional Native American fare.

As part of the Gathering of Nations, a young Native American woman will be crowned Miss Indian World and represent all native and indigenous people as a cultural goodwill ambassador. As one of the largest and most prestigious cultural pageants, 28 Native American and indigenous women representing their different tribes and traditions will compete in the areas of tribal knowledge, dancing ability, and personality assessment.

The Gathering of Nations opens with the Miss Indian World competition on April 26 at 7 p.m. at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel –Albuquerque. The much anticipated "Grand Entry," where thousands of Native American dancers simultaneously enter the arena dressed in colorful outfits to the sounds of hundreds of beating drums, begins at noon on Friday, April 27. The Grand Entry will be repeated Friday evening at 7 p.m. and on Saturday, at 12 p.m. (noon) and 6 p.m.

The new Miss Indian World will be crowned on Saturday evening, after the Grand Entry. The Gathering of Nations will be held at the University of New Mexico's University Arena in Albuquerque.

General admission tickets cost $17 per day, or $34 for a two day pass. VIP club level tickets are available for $50 and can be purchased at the door or in advance online. For more information visit www.gatheringofnations.com.

SOURCE Gathering of Nations

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Hillary Clinton, Clint Eastwood, and Melinda Gates Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Hillary Clinton


Clint Eastwood


Melinda F. Gates

17 Apr 2012 18:00 Africa/Lagos


Hillary Rodham Clinton, Clint Eastwood, and Melinda F. Gates Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

2012 class features national and international scholars, artists, scientists, writers and other professionals including historian David W. Blight, volcanologist Katharine V. Cashman, mathematician Ngo Bao Chau, cancer researcher Tyler Jacks, musician Sir Paul McCartney, playwright Neil Simon, and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Arts and Sciences today announced the election of 220 new members, continuing a 230-plus year history of recognizing some of the world's most accomplished scholars, scientists, writers, artists, and civic, corporate, and philanthropic leaders.

One of the nation's most prestigious honorary societies, the Academy is also a leading center for independent policy research. Members contribute to Academy publications and studies of science and technology policy, energy and global security, social policy and American institutions, the humanities and culture, and education.

"Election to the Academy is both an honor for extraordinary accomplishment and a call to serve," said Academy President Leslie C. Berlowitz . "We look forward to drawing on the knowledge and expertise of these distinguished men and women to advance solutions to the pressing policy challenges of the day."

An alphabetical list of the new members is located at:
http://www.amacad.org/news/alphalist2012.pdf. The new class listed by discipline is located at: http://www.amacad.org/news/classlist2012.pdf.

Members of the 2012 class include winners of the National Medal of Science, the Lasker Award, the Pulitzer and the Shaw prizes, the Fields Medal; MacArthur and Guggenheim fellowships; the Kennedy Center Honors; Grammy, Emmy, Academy, and Tony awards; the Avery Fisher Prize, and election to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Scientists among the newly elected Fellows include: James Fraser Stoddart , a chemist whose work helped establish the field of molecular nanotechnology; Angela M. Belcher , who uses directed evolution to create new materials and devices with applications in electronics, energy, and medicine; geological scientist Katharine V. Cashman , who helped explain why volcanos erupt the way they do; Gregory B. Olson , one of the founders of computational materials design; astronomer Debra A. Fischer , who helped discover more than 200 planetary systems; Robert P. Colwell , chief architect of Intel's Pentium microprocessors; Tyler Jacks , who exploits gene-targeting technology in mice to understand cancer in humans; oncologist Brian Druker , whose research dramatically improved survival rates for leukemia patients; mathematician Ngo Bao Chau, winner of the Fields Medal; synthetic biology pioneer Jef Boeke ;psychologist Robert Seyfarth , whose field research with monkeys shed light on the evolutionary origins of language; and Griffin P. Rodgers , director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, whose research contributed to the first effective therapy for sickle cell anemia.

Social scientists include: economist Robert A. Moffitt , an authority on the incentives and disincentives inherent in the U.S. welfare system; Paul Mendes-Flohr , a leading scholar of modern Jewish thought and history; behavioral scientist Edward F. Diener , who pioneered methods of measuring well-being; legal scholar Shari S. Diamond , whose empirical research has influenced sentencing policy and jury procedures in U.S. courts; public finance economist Amy Finkelstein , whose work has shown how the structure of government programs affects health care choices and outcomes; political scientist James Druckman , who developed influential theories of how citizens form political opinions; and George F. Bass , a pioneer in underwater archaeology.

In the humanities and the arts, new members include: Civil War scholar David. W. Blight; Vicki L. Ruiz , whose research helped establish the field of Chicano/Latino history; Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon ; poet Gerald Stern ; sculptor Kiki Smith ; American film icons Clint Eastwood and Mel Brooks ; violinist Midori Goto ; pianist, conductor, and composer Andre Previn ; and mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade.

Elected in public affairs and journalism are: sustainability expert Kamaljit Singh Bawa ; former Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, Jr. ; veteran diplomat R. Nicholas Burns ; U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton ; television journalist Judy Woodruff ; and Boston Globe editor Martin Baron .

Business leaders in the 2012 class include: Amazon founder Jeffrey Bezos ; Merck and Company Chairman, President and CEO Kenneth C. Frazier ; Walt Disney Chairman and CEO Robert A. Iger ; civic and business leader Penny S. Pritzker ; Loews Corporation President and CEO James S. Tisch ; and philanthropist and retired Citigroup Chairman Sanford I. Weill .

The new class also includes the leaders of educational, cultural, and philanthropic organizations including: Jared L. Cohon (Carnegie Mellon University); Melinda F. Gates (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation); Steven S. Koblik (Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens); Reynold Levy (Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts); Carolyn A. Martin (Amherst College); and Michael A. McRobbie (Indiana University).

The Academy elected 17 Foreign Honorary Members from Argentina, Canada , Egypt, Finland, France , Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. They include: Helmut Schwarz , President of Germany's Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; Dutch stem cell researcher Johannes C. Clevers ; French social anthropologist Philippe Descola; British playwright and director David Hare ; South African artist William Kentridge ; British recording artist Paul McCartney ; Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho ; British choreographer Christopher Wheeldon ; Argentinian commentator and politician Rodolfo Hector Terragno ; and Ismail Serageldin , director of Egypt's Bibliotheca Alexendrina.

The new class will be inducted at a ceremony on October 6 , at the Academy's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Since its founding in 1780, the Academy has elected leading "thinkers and doers" from each generation, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin in the eighteenth century, Daniel Webster and Ralph Waldo Emerson in the nineteenth, and Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill in the twentieth. The current membership includes more than 250 Nobel laureates and more than 60 Pulitzer Prize winners.

SOURCE American Academy of Arts & Sciences

NOTE TO EDITORS: You can download a low-resolution version (for web) and high-resolution version (for print) of the Academy seal at: http://www.amacad.org/images/Academy_Seal_Logotype.pdfCONTACT: Paul Karoff, +1-617-576-5043, pkaroff@amacad.org Web Site: http://www.amacad.org

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President Obama May Lose To Romney by Historic Standards

According to Zeke Miller, incumbent President Barack Obama may lose to Mitt Romney the leading candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential nomination.

Modern presidents who got re-elected were all leading in the polls at this point in their presidencies — as were some who lost anyway. Obama is in a statistical tie with Romney in the first Gallup daily tracking poll of the general election, and that might not be enough

Click here to see more on how Obama may lose to Romney.

COMING SOON TO THE THEATER NEAR YOU THIS SUMMER!


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Congratulations to Jim Yong Kim, New World Bank President

Dr. Jim Yong Kim, new President of the World Bank.


Press Release No:2012/395/SEC

WASHINGTON, April 16, 2012 - The Executive Directors met today to select a new President of the World Bank Group. The Board expressed its deep gratitude for Mr. Robert B. Zoellick’s outstanding leadership and his dedication to reducing poverty in its member countries, the core mandate of the World Bank Group.

The Executive Directors followed the new selection process agreed in 2011 which, for the first time in the Bank’s history, yielded multiple nominees. This process included an open nomination where any national of the Bank’s membership could be proposed by any Executive Director or Governor, publication of the names of the candidates, interviews of the candidates by the Executive Directors, and final selection of the President.

The Executive Directors selected Dr. Jim Yong Kim as President for a five-year term beginning on July 1, 2012. The President is Chair of the Boards of Directors of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). The President is also ex officio Chair of the Boards of Directors of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the Administrative Council of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

We, the Executive Directors, wish to express our deep appreciation to all the nominees, Jim Yong Kim, José Antonio Ocampo and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. Their candidacies enriched the discussion of the role of the President and of the World Bank Group’s future direction. The final nominees received support from different member countries, which reflected the high caliber of the candidates. We all look forward to working with Dr. Kim when he assumes his responsibilities.

Dr. Jim Yong Kim is currently President of Dartmouth College. A U.S. national, Dr. Kim is a co-founder of Partners in Health (PIH) and a former director of the Department of HIV/AIDS at the World Health Organization (WHO). Before assuming the Dartmouth presidency, Dr. Kim held professorships at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health. He also served as chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, chief of the Division of Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and director of the François Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Kim was awarded a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship (2003), was named one of America’s “25 Best Leaders” by US News & World Report (2005), and was selected as one of TIME magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World” (2006). He was elected in 2004 to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences—one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine—for his professional achievements and commitment to service. He has published widely over the past two decades, authoring or co-authoring articles for leading academic and scientific journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and Science.

Born in 1959 in Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Kim moved with his family to the United States at the age of five and grew up in Muscatine, Iowa. Dr. Kim graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1982. He earned a medical doctorate from Harvard Medical School in 1991 and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Harvard University in 1993. He is married to Dr. Younsook Lim, a pediatrician. The couple has two young sons.


Contacts:

In Washington: David Theis, (202) 458-8626, dtheis@worldbank.org

For Broadcast Requests: Natalia Cieslik, (202) 458-9369, ncieslik@worldbank.org

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Posted on April 17, 2012 by A Bank Insider

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• AFP: Nigeria World Bank candidate salutes Kim, calls for change
• FT: World Bank picks Kim as next head
• Economist: Kim for president
• The Atlantic: Shocking News About the Next World Bank Boss
• BBC: Africa’s World Bank hopes dashed as Okonjo-Iweala loses
• The Telegraph: A 20th century bank facing 21st century problems
• Irish Times: World Bank accused of lack of transparency after US chief chosen

• The Conversation: Three-Card Trick: Kim is new World Bank President

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Thomson Reuters Announces 100 Top Hospitals Award Winners

16 Apr 2012 13:00 Africa/Lagos



Thomson Reuters Announces 100 Top Hospitals Award Winners
Twelve Hospitals Are Named Everest Award Winners for Fastest Improvement and Top Performance

ANN ARBOR, Mich., April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson Reuters today released its annual study identifying the 100 top U.S. hospitals based on their overall organizational performance.

The Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals® study evaluates performance in 10 areas: mortality; medical complications; patient safety; average patient stay; expenses; profitability; patient satisfaction; adherence to clinical standards of care; post-discharge mortality; and readmission rates for acute myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, and pneumonia. The study has been conducted annually since 1993.

"This year, the concentration of 100 Top Hospitals award winners has shifted significantly, with Texas, Florida, and California housing the most winners," said Jean Chenoweth, senior vice president at Thomson Reuters. "A major change in performance geographically is an encouraging indication that the bar for quality care has been raised once again."

For the fourth year, Thomson Reuters is also recognizing the 100 Top Hospitals Everest Award winners — those hospitals among the 100 winners that delivered the greatest rate of improvement over five years. This year, there are 12 Everest Award winners.

To conduct the 100 Top Hospitals study, Thomson Reuters researchers evaluated 2,886 short-term, acute-care, non-federal hospitals. They used public information — Medicare cost reports, Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR) data, and core measures and patient satisfaction data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website. Hospitals do not apply, and winners do not pay to market this honor.

If all Medicare inpatients received the same level of care as those treated in the award-winning facilities:

More than 186,000 additional lives could be saved.
Approximately 56,000 additional patients could be complication free.
More than $4.3 billion could be saved.
The average patient stay would decrease by nearly half a day.

If the same standards were applied to all inpatients, the impact would be even greater. For more information, please visit www.100tophospitals.com.

Here are the winning hospitals, by category, with asterisks indicating the Everest Award winners:

THE 100 TOP HOSPITALS EVEREST AWARD The Everest Award honors hospitals that have achieved both the highest current performance and the fastest long-term improvement over five years.
Hospital Name	City, State	Medicare ID
Banner Boswell Medical Center	Sun City, AZ	030061
UC San Diego Medical Center – Hillcrest	San Diego, CA	050025
French Hospital Medical Center	San Luis Obispo, CA	050232
Sarasota Memorial Hospital	Sarasota, FL	100087
Morton Plant Hospital	Clearwater, FL	100127
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota	Sarasota, FL	100166
Delray Medical Center	Delray Beach, FL	100258
Ochsner Medical Center	New Orleans, LA	190036
St. Joseph Health System	Tawas City, MI	230100
Clara Maass Medical Center	Belleville, NJ	310009
Augusta Health	Fishersville, VA	490018
Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital	Richmond, VA	490059
100 TOP HOSPITALS, 2012 MAJOR TEACHING HOSPITALS
Hospital	City, State	Medicare ID
UC San Diego Medical Center - Hillcrest	San Diego, CA	050025
Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center	Chicago, IL	140182
Advocate Christ Medical Center	Oak Lawn, IL	140208
Ochsner Medical Center	New Orleans, LA	190036
Baystate Medical Center	Springfield, MA	220077
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center	Boston, MA	220086
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital	Ann Arbor, MI	230156
Doctors Hospital	Columbus, OH	360152
Geisinger Medical Center	Danville, PA	390006
Allegheny General Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	390050
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center	Philadelphia, PA	390223
Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Nashville, TN	440039
Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas	Dallas, TX	450021
Scott & White Hospital	Temple, TX	450054
The Methodist Hospital	Houston, TX	450358
TEACHING HOSPITALS
Hospital	City, State	Medicare ID
Scripps Green Hospital	La Jolla, CA	050424
Poudre Valley Hospital	Fort Collins, CO	060010
Morton Plant Hospital	Clearwater, FL	100127
Carle Foundation Hospital	Urbana, IL	140091
St. Vincent Indianapolis Hospital	Indianapolis, IN	150084
St. Luke's Hospital	Cedar Rapids, IA	160045
Mercy Medical Center North Iowa	Mason City, IA	160064
Mercy Medical Center	Baltimore, MD	210008
Saint Vincent Hospital	Worcester, MA	220176
Munson Medical Center	Traverse City, MI	230097
Beaumont Hospital, Troy	Troy, MI	230269
Hackensack University Medical Center	Hackensack, NJ	310001
Mission Hospital	Asheville, NC	340002
Kettering Medical Center	Kettering, OH	360079
UPMC Hamot	Erie, PA	390063
Robert Packer Hospital	Sayre, PA	360079
Bryn Mawr Hospital	Bryn Mawr, PA	390139
Lankenau Medical Center	Wynnewood, PA	390195
AnMed Health Medical Center	Anderson, SC	420027
Saint Thomas Hospital	Nashville, TN	440082
Memorial Health Care System	Chattanooga, TN	440091
Memorial Hermann Hospital System	Houston, TX	450184
Baptist St. Anthony's Health System	Amarillo, TX	450231
McKay-Dee Hospital Center	Ogden, UT	460004
Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital	Richmond, VA	490059
LARGE COMMUNITY HOSPITALS
Hospital	City, State	Medicare ID
Banner Boswell Medical Center	Sun City, AZ	030061
Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center	Torrance, CA	050353
Centinela Hospital Medical Center	Inglewood, CA	050739
Martin Health System	Stuart, FL	100044
Sarasota Memorial Hospital	Sarasota, FL	100087
Kendall Regional Medical Center	Miami, FL	100209
Ocala Regional Medical Center	Ocala, FL	100212
Delray Medical Center	Delray Beach, FL	100258
Mease Contryside Hospital	Safety Harbor, FL	100265
Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital	Downers Grove, IL	140288
Owensboro Medical Health System	Owensboro, KY	180038
Clara Maass Medical Center	Belleville, NJ	310009
Community Medical Center	Toms River, NJ	310041
Gaston Memorial Hospital	Gastonia, NC	340032
St. Clair Hospital	Pittsburgh, PA	390228
Trinity Mother Frances Hospital	Tyler, TX	450102
St. David's Medical Center	Austin, TX	450431
Memorial Hermann Memorial City Medical Center	Houston, TX	450610
CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System	Texarkana, TX	450801
St. David's North Austin Medical Center	Austin, TX	450809
MEDIUM COMMUNITY HOSPITALS
Hospital	City, State	Medicare ID
Baptist Medical Center East	Montgomery, AL	010149
Garden Grove Hospital Medical Center	Garden Grove, CA	050230
French Hospital Medical Center	San Luis Obispo, CA	050232
West Anaheim Medical Center	Anaheim, CA	050426
Chino Valley Medical Center	Chino, CA	050586
Doctors Hospital of Sarasota	Sarasota, FL	100166
Northwest Medical Center	Margate, FL	100189
Gulf Coast Medical Center	Panama City, FL	100242
Cleveland Clinic Florida	Weston, FL	100289
Dupont Hospital	Fort Wayne, IN	150150
Saint Joseph Hospital	Bangor, ME	200001
Holland Hospital	Holland, MI	230072
Mercy Hospital Clermont	Batavia, OH	360236
Sycamore Medical Center	Miamisburg, OH	360239
Paoli Hospital	Paoli, PA	390153
Doylestown Hospital	Doylestown, PA	390203
Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital	Charleston, SC	420065
St. David's Round Rock Medical Center	Round Rock, TX	450718
Ogden Regional Medical Center	Ogden, UT	460005
Augusta Health	Fishersville, VA	490018
SMALL COMMUNITY HOSPITALS
Hospital	City, State	Medicare ID
St. Elizabeth Community Hospital	Red Bluff, CA	050042
Sutter Davis Hospital	Davis, CA	050537
Desert Valley Hospital	Victorville, CA	050709
Gulf Breeze Hospital	Gulf Breeze, FL	100266
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast	Miramar Beach, FL	100292
Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center	Plymouth, IN	150076
Major Hospital	Shelbyville, IN	150097
Harlan ARH Hospital	Harlan, KY	180050
Spectrum Health United Memorial	Greenville, MI	230035
Mercy Hospital Cadillac	Cadillac, MI	230081
St. Joseph Health System	Tawas City, MI	230100
Lakeview Hospital	Stillwater, MN	240066
Woodwinds Health Campus	Woodbury, MN	240213
The HealthCenter	Kalispell, MT	270087
Samaritan Regional Health System	Ashland, OH	360002
Dublin Methodist Hospital	Dublin, OH	360348
Ponca City Medical Center	Ponca CIty, OK	370006
Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie	Waxahachie, TX	450372
Hill Country Memorial Hospital	Fredericksburg, TX	450604
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital

About Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world's most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

SOURCE Thomson Reuters

CONTACT: Brian Erni, +1-631-656-9736, brian@jroderick.com

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

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Cybornetics Trailer Release This Friday the 13th at 8PM!

Cybornetics Trailer Release This Friday the 13th at 8PM!

360 Sound and Vision will release its trailer for Cybornetics this Friday the 13th at 8PM Eastern time. Cybornetics, a new independent original science fiction movie about a group of scientists who transform a young man into a cyborg, is the much anticipated 2nd feature film written and directed by emerging artist, Dwayne Buckle.

360 Sound and Vision is an independently owned film distribution company located in Tribeca, New York City, which specializes in African-American Drama, Action, Science Fiction, Thriller and Fantasy based films, bringing a diversified niche to Black programming…that people from all races can enjoy.

The movie starring, Justiin A. Davis (Boardwalk Empire), James Rich, and Raw Leiba (Limitless), explores mankind's quest to merge with his technology.

Go to www.cybornetics.net this Friday and catch a first time glimpse of this much anticipated movie which will be released this June.

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Mike Wallace Showed Us All the Way To Work A Story

Myron Leon "Mike" Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012).

9 Apr 2012 02:58 Africa/Lagos



Statement by National Press Club President Theresa Werner on the Passing of Mike Wallace

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement was issued today by National Press Club President Theresa Werner on the passing of CBS Newsman Mike Wallace,

"Mike Wallace was an original journalist with a unique and effective style. His trademark interviews bursting into offices with cameras rolling brought journalism to a place it had never been before. Mike Wallace made 60 Minutes what it is today – a program unmatched in the field. He showed us all the way to work a story. He will be missed."


SOURCE National Press Club
CONTACT: Bill McCarren, +1-202-662-7534 for the National Press Club

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Rihanna Talks about Her Challenges in New Movie “Battleship.”

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"Hunger in America" Film, Narrated by James Denton of "Desperate Housewives"

Skydive Films Launches "Hunger in America" Film, Narrated by James Denton of "Desperate Housewives"

"Desperate Housewives" star James Denton takes a bite out of "Hunger in America," a new documentary film tackling the hunger issue in America.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "Desperate Housewives" star James Denton and production companies Skydive Films and Casting Life Films have teamed up to produce a powerful new documentary tackling the hunger issue in America.

"When I think about hunger, I think about kids in third world countries, not adults and children here in America. When you hear the stats, they are staggering," says Zac Adams who is serving as the film's writer, director, and producer. My goal with this film is to educate and raise awareness. We hope to motivate people to get out there and do something about this growing epidemic."

"It's an issue that definitely needs to be talked about," says Denton, who is serving as the film's narrator and is best known for playing Mike Delfino on ABC's hit show, "Desperate Housewives."

"I am passionate about the issue of Hunger in America because in a country with so much excess, food should not be considered a luxury," says co-producer Mindy Lawrence.

Mike Stryker, who is serving as the film's cinematographer and editor, states that, "A third world exists here in America, a world that most Americans have never seen."

The film has already begun shooting and will continue filming across the United States until summer 2012.

Director Zac Adams' most recent film, "Nashville Rises," an Emmy-nominated documentary narrated by Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton, tells the story of how the city responded to the worst natural flood disaster in Tennessee history.

"With 'Nashville Rises,' we hoped to inspire people of how a community came together and a city rose up. In 'Hunger in America,' our mission is to make a positive impact by screening this film on TV, film festivals, and the Internet. Funds made on this film will go back into the communities where people need it the most."

"Hunger in America" will be released in the fall of 2012. It's co-produced by Randy Ryder, Joel Hahn, Mark Slaughter, Mike Stryker, Jeffrey Chase, and Camron Carrier, all of whom worked on "Nashville Rises."

SOURCE Skydive Films

CONTACT: Zac Adams of Skydive Films, +1-615-414-5871, zac@skydivefilms.com

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

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Last Minute Tax Tips from the IRS

Last Minute Tax Tips from the IRS

WASHINGTON, April 03, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Even with some extra time, the tax deadline is fast approaching. Thanks to a holiday in the District of Columbia, all taxpayers have until April 17 to get Form 1040 into the IRS.

For people who find taxes a little too taxing, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has a program that can help. It’s called Free File. You can use free software to do your taxes and e-file for free. Get started at IRS.gov/freefile.

Free File is a partnership between the IRS and leading tax software providers who make their brand-name products available for free. The software does the hard work − doing the math and helping you find the tax breaks you’re due.

There is a free option for everyone. People who make $57,000 or less, which includes most Americans, can use the Free File software. People who make more can use the Free File Fillable Form, an electronic version of the IRS paper form.

If you don’t think you can meet the April 17 deadline, you can request an extension. Making the request is easy and free. You can use Free File to make your request at IRS.gov/freefile. Select “Browse the list of Free File companies” and look for “free extensions” in the company offers. But remember, this is an extension to file your return, not to pay. If you think you owe, send a payment with your extension request.

The IRS recognizes many people find this time of year stressful. Here are some tips that may help:

• Don’t wait until the last minute, you’re prone to make mistakes;
• Use IRS.gov for answers to your questions or to track your refund;
• Use Free File, there’s a free option for everyone;
• Don’t panic if you can’t pay; you can arrange for a payment agreement at IRS.gov;
• If you can’t make the April 17 deadline, use Free File to request an extension and make a payment if needed.

Attention Editors and PSA Directors: the following assets are available for download:

• Diane Fox, Free File Director, IRS, discussing the Free File program, this year’s tax filing deadline, how to request an extension and tax tips:
• Sound bites − MPEG-4
• Interview video (MPEG-4) and audio (MP3)
• B-roll of individual using Free File and checks printing
• PSAs for your rotation:http://www.plowsharegroup.com/media_downloads/irs_freefile2012.php?#tabs-3

Media Contact:
IRS Media Relations Offices

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United

More Than 3.6 Million Kids Smoke Cigarettes in America

Surgeon General releases new report on youth smoking
More than 3.6 million kids smoke cigarettes



Washington, DC, March 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The fight against youth tobacco use was accelerated today by Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, with the release of the Surgeon General’s Report, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults. This report details the scope, health consequences and influences that lead to youth tobacco use and proven strategies that prevent its use.

To help communicate the report findings and steps every American can take to join the fight against youth tobacco use, the surgeon general also unveiled a guide with practical information on addressing tobacco use in young people, Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: We Can Make the Next Generation Tobacco-Free. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health will launch the Surgeon General’s Video Challenge to engage youth and young adults in developing original videos that feature one or more of the report’s findings. More information can be found at www.Challenge.gov.

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable and premature death, killing more than 1,200 Americans every day. For every tobacco-related death two new young people under the age of 26 become regular smokers. Nearly 90 percent of these replacement smokers try their first cigarette by age 18. Approximately 3 out of 4 high school smokers continue to smoke well into adulthood.

“Targeted marketing encourages more young people to take up this deadly addiction every day,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This administration is committed to doing everything we can to prevent our children from using tobacco.”

This administration has taken historic steps to protect children from the dangers of tobacco use including the passage of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (TCA) which gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco products to prevent use by minors. TCA prevents tobacco use through activities such as age and identification verification at retailers, restrictions on the sale of single cigarettes and a ban on certain candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes. Other activities include support for state quitlines and implementation of web and mobile based interventions aimed to reach young people.

The surgeon general’s report provides further scientific evidence on the addictive nature of nicotine. The younger individuals are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they are to become addicted and the more heavily addicted they will become.

“The addictive power of nicotine makes tobacco use much more than a passing phase for most teens. We now know smoking causes immediate physical damage, some of which is permanent,” said Dr. Benjamin. “Today, more than 600,000 middle school students and 3 million high school students smoke. We don’t want our children to start something now that they won’t be able to change later in life.”

While the long-term health effects of tobacco use are well known, this report concludes that smoking early in life has substantial health risks that begin immediately in young smokers. These include serious early cardiovascular damage and a reduction of lung functionality. This lung damage is permanent, causes shortness of breath immediately and increases the risk of pulmonary diseases later in life.

Expenditures for marketing and promotion of tobacco products exceed $1 million an hour – over $27 million a day – in the United States alone. Targeted messages and images that portray smoking as an acceptable, appealing activity for young people are widespread, and advertising for tobacco products is prominent in retail stores and online.

“We can and must continue to do more to accelerate the decline in youth tobacco use,” said Dr. Howard Koh, assistant secretary for health at HHS. “Until we end the tobacco epidemic, more young people will become addicted, more people will die, and more families will be devastated by the suffering and loss of loved ones.”

Copies of the full Report, executive summary, and the easy-to-read guide may be downloaded at http://www.surgeongeneral.gov. To order printed copies of these documents go to http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco and click on the Publications Catalog link under Tools & Resources.For access to quitting resources visit www.smokefree.gov.

###

Cntact:
CDC Press Office
(770) 488-5493
media@hhs.gov
www.hhs.gov/news

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